"Madman! You're a madman! You actually made a son kill his mother!"
"Mother?" Michael raised an eyebrow. "Before we even talk about how you just tried to sell this little fatty to me… let's talk about who he really is."
Michael spoke as he pulled out a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
"Bru bru bru bru! Bru bru bru bru! Click!"
"Hello? Moshi moshi? This is Vegapunk~!"
Michael squinted his eyes with a smile at Miss Buckin, then spoke to the Den Den Mushi.
"Vegapunk, this is Michael."
"Oh? Is that Michael, the Navy's Chief Inspector? What a pleasure!"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked Vegapunk's face and the long tongue hanging out of his mouth.
"I've heard Stella and Crocodile talk about you many times, but we never got the chance to meet in person."
"I feel the same. I've wanted to meet you for a long time, but I've been busy with other things."
Michael sounded apologetic, but then continued,
"But let's leave that for another day. I called to ask you something… Buckingham Stussy. Does that name ring a bell?"
"Oh, her? Of course I remember her. Back when I was the head of MADS, she was one of us. The Stussy you've seen was created based on her as a prototype."
"I already knew about that much… but is it really okay for you to say it out loud like this?"
"Ahahaha, well, we're collaborators now, aren't we? Naturally, honesty is important."
Vegapunk's tone was casual and unconcerned.
But Michael knew—this was the sincerity coming from the smartest man in the world.
"So, she would've had access to Lineage Factor and cloning technology, correct?"
"That's right. After MADS disbanded, she disappeared with a portion of the equipment and technology." Vegapunk suddenly realized something. "Wait… all these questions… don't tell me you found her?"
"Of course I did. And with her, there's a big oaf who doesn't look very bright but has strength that's almost identical to Whitebeard's."
"I see… so she used that technology on Whitebeard's Lineage Factor."
With that one sentence, Vegapunk revealed the truth behind Weevil's origin.
And Miss Buckin, standing to the side, had already turned deathly pale.
The greatest secret she'd been hiding was completely exposed by Michael and Vegapunk, right to her face.
"Alright… one last question. Are you friends with her?"
"Everyone in MADS used to be friends… but now? Clearly, no."
"Good. I'll be visiting you soon, and I'll bring a gift you'll definitely love."
"Really? I'll be looking forward to it."
With that, Michael hung up.
Then…
He stepped aside with Yamato and Jack.
Everyone had clearly heard the entire conversation between Michael and Vegapunk.
That included the big oaf himself—Weevil.
"Wow, the next part… might be a little tragic," Yamato shook her head but didn't look away.
"Then why are you staring at it?" Jack asked curiously. "Do you have some kind of masochistic streak?"
"I just think… some people don't deserve to be parents."
Yamato's voice carried a touch of sorrow and firm conviction.
"My son! My dear son! Listen to me! That was just a temporary plan! They're all lying to you! Mama loves you! How could I ever push you out to take a bullet for me!"
Miss Buckin wept bitterly, crawling backward as she looked at Weevil, who had stood up from the ground like a mountain.
But…
It was useless.
The massive, sharp naginata came down without hesitation.
One of the former members of the Rocks Pirates died miserably and without dignity at the hands of her own "son."
Michael watched the whole thing, his expression full of disdain.
In a way, this woman—once able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Gloriosa in terms of power and beauty—died in the ugliest way possible.
Same kind of person, completely different fate.
When exactly did Buckingham Stussy lose her strength and become a short old woman?
No one knew.
Maybe the moment she decided to clone Whitebeard, the woman who had once truly loved him had already disappeared forever.
Thinking about it that way, Stussy was actually far more impressive than the original.
However…
"This is the first person I've ever killed."
"She once called me son. I once called her mother."
"Am I a bad kid?"
Michael looked at Weevil, holding the naginata, blood splattered on his face, his eyes empty and unfocused.
He sighed.
Just another… pitiful tool.
This kind of idiot weapon—he had no intention of keeping it under his command.
Too easy to lose control.
Jack the brute was already enough.
But…
Weevil had another place he could go.
"Hey, Weevil. Do you want to… meet your father?"
"Father? Will father push me out… to save himself?"
"No. Your father is the strongest man in the world… at least, right now he is."
Michael smiled.
Since he had kept Ace at Marine Headquarters…
He'd give the Whitebeard Pirates a brand-new Second Division Commander in return.
...
"Wahahaha! Your students are damn fierce!"
"Is that the right word to use?" Zephyr glared at Garp beside him. "And soon they'll be your students too!"
"Of course I know!" Garp munched on senbei, pointing toward the elite training camp students. "But I gotta say, aren't those two a little too intense?"
"You mean Ain and Binz?" Zephyr followed his finger and looked over. "Those two… their homeland was oppressed by pirates and a king working together for a long time. They were forced to leave their home."
"Tch. Whether it's pirates or scummy kings, none of them are any good."
The two old men chatted as they watched the elite training camp students wipe out the Barrel Pirates.
That pirate, Gulagas, had some skill—but in the face of the Marines led by Ain, he wasn't a particularly difficult opponent.
"Yo, you two old geezers slacking off over here?"
Garp and Zephyr frowned at the same time.
That kind of cheeky tone… only Michael talked like that!
Turning around, they saw Michael walking in front with Yamato and Jack behind him.
Further back, Weevil followed, naginata in hand, shoulders slumped but with a faint trace of hope in his eyes.
The moment Zephyr saw him, his hand instinctively clutched his arm…
"Why does my hand hurt when I see this big idiot…"
"It's like it's been cut off!"
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