More than three hundred stranded Marines entered the laboratory, gradually spreading through the main hall and supply warehouse to rest and replenish their provisions.
“Everyone, take this opportunity to recover,” Dragon ordered.
“I’ll inspect the rest of the facility myself.”
“But Colonel,” one Marine asked anxiously, “what about our mission?”
The mission?
At this point, it was the last thing on Dragon’s mind.
What he truly wanted to know was why Kaido and the last known Lunarian had been transported here in the first place.
Why had Headquarters concealed the real objective from him?
He intended to find Dr.
Vegapunk and get answers.
“Listen, everyone,” Dragon said solemnly.
“If we’re expected to carry out missions while being kept completely in the dark—if we’re meant to sacrifice our lives for the World Government’s ambitions—then forget the mission for now.
Get some rest while you can.”
As the highest-ranking officer present, his orders carried absolute authority.
The Marines lowered their heads in silence.
He wasn’t wrong.
For now, all they could do was survive.
Inside the laboratory, Arthur finished his apple pie and walked into a spacious training area.
His body still ached from his injuries, yet he could feel a new power stirring throughout him.
Looking at his hands, he tried to guide the strange energy flowing through his body.
The next instant—
A jet-black aura coated both of his forearms.
His skin took on the appearance of hardened steel.
“…Armament Haki.”
Arthur’s eyes lit up with surprise.
The battle had yielded far greater rewards than he expected.
However, the Haki flickered on and off, proving he couldn’t maintain it consistently yet.
An ordinary person in this world might have mistaken it for some strange illness.
But Arthur was a transmigrator.
He immediately recognized what this power was.
Awakening Haki wasn’t particularly surprising to him.
After experiencing two life-and-death battles, he had already realized something important.
Possessing Haki didn’t automatically make someone stronger than those without it.
He himself was proof.
Without Haki, he had survived a direct hit from twenty-eight-year-old Kaido’s Thunder Bagua, and later endured Haki-infused punches from Lake and Apollo on Lionheart Island.
To Arthur, Haki was a force multiplier.
Its greatest value lay in fighting Logia users and enhancing one’s overall combat ability.
“So after ten years…
it’s finally begun to manifest.”
He clenched his fist.
“It still has a long way to go.
Compared to the masters of Wano who can use advanced Ryuo, this is just the beginning.”
He swung another punch.
“…It doesn’t feel that different.”
“It just feels like I’m wearing a layer of armor.”
He knocked his fists together.
The hardness was astonishing. Find the original chapter at g.com.
Even tougher than Iron Body (Tekkai).
“The real priority is Observation Haki…”
Arthur suddenly paused.
Did I build my fundamentals too well?
I seem to pick up techniques incredibly quickly.
“…Maybe I should try learning Observation Haki.”
Closing his eyes, he recalled Silvers Rayleigh’s explanation of Haki.
“Feel your surroundings.”
“Don’t rely solely on your eyes.”
Arthur slowly began walking through the laboratory with his eyes shut, attempting to locate the exit using only his senses.
At that moment, Dr.
Vegapunk stepped out of the monitoring room.
Seeing Arthur wandering around with his eyes closed, occasionally bumping into objects, he couldn’t help asking,
“What exactly are you doing, young Marine?”
“Practicing Observation Haki.”
Arthur immediately turned toward his voice and pointed at him.
“I got your position right, didn’t I?
You’re standing outside the monitoring room.”
“That’s not Observation Haki.”
Vegapunk rolled his eyes.
“You’re just locating me by sound.”
“…Fair point.”
Arthur scratched his head.
“I’ve always been able to dodge some attacks on instinct with my eyes closed.”
Now that the constant pressure of mere survival had eased somewhat, the potential he’d accumulated through years of relentless training finally seemed to be surfacing.
“Leader of MADS—Dr.
Vegapunk!”
Dragon’s voice echoed through the corridor.
Moments later, he stepped into the laboratory.
The first thing he noticed was Arthur standing there as if nothing had happened.
“Arthur.”
Dragon looked relieved.
“How are your injuries?”
“They still ache a little, but otherwise I’m fine.”
Arthur knew his own body well.
His recovery speed was extraordinary.
Even so, this battle had left permanent scars.
“That’s good.”
After confirming Arthur’s condition, Dragon turned his attention toward Vegapunk.
The scientist looked exactly as the rumors described.
Messy brown hair sat atop an absurdly oversized head.
“I’ve heard about you, Dr.
Vegapunk.”
Dragon stepped closer.
“You ate the Brain-Brain Fruit, didn’t you?
Is that why your head has grown so large?”
More importantly…
What exactly had Vegapunk been researching here?
Why had Kaido been imprisoned at Punk Hazard?
What kind of project was the World Government carrying out?
“Monkey D.
Dragon…”
Vegapunk looked at him calmly.
“If you arrest me, you’ll lose a scientist capable of changing the world.”
Although it was their first meeting, he felt a trace of apprehension toward the stern Marine officer.
Still, he made no attempt to flee.
“I’ve received orders from Headquarters to arrest you.”
Dragon’s voice was unwavering.
“But if you tell me what the World Government hired MADS to research here, I’ll consider letting you go.”
“Why would they suddenly issue an order to arrest you?”
He stared directly into Vegapunk’s eyes, waiting for an answer.
Vegapunk finally spoke.
“Using Kaido’s blood, along with the blood of the Lunarian named Alber, I developed something called the Lineage Factor.”
For his own safety, he chose to reveal the truth.
“Lineage Factor?”
Dragon frowned.
“Another weapon of war?”
“You could think of it that way.”
Vegapunk’s eyes shone with excitement.
“This is the greatest scientific discovery I’ve ever made.”
“If it were revealed to the world, it would plunge the entire globe into panic.”
“And what exactly can it do?”
Dragon wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
“It has countless applications.”
“It can improve defective genes and bloodlines.”
“But more importantly…”
“I believe it can be used to replicate Devil Fruit abilities.”
“I haven’t successfully done it yet.”
“For now, it’s only a theory.”
Replicate Devil Fruit powers…
Dragon was left speechless.
As the two continued discussing the implications of the Lineage Factor, Arthur quickly lost interest.
Scientific breakthroughs weren’t what he sought.
Sheathing his sword, he headed for the exit.
“Colonel,” he called out, “this doesn’t really concern a Marine Sergeant like me.”
“I’m heading out.”
“Cooper is probably running around looking for me by now.”
Dragon remained focused on his conversation with Vegapunk and didn’t respond.
After waiting a moment, Arthur simply shrugged and left the laboratory on his own.
Scientific advancement wasn’t the path he wished to follow.
He sought strength—not mutation.
Swordsmanship.
Physical conditioning.
And Haki.
Those were the things he intended to pursue.