Vegapunk, Hold On To The Future!

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

When Kaos felt the smoothness of Saeko Busujima's skin on her face, the battle ahead raged on.

This upgraded zombie possessed an incredibly strong physique, posing a catastrophic threat to ordinary people.

But only to ordinary people.

In front of this elite group, the upgraded zombie was treated like a plaything.

Whoosh.

A Marine appeared behind it and kicked it into the air.

At the same time, a CP member was already midair, using Geppo (Moonwalk) to move through the sky. He intercepted the flying zombie and struck it ruthlessly.

The zombie was slammed back to the ground from high altitude.

To an outsider, it might have looked like some martial artists performing acrobatics.

With a heavy thud, the zombie crashed into the ground, and the waiting team immediately secured it inside a cage made of seastone.

While seastone might not weaken an upgraded zombie, its durability ensured that escape was impossible.

With the task completed, Sengoku approached Kaos and reported, "Your Highness, it's done."

"Good job," Kaos nodded in satisfaction, not withholding his praise. "The World Government has invested heavily in the Marines, and it appears you have not disappointed me."

"As long as you are pleased," Sengoku replied, visibly relieved.

Kaos patted Sengoku's shoulder, removed his hand from Saeko Busujima's face, and walked towards the scientific research team.

Sengoku, meanwhile, gestured for others to move the cage and started approaching the survivors.

As the Marine Marshal, his next task was to establish a presence in this world. To do so, he needed to learn as much about it as possible, and quickly.

But before he could reach them, Stussy approached, moving her graceful waist and asked with a smile. "Marshal Sengoku, would it be alright if I take these three girls with me?"

Sengoku turned at the question, curiosity piqued, and his lips twitched slightly.

Goodness.

Three beautiful girls stood before him

Rei Miyamoto

Saya Takagi

Shizuka Marikawa.

Although it wasn't an order from His Highness, Sengoku quickly realized why Stussy had acted and nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you, Marshal Sengoku." Stussy's smile deepened as she led the three anxious young women away.

As Sengoku had deduced, Kaos hadn't given Stussy any such command. It was her own initiative.

Stussy, being Kaos' personal bodyguard and with her experience leading Happy Street, was undoubtedly a shrewd woman. She knew Kaos might not actively seek out women—his status alone attracted them naturally.

Consider, for example, Kaos' castle, where queens from allied nations resided. They were not just beautiful, but bore unique statuses. If Kaos so desired, even a Celestial Dragon could be in his chamber by nightfall.

This wasn't an exaggeration.

Kaos held sway over many even among the Celestial Dragons—those who had been meticulously cultivated.

For the past decade, Kaos had explored all manner of indulgences.

Yet in spite of this, Kaos might not place significant value on these women. But as a subordinate, especially one eager to please kaos, Stussy believed it wise to be proactive.

His Highness might always appreciate a touch of novelty.

Kaos, meanwhile, was unaware of these schemes. He approached the research team, where scientists from the World Government were eagerly setting up their instruments, excitement lighting up their faces.

As Kaos arrived, they saluted respectfully.

Kaos acknowledged each of them with a nod and focused on one individual who, despite being short and having a large head, was quite noticeable.

Vegapunk.

A leading scientist under the World Government and a wielder of the Brain-Brain Fruit, Vegapunk was arguably the most brilliant mind of his time. His appearance, with his tongue sticking out, was reminiscent of Einstein.

Upon seeing Kaos, Vegapunk approached, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Your Highness, it's an honor to finally meet you."

"Oh?" Kaos responded with a slight smirk. "It seems Mr. Vegapunk holds an interest in me?"

"Indeed, but more than that, I am grateful."

Kaos raised an eyebrow. "Grateful? I don't recall ever assisting you."

"True," Vegapunk admitted, but then added earnestly, "but you opened the door to advanced technology for me."

The Otherworld.

"To be frank, I have pondered the existence of other worlds before but had neither proof nor a starting point for research. Eventually, I dismissed the idea."

"But I never expected that one day I'd set foot in another world, especially one with technology that has expanded my horizons."

"Oh, I'm not referring to the nuclear weapons—they're powerful, but predictable."

Vegapunk was a scientist with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. The Five Elders had briefed him about this world's technology before his arrival, but in reality, what Vegapunk craved was more worlds, more knowledge.

"The possibilities excite me. And for that, I wanted to thank you personally."

Kaos nodded, somewhat surprised. "No need for thanks. Your research itself is the greatest reward for me."

"By the way, what do you make of these zombies?"

Vegapunk didn't hesitate to share his thoughts. "Though I haven't conducted in-depth research, the virus is fascinating."

"I've learned that human bodies in this world are weak compared to those of the zombies."

"From this, I deduce that the virus enhances physical strength but comes with severe side effects."

"Most importantly, the virus appears capable of evolving, which is evident from the upgraded zombie Your Highness captured."

"This is an intriguing topic, and studying it could lead to a groundbreaking era."

"A groundbreaking era?"

Kaos nodded, Not very interested.

Whether this era would be bright or not was irrelevant to him. What mattered was that he ruled it.

"How long do you think it would take to study the zombie virus?" Kaos inquired.

Vegapunk took a moment, considering the question seriously, before answering, "A week or so for ordinary zombies, but specifics are uncertain."

"Is that so?"

"It doesn't matter. Do your best. For now, I need you to design weapon production lines using this world's technology. Is that feasible?"

"Certainly, just provide me with relevant material to study. It shouldn't take more than three days."

Pleased with the answer, Kaos promised to have the materials delivered soon.

Kaos departed.

The camp was nearly set up, thanks to the soldiers' exceptional efficiency and strength. The tents stood firm, the largest and most opulent at the center belonging to Kaos.

When Kaos arrived outside his tent, Stussy was waiting.

"Your Highness," she said, bowing.

"Why are you here?" Kaos asked.

Stussy covered her mouth and chuckled. "I have prepared a gift for Your Highness."

"A gift?"

"Yes," Stussy nodded, gesturing at the tent behind her. "You'll understand once you go inside."

Kaos paused thoughtfully before shaking his head with a smile. "Alright. Before that, take Saeko Busujima to clean. We'll need to leave soon."

"Understood," Stussy replied, taking Saeko with her.

Kaos stepped into the tent.

It was spacious and warm, filled with luxurious furnishings. Sitting on the sofa was a girl with pink twin-tails.

Saya Takagi.

Seeing Kaos, Saya trembled, clearly anxious.

Kaos sat down and studied her with interest. "Tell me, what brings you here?"

Saya could feel the overwhelming presence emanating from Kaos, making it hard to breathe. Her parents held powerful positions, but their authority paled compared to Kaos'.

Remembering Stussy's words from earlier, Saya clenched her teeth, bowed her head, and said with resolve, "I seek your protection, Your Highness Kaos."

"Oh?"

This is clearly what Stussy did.

But Kaos was curious about what Stussy did to make Saya Takagi do this.

Thinking of this, Kaos twisted his neck and gestured.

A blush suddenly appeared on the face of Saya.

Immediately trembling, she knelt down in front of Kaos slowly, reaching out to hold the future.