New World, Green Bit Island.
With long deep blue hair and a ghostly appearance, Caesar Clown was pacing the beach with an impatient look on his face.
"Hey, Monet, let me ask you, what on earth does Joker mean by this? Why did he send us here? I still have a lot of research work to do!"
His gas-like pink coat puffed up, mirroring his rising anger.
On the grassy edge of the beach, Monet sat quietly, her long wavy grass-green hair covering her left eye. Her figure was graceful as she gazed at the blue sky, her tone gentle.
"This is the Young Lord's command. We only need to obey!"
Monet's nonchalant tone sent Caesar into a rage; he wailed and paced back and forth on the sand even more irritably.
Just then, Monet whispered, "He's here!"
Caesar froze for a moment and followed Monet's gaze, looking up at the sky.
In the sky, Donquixote Doflamingo approached rapidly, his arms spread wide.
Every time he extended an arm, a silk thread would shoot from his fingertips. The threads hooked onto the clouds in the sky, pulling his body along as if he were flying.
"Fuffuffuffuffu, Caesar, Monet!"
Landing on the beach, Doflamingo walked over with his hands in his pockets, his stride arrogant and dismissive.
"Greetings, Young Lord!" Monet bowed.
Doflamingo's appearance caused Caesar's anger to vanish instantly. "Joker, the work at my research institute was just reaching..."
A flash of light glinted off Doflamingo's sunglasses as he revealed an evil, charming smile.
"No rush. Suspend the research for now. Punk Hazard isn't safe at the moment!"
He paused, and seeing the puzzled expressions on his two subordinates, he continued, "The Marine Headquarters' highest combat power—two Admirals—are using your place as a battlefield, Caesar!"
Caesar stiffened at the news, then turned pale with shock. "What! Then, then my laboratory..."
Doflamingo extended his fingers, twitching them a few times as he laughed. "Fuffuffuffuffu, no need to worry. The research institute will be fine. After all, Aokiji and Akainu are on opposite sides!"
Caesar felt a bit more at ease, but then became curious. "How do you know all this?"
Doflamingo smiled silently, merely staring at Caesar without saying a word.
Caesar felt a chill in his heart, his eyes showing fear. Did Donquixote Doflamingo have high-level moles within the Marines or the World Government?
Thinking of this, Caesar became pleasantly surprised. The stronger Doflamingo's power was, wouldn't his own cooperation with him be safer?
Caesar then laughed, "Shurorororo, Joker, you really surprise me. Cooperating with you seems to have been the right decision after all!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu, you figured it out?" Doflamingo laughed wantonly.
"Wait here peacefully. In a few days, it will all be over. I'll notify you then!"
...Punk Hazard.
Taro walked into the research institute. This was the only facility on the island that hadn't been destroyed after the gas leak incident.
Caesar used this laboratory to conduct experiments on human giantification, manufacture 'Artificial Devil Fruits,' and research weapons of mass destruction.
The problem was, where had everyone gone?
Taro's Observation Haki spread throughout the entire institute, yet he still sensed nothing. This was too eerie.
Many pieces of equipment in the base were still running, which indicated that people had indeed been working here recently.
The laboratories, cold storage rooms, biscuit rooms, and prison cells that Taro inspected all confirmed this.
Undoubtedly, this was a somewhat sudden evacuation.
Had news leaked that two Admirals would appear on this island?
Was it Vergo?
Taro thought of that guy, but Vergo was only a Vice Admiral. How could he know so clearly?
Could it be that someone in the high ranks of the World Government leaked the news?
That was also possible, because Doflamingo was originally a Celestial Dragon and maintained contact with the World Government.
The existence of the research institute on Punk Hazard was no secret; the intelligence agency CP0 had visited the island before.
"CP0, CP0?!" Taro murmured, a sudden flash of inspiration hitting him as he remembered something.
An important reason that intelligence agency had come to this island was the Artificial Devil Fruit left behind by Vegapunk!
Thinking of this, Taro made several leaps, rushing toward the room for discarded experimental subjects.
Inside this discarded laboratory, a large amount of equipment lay scattered across the floor. Some equipment that looked intact was in a state of shutdown due to loss of power, covered in dust.
Taro waved his arm, and a cyclone rose from beneath his feet, driving away the turbid air around him.
On the display stand in the center of the room, a blue-purple Devil Fruit with circular patterns sat quietly under the protection of a glass dome.
It was indeed that Devil Fruit created using Kaido's Lineage Factor!
Vegapunk's most successful 'failed' work!
Taro stepped forward quickly and placed his right hand on the glass dome. With a slight exertion of force, the glass dome instantly shattered.
This Devil Fruit did indeed look somewhat ugly; it wasn't as beautiful as the spiral patterns of a normal Devil Fruit, and its color was dull and lackluster.
Taro held it in his hand and studied it for a while. Aside from its appearance, he couldn't see any other differences.
With a thought, Taro injected a trace of Internal Energy into it, wanting to test if there would be any change.
However, the surface of the Artificial Devil Fruit merely shimmered once, as if it had been washed clean. Aside from becoming a bit cleaner, there was no other reaction.
Forget it, asking a layman like him to conduct this kind of scientific research was truly asking too much.
Besides, the science of this world was not the same as the science of his previous life.
Taro's mouth twitched as he gave up on further research. He pulled a small cloth bag containing a den den mushi from his chest.
He poured out the den den mushi, put the Devil Fruit into the cloth bag, and tied it to his lower back.
The little den den mushi opened its eyes and looked at Taro with a face full of grievance.
Taro's mouth twitched. "Ahem, I'm not making a call. Shrink back and go to sleep!"
The little den den mushi glanced at its bag, tears almost coming to its eyes, and then retreated into its shell with a look of grievance.
Taro then stuffed the den den mushi back into his chest and exited the research institute.
Outside the institute, it was still peaceful.
Taro frowned. This battlefield didn't look like the fight was over, yet the main characters had exited early. It didn't make sense!
Then, he looked at the research institute again. Thinking of the equipment inside used for evil research, his gaze turned cold.
The Internal Energy throughout his body surged wildly, gathering in his fists. Two masses of solidified Internal Energy, containing powerful vibrational energy, attached to his fists.
"Earthquake!"
Taro squatted down, bent his arms, and slammed both fists heavily toward the sides.
Crack! Crack!
Two crisp sounds of shattering glass rang out. Space fractured, the air froze, and then the ground began to tremble violently.
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