If Sengoku doesn't pull back his net soon, I'll become the Pirate King!

Chapter 303 Quinn Technology Upgrade in Progress...

Baltimore

Quinn hung up the Den Den Mushi and watched the animals that had surrounded him move away, then curled his lip in disapproval.

"This deal is definitely going to result in a loss."

There's no way he could make a deal with Vegapunk now.

Location is one reason, but the more significant factor is the positions of both sides.

He's a pirate, Vegapunk is a scientist for the World Government, and considering what Bazel is up to, they were destined to be on opposite sides from the very beginning.

The reason he thought he would lose money was because of Vegapunk's relationship with Tsukimi.

Once he uses this sunlight technology in exchange, Vegapunk will definitely find Tsukimi and get this knowledge from him.

Even a stripped-down version of technological knowledge, if one day in the future Vegapunk creates solar technology that surpasses his own—

Quinn was not surprised at all.

Although it's painful to admit that Vegapunk is stronger than him, but—

Scientists are all pragmatic people.

He knew he was inferior to that big-headed monster in every way.

"Sigh, let's just take it one step at a time. We can only hope that we can extort some other knowledge in exchange."

Not long after, outside a detached villa deep in Baltimore.

Quinn stood at the boundary between the snow and the earth, his expression strange.

"That's truly amazing technology! How can they control the temperature so precisely?"

He raised his right hand and stretched it out in front of him, where there wasn't a single snowflake.

Dry and warm.

The extreme contrast gave the man goosebumps.

"Who are you? Are you here to see Dr. Tsukimi?"

Suddenly, the tightly closed door opened.

A small robot, barely taller than Quinn's thigh, stepped out.

He was dressed in military uniform, had a thick beard, wore a military helmet, and carried a single-shot rifle on his back.

"I was introduced by Vegapunk."

Quinn did not hesitate to use Vegapunk's friend's name.

"He introduced me to Dr. Tsukimi to trade scientific knowledge."

"You're Quinn, right? I'm Lieutenant Spacey, please come in."

Inviting the man into the warm interior, Lieutenant Spacey introduced the surroundings as they walked.

"Vegapunk just contacted the Doctor, saying that friends who used to work hard with him will be here to make trades—"

friend?

A complex emotion flickered in Quinn's eyes, hidden behind her goggles.

I've lost again. After technology, I've even lost to Vegapunk in terms of human magnanimity.

"This is the doctor's house, and there are four of us here."

Lieutenant Spacey pointed to three other people dressed in different clothes not far away.

"We are the family that the doctor created to accompany him."

"You are—well, Quinn, right?"

Quinn dropped his nonchalant demeanor, straightened the clothes he had stolen, and greeted the old man respectfully.

Life Robot!

On the way into the residential area, Quinn asked many questions about Lieutenant Spacey.

The most astonishing statement that was reached was————

They are man-made robots!

But the four of them have their own preferences and ways of thinking!

That's simply impossible!

Quinn's expression shifted rapidly, but fortunately, Lieutenant Spacey didn't see it because of his height advantage.

Robots created to possess their own emotions?!

what!

Is Quinn still half asleep?

But after repeated unsuccessful inquiries, Quinn finally accepted reality.

That's the old man in front of me. In some ways, he's even stronger than Vegapunk!

"Please allow me to become your apprentice, old man—I was once defeated by Vegapunk's talent, and I want to surpass him, to defeat him!"

""

Tsukimi was taken aback at first, then touched her bald head after realizing what was happening.

"Well, Vegapunk did tell me a bit about you."

He said you were a colleague he had worked with before, and that you have good talent, but you've gone astray, and that I should give you a good talking-to.

"But the old man is getting on in years, and he's too old to preach to me."

Seeing that Quinn was still bent over and refused to get up, Tsukimi sighed.

"Lieutenant Spacey, you take everyone on patrol, and I'll show Vegapunk's friends around the lab."

Quinn then straightened up and followed behind Tsukimi with a solemn expression.

"This old man is not qualified to be your teacher, after all, what I know is not that advanced."

He led Quinn into the villa and slowly walked towards the end of the corridor.

Quinn didn't rush to flatter him; this was a serious academic time, and he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of this great scientist.

"The old man only knows some outdated ancient techniques."

Pulling aside the unremarkable wooden barrier, I stepped inside and opened the closet door.

"Come on, my lab is downstairs. I'll have to bend down, but this place was built to my height."

"No, please go first."

Seeing the entrance that reached his waist, Quinn didn't hesitate at all. He lay down on the ground and slowly crawled forward.

"Quinn, this old man is very curious about what this 'sunlight technology' Vegapunk mentioned is. Could you explain it to him?"

"Yes, please wait a moment."

Quinn, having struggled to climb into the underground laboratory, took out a chip from his pocket. Unlike the previous one, this chip was more sophisticated and smaller.

"Teacher, please keep this a secret."

"It's not that I, Quinn, am stingy, but Sunshine Technology is technology capable of changing the world."

"Vegapunk is now under the World Government's control. If they get their hands on this technology, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Quinn connected the chip to the computer equipment and then rummaged through the "junk pile" behind him to find "materials" that could be used to build energy storage.

"So-called sunlight technology is about using collected sunlight, purifying and colliding it, and collecting the changed energy at the moment of impending explosion."

Quinn took off his shirt and took out a mechanical Pegasus from his body.

