With technology centuries ahead of the outside world, Egghead Island really did feel—at least in some sense—like humanity's future.
Darren had worked closely with Vinsmoke Judge and Queen, both former members of MADS, so he understood that while the island's technology was undeniably cutting-edge, it still wasn't something that could be mass-produced or widely deployed.
For now, many of the robots looked limited to simple labor, repeating assembly-line motions back and forth with mechanical precision.
Stussy, however, was anything but calm.
She stood rooted to the spot, utterly overwhelmed. Though she was a "new human" created by Vegapunk himself, she hadn't seen him in years. She never imagined he could make breakthroughs like this in such a short span of time.
This was beyond anything humanity could even conceive.
Dr. Vegapunk really is a genius…
Something fierce and complicated flared in Stussy's eyes, and her hand tightened into a fist.
To her, Vegapunk—the one who had given her life—was like a father.
And children, inevitably, admired their fathers.
"Stop spacing out," Darren said, clapping her shoulder to snap her back. "We didn't come here to sightsee."
Stussy's eyes sharpened immediately. Her thoughts snapped into place, and her professional composure returned at once—the CP0 senior agent slipping back over her expression like a mask.
"You're right." Her gaze swept the surroundings, wary. "Something feels off about this entire island."
"What's that…?"
Her pupils tightened as she caught sight of two colossal beasts in the distance—mountain-sized monsters locked in a savage struggle, their roars rolling through the air.
"Not real," Darren said. "Holograms."
With his perception, he could tell instantly. There was no life force at all—and despite the violence of their movements, the terrain beneath them remained untouched.
If anything, it only proved the technology was still rough in places. Impressive, yes—but not flawless.
Stussy let out a quick breath of relief, only for her brow to knit again.
Because beyond the advanced facilities and bizarre architecture, Egghead was filled with things that didn't add up.
For one, they had been on the island for a full minute and hadn't seen a single human being.
Did no one live here at all?
More importantly—Vegapunk was supposed to be under the World Government's control.
So where were the guards?
Where were the Marines? The defense systems? The CP agents?
Stussy had prepared herself for a battle the moment they set foot on the island, but no one had appeared to stop them.
Was this a trap?
Her unease deepened. She scanned the unfamiliar streets with narrowed eyes, suspicion tightening like a wire.
"Let's head for the research institute first," Darren said, fixing on a direction and moving at once.
Stussy followed immediately. The two of them shot through the bright, sprawling city like flashes of light, one after the other.
Egghead was enormous—an entire world unto itself. And with its strange layout and riot of color, it was easy to lose your sense of direction among the towering structures.
Then—
Darren stopped short.
Stussy, right behind him, nearly collided with his back.
"Why did you stop—"
She never finished.
BOOM!
The walls on both sides of the street exploded outward, demolished by something massive. Debris flew as a dinosaur-like beast barreled into view, roaring.
"This is—"
Stussy's expression darkened. She sprang forward and snapped a kick out with her long, high-heeled leg.
"Rankyaku: Flower Kick!"
CLANG!
Her Armament Haki-coated kick slammed into its head—and instead of flesh and bone, she felt metal. A sharp clang rang out, sparks bursting like steel striking steel.
Stussy frowned.
This feeling…
Her eyes locked onto its neck.
Branding was stamped there, clean and unmistakable:
Vegapunk 08.
Before her mind could catch up, the "dinosaur" opened its jaws wider—and as Stussy stared, a massive black cannon barrel slid out from its throat.
Beep… beep… beep… beep…
A piercing electronic alarm shrieked, cold as a death knell. Stussy's spine went rigid, sweat prickling across her back.
Inside the cannon's mouth, a searing golden light began to gather—faster, brighter.
At this range…
Stussy's pupils tightened.
And then she saw it—
A blue arc of electricity flashed across the dinosaur's body.
In the next instant, as if seized by a horrific invisible hand, its head crumpled inward with a series of sickening cracks—like something enormous had closed its fist around it.
The laser cannon, charged to its limit, was forcibly blocked inside its own mouth.
A muffled blast detonated from within.
Boom!
Smoke and sparks erupted. The massive frame shuddered, then collapsed to the ground with a heavy crash, its metal surface still crawling with electric arcs.
Stussy finally exhaled, turning a grateful look toward Darren.
Darren lowered his hand slowly and walked to the fallen "corpse," eyes fixing on the shredded plating—on the gears and bearings exposed beneath.
"A mechanical construct," he said.
Understanding clicked into place for Stussy. That was why her kicks had done nothing.
Darren lifted an eyebrow, dry as ever. "Looks like our infiltration has been discovered."
As the last word fell—
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Heavy footsteps thundered from every direction.
Like the advance of giants, each step sent a deep tremor rolling through the ground.
Steel behemoths—modified, towering shapes—began lumbering toward them from all sides.
A flicker of apprehension crossed Stussy's eyes.
It vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
Because the tall, black-haired youth stepped forward.
Just one step—unhurried, effortless.
So simple that Stussy couldn't see any obvious change at all.
And yet the mountain-sized beasts froze mid-stride, their enormous frames locking rigid, completely immobilized.
To be continued...