Chapter 424

The Holy Land’s Sky City, Science Defense Department.

The assistants stared at the latest-generation Peacekeeper prototype, its shell cracked and internal wiring fully melted, all faces filled with despair.

“Doctor, we’ve failed again.”

But Begepangke, standing directly before the prototype, showed no trace of disappointment in his eyes—only a near-fanatical gleam.

“Don’t lose heart,

our design concept is sound; the problem isn’t structural—it’s material. No existing alloy can withstand the extreme firepower we’ve assigned to it.”

Upon saying this, Begepangke ordered:

“Clean up. I’m going to see Seven.”

If there was any problem on this sea that science could not solve, only the Seven, the masters of metaphysics, could resolve it.

The unsolved Green Bean, the United Kingdom’s headquarters Sky City...

were the best proof.

Strolling into the Interior Affairs Hall, Begepangke wasted no time and stated his demand outright.

“Seven, the latest-generation Peacekeeper’s theoretical power has increased by at least seventy percent compared to the previous model. But we need an alloy that is ultra-lightweight, ultra-strong, and possesses both toughness and rigidity.”

“You... must have a solution, right?”

Begepangke had expected Seven to produce some bizarre material.

Instead, he pulled out a file.

Looking at the chubby boy with deep purple short hair in the file, Begepangke’s pupils contracted slightly.

“Paramecia-type Gura Gura Fruit?”

“Wapol, intern of the Blackbeard Pirates...”

In an instant, Begepangke realized: Wapol was the chosen founder of materials science.

The Gura Gura Fruit can swallow metals, rocks, plastics, living organisms, garbage—ignoring volume, hardness, and composition—and internally decompose, fuse, and restructure the ingested matter.

It then expels the restructured matter in any form, with any function, creating entirely new materials or objects.

Its ability is essentially a mobile, all-purpose biological synthesis factory.

For materials science, Wapol is a universal synthesis furnace, capable of conjuring dream materials beyond nature’s and industry’s limits.

For technological advancement, the Gura Gura Fruit eliminates all material bottlenecks, allowing any design blueprint to be realized.

Even for the world’s geopolitical balance, controlling Wapol means controlling infinite resources, the strongest materials, and the highest production capacity...

“Seven.”

Begepangke rose, eyes bloodshot.

“This man—Science Defense Department claims him...”

Realizing this phrasing was inappropriate, Begepangke shifted tone.

“Such a crucial individual, left as an intern under Blackbeard, is a waste of talent. He must be brought under the United Kingdom’s control.”

Seven gestured for Begepangke to sit.

“Don’t worry, Doctor,

I’ll send someone to the West Blue immediately to bring Wapol to you, intact.”

Even if Begepangke hadn’t come, Seven planned to bring Wapol over anyway.

After all, in the anime, Wapol created Wapol Metal by eating garbage—perfectly matching Begepangke’s requirements: ultra-lightweight, ultra-strong, with toughness and rigidity.

It also possesses memory-metal properties.

Upon heating, pressurization, or electrification, it precisely reverts to its preset shape—the ideal material for precision machinery.

And this was achieved by Wapol himself, lazy and lacking scientific knowledge, merely eating garbage.

Under Begepangke’s guidance, the Gura Gura Fruit could be developed into one of the closest abilities to a creator in the pirate world.

Moreover—

With Begepangke’s intellect, the Ship-Ship Fruit’s infinite potential, the Gura Gura Fruit’s material miracles, and the United Kingdom’s financial and human resources—

In time, Seven’s dream of reaching outer space would become reality.

“Excellent.” Begepangke exhaled in relief.

As the creator of Stussy, Begepangke understood why Seven had allowed Blackbeard to escape—he had feared Seven, seeking to eradicate the old era’s remnants, would overlook Wapol’s strategic value.

“Send Borsalino. He’s fast.”

Seven smiled: “Alright, I’ll contact my brother.”

Hearing this, Begepangke immediately rubbed his hands, his voice brimming with urgency and anticipation: “Then I’ll leave you to it—I’ll return to the department and prepare, awaiting Wapol’s arrival.”

Upon returning to the Science Defense Department,

Begepangke thought for a moment, then personally contacted Kizaru and reiterated his request.

“Borsalino, if you bring Wapol back to the Holy Land within three days, I’ll donate all my salary for the next hundred years—free of charge.”

The Den Den Mushi: “......”

The United Kingdom offered excellent benefits—food, lodging, even a wife. Begepangke had no time to spend his salary anyway; once Wapol arrived, he’d have even less.

Better to give Kizaru incentive than let his wages rot in the account—get Wapol back as fast as possible, before the bastard finds a way to slack off.

“Kuuu~” Kizaru’s lazy voice came through the Den Den Mushi.

Realizing he could use this chance to tease Blackbeard and wash away the shame of Blackbeard’s escape years ago, Kizaru happily agreed.

“Deal.”

Yet when Kizaru recalled how Begepangke’s modifications had boosted Blackbeard’s power, he decided to bring along Loki, the Giant Prince, who was visiting Cake Island.

“Prince Loki...”

Kizaru said something, but Loki didn’t bother listening—he only asked one question.

“Is there a fight?”

“Absolutely,” Kizaru said vividly: “The target is Blackbeard, fused with Lunaian, Ancient Giant, and Bakiyan bloodline factors.”

Loki recalled distant memories.

“Blackbeard? Lox’s son?”

“Yes,” Kizaru nodded. “Him.”

At once, Loki transformed into the sky-obscuring black dragon Nidhogg and soared into the heavens.

“Marine Admiral, lead the way.”

He did not invite Kizaru to ride on his back, for Loki believed: across the entire sea, only his father, the Giant King Harald, and the World King Bai Mao had the right to sit upon him.

And the Lightning Squirrel Tie Lei.

Everyone else, without his approval, had no qualification whatsoever.

And the reason he agreed to help?

Years ago, Loki had been beaten repeatedly by Lox in Elbaf. Now that Lox was gone, it was only right to settle the father’s debt with the son—

He must give Blackbeard a proper beating.

Thus, Kizaru led the black dragon Loki, speeding across the New World’s skies toward the West Blue.

Meanwhile,

Blackbeard’s crew had sailed through storms for days and finally arrived at the West Blue’s Flower Province—the former Flower Kingdom—on schedule.

“Lu Bianyi,” Blackbeard urged impatiently: “Contact Stussy.

Tell her we’ve arrived.”