After counting his gains again, Reynold closed the system, feeling satisfied.
After subduing Gunko, Gerd, and Carrot, he had few plot-related beauties left.
According to his original plan, his next destination was Egghead Island.
Vegapunk's three clones.
Da da da
Da da da
Just then, a slender figure walked over.
She held a cup of black tea in her hand.
"Captain, please have some tea."
Reynold took the black tea from Carrot's hand and drank it in one gulp.
"Do you still feel anything in your body?"
He asked casually.
"No, no, I don't."
Carrot shyly shook her head, her voice barely audible.
She secretly glanced at Reynold, her eyes sparkling with an inexplicable light.
Inside the Time Room.
Whenever she was completely exhausted, weak as a puddle of mud.
Reynold would use some ability she didn't know to fully revive her.
And so, the two of them 'C'ed for a full 24 hours.
Reynold naturally didn't know what Carrot was thinking.
He glanced at the sky, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said:
"Carrot, tonight is a full moon. Let me see your Sulong form."
"Yes, Captain."
Carrot did as she was told, looking up at the full moon hanging in the sky.
Her eyes gradually turned crimson, her slender body grew taller and more graceful, and her long white hair cascaded down like a waterfall.
Compared to her previous cute and sweet demeanor.
Carrot now exuded an ethereal and cold aura.
Reynold's eyes flickered. He slowly stood up and gently stroked the long rabbit ears on top of Carrot's head.
"Mm."
Carrot's delicate body trembled. "Captain."
Reynold nodded with satisfaction, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Maintain your Sulong form and come with me to the Time Room."
"Mm."
Carrot bit her lower lip lightly, following closely behind Reynold.
Not long after.
Inside the Time Room, the beautiful and enchanting sounds echoed once more.
As planned, the spaceship quickly flew towards Egghead Island.
Two days later.
Just as Reynold was about to arrive at Egghead Island.
An uninvited guest arrived there before him.
On the calm sea, a high-spec marine warships was slowly sailing.
Under the sea breeze, the Marine flag on the mast flapped loudly.
At the bow, stood a tall man wearing a Marine justice cloak.
His facial features were particularly striking: high eyebrows, lowered eyelids, and slightly thick lips.
In addition, he had messy dark green curly hair, wore sunglasses, and had a men's cigarette in his mouth.
This shirtless man was Araki, a Logia-type Mori Mori (Forest Forest) Fruit user, who had emerged alongside the newly appointed Admiral Fujitora from the Marine conscription.
"Officer Araki, Egghead Island is just ahead."
An observation soldier holding a telescope respectfully reported.
"Understood."
Araki squinted his eyes, giving him a faint glance.
Ever since he lost to Fujitora Issho, he had been in a bad mood.
Fortunately.
His strength had been recognized by the Five Elders, and as long as he completed this mission, he would surely be heavily relied upon.
Perhaps he would even have a chance to be promoted to Admiral in the future.
For him, this mission could only succeed, not fail.
"Vegapunk."
"What exactly are you researching?"
His eyes behind his sunglasses gradually gleamed with interest.
It was well known that Vegapunk was the world's greatest genius scientist.
And he had made many outstanding contributions to the Marine and the World Government.
Araki was very curious about what Vegapunk had discovered that forced the Five Elders to issue a death order to eliminate him.
"Forget it."
Unable to figure it out, Araki smiled with relief.
For him, the immediate priority was to complete the mission and gain the Five Elders's favor.
"Wha—what is that thing?!"
Just then, several soldiers suddenly pointed to the sea ahead and shouted.
"Hm?"
Araki frowned and looked in that direction.
He saw a steel warrior with two huge thrusters on its shoulders, exuding immense pressure, flying towards them.
A star-shaped mark was engraved on its chest, with the words "VEGAFORCE" on it.
"Vegapunk, huh?"
Araki murmured softly.
Appearing near the Mechanical Island (Mechanism Island) and having the ability to create such a thing, the identity of its owner was naturally obvious.
"As expected of the world's greatest scientist."
A playful smirk gradually formed on his lips.
Hearing about it was not as good as seeing it.
Just by looking at this steel warrior, Vegapunk's scientific research capabilities were evident.
Under the wary gaze of the soldiers, the steel giant slowly stopped in front of them.
Its colossal body was as majestic as a mountain.
It inspired awe.
"Everyone, be careful!"
Click.
Click.
Everyone stared intently at the behemoth before them, bullets and cannons fully loaded.
Under everyone's gaze, the waist of the steel giant suddenly opened a portal.
"Marine, what are you doing here?"
From the portal, a beautiful young girl with a heroic demeanor slowly walked out.
She had short yellow hair and pink eyes, and wore a black communication headset on her left ear.
She was dressed in a pink bodysuit, with a purple jacket over it, and wore a pair of DOM boots.
On the left side of her chest, the identifier "PUNK02" was printed.
"Justice, Evil, Thought, Wisdom, Rage, Desire... Which of Vegapunk's six clones are you?"
Araki stepped forward, calmly exhaling a smoke ring.
Before carrying out the mission, he had roughly understood some information about Vegapunk.
One very important piece of information was that Vegapunk had six clones with independent consciousnesses.
"I am PUNK-02, Lilith of Evil."
The young girl shook her clothes, responding indifferently.
"Marine, you still haven't answered my question. What are you doing here?"
Lilith pressed on.
She knew that Vegapunk had been researching things prohibited by the World Government during this time.
At such a sensitive time, the Marine sending people without warning.
The implications were inevitably thought-provoking.
With his doubts answered, a cruel smile suddenly appeared on Araki's lips.
