Monet was stunned.
Mind reading?
It wasn't as if she had never seen a similar ability before.
Within the Donquixote Family, there was a woman capable of doing something comparable, thanks to a power that allowed her to spy on the minds of others.
"You possess the power of a fourth Devil Fruit?" Monet raised her head and asked, shocked.
Luffy didn't bother correcting her misunderstanding. Instead, he asked calmly:
"You were just trying to buy time, right? Doflamingo is on his way here?"
"Yes, the Young Master will arrive on this island soon."
Monet didn't dare hide anything. In fact, it would've been useless to try. The moment she heard his question, the answer she held in her heart had already been exposed.
[Before this man, all lies are pointless!]
Uta, standing beside him, also widened her eyes in surprise.
In other words… did Luffy know what she usually thought deep inside?
Her face suddenly turned red.
[I hate this! That ability shouldn't be used so casually!!]
Luffy couldn't help laughing; of course he knew what his little songstress thought about on a daily basis.
"Luffy, what is your purpose for coming to this island?"
Monet asked while forcing herself not to think about the "deal."
The Donquixote Family had an agreement with the mad scientist Caesar.
Caesar was responsible for producing a raw material called SAD. Once manufactured on this island, it would be transported to the factory in Dressrosa and turned into an "artificial Devil Fruit."
This deal had been ongoing for a full year.
But people were like that—
the more they tried to hide something, the more uncontrollable their thoughts became.
And so, everything was read instantly by Luffy.
Of course… he didn't need to read her mind. He already knew all of this.
"I'm not interested in artificial Devil Fruits. They're nothing but garbage."
Luffy shrugged without concern.
Doflamingo sold these fruits to Kaido, but they had only a 10% success rate.
And the Zoan abilities they granted were filled with flaws.
Monet fell silent, her deception completely exposed.
"Then what exactly are you here for?"
[Don't tell me he's just… lost?]
"There is an artificial Devil Fruit created by Vegapunk on this island. Where is it?" Luffy asked directly.
[A Devil Fruit created by Vegapunk…!?]
[Does something like that really exist?]
[Wait, Caesar put that thing on display next to the research room…!]
Monet's mind was flooded with thoughts she desperately tried to suppress.
Naturally, Luffy read them all instantly.
"Take me to that display case, and forget about the blizzard from earlier."
After issuing the order, Luffy ignored her and led Uta deeper into the research facility.
Originally, there had been three laboratories like this one. Two were destroyed in the giant explosion two years ago, leaving only this one intact.
The cause of that explosion was Caesar.
The mad scientist had developed a powerful weapon. When he attempted to test it, the government stopped him, saying it would "harm innocent civilians."
But Caesar refused to back down.
Vegapunk ordered his arrest, and Caesar retaliated by detonating the weapon.
After the explosion, the intense heat and toxic substances completely devastated the island.
Caesar was arrested, but eventually escaped, earning a bounty worth billions of Berries.
A year ago, he returned to clear the island's toxic gas. At the same time, he began his collaboration with Doflamingo, aiding in the production of SAD.
"I'll take you there."
Faced with Luffy's request, Monet didn't dare refuse.
Soon, the three arrived at a research room where a Devil Fruit rested quietly inside a glass display case.
It was noticeably different from a true Devil Fruit.
Its surface lacked the signature swirl pattern—
instead, it was covered in circles.
Luffy lightly tapped the glass cabinet with his fingernail, shattering its outer layer, then reached inside and picked up the fruit.
Monet had never paid much attention to its existence, assuming it was just one of Caesar's failures.
"I'm not sure if that's what you meant. He always called it a 'failure.' But if it's really a failure, why keep it displayed like this…?"
Monet pursed her lips.
[A Yonko came all the way here for this… Could this fruit be special?]
Stop thinking, Monet!!
If you think it—
he'll read it!
Empty your mind, Monet.
You are now an emotionless robot!
Monet repeated this to herself desperately.
Uta moved closer to Luffy, curiously examining the fruit in his hand.
"Is it important? Does it taste good?"
"It's a Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit. Vegapunk considers it a failure because the copied form has the wrong color."
Luffy chuckled.
Kaido was a green dragon.
But whoever ate this fruit would transform into a pink dragon.
Other than that, it was nearly perfect.
Compared to Caesar's SMILE fruits, this one was nothing short of a masterpiece.
"Mythical Zoan? Isn't that amazing?" Uta asked, stunned.
Monet's entire body trembled.
Mythical Zoan!?
Luffy pondered: Who should I give this to?
He certainly didn't want it for himself.
He came here specifically to take it so Momonosuke wouldn't eat it.
Among the current core members of the Straw Hat crew, many were already capable fighters.
Only Kaya, Nojiko, Zoro, Usopp, Johnny, Yosaku, Sanji, and Franky were not Devil Fruit users.
---
—xXx—
The underground security passage of the research institute.
This tunnel led directly to the port.
Caesar was running frantically with a group of subordinates, eventually reaching the exit.
"Hurry up and raise the anchor! We're leaving right now, immediately!"
Caesar rushed aboard the ship. It had originally been a government vessel bearing the World Government emblem. It had been damaged during the explosion two years ago, but he had repaired it.
"Hurry up, you useless idiots!! Do you want the Straw Hats catching up to us!?"
At Caesar's shouting, the ship quickly departed from the coast.
Only several kilometers away from the island did Caesar finally sigh in relief.
"Hmph! I refuse to die in a place like this!"
---
—xXx—
At the same time—
A few kilometers away from Caesar's Government ship, a Marine warship was sailing toward Punk Hazard.
The watchmen on duty immediately spotted Caesar's vessel and reported:
"Vice Admiral Vergo! A Government ship has been sighted ahead!"
"A Government ship?"
Vergo was a man of medium build, with short hair, sideburns, a beard, and sunglasses. His distinctive facial hair grew horizontally from his sideburns, and his chin beard tapered to a sharp point.
He wore a knee-length coat with padded designs down to the waist, featuring two dark pockets slightly above his chest on each side. Underneath, he wore a light-colored shirt and a dark tie.
---
(End of Chapter)