One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

"Perhaps…" Vegapunk's eyes glimmered with a sharp light.

"So, Vice Admiral Wright, what exactly is Fleet Admiral Sengoku's request?"

Vegapunk brought the conversation back on track. "This device is a kind of spatial transportation mechanism, but it hasn't yet reached its full potential…"

Wright nodded, unsurprised at how quickly Vegapunk grasped the schematics.

"Correct. This Lightcforged Beacon Crystal can currently only be used by me. Fleet Admiral Sengoku hopes to develop it into something universally applicable."

"Universal applicability?" Vegapunk rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Lightforged Crystals?"

"You've read my mind," Wright chuckled, producing a few ordinary Lightforged Crystals. "Do you think it's possible to use these to enable teleportation for ordinary people, or even objects?"

"Hmm… an exciting subject!" Vegapunk eagerly took the crystals from Wright's hand. "Theoretically feasible, but there will undoubtedly be significant technical hurdles."

"I'm already thrilled…" Vegapunk muttered as he examined the crystals, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "If successful, this could revolutionize the world!"

"Then, our first step is to create two functioning Lightforged Beacons. Follow me, Vice Admiral Wright."

Vegapunk beckoned to Wright, casting a glance at the stone-faced Sentomaru.

"Bodyguard, you're dismissed. I'm taking Vice Admiral Wright to the lab."

"My duty is to protect you. What else could I possibly do?" Sentomaru blinked. "What, I can't observe?"

"Can you defeat Vice Admiral Wright?" Vegapunk retorted mercilessly. "With him here, even three of you wouldn't stand a chance against an assassin. What am I afraid of?"

"So go take a break, Sentomaru."

Sentomaru twitched. "Vegapunk, you bastard! Don't call me that!"

"Got it, Sentomaru. Understood, Sentomaru. Goodbye, Sentomaru."

"!!!"

Sentomaru froze, gritting his teeth as Wright gave him an apologetic smile before quickly following Vegapunk out of sight.

"Humph! I've been underestimated! As for Vice Admiral Wright…"

"So what if I can't beat him?!"

"Oh! Dr. Vegapunk, you have so many Devil Fruits here!"

Following Vegapunk into the lab, Wright was startled by the sight of five Devil Fruits, each sealed under glass cases.

—So many Devil Fruits gathered in one place. I've never seen this before!

"Those? They're all Zoan-type Devil Fruits, used for experimentation," Vegapunk said indifferently. "The World Government is obscenely wealthy. I only requested three, and they sent me five."

"This surplus has significantly improved the accuracy of my data—three of them have already been 'bitten' and are now useless."

"Devil Fruit weapons?" Wright examined the fruits and quickly noticed that three indeed had missing chunks.

"…That's why I question the decision to assign Sentomaru as my bodyguard!" Vegapunk sighed. "Yes, based on the Lineage Factor theory, I've recently mastered the technique of making inanimate objects 'consume' Devil Fruits."

"However, it only works with Zoan-types, as they can grant intelligence to objects—even if it's only at an animal's level."

"An impressive invention," Wright remarked. "Weapons can now double as pets."

"Exactly, though it's not particularly practical." Vegapunk began selecting materials from the supply vault to construct the Lightcast Beacons.

"Weapons that consume Devil Fruits can't fully utilize the fruit's potential. They'd be better off in the hands of soldiers."

As they spoke, Vegapunk finished preparing the necessary materials. "Let's build it and see… I'm curious about the efficacy of Judge's design."

After some time, the two Lightforged Beacons were completed, and Wright assisted Vegapunk in conducting several tests.

"How does it look? Is there hope?"

Watching Vegapunk manipulate various testing instruments, Wright felt an all-too-familiar fear of being intellectually outmatched.

"Of course there's hope."

Vegapunk jotted down notes in a small notebook. "But it will take time—some very precise adjustments are necessary. I'll need more data."

"As long as there's hope. I'm looking forward to it."

...

Meanwhile.

In an unnamed sea of the New World.

"Young Master, we're about a week away from Dressrosa…"

Onboard the pink-flamingo-themed pirate ship, Donquixote Doflamingo, draped in his iconic pink feathered coat, stood at the bow as Monet delivered her report.

"Our movement in the New World has already drawn the Navy's attention… It's reasonable to assume they'll have a presence in Dressrosa as well."

"Fuffuffuffu… That's irrelevant." Doflamingo's sinister laughter carried a chill that even Monet, with her Snow-Snow Fruit powers, found bone-deep.

"My dear little brother may have leaked our plan…"

"He knows we're targeting Dressrosa but has no knowledge of the specifics… which means the Navy can't prepare targeted defenses."

"With more pirates emerging and the Navy increasingly stretched thin, they can't afford to station forces strong enough to threaten us in Dressrosa for long!"

"There's no precedent for the Navy stationing large forces in a member nation without cause! So…"

Doflamingo turned to his remaining family members. "As long as we act swiftly, we'll take Dressrosa before their spies can respond!"

Spreading his arms wide, Doflamingo let out a maniacal laugh. "Then, Dressrosa—rightfully belonging to the Donquixote Family, and my throne—will be mine!"

"Doffy, how can just a few of us take over a country?" Diamante, the least tactically inclined of the top officers, questioned.

"Fuffuffuffu… That's the detail my dear little brother doesn't know…"

Doflamingo revealed his meticulously crafted plan to his officers, who nodded in realization.

"I see… King Riku Doldo III rules Dressrosa with such a weak hand?"

Gladius sneered. "As a king, he hasn't done anything to protect his country in this Great Pirate Era."

"Relying solely on so-called 'benevolent governance'—what an idiot!"

"Exactly. Though the people of Dressrosa trust King Riku, they live in poverty… wasting the nation's abundant resources!"

At this, Doflamingo clenched his teeth. "That damned Wright! He ruined the most crucial part of my plan…"

"With no 'Heavenly Tribute' and no Warlord of the Sea status, I can't legally force King Riku to abdicate and claim the throne!"

"But… operating from the shadows has its perks. Fuffuffuffu…" Doflamingo chuckled darkly.

"The King Riku the people see will be whoever I want them to see. Problem solved!"

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