"Kaido is back?! Damn it, no wonder Vegapunk hasn't been around lately."
Explosions rumbled from outside.
Caesar shuddered at the thought of Kaido nearly leveling the entire base last time. After all, he had played a part in those experiments related to the Emperor.
Maybe I should find somewhere to hide first.
At most, Kaido will just cause some destruction, and the World Government will send someone to handle it soon enough.
The thought of escape was liberating.
Without hesitation, Caesar transformed into his gaseous form and quickly drifted toward the lower levels of the research facility.
...
Outside, moments earlier.
"Hey, what's that?"
As a crucial research base for the World Government, Punk Hazard naturally had its own security forces.
A CP agent stationed in a watchtower near the shore frowned, staring at a dark speck in the sky rapidly approaching.
Sensing something off, the CP members on duty immediately mobilized.
"A ship… in the sky?"
"A flying vessel… could it be Golden Lion?!"
"Quick, request reinforcements!"
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Alarms blared across Punk Hazard, echoing the urgency of the moment.
As the distance closed, the CP agents finally got a clear look at the intruder.
It was a small flamingo-themed sailboat, its flag marked by a grinning skull.
Perched atop the bird-shaped figurehead was a towering man clad in a crimson feathered coat. His steel-like muscles strained against a burgundy suit, exuding an aura of dominance and menace.
His lips curled into a sinister grin as he drew closer at increasing speed.
The CP agents immediately recognized the face.
"No… It's not Golden Lion—it's Donquixote Doflamingo! The former…"
"Alert headquarters! Doflamingo is attacking Punk Hazard! Stop him at all costs!"
The CP forces sprang into action, launching a barrage of cannonfire.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… disobedient servants, how troublesome."
Doflamingo's fingers twitched, and in an instant, countless threads sprouted from his body. They intertwined and wove together, forming a dense, elastic web that stretched in front of him.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The cannonballs slammed into the webbing, elongating its surface—but none of them detonated.
"A Devil Fruit ability?!"
"A Paramecia user!"
"Quick! Bring out the Seastone weapons!"
The CP agents, trained operatives of the World Government, were no strangers to battle. But recognizing the danger was one thing—having the power to stop it was another.
Doflamingo sneered.
"Rebellious little pawns… go to hell and reflect on your mistakes."
With a flick of his fingers, the stretched web rebounded, hurling the intercepted cannonballs back at even greater speed.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The black-uniformed CP agents scattered in panic, dodging their own artillery. Doflamingo smirked.
This is almost too easy.
He found it amusing how, even after Kaido's rampage, the defenses of Punk Hazard remained so lax.
The CP organization—Cipher Pol—was an elite espionage force directly under the World Government. Their divisions, numbered CP1 through CP9, handled intelligence, assassinations, captures, and security. They were the government's unseen hand in the world.
Among them, CP0 stood at the pinnacle.
Dressed in white, CP0 answered only to the Celestial Dragons. The strongest of them could rival Marine Admirals.
The black-clad divisions—CP1 through CP9—varied in strength. Some, like Spandam and his father, were weaklings with no real combat ability. Others, like Rob Lucci, could match a Vice Admiral straight out of the gate.
Doflamingo chuckled darkly.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… so full of life. Parasite String."
His fingers twitched again. The softened webbing dissolved into countless fine threads, rising like mist into the sky and engulfing the surviving CP agents.
"Now, unleash your hatred! Emotional Resonance."
BANG!
SWOOSH!
At his command, the CP agents—who had just been fighting side by side—turned on each other.
Mastery of Rokushiki techniques like Shigan and Rankyaku was evident in the precision of their attacks.
But their targets…
Were their own comrades.
"My body… it won't listen!"
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"Kill! Just die already!"
"Doflamingo… You're a Celestial Dragon, this is—AGHH!"
"Fuffuffuffuffu! That's it, my lovely pawns! The strongest survivor shall be rewarded."
Laughing, Doflamingo flew over the battlefield aboard his Flamingo Mini ship, ignoring the self-slaughtering agents below.
Punk Hazard had three major research facilities.
He wasn't sure which one housed Vegapunk.
After all, Judge only had the base's location—he'd never worked here himself.
But Doflamingo's sharp eyes caught something—a dragon, one of Vegapunk's creations, desperately fleeing into the distance.
A wounded beast always returns to familiar ground.
All he had to do was follow.
The base loomed ahead, its gates wide open.
Inside, rows of researchers stood perfectly aligned, awaiting his arrival.
Doflamingo's expression turned odd.
"Damn, are all pure scientists this obedient? They're way more cooperative than Judge, that part-time king."
The Flamingo Mini ship touched down.
Immediately, a panicked voice called out.
"W-We don't have gold or treasure! Please, tell us what you want! If it's within our power, we'll comply—just don't hurt us!"
Doflamingo chuckled.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… well-trained by the World Government, I see."
With a grin, he leaned forward.
"Relax. I won't harm you. I'm actually quite satisfied with your attitude. Now tell me—where are Vegapunk and Caesar?"
A nervous scientist stammered, "Dr. Vegapunk was summoned by the World Government. He left the island two weeks ago. We… we have no authority over his return date."
"And Caesar?"
The researcher hesitated.
"He… he was here just moments ago…"
Doflamingo's brow furrowed. The longer they spoke, the more anxious the lead researcher became.
So that's why only the lower-tier CP divisions were stationed here. Vegapunk isn't even on the island.
Makes sense. In the future, the Navy protects Vegapunk. Even if SSG isn't fully operational yet, at the very least, he's in contact with Dragon.
(The Special Science Group, abbreviated as SSG, is the Marines' science unit division led by Vegapunk)
Punk Hazard's security should be stronger, considering they had Kaido and King as test subjects.
What a shame. If I had Sky Island's resources and Vegapunk, I could've laid low for ten years… then ruled the world.
Doflamingo glanced toward the lower levels, sensing faint life signatures.
Caesar, you coward, that must be you.
His grin widened.
"Where do you keep the failed experimental subjects?"
"The… the lowest level of the base."
Bingo.
"Good. Now, don't be scared." Doflamingo waved a hand dismissively.
"You all still have plenty of use left. Just head to my ship and wait there like good little researchers."
Watching the scientists tremble under his gaze, Doflamingo smirked.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… I'm not some mindless killer, after all."
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg