Devil Fruits, especially the Paramecia types he valued most, had abilities that were almost impossible to replicate.
Even if an ability was replicated using blood or other tissues, it would be impossible to continue developing it. What people valued most about Paramecia types was their near-infinite potential for development.
In contrast, the potential of Zoan or Logia Devil Fruits was basically fixed.
Even if developed to the level of Awakening, a Zoan type would only become faster, stronger, have higher defense, and better recovery. A Logia type would only have a larger attack range and longer-lasting attack effects.
By comparison, while Paramecia Devil Fruits were on par with the other two types in combat power, they absolutely crushed them in terms of auxiliary capabilities, especially for scientific research and development.
"Come, let's go see my collection... I hope they're okay. I've already prepared Kotoamatsukami to brainwash them!"
Hearing Vegapunk's wicked goal, neither Hancock nor Nico Robin showed any reaction on their faces.
Aside from Vegapunk, Hancock might care a little about Amazon Lily, but she didn't care about anyone else at all.
Nico Robin was slightly better, but not by much. As long as Vegapunk didn't do anything anti-human like a mass slaughter, she wouldn't oppose his plans.
Soon, Vegapunk led the two women to a special room inside the Dream Star. Hundreds of hibernation chambers stood in the room; most were empty, but a small portion contained people currently in hibernation.
Placed in the very center was a round-looking guy with an iron jaw. That was the experimental subject Vegapunk was most interested in: the Munch-Munch Fruit user, Wapol.
For a long time, Vegapunk had used various robots created from Wapol's blood that could use the Munch-Munch Fruit's power to synthesize various raw materials.
However, using the fruit's power directly to manufacture raw materials was actually just the most basic application of the Munch-Munch Fruit. Vegapunk obviously didn't want to stop there.
The blood extracted from an ability user could only manifest the power that the user had developed at that time. Clearly, Wapol was not a strong person who liked to develop his fruit's power, nor was he someone willing to listen to Vegapunk.
Furthermore, the Munch-Munch Fruit's self-modification ability made the threat of planting a bomb in his brain ineffective, so Vegapunk had temporarily put him into hibernation.
In reality, the various Devil Fruit abilities in the One Piece World were even more nonsensical than the various abilities in the Naruto World. The abilities in the Naruto World at least had to follow some logic.
Common fodder Ninjas could at most use the Five Elemental Release. Even if Edo Tensei or the Flying Thunder God Technique were placed in front of them, they wouldn't be able to learn them.
However, the Devil Fruits in the One Piece World followed no logic. It was possible that some guy who looked like an idiot possessed a heaven-defying Devil Fruit ability, and the nature of that ability could be so tricky and bizarre that it surpassed one's imagination.
The Devil Fruit Users that Vegapunk could find and collect were naturally those with sufficient power and potential who were neither obedient nor easy to control.
"Let's start with this guy first! From today on, make him develop his fruit ability with single-minded devotion!"
As he spoke, Vegapunk's hands were already forming seals, and a hint of red light appeared in his eyes.
Although Vegapunk hadn't swapped in something like the Rinnegan, theoretically, various Kekkei Genkai abilities were a type of instinctive application of Chakra. In other words, as long as the level and quantity of Chakra were sufficient, all Kekkei Genkai abilities could be derived using Ninjutsu.
The Chakra in Vegapunk's body might only be at the bottom tier of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, but in terms of quality, having absorbed Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's enhanced Chakra, it was even a notch stronger than an average Ōtsutsuki.
With his brain plus the help of the chakra network from before, deriving an enhanced version of Kotoamatsukami only took a day or two. This was a Kotoamatsukami at the level of Yin-Yang Release Kekkei Mōra. Theoretically, even an Ōtsutsuki Clan member hit by this move could turn into a loyal dog.
Using it on Wapol was absolutely overkill, like using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken.
It took half a minute to complete the seals. The red light in Vegapunk's eyes grew more intense, and then a massive amount of spiritual energy surged into the hibernation chamber, instantly modifying Wapol's subconscious.
