Chapter 213: Do You Want to Live Freely?
Looking at the object flying out of her body, Reiju was stunned.
She naturally recognized that tree root.
Or rather—she could never forget it.
As mentioned before.
In a distant past, Vinsmoke Reiju once did something to get 'Father's Hug'.
She knew her father had been researching an extremely precious material, wanting to revive the Vinsmoke family with it.
So one day, she quietly entered her father's laboratory—as the princess of Germa, she had such authority.
Then, she saw that tree root placed inside the central glass cover of the laboratory.
She actually didn't know what it was, nor how to use it.
"I want to fulfill father's wish, become someone useful to father."
Back then, young her just held such a wish, curiously wanting to touch it.
Then she saw that root disappear into her body.
She fainted subsequently.
And when she woke up again, her father announced excitedly.
"Success, you are 'Number Zero'."
She didn't understand what it meant back then.
But soon, she understood.
She didn't consume a Devil Fruit, yet gained abilities similar to Devil Fruits.
Even inside her genes, 'Lineage Factors' were flowing.
That was the beginning of her nightmare.
Since then, she had to undergo various researches almost daily—blood drawing, bone digging, organ testing, even spinal cord extraction... the cold operating room became almost everything of her childhood.
Judge used her genes to research methods of modifying others with lineage factors, and created her brothers by deleting memory and emotion through genetic modification.
"You... you..."
Now, Reiju's tears flowed unconsciously.
Unknown how many times in midnight dreams, she couldn't help thinking—if she hadn't touched that root back then, would everything be different.
Her mother might not have died; her brothers might not have become emotionless monsters.
But what despaired her was—this root seemed merged with her, even Judge couldn't, or rather wasn't willing to take it out.
Until today.
VMMM!
Right in front of Reiju.
That nightmare-like root turned into flying ash in Toratora's hand now.
[Analyzed 'Source of Lineage Factor']
[Lineage Factor Development - 35.21 → 50.11%]
"As expected..."
Now, Toratora murmured internally.
"This root is similar to Vegapunk's, also increased about 15% of lineage factor development progress bar."
"Vegapunk's was because he used part of the root's energy to make 'Crimson Dragon Fruit'."
"This one, if no accident, is because the energy within was absorbed by Reiju."
He clearly didn't expect.
Energy in the root could be used like this.
"Why can Reiju do this?"
He pondered internally.
And the answer was self-evident.
"Desire."
The essence of Devil Fruits is 'Desire'—this was something he already knew.
So...
"Maybe Judge's research loosened the energy inside the fruit, and Reiju's desire triggered that energy's operation?"
"But Judge's desire for successful research should be strong too, why didn't the root react to him?"
Roy was puzzled.
But undoubtedly—he was very interested in this.
So, he looked at Reiju.
"Miss Reiju, do you want to live?"
Hearing this, Reiju frowned.
She looked at Toratora puzzledly. "You are willing to let me go?"
"Why not?"
Toratora smiled. "My order was to destroy Germa—now the mission is complete... so I want to discuss a cooperation with you now."
"Cooperation?"
Reiju's expression became subtler. "Need I remind you? You just killed my family, destroyed my country."
"I know."
Toratora said matter-of-factly. "So? Will you avenge your brothers? Or do you plan to inherit your father's legacy and rebuild Germa?"
He asked.
"..."
So, Reiju fell silent.
She naturally didn't want to rebuild Germa—or rather, she wouldn't do it even if she died.
As for the death of her three brothers and father, she didn't want revenge either.
As mentioned before.
She didn't consider her brothers, deprived of human emotions, as 'Humans'.
In her view, they were just 'Sorrowful Existences' born of her father's ambition.
They weren't brothers, but weapons.
For her, their death wasn't worth grieving; she even felt it was a kind of relief.
As for her father...
"His order just now was for me to live on."
Reiju said.
Live on, not revenge or anything else.
So she wouldn't seek revenge or retaliation—she just had to live alone in this world.
"After all, I am... the last Vinsmoke."
But now...
"Not necessarily."
Toratora spoke again. "Don't you have one more relative?"
He raised a finger, smiling. "Vinsmoke Sanji... as far as I know, he seems to have set sail recently and become a pirate."
"Sanji!?"
Hearing this name, Reiju froze.
"You are the child born with emotions protected by mother's desperate resistance, not a 'Failure'!"
"Listen, never return here, no need to see me—the sea is so vast, you will surely meet gentle people!"
