The Six Faces of Vegapunk

The chapter begins at Egghead's lab stratum, the island of the future, with the reason the Straw Hats stayed on the ship. Zoro says that when he sees the place it comes to him as a government island, and he warns they should think about who will bail them out if they get caught. Brook agrees, saying he was thinking the same thing and asking for tea. Zoro says he knows their deal was to drop him off anywhere away from Wano, but he did not think they would head for a government island. Lilith gets annoyed that Zoro is still there and tells him, "Hang on, just gimme a moment of your time!" Zoro says he heard Lilith helped their captain out and appreciates it, but Caribou remembers the slight: "I'll remember this!! These jerks!!" The lab entrance opens below the Vegapunk sign as the crew arrives.

Inside the lab, the moving stairs fascinate the Straw Hats. Franky yells, "The stairs are moving!!!" and Nami says, "New steps are sprouting out of the ground!!" Usopp asks, "What kinda setup is this?! How's it powered?!" Lilith explains that after all, the system can convert its power into any kind of energy, though it does run through many natural resources. She says she is always looking into alternative fuels and dreams, "If only there was such a thing as an eternal flame... Then I'd be able to make my very own sun...!!" When Lilith runs through a wall, the others shout, "A sun?!" and "What the--? She's goin' right through the wall?!"

Lilith slides through the wall and shouts for Edison, asking, "What is it, Edison?" A voice tells her, "Stop dilly-dallying and walk through! You should never let your own senses dupe you!" The crew follows and realizes the wall has become solid again. Robin says, "We passed through too...?" Nami asks, "So this is the lab...?" and Usopp complains, "How the heck does that work?!" Sanji asks where Lilith went, and a Kansai-accented voice says, "Y'all can keep goin' dead ahead!" Dr. Vegapunk Edison appears and introduces himself: "Ah'm Vegapunk Edison! Howdy. Now just keep walkin' like I said."

The Straw Hats joke about future treasure. Nami says, "Let's look for some future treasure!" and Usopp asks, "Future treasure? Like what?" Nami imagines a weird fantasy, maybe a flower made entirely out of exquisite antique gems, but Usopp says her taste is closer to an old hag's. Edison, in the lab, kicks them forward and yells, "Future kick!!" The crew sees Seraphim 04, a child version of Jinbe. Franky shouts, "Jinbe?!" while Robin says, "I don't think that's him. Doesn't he look a little too young?" Usopp guesses it might be his son, while Nami wonders if Jinbe was somehow turned into a kid. Sanji says the kid has ominous air, and Franky mutters that he has a bad feeling: "There's a fourth possibility!!" The child looks like Jinbe but is as big as the real Jinbe, and they realize, "He's a Pacifista!!"

The Seraphim Jinbe attacks and blasts the floor with a huge "BOOM," sending the Straw Hats flying. Franky yells, "We should've known the Government was never gonna roll out the red carpet! This was all one giant trap!" Nami says, "I really don't want to fight him! But he's still a kid..." The crew realizes the Government is using a clone of Jinbe as a soldier. The Seraphim beeps and pursues them, while Nami suddenly notices water-like movement and says, "He's got Fruit powers?!" Usopp shouts, "Hey... I know that ability!!" and the Seraphim slips through the floor with splash-like effects.

The Seraphim Jinbe uses a Swim-Swim Fruit-like ability and attacks Nami. Nami cries, "Jinbe..." and the Seraphim strikes her with Fish-Man Karate-style water, making her scream, "Kiaaa!!" Sanji sees Nami hurt and snaps: "That's it, you just signed your own death warrant!! I don't give a crap... whether you're Jinbe or not!" He charges in and kicks the Seraphim with a huge "BAM!!" Robin prepares to help and calls out, "Gigante Fleur!!"

Robin is furious that the Seraphim hurt Nami. She says, "What he said!! That was unforgivable!!" and restrains the Seraphim with "Sea Serpent... Snap Dragon Spank!!" The Seraphim crashes into the floor, but rises again. Usopp warns Robin, "So, you can use Fishman Karate too? Get out of there, Robin!!" The Seraphim re-forms from the floor and the battle continues, showing the clone can combine Jinbe-like body and technique with artificial abilities.

