After a moment, as if remembering something, he looked up at Borsalino.
"By the way, when you fought him, what did you feel? Please describe it carefully; it might help my research."
"What did I feel?"
Borsalino frowned, thinking for a moment, and simply said two words: "Scorching!"
"Scorching?"
Vegapunk remained serious. "Like the heat from your lasers?"
"No!"
Borsalino shook his head. His lazy expression vanished, replaced with seriousness. "Like the sun itself, scorching!"
Vegapunk: "...?!"
Vegapunk froze, seemingly unprepared for Borsalino to describe it that way.
Then he murmured softly: "The sun..."
But before he could finish, a sudden, violent explosion shook the entire laboratory.
Vegapunk immediately put aside his wandering thoughts. "Such a huge explosion? Which fool didn't follow regulations again? Damn it!"
He rolled up his sleeves and stormed outside. "Could it be Caesar was doing some crazy experiment again?"
...
"Punk Hazard exploded?"
Ian looked at Zephyr, who hurried back, surprised. "When did this happen? How do you know?"
"I heard from a Marine source."
Zephyr's tone was gleeful. "You know, that's an important research institute of the World Government. This explosion isn't minor; the impact and loss are considerable. I guess the Marine Headquarters won't have time to bother with us for a while. Those trying to profit in the chaos will already be enough trouble for them."
Then he sighed in regret. "I wonder how Vegapunk is doing?"
Even though he was now an enemy of the World Government, Zephyr felt some pity if the Smartest Man in the World were killed like this.
Then he seemed to notice something and looked at Ian, frowning. "What's wrong? Worried about Vegapunk?"
"No, I just didn't expect Punk Hazard to explode at this moment."
Ian rubbed his brow.
He knew Punk Hazard might explode, but he didn't know the exact time.
What a pity, his seven billion belly had already been sent a while ago. He had thought it would be ready, but it exploded at this moment instead.
If it reached Egghead Island... the Five Elders' surveillance was everywhere. Even if Vegapunk built it secretly, it wouldn't be easy to retrieve.
"Ah, well, consider it funding their research!"
Although losing seven billion belly was substantial, Ian didn't mind much.
Moreover, he had a Devil Fruit now, so it wasn't a total loss.
Later, Vegapunk would leave the World Government; he could have claimed it back then.
However, just as Ian was putting away his regret…
"Purururu!"
The Den Den Mushi on his body rang.
Ian froze, then immediately picked it up. Just as he was about to ask who it was, the other side spoke first.
"Mr. Ian, your ship has been completed. As requested, please come to Punk Hazard in person to collect it!"
...
At the most important scientific research base of the World Government.
At this moment, with a thunderous sound, countless sand and dust splashed up along with thick smoke, except... the smoke seemed to have a faint purple color.
When the smoke dispersed, three figures emerged from within: Ian, Kuma, and Law.
"Looks like that explosion was really disastrous!"
Ian, wearing a gas mask on his face, frowned as he looked at Punk Hazard before him.
This wasn't his first time here, but compared to the previously serious, orderly, advanced, bustling research base, Punk Hazard now seemed to have turned into a terrifying uninhabited island.
The air was filled with poison gas, the vegetation that once covered the island had rotted away, the whole island had not a trace of green, and even the soil was corroded, exuding a ghastly aura.
"Are you sure this isn't a trap?"
Law, also wearing a mask, scanned the surroundings with a heavy expression. "This doesn't look like a place humans can enter."
Even with just a simple glance, he could tell... this had become a forbidden zone for life.
Any living being entering here would likely be corroded by the poisonous gas.
Wearing a protective suit, Law stretched out his hand, removed the glove from his right hand, and after touching the air, his entire right hand instantly turned black.
Without any hesitation, Law immediately activated his Devil Fruit ability.
In the blink of an eye, his right hand, which had been darkened, returned to normal. Then he quickly put the glove back on, lowered his head, and looked at the ground where the toxin he expelled had directly corroded a small pit.
With a heavy tone, he said, "There's even a neurocorrosive toxin? Putting the delivery point here, are you sure Marine Headquarters didn't dig a pit for you on purpose, planning to bury you in poison gas? Oh, wait, I misspoke."
Switching to a mocking tone: "There's no need to bury you. After all, if you die here, even your corpse would be corroded away."
"Don't worry. Didn't Vegapunk already tell us about the poison problem? And we came prepared."
"But he didn't say the toxins were this terrifying! And also..."
Law, wearing his protective suit, said irritably: "This doesn't look like a place with people. Who are you planning to trade with?"
"Isn't it normal for no one to be here? After all, how could the kind of business we're doing be done openly?"
Ian said casually. "Vegapunk being cautious is normal. My guess is he put the things somewhere for us to pick up!"
"No, I really don't think a cautious guy like him would dare to trade with you at a time like this."
After complaining, Law scanned around again and frowned. "So where do you plan to start looking?"
"I don't know either, but it should be inside!"
Ian frowned too after hearing Law's words and scanned the surroundings. "Let's go in first and take a look."
To be honest, he didn't expect that even now, Vegapunk would actually fulfill their agreement and even call him personally to come here.
Everyone suspected this might be a trap, but after thinking about it, Ian decided to come in person anyway.
He didn't believe that someone secretly researching history would cooperate with the World Government to capture him.
Unless that guy was caught by the World Government with some dirt and was being threatened, then maybe it was possible.
Of course, to be a bit cautious, he brought Law and Kuma along. With the three of them, even if they couldn't win, they could still escape.
As Ian finished speaking, the three of them walked toward the research facility that had become dilapidated under corrosion.
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