Juno lay sprawled across his bed, blissfully lost in the warmth of sleep. The world outside was quiet, the quiet that made his body sink deeper into the soft mattress. But then… he felt it.
Something was on his chest.
His eyes barely cracked open as he grinned lazily. "Is that you, baby?" he mumbled, the familiar weight on his chest comforting in its way. "Hmm, I missed you."
The weight seemed to increase, pressing down a little more firmly.
"Ohh," Juno's voice dropped to a teasing murmur. "You wanna do it?"
His hand moved instinctively, reaching out to touch whatever was on him. The soft, familiar texture? It felt… oddly smooth, almost oval.
Juno's eyes snapped open. His breath caught.
What the hell?!
There, inches from his face, was a grotesque, twisted face—sickly pale, with a wide, unnatural grin stretching too far across it. Its eyes gleamed in the dim light, and it seemed to be enjoying his confusion.
Juno's scream rang out, high-pitched and full of terror, as his body instinctively reacted. In an instant, he activated his Gas-Gas fruit power, turning into a cloud of gas and shooting backward, slamming into the wall with a loud thud. His body reformed with a crash, and he pointed a trembling finger at the creature. "You pervert! Stay away from me!"
The creature, who was far too familiar, burst out laughing.
"HE HAHAHA! Son, what were you dreaming about? Did you finally grow up? Will I be getting a grandson soon?" Vegapunk's voice was filled with mischievous glee as he hovered above his son, clearly enjoying the terror he had caused.
Juno's face went pale with a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "So it was only you?" he groaned, his body still shaking. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"
Vegapunk shrugged nonchalantly, a grin still plastered across his face. "Well, someone had to wake you up from that dream. Now that you're awake, though, look at what I've got for you!"
Juno, still trying to catch his breath, glanced over at the bed, where something black and long was lying. His eyes widened as he saw the object—a stick about two meters long, sleek and menacing in appearance. He grabbed it, feeling its weight in his hands, and looked at his father, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
"Did you make this, Father?" Juno asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
Vegapunk puffed his chest out proudly. "Of course! Who do you think I am?"
Juno beamed. "You're the best, Father!" But then his smile faded slightly as he noticed a sudden shift in Vegapunk's expression. The older man seemed to become contemplative, his eyes flickering with something like a distant memory.
"But… without your help, I wouldn't have been able to make it," Vegapunk murmured. "What was that… what happened last time?" His voice trailed off, his mind racing through the failed experiments and frustrations.
Juno hesitated for a moment, his thoughts swirling in a mix of caution and resolve. But after a second, he decided to tell his father everything. After all, Vegapunk was not just his father in this life; he was also the person Juno trusted the most. He needed his help, and if he was going to use his ability more in the future, it would be essential to be open about it. The success of the Visionary Device in others would require his use of the power, and with it, he would need to form alliances with subordinates and partners. It was time to share.
"This ability I got not long ago—it's something that lets me or others digitalize their powers and level them up through training, knowledge, and even their memories," Juno said solemnly, meeting his father's gaze. "But the most important thing is that it helps develop abilities from the existing ones. I call it the Visionary Device."
Vegapunk stroked his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing with intrigue. "Hmm, so your ability is like a tree. It stretches the knowledge and abilities you have, and with the help of your power, you can make it grow stronger, taller, or even stretch out more branches from the tree?"
"Yes," Juno nodded, relieved that his father understood the concept so quickly. "That's a good way to put it. It's just like a tree with branches."
Vegapunk gave a nod of approval, his expression satisfied for a moment. But then, he let out a disgruntled sigh, his mood shifting. "So, it's just a tree? I thought you'd be able to make my wishes come true. You know, you instantly bring the knowledge I want, but do you still need existing knowledge to move forward?"
Juno scowled, his patience thinning. "I have a tree, not Dragon Balls," he shot back, his tone sharp.
Vegapunk burst into laughter, amused by the jab. "Can Dragon Balls make a wish come true?" he teased before his expression turned serious again. "I'm joking, of course. But really, your ability can't take things from A to C. It can only go from A to B, which is incredible in its own right. Do you know what the most frustrating thing in science is?" He didn't wait for Juno to answer, his excitement rising as he spoke. "It's the experiments, the correct method. Sometimes, to verify a theory or create anything, you need hundreds or thousands of experiments to achieve it. And even then, after all that work, you may find out that everything you did was wrong, and you have to start all over."
Vegapunk raised his finger toward Juno, trembling with intensity, his eyes wide with admiration. "But with your ability, all of that can be skipped. Even with my knowledge and brain, I would need countless experiments to succeed. But you, you can take me directly to the answer, bypassing all the fog. You're like someone stuck in a fog, blindly moving forward, trying not to fall, only to have the fog lifted and suddenly see the way clear before you."
Juno stared at his father, a mix of pride and uncertainty tugging at his chest. "I know, Father," he said, his voice firm. "But you have to keep this secret. Until we make it to the safe base, no one can know."
Vegapunk nodded quickly, a look of understanding in his eyes. "Don't worry. Do you think I'm an idiot? With your ability, you're the hope of every scientist."
"Hope of scientists, huh?" Juno muttered under his breath, a small chuckle escaping him. His Visionary Device wasn't just about science. It could develop swordsmanship, Haki, Devil Fruits, and physical prowess. The possibilities were endless, far beyond just the scientific realm.
Vegapunk, still brimming with enthusiasm, patted Juno on the back. "You don't even realize it yet, do you, son? This ability could change everything. You could revolutionize the world."
Juno smiled faintly, but there was a glint of determination in his eyes. "Yeah, but for now, let's try this."
Juno's eyes flicked toward the stick Vegapunk had made, his curiosity piqued. With a steady hand, he pressed the first button on the handle. Instantly, the stick's weight shifted from a light five kilograms to a crushing 170 kilograms. His arm nearly buckled under the sudden shift, and a grimace crossed his face.
