"Leader…" Sabo quickly returned to Dragon's side.
Ivankov greeted Marco with a wide grin. "Hee-haw, long time no see, Phoenix Boy. It has been over half a year, right? You keep getting stronger."
Marco gave a small nod in acknowledgment. During the Marineford War, Ivankov had fought on their side and provided significant help.
Dragon stepped forward and spoke politely, "Nice to meet you, Marco, Kaido, and Big Mom. I am Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army…"
Before he could finish, Vegapunk rushed over with urgency written all over his face. "Marco, is that Ancient Robot Emit really with the Phoenix Pirates? And the energy stone you mentioned, is it there as well? What about the seraphim?"
Seeing Vegapunk and the others approaching, Marco calmly explained, "The energy stone is on the ship. The seraphim are there too, but they were soaked in water, so they are malfunctioning. They need repairs."
"Leave it to me!" Vegapunk said with confidence. Then he added quickly, "But research costs a lot. You must provide sufficient funding."
"That will not be a problem," Marco replied. "Kaido and Big Mom have also agreed to support your research."
Big Mom stepped forward, her smile hiding sharp intent. "Mama mama, I have always had something I wanted you to research. I gave Caesar plenty of funds before, but it was all wasted. You are the greatest scientist in the world, you can fulfill my dream, right?"
Her sudden closeness made Vegapunk flinch. Startled, he quickly hid behind Marco and shouted, "Before joining the Phoenix Pirates, I made it clear. I will not create weapons of war!"
Big Mom covered her face, laughing. "Mama mama, relax. This is not a weapon. It is a dream I have had since childhood. Only you can make it real."
Kaido let out a cold snort. "Not weapons of war? The seraphim, Pacifista, and the Mother Flame, are those not weapons?"
Vegapunk immediately protested, "I never created them for evil. The Pacifista and seraphim were designed to reduce Marine casualties. They capture pirates, they do not kill. As for the Mother Flame, it is an endless energy source. With it, the world would never suffer from energy shortages. Everything I do is for humanity's progress."
Marco spoke plainly, "Egghead Island is gone. Aside from the four seraphim, everything else, including the Mother Flame and Pacifista, is destroyed. There is no point discussing that now."
Kaido crossed his arms, his expression turning serious. "I do not care about your research or money. I risked my life on Egghead for one reason. I want you to fix a ship. If you can repair it, I will pay any price."
"A ship?" Vegapunk's eyes widened. "Could it be… Pluton?"
The Revolutionary Army members were immediately shaken by the name.
"You know about it?" Kaido looked surprised, then turned to Marco. "Did you tell him?"
Marco nodded. "Yes. The ship is already broken. If it cannot move, even an ancient weapon is nothing more than a steel coffin. Only by repairing it does it gain value. However, the doctor has a condition."
Kaido's gaze sharpened as he looked at Vegapunk. "What condition?"
Vegapunk met his gaze seriously. "I can attempt to repair Pluton, but I cannot guarantee success. It is technology from eight hundred years ago, and it has been submerged for that entire time."
He paused, then continued in a firm tone, "If it is repaired, it must remain under my supervision. I will also install a self destruct program. If you misuse its power, I will destroy it myself."
Kaido's expression darkened instantly. "Do you know who you are speaking to? You want to put a self destruct system on my Pluton?"
A violent surge of Conqueror's Haki burst from his body, spreading outward with overwhelming pressure.
Vegapunk panicked and ducked behind Marco again. "I am just a scientist!"
Marco stepped forward and released his own Conqueror's Haki, neutralizing Kaido's pressure.
The surrounding members of the Revolutionary Army felt the clash of Haki. Aside from Dragon, the others were visibly shaken.
Marco spoke calmly, "That is enough, Kaido."
As the pressure faded, Vegapunk peeked out and spoke loudly, "I will not repair Pluton only for it to destroy the world and make me responsible for that disaster. If you refuse, then there is nothing to discuss. The ship should be covered in ancient text, correct?"
Kaido paused for a moment.
Vegapunk continued, "I am the only one who can translate those texts and possibly repair it. If you reject my terms, then even if I die, I will not fix such a weapon."
Kaido's veins bulged as anger surged through him. "You dare…"
"That is enough," Marco interrupted firmly. "If Pluton cannot be repaired, it has no value. Only by restoring it can it matter."
Kaido let out a heavy breath, hot air escaping his nostrils. "Fine. I agree. But if you fail, I will not let you walk away."
Vegapunk immediately shrank back behind Marco again. "How can I guarantee something like that?"
Marco did not pay much attention to the threat. To him, Pluton was only a tool. Without the World Government holding an ancient weapon, the balance had already shifted.
Strength was what truly determined victory.
As long as he continued to grow stronger, defeating Imu was only a matter of time.
After all, even ancient weapons could be destroyed.
In the end, it was always people who decided the outcome of war.
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