Joelle Bonney: "Ah, the hateful Red Line! Too bullying!!!"
Scratchmen Apoo: "Ah, ah, ah, ah... It's good he didn't directly throw you into the sea~~~"
Capone Bege: "The main thing is there's no place to exchange gold in the New World. Otherwise, you'd probably already be on your way to a Marine base by now."
Gol D. Roger: "Heh... haha!!"
"You're actually Bartholomew Kuma's daughter?"
[After hearing what Joelle Bonney said, Luffy was truly surprised!]
"Yes, but he has now lost his human self. He has been completely transformed into a pure 'biological weapon' by Vegapunk!!! I must find Vegapunk and demand an explanation!!!"
[At this point, tears instantly welled up in Joelle Bonney's eyes. She gritted her teeth and said, "If he doesn't give me a satisfactory answer, I'll kill him!!!"]
[As soon as these words came out, Sanji immediately jumped up!]
"What!!! That damned Vegapunk...!!! This utterly evil scientist actually transformed Bonney's father into a war machine!!! Unforgivable!!!" Sanji said, his rage soaring.
"Are you that familiar with him?"
[Thousand-Face Zoro looked at Sanji with disdain. "Don't go sticking your warm face on someone's cold butt! Maybe she's lying~~"]
[Upon hearing Zoro say this, Joelle Bonney's face erupted in a horrified expression of anger.]
"He actually made Bonney cry even harder?! I'll fight you!!!"
[Sanji erupted, charging at Zoro~~]
[The two immediately twisted into a ball...]
[Law looked at Luffy: "During the War of the Best, I did indeed see Bartholomew Kuma. He was indeed quite imposing."]
"I (870) didn't lie to you!" Joelle Bonney gritted her teeth and said loudly.
"I will analyze this myself."
[Luffy nodded, then said, "Since this island belongs to the World Government, then it is our enemy. If this scientist truly transformed humans into unconscious war puppets, then I will destroy him!!"]
"Alright, you don't have to worry about us selling you out. We don't do such things. What's more, I'm now a prime target of the World Government!" Luffy extended his hand and ruffled Joelle Bonney's hair.
[Subsequently, both sides engaged in friendly interactive communication...]
[However, in front of them, those mechanical sea beasts were still floating on the sea surface, seemingly guarding this island...]
[Just then, a robot emerged from the water!!!]
[From inside the robot's head, a female voice coldly spoke: "Hey!! You pirates! Hand over the money quickly, then get lost!!"]
"Huh?"
[Upon hearing this, everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates was startled.]
[Is this not our pirate's line?]
[Luffy immediately took action!!!]
[His arm instantly stretched long. With one punch, he shattered the robot's face mask, then grabbed a handful. A fat, fleshy, greasy, disgusting piece of flesh was directly pulled out!]
"Hey, woman!! You actually hit a pirate in the head?! You really know how to play~~"
[Luffy threw that piece of flesh onto the ground, then casually shrugged. "Speak, who are you? Is Vegapunk on this island?"]
"Nani?? I..."
[The evil clone Lily originally thought that with so many mechanical sea beasts around, she had completely controlled the situation...]
[The result was something she hadn't expected...]
[...Not only did her mechanical sea beasts not react to the other party, but she, whose name was unknown, was already grabbed by the other party!]
[Swish!!!]
[The Black Blade Shusui was unsheathed. Zoro instantly placed his blade on Lily's neck, looking as if he would cut her without a word if she didn't comply...]
[At this moment, Lily was startled~~~]
"Wait, wait...! The old man is Vegapunk...! Speak properly!!!"
["Vegapunk???" Luffy frowned immediately~~~]
[Although he hadn't seen Vegapunk, in his impression, Vegapunk should be a man~~~]
"Stop spouting nonsense...! I've never heard of Vegapunk being a woman, and judging by your appearance, your age isn't right either!!!" Zoro crossed his arms, activating his Flower-Flower Fruit abilities~~~]
[A pair of arms appeared on Lily's neck, as if they would sever her neck at any moment!!]
[Lily hurriedly explained, "No! The Vegapunk you speak of is the main body, and I am Vegapunk's No. 2 clone, 'Evil' Lily!!!"]
