The Thousand Sunny approached the futuristic island of Egghead, its towering spires and glowing technology unlike anything the Straw Hats had seen before. Luffy leaned over the railing, eyes wide in excitement. "Whoa! Look at this place!"
As they docked, they were greeted by none other than Vegapunk himself—tall, eccentric, and with an aura of genius. "Welcome to Egghead Island!" he said, smiling warmly. "Come, let me show you the wonders of the island."
The Straw Hats marveled at the technology as Vegapunk guided them through various sections of the island, explaining its long history and his inventions. They passed through futuristic cities, labs filled with cutting-edge tech, and saw prototypes that would shape the world. Luffy's excitement matched Vegapunk's energy, and soon the two were talking like old friends, bouncing wild ideas off each other. Their connection was instant, as Vegapunk revealed his true disdain for the World Government and Imu.
"You see, Luffy," Vegapunk said, leaning in conspiratorially, "the world isn't as simple as it seems. The Celestial Dragons… they hide many things. I know more than I should about them. Even your own family, the Stuarts, are entangled in their web."
The Straw Hats listened intently as Vegapunk told Luffy about the mysterious part of his family: the Stuart-Griffin Family, comprised of his aunt Dolliance, his grandmother, and cousin. "Your aunt, Dolliance… you met her in Dressrosa. She holds the Miracle Fruit, a devil fruit with the power to turn miracles into reality. Your family has lived for almost as long as Imu—the one who secretly rules from the shadows."
Luffy was taken aback, but Vegapunk continued. "Your family is nearly untouchable by other world nobles. Dolliance's Miracle Fruit was… troublesome, to say the least."
Luffy's expression darkened slightly at the mention of his encounter with Dolliance, but he now felt more certain than ever. If he could face her then, he could face anyone, including Imu.
Meanwhile, Vegapunk also revealed a darker, tragic story as they ventured deeper into the labs. There they encountered Jewelry Bonney, who had infiltrated Egghead to kill Vegapunk. The reason? Her father, Bartholomew Kuma.
Bonney, filled with anguish, had discovered her father's fate—how Vegapunk had stripped him of his humanity and turned him into a cyborg slave for the World Government. "I'll never forgive you," she spat, glaring at Vegapunk. "You took my father from me, and now, I'll take your life!"
Before the confrontation could escalate, Vegapunk explained his regret for what happened to Kuma, stating that he had been coerced by the World Government to carry out those experiments. Luffy, sensing Bonney's rage and confusion, intervened, offering her a way out. "If you want revenge, we'll bring it to the people who really deserve it."
Bonney hesitated, her anger palpable, but she didn't strike—yet.
At that moment, alarms blared across the island. The CP0 had arrived, sent by the World Government to eliminate Vegapunk. Among them were Rob Lucci, Kaku, and Stussy.
Luffy and the Straw Hats prepared for battle, with Vegapunk warning them of Stussy's true allegiance. "Stussy's on our side, Luffy. She's an ally."
Luffy and Sora grinned mischievously. "She's a hot blonde, huh?" Their crewmates exchanged looks of exasperation, but there was no time for more banter.
In an instant, Luffy speedblitzed through the CP0 members, his power overwhelming as he left them incapacitated on the ground. Only Lucci and Stussy remained standing.
"Rob Lucci, still standing after all these years," Luffy said with a smirk, his lightning powers crackling ominously. But Luffy didn't finish him off, not yet. With Stussy revealed as an ally, the tension in the air shifted, as everyone prepared for the next step in their journey.
Luffy stood across from Rob Lucci, a mischievous grin plastered on his face as the tension in the air thickened. The two warriors circled each other, but Luffy couldn't help but laugh. The serious, almost constipated expression on Lucci's face as he absorbed every blow made it impossible for Luffy to keep a straight face.
"You've gotten stronger, Lucci, but…" Luffy dodged a swift punch, twisting effortlessly before delivering a playful tap to Lucci's ribs, "…I'm just here for fun."
Lucci's eyes narrowed in irritation, his sharp claws extending in retaliation as he tried to slash at Luffy, but each strike met only empty air. Luffy moved with ease, letting Lucci believe he was on equal footing. The combat was intense, but Luffy was clearly toying with him, a lightness in his movements as he parried every hit.
"Stop laughing!" Lucci growled, his frustration mounting. He fired a Rokuogan, the powerful shockwave exploding from his fists. Luffy simply sidestepped it, the ground cracking beneath them.
"Sorry, sorry!" Luffy chuckled, leaping over Lucci's sweeping leg and landing behind him. "But man, that face—" Luffy couldn't finish the sentence without breaking into another fit of laughter.
The fight continued, each of Lucci's attacks becoming more desperate as Luffy evaded them with playful ease. At one point, Lucci managed to lock Luffy in a Shigan, driving his finger into Luffy's arm. But instead of pain, Luffy just smiled and winked, spinning Lucci around and launching him into the air with a light kick.
For a moment, it seemed like the two fighters were evenly matched, both dodging and countering at incredible speeds. But it was clear to the onlookers that Luffy wasn't even breaking a sweat. Lucci, on the other hand, was slowly being worn down, his movements growing sluggish.
Just as the tension built to its peak, something in the distance rumbled ominously. The ground shook beneath their feet as massive figures began to emerge from the shadows—the Seraphim, the S-robots, had arrived.
Luffy and Lucci paused, both eyeing the new threat. The towering robots, modeled after some of the most powerful warlords of the sea, moved toward them with mechanical precision, their glowing eyes locked on the Straw Hats and CP0 alike.
"Looks like we're not done yet," Luffy said, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "Time to start round two."
The battle was about to get even more chaotic.