Vegapunk gave a bitter smile.

“I understand.”

“I haven’t yet asked your name.”

Sakazuki replied:

“Sakazuki.”

Vegapunk extended a hand.

“Vegapunk.”

They shook hands.

Then Vegapunk led Sakazuki through the gate.

After opening the hatch, he let the researchers inside come down and stand in formation.

Sakazuki swept his gaze across them.

He also spotted several familiar figures from the original story—like Queen, Caesar, and others.

He turned to Vegapunk.

“They’re all here?”

Vegapunk responded:

“Some members are still out collecting materials.”

“But I already told them not to come back.”

Sakazuki asked:

“Do you have personnel records?”

Vegapunk answered:

“Yes.”

He turned and walked into the hatch, pulling out several sheets of paper and handing them to Sakazuki.

Sakazuki gave them a quick glance.

“Vinsmoke Judge, huh…”

Then he tucked the documents away and said to Vegapunk:

“Do you have control devices?”

“Clear out those mechanical animals in the forest.”

Vegapunk nodded, pulling a remote control with multiple buttons from his pocket.

He pressed one of the buttons.

The soldiers standing guard outside suddenly noticed—

All those dense red dots in the forest vanished deep into the woods.

Gone without a trace.

Everyone exchanged looks.

Meanwhile, Sakazuki, standing at the research site, shouted:

“Enel!”

Enel’s voice came from outside.

“Understood!”

Then—

Crack!

A clap of thunder rang out, and Enel appeared in a flash of lightning among the outer-ring Marines.

He saluted sharply.

Looking at the officer with the highest rank:

“Sir, Vice Admiral Sakazuki has captured all personnel.”

“We’re ready to proceed with the takeover.”

Titus returned the salute and nodded.

“Understood.”

He turned to the surrounding soldiers.

“All units, enter the forest.”

“Prepare to receive the criminals.”

The soldiers shouted in unison:

“Yes, sir!!!!!!”

Then another crack of thunder tore across the sky.

Enel vanished in a flash of lightning.

He returned to the research facility and landed beside Sakazuki.

At this point, Sakazuki and Vegapunk had walked outside the lab.

They looked at the island, now cleared of snow.

Vegapunk seemed lost in thought.

“A scene from a dream…”

After a moment, he came back to his senses and looked at Sakazuki.

“Sakazuki-san, is there a way to keep the island like this forever?”

He asked nervously, watching Sakazuki closely.

This warm island left Vegapunk dazed.

His original dream, buried deep in his heart…

Wasn’t about weapons, or biology, or Devil Fruits, or researching the world’s secrets.

It was… to let the people of this country experience warmth in all four seasons…

Sakazuki glanced at Vegapunk.

“That’s easy.”

Vegapunk became emotional, wanting to speak—

But quickly remembered that he was now a prisoner…

Just then, Sakazuki’s voice rang out.

“Is there a good place to create a volcano?”

Vegapunk suppressed his excitement, speaking with a slight tremble.

“There is!”

He looked toward a massive mechanical structure, half the size of the island, shaped like a windmill.

It was once his design.

He’d convinced the king and the people to build it with the nation’s full strength.

But it had remained unfinished due to a lack of funding and technology.

No one blamed him, yet Vegapunk never forgave himself.

Eventually, he strayed from the right path…

“Beneath that giant furnace is hollow space.”

“Back then, we couldn’t complete it because of limited resources and technical barriers…”

“And the location was the most ideal on the island.”

Listening to Vegapunk’s explanation—

Sakazuki nodded as he looked toward it.

He raised his right hand.

A molten gold eagle perched near the research buildings soared into the sky with a thunderous cry.

It charged toward the massive furnace—

With one hit, it knocked the exposed mountaintop furnace flying.

Then it rocketed skyward before folding its wings and diving down.

BOOOOOM!!!!!!!

A deafening explosion.

The mountain peak was blasted into a crater hundreds of meters wide.

Inside the crater, the molten eagle melted into a pool of magma.

At incredible speed, it surged downward continuously.

Upon reaching a depth of nearly a kilometer, it suddenly expanded, spreading in all directions.

Sakazuki appeared at the crater’s center in an instant.

He plunged one hand into the magma—

While drawing up deep magma and calming its turbulence.

Beneath the mountain, he forged a massive triangular crater nearly a kilometer high and several kilometers wide.

The pit was filled with Sakazuki’s magma.

His awakened powers produced magma that was not only durable and long-burning—

The underground reservoir alone could burn for at least three hundred years.

As for what would happen after three hundred years—

By then, technology should have no trouble handling it.

The massive dormant volcanic crater began to radiate heat.

Sakazuki pulled his arm from the magma.

With a flash, he returned to the research facility.

He looked at Vegapunk.

“This dormant volcano can burn for at least three hundred years.”

“As for the filtration system, your kingdom will have to handle that.”

“After all, magma gas still contains some toxicity.”

Vegapunk looked at Sakazuki, eyes shining.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

“The filtration system won’t be a problem.”

He gave Sakazuki a deep, respectful bow.

“Truly, thank you.”

Sakazuki waved it off.

“No need for that—it was nothing.”

Marines from afar came running in formation.

Titus, leading the group, saluted Sakazuki.

“Vice Admiral Sakazuki!”

Sakazuki returned the salute casually and motioned to the excited soldiers.

He gestured for them to take away the researchers.

Two soldiers per scientist, escorting them toward the port.

Then Sakazuki motioned for Enel to come over.

He turned to Vegapunk.

“There’s something I’d like to ask your help with, Vegapunk-san.”

“Enel has always had a strong interest in machinery, electricity, and magnetism.”

“Could you give him some guidance during this time?”

Vegapunk nodded.

“No problem—though, as I am now a prisoner…”

“I’m not sure if it’s appropriate…”

Sakazuki smiled slightly.

“Don’t worry. The government won’t make things hard for you.”

“A scientist like Vegapunk-san is the future of the world.”

Vegapunk let out a long sigh of relief.

“Then I have nothing more to say.”

“Leave it to me, Vice Admiral Sakazuki.”

Sakazuki asked:

“Is there anything else important in the research facility?”

“If so, someone can help you pack up.”

Vegapunk nodded.

“There’s still quite a lot, actually.”

“In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony.”

“And it’ll be a good opportunity to give Enel a test run.”

Sakazuki summoned five squads of soldiers.

He instructed them to follow Vegapunk into the research facility—

And obey his commands entirely.

At the iron gate, Titus—the Base Commander of the Baltimora Marine branch—stood silently, words on the tip of his tongue…

—

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