His cold gaze was reflected in his sunglasses.
"Of course, we're here to eliminate you all on orders."
Araki sneered, his muscular body visibly swelling and expanding like an inflated balloon.
His deep green, curly long hair quickly transformed into thick vines.
He raised his right hand, and countless roots grew from his feet, spreading wildly in all directions.
"Die!!!"
Numerous vines rose from the ground, like graceful, agile snakes, swiftly striking towards Lily.
"What??"
Lily's pupils constricted.
The unexpected scene instantly brought a cold sweat to her forehead.
In a panic, she turned, wanting to enter the steel giant's body.
However.
Due to the suddenness of the event and the speed of the vines, just as she was about to turn, a vine suddenly wrapped around her waist, firmly binding her in mid-air.
"Bastard, let me go now!!!"
"You hateful Marines!!!"
Lily thrashed her limbs, struggling desperately.
The other vines, like hungry beasts, gradually closed in on her.
"Don't worry, none of you will escape today."
Araki chuckled mockingly.
Today's mission begins with draining Lily dry!
Whoosh!!
In a flash of lightning, a bright sword energy streaked across.
The vine was severed at its root.
Lily seized the opportunity, glanced back, and quickly ran into the steel giant's body.
Without any intention of fighting, she manipulated the steel giant, turned, and returned to Baltigo.
"Hmm?!"
Araki didn't stop her, letting her leave.
His gaze suddenly shot towards the sky.
"It's you, after all."
A voice, neither smiling nor unsmiling, came.
Reno looked down from above at the man on the warship, his face full of playful mockery.
"Reno!!!"
Araki, who also recognized the other's identity, gritted his teeth, his expression incredibly solemn.
He had finally received a mission that could lead to his promotion, only to encounter Reno here.
What terrible luck.
"Araki, will you commit suicide, or do you wish to die by my hand??"
Reno crossed his arms, like a cat toying with a mouse.
0···Seeking fresh flowers---A waste like Araki is simply a disgrace to the Marine.
He severely lowered the value of an Admiral.
"Reno, I know you are powerful, but killing me won't be that easy!!!"
Araki's tone carried a hint of apprehension, yet also a touch of disdain.
"Not that easy??"
Reno couldn't help but laugh.
Even Akainu wouldn't dare to say such a thing in front of him, would he?
If he wasn't mistaken, Araki dared to say that, relying on nothing more than the Mori Mori Fruit.
If one were to ask who was the hardest to kill in the One Piece World.
Araki definitely had a place among them.
Even if only a single sprout remained, Araki could use it to regenerate.
If one didn't know Araki's abilities, even if their strength far surpassed his, they might be fooled by him.
Unfortunately, he met himself.
"Gerd, Carrot!"
Reno called out twice.
"Captain"
"Captain"
Two figures with huge differences in size emerged from inside the airship.
One held the hellflame axe, the other held the Imperial Arms: Moonlight Dance!
For two days, they had both spent their time in the Time Room.
At a conversion rate of ten to one, twenty days had passed in the Time Room.
Excluding the time for 'hey-ho', Gerd and Carrot had cultivated for roughly fifteen days.
"Kill him!"
Reno looked down at Araki.
"Yes, Captain!"
"Yes!"
Reno's command was the will and direction of their blades.
As his voice fell, Gerd and Carrot transformed into two streaks of light, heavily landing on the warship's deck.
"You're asking for death!!!"
Araki snorted coldly.
He admitted he might not be Reno's opponent, but he wasn't someone two unknown women could provoke either.
"This is what you brought upon yourselves!!!"
"Thorns: Green Glow!!"
Without any mercy for the fair sex, Araki's first move was a killing blow.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
Like slithering vipers, countless thick thorny vines, imbued with powerful penetrative force, swiftly shot towards the two women.
"Electric Flash!!"
Carrot took the lead, activating the power of the Paramecia-type Electric-Electric Fruit.
The Moonlight Dance was covered in pulsating blue-white electric arcs.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
Carrot moved like a phantom, twisting and turning across the vast warship.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
Whoosh whoosh whoosh
The longsword slashed, and countless thorny vines continuously fell onto the deck.
At the same time, the electrical power entwined around them rapidly spread through the vines to Araki's main body.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle
Sizzle sizzle sizzle
"Damn it!!"
The tingling sensation on his body made Araki's expression change.
New vines grew again in the places where Carrot had cut them.
Under Araki's control, they all attacked Carrot.
"I'm here too!"
"Momo Ten-Times Speed!!"
At the critical moment, Gerd activated the power of the Momo Fruit, bursting forth with ten times her speed.
"Taste this!!"
"Flame Jet!!"
She swooped over Araki's head, injecting Haki into the hellflame axe.
As if nourished, the axe blade immediately sprayed a large amount of black flames, igniting countless branches and vines.
"Bastard!!"
Araki could no longer hold back, immediately cursing loudly.
What is all this?
Are these two's abilities specifically designed to counter him?
What astonished him the most was that.
Those black flames couldn't be extinguished at all.
They spread rapidly towards his main body like maggots clinging to bone.
"Damn it!!"
Araki made a decisive move, immediately severing the branches and vines that were burning fiercely.
Soon, they regenerated again.
"Somewhat interesting."
When he looked at the two women again, the relaxed and indifferent expression he had before was completely gone from his face.
It was replaced by a look of grave seriousness.
Of course.
Compared to the two women, Araki was even more wary of Reno.
He thought it over and over.
To escape from under the other's nose, the only option now was to feign death.
After an imperceptible glance at Reno, a provocative arc formed on his lips, "Let you two witness what true power is."
"Forest of Abomination!!"
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