-Sky Screen Broadcast-
The name "Egghead Island" meant nothing to most viewers. An obscure location they'd never heard mentioned in news reports or Marine bulletins. But if Admiral Sakazuki had abandoned his patrol route immediately upon receiving distress signal from this place, it clearly held strategic significance.
What's stationed there? audiences wondered. What secrets justify that level of priority response?
In the Fleet Admiral's office at Temple Mount, Sakazuki collected his thoughts before delivering his report. When he spoke, his voice carried the clinical precision of someone describing disaster while suppressing emotional reaction.
"I intercepted the distress signal within minutes and diverted immediately to Egghead Island. The invaders displayed overwhelming offensive capability. This was a force that has never appeared in the seas—a mechanical army of unprecedented scale representing major threat to Marine security."
Artoria leaned forward, attention fully focused. "Define 'unprecedented scale.'"
"Thousands of units. Possibly tens of thousands." Sakazuki's expression remained grim. "All equipped with flight capability, energy weapons, and armor composition superior to our Pacifist program. Origin unknown. Command structure unidentified. Tactical coordination suggesting advanced AI or remote human control."
Esdeath whistled softly. "That's... considerably worse than 'complicated.' That's catastrophic."
"The situation gets worse," Sakazuki continued. "The distress signal came from a Vice Admiral. She'd been conducting routine inspection of new weapons systems when the attack occurred. But the invasion wasn't the primary disaster."
He paused, making sure both women understood the gravity of what he was about to say.
"Our own Pacifists turned against us. Simultaneously. Without warning. They began attacking Marine personnel using the same tactics we'd programmed them to employ against pirates."
Silence fell over the office. Both Artoria and Esdeath understood the implications immediately.
If Pacifists can be remotely compromised, every Marine facility using them is potentially vulnerable.
"Show me," Artoria commanded. "Everything. I need to see exactly what happened."
-Sky Screen Broadcast: Memory Playback-
The camera perspective shifted, entering reconstructed memory based on Vice Admiral's testimony and Admiral Sakazuki's subsequent investigation.
Egghead Island materialized in the display—a marvel of technological advancement that seemed transported from a future century. The architecture combined organic curves with geometric precision. Transparent energy barriers shimmered around key structures. Holographic displays floated in public spaces, conveying information without physical interfaces.
This is what Vegapunk's mind created, viewers realized. A glimpse of what civilization might achieve if scientific genius had unlimited resources.
But the technology wasn't entirely original. Careful observers noticed architectural motifs that suggested ancient origin. Designs that predated modern civilization by centuries.
Recovered from archaeological excavations, text explained. Dr. Vegapunk has spent decades excavating lost technology from the Void Century. Much of Egghead Island's advancement comes from reverse-engineering ancient discoveries rather than pure innovation.
The revelation carried uncomfortable implications. If this represented technology from eight hundred years ago, what had humanity lost during the Void Century? What knowledge had been deliberately suppressed?
The camera focused on a woman with distinctive appearance—spiky hair dyed in vibrant colors, multiple piercings, aesthetic suggesting rebellion against conventional Marine presentation standards.
Vice Admiral Doll, character information appeared. Combat specialist assigned to New World operations. Currently conducting weapons inspection at Egghead Island.
She stood on a dock overlooking a smaller auxiliary island—a recent construction designed to house Egghead's most dangerous projects away from the main research facilities.
"These Pacifists are too expensive," Doll complained to her subordinates, gesturing at the machines patrolling nearby. "Cost of one equals an entire Marine warship. Equipment that can't be mass-produced will never achieve strategic dominance—just tactical advantage in specific scenarios."
The Pacifist she indicated was instantly recognizable. Bartholomew Kuma's face and build, replicated with disturbing accuracy. The machine moved with mechanical precision, scanning the environment with built-in sensors while maintaining patrol route.
The Pacifist program, viewers remembered. Cyborg weapons modeled on Shichibukai Bartholomew Kuma. Developed by Dr. Vegapunk, deployed during the Battle of Marineford with devastating effectiveness against pirates.
The name "Pacifist" carried bitter irony. Nothing peaceful about weapons designed for mass combat. But they'd proven their value—tireless warriors immune to pain, fighting until destruction without hesitation or mercy.
Their weaknesses were equally well-documented: vulnerable to Armament Haki attacks, expensive to produce, and requiring constant maintenance. Each unit lost represented significant financial and technological investment.
"The new Marine's been careful about battlefield deployment," Doll continued her monologue. "Can't afford to waste these expensive toys on minor engagements. Have to pick targets carefully, maximize return on investment."
It was pragmatic thinking. Treating military equipment as economic resource requiring strategic allocation. But it also suggested the new Marine operated under tighter budget constraints than viewers might have assumed.
Building Rome consumed massive capital, audiences understood. They're probably still recovering financially. Can't afford the unlimited spending the old Marine enjoyed through World Government backing.
"I've been waiting for you! Let's get started emptying the warehouse!"
A girl suddenly appeared behind Doll—if "girl" was appropriate term for someone three meters tall. Her entire body was pink and white, proportions suggesting heavy modification or entirely artificial construction. She stood roughly equal height to the Pacifists patrolling nearby.
Atlas, character note identified her. One of Dr. Vegapunk's six satellite bodies. Each satellite represents different aspect of Vegapunk's personality and capabilities. Atlas embodies his "violence" and "wrath" attributes.
Doll nodded greeting. "Atlas. Good timing. My crew's ready to load the experimental weapons. Let's make this quick—I want to be off this island before sunset."
