One Piece Thundergod Marine

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If he hadn't uncovered secrets he wasn't meant to, the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) wouldn't have issued an arrest warrant against him and shut down his laboratory.

For some reason, Vegapunk wanted to see Rowen's reaction— to prove that he wasn't just some eccentric scientist with no substance.

And in that regard, he succeeded— at least in capturing Rowen's full attention.

"Explain in detail."

Rowen's face remained composed, but his raised eyebrow betrayed his curiosity.

"Yes!"

Nodding, Vegapunk knew that once he started, there was no turning back. Taking a deep breath, he began his explanation.

"As you know, Pyrobroin keratin particles— let's call them that for now— are a mysterious substance found everywhere in this world, ever-present yet often unnoticed."

"First, let me clarify something: the reason the Gorōsei shut down my laboratory back then wasn't because I accidentally developed Lineage Factor technology. No, it was because I was researching the true nature of Devil Fruits!"

"Oh? Are you saying…?"

Rowen prompted.

"Exactly."

Vegapunk's eyes gleamed with certainty.

"The truth behind Devil Fruits is directly tied to the secrets they want to keep buried! If they had allowed me to continue my research unchecked, who knows what chaos I might have unleashed? That's why they chose to keep me under tight control."

"So what?" Rowen suddenly interjected. "The greatest mysteries of the world boil down to three things: the Void Century, the existence of ONE PIECE, and the truth of Devil Fruits."

"Plenty of people have speculated about the connection between these things. You're not the first."

"But I am, without a doubt, the closest anyone has come to the truth in 800 years!"

Vegapunk's declaration carried an air of absolute confidence.

"Even the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, may have known what happened back then, but he didn't grasp the deeper mysteries behind it!"

Rowen narrowed his eyes slightly. "Pyrobroin keratin particles?"

"Exactly."

Vegapunk nodded, pressing on. "Through my research, I've discovered that Pyrobroin keratin particles, much like the 'life waves' you're familiar with, emit unique energy when gathered in high concentrations. This energy can induce gigantification in living beings and permanently alter genetic structures, making these changes inheritable across generations."

"So I dug deeper and found that the strongest emissions of these waves come from undersea mineral deposits— particularly those rich in Seastone!"

Rowen's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Sea Kings?!"

He knew that most Seastone veins were located deep within the Calm Belt, a place swarming with Sea Kings.

That was another reason Seastone was so rare—mining it was an almost impossible task.

"Not just that!"

Vegapunk's voice took on an eager edge.

"My later discoveries on the Upper Yard in Skypiea confirmed my theory! The flora and fauna there are species from the Blue Sea, yet they are dozens of times larger than their counterparts below!"

"According to Skypiean legend, Pyrobroin keratin particles are carried into the sky by volcanic eruptions from the Blue Sea. They then condense, forming nuclei that attract moisture, alter density, and eventually create both Island Clouds and Sea Clouds."

"So, I have reason to believe that Pyrobroin keratin particles are not exclusive to Seastone or the ocean. They exist in the very air we breathe, having spread through millennia of tectonic shifts and natural upheavals, though usually in concentrations too low to detect."

"And so… I dissected a corpse. A Giant's corpse."

Rowen's expression finally shifted.

"Elbaf! Are you saying…?!"

"Exactly! Just like the Sea Kings and the creatures of Upper Yard, I detected the same energy waves in that Giant's body!"

"Oh, and by the way, the Marine initiative to purchase and train Giant orphans? That was something I pushed for— all to continue my dissection experiments."

"Then, I discovered something shocking: they aren't a separate species at all! They're just normal humans whose genetic structures were altered by prolonged exposure to these particles!"

"Do you have proof?"

"Naturally."

Vegapunk swallowed hard. "I strongly suspect that Elbaf sits atop a Seastone vein— one that's exposed on the surface. But due to the Giants' isolationist nature, this has never been confirmed."

"Two years ago, after completing the Super Electromagnetic Cannon, Caesar Clown conducted an experiment in secret— one that couldn't be made public."

"By extracting Seacrystal, a rare form of Seastone saturated with Pyrobroin keratin particles, he synthesized a stimulant called 'NHC10'!"

"Test subjects who consumed this stimulant underwent unnatural gigantification! And if taken in excess, it had effects similar to the Hōsui or Energy Steroids—immense power at the cost of burning away one's life force."

