Grand Line — Skypiea.
Within the golden palace of God's Island, Apayado, Souta Kiryuu rose from bed as Boa Hancock tenderly helped him dress.
Over the past few days, the Pirate Empress had devoted herself entirely to him, offering everything she had to repay Souta for saving Amazon Lily. She had used every charm, every ounce of devotion — allowing Souta to live like a god among mortals.
Even Baby 5 and Monet had been "graced by divine favor" during this time.
Even Nico Robin had nearly been devoured in the storm of indulgence.
After being thoroughly pampered and fed by Hancock and Baby 5, Souta finally left for Vegapunk's laboratory.
The Paramecia-type Teleportation Fruit had already been eaten by Sentomaru, that honest and dependable man. From it, Vegapunk had also synthesized a portion of "Green Blood" — the artificial lineage factor — to be used in the second generation of Seraphim, specifically for the final one: the Kiryuu Seraphim.
This second generation consisted of seven individuals, three of whom were now modeled after Souta Kiryuu himself.
Added to the ranks were former Warlords — Boa Hancock, Gecko Moria, and Crocodile — along with Rob Lucci, the most exceptional CP9 agent in eight centuries.
The three Kiryuu-type Seraphim now wielded extraordinary powers — the Fortress-Fortress ability, the Mirror-Mirror ability, and the Teleportation ability.
Now, besides Bartholomew Kuma's Paw-Paw power, Souta's crew finally possessed their own version of the Elder Council's teleportation technique.
However, this ability came with limitations: teleportation required the user's physical presence and touch. The dream of establishing two permanent teleportation circles for instant travel was, therefore, impossible.
Moreover, the user could only teleport to locations they had personally visited and marked — much like Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit. The only uncertainty was whether this fruit had a limit to how many places could be marked.
Kuma had already marked over fifty islands — an astounding feat.
At that moment, Vegapunk was already deep into his "Second Base" Project — preparing to move his brain, the legendary Punk Records, to the moon.
The lunar core mining operation was nearly ready to begin.
In recent days, Vegapunk had successfully used a massive number of electrical devices similar to Enel's Ark Maxim to create something new: a Magnetic Field Disruptor.
"This disruptor can interfere with an island's magnetic field, rendering Log Poses and Eternal Poses useless," Vegapunk explained rapidly as Souta entered the lab. "However, the device must be regularly recharged to remain active."
A giant machine crackled with blue lightning arcs, the surrounding Log Poses spinning wildly and losing all sense of direction.
"I'd originally planned to capture the Magnet-Magnet Fruit user for study," Vegapunk admitted, "but your efficiency outpaces even my imagination."
Souta smiled faintly, pleased. Vegapunk truly was a treasure — the world's greatest scientist, now completely on his side.
"The key," Vegapunk added with a grin, "is that we're never short on funds or materials anymore."
Indeed — beyond Vinsmoke Judge's technological support, the likes of the Golden Emperor, and several underworld emperors had begun trading directly with Souta.
For the first time, Vegapunk was conducting research with limitless resources — far wealthier than even the World Government.
When he'd worked under the Government, Saint Saturn would constantly cut his funding — especially for projects unrelated to weapon development. Any research benefiting civilian life was immediately frozen.
Souta chuckled softly.
"Then Amazon Lily won't have to abandon Nine Snake Island after all."
If the island were lost, the special spring that only produced daughters would vanish — the very foundation of the Kuja's survival. That was why Elder Nyon Gloriosa had resisted leaving the island in the first place.
"Once Sentomaru and Kuma return from the moon," Vegapunk said, frowning slightly, "we'll begin relocation. You've angered the World Government too deeply — they won't let this go."
Vegapunk's keen intellect had already foreseen the coming storm. He knew Imu, that ancient monster, would not simply stand idle.
This peace was only the calm before a devastating tempest. The next strike from Imu could very well destroy everything Souta had built.
"Tell me honestly," Souta asked, his expression serious, "you've read so many texts from Ohara and studied countless Poneglyphs… did you ever discover how Joy Boy lost to the Twenty Kings — or to Imu?"
He felt that Imu would one day deal with him in the exact same way she had dealt with Joy Boy eight centuries ago.
Why had Joy Boy written an apology letter to Poseidon?
What sin had he committed?
Why was Zunesha sentenced to walk eternally?
Why did that giant ancient robot express guilt and sorrow toward Joy Boy?
And why had Queen Lily of Alabasta, one of the Twenty Kings, refused to ascend to Mary Geoise — choosing instead to help Joy Boy scatter the Poneglyphs across the world?
Souta could smell conspiracy in every thread of history. False charges, betrayals, manipulations — the same tactics the World Government still used today.
After all, when Cobra was killed, Imu and the Five Elders instantly blamed Sabo.
When Luffy defeated Crocodile, the Navy tried to hand the credit to Smoker, only for the man to stubbornly refuse it.
Even the destruction of Ohara and the Marine fleet had been pinned on Nico Robin, a mere eight-year-old girl at the time.
The Government had mastered the art of rewriting truth.
"Information is limited," Vegapunk sighed. "But it's clear the Great Kingdom suffered betrayal and division from within."
He spread his hands helplessly.
"Even with the power of the Sun God Nika, and the ancient weapons Uranus, Poseidon, and Pluton — how did such a civilization lose? There must've been treachery. And because the truth was shameful, the Government erased the entire century from history."
Souta rubbed his chin, murmuring,
"So… betrayal and division. Lies and manipulation again, huh?"
His gaze hardened.
Even within his own fleet — the mighty Kiryuu Pirates — he needed to guard against the same seeds of betrayal.
He'd have to tighten control and monitor loyalty closely.
More importantly, he needed to know which key officers still had families or clans living freely across the seas — potential leverage for the World Government to exploit.
"Doctor," Souta asked suddenly, narrowing his eyes, "do you still have family? Any ties to your homeland? Perhaps we should relocate your birthplace — Baldimore — for safety."
He couldn't risk the world's greatest scientist being threatened or blackmailed.
"I… I no longer have family," Vegapunk admitted quietly. "But I do have affection for Baldimore. My research into new energy was meant to turn that frozen island into a land of spring — or even summer."
"Then it might become the Government's next target," Souta said with a frown. "We'll have to move fast — before Baldimore becomes another Sorbet Kingdom tragedy."
The shadows of conspiracy loomed ever closer, and even the heavens above Skypiea seemed to hum with coming thunder.