"Damn, that's heavier than I expected!" he muttered, his muscles straining to hold it steady. He quickly pressed the button again, and the weight lightened, giving him instant relief.
Vegapunk grinned, clearly pleased with the result. "Limited battery capacity for now, but I'll improve it later. It's a work in progress."
Juno nodded, a grin forming on his face. "This is great for training. I can switch between light and heavy attacks in an instant. I'll be able to perfect my control in no time."
Vegapunk's smile grew wider, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Speaking of improvements, now that we've got the Kilo-Kilo Fruit ready, it's time for the real challenge—the Net-Net Fruit and the Door-Door Fruit. Without them, your plan won't work."
Juno's expression darkened with determination. The stakes were getting higher, and the path ahead was clearer than ever. "Then let's get started. We have a world to change."
The air was thick with anticipation as Juno and Vegapunk made their way through the lab's narrow hallways. The hum of machinery and the soft clinks of tools created a rhythmic symphony in the background. Juno was deep in thought, his mind already running through ideas on how to approach the task ahead. Vegapunk, as usual, was a few steps ahead, leading the way to the lab's central workstation.
They reached a large metal table covered with papers, scattered diagrams, and a small array of experimental fruits. Juno's eyes immediately locked on the two Devil Fruits resting in front of him—the Net-Net Fruit and the Door-Door Fruit. Vegapunk placed them carefully on the table and raised an eyebrow, eager to see what Juno would suggest.
"Which one should we start with?" Vegapunk asked, settling into a chair across from his son.
Juno sat down, studying the fruits, his fingers tapping the edge of the table. "Both are powerful on their own, but the key to unlocking their full potential lies in how we combine them… But how?" he muttered to himself, brainstorming aloud. "Hmm…"
An idea hit him like a lightning bolt. He straightened up, his eyes lighting with excitement. "I think… I think I know how to control them both, but it won't be just through merging. We need something that can handle both their complexities. What if we use a computer to control them instead?"
Vegapunk tilted his head, intrigued. "A computer? You mean, integrate the two Devil Fruits with a machine?"
"Exactly," Juno said, leaning forward. "We can merge the Net-Net Fruit with the computer and build a link between all humans on the planet to chat or communicate, almost like an object itself. Then, we can use the Door-Door Fruit to act like a server—connecting to that computer, opening and closing doors remotely, and managing everything. If the computer controls both, we can maximize their abilities."
Vegapunk's eyes widened in realization. "A computer controlling the two Devil Fruits… That would be incredible. The computer could manage all their functions, optimize their powers to their fullest potential, and allow them to interact with the world in ways we could never imagine."
"Exactly," Juno said, excitement clear in his voice. "The object to control the Devil Fruits is set. Now, you can start building the computer and server that will support it."
Vegapunk grinned, clearly impressed. "What about you? Will you come here and help me build them?"
Juno shook his head. "No. You've got this. I'll head over to your old computer systems and work on programming the brain that will control both the computer and the server."
Vegapunk raised an eyebrow. "What are you boasting about? Can you come up with an AI from scratch? Even with your ability, it would take years to gather enough knowledge and stamina to make something like that."
Juno chuckled, a glint in his eyes. "Of course not. I don't want to create an AI like Ultron or Skynet and have it rebel against everything I've built."
Vegapunk blinked. "Who are Ultron and Skynet?"
Juno smiled mischievously. "Well, I hope one day you meet them. I think you'll find them quite… interesting. But right now, I don't want to build an AI. I want to create machine learning."
Vegapunk blinked again, clearly puzzled. "Machine learning? What's that?"
Juno leaned back, his hands moving in animated gestures as he explained. "Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on creating systems that can learn from data, identify patterns, and make decisions without being explicitly programmed. It's about developing algorithms that allow machines to improve over time as they're exposed to more data."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "In simple terms, it's like teaching a computer to learn from experience and get better at tasks without needing to program every detail."
Vegapunk scratched his chin thoughtfully. "So, machine learning is AI without spirit?"
Juno grinned. "Without spirit, that's true. But it's better suited for fixed tasks, stable control, and redundant tasks, like keeping the fruits running or managing the Door-Door Fruit's door-opening functions. No fear of rebellion like with AI."
Vegapunk thought for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "But isn't that like a person walking down a road who can only go forward, with no choice but to follow a set path, never able to stop or veer off course?"
Juno chuckled, amused. "Well, such a clueless person would be the best worker."
"Okay, okay, enough of your philosophy," Juno said, cutting off Vegapunk before he could spiral any deeper. "Let's start."
Juno moved quickly, driving the conversation forward. He sat down in front of a large screen and booted up the systems. But before diving into the coding, he reached out and activated his Visionary Device. The panel before him flickered, and he began analyzing the data.
"Let's raise this to the next level," he muttered to himself as he browsed through the options.
Artificial Intelligence – Level 4
Machine Learning – Level 7
Juno focused on the Machine Learning tab and raised it by one level. A sense of new knowledge flooded his mind, a better understanding of how to begin structuring his program. He felt his stamina drain, but only a fraction.
"Let's take it to Level 10," he said, determination in his voice.
Machine Learning – Level 10
A wave of understanding washed over him, and his forehead broke out in a light sweat. Half of his stamina was consumed, but it felt worth it. Juno glanced at the Physique stats on his panel.
"Now that we've got the basics down, we need to improve my physique. If I'm going to keep this up, I need more stamina," he muttered to himself, raising Physique to Level 3.
He felt a slight surge of energy as his body adjusted, and with his mind sharp and focused, Juno turned back to the computer, his fingers flying over the keyboard. It was time to build the program—the foundation of what would shape their future.