"He even managed to turn a normal human into a true Giant! Just minutes prior, that person had been of ordinary size."

"But I assume the result wasn't… pleasant."

Rowen recalled the experiments Caesar conducted for Big Mom in the original timeline. Back then, Caesar had outright stated that artificial gigantification was a scam designed to secure funding.

"Indeed. The subject died before the transformation was complete."

Vegapunk didn't hide the truth.

"The gigantification process normally takes generations— centuries of accumulated mutations. But Caesar compressed it into mere minutes. The fact that the body even held together as long as it did was astonishing."

"However, the side effects were devastating. The transformed subject became completely uncontrollable, a berserker driven by pure destruction. Given the existence of Pacifista technology, the Gorōsei deemed this research too dangerous and shut it down."

"Caesar was furious, but fortunately, the development of the Super Electromagnetic Cannon and his lightning-stimulation experiments distracted him."

"I take back my earlier words, Vegapunk," Rowen smirked. "You truly are remarkable."

For Vegapunk to have pieced together so much— information that had remained scattered and elusive— he deserved recognition.

A scientist five centuries ahead of his time. Truly a genius.

"Thank you for the compliment, Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)."

Vegapunk bowed slightly before continuing, "And what I'm about to share next is the most crucial part of all!"

Two of the three great mysteries surrounding Pyrobroin keratin particles had been tentatively explained. But the last one made even Rowen feel uneasy.

"As I mentioned earlier, Devil Fruits exist as special 'life waves.' Their very essence is the wave itself."

Without hesitation— perhaps because he had spent years researching alone, with no one to confide in— Vegapunk continued.

"And Pyrobroin keratin particles are completely incompatible with those waves. They disrupt, suppress, and even eradicate them. They are fundamentally opposing forces."

"For Devil Fruit users, Pyrobroin keratin particles are akin to poison."

"But poison is a matter of dosage. The key factor is concentration."

"That's why being submerged in seawater only weakens an Ability User, while even a fingernail-sized piece of Seastone renders them completely powerless."

"In other words, if the concentration is high enough… an Ability User could be killed outright."

"Ah, so that's why you came to borrow Seacrystal from me?"

Rowen suddenly understood why the Gorōsei had sent Vegapunk to find him.

Nothing in the world had a higher concentration of Pyrobroin keratin particles than the Seacrystal found alongside Seastone.

And as for Seacrystal, what could be more potent than the legendary Heart of the Ocean in Rowen's possession?

To deal with Orrick and his mysterious fruit abilities, they had to be well-prepared. 

"Yes, although I'm not sure what connection these opposing waves have, I do have some insights on their application." 

Hearing this, Vegapunk confidently smiled, "So even so, Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), you still choose not to report me?" 

This was his proud and cherished research achievement; even if he were to die, becoming a puppet wouldn't stop him from acknowledging it. 

This was the stubborn backbone of a scientist! 

However, Rowen suddenly turned his head with a puzzled expression. 

"Why?" 

Vegapunk: "…" 

Did you not understand what I was saying?! 

What I've researched is highly subversive! 

It involves the government's true secrets! 

Now I have a little-known secret that could lead to trouble, and as one of the authorities, how can you not care? 

How can you not care?! 

At that moment, Rowen slapped his forehead. 

"Well, since you mentioned Caesar, I suppose the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) should be aware of these things, right?" 

"Yes, but it's not the same!" 

Vegapunk suddenly felt very wronged. 

The things he worked so hard to research made even the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) wary, so why didn't this man in front of him take it seriously? 

Even if, hypothetically, this experiment succeeded, it would be a genuine way to kill him and resolve his Undying nature, right? 

What kind of monster is this man?! 

"There's nothing different, Vegapunk." Rowen shook his head, standing up and looking out the window. 

"I still stand by what I said: as long as you don't cross the line… I can't be bothered with you." 

"The truth means nothing to me; I choose to listen to your explanation, not just to clarify my doubts but also because Orrick has become a pressing threat that needs to be dealt with." 

"In my eyes, there's no past, only the present and the future!" 

"Do you understand what I'm saying, Vegapunk?" 

Upon hearing this, Vegapunk fell silent, calm as water. 

(End of chapter)