Sentomaru followed Vegapunk silently, his head low and his steps heavy. The sadness of parting with his uncle, Kizaru, still lingered, clouding his thoughts.
Vegapunk, on the other hand, strode ahead with determination, grumbling about the situation. His movements were sharp and brisk, his irritation evident.
Dragon observed the duo, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Don't worry, Doctor," Dragon said reassuringly. "I won't let you down. I've already prepared an island for you."
As he spoke, Dragon pulled out an Eternal Pose from his coat and handed it to Vegapunk.
"Follow this needle. In three days, we'll reach the destination."
Vegapunk snorted, taking the Eternal Pose with an air of skepticism. However, the moment his eyes fell on the markings, his expression changed drastically.
"Wano Country?!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Isn't that where your son is stationed? Why are we going there?"
The question escaped his lips before he could stop himself. He froze, realization dawning as he connected the dots. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to Dragon, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"You and your son… You're in this together? Of course! You're father and son, it's only natural you'd work as a family! How could I have been so stupid?!"
He slapped his forehead in frustration, recalling his earlier interactions with Luffy.
"That little brat! I gave him so many of my amazing inventions because of your connection! And now you've turned against me, you traitorous bastard! When I see him, I'm taking back everything I gave him!"
Vegapunk's voice rose as he vented his irritation, pacing back and forth.
Sentomaru, caught off guard by the revelation, couldn't help but interject.
"Doctor, weren't all those inventions just your failed experiments? They were junk you didn't need anymore. Why bother taking them back?"
Vegapunk froze, his jaw dropping in disbelief.
"Junk?! What do you know?! Those were creations of Vegapunk, the greatest genius in the world! Even if they're scraps, they're the most brilliant scraps ever created!"
Sentomaru tilted his head thoughtfully.
"But Doctor, even if it's brilliant junk, isn't it still junk?"
Vegapunk let out a strangled yell of frustration.
"You little brat! Are you trying to drive me mad too?! When I get the chance, I'm building a machine specifically to shut your mouth!"
"Really? I wasn't trying to upset you, Doctor. I'm just being honest," Sentomaru replied with an innocent expression.
Vegapunk's patience finally snapped. He grabbed a nearby wrench and hurled it at Sentomaru, who yelped and ducked, instinctively covering his head as he ran for cover.
Dragon watched the chaotic exchange unfold, his amused smile widening.
"These two…" he murmured, shaking his head. His gaze shifted toward the horizon, and his expression turned contemplative.
"Luffy, let me see for myself what kind of man shares my resolve to change this world."
Meanwhile, the Five Elders were anything but amused.
At Mary Geoise, Saint Saturn, the Elder overseeing the government's scientific divisions, was livid. His voice echoed through the Den Den Mushi as he berated Sengoku.
"Sengoku! What in the world were you thinking?! You know how important Punk Hazard is to the government. Why did you transfer Borsalino and leave the island vulnerable?!"
On the other end of the line, Sengoku sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as he held the receiver.
"I take full responsibility, Saint Saturn," Sengoku replied. "It was my decision, but I could never have anticipated that Dragon himself would target Punk Hazard to kidnap Dr. Vegapunk."
"Humph! Do you think an apology will fix this mess?!" Saint Saturn roared. "Vegapunk is critical to several high-priority government projects! Without him, we're facing delays that could cost us dearly!"
His anger was palpable, and Sengoku could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him. If not for Sengoku's years of loyalty and significant contributions to both the Marines and the World Government, Saint Saturn might have already pushed for his dismissal.
Taking a deep breath, Saint Saturn delivered his final warning.
"Listen carefully, Sengoku. I don't care how you do it, but I expect Vegapunk back within a week. Send the admirals if you must, but this failure cannot stand. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I understand," Sengoku replied solemnly.
With a cold snort, Saint Saturn ended the call, leaving Sengoku to stare at the silent receiver.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Sengoku set the Den Den Mushi aside and leaned back in his chair. He glanced around at the senior Marine officers gathered in his office.
"You all heard the Five Elders," Sengoku began, his voice weary. "They've given us a week to retrieve Vegapunk. I need your opinions on how to handle this situation."
The room fell silent.
Admiral Akainu crossed his legs and leaned back, sipping his tea as if the matter didn't concern him. Beside him, Zephyr mirrored his calm demeanor.
The Admiral Candidate—Issho, Tokikake, Gion, and Momonga—along with the elite Vice Admirals, exchanged uneasy glances but said nothing.
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