Chapter 201: Chapter 201: The Truth About Pluton
Even the legendary pirates of the Hell Pirates, with their infamous reputations, made Vegapunk’s nerves jangle. His Devil Fruit had gifted him unparalleled intellect, but it hadn’t done a thing for his combat prowess.
Maybe one day he’d invent a battle suit to boost his fighting ability. As for body modifications, his scrawny frame lacked the regenerative powers of an Animal-type Devil Fruit user—he’d probably keel over before surviving the process.
"Yohohoho! Allow me to introduce the Hell Pirates’ chief scientist, Vegapunk! From now on, if you’ve got any questions or puzzles, he’s your man."
"This guy’s destined to be the world’s greatest scientist—his brilliance might just be five hundred years ahead of our time!"
Brook’s glowing introduction stunned not only the crew but Vegapunk himself.
Me? That incredible? Could he really become that great in the future?
"Welcome aboard, Vegapunk, you little genius! Let’s have some good chats down the line."
Fishman Tom was the first to shake Vegapunk’s hand. Anyone Captain Brook hyped up like that had to be special. Tom’s sea train project was hitting a few snags—perfect timing to brainstorm with this brainiac.
Sniper Silva was just as eager, practically buzzing with excitement. He needed a top-tier scientist to help design a next-level sniper rifle—something multi-functional, packing elemental attributes for maximum impact.
Ship doctor Crocus chimed in, asking for help designing advanced medical equipment. The gear available on the market couldn’t keep up with his cutting-edge research.
Far from being overwhelmed, Vegapunk was thrilled to dive into these challenges. Collaborating with specialists from different fields, solving problems, and inventing new tech? That was his kind of fun.
After a round of introductions, Vegapunk and the crew dove straight into research mode. Meanwhile, Brook tasked Stussy with settling Vegapunk’s parents into life on Golden Island. With her ex-agent skills and Siren Fruit powers, she’d have no trouble helping them adjust.
To keep them occupied, Brook arranged for the parents to work as lab cleaners and assistants, staying close to Vegapunk. They’d ease into island life for now, with future roles to be decided later.
"Vegapunk, you lucked out!" Tom grinned. "Captain Brook’s next stop is the West Blue’s scholar haven, Ohara—a paradise of books! You’re gonna love it!"
As the shipwright and helmsman, Tom knew Brook’s full itinerary. After Vegapunk cracked a few tough problems with the sea train, Tom was so impressed he spilled the beans.
"Ohara? That’s amazing! I was planning to visit that legendary island when I was older!"
Vegapunk’s eyes sparkled with excitement. He wanted to devour every scrap of knowledge in the world. His brain felt limitless, tireless—like it could soak up everything without breaking a sweat.
Silva, not one to miss an opportunity, roped Vegapunk into upgrading Golden Island’s firepower. The island’s knockoff Pluton cannons were already leagues above standard artillery, but with Vegapunk’s tweaks, their power could double.
The scientist was hooked, poring over the cannon designs and badgering Silva about the original blueprints. After relentless pestering, Silva dragged him to Brook to request access to the ancient text schematics.
...
"Yohohoho, Tom, Silva, Vegapunk—any guesses what these ancient text blueprints are called?"
Brook eyed the knowledge-hungry scientist, hesitating. Vegapunk was still green—too early to dive into something as heavy as the Ancient Weapon Pluton. What if he got obsessed, fixating on Pluton and neglecting other projects? Artificial Devil Fruits, cyborgs, battle suits—those big-ticket items needed his focus too.
The trio stared at Brook, puzzled. They couldn’t read ancient script, and Brook had hidden the cover page, leaving them clueless about the document’s title.
"Ugh, this stuff’s too advanced for you right now. I’m worried you’d lose your minds! We don’t have anyone who can read ancient text yet—that’s why we’re headed to Ohara, for the texts and all those books."
"Once we crack the script, you can study it. For now, I’m locking the original away. But to motivate you to learn the ancient language, I’ll let you in on the name. Swear you won’t blab!"
Brook’s cryptic tone only heightened their curiosity, their faces practically twitching with anticipation.
"You’ve been tinkering with the Ancient Weapon Pluton this whole time!"
Brook’s bombshell left Silva and Tom floored. They’d been handling the actual
Pluton blueprints, oblivious to the treasure in their hands. And now Brook was yanking it away?Their hearts itched with frustration. Captain, that’s just cruel—lighting a fire and leaving us hanging!
Vegapunk’s eyes burned with awe and hunger. One thought consumed him: master the ancient script, unlock Pluton, and explore the pinnacle of ancient human technology.
Though Brook had reclaimed the original Pluton draft, Silva and Tom’s copies were enough for Vegapunk to glimpse its secrets.
"Captain Brook, just one more peek, please!"
Silva and Tom pleaded, gazing longingly at the Pluton blueprint in Brook’s hands. If they’d known it was the Pluton sooner, they’d have paid more attention, ancient script or not.
"Yohohoho, not until one of you learns the ancient language!"
Brook wasn’t budging. With a prodigy like Vegapunk on board, he couldn’t risk the crew obsessing over an undeciphered Pluton. There were bigger fish to fry.
"Vegapunk, here’s a list of projects I’ve prepped for you. Take a look, and when we hit Ohara, prioritize finding materials on these. Whatever you need, we’ll track it down!"
Brook handed Vegapunk a research agenda, tailored to his genius. The list included artificial Devil Fruits, Devil Fruit rebirth cycles, cyborgs, Pacifista war machines, Lineage Factor, bloodline factors, and Seastone weapon applications.
When Vegapunk learned about Seastone’s properties—and the experiment using a Seastone chamber to recycle Devil Fruits—his worldview flipped upside down.
An endless supply of Devil Fruits for research? His passion for Devil Fruit studies now rivaled his obsession with Pluton.
Still, Brook knew the young Vegapunk needed seasoning. A stint in Ohara would broaden his knowledge base. No matter how gifted, he couldn’t become a legend overnight.
...
Word of the Hell Pirates’ exploits on Karakuri Island reached the Marines. After interrogating the island’s residents, they confirmed the crew’s presence and scrambled to devise a new plan to take down this notorious band of outlaws.
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