"Vegapunk?"
Elior's eyes gleamed.
Vegapunk — the lead scientist of the World Government, hailed as a man whose genius stands five hundred years ahead of modern science. His achievements are beyond imagination.
Artificial Devil Fruits.Lineage Factor manipulation.Pacifistas.Human gigantification experiments.
These were only the ones Elior already knew of — and he was certain they represented just a fraction of Vegapunk's true work.
The Lineage Factor technology used by Judge carried the imprint of Vegapunk's brilliance.
Compared to Vegapunk, scientists like Judge and Caesar Clown existed on an entirely different level — one might even say a different dimension.
"If I could bring Vegapunk under my control… that would be a tremendous advantage" Elior murmured.
Originally, he had planned to steal Caesar from Doflamingo. But now, standing just outside Vegapunk's personal laboratory, Elior's ambitions shifted.
Caesar was nothing but scraps — while Vegapunk was pure gold.
Even in the field of artificial Devil Fruits, Caesar's work was nothing but leftovers from Vegapunk's early research. Caesar's creations were limited to Zoan-types, incapable of replicating Paramecia or Logia-class fruits. But what about Vegapunk's true capabilities?
Elior recalled another of Vegapunk's experiments — imbuing weapons with Devil Fruits. That technology already existed, and Vegapunk had succeeded in it long ago.
His genius bordered on divinity.To say Vegapunk was "five hundred years ahead of his time" might sound like an exaggeration — but in truth, he was something far beyond human. A god of science.
The thought stirred something deep in Elior's mind.
Still, he restrained himself from entering the facility immediately.The guards stationed here were far from ordinary — and any move now would alert the entire city.
"I'll deal with it on my way out" he decided silently.
He had already made up his mind: Vegapunk would not remain in the hands of the World Government. And since he had infiltrated Mary Geoise, he would not leave empty-handed.
The eternal Log Pose to God Valley — he would claim it. And Vegapunk himself would eventually fall under his control.
After one last glance at the laboratory, Elior turned away as Stussy led him deeper into the Holy Land.
In Mary Geoise, Stussy's rank granted her immense authority. As a CP0 operative, she could pass through even restricted sectors without question. Guards saluted her as she passed; none dared to stop them.
Night had fallen.
From the surrounding mansions came the twisted sounds of laughter and screams — Celestial Dragons abusing their slaves. On the streets, other Celestial Dragons rode upon the backs of trembling slaves like beasts of burden, whipping them without mercy. Their victims moved like hollow shells, stripped of all will to live.
Elior's expression hardened.
He had always despised the Celestial Dragons. Were it not for his current mission, he would have turned this "Holy Land" into a slaughterhouse.
Still, he had to be careful. The Celestial Dragons' background was shrouded in mystery — especially the so-called Elder Council, from which the Gorosei were chosen. If the Gorosei had ruled for over fifty years, there were surely other powerful Celestial Dragons behind them.
Before long, Elior and Stussy reached the rear of a massive building deep within Mary Geoise. From over two hundred meters away, Stussy identified it for him — the structure housing the Celestial Dragons' vault and the Elder Council's assembly hall.
Elior nodded. "You've done enough. Go back," he ordered.
Stussy obeyed without question and quietly departed. She still had her uses — and there was no need for her to risk exposure.
Mary Geoise had no surveillance systems; the Celestial Dragons abhorred the idea of being watched. Instead, they relied on sheer manpower — countless guards patrolling every district.
That, however, worked perfectly in Elior's favor. So long as he kept his mask on and suppressed his aura, no one would suspect a thing. Even if the Log Pose to God Valley disappeared, the Celestial Dragons would have no idea who had taken it.
The streets around the building were heavily guarded — far more than elsewhere. These men were not mere sentries; Elior could sense they were veterans, powerful enough to serve as Marine Vice Admirals.
Silently, he slipped inside.
He suppressed his presence until even his heartbeat slowed. Every breath was deliberate, his aura perfectly contained.
This was the Hall of the Gods — the place where the elite Celestial Dragons, those with royal authority, held their meetings.It was from this very group that the Gorosei were selected.
The Gorosei were not immortals — merely ancient men with abnormally long lifespans and terrifying power. Among them, and within the so-called Elder Council, were Celestial Dragons with strength rivaling Marine Admirals.
The Celestial Dragons were far from simple parasites.
Take Donquixote Doflamingo, for example — even stripped of his title, he had the blood of kings.
The Hall of the Gods loomed above him, its interior solemn and silent. Elior entered from the rooftop, moving like a shadow. His Observation Haki flared gently — and he caught a trace of life nearby.
As Stussy had said, this place also housed the Celestial Dragons' treasure vault, and one of the elders was stationed here as caretaker.The presence was old, faint — but alive.
"In that case," Elior murmured, "I won't bother with formalities."
He moved in silence, approaching the source. The elder was half-asleep, sitting by a table filled with ancient scrolls and sealed ledgers — an administrator, not a warrior, though his strength surpassed that of most Vice Admirals.
Before the old man could even open his eyes, Elior's hand gripped his skull.
A single twist.
A sickening crack.
Blood splattered across the marble floor.
"No surveillance," Elior said coldly. "Even if I act now, they'll never know it was me."
His smile, hidden beneath the mask, curved into something dark and feral.
Without hesitation, Elior stepped over the corpse and moved toward the massive door at the end of the chamber — the entrance to the Celestial Dragons' treasure vault.