One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

Roy sighed and strode after him.

In the laboratory, Gracia was pointing to a beating heart sample in a culture vessel.

He spoke eloquently about vascular reconstruction strategies for multiple heart transplants.

While listening, Vegapunk was drawing something rapidly in his notebook, muttering to himself.

"So you see, if you connect three hearts in parallel in a circulatory system, theoretically they can form alternating beats—"

"But if one of the hearts rejects the virus, the entire circulatory system will collapse."

My suggestion is to introduce an isolation valve—”

"Yes! An isolation valve! Made of elastin, it can withstand pulsating pressure and automatically close in case of an abnormality—"

"Doctors."

Roy's voice came from the laboratory doorway.

The two PhDs turned their heads at the same time, their two old faces bearing the same expression—

The dissatisfaction and resentment unique to elementary school students whose discussions have been interrupted by the teacher.

"Academic exchanges can be taken gradually."

Roy walked into the lab, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness, but even more so with an undeniable captain's authority.

"I have important business to attend to now."

Vegapunk and Gracia exchanged a glance and put down what they were holding.

Roy walked to the lab bench and tapped his fingers twice on the smooth surface:

"Listen carefully to the following task list."

First priority:

Replicating Devil Fruits.

This is the most important task of all at present, and all resources should be prioritized for it.

We will all cooperate and provide blood samples.

Kaido snorted from behind, confirming the matter.

Second priority:

Prioritize replicating the top-tier fruit samples that have already been acquired.

The abilities of these fruits all need to be backed up for core members to use in multiple fruit transplants. You two can discuss and decide on the specific schedule.

"Third priority - or subsequent task: "

Interdisciplinary research on lunar technology and lineage factors, mass production optimization of mechanical soldiers, and energy system upgrades.

These things don't require immediate results, but don't leave them unattended.

"You can study the rest as you like."

After Roy finished speaking, his gaze swept over the faces of the two doctors:

"Funds, materials, manpower—report directly to Stella what you need."

All the resources of Beehive Island will be prioritized for your research.

Vegapunk took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.

"no problem."

Roy looked at Baal and gestured with his chin toward the taciturn, muscular man.

"Can you manage the new lab?"

Barr grinned, revealing a mouthful of somewhat yellowed teeth:

"Give me three days. With the Island-Island Fruit and the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, I guarantee I can build a super laboratory that even an Admiral can't destroy."

"Three days?" Vegapunk paused, his voice filled with surprise. "Such a huge project, in three days?"

"Doctor, you're new to Beehive Island, so you don't know yet."

Gracia, standing nearby, chuckled and patted Vegapunk on the shoulder.

"You'll get used to the efficiency with which Beehive Island develops its infrastructure."

Vegapunk pushed up his glasses and looked at the group of people in front of him.

Kaido leaned against the wall carrying the Eight Precepts, Bullet grinned with clenched fists, and Roy stood calmly with his hands in his pockets.

Barr had already started squatting on the ground and sketching the laboratory on the surface of the rock with his fingers.

This group of people was unlike anyone he had ever met before.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Vegapunk turned around and called out to his assistants,

"Move the equipment! Move all the pedigree factor analyzers to the new lab!"

The assistants hurriedly got to work.

Gracia waved to his team as well:

"What are you all standing there for? Go help!"

"We've also moved the gene sequencer out of Warehouse No. 3; the two families will share it from now on!"

The research assistants from Beehive Island responded and rolled up their sleeves to join the moving team.

Two PhD students stood at the lab door, one with his arms crossed, the other with his hands on his hips.

Watching the assistants on both sides move the equipment from the old laboratory to the new laboratory like ants carrying house.

"By the way, what are your thoughts on that pink dragon fruit?" Gracia suddenly asked.

"You mean the color?"

Vegapunk adjusted his glasses.

From a genetic perspective, pink and cyan are almost identical.

The only difference lies at the end of chromosome 17—that segment of the gene sequence determines the color of the scales.

"So, their abilities are exactly the same?"

"Exactly the same."

Dragon's breath, cloud control, flight, and fire immunity—the core abilities are exactly the same.

Vegapunk's tone carried a hint of self-deprecation.

"Back then, I judged it as a failure simply because the color was wrong."

Looking back now, I realize I was indeed too obsessed with perfection.

"Perfectionism is an occupational hazard for scientists."

Gracia smiled.

"But now that we have you as a 'failed product' as a foundation, the timeline for replicating the Azure Dragon Fruit should be shortened considerably, right?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"With Kaido's blood sample, the first batch of replicas can be produced within three months."

"Three months?"

Gracia adjusted his glasses, a sly glint in his eyes behind the lenses.

"Do you believe that if we team up, we can get it done in two months?"

Vegapunk paused for a moment, then a slow smile spread across his wrinkled face: "Want to take a gamble?"

"Let's take a gamble."

The two shook hands, then simultaneously turned and shouted to their respective teams:

"Hurry up!"

"Get all the equipment moved before dark! The formal experiments will begin tomorrow!"

Roy stood not far away, watching the two doctors get back to work, and then watching the assistants who were as busy as ants, a slight smile appeared on his lips.

Stella appeared beside him at some point, her notebook never leaving his side.

"The budget will be exceeded."

Her tone was flat but her words were direct.

"Of the materials Vegapunk requested, there were seventeen that were simply unavailable in the New World."

I just went over the accounts with Tezzolo, and if we were to procure everything from the black market, this quarter's military budget would exceed it by 30 percent.

"Then let's rob it."

Roy's tone was flat.

Stella rolled her eyes: "I knew you'd say that."

But she still opened the notepad and started writing furiously in the notebook.

As he wrote, he kept repeating the names of those rare materials.

Roy watched her walk away, muttering to herself, and a smile appeared on his face.

In the distance, a deafening tiger's roar echoed from the training ground, followed by a streak of flame-infused, violet-colored lightning shooting into the sky.

Barrett and Kaido are at it again—these two battle maniacs can't stand not fighting every day since they met.

Roy ignored them.

He turned and walked toward his office, already planning his next move.

The transplant schedule for the white beard stubble needs to be arranged; Ace and the others will arrive in a few days.

The core members of Kaido's pirate crew also need to undergo heart transplants simultaneously, as Vegapunk's plan to replicate his Devil Fruits requires their bloodline factors.

And then there's that Straw Hat boy stirring up trouble in the New World—

There's so much to do.

But today, there is at least one thing to be happy about.

Beehive Island boasts the world’s most powerful group of scientists.

And this is just the beginning.