Kael blinked in mild surprise, then understood.
He bowed slightly and gave the towering female giant a perfectly practiced social smile.
"Hello, beautiful lady. Sounds like that guy Gaban has been talking a lot of trash about me behind my back."
"That is not trash at all!" The female giant, Gerth, beamed with excitement. She gently patted Hajrudin's shoulder with her massive palm, signaling him to relax.
"Mr. Gaban said you were the flashiest man he ever met on the Oro Jackson! Always the one who steals the spotlight at the most critical moments!"
Hajrudin's tense posture eased at once.
The legends of the Roger Pirates were just as famous among the giants. If this man was a friend of Scopper Gaban, there was no reason to treat him as an enemy.
"Hahaha!" Kael burst out laughing and admitted without the slightest shame, "He is not wrong. I was young back then, after all. If you are not a bit hot-blooded as a youngster, what is the point of being young?"
His easygoing honesty shrank the distance between him and the giants in an instant.
So what was it that blinded my eyes again?
Gerth laughed so hard that her whole body shook. That vast expanse of white scenery in front of Kael rose and fell dramatically, making him a little dizzy. He instinctively shifted his gaze away and silently muttered in his heart that this was sinful.
Gaban… no, Big Brother Gaban… I get you now.
The atmosphere relaxed all at once.
Vegapunk, who had been quiet this whole time, suddenly looked a little uneasy.
He pushed up his glasses, his gaze lingering on the books hanging out to dry. His eyes were full of longing.
He hesitated for a moment, then finally mustered his courage and spoke, his tone almost pleading.
"Um… my giant friends, I am Vegapunk. I… I wonder if I might be allowed to look at those books. I promise I will only read them and will not take a single page. The knowledge of Ohara is the treasure of the world. I only wish to record it."
"Vegapunk?" Hajrudin repeated the name, then suddenly realized, "I have heard of you. You are supposed to be the smartest man in the world."
The giants had long heard the name of this scientist, but the fact that he worked for the World Government made them wary by instinct.
Kael saw their concern and opened his mouth at just the right time.
"The doctor is a friend of mine. He is not on the same side as those idiots in the World Government. Let him read. Better that this knowledge be preserved in the world's smartest brain than rot at the bottom of a lake."
With Kael vouching for him, the giants no longer had any doubts.
"If he is a friend of Mr. Kael, then of course there is no problem!" Hajrudin agreed readily.
"Wonderful!" Vegapunk could not hide the joy in his voice.
He practically rushed over to a stack of dried books, scooped one up, and his eyes instantly became like a high-speed scanner. His pupils darted rapidly over the pages as he devoured one book after another at inhuman speed.
He was completely submerged in the ocean of knowledge, mumbling to himself, sometimes frowning, sometimes enlightened, oblivious to everything around him.
Watching from the side, Dragon's evaluation of Kael rose yet another level.
Whether it was the leader of the Revolutionary Army, legendary giants, or the world's greatest scientist, this man could effortlessly build connections and earn their trust.
This kind of charisma was also a terrifying power.
Mihawk leaned back against a charred tree trunk with his eyes closed, resting.
He was not interested in any of this. His mind was still replaying every moment of his clash with Rayleigh.
As for Kael, he had already blended in with the giants.
His witty, good-humored conversation soon won over these straightforward warriors, and laughter rose again and again.
After some time, Kael's smile faded slightly and his expression turned more serious.
"Everyone, if you ever happen to meet Saul, could you give him a message for me?"
Hajrudin and the others fell silent as well and looked at him solemnly.
"Tell him that Robin is doing very well."
"She has a group of noisy but reliable companions and a home where she can sleep in peace. She is not alone anymore."
"So he does not need to worry."
Hajrudin nodded heavily and committed every word to memory.
"We will pass that on, Mr. Kael."
Kael smiled.
As far as he knew, Saul really had survived Sakazuki. Legendary cockroach-level toughness.
Vegapunk was still completely lost in his sea of knowledge. He was multitasking in the most literal sense: three or four books spread in front of him, pages flipping rapidly without any wind, his eyes scanning back and forth while his brain absorbed Ohara's legacy at a terrifying rate, and his mouth still kept up a perfectly coherent conversation with Kael and Dragon.
