Meanwhile.
Inside the egg-shaped laboratory built on the cloud island.
In the corridor, Perona's astral projection flew ahead while Sanji and Stussy ran closely behind.
After navigating a series of twists and turns, the trio finally arrived in front of a sealed laboratory. In her astral form, Perona simply phased right through the wall.
"Pfft—!!"
"A ghost—!!"
Seeing Perona stuck in the door with only her upper half exposed, Sentomaru and Vegapunk were so terrified their eyes practically popped out of their sockets!
"Oh my, you must be Vegapunk."
Perona blinked. After confirming his identity, she pulled her body back out of the laboratory and told Sanji and Stussy, "Found him. Vegapunk is inside."
"Yeah, leave it to me."
Stussy nodded, stepping forward and pressing her hand against the palm-print recognition lock.
*Beep! Beep!*
*Bzzzt—!!*
The mechanical doors slowly slid open to both sides. Stussy finally saw that Vegapunk was safe and sound, her eyes immediately lighting up with emotion.
"Doctor!"
"Ah—Stussy, you're here."
Vegapunk breathed a sigh of relief.
Beside him, Sentomaru's gaze darkened as he shot a wary look at Sanji. "And Black Leg Sanji..."
"Ah~ hello there."
Sanji waved his hand in a casual greeting, looking down to light a cigarette before saying, "Even though we just met, let's skip the pleasantries for now. Once you're packed, we're getting out of here."
"I understand, but there are still a few important pieces of equipment in the lab that I need to take with me. I've already had my satellites start dismantling them. Since you're here, you can help carry them."
Vegapunk stepped forward, ready to lead them out of the room, clearly intending to use Sentomaru, Sanji, and the others as movers.
Sanji and Perona exchanged a glance.
Their primary mission was to protect Vegapunk's life, and secondarily, to secure the equipment he needed to take.
Since no immediate danger had appeared yet, Vegapunk wanting to bring things along was within acceptable parameters.
"Alright," Sanji agreed, then couldn't help but ask, "By the way, you mentioned dismantling. Are the things you want to bring very big?"
"That's right. But don't worry, once we move them outside the lab, we can have the giant robots transport them."
Vegapunk nodded, then turned to look at Sanji. "Speaking of which, did only the two of you come? Where is Allen?"
"That guy should be arriving later. We came ahead to ensure your safety."
"Is that so? Then I am truly honored. I must be the first scientist to ever be cared for and protected by pirates," Vegapunk said, stroking his beard with his long tongue hanging out.
A moment later, under his guidance, the group arrived at a dimly lit area that resembled a warehouse.
Only a single room in a hidden corner was brightly lit, where two robots—one large and one small—were busy dismantling a massive device.
Approaching the room, Sanji and the others couldn't help but feel curious as they looked at a glowing, paw-shaped bubble in the center.
Perona flew up around the glowing paw, inspected it for a moment, and turned to ask Vegapunk, "What is this thing?"
"This? This is the most precious possession of a friend of mine."
Vegapunk gazed at Kuma's memory bubble, his eyes filled with emotion. "Someday in the future, I must return this to him. And if I don't get the chance, then I will place it in the hands of the person he cherishes most."
Perona looked at him speechlessly. "So what exactly is it?"
"Ahem, it is the lifelong memories of that friend of mine. Actually, you've met him before. He is the former Warlord of the Sea, Kuma," Vegapunk stated bluntly.
"Bartholomew Kuma? You're saying these are his memories?"
Sanji was taken aback upon hearing this. He turned to look at the glowing sphere, Kuma's figure subconsciously surfacing in his mind.
"Well, it's a long story. Let's go see how the dismantling of the other item is coming along."
Vegapunk clasped his hands behind his back and turned to walk in another direction.
Before long, they arrived at another hidden corner.
Stepping into a spacious room, Sanji and the others looked around. The room was filled with intricate conduits, wires, and highly complex machinery.
Walking deeper into the room, a massive furnace appeared before them. Through the glass, they could see a fluorescent glow flickering inside, its colors so dreamy it looked as if fire were burning underwater.
"You're here, Doctor!"
Seeing them arrive, Atlas, who was busy dismantling the equipment, turned her head and called out happily.
Vegapunk, with his hands behind his back, slowly walked forward. "How is the situation with the Fusion Reactor, Lilith, Atlas?"
"Old man! You have the nerve to ask? Hurry up and get over here to help!"
Lilith shouted at him angrily, grabbing Vegapunk by the collar and yanking him over.
