Chapter 233: Roy's Secret Mission
Dr. Vegapunk was still staring at the freshly extracted Munch-Munch Fruit, too excited to speak for a long time.
Just then, Roy pulled another Devil Fruit from his coat. This one had patterns encircling it like a target and a metallic sheen on its skin. He placed it gently on the operation table.
"And this one, the Mark-Mark Fruit."
"I want you to try and help me create a new type of weapon, fusing this fruit into it."
Vegapunk raised an eyebrow, glancing at the fruit. Just as he was about to ask, Roy added concisely and powerfully:
"A sniper rifle capable of long-range precise locking, charge-up penetration, high-speed reaction, and controllable ballistics... based on the largest caliber precision rifle known to humanity."
He paused, his tone unhurried. "I don't need it to be fancy. Maximize its lethality. Ideally, it should be able to pierce a warship's armor in a single shot."
Vegapunk listened, stunned, then his eyes lit up, and he became visibly excited.
"Brat... what kind of stuff is packed in your brain?!!"
He couldn't help but slap the table. "Mark-Mark Fruit fused with a high-pressure kinetic energy system, smart-aiming controllable armament?! You're a goddamn genius!"
"But if this thing can really be made..."
His gaze deepened, as if seeing a blueprint of a mad and magnificent battlefield.
"Then this era should be renamed 'The Death of Pirates'..."
Roy chuckled but didn't speak.
In this moment, both understood tacitly: they were thoroughly on the same boat.
Punk Hazard · Outside the Laboratory
Sunlight filtered through thin clouds, spilling onto the damp lawn outside, casting mottled shadows.
Chopper and Bonney were playing enthusiastically in the snow—an experimental product of the special climate control system—crunching underfoot.
Chopper, wearing his hat, carefully used his hooves to pile up crooked snowballs. "Uhh... add a little more snow, so it won't fall..."
Bonney giggled, patting the snow flat with a small shovel, then stuck a carrot onto the snowman's head with a smack.
"Done! 'Bonney Special · Snowman X' complete!!!"
Chopper marveled, "Wow! What a beautiful snowman!!"
"Yours is crooked, but has personality too," Bonney laughed, adding a dig.
"Hey—yours is the crooked one!!"
The two little ones laughed until they fell over, as if they weren't in a world of war, but in a fairytale playground.
Not far away, Kuma and Law stood quietly under the shade of a tree, watching this scene warmly.
Law watched Chopper and Bonney interacting, a soft smile rising on his lips. "Those two... get along pretty well."
Kuma nodded slightly, responding in a low voice, "Outside of war, a child's laughter is the most luxurious thing."
Just then, the metal doors of the laboratory slid open slowly. Roy and Vegapunk walked out side by side, looking relaxed, the atmosphere rarely harmonious.
Kuma went up to them immediately. "Roy, finished talking?"
Roy nodded. "Yeah, everything went smoothly."
He glanced at Chopper building a snowman in the distance, a softness flashing in his eyes, then looked at Kuma and smiled suddenly.
"By the way, Kuma, I have a favor to ask you."
Kuma paused, straightening up almost instinctively, expression solemn as if facing a great enemy.
"Roy, don't say that. No matter what it is, as long as you ask—I am willing to do it!"
Roy was amused by this "willing to go through fire and water" reaction. He waved his hand, shaking his head with a laugh.
"Don't exaggerate. It's not a big deal, and it won't go against your will."
Saying this, he leaned close to Kuma's ear and whispered a few sentences.
Just a few short sentences.
Vegapunk and Law stood nearby, hearing vague keywords, and their expressions became instantly colorful.
Vegapunk's eyes widened, tongue sticking out. "You brat... what kind of stuff is in your brain? That's too mean!!!"
Law silently facepalmed, sighing lowly. "Good thing I'm relatively honest... otherwise I'd have been screwed over by you long ago."
After hearing the mission details, Kuma was silent for a few seconds, brows furrowing slowly. He asked in a low voice:
"Roy, is this really okay? For them... won't it be too risky?"
