Dr. Vegapunk's words carried considerable weight. Kaido had been captured more than once in the past, which meant Vegapunk had ample opportunity to extract his lineage factor. Yet according to known outcomes, the only true successes in cloning were the Seraphim, which were modeled after the former Shichibukai.
There was also Charlotte Linlin, a natural-born monster of talent. The Navy had clashed with her countless times, and it was unthinkable that the World Government had never obtained blood samples from her. Lloyd did not believe they had failed to attempt cloning her. The absence of any Linlin clone in later years could only mean one thing, the experiment had failed.
As for the others, Shanks was the youngest of the Four Emperors, and his talent needed no explanation.
Whitebeard, however, was different.
His strength was unquestionable, but when it came to pure physical constitution or racial talent, Lloyd judged that Whitebeard might actually rank lowest among the Four Emperors. That alone fit Vegapunk's condition of having a lineage factor slightly weaker than Kaido's. More importantly, Vegapunk had mentioned that even a successful result would produce a being with low intelligence and a body fundamentally different from the original.
Those words immediately brought Edward Weevil to Lloyd's mind.
Miss Bakkin had long proclaimed that Weevil was Whitebeard's son, even calling him Whitebeard the Second. Lloyd had always suspected otherwise. Weevil was far more likely to be a failed clone.
Bakkin had once been a member of MADS, later joined the Rocks Pirates under Xebec, and had followed Whitebeard for years. Obtaining his lineage factor would have been trivial for her. She might even have acquired something far more direct. Vegapunk himself would never have had that opportunity, since Whitebeard was never captured.
With cloning knowledge and a rare sample, Bakkin creating a flawed being like Weevil was entirely plausible.
Taking all of this into account, Vegapunk's explanation had no obvious flaws. Lloyd quietly withdrew his killing intent.
Vegapunk, unaware that he had just stood at the edge of death, turned his attention back to his laboratory. Since Lloyd was already present, Vegapunk decided to show him the instruments connected to the culture tank. After scanning the data, he nodded.
"All of Stussy's physical indicators are stable. If Saint Lloyd wishes to see her, she can be awakened immediately."
Lloyd considered this briefly. "You said she has been immersed in the solution since childhood. If she awakens now, will her mind be that of a child?"
"No," Vegapunk replied. "This culture tank contains a specialized device that periodically transmits knowledge directly into her brain. Her intelligence exceeds that of most adults. She would easily qualify as my assistant."
As he spoke, Vegapunk pressed a button. A hood connected to countless tubes descended from above the tank and locked into place. Lloyd silently acknowledged Vegapunk's scientific prowess, then spoke aloud.
"Using such a valuable subject as a mere assistant seems wasteful."
Vegapunk hesitated, then answered honestly. "Saint Saturn wanted her assigned to CP0. Her intelligence is exceptional, and she possesses combat capability as well."
"And you agreed?"
Vegapunk forced a bitter smile. "That decision came from Saint Saturn. I had no room to refuse."
Lloyd turned slowly, his gaze settling on Vegapunk with a faint smile that never reached his eyes. "Is that so? You do not strike me as someone who yields so easily. You modified her, did you not?"
Vegapunk stiffened, hesitation flickering across his face. "N-no, Saint Lloyd. What makes you think that?"
Lloyd chuckled softly. "Let me guess. You ensured her subconscious loyalty to you."
Cold sweat instantly formed on Vegapunk's forehead.
Lloyd stepped forward, placing a hand on Vegapunk's shoulder. He leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. "A person like her entering CP0 would eventually gain access to sensitive information. For a man like you, that would be… convenient."
An oppressive pressure filled the room, subtle yet overwhelming. Vegapunk's body trembled.
"You are a scientist," Lloyd continued calmly. "I admire your talent and your hunger for knowledge. But some truths shorten lives. It would be unfortunate if your curiosity cost you not only yourself, but also your hometown."
Vegapunk clenched his teeth and nodded. "I understand. I will explain to Saint Saturn and withdraw her from CP0."
"No need," Lloyd replied. "She is well suited for intelligence work. Simply change the object of her loyalty."
Vegapunk looked up, startled. "You mean… the World Government?"
"That would give her too many masters," Lloyd said evenly. "Make it simple. She will be loyal to me alone. Can you do that?"
After a brief pause, Vegapunk answered, "…Yes."
Lloyd smiled, satisfied, though his trust remained thin. Scientific matters were beyond him, but Caesar Clown was still present.
Caesar had long opposed Vegapunk and made for a convenient leash.
Lloyd turned his gaze to Caesar, who was still tightly covering his mouth. "You heard everything. You know how to adjust the process."
Caesar nodded furiously.
"You will supervise Vegapunk," Lloyd continued. "If the results meet my expectations, I will have Saint Saturn allocate you a generous research budget. You will also be given greater authority within the institute."
Joy lit Caesar's eyes, while Vegapunk's expression darkened. He could not comprehend how Lloyd, who had never openly appeared within the institute and was unknown even to Saint Saturn, saw through his precautions so easily.
What Vegapunk did not realize was that Lloyd knew far more than he imagined.
"One more thing," Lloyd added calmly. "Implant a chip into Stussy. Call it an Authority Chip. Set me as the sole authority. This should pose no difficulty."
Vegapunk felt numb. He had already begun conceptual work on such a chip long ago. He nodded mechanically.
Only then was Lloyd fully satisfied. He gave Caesar several additional instructions, ordering him to monitor both Stussy's adjustment and the Authority Chip's development. With that done, Lloyd turned and walked toward the laboratory exit.
As he passed Vegapunk, he spoke with an easy smile. "Come. Perform my physical examination. There are still matters I need clarified."
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