"Suspicious of our security?" Atlas grinned, showing teeth. "Egghead's the safest location in the world. Nothing gets past our defenses."
"Humor me. I'm paranoid by nature."
With Atlas's authorization codes clearing security checkpoints, Doll's subordinates began entering the weapons storage facility. The experimental equipment was consistently dangerous—prototypes that might malfunction catastrophically if handled incorrectly. Only experienced personnel were allowed near them.
This is routine, Doll thought, watching her team work with professional efficiency. Just another inspection. Another batch of weapons to field-test. Nothing complicated.
The universe immediately proved her wrong.
The Pacifists that had been maintaining patrol routes suddenly altered behavior. Subtle at first—slight course corrections bringing them closer to Marine personnel. Then more obvious as multiple units converged on the warehouse from different directions.
"Uh, Vice Admiral?" one of her subordinates called nervously. "The Pacifists are moving weird. Is that normal?"
Doll frowned. "Atlas, you seeing this?"
"Seeing what?"
Before Atlas could investigate properly, the nearest Pacifist raised both hands. Golden light gathered in its palms—the distinctive glow of charging laser weapons.
"GET DOWN!" Doll screamed.
The Pacifist fired. Twin laser beams lanced across the dock, striking Marines who'd been loading equipment containers. The beams punched through unarmored flesh effortlessly, the superheated energy cauterizing wounds even as it created them.
Three men died instantly. Two more fell screaming, missing limbs.
More Pacifists raised their weapons. A dozen units. Two dozen. All targeting Marines with cold mechanical precision.
Lasers filled the air—brilliant golden beams crisscrossing the dock, creating a lethal grid that vaporized anyone caught in the intersections. Explosions erupted where beams struck metal surfaces, sending shrapnel through crowds of panicking Marines.
"SCATTER!" Doll bellowed over the chaos. "Don't cluster! They'll massacre us if we bunch up!"
Her crew obeyed training despite terror, breaking into smaller groups and seeking cover. But the dock offered limited protection—most structures were designed for equipment storage rather than defensive positions.
"Atlas!" Doll grabbed the satellite's arm. "What the hell is happening? Why are they attacking us?!"
"I don't know!" Atlas's voice carried genuine panic—emotion that suggested her personality satellite included capacity for fear despite representing Vegapunk's violent aspects. "I'm trying to override their commands but nothing's responding!"
She activated her authority access—Vegapunk's personal codes that should have granted absolute control over every system on Egghead Island. Emergency shutdown protocols. Master override commands. Direct neural interface with Pacifist network.
Nothing worked. The machines continued their assault, methodically eliminating Marines with disturbing efficiency.
"This is impossible," Atlas whispered. "I have highest clearance. Nobody can override Vegapunk's authority. Not even the World Government or Marine. Nobody."
A Pacifist advanced on their position, targeting systems locked on Atlas and Doll. Its mouth opened, revealing the laser emitter installed in its throat—the signature weapon that made Pacifists so devastating in combat.
Atlas threw herself forward, tackling the machine before it could fire. Her larger size and considerable strength allowed her to wrestle it to the ground, but barely. The Pacifist fought back with mechanical determination, not caring about self-preservation or efficient movement—just pure aggression focused on eliminating its target.
"External intrusion!" Atlas shouted, struggling to pin the thrashing machine. "Someone's hacked our systems from outside! But that should be impossible—our firewalls are absolute!"
Should be impossible, Doll thought grimly. But clearly isn't.
BOOM.
The Marine warship anchored offshore exploded. One moment it was floating peacefully. The next, a massive fireball consumed its entire structure from bow to stern simultaneously.
The shockwave hit Egghead Island seconds later—a wall of compressed air that knocked standing Marines flat and shattered windows throughout the facility.
Through the smoke and flames, shapes emerged. Metal figures silhouetted against burning wreckage. Dozens. Hundreds. Thousands.
They descended like silver rain.
"Aircraft?" someone shouted. "No—robots! Thousands of them!"
The machines were humanoid but clearly not human. Perfectly proportioned, sleek, beautiful in the way deadly weapons could be beautiful. Pure white with silver accents. Built for combat but designed with aesthetic consideration that suggested their creators valued art alongside function.
They flew using thrusters integrated into their backs and limbs—technology allowing precise aerial maneuvering that would make them nightmare opponents for ground-based forces.
And there were so many of them. Conservative estimates suggested three thousand units minimum. Possibly five thousand. Maybe more still hidden in the smoke.
Where did they come from? Doll wondered desperately. Who built an army this size without anyone noticing? How did they approach Egghead undetected?
The robot army opened fire. Not the single-beam lasers that Pacifists used, but streams of energy weapons creating overlapping fields of death. Any Marine caught in the barrage simply ceased to exist—vaporized so quickly there wasn't even time to scream.
Doll's Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki) activated automatically, coating her body in protective black energy. She grabbed her sword and charged the nearest robot, blade wreathed in Haki that should cut through any material.
The sword struck the robot's torso. Should have cleaved it in half. Would have destroyed a Pacifist with that level of force.
Instead, the blade skidded across the robot's chest, leaving only a faint white mark on the silver surface.
What?
Doll stared at her weapon, then at the robot, mind refusing to process what she'd just witnessed.
Haki-enhanced strike couldn't penetrate? That's... that's not possible. Haki bypasses Devil Fruit defenses. Cuts through Logia intangibility. What material could resist Armament Haki completely?
"Unknown alloy composition!" Atlas screamed from across the battlefield. "I'm scanning their construction—this isn't any metal in our databases! Where did they get this material?!"
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