The moment he saw the two girls, Sanji's face instantly morphed into a lovestruck swoon.
Perona curiously eyed the two of them before turning to Stussy in confusion. "Isn't Vegapunk supposed to be the most incredible guy here? Who are these two?"
Stussy smiled faintly and replied, "They are the Doctor's satellites, just like Edison and Pythagoras from earlier. To some extent, you can consider them to be the Doctor as well."
"Satellites? Uh..."
Watching Vegapunk being dragged off to work by a cursing Lilith, Perona's mouth twitched.
"The difference in appearance and personality is way too huge. It's hard to imagine they're the same person."
"Indeed. Strictly speaking, they are individuals created by Vegapunk splitting his own personality. Each satellite represents an independent facet of Vegapunk.
"The two in front of you right now represent Vegapunk's 'Violence' and 'Evil' aspects, respectively," Stussy explained softly.
"I see. That sounds pretty amazing."
Perona nodded blankly, looking as if she only half-understood, before asking again, "Then what is this device?"
"Well..."
Stussy paused and shrugged, indicating that she didn't know either.
At that moment, Vegapunk suddenly spoke up, taking the initiative to introduce it. "This device is called the Fusion Reactor. It is a machine capable of generating infinite energy, the culmination of my life's research."
"Infinite energy?"
Sanji couldn't help but be surprised upon hearing this.
Vegapunk nodded with a proud expression and said, "Yes, the Fusion Reactor can create an undying flame that can continuously provide energy for the entire world. I call it the Mother Flame."
"Hey, hey, are you serious? Continuously providing energy for the entire world... that's something truly unbelievable."
Hearing this, Sanji couldn't help but feel shocked.
Seeing that Sanji immediately grasped the importance of the Mother Flame, Vegapunk cast an appreciative and gratified look his way, chuckling softly. "Exactly. Although there are still some minor issues with popularizing its application across all fields, that day will definitely come. In the future, it will absolutely change the world!"
"That's insane. But I'm curious—if you have such an incredible invention, why does the World Government still want to kill you? Wouldn't it be better for them to keep you under their control?"
"Well, that's a different matter entirely."
Faced with Sanji's inquiry, Vegapunk crouched down and continued tinkering with the Fusion Reactor as he spoke slowly. "They are afraid. Afraid that my intellect is too difficult to control, and afraid that the forbidden history I've researched will one day spread across the seas. That would cause a massive blow to their rule."
"Ordinary citizens cannot shake the World Government's rule, but the people who can threaten their rule also emerge from those ordinary citizens. Therefore, the stability of the seas is extremely important to the World Government."
"And that forbidden history would, to a large extent, incite a rebellious mentality against the World Government among all nations. Thus, anyone who researches the forbidden history becomes a thorn in the World Government's side."
Saying this, Vegapunk turned his head to look at Sanji and added, "Your crewmate, Nico Robin—her homeland was destroyed for this exact reason. Being eradicated simply for exploring history sounds absurd, but that is the reality."
"If an entire nation can be destroyed on a whim, how important could my life possibly be? The Celestial Dragons' disregard for life is an ideology inherent to their class."
With that said, Vegapunk set down his tools and stood up.
"Alright, now I'll have to trouble you to help move the Fusion Reactor outsi—"
*Swish!*
Before he could finish his sentence, a dark shadow suddenly darted out from the corner!
"Finger Pistol: Claw!!"
Transformed into his Leopard-Man form, Lucci sprinted forward with a ferocious glare. His five fingers curled into a claw, thrusting swiftly toward Vegapunk's heart!
"Doctor!!"
Stussy screamed in alarm. The sudden turn of events shocked everyone present.
Vegapunk's pupils dilated in terror. Just as Lucci was about to succeed, a long black leg instantly whipped through the air!
*Bang!!*
Sanji kicked Lucci's wrist, deflecting his arm away. Pivoting sharply on his supporting leg, he followed through with a spinning sweep kick that viciously lashed out at Lucci's face!
*Bang—Boom!!*
Lucci raised his other arm to block, but the immense force of the kick sent him flying. His body crashed heavily into the corner, overturning a massive pile of mechanical equipment!
"My mission is to protect this old geezer's safety. Don't embarrass me, you bastard," Sanji said coldly, slowly lowering his raised leg, his eyes dark and a cigarette dangling from his lips.
In the corner, Lucci lay half-buried in the mechanical ruins. He fixed his gaze on Sanji, a cold smirk forming on his bloodstained lips.
"Heh, killing Vegapunk right under the nose of an Emperor's second-in-command really isn't that simple. But... did you think I was alone?"