Roy looked at the figures playing in the snow, his eyes shining with a steady yet cunning light. He patted Kuma gently. "Kuma, you... still underestimate them too much."
He smiled faintly, his gaze certain enough to pierce hearts. "Who knows, you might not even be able to beat them when the time comes."
"?!!"
As his words fell, Vegapunk and Kuma's pupils shrank simultaneously, a trace of astonishment crossing their minds!
"This kid... is actually this confident?!!"
Law couldn't help but chuckle, hands in his pockets, adding lightly:
"Indeed, their strength... is far trickier than you imagine. Kuma, you'd better be careful."
Kuma's expression turned serious. He took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Don't worry. I will complete the task you entrusted to me properly."
Just then, a burst of cheerful laughter broke the tension.
"Law! Roy! Come look at our snowman!!!"
Chopper pounced over happily, hooves waving wildly, face full of pride.
Bonney trotted a few steps, hugging Kuma's leg directly, looking up with sparkling eyes.
"Papa! Look, isn't our 'Century Snowman' super amazing?!"
Kuma's stern face softened instantly. He bent down and rubbed Bonney's head. "Yes, very amazing."
Law also smiled, squatting down to pat Chopper's hat. "Not bad, Chopper. Almost catching up to the biomimetic sculptures in the lab."
Chopper's eyes lit up immediately. "Really?! Can I become an artist too?!"
"At least you could win a grand prize," Law teased.
Everyone chuckled.
The sun set slowly, warm orange afterglow spilling onto the grass, stretching everyone's shadows long.
The wind was light, the sun warm. In this brief tranquility, there seemed to be no war, conspiracy, or darkness.
Meanwhile, Marine Headquarters · Marineford Port
"SPLASH—!!!"
The moment a small warship docked, a black shadow leaped from the deck like a cannonball!
"MEAT!!!"
Luffy raised both hands, roaring at the sky. The sound startled a flock of seagulls by the port, sending them scattering in panic!
Tears welled in his eyes, but his face was filled with the ecstasy and hunger of returning from Garp's hellish special training at G-3. "FINALLY OVER! I'M GONNA EAT TEN COWS!!!"
On the training ground behind the port, Ace and Enel were sparring intensely with fire and lightning.
Hearing that familiar roar, Ace paused, narrowly avoiding a lightning strike. He jumped back quickly, facepalming with a laugh. "That kid Luffy... finally back, huh."
Enel picked his ear, looking disgusted. "Tsk, still so loud..."
Further away, Zephyr threw a punch that sent Sanji flying ten meters, smashing a shallow pit into the ground.
Hearing the commotion at the port, Zephyr's eyes lit up, laughing loudly. "Hahaha! Actually came back alive from that old lunatic Garp?! Not bad!"
Sanji climbed up from the ground rubbing his butt, corner of his mouth twitching. "That voice... could it be that loudmouth dragon Marine?"
Usopp looked terrified. "The voice from the port can be heard all the way here?!!"
On the other side, at the Kendo training ground, swords crossed.
Zoro and Kuina clashed blades, sparks flying, airwaves surging.
Suddenly hearing that extremely familiar roar, Zoro paused, the corner of his mouth slowly lifting. "Hmph... that idiot is finally back."
Kuina sheathed her sword, chuckling lightly. "It's going to get lively again."
Luffy had already turned into a hurricane, rushing into the Headquarters corridor, knocking over documents, scaring assistants, and even sending several Marine-cultivated bonsai plants flying along the way!
"MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT—!!! WHERE IS THE MEAT? AAAAAHHH—!!!"
His voice boomed like war drums, soaring to the clouds, shaking the entire Marineford!
Everywhere he went was chaos. Administrative officers wailed continuously: "WHO LET HIM BACK IN?!!!"
Towards the cafeteria, the head chef had just placed the last pot of braised ribs on the table, ready to serve. The next second, the door flew off with a BANG!
"GIVE ME MEAT—!!!"
This roar seemed to inject a stream of boiling blood into the entire Marine Headquarters.
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