"Hey, Koala, can artificial Devil Fruits be replicated? I mean, mass production," Robin asked, her tone calm yet laced with curiosity. She already knew the source of Koala's abilities and was eager to probe deeper.
Koala frowned, shaking her head in slight frustration. "I don't know. Luffy told me that Dr. Vegapunk only created this one artificial Devil Fruit."
Robin's brow furrowed at this response, and she opened her mouth to press further. Before she could, Ain interjected with information she had picked up from Luffy.
"According to Luffy," Ain began, "there are only two people in the world capable of creating artificial Devil Fruits. The first was a man named Caesar Clown. The fruits he made were flawed—unreliable and with a low success rate. Plus, he experimented on living humans, which is why Luffy personally dealt with him."
Robin nodded, listening intently as Ain continued.
"The second is Dr. Vegapunk. Luffy said Vegapunk has the ability to create perfect artificial Devil Fruits. However, only one was ever made: the Mythical Zoan Fruit that Kaido have. Vegapunk considered it a failure because its color differed from the original fruit. He discarded it and shifted his research toward Paramecia fruits."
Ain paused, her expression growing serious. "But even with his brilliance, Vegapunk hit a bottleneck with Paramecia fruits due to their unpredictable nature. That's why no additional perfect artificial fruits have been produced since."
Robin exhaled deeply, marveling at the information. "As expected of the genius Vegapunk," she murmured. "The fact that even a single Devil Fruit—be it Logia, Paramecia, or even an ordinary Zoan—can be artificially replicated is enough to challenge everything we've ever believed."
Koala and Ain nodded in agreement, admiration for Vegapunk's intellect clear on their faces.
After a brief silence, Robin spoke again, her tone taking a curious turn. "If given the chance, would you two be interested in trying to recruit Vegapunk?"
The abrupt question caught both women off guard.
"Huh?" Koala blinked, tilting her head in confusion.
Ain quickly moved to Robin's side, her steps deliberate. "Robin, what are you suggesting? Vegapunk is a heavily guarded asset of the World Government. Even if we wanted to recruit him, they'd never allow it."
Koala slowed her pace, her curiosity piqued, and waited for Robin's explanation.
Robin removed her cloak, unveiling her calm smile as she revealed another purpose for her visit. "Actually, I'm here on a secondary mission from the Revolutionary Army. It seems that Mr. Dragon—our leader—has known Dr. Vegapunk for quite some time."
She continued, her tone carrying an air of intrigue. "Years ago, Mr. Dragon attempted to recruit him. However, Vegapunk declined, citing the Revolutionary Army's lack of funds to support his vast research."
Robin fell silent, refusing to elaborate further.
Koala tilted her head, her curiosity unabated. "So… what's the point then?"
Unlike Koala, Ain seemed to catch on quickly. Her gaze shifted toward the golden crates being carried in the distance. "Wait. Is the leader planning to use the gold from the Golden City as a bargaining chip to lure Vegapunk away from the World Government?"
Robin chuckled softly, waving off Ain's blunt phrasing. "Don't be so harsh. Mr. Dragon would call it a 'strategic talent acquisition,' not 'luring.' There's no need to make it sound like we're stealing someone's partner."
Ain, however, didn't find the humor in the situation. "Robin, this is a reckless idea. Even if you have access to the wealth of the Golden City, the World Government has ruled for 800 years. Their resources—be it manpower, technology, or money—are unparalleled. Why would Vegapunk abandon that security to join us?"
Koala opened her mouth to defend the Revolutionary Army, but Ain's words rang true. She couldn't find a counterargument.
Robin's smile faded slightly as she sighed. "I know it's a long shot. The leader merely wanted to try and see if there's a sliver of opportunity."
The three women lapsed into silence, the weight of Ain's reasoning settling over them. Though they continued walking, a shared understanding lingered between them—the odds of success were slim to none.
Their path eventually led them to the underground vault, 500 meters below the surface. The air was cooler here, and the walls glimmered faintly under the light of embedded fixtures.
What awaited them, however, was an unexpected yet familiar figure.
Sitting on a grand golden chair was Luffy, his expression relaxed and a wide smile on his face. As they entered, he waved enthusiastically. "Robin! That proposal you just mentioned—why don't we sit and discuss it in detail?"
Before Robin could respond, Luffy raised his hand. A wooden crate nearby shattered, revealing neatly stacked gold bricks glinting under the light. With a casual motion, he dissolved the gold into molten liquid and shaped it into three ornate chairs.
Metallurgy
==============================================
Support me at p@treon.com/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
=============================================