"Vegapunk, how is that research you mentioned coming along?" Dragon took the initiative to ask. He cared deeply about any project that could affect the balance of the world.
"Oh, you mean the cloning technology." Vegapunk did not even lift his head, his gaze glued to the books.
"Ever since MADS disbanded, I have been refining that technology. The first successful one, Stussy, you should have heard of her. But that is still not perfect. There are certain special physiques that cannot be fully replicated."
He finally raised his head and turned his enormous brain toward Kael, eyes burning with near-fanatical fervor.
Kael's eyebrows lifted. He knew the real topic was here.
Vegapunk set the book aside and began to pace, rubbing his hands together.
"I am attempting to combine the bloodline factor of a particularly powerful individual with the bloodline factor of the Lunarian race. If I can also incorporate the Devil Fruit element that is still in my theoretical stage… imagine what kind of being would be born."
The air went quiet for a moment.
Dragon's breath hitched. He immediately saw the horrific implications behind Vegapunk's words.
Vegapunk stopped pacing and looked straight at Kael, his expression more solemn than ever.
"Kael-san." He bent at the waist in a deep bow, his massive head almost touching the ground.
"I formally request this of you. Would you be willing to provide some of your blood for my research?"
"If the experiment succeeds, a clone based on you, possessing Lunarian physiology, will be born. He will have overwhelming power, enough to suppress all conflict on the seas."
"At that time, the false justice upheld by those fools in the World Government will be shattered, and true peace will finally descend upon this world."
Mihawk opened one eye at last, his sharp gaze sweeping between Kael and Vegapunk.
Dragon's heart pounded wildly.
He stared at Kael and waited for his answer. This decision could very well shape the future of the entire world.
Kael frowned, deep in thought, and did not respond right away.
Seraph Kael?
A perfect creation that inherited his talent and possessed Lunarian physiology…
Would that not be a son born through asexual reproduction?
Kael's mind raced.
The risk was enormous. If the clone disobeyed, it could become his most troublesome enemy.
After all, no one understood his weaknesses better than he did.
If this "son" refused to listen someday, what then? A family drama with knives and flames? Right, Yamato?
What is there to be afraid of? If my kid gets rebellious, I will just straighten him out with a Seven Wolves belt. Three good lashes and puberty is over. Daddy loves you, for real.
That thought flashed by and vanished. What Kael was truly weighing was the enormous benefit hidden behind this plan.
The World Government was already walking down this path. Rather than let the Five Elders control a Seraphim army modeled after the Seven Warlords, it was better for him to hold a trump card of his own.
A trump card based on himself, and theoretically even stronger.
Not only would this counterbalance the World Government, it would be a key piece on the board when the time came to overturn the entire world.
Having thought it through, Kael lifted his head again, the usual playful smile returning to his face.
He raised his right index finger, pressed lightly, and a drop of bright red blood welled up from his skin. Under the control of the Wave-Wave Fruit, it formed a perfectly spherical bead that hung in the air.
"Here you go, Doctor."
Vegapunk reached out in excitement, ready with a special container.
"But I have one condition."
Kael's voice was calm, yet it stopped Vegapunk's hand halfway.
Kael looked at him, his eyes steady and mild, but his words left no room for argument.
"Regarding this project and the existence of this creation, you are not allowed to reveal a single word to the World Government. He can only be our top secret, between you and me."
"My 'son' is not going to be some dog raised for the Celestial Dragons."
Vegapunk froze for a second, then nodded heavily.
His huge head bobbed as he replied with utmost seriousness.
"I swear on my honor as a scientist. This project will exist independently of all World Government programs. His highest authority will belong only to you and me."
"Good."
Kael flicked his finger and the bead of blood turned into a thin red line that shot into the vacuum tube Vegapunk had prepared with pinpoint accuracy.
Vegapunk cradled the test tube like a priceless treasure, his expression that of a man about to witness history.
Dragon watched silently, pressing his shock down deep inside.
The look he gave Kael now had gone beyond respect.
There was a new layer in it, something closer to genuine awe.
This man always seemed to lay down moves that could shake the entire world, all while smiling like it was nothing.
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