With that, Lucci sprang up with a kip-up. He leaned forward, arching his back and tensing his legs. His sharp claws tore into the hard floor, gripping it tightly, before he pushed off with explosive force, launching himself forward like a projectile!
Sanji's brow furrowed. He was just about to charge forward to meet the attack when his expression suddenly changed. His Observation Haki instantly detected a presence appearing out of thin air right behind him!
Sanji whipped his head around, only to see a semi-transparent green door open out of nowhere right beside Vegapunk!
"Air Door!!"
Blueno leaned half his body out of the spatial door, swiftly thrusting out a Finger Pistol!
"Blast Breath!!"
A beam of scorching dragon breath pierced through the space. The incoming wave of heat caused Blueno's expression to change, and he hastily pulled his hand back and shut the spatial door.
However, in the very next instant, he reappeared right beneath Sanji's feet. The floor opened up like a pair of double doors, and Blueno reached out with both hands, tightly grabbing Sanji's ankles!
"Spatial abilities!!"
Sanji's eyes widened in shock.
At that exact moment, Lucci, who had been sprinting toward him, abruptly changed direction!
"Shave!!"
Lucci tapped his toes, his figure instantly vanishing from the spot!
"His target is Vegapunk!!"
Sanji roared urgently. At the same time, he exerted a burst of strength, lifting his leg to drag Blueno out of the floor. Twisting his waist, he swung the man a full one hundred and eighty degrees in mid-air before slamming him viciously into the ground!
*Bang!!*
On the other side, Lucci predictably flickered into existence right in front of Vegapunk. However, someone else moved even faster than him!
"Ashigara Dokkoi!!"
Sentomaru shouted angrily, bringing his five fingers together into a palm and thrusting it forward. A shockwave of Haki blasted exactly where Lucci had appeared!
*Whoosh!*
Lucci's reaction was incredibly fast. The moment he appeared, he immediately used "Shave" to burst forth with extreme speed, vanishing from the spot!
*Boom!!*
The Haki shockwave grazed past him, striking a nearby wall and blasting a crater into it.
Meanwhile, Lucci flashed behind Vegapunk. With a ferocious glare, his fingers formed a claw and thrust out once more!
"Stop right there, Lucci!!"
Stussy shouted as she dashed forward, lunging in just in time to stab a Finger Pistol into Lucci's arm!
*Squelch!*
Blood splattered into the air. Lucci's attack was deflected, his sharp claws scraping past Vegapunk.
"Damn woman!"
"Tempest Kick: Gaicho!!"
Lucci gritted his teeth fiercely. He raised his leg and angrily kicked out a sickle of wind, slashing into Stussy and sending her flying backward.
Immediately after, he shifted his gaze back to the panicked Vegapunk.
However, before he could make a move, a human cannonball shot toward him in the very next second!
*Bang—Boom!!*
The kicked-away Blueno slammed violently into Lucci, carrying him along as they both flew backward, crashing through the wall and smashing heavily into another room!
"You two bastards! How dare you hurt such a lovely lady! It's absolutely unforgivable!!"
Transformed into his Dragon-Man form, Sanji gritted his teeth in fury. His fists were clenched tight, and the flames of his anger burned fiercely behind him!
"Lightning Flame Dragon Breath!!"
Accompanied by an explosive roar, a beam of dragon breath intertwined with lightning and fire erupted like a volcano, instantly blasting into the room where Lucci and Blueno were!
*BOOM!!!*
The entire cloud island shook violently. The dragon breath, containing terrifying energy, pierced straight through the laboratory and extended over a kilometer away!
Allen, who had just flown up from the city to the cloud island, saw this scene. His gaze sharpened, and he quickly flapped his wings, diving straight into the laboratory.
Inside the laboratory.
"Are you alright, Doctor?!"
Stussy and Sentomaru hurriedly gathered around Vegapunk.
Sanji reverted from his transformation, staring outside through the gaping holes in the layers of walls.
"A Devil Fruit user capable of spatial movement... No wonder they could suddenly appear here. They almost succeeded with their sneak attack."
"That was Blueno's technique. The power of the Door-Door Fruit allows him to create doors on any object and move freely through space. He can even create doors in the air or out of flames," Stussy explained to him.
Hearing this, Sanji frowned. "Doesn't that mean we have to constantly be on guard against his sneak attacks? What a troublesome ability."
Stussy nodded solemnly and said, "Exactly. From now on, we cannot leave the Doctor's side for even a single moment."