CHAPTER 279: [279] : VEGAPUNK: THIS ISN’T SCIENTIFIC! THE DOOR TO A NEW WORLD!

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"SUGEEEEEEEEEEE! YOU’RE REALLY THAT VEGAPUNK!"

"Why do you have an apple on your head?"

"Why do they all say they’re Vegapunk?"

Inside Vegapunk’s laboratory, Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp surrounded the main body, the curiosity trio firing off a barrage of questions.

Besides Lilith, three other figures stood around Vegapunk. They were—

Shaka, representing Vegapunk’s "Good."

Edison, representing his "Thinking"

And Pythagoras, representing his "Wisdom".

As for Atlas, the small giant representing Vegapunk’s "Violence," and York, the traitorous satellite representing his "Greed" who wished to become a Celestial Dragon, they were both down in the factory layer below the clouds.

Egghead was structured in two layers.

Above the clouds was Vegapunk’s laboratory, where the cutting-edge research was conducted. Below was the factory layer, where that research was manufactured into real-world tools.

Atlas, embodying Vegapunk’s violence, was extremely short-tempered and unable to control her emotions. Her main job wasn’t research but venting in the factory layer.

Using the light-pressure gloves invented by Vegapunk, she could make direct contact with holographic virtual monsters. Atlas would beat up these virtual monsters to release all of Vegapunk’s violent, negative emotions, allowing the other research-focused satellites to work more effectively.

This was a very efficient and convenient method.

And York, representing "Greed," handled all of Vegapunk’s desires—hunger, sleep, excretion.

This meant that when she wasn’t sleeping, she was in a state of frantic gluttony, sometimes eating until her BMI exceeded 600, turning her into a super-obese woman.

This freed the other satellites from the burden of these universal human needs, allowing them to dedicate all their energy to research.

Then, once a day, all the satellites would sync their experiences and thoughts through Punk Records—the massive brain Vegapunk had removed due to the effects of his Brain-Brain Fruit—ensuring that every satellite remained a part of Vegapunk.

Under the effect of Punk Records, Vegapunk could maximize the use of his limited time, ensuring his research progressed at the highest possible rate.

"So that’s how it is,"

After hearing Vegapunk’s explanation, everyone understood.

Devil Fruits were truly amazing. To think there was a Paramecia fruit as unique as the Brain-Brain Fruit.

Of course, a Fruit like that could only reach its full potential in the hands of a genius scientist like Vegapunk. After all, the fruit only increased brain capacity, not one’s way of thinking or their IQ.

Next, Vegapunk led Rowen and the others on a tour of his research achievements, leaving everyone gasping in disbelief.

Even Rowen was deeply interested.

Artificial organs, cloning technology, stem cell transplantation...

These technologies, which were still on the extreme cutting edge on Earth, some not even fully perfected, had all been truly realized by Vegapunk.

Bonney’s Sapphire Scale disease, for example, had been cured by Vegapunk through stem cell transplantation.

"Can all of this be used in the medical field? SUGEEE!" Chopper stared wide-eyed.

These cutting-edge technologies were completely different from the medical arts Chopper had studied.

Chopper’s dream was to become a doctor capable of curing all diseases. Though he also performed surgery, his overall medical approach still centered on developing drugs to treat illnesses.

But Vegapunk’s medical research had already evolved to the true fundamental code of biology—genetic technology.

If there was a genetic defect, then directly perform a stem cell transplant.

Stem cells, being undifferentiated, immature cells, had the potential to regenerate into various tissues, organs, and human cells.

This way, diseases that ordinary drugs couldn’t cure could be treated. If an organ suffered major lesions, then an artificial organ could be created based on the patient’s genes and transplanted. This was also considered by Vegapunk to be an indispensable technology for future medicine.

These cutting-edge technologies, which Rowen had only known from movies and news, now displayed vividly before him, also filled Rowen with a sense of novelty.

"That’s right. Bonney’s illness was cured through stem cell transplantation. A disease that was considered incurable on these seas was overcome this way. It’s a major step forward for medical technology!"

Vegapunk’s eyes sparkled as he talked about his research.

In that moment, he seemed to glow in the eyes of the crew.

Even Rowen looked at Vegapunk with profound respect.

This had nothing to do with power. The Brain-Brain Fruit offered almost no direct enhancement to its user’s combat strength. Anyone present could easily kill Vegapunk.

But for a scientist so dedicated to research, to the advancement of humanity, whether in the One Piece world or on Earth, they were the most respected.

Vegapunk had won the Ibel Peace Prize, always striving to use his research to bring true peace to the world.

His dream was to create a free energy source that everyone could share—believing that a large part of war stemmed from a lack of energy.

If he could create a free energy source that everyone in the world could use freely, he could extinguish the flames of war at their source.

Though in Rowen’s view, there were other factors that caused war, in general, Vegapunk’s thinking was correct.

