On Sphinx Island, the arrival of Vegapunk under the personal escort of Monkey D. Dragon immediately drew the attention of the Emperors Alliance.
Even Kaido and Big Mom gave him a rare welcome.
Not long after arriving, Vegapunk excitedly announced that he had completed a new invention and wanted everyone to see it personally. He quickly led the group toward his massive research ship anchored near the island.
Inside the ship, countless machines, computers, cables, and research devices filled nearly every corner.
Marco glanced around with visible surprise.
"Doctor, I didn't expect you to bring so much equipment with you during the retreat."
Vegapunk adjusted his tongue-shaped headpiece proudly.
"Oh, that? It's all thanks to Bege's Devil Fruit ability. His Castle-Castle Fruit allowed him to store a large amount of equipment inside his body while retreating. Otherwise, all of this would've been destroyed during the escape."
Big Mom burst into laughter after hearing that.
"Mama mamamama! Bege did well this time!"
Bege immediately lowered his head respectfully.
"Thank you for the praise, Mama."
Back when Bege first joined the Big Mom Pirates, he had secretly planned to assassinate Big Mom. But after the Emperors Alliance was formed, he realized such thoughts were meaningless.
The alliance had already gone to war with the Marines and the World Government multiple times. The scale of those battles far exceeded anything he could influence.
At this point, he could only continue following the alliance.
Still, Bege had to admit that joining the strongest pirate force beneath the World Government had its advantages.
Through the alliance, he learned many secrets hidden from the world.
He had even seen all three Road Poneglyphs with his own eyes, although he could not understand a single word written on them. Later, after becoming one of Vegapunk's guards, he finally learned some of their meanings from the scientist himself.
At that moment, Vegapunk rapidly typed commands into a computer.
"Dragon, Ace, Sabo, all of you should pay close attention," Vegapunk said seriously. "What you're about to see is extremely important."
Ace and Sabo exchanged confused looks.
Only Dragon appeared relatively composed, as though he already knew part of the truth.
Soon, the large monitor before everyone flickered to life.
A small room appeared on the screen.
Then a familiar face suddenly rushed forward.
"Luffy!"
Ace and Sabo shouted simultaneously, their eyes widening in disbelief.
On the screen, Luffy grinned brightly.
"Ace! Sabo! It's been a while!"
The entire room fell silent.
Dragon's usually steady expression visibly changed. Ivankov stared at the screen with his mouth hanging open, while Hancock nearly stopped breathing altogether.
Even Marco was stunned.
He had personally witnessed Luffy's death.
Yet somehow, Luffy was speaking to them now.
Ace stepped forward emotionally.
"Luffy, you're alive?! Where are you right now?!"
His voice shook heavily.
He had watched Luffy's heartbeat stop with his own eyes. He had personally handed Luffy's preserved body over to Vegapunk.
So how was this possible?
Luffy scratched his head on the screen, looking frustrated.
"I don't know where I am either. That big-headed uncle said this place is called the House of Peace. It's so boring here. I can only move around inside this tiny room."
Then he looked toward Vegapunk.
"Big-headed uncle, hurry up and get me out already!"
Vegapunk smiled warmly.
"Please don't worry, Mr. Luffy. This old man will definitely find a solution."
Ace finally regained his senses and turned toward Vegapunk.
"Doctor... what exactly is going on? What is the House of Peace?"
Everyone immediately focused on Vegapunk.
The scientist slowly adjusted his glasses before speaking.
"This is a theoretical project I have researched for many years, consciousness transfer."
Dragon frowned slightly.
"Consciousness transfer?"
Big Mom looked intrigued.
"Mama? Something similar to souls?"
Vegapunk nodded excitedly.
"Exactly."
He turned toward the group and began explaining passionately.
"According to my research, when a person dies, the body instantly loses approximately twenty-one grams. Those twenty-one grams are believed to represent the soul itself."
"The human body has limits, but consciousness may not. If consciousness transfer technology can fully succeed, then theoretically, humans could achieve a form of immortality."
Everyone present inhaled sharply after hearing that.
Vegapunk pointed toward the monitor displaying Luffy.
"I conducted multiple consciousness transfer experiments in the past, but every single one ended in failure. The concept itself sounded absurd even to me."
"However, everything changed when Mr. Luffy arrived."
Ace's expression stiffened.
Vegapunk continued.
"That day, Ace brought me Mr. Luffy's preserved body. At that moment, I briefly sensed something extraordinary."
His eyes shone intensely.
"I saw Mr. Luffy's soul."
The room instantly became silent again.
"It lasted only an instant, so I initially believed I was hallucinating. But despite that uncertainty, I decided to attempt consciousness transfer on his remains."
Vegapunk slowly clenched his fists in excitement.
"Normally, after physical death, the soul quickly leaves the body."
"But Mr. Luffy was different."
"Even after his body died, his soul remained inside for an abnormally long time, refusing to disappear, almost as if the world itself rejected his death."
Marco narrowed his eyes slightly after hearing that.
Vegapunk's voice grew even more passionate.
"And because of that, the experiment succeeded."
"Before Egghead, I possessed more advanced equipment and still failed repeatedly. Yet this time, with inferior conditions, I succeeded."
"Perhaps this is the power connected to the Sun God itself, the ability to create miracles."
"Even after death, Mr. Luffy's soul still refused to vanish."
"This is scientific progress, but it is also proof that human potential has not reached its limit."
Ace and Sabo could no longer hold back their emotions.
Tears streamed down their faces.
Ace looked at Vegapunk desperately.
"Doctor... does this mean Luffy is truly alive?"
Vegapunk nodded firmly.
"Yes. Theoretically speaking, Mr. Luffy is still alive."
"Although his physical body has perished, his consciousness successfully transferred into this system."
Relief immediately flooded Ace and Sabo's faces.
Even if only Luffy's soul survived, it was still far better than complete death.
Dragon finally spoke again.
"Vegapunk, can Luffy return to a physical body?"
Vegapunk hesitated briefly before answering.
"Theoretically... yes."
Ace excitement drowned.
"Theoretically? What does that mean?! Are you saying Luffy might stay trapped inside that machine forever?!"
"Ace, calm down!" Sabo quickly interrupted before turning respectfully toward Vegapunk. "Doctor, you must already have some kind of plan, right?"
Vegapunk's expression became much more serious.
"The gap between theory and reality is enormous."
"I've attempted similar experiments before, and every single one failed."
He glanced toward the monitor again.
"At least now, Mr. Luffy still exists. Even if he can only move inside that room, his consciousness remains stable."
"But if we recklessly attempt resurrection and fail, his soul could disappear completely the moment it leaves the computer system."
Dragon folded his arms thoughtfully.
"What method are you considering to revive him?"
"Can you explain it to us?"