Exhaling a long breath, Vegapunk said, "Open the hibernation chamber!"
A moment later, the hibernation chamber was opened. As the liquid was drained, Wapol slowly opened his eyes.
Upon seeing Vegapunk, the expression on Wapol's face immediately became serious.
"Greetings, Lord Vegapunk! Does my Lord have any orders?"
Nodding slightly, Vegapunk looked at Wapol and commanded:
"Go and train your Devil Fruit ability well!"
A fanatical smile appeared on Wapol's face, and he answered without hesitation, "Yes, Lord! What I love most is training my Devil Fruit ability!"
After sending Wapol to the warehouse to synthesize various materials, Vegapunk began to brainwash the other Devil Fruit Users.
There was the Kami-Kami Fruit user who could store various things and make people disappear, the Radiation Fruit user who could produce various radioactive isotopes, the Weight Fruit user who could change the weight of matter, and the Compression Fruit user who could compress matter... A large group of various bizarre Devil Fruit Users were brainwashed one by one by Vegapunk, taken as subordinates, and given the task of training their Devil Fruit abilities.
Finally, Vegapunk arrived at a hibernation chamber in the very center and looked up slightly.
Sleeping in this hibernation chamber was a beautiful woman with long green hair wearing a kimono. This was the most miraculous Devil Fruit User in Vegapunk's collection.
The Time-Time Fruit user—Kozuki Toki!
This Devil Fruit User, who should have died in Wano Country, was instead captured alive by Kaido himself because of Vegapunk and delivered into Vegapunk's hands.
In the original story, Kaido didn't care much about Kozuki Oden's wife, children, and subordinates, so after Kozuki Oden was caught, his wife and children were able to run around for a while.
But once Vegapunk used the imitation Azure Dragon Fruit as a trade item and specified that he needed Kozuki Toki, the Devil Fruit User, Kaido immediately detained and captured her, cleaned her up, and sent her to Vegapunk's experimental base.
As for whether Vegapunk was interested in Kozuki Toki's appearance or her Devil Fruit, it didn't matter to Kaido at all. In the face of the temptation of the imitation Azure Dragon Fruit, Kaido didn't question anything.
To ensure the trade went through, Kaido even threw in two Great Grade Swords and the young Kozuki Hiyori as bonuses, which had left Vegapunk with a face full of black lines at the time.
The Great Grade Swords were one thing; although they were useless to Vegapunk, they were at least normal high-value trade items. Why send a little girl?
Following the same process, when the hibernation chamber opened, Kozuki Toki walked out very elegantly and bowed to Vegapunk.
"This humble one, Kozuki Toki, greets Lord Vegapunk!"
Although chronologically Kozuki Toki should be over 40 years old now, she had been lying in the hibernation chamber for nearly 20 years. Therefore, she still maintained the youth and beauty of a twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-old.
At this moment, she looked up slightly, her eyes brimming with emotion and a look of pleading, appearing quite pitiable as she entreated Vegapunk:
"Lord Vegapunk, I wonder how my daughter is doing now?"
Kotoamatsukami could control a person's subconscious and make them completely obey implanted orders, but outside of that, the controlled person wouldn't show any other abnormalities, nor would their attitude toward things other than the orders change.
In other words, while the Kozuki Toki before him would follow Vegapunk's orders and work hard to train her Devil Fruit ability, she wouldn't change in any other aspect.
Naturally, her concern and worry for her daughter remained unchanged. One must remember that she and Kozuki Hiyori had been captured and brought to Vegapunk's experimental base together.
At that time, Vegapunk would occasionally draw her blood for experiments. To prevent Kozuki Toki from escaping, he used Kozuki Hiyori to manipulate and restrain her, but he basically never let Kozuki Toki and Kozuki Hiyori actually meet.
After all, the escape capability of the Time-Time Fruit was truly the best in the world.
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