Inside the base, a scientist drinking coffee held his cup aloft, coffee spilling from the rim and hanging suspended in midair.
In the corridor, two researchers engaged in conversation had their mouths agape, expressions frozen on their faces.
In the monitoring room, the CP Agent on duty stared at the screen, eyes unmoving.
Outside, patrolling Marine soldiers lifted their feet, frozen in place.
The entire research base resembled a photograph with the pause button pressed.
Ever since the Space Fruit awakened not long ago, the original Space Imprisonment had upgraded to Space-Time Imprisonment—both time and space were now imprisoned together.
Raiver discovered that after the fruit awakened, he could now preliminarily control time.
Although he was still far from achieving feats like time reversal or space-time travel, he could already perform small-scale Time Stops.
After all, he had consumed the Space Fruit, not the Space-Time Fruit.
The limited time ability he now possessed could be considered a bonus that evolved after the Space Fruit awakened.
Nevertheless, it was sufficient for the current situation.
Raiver raised his right hand, fingers slightly curled.
All Creation of Attraction.
A terrifying gravitational force erupted from his palm!
Inside the base, the guarding CP Agents and Marine soldiers were pulled out from the buildings one by one!
They were as if seized by invisible hands, passing through walls, windows, ceilings, then dragged by the gravitational force toward Raiver!
Compressed into a cluster, they floated in midair!
They remained in the Time Stop state, completely unaware of everything that had happened.
Raiver looked at the cluster of people squeezed together before him and gently clenched his right hand.
Space Annihilation.
The cluster of people instantly vanished.
No blood, no screams, no traces remained.
They were directly erased by space, completely disappearing from this world.
As if they had never existed.
After dealing with the guards, Raiver's gaze fell upon the white research base.
Space Severance.
The entire research base was forcibly severed from the surrounding space!
Then—
Space Warehouse, open.
The massive research base, along with its foundation below, the surrounding courtyard, and everyone inside, was sucked into Raiver's Space Warehouse.
His Space Warehouse was infinitely large, and inside, it was also in a state of space-time stasis.
No matter how many things were placed inside, they would remain in the state they were in upon entry—never rotting, never deteriorating, never damaged.
After completing all this, Raiver clapped his hands and lightly swiped in front of him.
A Space Gate unfolded.
Beyond the gate was the sky of the Fengtian Empire.
He stepped through and vanished from the spot.
A Space Gate could not be opened anywhere in the world at will.
This required leaving Space Anchor Points in advance.
For example, if Raiver had never been to the East Sea, to directly teleport there using a Space Gate, he would first need to visit the East Sea and leave an anchor point there.
Raiver had already left enough Space Anchor Points in the Fengtian Empire, allowing him to open a Space Gate from anywhere in the world and return directly.
However, the reverse was not possible: he could not directly teleport from the Fengtian Empire via a Space Gate to any unmarked location in the world.
This habit also developed in Raiver—wherever he went, he would leave behind space anchor points, so that whenever needed, he could open a space gate and travel there instantly.
The next day.
World Government, Mary Geoise.
"Report—!!"
A CP agent rushed into the Power Hall, kneeling on one knee, his voice trembling:
"Vegapunk's research base… has lost contact!"
The Five Elders looked up simultaneously.
"Lost contact?" Saturn frowned. "What do you mean?"
"During the routine communication this morning, we found that all communications with the base had been cut off.
We dispatched a reconnaissance ship to Lyle Island, only to discover…"
The CP agent swallowed hard:
"The entire research base, along with all facilities on the island, has completely vanished!"
"What?!"
Saint Nusjuro stood up abruptly:
"What do you mean by 'vanished'? How could such a massive base just grow wings and fly away?"
"I… I don't know." The CP agent lowered his head:
"All that remains on the island is a massive crater, as if something had scooped the entire place away.
There are no signs of battle, no bloodstains, no clues whatsoever."
Silence fell over the Power Hall.
The Five Elders exchanged glances.
After a long while—
"Investigate." Mercury Warcury said gravely. "Mobilize all intelligence resources. Find out what happened!"
However, no matter how thoroughly the World Government investigated, they ultimately found no answers.
Vegapunk's research base had vanished into thin air, as if it had never existed.
Not a single trace was left behind.
...
Fengtian Empire, Imperial Capital.
In the northwest corner of the Imperial Capital, near the palace grounds, there was originally an empty plot of land.
But today, a massive white structure stood on that empty land.
Vegapunk's research base.
Raiver stood outside the base and snapped his fingers.
Space-Time Imprisonment, released.
