Punk Hazard Research Institute, Core Laboratory.
Saint Saturn, leaning on his black cane, stepped into the room that had just been ransacked by the Eclipse Pirates.
The laboratory was empty. The most advanced stem cell cloning equipment had been stripped clean.
Vegapunk still stood before the operating console, his back to the door, holding a data pad.
"Vegapunk."
Saint Saturn's voice echoed in the empty lab, carrying the cold, oppressive authority of a superior.
"These pirates managed to locate your core laboratory with precision and made off with those exorbitantly expensive cloning devices. Could it be that their ship has a scientist who understands the Lineage Factor?"
"That was not within my calculations, Saint Saturn."
Vegapunk turned, adjusted his glasses, and spoke in a flat tone.
"The pirate invasion was an unforeseen event. I am merely a powerless scientist. Faced with violence capable of destroying an island, I had no choice but to hand over the equipment to save my life. After all, if I were to die, the World Government's loss would be far more than a few machines."
Saint Saturn's cold, aged eyes bore into Vegapunk, as if searching for any crack that might suggest collusion with the pirates.
"Portgas D. Ace. Why did he know you were here? That Revolutionary Army remnant following him, did he get some intelligence from Dragon?" Saint Saturn's tone carried an interrogative edge.
"No wall is completely impermeable on these seas. Dragon of the Revolutionary Army once investigated me. Perhaps that bear got some clue from him."
Vegapunk casually spun a flawless lie, then shifted the topic, pulling up a new holographic blueprint.
"Rather than pursuing a group of pirates who have already fled, Saint Saturn, I have something far more valuable."
Vegapunk pointed to the sketch on the blueprint: a humanoid weapon with black wings, brown skin, and flames burning on its back.
"Although some basic cloning equipment was stolen, the gene fusion experiment I previously extracted from the Lunarian race has made a breakthrough. The Seraphim Project can officially enter its first phase of cultivation. This is the ultimate weapon that can truly replace the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
At the words "Seraphim," Saint Saturn's eyes twitched slightly.
This was the World Government's core interest. As long as Vegapunk continued developing such monstrous weapons for them, a few stolen machines were indeed tolerable.
"Very well."
Saint Saturn turned and walked toward the door. "Remember your place, Vegapunk. Your brain belongs to the World Government. Do not let me discover any private entanglement with those pirates."
"Of course. I am merely a scientist who enjoys staying in his laboratory."
Vegapunk watched Saint Saturn's departing figure, a faint, concealed smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. And deep within his mind, on the channel called "Eclipse Research Group," Chopper was asking him about cell separation techniques.
New World, ten thousand meters above the sea.
The Eclipse flew smoothly above the clouds.
"Captain, where to next?"
In the control room, Carina looked at the sea chart. "If Bonney's surgery needs an absolutely stable place with no tremors or disturbances, a regular island in the New World won't do. The climate here is too harsh. If we run into an earthquake or volcanic eruption, even the best medical pod's shock absorption could fail."
"Then find a place with no earthquakes and no one to bother us."
Ace sat in the main seat, tossing an orange in his hand.
"A place with no earthquakes? Where on the sea is there such a place?" Buggy leaned in.
"Why wouldn't there be?"
Enel floated cross-legged in midair, spinning his Thunder Staff, and snorted disdainfully. "The mud lands of the Blue Sea shake, of course. But an island made of clouds has no crust. How can it quake?"
"You mean... back to Skypiea?" Sabo leaned against the doorframe, a hint of amusement in his blue eyes.
"Skypiea?!"
Hearing that word, Chopper immediately transformed into his Brain Point form, raising his little hooves excitedly. "The legendary Skypiea? I've never been! Is it all soft, fluffy clouds up there?"
"Yohohoho! A divine kingdom floating in the sky?" Brook elegantly adjusted his cravat, the flames of the Underworld flickering in his empty eye sockets. "In fifty years adrift on the sea, I've never seen underwear in the sky... ah, I mean, the scenery of the sky."
"I want to go!"
Bonney, sitting in her mechanical spider, waved her little hands. "Daddy, let's go get treated in the sky! It must be so much fun!"
Kuma stood quietly beside Bonney, adjusted his round glasses, and looked at Ace.
"Will that environment affect the medical pod's operation?"
"Relax, Kuma."
Jeno rubbed his chin and laughed heartily. "Not only is it the most stable environment, but it's our turf."
Jeno turned to Enel and Sabo. "The God's Guard boys are still up there. If we go back, not only do we get the safest environment on these seas, we won't have to go fishing ourselves every day. We'll have those priests catch some Skypiea specialties from the White-White Sea for us every day. Logistics for the next half year, completely worry-free!"
"It really is a good place to relax and train."
Carina asked Vegapunk through the mental channel. "Old man, will parking the Eclipse on a Skypiea above ten thousand meters affect the treatment?"
"No. I recall you took a set of small-scale environmental simulator blueprints, Jeno."
Vegapunk, far away on Punk Hazard, responded through the channel. "That equipment can simulate the air pressure and oxygen concentration of the Blue Sea in a small area. Just install it in the medical room, and Bonney won't have any adverse reactions to the high altitude. After that, just find a calm spot to park the ship, and you can start the treatment regimen anytime."
"You hear that, Kuma?"
Ace peeled the orange and handed half to Bonney, who had run over.
"There's no safer place in the world than our backyard."
"Thank you, Captain." A genuine gratitude appeared on Kuma's usually impassive face.
"Since it's decided, no more dawdling."
Ace stood and walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window.
"Eclipse."
Ace's voice came over the ship-wide broadcast.
"Beep beep! Captain Ace, orders."
"Adjust course. Destination: the first half of the Grand Line, high above, the Land of God, Skypiea Apayado."
Ace looked out at the endless sea of clouds, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Full speed ahead. We're going home."
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