Clenching his fist, Juno began to think. He couldn't use force, but running away like Queen and Judge wasn't an option either.
"Okay, guys, now we've conquered Zoan Devil Fruits. Let's continue with Paramecia," Vegapunk declared, his sharp eyes scanning his team.
A nervous scientist hesitated before mustering the courage to speak. "But Doctor, we've already tried all the items. Every fusion attempt with Paramecia Devil Fruits has ended in failure."
"It's been a month—do any of you have an idea? Zoan was successful, but Paramecia continues to fail," the scientist continued, his voice betraying his frustration.
Vegapunk sighed, disappointment clear on his face. "Does anyone have an idea? Come on, don't keep it to yourself."
The room fell into silence as every scientist lowered their heads. Seeing their dejected expressions, Vegapunk's disappointment deepened. He had hoped that his team would push beyond their limits and bring forth new possibilities. At this moment, he could only hope that his future collaborators would be more insightful, and able to keep up with his intellect.
Just as he was about to respond, Juno, who had been standing beside him, finally spoke.
"Dr. Vegapunk, is it because Paramecia Devil Fruits require energy as a drive, contrary to Zoan, which naturally integrates with life forms?" Juno asked, his gaze fixed on the sword in his hand.
Vegapunk blinked, processing the words before his face broke into a grin. "Hahaha! Yes, yes! My son is right! It's all about energy! It seems that after you dream of being a pirate shattered, you've started seeing the world more clearly."
Turning to his team, Vegapunk's energy returned in full force. "Did you hear that? It's about energy! So, we need to figure out a way to let objects use energy. Zane, go and bring those failed experiments and the Paramecia Devil Fruits still in stock."
Zane hesitated. "But Doctor, our budget for this month is already running low."
"What about the money from the sale of medicine to the tall noble?" Vegapunk asked.
"It's already been used," Zane replied.
"And the other projects?" Vegapunk pressed.
"None have shown clear progress, Doctor. You need to finish the fever medicine—it's the easiest product to sell," Zane said.
Juno listened intently, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Vegapunk was a genius, but even he was bound by financial constraints and the ever-present oversight of the World Government. The words of Zane only reinforced the urgency of finding a breakthrough. Money, resources, and time were all finite, and Vegapunk's grand experiments could collapse without proper funding.
But Juno was not limited by the same constraints. He had the means to think beyond conventional methods, beyond the boundaries imposed by bureaucracy. His mind was already churning, formulating a way forward while ensuring that he remained in Vegapunk's trust.
"Doctor, I believe we could expedite our progress," Juno spoke up, his voice carrying a newfound confidence. "Rather than continuing to waste resources on failed attempts, why don't we approach the problem from a different angle? Instead of trying to force Paramecia's powers into lifeless objects, what if we used objects that already have energy?"
Vegapunk's eyes sharpened. "You mean, rather than attempting to integrate an external power source, we could find a medium that naturally possesses internal energy?"
"Exactly," Juno nodded. "Instead of figuring out how to inject energy into an inanimate object, we use an object that already integrates a system of internal energy generation. By doing this, we could bypass the energy limitation that Paramecia Fruits currently face."
Vegapunk's expression shifted from curiosity to exhilaration. His mind raced through the implications of Juno's words. "Ah! Yes, yes! I see it now. That's why you're my son, Juno! You've inherited more than just my genes; you've got the sharpness to see what others can't! Energy generation, not just transference... That's the answer!"
With renewed vigor, Vegapunk turned back to his team. "Everyone, listen up! Our focus is now on energy generation! We will crack the mystery of Paramecia integration, and we'll do it faster than anyone imagined. Let's get to work!"
"Zane, can I see what Devil Fruits we still have in stock?" Juno asked, his eyes scanning the room in front of him, already picturing how the fruits could be used to further his ambitions.
"Okay, come with me," Zane replied, nodding as he motioned for Juno to follow.
The building they entered was massive, its door large and reinforced. It opened with a low, mechanical whine, revealing the sprawling interior. Inside, the warehouse was a mixture of high-tech, cutting-edge scientific equipment, strange mechanical creations, and piles of unfinished projects. Workstations cluttered with glowing screens, blueprints, and half-assembled gadgets were scattered throughout. There were workbenches piled with various mechanical parts, some with robots and gadgets that looked like they belonged in a future too distant to fathom. A faint scent of oil and metal mingled with the sterile aroma of advanced science.
