"Hoo-ha-ha! Little kitty, I'm a new man now. Want to test me? Watch me prove my superiority!" Caesar taunted, his smug grin begging for a punch.
Kate, provoked by his words and cocky demeanor, didn't hesitate. She aimed a swift kick at his chin. This wasn't their first clash, but usually, Caesar kept a safe distance, flanked by Quinn and Judge. This time, he strutted right into her range.
Yet, Caesar's arrogance had a reason. As Kate's foot connected, his body dissolved into a swirl of purple smoke, leaving her kick slicing through air.
"Shoo, shoo! Told you, I'm different now. Better call your tough partner!" Caesar jeered.
"Natural type?" Orlan muttered, piecing it together. "No wonder you're acting bold. You found a natural fruit while MADS was docked."
Natural-type devil fruits, rarer than parahuman or common animal types, offered instant power through elementalization. In regions where Armament Haki was scarce, they granted near-invincibility. Mythical beast types were rarer still, but natural types were prized for their immediate edge.
"That's right! The Gas-Gas Fruit, made for me!" Caesar crowed. "Sidilir, scared? Hand over 50% of the extra research funds, and I'll let you save face. Whew!"
Caesar knew the ship lacked seastone research, assuming Orlan couldn't counter him. But he was unaware Orlan had been training with Kate in Haki, guided by Bakin's methods. Though new to it, they'd grasped the basics.
As a furry, Kate's fighting blood gave her an edge against natural types. Her earlier kick missed only because she hadn't expected Caesar's fruit. Had someone with her physical prowess eaten it, the fruit could've tipped the scales. But Caesar's weak foundation made him a poor fit.
"The natural system doesn't make you invincible," Orlan said coolly. "Careless, and you'll be its laughingstock."
"Kate, step back. Rest for now. Our test subject just volunteered."
"Meow?" Kate blinked, confused.
Orlan turned to Frankenstein. "Let's give our new member a chance. Natural types are supposedly untouchable. Perfect for testing Fran's potential. Ready, Fran?"
"Um!" Frankenstein nodded eagerly, gripping her warhammer, itching to prove herself.
"Hold on, Caesar," Orlan continued. "This isn't the place to fight. MADS tradition pits research results, not fruit-eating stunts. If you lose, don't forget what's at stake."
MADS rules allowed flexibility—Kate's Hextech Heart counted as a valid entry, as did weapons wielded by their creators. Caesar once griped about this rule, but his new fruit made him its biggest fan.
"Shoo, Sidilir, you're the one losing today," Caesar scoffed.
On the MADS ship's deck, at the weapons test site, Caesar stood surrounded by haphazard gear. Among the onlookers, Orlan spotted Vegapunk.
"Punk? You're here? Thought you didn't care for these spectacles," Orlan said.
"Your last experiment fried the ship's wiring," Vegapunk replied. "We're on backup power, barely running. No other experiments can proceed. What did you do to cause that chain reaction?"
"Fused a devil fruit with an energy core. The release was… stronger than expected. I'll be more careful next time."
"You succeeded?" Vegapunk's eyes lit up. "Incredible! Another breakthrough. Now every department but Natural Sciences has a win. Orlan, I've got an idea. Devil fruits vary, but they share something. I found an unknown component in ability users' blood. Crack that, and we're closer to their secrets."
He pulled out a notebook, the early blueprint of his bloodline factor research.
"Later," Orlan said, waving it off. "Focus on the fight for now."
"You're not worried about her?" Vegapunk asked, glancing at Frankenstein.
"Never doubted her," Orlan replied. "She's my creation, my responsibility. She's a machine, but she has dreams, craves attention. We owe her that response—it's part of her growth. She's a mechanical lifeform with her own emotions."
Frankenstein's vision, sharper than a human's, caught Orlan's gaze despite her slight head tilt. He noticed, keeping his focus on her instead of Vegapunk's notes. As a newborn, she was easily pleased—a glance sparked joy in her.
Action was her reply. And that reply spelled trouble for someone.
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