A small figure appeared in her mind.
"He... still alive?"
She murmured incredulously.
But then, she realized the keyword in Toratora's words.
"Pirate!?"
She was somewhat surprised.
"Yeah... he became a partner of a guy named 'Straw Hat', sailing on the sea now."
Toratora nodded smiling. "Miss Reiju, you don't want your brother... cough cough, I mean—aren't you moved?"
"No need to consider other things, living freely with your relative!"
As he spoke.
Reiju's expression changed.
Living with relatives?
Judge and three Vinsmoke sons appeared in her mind instinctively.
But immediately after...
She thought of that small figure gentle like her mother.
"Rei... Reiju... I made cake—want to eat together?"
The voice heard at a certain moment in childhood seemed to echo in ears.
So...
"...What is the cooperation you mentioned?"
Reiju asked softly.
"Some small experiments—of course, don't be nervous, we aren't inhumane guys like your father, we follow rules... you should understand, I have no need to deceive you on such things."
"After experiments complete, you can leave, freely choose where to go."
Toratora waved his hand, casually comforting Reiju whose face changed slightly, clearly having some PTSD about the word 'Experiment'.
"However... before discussing specific cooperation details, I must handle another matter first."
But speaking here, his voice turned cold abruptly.
"You should know—Buckingham Stussy's location, right?"
At the same time.
Below Germa flying high in the sky.
In the battle just now, many clone corpses naturally fell into the sea.
Now, inside a certain corpse.
"Hohoho~ Even 'Vinsmoke Weevil's' body was completely destroyed, truly a terrifying strike—heave-ho..."
Buckingham, stitching herself inside the corpse, was tearing off stitches on her body.
Intense pain came, making her clench her teeth.
"Hurts... hiss, what a pity—originally planned to let that girl Reiju personally control Weevil to kill her father and brothers..."
She said somewhat regretfully.
In her words, malice wasn't hidden.
That malice had no reason—or if forced to find one, it was because of 'Jealousy'.
"Clearly just an experimental subject, what's with that pretty face and figure?"
" Since being an experimental subject, just become ugly obediently for this old lady!"
She said through gritted teeth.
"However... doesn't matter."
Soon, unstitched, she turned around, looking at several big boxes of data behind.
"Although didn't get 'Tree Root', with this root on me, plus these Germa technology essences, it's enough."
Although this plan didn't succeed completely, Buckingham didn't care.
She already got Germa's lineage factor technology as wished, plus her own life stitching technology.
"I still have a few portions of Newgate and Kaido's lineage factors on hand. Hiding for a few more years, I can make stronger and more 'Works'..."
"Then I can find Four Emperors to cooperate... no, just go to World Government—with such technology, I can gain enough power and authority anywhere."
One 'Vinsmoke Weevil' wasn't Toratora's opponent.
What about ten, or even a hundred stronger Weevils?
While imagining the future, she dragged boxes out of the corpse with difficulty.
Just then, she saw her reflection in the seawater—ugly, old, short, and despicable.
She also saw her body hidden under heavy clothes all along.
Dense stitches existed on her body too, making her look like a monster.
Yes.
Once invited personally by Rocks to be the doctor of Rocks Pirates, she might have been a 'Great Pirate' with true ambition, heroism, and beauty at some time in the past.
But that was the past.
In the long years, she paid a huge price for researching 'Life Stitching'.
Her body was riddled with holes, so was her heart.
"..."
Hideousness appeared on Buckingham's aged face.
She actually forgot why she researched 'Life Stitching' initially.
Maybe to slow aging, keeping her beauty longer?
Maybe to improve medical skills? To gather wealth?
She didn't remember.
But that didn't matter.
Beauty? Medical skills? Wealth?
She didn't care about those anymore.
Now, she just wanted power and authority.
Bang!
Buckingham kicked a stone casually, wanting to smash her reflection in the seawater.
But...
"..."
She saw the stone suspended in the air.
"Found you."
Next moment, accompanying the voice in her ear.
She saw in the seawater reflection, the figure wearing a tiger mask emerged.
"Wait!"
So, Buckingham turned around almost immediately. "I surrender! I'm willing to join you! My life stitching technology can be given to you—I..."
As in the past, she was a despicable person.
But...
"No need."
Next moment, Toratora's hand slapped on her body.
[Paw-Paw Fruit · Memory Repel]
[Paw-Paw Fruit · Life Repel]
"Your life stitching technology and that tree root, I will naturally find from your memory."
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