Usopp attacks with "Lethal Green Star!! Skull... Exploding Grass!!" and briefly catches the Seraphim, but it vanishes from sight. Usopp says, "He's gone... I know this isn't Jinbe, but this still feels messed up!!" The Seraphim suddenly appears behind him, and Nami screams, "Usopp!!" Franky steps in and tells Usopp and Sanji not to move a muscle, beginning, "Radical..." as he lines up a shot.

Franky fires his beam, yelling, "Watch it, S-Shark! Beam!!" The Seraphim narrowly dodges and Edison panics from the control room: "He just used a beam!! Who in tarnation is this guy?!" He says the Seraphim is still just a kid and that they are not meant to put it through a laser test until later. Edison decides, "Ah! Reckon this is gettin' real risky!" and shouts for the test to stop: "Dr. Vegapunk Edison, Flair."

Edison shouts, "You said it! Does he have the faintest idea how much one Seraphim costs?!" He orders the Seraphim to return and leaves the rest to Pythagoras so he can jot down the blueprints before the idea fades. Dr. Vegapunk Pythagoras, Wisdom, appears as Punk 04 and says this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get input, input, input from rich battle data. He says, "Oh!! Eureka! Ah've just thought up a new invention!" Edison yells that he would not go that far and that ripping the Seraphim's skull off would be too evil, while Pythagoras says his hands are always full and he cannot even take help from the cat.

Dr. Vegapunk York, Desire, eats for the other satellites and says, "That hit the spot!" while Edison calls for more food to help digestion. The staff brings seconds for Dr. York and reports her current BMI is over 600. York eats with "Munch munch," calls the meal delicious, then says, "Aaah! I really need the toilet! I'd go myself, but I can't afford to waste any time!!" The narration notes that Dr. York is on today's fourth S.D.N. cycle, snack-dump-nap. Pythagoras analyzes the Seraphim's development: its attack patterns have continued to develop as it grows, suggesting its lineage factor really does store some of their recollections and capabilities. He says they should accelerate the growth despite obstacles, and that green blood concentration has risen and heart rate is up to 90 BPM.

The Seraphim is ordered, "Return!" while the Straw Hats are stopped by disabling their DOM shoes. Shaka appears and says, "That's enough, Seraphim!" and introduces himself: "I'm Dr. Vegapunk... Shaka." The crew reacts that he must be the Straw Hat Pirates, and Shaka says he knows better than to let his guard down around pirates. He confirms that the woman and the voice on the speaker are also Vegapunks, and when Usopp asks if resistance is futile, Shaka answers, "Yes, but I am also Vegapunk." Franky admires the technology and asks if the island looks like the future, but Shaka replies, "Would you cut it out? Oh yeah, did I forget to mention I'm Vegapunk too...?" He hints that Egghead may not be what they think.

Shaka explains that Egghead's technology is beyond the future, pointing to Vega Force 01, the Island Aircon, and the mecha sea beasts. Luffy, Chopper, Bonney, and Jinbe are amazed by the old-looking machinery and ask if it is rusted metal or a holo-holo thing, while Bonney asks what kind of tech could move something so ancient-looking. Luffy says he wants a full tour, and Chopper asks what goodies are made there. Shaka tells them, "What do you mean by 'past'?! Well, what if I were to tell you... that long ago, there was once a highly advanced kingdom..."

Shaka reveals the stunning truth: Egghead is actually quite the contrary of an island of the future. The crew finds an ancient, ruined giant robot and a civilization not unlike Egghead in technology. Shaka says it was "A civilization from 900 years ago... Would you believe me?" Franky reacts, "900 years ago?!" while Luffy wants to ride the robot and Jinbe says, "Let's go!!" The chapter ends with the question, "What was the world like back then?!" and the implication that Egghead's most advanced technology echoes a lost ancient kingdom.

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