"Looks like coming over this early in the morning was a bad idea."
Vegapunk glanced at Bonney as he spoke, then instinctively jumped sideways with cold sweat breaking out across his forehead.
Sure enough—
Cain's foot came down exactly where he had just been standing.
"Too close! Way too close!"
That dodge had been pure instinct. Even Observation Haki probably couldn't have produced timing that perfect.
Cain had already jumped down from the Going Merry with Uta still in his arms, landing precisely where Vegapunk had been a moment earlier.
The instant his feet touched the ground, Uta started complaining.
"Seriously! Bella finally decided to sleep in for once, so Cain and I finally had a little time alone together, and then you guys had to interrupt us!"
Then she looked toward Kuma, her eyes immediately brightening.
"Oh! Kuma's awake too?"
"I'm sorry, Big Sis Uta!"
Little Bonney hugged Kuma's enormous hand and apologized softly.
"No, no. If it's Bonney, I don't mind being interrupted at all."
Uta hurriedly waved her hands.
Kuma spoke next, his voice as calm and gentle as ever.
"I deeply apologize for disturbing you so early, Cain, Uta."
"And I would also like to thank you both—along with Fire Fist Ace and Sabo—for taking care of Bonney."
"Thanks to all of you, even while I had lost consciousness, Bonney was able to return to my side."
"Thank you."
"It wasn't a big deal."
Cain answered casually, then shifted the subject.
"But did you come this early because you're leaving?"
"It might not really be my place to ask, but I wanted to make sure."
"Yes."
Kuma nodded.
"Egghead is still under the World Government's jurisdiction. Bonney and I cannot remain here indefinitely."
Vegapunk looked between them.
Then he suddenly snorted.
"This is a pretty strange picture."
Kuma had one huge arm wrapped protectively around Bonney.
Cain was still holding Uta in a bridal carry.
Yet the two men were standing face-to-face, having a perfectly normal conversation as though there were nothing unusual about it.
Uta finally realized how they looked.
She immediately jumped out of Cain's arms.
Then she noticed Vegapunk's entertained expression.
Snap.
Uta clicked her fingers.
"Shut up!"
Music Domain unfolded.
From a glowing ring appeared that unmistakable hairy leg belonging to Shanks, complete with a slipper on its foot, and it kicked straight toward Vegapunk.
A bubble shield instantly appeared in front of him.
BAM!
The enormous foot struck the barrier and bounced away.
Vegapunk crouched behind the shield and wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Good thing I came prepared this time."
He sighed.
"Being around you young people really takes more out of this old man than anything else."
Once everyone's attention shifted toward him, Vegapunk stopped fooling around.
He clapped his hands, reached into his clothes, and pulled out a bracelet.
"This is for you."
He handed it to Cain.
"Since we weren't able to collect all the data Lilith requested, I stayed up all night putting this together."
"It contains the same kind of combat-analysis chip used in the Seraphim, so it can continuously monitor your battle data."
Vegapunk raised a finger before Cain could object.
"Relax. Nothing gets uploaded anywhere."
"Everything is stored locally."
"When the time comes, you only need to remove the memory module and hand it to Lilith."
"I assume you don't particularly want anyone else obtaining a complete record of your abilities."
He then pointed toward a faintly glowing adjustment panel on the inside of the bracelet.
"You don't need to worry about power either. It absorbs kinetic energy and bioelectricity from your body to recharge itself."
"And since you need something for training…"
Vegapunk tapped the display.
"I incorporated Pyrobloin into the bracelet."
"The concentration can be adjusted however you like."
"At maximum output, it can simulate an effect equivalent to ninety-nine percent pure Seastone."
"That should be useful when you're trying to push yourself past your current limits."
"So it's basically a limiter."
Cain took the bracelet and examined it closely.
A faint blue glow shimmered across the inner display beneath the morning sunlight.
"That's much more convenient than hauling around Seastone shackles."
He smiled.
"This is actually a great gift. Thanks, Vegapunk."
"I promise I won't step on you anymore—"
Cain snapped the bracelet around his wrist.
The next instant—
every ounce of strength seemed to drain from his body.
His legs violently shook beneath him.
Cain barely kept himself standing as he looked down at the bracelet.
A line of text flashed clearly inside a bright red warning zone.
PURITY: 100%
Cain slowly raised his head.
"Even though I literally just said I wouldn't step on you…"
His teeth clenched.
"…you're making it really difficult not to."
He dragged three fingers downward across the screen and lowered the concentration to fifty percent.
The crushing weakness immediately receded.
Cain steadied himself and took a deep breath.
Vegapunk had already fled behind Kuma the instant Cain's knees buckled.
The old scientist curled himself into a ball and peeked around Kuma's arm, genuine guilt in his voice.
"S-Sorry!"
"I forgot the bracelet's default setting was maximum output!"
"I was up all night and forgot to change the starting value!"
"You can adjust it automatically by sliding downward with three fingers!"
Cain stared at the bracelet.
"…This design feels strangely familiar."
Vegapunk wisely retreated farther away.
Seeing that Kuma still had something to say to Cain, he gave them some space and instead turned toward Uta.
He handed her his conclusions regarding the research questions Cain had submitted earlier.
"I can confirm with complete confidence that most of the ideas on your list are feasible."
"The final one, though…"
Vegapunk's expression became somewhat strange.
"I'm not completely certain."
"Using that metal in combination with the Age-Age Fruit and Return-Return Fruit should allow the effect to avoid interference from Haki. That much I can confirm."
"It should work."
"But…"
He frowned.
"I cannot guarantee what happens once the device is removed."
"Will the target remain in the altered state and continue aging normally from that point forward?"
"Or will they immediately revert to their original state?"
"I can't give you a definitive answer yet."
Vegapunk paused, deliberately emphasizing his next words.
"But I can tell you one thing."
"That technology must never reach the outside world."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"And I have a fairly good idea why you specifically asked about Awakening the More-More Fruit."
"You want to preserve the permanent amplification effect of an Awakened More-More Fruit inside this material…"
"…so you can manufacture that thing in bulk, don't you?"
Vegapunk looked directly at Uta.
His voice carried a rare note of warning.
"I need to tell you this clearly, Uta."
"Some things cannot be used carelessly."
"And they absolutely cannot be allowed to become public knowledge."
"If they do, danger will follow you everywhere."
"Science inevitably brushes against forbidden territory."
He sighed.
"Life itself can be the same way."
Then his tone softened slightly.
"Still…"
"If that thing really is going to Garp…"
"The seas might genuinely become a much quieter place."
Uta smiled.
"Well, if it works the way we're hoping, pirates everywhere are probably going to have nightmares."
She gave Vegapunk a cheerful nod.
"Thanks, Uncle Punk."
Vegapunk stared at her for a moment, not quite knowing what to say.
The entire Monkey family really was bizarre.
A grandfather who spent his life chasing pirates across the world.
Three grandsons who somehow all ended up becoming pirates.
And now one of those pirates had a future wife actively thinking up ways to help the Marines capture other pirates.
Vegapunk had lived a very long life—
and he still couldn't make sense of that family.
Uta heard his nearly inaudible muttering and merely smiled.
She had clearly received the answer she wanted.
Her gaze unconsciously shifted toward Cain.
Then past him—
toward the Going Merry in the distance.
Morning sunlight streamed through one of the cabin windows.
Inside, barely visible beneath the light, sat a tiny jewelry box.
A ring rested inside.
Not the engagement ring Cain had given her.
Another ring.
One placed into Uta's hands by a girl—
or perhaps someone who could no longer truly be called a girl.
It lay silently against the velvet lining.
And around it shimmered a brilliant golden glow.