[Hearing this, Luffy's brow furrowed even deeper: "Clone??? Does this Vegapunk even clone himself? How disgusting and crazy???"]
[Just then, the voice of Vegapunk's main body came from Lily's earpiece:]
"Don't provoke them or cause conflict. Bring them over. I'm very interested in them."
[Upon hearing this, Lily looked at the Straw Hat Pirates. "Alright! It seems the old man is interested in you. Let me take you to the island~~~"]
["Then let's go!"]
[There's nothing to hesitate about; Luffy immediately agreed~~~]
[Upon reaching the island, the Straw Hat Pirates followed Lily's guidance, entering a cave, then smoothly descending along the cave's winding path all the way to the bottom layer.]
[A tech island appeared before everyone's eyes!!!]
[Under Lily's introduction, the Straw Hat Pirates were filled with unending amazement at the technology here!!!]
[Afterward, Vegapunk's No. 5 clone, "Rampage" Atlas, appeared.]
[She played with the Straw Hat Pirates for a while, and then Vegapunk's main body appeared!!!]
"Vegapunk!!"
[The moment he saw Vegapunk appear, Joelle Bonney instantly lost control and charged over~~~]
[Her eyes desired to kick Vegapunk to the ground. Luffy's arm instantly stretched out, grabbing Joelle Bonney's kicking leg, then directly lifted Joelle Bonney up...]
"Ah!"
[Vegapunk and Joelle Bonney simultaneously let out a cry of surprise~~~]
[Vegapunk was so scared he plopped onto the ground, then patted his head~~~]
[Joelle Bonney angrily turned her head to look at Luffy: "Straw Hat Luffy! Didn't you just agree to me? As long as what I said is true, you'll help me!!"]
[Luffy nodded: "Yes, but I still have to hear what this uncle has to say, right???"]
[Subsequently, he looked at Vegapunk: "She said you transformed her father into an unconscious war puppet. Is this true...?"]
[Vegapunk thought for a moment, then nodded: "Uh... yes~~~"]
["Alright, then you're done for." Luffy casually said]
[Since Vegapunk admitted it, Luffy had no reason to stop Joelle Bonney. He also released Joelle Bonney's leg~~~]
[Joelle Bonney flipped in the air, landing on her feet, then took out the pistol she carried with her and aimed it directly at Vegapunk: "Tell me!! Can my father still recover his consciousness???"]
"Bonney..."
"You've already grown so big~~~"
[Vegapunk's tone sounded just like Joelle Bonney's elder~~~]
[However, Joelle Bonney didn't buy it: "Quickly answer my question, or I'll blow your brains out!!!"]
[Vegapunk said calmly: "Yes!"]
[Upon hearing this, Joelle Bonney's face instantly broke into a joyful expression. She shrieked loudly, "Really?!"]
["Really!"]
[Vegapunk nodded, then shook his head: "But... I can't do that~~~"]
["Why not?!"]
[Joelle Bonney's face instantly flushed with anger. She forcefully rubbed the muzzle of her gun against Vegapunk's head.]
[Vegapunk waved his hand: "Believe it or not, this is the agreement between me and your father~~~"]
"Impossible!!! How could my father make such an agreement with you?! Joelle Bonney simply didn't believe this."
[Nami then spoke: "Yes... how could anyone willingly turn into an unconscious war weapon?"]
"Hey, hey, hey! Old man! You're deceiving Bonney, aren't you!!!? Quickly answer her request, or I'll make you suffer!!!"
[Sanji rushed to Vegapunk and demonstrated the effects of his Devil Leg...]
[And at this moment, Luffy said: "Alright, even if you and Bonney's father made an agreement not to let him regain consciousness, how can you prove this point?"]
"It's easy to prove this! If you can prove this point, then we can naturally explain it in detail!" Luffy said.
[In fact, analyzing the situation before Luffy, he felt that Vegapunk's words had a rather high credibility.]
[Vegapunk sighed: "Yes, there is, but it's not suitable for me to prove it!"]
[Luffy frowned: "Is this method of proof more important than your life?"]
"That's not the case..."
[Vegapunk shook his head, then looked at Joelle Bonney with a compassionate gaze. "It's just... alas, Bonney... it must be very painful~~~"]
"You don't need to worry about this!!! No matter how painful, I just want to know my father's true thoughts!!!"
