Enel looked a little helpless:
"I've got a friend back at Headquarters, no idea what's gotten into him, but he wants to go undercover."
"That kid's personality is way too soft."
"As for his combat power... let's just say it's hard to put into words."
"I'm going to prepare something for him for self-defense."
Vegapunk nodded.
"I see..."
"Wait a moment."
He turned around and headed into his private laboratory.
A moment later, he came back out carrying a sword, handing it to Enel.
"Take this."
"The weapons I research here are too advanced and dangerous to casually hand out."
"But this one's fine, and it's easy to carry."
Enel took the longsword and weighed it in his hands.
"This... does it have anything special?"
"That kid's swordsmanship isn't great either."
Vegapunk smiled.
"This is a sword that ate a Devil Fruit."
"Although progress on the Pacifista side has been slow, there have been some results."
"This is one of the outcomes of my research into Lineage Factors."
"The technology that allows objects to eat Devil Fruits."
Vegapunk reached out and took the sword back from Enel.
"Funkfreed."
Ong——
A loud elephant's trumpet echoed from the sword's blade.
In Vegapunk's hands, the sword gradually grew larger, transforming into a massive elephant.
Its front legs landed on the ground, while the back end remained a sword blade, extending infinitely, with the hilt still gripped in Vegapunk's hand.
Its trunk had transformed into a proportionally long and enormous blade.
With Vegapunk's swing, the massive elephant body moved as if weightless, slashing left and right.
Vegapunk noticed Enel's confusion.
"That's because the weapon's weight is exactly the same as before."
"So even after transforming into an elephant, its beast form's weight doesn't change."
"Compared to a normal elephant—"
"It has extreme speed and a defense as tough as steel."
"And when you hold the hilt, you can communicate with it directly."
"The blade tip can transform into an elephant's head sword, extending infinitely."
"Not bad, right?"
He released the hilt of the elephant sword.
Once Vegapunk let go, the hilt dropped to the ground and slowly turned into the elephant's hind legs.
A war beast of pure white, with a massive longsword for a trunk, fully revealed itself.
Stars lit up in Enel's eyes.
"Cool!"
Vegapunk smiled.
"Like this—"
"In full beast form."
"If your friend's swordsmanship isn't great, this should help him escape just fine."
"This sword isn't top-tier, but it's still of the good blade grade, so its hardness is guaranteed."
"I've named this elephant 'Funkfreed.'"
"When you call his name, he'll come out. Right, Funkfreed?"
Ong——
The white elephant affectionately rubbed its head against Vegapunk.
Enel's face lit up with excitement.
"Funkfreed, come here!"
The white elephant hesitated, and Vegapunk patted it.
"From now on, listen to him. He'll take you to find your new master."
"And go on adventures at sea."
At the mention of adventure, the white elephant perked up, nodded, and walked over to Enel's side.
It laid its tail into Enel's hand, then slowly transformed back into a longsword.
Enel swung it lightly—sure enough, it had the weight of a normal blade.
"Funkfreed!"
With Enel's intent, an elephant head formed at the tip, its trunk blade razor-sharp, the blade extending infinitely in all directions.
Enel chuckled.
"Perfect."
"Come back, Funkfreed."
Ong——
The elephant head gave a joyful trumpet and reverted into blade form.
"Thanks, sensei."
"Haha, with this, things will be much easier."
"I've thought of another way."
"I'll head to Research Unit No. 3 and have a chat with that kid Caesar."
"The equipment's already linked up—take a look first, sensei!"
He said as he ran out. Vegapunk shook his head.
"Go, but absolutely don't use your powers."
Enel's voice came from the distance.
"Got... it..."
It wasn't without reason that Vegapunk warned him—mainly because Enel couldn't stand seeing Caesar using humans for experiments.
But the two still shared common ground: their interest in researching weapons of mass destruction.
Enel believed in overwhelming firepower; Caesar believed in killing everything with poisonous gas.
Different approaches, but they could still exchange insights, so they could talk a little.
However, one time, the argument turned serious.
As emotions flared, a few sparks of lightning escaped from Enel, and disaster struck.
Everyone knew... Caesar had eaten the Gas-Gas Fruit and was a Gas Human.
His whole body was like a walking gas tank, constantly surrounded by gas.
At such close range, a single electrical spark—
Pop——
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!
Half of Research Unit No. 3 was blown away, and Caesar was unconscious for more than half a month before waking up.
From then on... Caesar would tremble every time he saw Enel.
This wasn't just fear anymore... this was sheer, absolute terror. His ability was completely countered—it was deadly.
For the first time in his life, Caesar regretted eating a Devil Fruit...
...
Punk Hazard, Research Unit No. 3.
Enel had just arrived when the alarms of the entire facility went off.
Just as he was about to step in, he stopped, black lines forming on his face.
He watched as the researchers in protective suits rushed out, blocking the entrance.
"Hey, hey... isn't this a bit much?"
"Last time wasn't on purpose."
"Who knew Caesar couldn't even control his own ability, letting gas leak everywhere?"
"Otherwise, we wouldn't have blown up half the place."
A hoarse, sharp voice rang out.
"Bastard!"
"It was clearly you who couldn't control yourself!"
"What are you doing here again, Enel?!"
A slightly shorter man than Enel—but still taller than most researchers—stepped out. Caesar Clown.
Enel grinned.
"Caesar, got any poison that can take down strong opponents?"
"Give me some. Oh, and the antidote too."
This idea had just come to him.
Funkfreed's true form was a sword—can a sword be poisoned? Of course not!
If danger came, he could just toss a gas bomb right there.
Then Funkfreed could turn into an elephant, grab Rosinante, and bolt. Perfect.
Say what you will, Caesar's poison was useful.
Caesar waved impatiently.
"No, no."
"Hurry—"
Bzzzt——
The sound of electricity suddenly crackled from Enel's body.
A dangerous aura filled the air.
"Oh?"
"You were saying..."
"Hurry what?"
"Caesar."
Caesar swallowed hard. Damn bastard...
"N-nothing."
"I'll get it right away..."
...
Grand Line, first half.
Alabasta, Rainbase.
Inside the Rain Dinners casino, already showing some of its future scale—
The big boss, Crocodile, sat with a gloomy face, staring at the ringing Den Den Mushi.
It was a call from Sakazuki...
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