~ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
<><><><><><><><>
I know, I know… I'm surprised too!
But I did promise we'd finish this. The time is uncertain, if it were up to me, I'd have already dropped the remaining chapters.
One more thing: I'll be dropping the new fanfic 'Marvel' today. it is so good, and if you enjoyed The Strongest Trait, you'll definitely enjoy this one.
Best regards.
<><><><><><><><>
In the New World, at the headquarters of the Sky Sovereign Grand Fleet.
Two new islands now flanked the central island that Rowen had chosen as his main base. One was the sea-level island of Egghead, and the other was the man-made Sky Island that housed Vegapunk's laboratory.
With the power of the Azure Dragon Fruit, Rowen's current strength allowed him to easily move—Egghead, Vegapunk's lab—and even Punk Records to his new headquarters.
The traitor among Vegapunk's satellites—York—had been executed.
Afterward, Vegapunk had not created a new vessel for his desires.
After this incident, Vegapunk had come to a clear understanding. To separate a person's desires and concentrate them into a single vessel—even if he created a new desire satellite, it would inevitably betray him in the end.
York, driven by her desire to become a Celestial Dragon, to stand above all others, had chosen to betray the other satellites and trade with the Five Elders.
<><><><><><><><>
The title of "Celestial Dragon" was an identity.
In the 800 years since the founding of the World Government, it wasn't just the descendants of the original twenty kings who were Celestial Dragons. Just as Doflamingo's father and Vivi's ancestors, once they renounced their status and left Mariejois, were no longer considered Celestial Dragons—the World Nobles also absorbed others into their ranks.
Some members of the God's Knights, for example, were powerhouses handpicked by the World Government from all over the world, then elevated to the status of Celestial Dragon.
In reality, who was a Celestial Dragon was a matter of Imu's word. The entire World Government was under Imu's complete control.
Anyone Imu acknowledged was a Celestial Dragon. And anyone Imu disowned, along with their entire family, would be stripped of their status.
York—as one of Vegapunk's satellites—naturally knew this.
It was because of this that York had intended to trade Vegapunk's research—the Mother Flame and his studies on the erased Void Century from Ohara—in exchange for the status of a Celestial Dragon.
This wasn't even about whether York was good or bad—it was the inevitable outcome of her being a vessel for Vegapunk's desires. As the vessel for all of Vegapunk's desires, with the passage of time, those desires would inevitably swell.
As the saying goes, a man's heart is never satisfied.
Human desire is constantly expanding.
But that was for ordinary people. York was completely different... As Vegapunk's desire satellite, York was the manifestation of Vegapunk's desires—her entire being, body and soul, was nothing but desire.
In such a state, it was naturally impossible for her to control her own desires. She would only, as her desires expanded, choose to completely fall.
This was an inevitable process, something that could not be changed by any technology or method.
<><><><><><><><>
While the separation of his mind into satellites had its advantages, it also brought a variety of hidden dangers.
Even Vegapunk, with his profound research into Devil Fruits, couldn't have fully understood this without experiencing it firsthand.
York was the vessel for his desires, but she was ultimately a part of himself.
How could a person harm themselves?
It was because of this that Vegapunk, after creating the satellites, had no guard up against York.
After this incident, Vegapunk understood.
Once desire reached a certain level, it could betray even oneself. Especially a desire that had been separated and was no longer under one's control.
So, after arriving here, Vegapunk did not create a new desire satellite.
Instead, he placed his desires back into his brain.
Though this meant that he and his other satellites would once again have to complete various physiological activities like eating, which would delay some research time—compared to the terrifying side effects, this was completely acceptable.
If York had been given more time, who knew to what horrifying extent her desires would have swelled, what crazy things she might have done.
<><><><><><><><>
At this moment, Vegapunk was studying the latest Seraphim.
Codename: S-Whitebeard.
Using the Lunarian Lineage Factor he had already stored, and the latest Lineage Factor from King, plus Whitebeard's own Lineage Factor and the Lineage Factor of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, they had jointly created this Seraphim.
(Whitebeard's Lineage Factor was extracted from Whitebeard's body by Rowen before his burial.)
With these elements, the latest Seraphim created would have the appearance of a young Whitebeard. And the Green Blood could replicate the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and integrate it into the Seraphim, S-Whitebeard's body.
Like the other Seraphim, this body could also use Armament Haki and Observation Haki.
As for Conqueror's Haki, like Kaido, Rowen's Conqueror's Haki also contained the portion that belonged to Whitebeard. He just needed to cut this part off, and Whitebeard would be able to use Conqueror's Haki.
Big Mom's Seraphim—S-MAMA—was also under construction.
Because it was also a Paramecia Devil Fruit.
Once these two Seraphim were successfully created, whether it was S-MAMA or S-Whitebeard—they could both replicate the combat power of the original Whitebeard and Big Mom!
And like Kaido, Whitebeard and Big Mom had experienced life and death, and their spiritual power had undergone a qualitative change.
Their Haki would be stronger than in their prime.
Big Mom's Haki was not her strong suit—she relied on her terrifying stats to fight, a stat monster with poor combat ability.