Massive shelves lined the walls, stocked with rare materials, books, and storage units containing mysterious prototypes. Some walls featured glass panels showcasing Vegapunk's more important, unfinished inventions. Above, the ceiling was high and reinforced, pipes and wires crisscrossing like the nervous system of an organism. The space hummed with the quiet whir of machinery, punctuated by occasional sparks from experiments gone awry.
"Here are the Devil Fruits left in stock," Zane said, pointing to a shelf. "And here are the descriptions and info about the fruits we still have." He handed Juno a document before turning to leave.
"Okay, thank you, Zane," Juno said, taking the document and watching the assistant leave.
Now alone with the fruits, Juno's gaze turned serious. He knew the Devil Fruits could offer him the power to navigate his predicament, but he couldn't afford to pick anything too obvious or out of place. He began his search, knowing full well that ordinary Zoans like dogs, horses, or even snakes wouldn't help him. Even a Mythical Zoan wouldn't be useful, as it would only force him into combat situations, something he was eager to avoid.
His eyes landed on the first Paramecia fruit. The Bubble-Bubble Fruit. He grimaced. Just from the name, he knew it would be useless. A fruit that could create bubbles? What use was that? He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing when it clicked.
"Wait... isn't this the one that a CP9 girl ate?" he muttered, recalling the past events of the One Piece world. He quickly moved on, deciding it wasn't worth his time.
Then, his gaze shifted to another fruit. He couldn't help but let out a laugh, his heart racing with excitement. In his hand was a fruit with a smooth, spherical shape. The skin was reddish-brown with swirling patterns that resembled the design of a wooden door.
"Hahahaha… my luck is really working!" Juno couldn't contain his joy. Holding the fruit, he quickly checked the document in his hand, confirming what he already suspected.
It was the Door-Door Fruit (or Tō-Tō no Mi), the very same fruit that Bruno from CP9 had eaten. The fruit granted its user the ability to create doors on any surface, including walls, ceilings, and even mmid-air These doors could be used to travel instantly to different locations by stepping through them. No wonder the World Government took this fruit from Vegapunk in the future. It was a game-changer.
"Haha, looks like surviving just got a whole lot easier," Juno said, feeling the weight of his luck. With this fruit, he could escape any situation. As long as he could create doors to travel, no one could catch him or Vegapunk. This was the key to securing both of their freedom.
After carefully setting the fruit aside, Juno looked at the remaining two fruits. The first was the Kilo-Kilo Fruit, which allowed the user to change their body weight in fixed increments. They could adjust their weight anywhere between 1 and 10,000 kilograms, but the limitations were obvious. The weight could only be adjusted in large increments, which made it impractical for battle or everyday use.
"Limited control, no combat advantage... this one's practically useless," Juno muttered, dismissing the fruit as irrelevant to his plans.
His eyes then fell upon the final fruit: the Twist-Twist Fruit. He held the fruit, its unique shape feeling almost weightless in his hand, and quickly glanced over the description.
The Neji Neji no Mi (Twist-Twist Fruit) was a Paramecia fruit that allowed the user to manipulate and link objects or people, much like a Den Den Mushi. The user could generate and control a twisting force, but it was the communication aspect that caught Juno's attention.
"Wait... did I just read that right?" Juno frowned, his eyes narrowing as he reread the description.
"Can manipulate objects... and link people for communication?" he muttered, the implications beginning to sink in. "So it's like a group chat ability, but for objects or people?"
Juno's mind raced. This wasn't just any fruit. The ability to link multiple people for instant communication, or to create a network of sorts, could be incredibly valuable for espionage, coordination, and even influencing events from the shadows. He could use this fruit to coordinate with allies or even track down enemies, all while keeping himself safely out of sight.
"Haha, this is ridiculous. my cheat looks like a phone and now I found a fruit that can be used for group chat?" Juno chuckled to himself. "This is too perfect. This is a game-changer."
Juno carefully placed the Twist-Twist Fruit in his bag along with the Door-Door Fruit. He now had the tools he needed to craft his escape, and more importantly, the power to manipulate situations from afar. The remaining Devil Fruits could be used by others, but these two would be his trump cards.
As he made his way out of the warehouse, Juno felt a renewed sense of purpose. He had the power to move, to communicate, and to control his own destiny. Now, it was time to prepare for the next phase of his plan.