"Doctor, there's something I want to ask you."
"Go ahead!"
Dr. Vegapunk was a very kind scientist. Hearing Kuzan's words, his first reaction was to smile and agree cheerfully.
Kuzan looked at the old man before him.
"Doctor, I heard that after the Ohara incident, you once returned to Ohara. May I ask if you discovered anything there?"
Kuzan wanted to meet an old friend from back then, but unfortunately, he only knew that the friend should still be alive—he didn't know where exactly.
So, he could only start investigating from Ohara itself.
Soon, he found out that Dr. Vegapunk had indeed been there once after Ohara was destroyed.
The doctor's face suddenly changed. He staggered back two steps, looking around nervously, his voice trembling and stammering.
"W-what? Ohara? I did go there! But it was with government approval, and I saw nothing there! This was already reported to the government!"
Kuzan chuckled lightly.
"Doctor, you really aren't good at lying."
Could there really have been a discovery?
Though excited, Kuzan suddenly felt a bit melancholic.
Could this really be fate's guidance? To follow it forward.
"Don't worry, Doctor," Kuzan said seriously.
"No matter what you saw in Ohara, I won't report it to the government. I just want to ask about one thing—about a friend of mine."
"A friend?"
Dr. Vegapunk was momentarily stunned.
"Jaguar D. Saul," Kuzan said, "My good friend, a former Marine Giant Vice Admiral."
"Although I reported to the higher-ups that I killed him, he should actually still be alive."
"Saul?"
Vegapunk's pupils constricted.
"Doctor, have you seen Saul?"
Kuzan's eyes brightened.
This doctor's reaction was quite unusual.
"..."
Vegapunk fell silent for a moment.
Then he finally took a deep breath.
"Saul said he survived by sheer luck, but now it seems that's not the whole story."
"Doctor!"
Kuzan's fists clenched suddenly.
"Where is he?"
"I promised him I would never reveal his whereabouts easily."
Vegapunk looked steadily at Kuzan.
"Kuzan, why are you looking for him?"
"I just wanted to ask him something."
Aokiji sighed. "How did he come to that decision back then?"
"..."
Vegapunk was silent for a moment.
Then he looked up at Aokiji and said, "I can tell you where Saul is, but Kuzan, you have to promise me one condition."
Without hesitation, Aokiji nodded. "Go ahead."
"When I need help, you have to come rescue me."
That was what Vegapunk said.
Aokiji was stunned.
Why that request?
Dr. Vegapunk was the government's most valuable asset—his status inside the World Government even exceeded that of the admirals.
And yet he wanted him to save him?
Could anyone in this world even harm Vegapunk?
"Alright, I promise."
Aokiji nodded solemnly.
It wasn't a difficult promise to keep.
The future could be left to the future him to worry about.
"Hahaha! Then it's settled!"
Vegapunk's face lit up with joy.
He knew well that sooner or later, the World Government would discover his secret research on the Void Century.
No matter how brilliant his research was, the government would never allow him to live once they found out.
But he couldn't just die yet—his dream of providing cheap energy to the world was still unfulfilled.
He wanted to change this chaotic world through technology.
"Since you're Saul's friend, I guess it's not impossible to tell you."
Vegapunk said.
Aokiji's lips twitched slightly.
Saul, you've entrusted yourself to a pretty unreliable man. The doctor is far too easy to deceive.
Thankfully, he met me.
"Elbaf."
Vegapunk said, "Saul is currently in Elbaf!"
"Elbaf?"
Aokiji truly did not expect this.
His friend Saul was indeed a giant, but he was not one of the giants from Elbaf.
Back then, Saul often complained to him about how rough and violent the Elbaf giants were, to the point that the whole world looked at all giants with prejudice.
There were gentle giants in the world too, like them.
That's what Saul said.
Yet that gentle guy had resolutely chosen to rebel against the very justice he once fought for — all for a group of criminals, without hesitation.
And now, that Saul fellow had even fled to Elbaf, seeking shelter among those rough giants he had once disliked.
Then, it was time to pay Elbaf a visit.
Shortly afterward.
Hive Island.
"Thunder Roar Eight Trigrams!!"
White lightning exploded as Yamato transformed into a flash of white light, charging straight at Ian.
"Fragrant Kick!!"
Hancock shot forward like a sharp arrow, her pointed high heels aimed directly at Ian.
Boom!!
The air trembled violently.
But Ian didn't even give their attacks a chance to hit.
He simply extended both hands, spreading his Haki to block their assault.
"Oh! Is it really this difficult? Even monsters like Yamato and Hancock still haven't mastered it,"
Jack exclaimed in amazement from one side of the plaza, "Conqueror's Haki Infusion!"
Perhaps provoked by Bullet, who had caught up from behind, Yamato and Hancock had been training desperately during this time.
And the way they trained was of course by fighting Ian repeatedly.
It was almost there, actually.
Ian was certain of this.
Both of them just needed one last push.
Maybe one more fierce battle?
Once they mastered the Conqueror's Haki Infusion, both would nearly reach the strength of Marine Admirals.
After all, even if the technique was good, their Haki quality was still lacking a bit.
Brzzz brzzz brzzz.
The Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.
Ian stopped the fight and moved to a quiet corner, pulling out the Den Den Mushi to answer.
"It's me."
"Hehehehe! Ian! Long time no see!"
A familiar voice came through the phone.
"Dorry?"
Ian was a little surprised. "How can you even call me?"
Are there giant Den Den Mushi phones suitable for giants in this world?
The last time his old friends came to Hive Island, they just barged in directly.
"Gabba gabba gabba! It's Lola! She helped set this up!"
Lola?
Is that woman still in the Giant Kingdom?
Could it be she's really grown close to Prince Loki over time?
"So, what happened that made you specially contact me?"
"A Marine Admiral came here. He said he was looking for his friend."
"Huh?"
Ian was stunned.
A Marine Admiral?
Does the government really have the leisure to start a fight with the Giant Kingdom now?
But then he quickly realized something was off.
"Which admiral?"
Ian asked. "And which friend?"
"Admiral Aokiji! He's here looking for a giant named Saul."
"Oh?"
Ian raised an eyebrow.
He glanced over at Yamato and Hancock waiting for him back at the plaza.
Just one step away.
Isn't this quite a coincidence?
**********
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