Chapter 40: Chapter 40
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Chapter 40 Law: Why Is Kaido Here? Go!
Leisurely tailing Caesar, Kaido surveyed the research institute, noting its unchanged familiarity from his memories. Suddenly, a bird-like figure surged ahead—cloaked in long, green, wavy hair, her hands now a pair of matcha-colored bird wings, and her legs, long bird claws. Approaching quickly, she landed with precision, immediately dropping to one knee before Kaido and Caesar, her submission stemming from the fear of displeasing Kaido. With utmost respect, she addressed him, "Lord Kaido, please forgive my ignorance of your arrival..."
Kaido gave her a lingering glance. Although she bore resemblances to Zoan types, this woman actually wielded Logia powers of the Snow-snow Fruit, likely being one of Aokiji's subordinates. She wouldn't be a user of the artificial SMILE. The bird's wings and legs attached to her body were enhancements made by Law with animal organs, evidence that Law was privy to the secrets of SMILE and held a profound revulsion toward it.
"Snow girl, how about joining me? Don't let your talent go to waste," Kaido offhandedly suggested. Snow girl Monet, her head raised in earnest surprise, was at a loss for words, not expecting Kaido to recruit her so suddenly. Kaido's offer was merely a thoughtless proposition; understanding her as a retainer of Doflamingo, he didn't truly anticipate her defection. She had faithfully lived for Doflamingo and was even prepared to die for him; a single offer wouldn't suffice to lure her away.
Regaining her composure, Monet respectfully declined, "I'm very sorry, Lord Kaido, I wish to remain with the young master." Her heart lightened, relieved that her refusal didn't incite Kaido's wrath onto her master.
"Yes, Joker does seem to be performing quite adroitly," Kaido commented, seemingly disengaged and unaffected by her rejection. It had been an inquiry of mere whimsy.
Kaido then gestured to Caesar, signaling to proceed onward. The pair strode past the still-kneeling Monet and made their way down the corridor. They searched until they eventually located their objective.
"This is it!" Caesar ushered Kaido into a sealed storage room, indicating a Devil Fruit secured within a protective layer. He posed a concerned question, "But are you certain about using this? Vegapunk condemned it as a failure, and if it's anything like SMILE..."
He left the worry hanging, implying potential ruin for Kaido's weapons. If it backfired, the consequences were on the experimenter's head.
"Do you understand the chasm that separates Vegapunk from the average genius, Caesar?" Kaido questioned, eyeing the apple marked by a money pattern, then peering down at the nervously perspiring Caesar. MADS, a consortium of brilliant minds, housed many such geniuses capable of groundbreaking discoveries. However, only one cornerstone existed—Vegapunk. This man could extract Devil Fruit genes to create near-identical replicas of the originals.
Kaido speculated that Vegapunk was on the verge of mastering life factors, suggesting the so-called failure was merely misdirection. Why just on the verge? Vegapunk had yet to engineer entirely new races such as the fur tribe, the ghost tribe, or the ancient giant race. His capacity to generate completely novel beings was still a work in progress.
Even "blazing angel" pacifists would agree that this is true. Caesar's face alternated between shades of blue and white for a while. He had always viewed Vegapunk with contempt, convinced that his power was too great and that the World Government, along with other researchers, was far too submissive towards him. Nevertheless, Caesar had to admit the brilliance of Vegapunk's talent—something unattainable for most in a lifetime.
"I see," Caesar uttered, breaking out in sweat. He rushed to the operation table, pressed a button, and the glass shield retracted via the mechanism. He eagerly took the Devil Fruit in his hand and then swiftly escorted Kaido to his lab, remaining silent and eager to start the experiment. His only wish was to send Kaido away as quickly as possible, for his faint heart could barely cope.
Meanwhile, Kaido sat disinterestedly, watching Caesar go about his seemingly pointless tasks, while contemplating his next course of action.
Across the terrain, on a volcanic peninsula between two streams of blazing lava fires, a man sporting a winter fur hat and a beard held a light blue cyclone in his hand. In an indifferent tone, he declared, "Ordinary people are forbidden to go to the island."
"Huh? Is this island your home?" Yamato retorted, clearly displeased and clutching her mace. She had been enthusiastically pursuing a fire dragon when this man appeared out of nowhere, blocking her path and threatening to eject her. Her excitement was cut short, and frustration set in.
Law's expression remained blank as the Room in his hand expanded hundreds of times in size, engulfing both of them. He had arrived at the peninsula in search of possible hidden World Government documents. But instead, he encountered a brash woman causing chaos in her pursuit of the dragon, prompting him to intervene.
Law extended three fingers from his right hand towards Yamato's heart, rotating them like a dial, and uttered, "Scalpel." Yamato sensed a formidable threat, her expression tensing as she instinctively covered her heart with an armored hue. The impact was subtle, and, to her surprise, her heart remained unscathed. Doubting the outcome, she checked her heart to find it undamaged.
Perceiving the block against his scalpel with armed colors, Law realized this woman was no ordinary adversary. Instead of attacking again, he inquired calmly, "Who are you?"
"Do I need to give my name before we fight?" Yamato, still flustered by the insignificant blow, scratched her head in confusion about the rule, yet replied candidly, "My name is Yamato, and I'm here with my dad, Kaido." She then turned expectantly to Law, "Now it's your turn to share your name."
The mention of the names sent Law into a heightened state of alarm, sweat breaking out on his forehead despite the heat – Kaido's daughter, in his presence, could spell trouble. Realizing the implications if Kaido learned of his plans, Law activated his Op-Op Fruit ability and vanished instantaneously, leaving only a stone to descend from where he stood.
Yamato, left bewildered by his sudden disappearance, scanned the vicinity to no avail; she couldn't find him. Frustrated, she called out, "Hey! You haven't shared your name yet!"
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