"And there’s more research! My dream is to create a world where energy can be shared for free! By converting that energy into a visible force, we can extinguish the sparks that ignite the world’s wars!"

Vegapunk spoke of his dream, his eyes shining with an ultimate brilliance.

"Sounds amazing," Luffy commented, though he didn’t understand at all.

This concept was indeed incredibly advanced—in a fragmented world like the One Piece world, not being able to understand was normal.

"It’s true that many wars are caused by a lack of energy. If there really was sufficient free energy for everyone to use, many wars might not happen,"

Jinbe could understand some of it, but his tone was filled with uncertainty.

"I’m not sure if infinite free energy could truly end all wars, but if you want to achieve a world of permanent peace, it is undoubtedly the most important prerequisite,"

Rowen stated with absolute certainty.

"Amazing!" Hearing Rowen’s affirmation, everyone’s eyes lit up.

Hearing Rowen’s validation, the crew’s eyes lit up. Though they still didn’t fully grasp Vegapunk’s ideas, but they trusted Rowen.

If he was so certain—then if this world’s greatest scientist could truly achieve his dream, permanent world peace might actually be possible.

"YOU REALLY DO UNDERSTAND!" Vegapunk excitedly grabbed Rowen’s hands.

"If there’s anyone in this world who can truly understand my dream, then I believe it must be you, the one who has created so many miracles!" Vegapunk said with utmost seriousness.

Geniuses were often lonely.

Especially someone like Vegapunk, who possessed technological knowledge 500 years ahead of this world.

Most people couldn’t even begin to keep up with him, let alone understand what he was doing. To meet someone who truly understood his dream was indeed a very exciting thing for Vegapunk.

"VEGAPUNK."

Just then, Bonney suddenly spoke.

"B-Bonney." Vegapunk’s gaze subconsciously began to evade.

Vegapunk’s gaze instinctively darted away. He couldn’t bring himself to face her. Although he had cured her illness and saved her life, he had also, in a sense, personally ’Killed’ Kuma—her beloved father and his dear friend.

Even though Kuma had done it all willingly to save her, Vegapunk still couldn’t face her.

But Bonney’s action completely stunned Vegapunk.

"Thank you... for letting me live,"

Bonney sniffed, deactivating her Age-Age Fruit ability, reverting to her original form—a little girl not yet twelve years old. She bowed deeply to Vegapunk, then looked up with a brilliant smile, tears still clinging to her eyelashes.

"Bonney..."

The crew smiled, watching her.

"BONNEY... YOU... YOU DON’T BLAME ME?" Vegapunk had been prepared to be hunted down by Bonney. After all, he had spent so much time with Bonney, he knew her personality very well.

He had expected her fists, not her gratitude.

"If I hadn’t met Rowen, I probably would have wanted to kill you," Bonney wrinkled her nose.

"But meeting him changed everything. I know everything now." Bonney smiled.

Bonney now fully understood the curse of the Buccaneer bloodline and what it meant for her father. As long as he remained in his original body, the curse would last forever.

Physical death, for her father Kuma, was also a kind of liberation.

Of course, the most important thing was Rowen’s ability, which allowed her father to witness her growth, to truly break free from the curse, and be reborn in another way.

Plus, Vegapunk had truly saved her life—otherwise, she wouldn’t be alive now.

Bonney, who knew the whole truth from Kuma, was also very grateful to Vegapunk. She also understood that Vegapunk was also forced by circumstances.

"You know? How? Kuma’s memories are still preserved by me. I’ve always wanted to give them to you," Vegapunk was stunned.

WHOOSH!

A Gate of the Underworld ripped open violently.

A soul was summoned from the underworld.

CLICK!

Then, an Air Door was opened.

"S-BEAR??" Vegapunk immediately recognized it.

It was the Seraphim that had gone completely missing in the mission to besiege the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates—S-Bear, created with Kuma’s Lineage Factor and a replicated Paw-Paw Fruit ability, with combat strength comparable to Kuma’s.

Then, the soul... entered S-Bear’s body.

"Long time no see, Vegapunk," An incredibly gentle voice spoke from S-Bear’s mouth.

"KUMA??" Vegapunk was completely and utterly stunned.

Though the appearance was still the Seraphim S-Bear, the tone... the voice—Vegapunk couldn’t be more familiar with it.

It was his good friend, whom he had helplessly personally erased the consciousness of, who had passed away—Bartholomew Kuma!

"Y-You still have consciousness?? Is... is that a soul? THIS ISN’T SCIENTIFIC!" Vegapunk exclaimed.

"But—that’s very Devil Fruit-like, isn’t it?" Rowen smiled.

"Y-Your Devil Fruit did this, Sky Sovereign?" Vegapunk blinked.

Then, an astonishing glint of brilliance erupted from his eyes.

He felt it.

A door to a new world... had just been thrown wide open for him.

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