Vegapunk's massive head tilted slightly. The eyes behind his lenses weren't disappointed by the simple answer; instead, they began to shine with an even more intense light.
'Peng' is the instant release of energy, and 'duang' is the stable rebuilding of a form… So that's it! A transformation of energy completed in an incredibly short amount of time?
He was interpreting it all in his head, completely lost in his own world. He couldn't believe Vegapunk was turning his nonsense into a complex theory.
Kyle felt a little embarrassed. Seeing that his usual trick of avoiding the question wasn't working, he decided to try a different approach. He would hit the scientist with some knowledge that was far beyond this era.
"Actually, it's not that complicated," Kyle said, clearing his throat and putting on a serious expression. "All things in the universe are just waves with different frequencies. When the tiny 'strings' that make up everything vibrate in different ways, they form the particles and energy we see. A Devil Fruit ability, perhaps, just changes the way a person's body resonates with these 'strings'."
He took concepts like string theory and quantum mechanics that he remembered from his past life, wrapped them in the language of this world, and casually threw them out.
Dragon and Mihawk stood nearby, listening to these strange new terms with different expressions.
Mihawk had already stopped paying attention. Resonance, strings, particles—he didn't understand any of it, and he didn't want to. His mind was focused only on Rayleigh's swordplay, which had seemed so simple yet was impossible to break through. Every detail of their duel replayed over and over in his head. Compared to these strange theories, the feel of his Black Blade in his hand was much more real. He only needed to swing his sword.
Dragon, however, was a different story. Although he was just as confused, he saw Vegapunk's expression growing more and more excited. His own heart was pounding. Who was Vegapunk? He was a genius scientist, hundreds of years ahead of the rest of the world—the very definition of wisdom. If even Vegapunk was this impressed by Kyle's words, then how much knowledge did Kyle really possess?
This man not only had the power to turn the world upside down but also understood truths that amazed even Dr. Vegapunk. A bead of sweat trickled down Dragon's face. He realized once again that his decision to become friends with Kyle was the best one he had ever made.
"String theory! Quantum entanglement!" Vegapunk slapped his thigh, his huge body trembling with excitement. "So that's it! I should have thought of it! I once sent a research proposal to the Five Elders about this. I believed that the power of Devil Fruits might be connected to energy projections from a higher dimension, but they rejected it! They said it wouldn't have any practical use in the short term! Kyle-san, how did you observe these 'strings'? Do you have the mathematical models for it?"
The questions came at Kyle like bullets from a machine gun.
Oh no, he thought, I went too far. He had tried to confuse the scientist, but Vegapunk had not only understood him but was now asking for the formula. How was he supposed to know any mathematical models? In his old life, he had barely passed his math classes.
The Brain-Brain Fruit is terrifying!
"Ahem," Kyle coughed twice, forcing a smile. He quickly changed the subject. "Those are just some simple ideas I had, nothing serious. Compared to that, Doctor, you're the real genius. Your inventions are meant to change the world and bring peace. That's far more important than my empty theories."
Flattery usually worked.
Sure enough, when Vegapunk heard his work being praised, his excitement calmed down a little. A proud look appeared on his face, and he began to talk endlessly about his research plans. Kyle secretly sighed in relief. He had finally managed to distract the brilliant scientist.
Taking advantage of a pause while Vegapunk explained the early concept of the Pacifista project, he turned to Dragon.
"Speaking of changing the world," Kyle said, nudging Dragon with his elbow, "how are things going with you? Have you gathered your forces?"
Dragon's expression immediately shifted from awe to the seriousness of a revolutionary leader. He nodded, his voice firm. "Thanks to your advice, our group is finally taking shape. We call ourselves the 'Revolutionary Army'."
"Revolutionary Army…" Kyle repeated the name and nodded in approval.
Dragon gave a small, tired smile. "But it's a long and difficult road. Waking up people who have become numb to their suffering is much harder than simply overthrowing a king. Every time we liberate a place, we have to use enormous effort to spread our ideals, build a new order, and stop the old problems from coming back."
"However, there's good news, too." A spark of hope appeared in Dragon's eyes. "Some people who share our beliefs have joined us. Bartholomew Kuma, the man you mentioned, is a kind and honorable man. And Ginny is a cheerful girl, bright like the sun. They've brought new life to our cause."
Kyle's heart stirred. The course of history was still strong, but with his influence, maybe their fates would turn out differently.
"Our next target," Dragon's tone became serious, "is the Sorbet Kingdom. Its king is a tyrant, and the people are suffering terribly."
"The Sorbet Kingdom, huh…" Kyle stroked his chin. "I've heard of it. Are you confident?"
"We have to be," Dragon answered, his voice full of determination. "A single spark can start a fire that burns across a field."
Looking at Dragon's determined face, no longer filled with confusion, Kyle smiled. He clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't rush things. You can't change the world overnight. History moves forward slowly, in spirals."
Kyle's gaze went past Dragon, toward the Giants who were carefully moving books and the burned land around them. "What you're doing now is pushing that process forward. It will be difficult, and you might fail sometimes, but you're heading in the right direction." Kyle fell back into his role as a mentor. "Someone has to do these things, right?"
Dragon nodded heavily. Kyle's words always had a way of clearing the doubt and fatigue from his heart.
The four of them chatted as they walked toward the Giants by the lake. On the other side, the Giants who were saving the books also noticed the small figures approaching. Their leader, a giant named Hajrudin, stopped what he was doing and frowned. A warrior's instinct told him that the newcomers were trouble.
The man with the huge black blade on his back gave off a feeling so sharp it felt like you could be cut just by standing near him. And the man in the black coat at the front had an aura that was even harder to read, like a deep, calm sea.
"Everyone, be careful!" Hajrudin warned his companions in a low voice, getting into a defensive stance. The air suddenly became tense. Dragon and Vegapunk also stopped talking and looked at the alert Giants across the lake.
Just then, a female giant with a long golden braid who was standing next to Hajrudin leaned forward and looked closely at Kyle's group. When her eyes landed on Kyle's face, she looked confused at first, then shocked.
She grabbed the tense Hajrudin and shouted in a clear, loud voice, "Are you… Mr. Kyle?!" Her voice was full of disbelief and excitement. "Mr. Scopper Gaban talks about you all the time!"
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