~ Support & Read 15 Advanced Chapters on Patreon!
❁❁❁❁
Under the cover of Psycho P's Color-Color spray, Mad Treasure's ship, the Shark Abyss, went completely invisible. It tore through the waters of the Thunder God Territory with reckless abandon.
Baccarat's luck-guided directions proved effective; there was no doubt now that Pure Gold was somewhere within the territory. Mr. Tanaka used his Through-Through Fruit to scout ahead, ensuring they never crossed paths with the sea patrols.
Miraculously, they encountered no danger along the way—or rather, every potential disaster was bypassed thanks to the overwhelming power of Baccarat's luck.
At the round table, the group drank merrily.
"Gyaralalalalala! The Luck-Luck Fruit is the ultimate tool for a treasure hunter!" Mad Treasure's eyes gleamed with a predatory desire for Baccarat herself.
Wishing to avoid internal strife while the alliance was still necessary, Gildo Tesoro quickly changed the subject.
"The defensive strength of the Thunder God Territory is surprisingly weak. To be invaded so easily... it hardly seems like the strongest force in the New World."
"All the elites were taken to fight Whitebeard. How many could possibly be left?" Mad Treasure dismissed the concern.
"Regardless, stay alert," Tesoro warned as they continued to suppress their presence.
The territory was divided into three rings: the Outer, the Middle, and the Center. As they drew closer to the heart—Raijin Island—they noticed the sea patrols actually decreased. Defensive forces were concentrated in the outer rings; the central area seemed to be a forbidden zone where no one dared tread. It was unnervingly quiet.
"Gyaralalalala! Heaven is on our side!" Mad Treasure laughed, his excitement mounting. Behind his sunglasses, he surveyed the colossal golden structure on Raijin Island.
"So, this is the famous Thunder God Palace."
"Baccarat, can you confirm that the Pure Gold is inside the palace?" Tesoro asked as they disembarked. The others turned to the tall, sultry Baccarat, waiting for her answer.
Hum!!
She flicked a gold coin into the air. It spun rapidly before landing on the ground and rolling forward, seemingly pointing the way.
"I'm certain," Baccarat said confidently.
"It can't be this easy, can it?" Tesoro pushed his sunglasses up onto his forehead, a look of disbelief on his face.
"Worrying about it won't change anything. We'll know once we're inside!" Treasure cracked his neck and led the way up the golden stairs.
They quickly scaled the nine hundred and ninety-nine steps and arrived at the open gates of the Thunder God Palace. Mr. Tanaka slipped inside first, using his Through-Through powers to phase in and out of the golden walls.
"Lord Tesoro, there's no one inside!"
"Gyaralalalala! Even the Heavens are helping us!" Treasure laughed loudly and strode into the hall to begin the search.
"Be careful. This feels too simple," Tesoro muttered, a faint sense of unease gnawing at him. This was the headquarters of the Thunder God Pirates. Even with the elites away, could an invasion truly be this effortless? He had come prepared for a bloodbath.
The six of them searched every nook and cranny of the palace, but they found no trace of the Pure Gold.
"Baccarat, could you be wrong?"
"My luck is never wrong!"
Confused herself, Baccarat took out a coin engraved with a star and flicked it again.
Hum!!
The coin vibrated, flipped mid-air, and then slapped flat against the floor.
"Wait... it's underground! There's a passage beneath the palace!"
"Tesoro, the floor is gold. It's up to you!"
.............
The Underground Laboratory
Beneath the palace, in a lab bathed in soft, clinical light, a different world existed. Amidst rows of sci-fi equipment, Vegapunk stood in a white lab coat, wearing multi-focal lenses. He leaned over a petri dish, observing a sample of flesh and blood.
It was Arthur's genetic material. He was back to his specialty: researching Lineage Factors.
If there was anyone in the world whose understanding of Devil Fruits rivaled or exceeded Arthur's, it was Vegapunk. While Arthur researched the application of the powers, Vegapunk researched the essence of the fruits themselves. The "Artificial Devil Fruits" made by Caesar Clown were merely the scraps of research Vegapunk had discarded years ago.
It was his discovery of the "Blueprint of Life" that had originally led the World Government to hunt him down and eventually recruit him.
The Germa 66 army of the Vinsmoke Family was built on Lineage Factors. Sanji's brothers were born with Devil Fruit abilities because of this research. While the power of a fruit comes from the "Devil Soul," once consumed, that power manifests through the body's biology.
Arthur's ability to hold multiple powers had piqued Vegapunk's curiosity. In the months before the declaration of war, Vegapunk had asked Arthur for a sample of his flesh. After three months of study, no one—except perhaps Arthur—knew what terrifying things the scientist had uncovered.
"Phew—" Vegapunk exhaled, stretching his back with a sigh of wonder.
"Five abilities... the Rumble-Rumble, Float-Float, More-More, Mirror-Mirror, and Castle-Castle fruits coexist in one body without conflict. To obtain multiple powers through means other than Lineage Factor manipulation... Arthur truly is a monster."
"A pity that the Op-Op Fruit cannot exist in harmony with the others yet because the 'Devil Soul' hasn't been pacified. I had to exclude that ability for now."
He muttered to himself, turning his gaze toward the shadows of the lab. There, rows upon rows of cultivation vats stood in the darkness. Inside the nutrient fluid, Bloodline Factor creations slept in silence. A quick count would reveal over five thousand of them—a sight that would make anyone's skin crawl.
"Hm? Little mice have come to steal things?" Vegapunk was about to return to his work when a strange vibration at the heavy metal doors caught his attention.
"Little mice? Are you talking about us?"
The metal door suddenly softened like wet clay, warping under an invisible force. Gildo Tesoro, Mad Treasure, Baccarat, Mr. Tanaka, Psycho P, and Naomi stepped through the opening into the futuristic lab.
❁❁❁❁
~ 15 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)