[Joelle Bonney's eyes turned bloodshot, and she spoke fiercely.]
[No matter who encounters such a thing, they cannot calm down...]
[Alright...]
[Vegapunk relaxed his shoulders. "Let me tell you what I need you for~~~"]
["Need us for what??"]
[Everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates looked at Vegapunk in confusion...]
[Vegapunk said: "Yes~~ Straw Hat Luffy, your father and I have been good friends for many years. I hope you can take me off this island~~"]
"I say... You old man, how do you manage relationships like this? One moment you're like Bonney's elder, the next you're like Luffy's elder... Don't you dare think you're all that, alright!!!"
[Sanji looked at Vegapunk with a gaze of judging a swindler~~~]
[Vegapunk didn't pay attention to Sanji, but turned his head to Luffy: "You don't need to doubt this. I can call Dragon right now. Straw Hat kid, do you need me to prove it?"]
"Alright, you prove it."
[Luffy instantly agreed...]
"..."
[Vegapunk looked slightly awkward~~~]
"You actually want me to prove it~~~"
[However, since he had already boasted, Vegapunk had no choice but to dial the Transponder Snail~~~]
[A while later, a voice came from the Transponder Snail: "Hey! Vegapunk, something up?"]
[Vegapunk replied: "Dragon, have you been paying attention to news about your father and son recently?"]
["Vegapunk, is something wrong with your head today? Why are you asking such questions???"]
[On the other end of the Transponder Snail, Monkey D. Dragon's face looked displeased~~~]
[And at this moment, Vegapunk, holding the Transponder Snail, looked at Luffy: "Did you hear your father's voice?"]
[Luffy shrugged: "Since I can remember, I've never heard his voice."]
"Nani???"
[Vegapunk's expression instantly became extremely speechless~~~]
"You haven't heard his voice, yet you still ask me to prove it to you???"
"Are you messing with me...?!"
[Even everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates felt like crying and laughing~~~]
[These two are completely on different wavelengths!!!]
"Hey, hey, hey! Straw Hat kid, then how do you expect me to prove it??" Vegapunk also had a temper~~~]
"It's fine. Although I haven't heard it, some people have."
[Luffy took out a Transponder Snail and dialed Garp's number...]
[A while later, Garp's voice came through: "Luffy! You miss your grandpa, huh...?!"]
"Grandpa, I'm currently on Future Island Egghead. I met Vegapunk here. He said he knows Father and even called Father's Transponder Snail, but I don't know if that voice was Father's, so I want you to listen~~~"
[Luffy wasted no words, quickly and briefly explaining the current situation~~~]
"What!! That bastard Dragon, huh!!!"
[Upon hearing about his son, Garp's blood pressure instantly surged, then he said, "Alright, hand over the Transponder Snail!"]
[Subsequently, Luffy and Vegapunk each held a Transponder Snail and came together, just like fighting snails, simultaneously opening their palms...]
[Next moment, the conversation between the two Transponder Snails turned into a one-sided scolding...]
[And then, Dragon hung up the phone~~~]
"..."
[This scene truly made everyone in the Straw Hat Pirates witness something rare~~~]
[Luffy also felt speechless!!!]
[But he also understood. The person on the other end of the Transponder Snail was indeed his father, Monkey D. Dragon!]
[After chatting with Garp for a while, Luffy hung up the Transponder Snail.]
"Alright, I'm sure you and my father are friends. But... if I'm not mistaken, you're a World Government scientist. Why do you need me to take you away? Can't you leave anytime yourself??"
[Luffy asked.]
"Actually, I don't agree with the World Government. It's just that here in the World Government, I have ample resources for various researches."
"But when I started researching the history of the Void Century, the World Government had to eliminate me!!!"
"Moreover, have you seen the recent news? The Lulusia Kingdom was directly wiped off the face of the world by some terrifying weapon!!! This incident made me utterly disappointed in the World Government, and it also made me blame myself!!!"
"If I'm not mistaken, the 'Mother Flame' that the World Government previously asked me to research and create was actually not meant to be used as sacred land energy, as they told me, but as the energy for some kind of weapon!!!"
"And now, the World Government has already discovered that I am researching the history of the Void Century! So... I must leave!!!"
[Vegapunk said seriously.]
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