Her Haki, among the Four Emperors, was undoubtedly at the bottom.
Now, after experiencing life and death, Big Mom's Haki had also improved, at least largely compensating for this shortcoming.
Though because of her poor combat intelligence, in actual combat, she still couldn't fully exert the combat power represented by her stats, just as when she was alive.
But as long as she could fully use Conqueror's Haki and the Soul-Soul Fruit's ability—S-MAMA's combat power was that of a peak Admiral level.
S-Whitebeard was even more terrifying.
Whitebeard's Haki in his prime, even if not as good as Roger's, was not far off. He was a super-powerhouse incredibly close to the Emperor limit.
After experiencing life and death—his spiritual power had risen to another level—faintly about to break through that limit, to break through the Emperor limit.
If he could break this boundary, combined with the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit—Whitebeard would undoubtedly become the second Legendary-Class powerhouse in the Sky Sovereign Grand Fleet after Rowen.
Rowen would soon have two more super-powerhouses by his side.
<><><><><><><><>
And the Ancient Robot, along with Egghead, had also been transferred to Rowen's main base.
"The Ancient Robot."
At this moment, before the Ancient Robot, Rowen stood with Luffy and the others, and Vegapunk.
"SO COOL! I WANT TO RIDE IT!" Luffy, just like in the original story, his eyes were shining.
"After attacking the Holy Land Mariejois 200 years ago, this robot has never reacted since. The World Government originally wanted to destroy it. It was Saturn who believed its internal parts contained the advanced technology of the Great Kingdom, and that it could one day be applied to the military, so it was preserved for research," Vegapunk explained the origin of the Ancient Robot.
Saturn, as the Warrior God of Science and Defense, was in charge of all matters related to research.
Like recruiting Vegapunk, and interfering in the deal between Kuma and Vegapunk, completely modifying Kuma into a weapon, erasing all his consciousness—were all orchestrated by Saturn.
Preserving this Ancient Robot was also Saturn's decision back then.
The reason Saturn was erased by Imu in the original story was that the Ancient Robot's revival, releasing the Conqueror's Haki Joy Boy had stored in its body, caused Imu's Devil Fruit ability to be interrupted, and the four Five Elders who were summoned were instantly sent back to the Holy Land Mariejois.
This directly led to the lack of combat strength on Egghead, allowing Luffy and the others to successfully escape. This was also an important reason.
The source of the Ancient Robot's revival was Saturn preserving it for research back then. To be erased by Imu was a case of reaping what he sowed.
As for what was most noteworthy about this Ancient Robot for Rowen, it was naturally the Conqueror's Haki of Joy Boy stored in its body.
"Haki spanning 800 years..."
The Strongest Trait System could easily check the Traits possessed by this Ancient Robot.
The most prominent one was the Haki Knot (Apex Gold) (One-time use) Trait.
———
Haki Knot (Apex Gold) (One-time use): "A Conqueror's Haki knot stored by Joy Boy across time and space. Once opened, it can erupt with Joy Boy's Conqueror's Haki. Because Joy Boy is already dead, his Conqueror's Haki has no source to support it. It can only be released once, then it will completely dissipate."
———
To tie Conqueror's Haki into a knot, store it, and then release it, Rowen had been able to do it for a long time.
The difference was, Rowen was still alive in this era. The spiritual power contained in the stored Haki would return to Rowen's body after being released.
But the Haki knot in this Ancient Robot's body, because Joy Boy was already dead, once opened, after being released, it would completely disappear from this world.
Whether to open the Haki knot was also up to this Ancient Robot.
"Still not revived?"
Rowen looked at this Ancient Robot, his eyes flashing.
The Ancient Robot's revival in the original story also happened when Luffy was in a desperate situation in his Nika state.
When he first entered Gear Fifth, there was no sign of revival.
"In that case."
Rowen exhaled a puff of air.
DOKI! DOKI! DOKI!
Rowen's heartbeat turned into a strange drumbeat.
VMM!
The next moment, his entire body began to change.
Hair, eyebrows, clothes.
Everything turned white. Behind him, a sash of white flame clouds coiled, turning him into a pure white warrior.
He did not integrate any other Devil Fruit abilities.
Just pure, Gear Fifth state.
To revive the Ancient Robot was not a battle—it wasn't a case of the more Devil Fruit abilities, the better.
Pure Nika power was the key to reviving the Ancient Robot.
DOKI! DOKI! DOKI!
Rowen continuously stimulated the power of Nika. His heartbeat continued to sound like a strange drumbeat.
With the digestion of more and more 'Desire for Liberation', in his Gear Fifth state, Rowen could also continue to make his heart sound like a strange drumbeat.
This was the Drums of Liberation.
Though Rowen hadn't fully mastered its secrets yet, the true power of the Drums of Liberation remained a mystery.
But to awaken the Ancient Robot, it was enough.
The condition to awaken the Ancient Robot was not the pure white warrior of Gear Fifth state.
It was the Drums of Liberation.
"Joy Boy..."
VMM!
"It... moved??"
Vegapunk cried out in horror.
<><><><><><><><>
~ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)