I am the Bandit King of the East Sea.

Rumble!

The ground around the research institute began to shake violently. To everyone's astonishment, the entire research institute, along with its foundation, was lifted into the air by a tremendous force.

The floating research institute cast a large shadow, and the soil below kept collapsing, flying towards the Dushan giant ship anchored on the coast.

"Is he planning to move the entire research institute, along with the land, all of it?" Vegapunk's previous composure vanished. He stared silently at the floating research institute in the sky, then at the four trenches left on the ground, and the deep pits between them...

He really hadn't expected this...

"No wonder he's the King of Bandits. I was only thinking about moving the equipment... but he took the entire research institute with him?"

Vegapunk was speechless.

“No, it’s not just the research institute.” He glanced back at the pirate prisoners and the children participating in the experiments around him.

"He took the artificial Azure Dragon Fruit I left behind, killed Caesar, retrieved the Salamander Fruit, and even knocked out and took away the fire dragon I created earlier..."

Vegapunk did the math and was both amused and exasperated.

With Siegfried's move, not a single living creature remained in Punk Hazard; even the buildings were taken away, leaving only a deep pit and ruins...

.............

The Dushan was a huge ship; one ship was an island.

There was still some open space on the island, so Sieg placed Vegapunk's research facility in the open space on the ship, then restarted the ship and left.

"This trip to Punk Hazard has been full of surprises." Sig himself was a little surprised.

At first, he just wanted to sail over in a small boat and take Caesar away.

To him, the trip to Punk Hazard was just a small matter, but he never expected to gain the Salamander Fruit, the artificial Azure Dragon Fruit, the Gas Fruit, a giant fire dragon, and even the entire research institute and Vegapunk.

After leaving the miscellaneous tasks to the bald man, Sieg finished setting up the research institute and headed straight for the castle in the center of the island, where Vegapunk was already waiting.

As soon as he pushed open the door to the reception room, Vegapunk stood up.

However, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes immediately afterward. Along with Sig appeared Amatsuki Toki... and the cat she was holding in her arms.

"Forget about the cat, are you sure you want this woman to listen in too?" Vegapunk frowned.

“Her abilities are quite unique… I’ll tell you about them later.” Sig had an idea, but instead of introducing Amatsuki, he glossed over it:

"Vegapunk, tell me your business first." Sig sat down at the table and gently tapped it.

"Alright then." Vegapunk placed his handcuffed hands on the table, indicating that he was harmless and sincere.

"My current body is that of a clone with the exact same bloodline factors as Vegapunk. It is an experiment, and also a backup."

Clones...

If we include Vegapunk from parallel universes, this Vegapunk is the third Vegapunk that Sieg has ever seen.

“Sigurd, do you remember when I met you at the Sword Mountain Island research base when you were still Sun Bear?”

Vegapunk turned his gaze to the blue and white cat in Tengetsu's arms and said calmly:

"As a user of the Time Reversal Fruit, I had been searching for other Time Fruit users before I met you."

The act of petting the cat suddenly stopped.

"The tide of history is like a surging river. Even if we are outliers who can briefly leap across the river of time, we are just two insignificant fish in the face of the vast river of time."

"I was convinced by your theory at first, but I didn't give up completely. Over the next few decades, I conducted several experiments."

“The first experiment: the artificial Time-Time Fruit experiment failed.” Vegapunk looked at the blue and white cat on the table: “Experiments always go wrong for unpredictable reasons. Even if time is reversed a thousand times, I still can’t create the artificial Time-Time Fruit user I want.”

"The second experiment: attempting to interfere with the course of historical events by all means, in the capacity of chief scientist Vegapunk... also failed."

"Sometimes I think this might be the predetermined fate. Even the power of the Time Reversal Fruit is still limited by the time travel paradox."

Vegapunk shook his head with a wry smile:

"As a user of the Time Reversal Fruit, I do not truly belong to this timeline. I am an anomaly at this point in time. All my efforts are destined to be in vain. I cannot change the future."

Sig's gaze flickered as he recalled his previous journey through time and the 100% power of the KING card: [The Original Hero].

The skill description states that time travel alone cannot affect the course of history.

By constantly tracing back to the past through the power of cause and effect, sowing causes in the past and guiding the effects in the present, the two reach a normal causal logical chain, making lies become truth... This is not the power of space and time, but the power of cause and effect.

A lie becomes the truth, reversing cause and effect.

This is the ability to interfere with the "past," rewrite reality, and alter the course of the world's story.

“But you are different.” Vegapunk gazed at Sigurd, his eyes deep.

