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“Kojin, Zeus is a first-generation Seraphim that still requires improvements and further modification,” Vegapunk said, feeling dissatisfied.
As a first-generation model, Zeus was inherently flawed and technically immature. Deploying it directly on a mission would likely lead to complications.
“Combat is the fastest way to uncover problems and flaws,” Kojin replied with a smile. “The first-generation Zeus needs to be tested, doesn’t it?”
He had originally planned to travel to Wano Country in person, but with Zeus now available, that was no longer necessary. After all, his current position would draw unwanted attention if he suddenly appeared in another location.
He had little genuine interest in the situation in Wano Country. As Roger had said, this era was not the opportune moment to pursue any grand ambitions.
Vegapunk muttered a few more complaints but ultimately said nothing further.
“Moreover, Zeus will be bringing back a fully powered experimental specimen this time. His name is Kozuki Oden, a world-renowned great swordsman,” Kojin said with a smile.
He then issued an order to Zeus.
The latter nodded, and thunderous light erupted from his body as he vanished into the distance in an instant.
“I need more materials. The list has already been compiled. I need them to create more Seraphim clones,” Vegapunk said.
“No problem,” Kojin assured him. “I fully support all your research projects!”
Vegapunk’s expression visibly eased at this attitude.
“From the ancient texts of Ohara, I’ve gleaned considerable information about ancient civilizations. The ancient Great Kingdom was a highly advanced nation, so advanced that I’ve begun to doubt the origins of Devil Fruits.”
Kojin looked puzzled, waiting for Vegapunk to continue.
“Recently, I’ve been pondering whether Devil Fruits might also be technological creations. I want to explore the possibility of creating artificial devil fruits,” Vegapunk said.
“Please proceed boldly!” Kojin replied.
“I have a question for you, Doctor,” he added with a smile.
Vegapunk nodded. “Ask away.”
“Is there a special method to transfer a Devil Fruit’s ability into another fruit when its former user dies?” Kojin asked. “Or more broadly, is it possible to transfer a Devil Fruit’s ability?”
Vegapunk’s brilliant mind immediately grasped Kojin’s intention. “You want to try eating a second fruit and become a dual-fruit ability user?”
Kojin nodded.
In order to further enhance his current strength, Kojin had only two options: he could either suddenly awaken Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), or he could consume another powerful Devil Fruit.
Of course, consuming another Devil Fruit wouldn’t drastically increase his power; it would only expand his offensive capabilities.
“This is indeed a research-worthy topic. I find it very intriguing. In fact, I’ve been researching Devil Fruits for some time, including the technology to grant Devil Fruit abilities to inanimate objects. Using special methods, we can confine the ‘devil’ behind the Devil Fruit, or rather…”
Glancing at Kojin, Vegapunk continued, “I call it the ‘devil factor.’ By limiting this factor’s activity range, there’s a high probability of capturing the fruit’s power!”
Kojin’s eyes lit up. “Can you really do that?”
“Naturally! This is also why I have some doubts about the origin of Devil Fruits,” Vegapunk sighed.
“Please, tell me about this technique,” Kojin insisted. “It might come in handy in the future!”
…
West Blue, G-18 Base.
Most of the time, the base was peaceful, with soldiers conducting routine physical fitness and combat training drills. Battleships arrived and departed on missions, crisscrossing the harbor.
The sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze stirred the air. Seagulls wheeled overhead, their cries echoing across the sky.
On the rooftop of the base headquarters, Buggy, Smoker, and Aroshu sat with their legs dangling over the edge. The sea breeze whipped through their hair and their faces reflected contentment.
“Ah, this is the life!” Smoker sighed.
“These moments of leisure really soothe my inner exhaustion,” Buggy added.
“I want to keep practicing,” Aroshu muttered.
The other two immediately glared at him.
“Please, just don’t push yourself too hard!”
Aroshu shrugged with a helpless expression. The trio, who were roughly the same age, got along well. Due to their exceptional combat prowess, they were known as the “Three Monsters” of G-18 Fortress.
Of them all, the Lunarian Tribe youth was the most relentless in his training, his strength advancing at an astonishing pace.
“Hey, what’s that?” Buggy suddenly pointed at a dark speck in the sky, his voice filled with confusion.
The other two looked up, their expressions freezing in shock.
Against the sky, a black dot had abruptly appeared and was growing larger and closer with alarming speed. In the blink of an eye, it swelled to an enormous size.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey!” Buggy cried out, his voice trembling. “Could that be a meteor?”
The black dot was accelerating, growing exponentially in size.
“No, it’s not a meteor!” Smoker exclaimed, his pupils contracting in shock. “It’s an island!”
At that moment, a piercing alarm blared across the entire G-18 base.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A ferocious gale tore through the air, followed by overwhelming atmospheric pressure that slammed down and forced the trio to double over.
“That island is going to crash!” Buggy exclaimed in horror.
“How can there be an island in the sky?” Smoker’s eyes narrowed. “And what are the odds it would fall directly onto the Fortress?”
