Arriving at Vegapunk's exclusive laboratory, Carl glanced at Caesar, who followed him, and said,
"You don't have to come in."
Caesar stopped immediately upon hearing this and watched as Carl and Vegapunk walked into the lab. This laboratory was much larger than the one where Stussy had been placed, and the instruments and equipment were far more complete.
As soon as Vegapunk entered, he started tinkering with various devices, while Carl looked around the room. He noticed a large number of red apples on a table.
Coming closer, Carl picked up one of the apples and turned it in his hand. There was a small purple section on the fruit, which seemed rotten at first glance.
However, upon closer inspection, Carl saw that the purple part was unusually shiny and smooth to the touch—it didn't seem rotten at all. He noticed that other apples had larger purple sections, some with dark green and light green circular patterns.
Seeing this, Carl had a rough idea of what was going on with the apples. He turned to Vegapunk and asked,
"Is this the artificial fruit you've been researching?"
Vegapunk, busy adjusting a device, nodded.
"Yes, extracted from Kaido's factor. But they're all failures so far. It'll take time to get it right."
"You'll succeed," Carl replied confidently. "I have no doubt about it."
Vegapunk looked at him in surprise. "Thank you."
Carl smiled.
"You were born for science. As long as you focus on your work and avoid distractions, the World Government will provide all the funding you need."
Vegapunk nodded, though it was unclear if he was truly listening. He gestured for Carl to lie on a laboratory table and remove his shirt.
Vegapunk attached tubes with suction cups to Carl's exposed skin. Data started appearing on a nearby monitor, and a look of amazement crossed Vegapunk's face.
"Incredible... I didn't expect the bloodline factors to have integrated so well in your body. This is a scientific miracle!"
Carl let out a sigh of relief.
"So the Lunarian bloodline is fully integrated now? Then why can't I feel any of their powers?"
"According to the data, the integration is happening, but it's still in the early stages compared to your Mink Tribe. Remember, you awakened some of your Mink Tribe powers as a child."
Carl nodded, recalling when Lucia had stormed the lab to rescue him when he was just eight.
"So... will it take a long time?" Carl asked.
"Not necessarily," Vegapunk replied.
"Your body is much stronger now than when you were a child. The Lunarian bloodline has been developing inside you all these years. It's likely the power will awaken quickly, especially if you encounter the right opportunity."
"An opportunity? Like a fight?"
"Exactly," Vegapunk said. "Pushing your limits in battle can stimulate the fusion process."
Then, as if remembering something, Vegapunk added,
"Saint Carl, some of the Lunarian traits may have already appeared. You might just not have noticed them."
Carl was momentarily stunned. Subconsciously, he touched his back to check if he'd grown wings. But his skin felt smooth, without any sign of changes.
"Let me test something," Vegapunk said as he hurried out of the room. He returned holding a large flamethrower.
He pointed the nozzle at Carl.
"Saint Carl, your Armament Haki is strong, and you're a Devil Fruit user, but don't resist this. I want you to try to feel the flames with your body. If it hurts, stop immediately."
Understanding Vegapunk's intent, Carl nodded and moved to an open space, spreading his arms wide.
"Go ahead."
Vegapunk pressed the trigger, and a torrent of flames engulfed Carl's body. His lower clothes quickly turned to ash, but his skin remained untouched, and he didn't flinch. He looked like he was bathing in the fire, completely unbothered.
In fact, he didn't feel any burning sensation at all.
Vegapunk continued using the flamethrower until it ran out of fuel. Carl calmly walked out from the still-burning floor, entirely naked, but in good spirits. He pulled out a new pair of pants from the Dark Bible and put them on.
"It seems you were right," Carl said with a grin.
Vegapunk, still not fully satisfied, retrieved a large basin of water.
"One last test," he said.
"This is clean water. Put your head in and see if you can breathe. This amount shouldn't affect you."
Carl didn't need to explain that his demon sword Muramasa made him immune to such limitations. Even the sea couldn't weaken him. But instead of explaining, Carl dunked his head into the water and attempted to breathe.
At first, he choked a little, but soon his breathing became smoother, no different from being in the air.
Pulling his head out, Carl wiped the water from his face with a satisfied smile.
This was the first time he'd tried breathing underwater. Despite his immunity to the sea, he'd always held his breath underwater out of habit. Today, he discovered a new ability.
The racial traits of the Lunarian, especially their adaptability to any environment, had perfectly manifested in him.
Of course, what Carl was most excited about was the Lunarian's terrifying speed and defense. The fire abilities were powerful, but those attributes were the real prize!
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+86 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg