Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Meeting Vegapunk
Vegapunk was gambling. He bet the Hell Pirates were just passing through—or at worst, here to snatch some of Karakuri Island’s high-tech gadgets. Surely they wouldn’t bother with petty cash, not with that ostentatious Golden Island floating above!
He was also betting he could get his family and the island’s residents out alive. The smarter the mind, the wilder the imagination—Vegapunk’s brain churned through scenarios, deductions piling up as he sought the best move.
But the Hell Pirates were a wildcard, a terrifying crew that didn’t play by logic. The alarm he’d triggered might’ve already pissed them off. Yet, if he hadn’t sounded it, how would the islanders know to flee?
He just prayed these big-shot pirates wouldn’t unleash their devastating Devil Fruit powers. Against that kind of destruction, hiding was pointless.
In the end, young Vegapunk’s heart won over his head. Logic be damned—he bolted back home to grab his parents and run.
...
High above, the Golden Island’s crew heard Karakuri’s alarm blaring. Caught already? No point in stealth now. Brook and his officers didn’t hesitate.
"Full assault!" Brook ordered. "Find Vegapunk, fast. Threaten the locals if you have to—just track him down so we can negotiate."
Officers leapt from the floating island, confronting fleeing residents. The islanders revered Vegapunk for his contributions, but self-preservation trumped loyalty. Faced with pirates, they spilled the locations of his lab and home.
Crew members swarmed toward Vegapunk’s laboratory and residence. Meanwhile, Vegapunk reached his house, urging his parents to flee with him.
"Pirates are coming!" he shouted.
His mother, unfazed, began stuffing valuables into a bag. Pirates loot everything, she figured—better save what she could.
"Mom, forget the trinkets!" Vegapunk snapped, exasperated. "These pirates won’t care about pocket change. We need to go now!"
Her obsession with money over survival baffled his hyper-rational mind. Life was worth infinitely more than gold!
"You don’t get it, son," she huffed. "You pour all your salary and bonuses into experiments. Without these savings, we’d be gnawing stale bread!"
She rambled on, proud of her boy, the island’s top scientist at such a young age. But life wasn’t cheap. She and her husband even chipped in to fund his research, happy to support their prodigy.
Once she’d packed her essentials, the trio dashed toward Vegapunk’s submarine. But their escape was cut short—pirates were already scouring the area, holding photos and scanning faces.
"There he is!" one shouted, spotting Vegapunk. The crew closed in, surrounding them.
Vegapunk’s genius mind clicked. The photos in their hands confirmed it: the Hell Pirates were here for him.
Was his secret Fruit exposed? Or had his growing reputation made him a target for recruitment?
The pirates didn’t radiate murderous intent, so they weren’t here for revenge. They likely wanted his skills—maybe to upgrade their tech or, worse, to drag him onto their ship as a crewmate.
"You’re Vegapunk, right?"
Redfield locked eyes with him, certainty in his voice. He tried reading Vegapunk’s mind with Observation Haki, but what he saw stunned him. Thoughts raced like lightning, one idea sparking the next, too fast for Redfield to keep up. It was like watching code scroll at breakneck speed—dizzying.
He shut off his Haki, shaken. First Brook, now this guy? Another mind he couldn’t pierce.
Vegapunk’s brain was a machine, endlessly churning through hypotheticals and predictions. No wonder Brook pegged him as a genius.
Vegapunk, meanwhile, caught Redfield’s satisfied smirk. His theory solidified: these pirates wanted his help or his membership.
"What’s this about?" Vegapunk asked coolly. "You need me to spruce up that Golden Island of yours?"
No point denying his identity—they had his picture. Playing dumb might earn him a blade to the throat.
"Not bad," Redfield said, grinning. "Brook’s here specifically for you. Don’t say no, kid. You won’t like the consequences."
He glanced at Vegapunk’s family, his smile widening. With them in tow, the scientist wasn’t going anywhere.
"I’m just a teenager," Vegapunk protested. "I’m nobody big. Why would a heavyweight like Brook come for me
?"His fame was local, confined to Karakuri. He was no match for the world’s renowned scientists—not yet.
Redfield chuckled. "Brook doesn’t misjudge people. Your future’s bright, kid. Maybe even the world’s greatest scientist."
He knew Brook had a knack for glimpsing the future. Had he seen Vegapunk’s potential?
"I’m flattered Brook thinks so highly of me," Vegapunk said, a spark of confidence in his voice.
Deep down, he believed it too. His intellect already outstripped everyone he knew, like he existed on a different plane. Two worlds, one mind.
...
Brook and the others arrived shortly after, having raided Vegapunk’s lab first. Redfield’s Den Den Mushi call brought them running.
When Brook laid eyes on the lanky young man, those piercing eyes struck him. They carried a detached, almost clinical gaze, like a human studying lesser creatures. A mind leagues beyond the norm.
"Yohohoho! Vegapunk, I bet you’ve already figured it out," Brook said, his skeletal grin wide. "What’s your choice gonna be?"
He knew this future genius wasn’t slipping through his fingers, dead or alive.
"Why’s a big shot like you so interested in me?" Vegapunk asked, curiosity piqued. "And how’d you track me down so precisely?"
Was Brook’s Devil Fruit tied to seeing potential or peering into the future? They’d never met, so how did he know?
"Not bad, kid," Brook said. "I did see the future. My future number-one scientist! So, here’s the deal: you and your family get to live on the Golden Island. In exchange, you can make a few requests for Karakuri."
Brook’s tone turned playful.
"You’ve heard of Golden Lion Shiki, right? Know what he can do? Wanna move this chilly winter island somewhere sunnier? Name your terms—consider it advance payment for joining my crew!"
He laughed, knowing smart folks like Vegapunk caught on quick. One way or another, this family was boarding his pirate ship.
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