The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

He immediately stopped smiling, straightened his back, and with a serious expression, said in a loud voice:

"Commander of the Naval Science Unit Protection Force, and Vice Admiral of the Naval Headquarters—Sentomaru! Salutes to the Grand Admiral of the New World Navy!"

Sentomaru gave a standard and forceful military salute, his posture impeccable.

Just then, a lazy voice came from the side: "Yo~ Sentomaru-kun, that's really heartbreaking~"

“I’m about the same age as Mr. Gern, so why do you only call him ‘Big Brother’ and always refer to me as ‘Uncle’?”

Suddenly, Kizaru appeared not far away, his hands in his pockets, head tilted, looking quite "hurt".

Sentomaru turned around, gave a simple, honest smile, but his tone carried an undeniable firmness: "Uncle!"

"This is really not cute~" Kizaru pouted and shook his head helplessly, but there was no real blame in his eyes.

"Hahaha!" Sentomaru laughed heartily, no longer bothered by the issue of address, and turned to lead the way, "Let's go! Uncle, Brother Gern."

Uncle Punk should be in the core lab right now. He instructed me beforehand that if Brother Gern came, I should take you directly to him.

Watching Sentomaru's retreating figure lead the way, Kizaru walked side by side with Gern. He adjusted his sunglasses, his gaze fixed ahead.

Suddenly, in a rare, calm tone, without any hint of mockery, he spoke softly to Guern.

"thank you."

Gern tilted his head slightly, somewhat surprised: "Hmm?"

Kizaru didn't look at him, keeping his eyes fixed ahead, and spoke very softly.

"I don't know why... but I feel like I should thank you."

"Because... with you in front of me, it seems... I don't have to bear so much... weight... called 'justice'. Gen-kun."

This statement is less a thank you and more a reflection, a sense of relief after shedding some invisible burden.

Kizaru may be lazy and slack off, but he is not unaware of the Navy's predicament and the darkness of the world.

Now, with Gern's arrival, he has taken on that heaviest burden.

He created a space for all those willing to follow him, including Kizaru, where they could breathe a little and even choose a "more relaxed" way of life.

Gern understood the unspoken meaning in Kizaru's words, but said nothing. He simply turned his gaze back to the depths of the technologically advanced passage ahead.

Some greatness needs no words.

Chapter 534 You are not....D

Following Sentomaru, and passing through layers of heavily guarded alloy gates and energy barriers, Gern and Kizaru finally arrived at the core area of ​​Egghead Island.

Vegapunk's main laboratory.

The interior of the laboratory is far more impressive than the outside world can imagine.

Countless intricate photonic circuits spread across the walls and ceiling like a neural network.

A complex stream of data flowed like a waterfall on the holographic projection, while various unprecedented experimental devices emitted a low hum.

But in the very center of the laboratory, what is most eye-catching is not any instrument, but a…

A colossal brain suspended in a special nutrient solution and energy field!

This is precisely the result of Vegapunk's innate genius, catalyzed by the Brain-Brain Fruit and his own relentless infusion of knowledge.

The world's largest brain!

Its sheer size was breathtaking, and its rugged surface shimmered with a ghostly blue bio-electric light.

Countless fine pipes connect to it, forming the biological core of the entire Egghead Island supercomputing network!

Gern shifted his gaze from the magnificent brain to the figure standing directly in front of it.

Vegapunk's head, due to the power of the Brain-Brain Fruit, has swelled to an extremely exaggerated extent compared to many years ago, making his height almost comparable to that of a giant, which looks very disproportionate.

Clearly, this body can no longer properly support the ever-evolving and infinitely expanding "source of knowledge".

So, this genius scientist simply cut off the original head that had grown enormous due to storing endless knowledge!

Therefore, the area above Vegapunk's skull was originally empty; instead, it was replaced by a strangely shaped device.

Just as half a fresh apple forms a skull-like framework.

This is what he used to sustain his life and endlessly receive knowledge signals from the giant brain in front of him after his brain was removed.

"Apple Head Dome"!

"Simply cut off the head that has grown larger due to storing knowledge, and nurture it to become an independent supercomputer."

Then, through this 'antenna,' one can infinitely receive knowledge and break free from the constraints of the physical body?!

Even with his extensive knowledge, Guern couldn't help but sigh softly.

"I didn't expect you to be able to spot it at a glance, Gern!"

A voice interrupted Gern's thoughts.

Vegapunk, sporting an "apple head cap," approached Gern.

Because Guern requested a private meeting, only the two of them remained in the room.

“It’s been years, Vegapunk.” Gern looked at this 'genius’ and a smile crept onto his lips.

“It has indeed been a long time!” Vegapunk’s voice rose slightly, carrying a hint of excitement unique to researchers.

"However, I watched the entire operation you performed in front of the World Government's live broadcast the year before last."

You are now a qualified politician!

After exchanging pleasantries, Vegapunk jumped onto a specially made high-backed chair next to him.

To make his "apple head" look at Gern at eye level, his tone became more direct.

"Speak! We usually wouldn't have any interaction, so why did you come to see me?"

Gern did not answer immediately. He reached into his pocket with his right hand and when he came out again, he was holding a piece of rubbing paper with a special texture between his fingers.