“Sig, I’ve been watching you.”

“You have done what I could not: changed history, you have the ability to create clones, you are Admiral Higuma, you are the bandit king Sig, you are Sigma... That’s why I am standing in front of you now.”

Vegapunk crossed his hands, sat up slightly, and became a little agitated.

As a traveler across time, he carries a heavy burden, and in his view, another time traveler, Sig, is the only one who can share a common language with him.

He no longer cared about Tianyue beside him, and finally spoke the words that had been bottled up in his heart for a long time.

"As you know, the time-reversal fruit's ability is to travel through time physically."

"Human lifespan is finite. The more I use the power of the Time Reversal Fruit, the more time I experience... Even the Time Reversal Fruit cannot defy the passage of time. I will grow old and die."

"Limited lifespan and inability to change the course of history are the two flaws of the time-reversing fruit."

"So...after observing your behavior, I conducted a third experiment."

"I call it: the Torch Project."

Vegapunk's eyes flashed with a look of reminiscence:

"Initially, I tried to develop the power of the Time Reversal Fruit more deeply."

"Body travel is sending your body and consciousness to the past."

"I'm starting to try... sending only consciousness."

"In other words, sending one's consciousness, or soul, back to oneself at a certain point in the past can be called soul travel."

Sieg was taken aback.

Hearing the word "soul" from Vegapunk was a bit unexpected, but in this world... both souls and zombies are real.

Of course, Vegapunk is not a soul-type ability user like Brook or Big Mom.

“This attempt has failed.” Vegapunk shook his head.

"It might be because I'm not a soul-type ability user, or it might be due to the limitations of my physical body..."

"Later, I started creating my own clones..."

"A clone has the same bloodline factors as me, but is also a container without a real brain or consciousness."

Vegapunk clenched his fist instinctively and took a deep breath.

"As you can see, I succeeded."

"In other words... this body was born in the present, not Vegapunk from five hundred years in the future, but a normal human living at this point in time."

"At the same time, this body has the same bloodline factor as Vegapunk himself, which is equivalent to an artificial time-reversal fruit user."

"Furthermore, the consciousness of this body comes from Vegapunk at some point in the future."

"The body exists in the present, while consciousness arises in the future."

"Vegapunk from 500 years in the future cannot change the future, but perhaps Vegapunk born in the present can... This is the first objective of the Torch Project: to change the course of history."

Tian Yue was speechless; she was stunned and couldn't utter a word.

Sig was also startled.

"The second objective," Vegapunk continued, his interest piqued.

"The relationship between artificial Devil Fruit users and their original forms is like that between Momonosuke and Kaido."

"Therefore, a clone is also a backup."

"After the original body dies, the clone in the cryogenic chamber, which serves as a backup, will be awakened. Before the Devil Fruit is reborn, it will inherit Vegapunk's memories and abilities and become the next Vegapunk."

Vegapunk's gaze was deep and unfathomable as he calmly spoke;

"This is the Torch Relay Project."

.........

PS: Book Recommendation

Book Title: Junior Uncle Gets Stabbed Again

Summary:

Above Qingfeng Gate and Yunlan Peak, a peerless sword exuding a strong sense of oppression tore through the barrier between the mortal and immortal realms and stormed into the mortal world.

On the mountaintop, a fairy with a lowly figure, willow-leaf eyebrows, and bright eyes stood tall and unmoved, staring at the menacing sword that was about to fall, completely unconcerned about it.

A moment later, the murderous sword fell fiercely, easily piercing through the fairy's thick chest and emerging from her back.

Upon seeing this, the disciples couldn't help but smile knowingly.

"Brothers and sisters, Junior Uncle has been stabbed again!"

"Yay, Junior Uncle got stabbed again!"

"After this attack, Junior Uncle's cultivation will probably improve significantly, making him truly invincible in the world, right?"

"Nonsense! Junior Uncle is born with a sword bone and a sword heart, a sword immortal who can destroy mountains and rivers with a single thought and change the heavens with a single sword. How can we mortals possibly fathom the cultivation realm of Junior Uncle?"

"Senior brother is right to reprimand me; I was too hasty."

The entire Qingfeng Gate was instantly filled with joyful cheers and filial piety.

Chapter 1181 Travelers of Time... (4k)

All mortals must die eventually.

Even the strongest person cannot escape the passage of time. The only possible way to transcend it is through the immortality surgery performed by the Op-Op Fruit, which is known as the ultimate Devil Fruit.

The Time-Reversal Fruit allows for one-way time reversal, and Vegapunk, with his limited lifespan, is destined not to live to see five hundred years into the future.