Inside the base, the scientists and researchers who had been frozen in time instantly returned to normal.
Just then, the alloy doors were pushed open.
A man walked in.
Cloaked in black, with black hair and crimson eyes.
"Who are you?!" a young researcher instinctively shouted.
An older scientist beside him, upon seeing the man's face, widened his eyes in shock:
"He… he's Raiver, the world's strongest man?!"
"What?!"
"It really is him!"
Everyone froze.
Who didn't know the name and image of the world's strongest man?
"Wait…"
A researcher suddenly noticed something off.
He pointed at the surveillance screen, his voice trembling:
"This place… doesn't seem to be Lyle Island! Look at the surroundings outside!"
Everyone followed his gaze.
On the screen, outside the base was an entirely unfamiliar scene.
Wide streets, a bustling city, a magnificent golden palace in the distance, and… a Black Dragon Flag fluttering high in the sky.
Raiver smiled faintly.
"Welcome to my empire—the Fengtian Empire."
His voice was calm, yet it felt like a bomb had been dropped among the crowd.
"Impossible!"
"This can't be real!"
"I remember we were just on Lyle Island. How could we possibly be in the Fengtian Empire the next moment? And with the entire research base?!"
The crowd exclaimed in disbelief.
Raiver offered no explanation.
He simply raised his hand and gestured gently.
"Silence."
Two words, plain and simple.
Yet everyone fell silent instantly.
Raiver looked at them and spoke slowly:
"I now give you two choices."
"First, join the Fengtian Empire and conduct research for me."
"Second, die right now."
As his words fell, he raised his hand toward the alloy gate at the entrance.
That gate was made of a special alloy, half a meter thick, capable of withstanding bombardment from a warship's main cannon.
Raiver gently clenched his five fingers.
Crunch crunch—!!
The entire alloy gate crumpled as if squeezed by an invisible giant hand, twisting into a heap of scrap metal!
The sound of metal twisting was piercing and terrifying, making everyone present feel as if their hearts were being tightly gripped!
"I'll join!"
"I'll join too!"
"It is my honor to conduct research for His Majesty Raiver!"
Everyone rushed to declare their stance.
No one wanted to die.
Soon, all the scientists and researchers present had made their declarations, willing to join.
Except for one person.
"I refuse."
A tall, thin man with a large head stepped forward, his gaze firm, his tone calm:
"I will not conduct any research for you. Kill me."
Vegapunk.
The chief scientist, the genius whose technology was five hundred years ahead of the world.
"Old Vegapunk!" A scientist who was close to him grew anxious:
"What are you doing?! A wise man knows when to yield. Why must you be like this? Who you conduct research for is still research, isn't it?!"
Vegapunk shook his head: "My mind is made up."
Other scientists also urged:
"Old Vegapunk, don't be foolish!"
"Only by staying alive can you continue your research!"
"Your Majesty Raiver, Old Vegapunk is just confused for the moment. Please don't take it to heart..."
Vegapunk remained unmoved, simply watching Raiver quietly, his eyes even carrying a hint of resolve to face death calmly.
Raiver looked at him.
Then, he smiled.
"Interesting."
He stepped forward, standing before Vegapunk, his crimson eyes staring directly into his.
The next moment—
Space-time froze once again.
Everyone was fixed in place, maintaining their postures from the previous second.
The scientist who had been urging Vegapunk had his mouth open, his words cut off mid-sentence.
The others were like statues, motionless.
Immediately after, an astonishing scene unfolded—
Vegapunk's thoughts materialized directly above his head!
They were countless streams of light and shadow, like flowing scrolls, displaying everything in his mind.
Memories, knowledge, emotions, will, obsessions...
Raiver raised his hand and began to manipulate these materialized thoughts as if modifying a program.
He didn't need to change much.
Only a part.
To make Vegapunk develop absolute loyalty toward him.
That was all.
This was the new ability Raiver had gained after awakening his Space Fruit—materializing intangible things and then modifying them.
Memories, will, love... these invisible, intangible things became tangible entities that could be touched and altered under his power.
Half an hour later.
Raiver withdrew his hand and snapped his fingers.
Space-Time Imprisonment, released.
"Old Vegapunk, think it over again—" The scientist continued his earlier words but suddenly froze mid-sentence.
Because he saw Vegapunk walk up to Raiver, place his right fist over his heart, and bow deeply.
"Your Majesty Raiver, it would be my utmost pleasure to serve you."
His voice was respectful and devout:
"I pledge my loyalty to Your Majesty Raiver!"