With a flick of his wrist, the paper unfolded, revealing ancient and distorted characters and strange road sign patterns.

“I want to know…” Gern began, his voice low, his gaze fixed intently on Vegapunk.

However, he hadn't finished speaking...

“You don’t need to know!” Vegapunk reacted with astonishing speed, interrupting him as he sprang up from the high chair and landed on the ground with a thud.

Vegapunk stared intently at Gern, speaking slowly and deliberately, his voice carrying a cold, judgmental tone.

"You are not the chosen one! Gern, you are not... D!!"

Vegapunk's assertion echoed in the cold laboratory.

"This journey and its meaning are irrelevant to you; you are not the nemesis of 'God'!"

It doesn't matter whether you know this or not, Gern.

"The World Government doesn't care about you, because you're not D!"

For a time, the name "D" stood like an invisible barrier in front of Gern.

But the smile on Gern's face did not fade in the slightest. He was not angry at being rejected; instead, he chuckled softly.

“Hehe…” As the laughter subsided, Gern raised his hand and casually dusted off the rubbings of historical road signs.

“I am indeed not D,” he readily admitted, in a flat tone, “nor am I the so-called 'enemy of God'.”

Before he finished speaking, Gern's eyes suddenly sharpened, revealing his ruthlessness.

His previously restrained aura suddenly erupted, unleashing an invisible, domineering impact that caused the electronic buzzing that filled the laboratory to become unstable.

Then, Gern took a step forward, and the metal ground beneath his feet emitted a faint "hum," as if it could not bear the weight.

"but…"

“God, it will surely fear me!”

It's not "maybe" or "perhaps", but "definitely"!

This is not a declaration based on bloodline or destiny, but a blatant challenge to predetermined fate stemming from one's own absolute strength and will!

He wasn't chosen as the "natural enemy," but he was destined to become the "Heavenly Tremor" that would make even the "gods" tremble!

“Gern, these things really have nothing to do with you…” Vegapunk tried to dissuade him.

"Vegapunk!!"

This time it was Gern who interrupted him, and at the same time, a faint "crack" sounded in the air, and several spiderweb-like cracks spread out.

Pale, vibrating particles, visible to the naked eye, spontaneously emerge like stardust, leaping and emitting a faint "humming" sound.

Gern stared at Vegapunk, speaking slowly and deliberately, his voice cold yet carrying a madness that seemed to trample on fate.

"Please understand, if necessary, I can kill all of them right now...D!!"

All the logic and fatalism you rely on to deduce this.

It's useless against me. Although I may not be the destined "enemy," I possess the power to directly destroy "fate" itself!

"And that... is enough."

Chapter 535 Mother Fire

Vegapunk fell silent in response to Gern's words.

Only the faint hum of laboratory instruments and the hissing of vibrating particles in the air accentuated the deathly silence.

After a long silence, Vegapunk finally broke the tense atmosphere with a dry laugh: "The Heaven-Shatter Fruit, it really is a powerful Devil Fruit!"

"Simply raising the tone of his voice caused such a disturbance..."

It seems you've completely mastered and integrated the awakening of the Natural type.

After saying that, Vegapunk's head (or rather, his apple-shaped head) slowly shook, changing the subject.

"Unfortunately, in my research on Devil Fruits, I discovered their true nature."

His tone carried the calmness of a scholar reciting truth: "That is, Devil Fruits are actually the possibility of 'human evolution' that people are pursuing."

However, this 'unnaturalness' was rejected by Mother Ocean, so Devil Fruit users cannot swim.

“Not bad research,” Guern replied in a flat tone, “but I have absolutely no interest in it right now.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the vibrating particles around him did not dissipate; instead, they became even more active, and the pressure in the air increased rather than decreased.

“So, can you tell me now, Vegapunk?” Gern stepped forward, his eyes sharp as knives, his voice low.

"Or...aren't you worried I'll kill you here?"

“Impossible,” Vegapunk replied quickly. “When you just said that sentence…”

The probability of the intention to 'kill all D' is as high as 90%, while the probability of 'saying kill me' is only 5%.

"So, you don't want to kill me."

"Are you that sure? Don't be so sure, there's still a 5% chance!"

"But compared to the previous 90%, it still makes me very optimistic."

After criticizing Gern, Vegapunk understood that the man before him was the type who wouldn't give up until he saw a clear benefit, so he continued...

"Although I already know your purpose and your determination in this matter, it's... a pity."

"What's a pity?"

“I can’t understand the ancient script.” Vegapunk pointed to the rubbing in Gern’s hand.

"The only place with systematic research, Ohara, has been completely destroyed by the World Government. That precious knowledge... I was unable to collect it in time."

As for the fragmented information I myself have gathered, it comes from the main historical text, not from road signs. "After saying that, Vegapunk's apple-shaped cap jumped."

"And as far as I know, the only person on this ocean who can still decipher these characters is Nicole Robin, who is known as the 'Child of the Devil'."

Perhaps only certain special races, such as the Three-Eyed Clan who are rumored to be able to awaken the power of a third eye, could possibly decipher the mysteries of ancient writing.

Gern's gaze fell on Vegapunk, and a few seconds later, the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

The old man wasn't lying.