Hearing Daren's shameless praise, Stussy—standing beside him—couldn't help but turn her head away and roll her eyes hard.
She was honestly a little embarrassed.
Now she finally understood how Daren managed to thrive no matter where he went.
The way he could deliver such polished, convincing flattery on the spot... it was impressive.
Stussy figured if anyone else had said something like that, people might have genuinely bought into it—completely swept away by Daren's compliments.
But still...
'You think someone like Dr. Vegapunk is the same as those shallow fools you're used to charming?'
With a quiet sneer, she settled in, fully expecting to watch this backfire spectacularly.
And sure enough—
Instead of smiling, Vegapunk frowned at Daren.
"Daren-san, do you really think... I'm that shallow?"
"You think that kind of flattery would make me happy?"
Daren nodded sincerely and replied in a calm, respectful tone.
"Why wouldn't it?"
He let out a sigh, expression softening.
"Compared to you, Dr. Vegapunk, I truly am just a crude, ordinary man."
"I can't begin to comprehend your level, so all I can do is offer my judgment from a limited perspective."
"If I've offended you, I sincerely apologize."
But Vegapunk suddenly shook his head.
"No, Daren-san, you misunderstood me."
Daren looked confused.
Vegapunk fixed him with a serious gaze—then, after a brief pause, turned his head away.
Scratching at the side of his head, he couldn't stop a small smile from breaking out.
"What I meant was… even if you praise me like that, it's not like I'll feel happy."
Crack!
Stussy felt like something inside her brain had shattered.
She stood there, stunned as if struck by lightning.
Did Dr. Vegapunk... seriously just use "you" in that respectful tone?
Daren, noticing her reaction, couldn't help but chuckle.
So even the so-called genius five hundred years ahead of the world was still just human.
Who doesn't enjoy a bit of praise?
And the real trick? It's all about who says it.
If those words had come out of Borsalino's mouth—paired with that greasy smirk—people would've just assumed he was being sarcastic.
But from someone like Daren, a seasoned and reputable officer, using the classic one-lift-one-drop approach? Even Vegapunk wasn't immune.
"Ahem... Daren-san, since you've come all this way, and I didn't prepare anything in advance... please, have a seat."
Vegapunk gave a polite cough, took a deep breath, and spoke solemnly.
"In that case, allow me to present what I believe to be my greatest invention."
"Your greatest invention?"
Daren's eyes lit up.
Outside the lab, he had already seen what Vegapunk was capable of. The Lineage Factor, the Artificial Devil Fruit—those alone had amazed him.
But now it sounded like Vegapunk had been holding something even more incredible back?
Instinctively, Daren glanced toward Borsalino.
At some point, the guy had pulled up a chair and was lazily picking his nails, looking completely uninterested.
Seeing that, Daren said nothing. He simply waited.
Vegapunk turned around and pulled out a small glass bottle from the drawer.
Then, with tweezers, he carefully placed two nail-sized capsules into separate cups.
"Daren-san, are you ready?"
"This... is what I believe to be my greatest creation."
"I call it—'The Dream of Mankind!'"
Vegapunk's eyes gleamed with fanatical excitement as he looked at the two cups. He spread his arms wide, and his hands trembled slightly from emotion.
The Dream of Mankind!
Daren's pupils shrank.
Stussy's heart pounded violently.
What kind of creation could possibly deserve such a title from Vegapunk?
They couldn't even begin to imagine.
Only Borsalino remained completely unmoved, still focused on his nails.
"Watch this!"
Vegapunk carefully picked up a dropper and released a single drop of water into each of the two cups.
The entire lab fell into absolute silence.
Daren and Stussy held their breath, eyes locked on the cups, afraid to miss even the slightest change.
Hiss! Hiss!
Suddenly—
Twin streams of white steam curled up from the cups.
Then something incredible happened.
As soon as the drop of water hit, the liquid inside began to change rapidly. Thick, black liquid surged up, rising almost to the rim before finally settling.
"Did you see that?"
Vegapunk lifted one of the cups high, his expression reverent and ecstatic, as if holding a sacred artifact.
"This goes far beyond conventional material transformation—just a single drop of water, and you get a full cup!"
Stussy stared, stunned.
She didn't really understand what Vegapunk was talking about, but the look in her eyes was pure awe.
Daren, on the other hand, was frozen stiff, a mess of dark lines forming on his forehead.
He recognized the scent immediately.
The rich aroma of coffee.
"...So this is... coffee?"
The corner of Daren's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
"Exactly!"
Vegapunk beamed and handed him the other cup.
"What better way to awaken a sluggish brain and a worn-out body than with a hot cup of fragrant coffee?"
"With coffee, I've been able to create countless inventions and push my research forward!"
He took a sip, visibly re-energized. His shiny forehead even flushed red, like he'd just shaved a decade off his age.
"One drop of water, and you get a full cup of steaming hot coffee!"
"This is my source of inspiration—my wellspring of stamina—my personal muse!"
As Vegapunk rambled on, Daren's forehead started to pulse with visible veins. He clenched his fists, barely holding it together.
If it weren't for how intensely serious and passionate Vegapunk looked, he would've thought the man was messing with him.
Daren glanced over at Borsalino.
The guy gave him a wide grin.
Figures. You're just here for the show.
Daren sighed and turned back to Vegapunk, who looked so thrilled and proud, he didn't even know how to respond.
Office workers needing coffee was one thing—but the world's greatest scientist?
"Hmm, now let me guess... Daren-san, I imagine you're currently struggling with the side effects of your Devil Fruit awakening, right?"
Vegapunk suddenly asked.
Daren blinked.
Wait... this coffee actually boosts brain power?