"I am a cyborg, and the energy source used in my body is the latest generation of solar energy."

Click—!

After connecting Pegasus to the computer, Quinn began typing away on the keyboard.

At first, Tsukimi, who was watching from the side, had the same kind face, but when the experiment proceeded and she saw the energy level displayed on the screen, her brows furrowed instantly.

"This level of energy—is this the final result of your research?"

Quinn shook his head: "This is only the initial result. This energy is not very stable right now. The reason I'm using it on myself is because..."

"It's because I need to discover its flaws and shortcomings. Only after it's completely stable will this energy source become a free energy source for our secret base."

Free energy?

Tsukimi was stunned: "You mean, you don't plan to use this energy to make a fortune?"

"Get rich? Why would I want to get rich?"

Quinn retrieved Pegasus and used the control device to store a small amount of extracted solar energy in a makeshift storage tank.

"I am a scientist, and a scientist who is proficient in modification technology."

"Everything I create is to make the weapons I modify more powerful. As for Bailey..."

"We have more than enough of that stuff; I don't need to make a fortune from this little bit of money."

"Moreover, this energy source can basically be seen as a risk-free business. As long as there is still the sun, I can produce it indefinitely."

"Teacher, come and see."

Queen stepped aside, gesturing for Tsukimi to move closer to the energy source.

"This energy is like a cell; it can multiply indefinitely while maintaining a certain level of activity."

Tsukimi grasped the warm energy bar and looked at the monitoring screen on the side.

Energy levels are rising at an extremely slow pace.

"That's precisely why I didn't want you to hand over this technology to Vegapunk."

"The more solar energy collected and purified, the faster the reproduction rate."

"Once a certain quantity is reached, it may even lead to an uncontrollable qualitative change. I wouldn't be surprised if mature solar technology could create an artificial sun in the future."

"but!"

"If it were used in weaponry—"

Quinn didn't say anything, but Tsukimi had already foreseen that future.

"The world will be destroyed."

"Now I finally understand what Vegapunk meant when he said you've gone astray. Aren't you afraid this energy will explode inside you?"

Quinn looked at the old man who was gazing at him with a resolute expression.

"I am a scientist, Professor Tsukimi!"

"Scientists cannot be stopped by fear. If one day I am afraid to move forward, the scientific blood flowing in my veins will surely weep."

"A scientist who cannot control the technology he creates is incompetent."

"The fact that I dare to use this energy means that I can control it, at least for now."

Tsukimi stared intently at the young scientist, her pupils reflecting Quinn's resolute expression.

"Is that so? You brought me a nice gift as a return gift."

Carefully putting away the solar energy, Yuejian erased the computer's history and reopened a document.

"Let the old man lend you a hand."

"In our previous communications, Vegapunk said you wanted to exchange climate technology, right?"

Quinn nodded in agreement.

"But those were just little things the old man researched in his spare time; the real science is them."

"Although the old man was born in this place, his hometown is not this sea."

"The technology I possess is not the technology of this ocean. Although by this time, only one-tenth of the knowledge has been passed down, it is still enough for you to study for a while."

"Have you heard of—"

sizzle ————

Suddenly, a graphic explanation of Lieutenant Spacy being dismembered appeared on the screen.

"Mechanical life form?"

Machines — life?

Quinn stared blankly at the screen; the text on it was simple enough for him to understand.

But why is it incomprehensible when they are combined?

"Metal and machines have no soul, but by following the recipe and throwing in the materials, you can eventually give them a soul."

"That is, what is called intelligent life."

"Like Lieutenant Spacey, whom you just saw, he is a masterpiece born from this scientific knowledge."

"I'm insane, I must be insane, this technology—"

With trembling fingers lightly touching the screen, Quinn muttered to himself as if he were insane.

"I see, I see."

"So this is where Vegapunk's inspiration for lineage factors came from!"

"Giving the clone a soul, no wonder he was able to make rapid progress after obtaining Judge's knowledge, it turns out it was all because of this ancient technology."

With this image etched deep into his mind, Queen suddenly remembered Vegapunk's attempt to replicate Devil Fruits.

Give machines life!

If we apply this inspiration to Devil Fruits, let's assume that Devil Fruits possess a kind of "life" that they cannot understand or discover.

Vegapunk received this inspiration because of his acquaintance with Tsukimi.

Thus, through "inspiration," they discovered the life of Devil Fruits.

Then, Vegapunk obtained the concept of lineage factors from Judge.

After undergoing some transformations he was unaware of, Vegapunk used cloning technology to replicate the Devil Fruit!

Do not!

It must be that Vegapunk used cloning technology to replicate the life hidden inside the Devil Fruit!!

He didn't clone a Devil Fruit, he cloned the life form of a Devil Fruit!!!

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

At this moment, Queen finally understood the source of Vegapunk's helpless sigh on the eve of MADS' disbandment.

Only Zoan-type Devil Fruits have a chance of successful cloning because this type of fruit possesses something that other fruits lack.

Life, or rather, consciousness!

Suddenly, Queen recalled the casual conversation between Bazel and Kaido while they were drinking, and the process by which Ashie captured souls to create Devil Fruits.

And the legends about the awakening of Zoan-type Devil Fruits —

"Whether it's Vegapunk or Asiel, the reason they were able to create Devil Fruits..."

Quinn's expression suddenly turned serious.

"So that's because there's something like that inside!!"

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