The trio leaped from the rooftop and landed amidst the surging crowd of Marines. Their whistles cut through the air, summoning troops to their stations.
The sudden descent of the island threw the entire fortress into chaos.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The ceiling trembled violently as invisible shockwaves reverberated downward. Countless panes of glass shattered with a snap, and the tops of buildings cracked and split with a crack.
Bullet glared up at the sky, his eyes burning with intensity.
Behind him, T. Penn, Evans, Eveya, and the others stood ready with grim expressions. The atmospheric pressure intensified relentlessly. The sea in Inner Bay churned and roiled, hissing and roaring as the battleships above rocked violently.
“What the hell is happening?”
“An island is falling!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
The Marines craned their necks upward. Their pupils constricted in shock as the enormous island grew larger and larger, blotting out the sky.
“Golden Lion, Shiki!” Bullet spat out the name, his eyes blazing with fury.
By then, the gargantuan island was only a few hundred meters from G-18 Fortress. The crushing atmospheric pressure caused the buildings of the fortress to shatter and collapse one after another.
Amidst the mounting tension, the Marines scrambled aboard battleships, preparing to evacuate.
“Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!”
“Full retreat! Abandon the fortress!”
These shouts echoed throughout the fortress.
Bang!
Suddenly, the island shuddered to a halt. Circular ripples of energy radiated outward, obliterating everything in their path. Marines who failed to evacuate in time were blasted away by the shockwave and sent hurtling through the air, coughing up blood.
An invisible, terrifying aura surged outward and engulfed the entire fortress.
“Kojin!” a deep voice rumbled.
Bullet’s pupils contracted as he fixed his gaze on the figure leaping from the island and drifting downward.
“Shiki!”
As expected, only that legendary figure could orchestrate such a cataclysmic spectacle. Golden Lion Shiki drifted slowly downward, his gaze sweeping over the fleeing Marines below.
Seeing their desperate retreat, he let out a cold snort and swung his right leg with explosive force.
“Zanpa – Slash Wave!”
A razor-sharp slash instantly cleaved over a dozen Marines in half.
“Damn it!”
Buggy, who was overseeing the withdrawal of his subordinates from afar, saw the carnage, and his eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
Those were my men!
Without hesitation, he vanished in a flash and charged toward the attacker.
“Asshole! How dare you do this?!
Buggy roared, his figure flickering across the battlefield until he stood before Shiki. Bending his knees, Buggy leaped high into the air, his Longblade poised to strike downward with ruthless force.
“Oh?”
“The cowardly rat from Roger’s ship?”
“So you’ve become a Marine?”
Golden Lion arched an eyebrow, a mocking grin spreading across his face. He lifted his right leg and swung it fiercely at Buggy’s descending blade.
Clang!
Metal clashed against metal, sparks flying as their weapons collided.
“I’m one of the Three Monsters of the G-18 Fortress now! I’m no cowardly rat, you fu*king asshole!”
Buggy roared as he spun his Longblade in a sweeping arc toward his opponent’s neck.
Through relentless, devilish training, he had become far stronger than he had been aboard Roger’s ship.
Even in terms of the Six Powers alone, he could hold his own against anyone. His physique had reached superhuman levels, and he had already mastered Soru and Geppo.
“Interesting!”
Shiki sneered, moving his right foot again to intercept Buggy’s strike.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
This time, however, Buggy’s pupils constricted as his Military Sword shattered with a sharp crack.
“Die, Red Nose!” Shiki hissed, his right foot trembling as it sliced across Buggy’s neck.
Buggy froze, his head flying into the air.
The next moment, his right hand, hanging at his side, clenched into a fist.
The severed head continued to spin through the air, glaring down with a ferocious, enraged expression.
“I warned you!”
His right fist swung mercilessly, aiming for the other man’s cheek.
“I’m a… Monster!”
The fist tore through the air, reaching Golden Lion Shiki in the blink of an eye. Shiki’s face showed a clear look of shock and disbelief.
Bang!
The fist landed squarely on his chin. His body jerked violently, and his eyes instantly turned glacial. He lashed out with his right foot, unleashing another tremor.
“Zanpa – Slash Wave!”
The whistling slash instantly split into countless shadowy afterimages.
Buggy’s body was cleaved into countless neat, square blocks.
After a brief pause, the blocks retreated and rapidly coalesced, fusing back into Buggy’s original form.
“I fear nothing more than slashes.”
Golden Lion Shiki’s eyes narrowed slightly before he grinned.
“Intriguing!”
His figure shifted, and his feet floated off the ground.
“But I’m not here to deal with trash like you.”
He bent over sharply and slammed his palms against the ground with a resounding crack.
“Bang!”
The entire G-18 Fortress trembled violently. The ground buckled and heaved; the sea in Inner Bay surged upward; and Marines screamed in terror.
Everything was shaking.
“Kojin!”
“Where are you?!”
(End of Chapter)
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