The Experiment Layer hall before them was completely empty.
There was nothing inside except the bare walls.
It no longer resembled a laboratory in any sense.
However, there was no dust anywhere, making it impossible to tell how long it had been abandoned.
"What's going on? There isn't a single trace of anyone here!"
Emporio Ivankov searched frantically, moving from one room to another like a man desperate for answers.
Each time he returned, his expression grew heavier.
He found nothing.
"Why? Why is no one here? Where is Vegapunk? Where are Kuma's memories? Where is all the data on Bartholomew Kuma?"
He stood in the hall again, his voice filled with frustration.
Trafalgar D. Water Law had already scanned the entire area with his Devil Fruit ability.
He slowly shook his head.
Ivankov's heart sank completely.
There were no living people on the entire island.
He slammed his fist against the floor.
"Did that old man really run after sensing something?"
Law narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Maybe the World Government was already on guard against us."
Beep.
A sharp mechanical sound suddenly echoed through the hall.
All three immediately focused.
"What was that?" Ivankov tensed up, his body ready for combat.
Law slightly drew his sword Kikoku, its cold gleam reflecting across the empty hall.
Rolan said nothing.
He activated his Observation Haki, spreading his perception across the entire island.
His expression shifted slightly.
That sound was familiar.
It resembled the warning of a self-destruction system.
Normally, such a system required a trigger.
But he could not sense anything of the sort.
"Beep. Self-destruct program initiated. Countdown."
"60… 59… 58…"
The mechanical voice froze the atmosphere.
Law immediately looked at Rolan.
"What do we do?"
"You take Ivankov and leave. Now. The entire island is about to blow."
There was no hesitation.
"ROOM."
Law instantly activated his ability, taking Ivankov with him and disappearing.
They reappeared above the sea outside Egghead Island.
Ivankov looked around in alarm.
"Hey! Rolan is still inside! And we're still too close to the island!"
Rolan had just confirmed the self-destruct sequence.
Staying nearby was dangerous.
Law remained composed.
"Relax. Our captain isn't someone who dies from something like this."
Even so, he moved them several kilometers farther away.
Ivankov looked at him strangely.
These people really trusted their captain to an unreasonable degree.
Back on Egghead Island,
Rolan stood alone.
Without hesitation, he activated his Devil Fruit ability.
Lightning erupted from his body.
In an instant, countless bolts spread across the island.
His figure was wrapped in blue electricity.
The entire barrier dome surrounding Egghead Island lit up with crackling energy.
Mechanical beasts roaming the land and sky instantly shut down, smoke rising from their bodies as they collapsed.
The entire island fell into chaos.
Conveyor systems stopped.
Defensive mechanisms failed.
Every automated structure shut down at once.
The sounds of machinery breaking echoed everywhere.
Sizzle.
Buzz.
Crackle.
The countdown abruptly stopped.
13.
Rolan exhaled slowly.
The uneasy feeling in his chest faded.
The self-destruct sequence had been halted.
If it had continued for even a few more seconds, the explosion would have been unpredictable.
Given Vegapunk's technology, the destructive power would not have been ordinary.
The lightning gradually faded.
Egghead Island lost its vibrant glow.
The futuristic brilliance disappeared, replaced by silence and smoke.
Everything mechanical had shut down.
"Shambles."
Law reappeared with Ivankov, bringing them back to the island.
"Wait, Law, that's dangerous…" Ivankov started, but stopped as soon as he saw the surroundings.
His eyes widened.
"This… what happened here? Did it already explode?"
Even Law was visibly surprised.
The island looked like it had gone through a complete collapse.
Rolan glanced around.
"Troublesome, but it's handled."
Ivankov let out a long breath.
He looked at Rolan differently now.
Stopping a self-destruct system designed by Vegapunk was something no ordinary person could achieve.
This was beyond human capability.
Rolan walked slowly through the empty hall.
"Law, what do you think about taking this island back to Peach Garden?"
Law raised an eyebrow, then looked around thoughtfully.
"Even if it's damaged, it still has immense research value. The environment alone makes it worth keeping."
Rolan nodded.
"Then we take it."
Ivankov immediately interrupted.
"What about Vegapunk? And Kuma's memories?"
Law frowned slightly.
"You should understand who Vegapunk is. If he's gone, he's likely with the World Government by now."
Before Ivankov could respond, a voice suddenly echoed through the hall.
"The only person in the world who could stop my self-destruct program… would be you, Rolan."
A massive screen lit up in front of them.
A figure appeared.
White hair, a strange headpiece resembling an apple stem, an extended tongue, and a lab coat marked with SSG.
It was unmistakable.
Vegapunk.
Law stared at the screen.
"So this is the world's greatest scientist. He looks… unusual."
Ivankov's expression darkened.
"So this is the man who erased Kuma's personality."
The figure on the screen began to speak again.
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