Who told him to become the Pirate King!

Chapter 314 [The Mythical Beast Type: Tanuki Fruit]!

Storm quickly found a "buyer".

"Dr. Vegapunk, how much are you willing to bid for this 'Kizaru'?"

Second Research Institute.

Storm, carrying the newly "captured" admiral, went directly to Vegapunk, who was there taking stock of miscellaneous items.

"……bid?"

Vegapunk didn't quite understand what Storm had said.

However, when he saw Kizaru trapped in a giant bubble, he still reached out and greeted him with a smile.

"Borsalino, you've been captured by the Vongola too?"

When he was captured by pirates, he was able to meet another close friend, which warmed Vegapunk's heart.

But Kizaru didn't think so, and he stubbornly insisted on his own way.

"I wasn't arrested, I just wanted a short break. The environment here is quite nice..."

As he spoke, Kizaru seemed to actually believe his own nonsense.

The dignity of a naval admiral and all that...

That thing ceased to exist long after the Buster Call against Strom failed.

As for admitting defeat to Storm...

This isn't the first time Kizaru has admitted defeat; sometimes, you just get used to losing after a while.

In this case.

Why not take this opportunity to take a long vacation here in Storm?

Kizaru inexplicably found this kind of thing very appealing.

"Punk Hazard Island has very good natural environmental conditions."

With the help of that specially made clay sofa, Vegapunk moved to Kizaru's side and poked the giant sea bubble with his finger.

"But you're completely locked up, aren't you? Like a prisoner... Hmm, this bubble is surprisingly resilient."

Vegapunk's fingers almost poked a deep dent into the ocean bubble.

Even so, the sea bubble still showed no signs of bursting.

It is clearly remarkably resilient.

Didn't you eat breakfast today?

Ignoring Storm standing to the side, Kizaru urged Vegapunk to exert more force.

"Put more effort into it!"

"I'm just an ordinary scientist, not a monster like you."

Vegapunk merely tested the resilience of the ocean bubble before withdrawing his finger and looking at Storm beside him.

"This must be the power of a Devil Fruit, right? The Bubble-Bubble Fruit? Or some other Devil Fruit?"

"It is indeed the [Bubble-Bubble Fruit]."

Storm nodded, glancing at the dejected Kizaru beside him.

"Doctor, you should have decided on a price by now, right?"

"Price? What's going on?"

Vegapunk scratched his head and asked.

What's the current situation in Borsalino?

"You can roughly understand it as the relationship between 'slave-catching teams' and 'slaves'."

"Strombi put it succinctly."

"However, this 'slave' is rather special; he is a naval admiral."

Kizaru couldn't help but interject, "Hey, hey, hey, Vongola Storm! Isn't that a bit disrespectful of me?"

"Although I still don't quite understand what you mean..."

Vegapunk thought for a moment and took an apple out of his pocket.

"But you probably just want to sell Kizaru for a price, right?"

Watching Vegapunk's actions, Kizaru couldn't help but complain, "An apple? Vegapunk, you bastard! Pay more! Did you embezzle all the research funds the government allocated to you?"

Kizaru's comment went unnoticed by anyone.

"An apple is indeed too cheap..."

Despite saying that, Storm still reached out and took the apple.

"I heard that you and Dr. Kizaru have known each other for many years and are your dearest friends and confidants."

"You need to pay more!"

The group began moving towards the Third Research Institute.

Vegapunk said helplessly, "I don't have any money to give you... By the way, I just found a Devil Fruit that I haven't had time to use yet in the Second Research Institute. Are you interested?"

"I'm the one who discovered that Devil Fruit."

Iggy, who had been silent all along, spoke in human language at this moment.

"It's not yours, Vegapunk."

After saying that, Iggy opened his mouth and spat out a Devil Fruit, presenting it to Storm as if it were a treasure.

"this……"

Storm examined the Devil Fruit before him, recalling the records in the "Devil Fruit Encyclopedia".

"Is this the [Zoan-type Salamander Fruit]?"

"That's right."

Vegapunk nodded.

"This Devil Fruit was probably given to Caesar by the World Government as research material..."

"By the way, Caesar has been researching some kind of biochemical gas lately. I just destroyed all the research data and samples. That should be fine, right?"

"It's okay, but I have a question."

Storm put away the Salamander Fruit and asked casually.

"Doctor, why didn't you eliminate Caesar Clown as well?"

Storm had absolutely no liking for that scumbag Kaiser Courren.

That was a complete mad scientist.

Moreover, he's a mad scientist with absolutely no moral compass!

If it weren't for Vegapunk's request.

Storm had previously planned to capture Caesar Clown and extract his [Logia-type Gas Fruit].

Leaving aside the users.

The Gas Fruit is quite expressive.

It is at least much stronger than the Smoke-Smoke Fruit and Snow-Snow Fruit, which are also Logia-type fruits.

Upon hearing Storm's words, Vegapunk's lips twitched, and he glanced at Storm helplessly.

"I think your idea is a bit too extreme..."

No matter what.

Vegapunk and Caesar Courland had known each other for many years.

Even a dog, after decades of living together, will develop feelings for each other.

Besides, Caesar Courland wasn't a dog.

Vegapunk wasn't so cold-blooded as to casually kill a "colleague" he'd known for years.

"Fine!"

Storm nodded casually, then suddenly looked at Sentomaru beside him.

"Hey! Momotaro! What do you want to do?"

Sentomaru, who was gesturing with a large axe at the sea bubble enveloping Kizaru, shuddered upon hearing Storm's words.

"It's not Momotaro! It's Sentomaru!"

Sentomaru subconsciously put away his axe and then answered seriously.

"Also, I won't tell you that Uncle Kizaru just asked me to rescue him."

Upon hearing this, Kizaru, trapped in the ocean bubble, helplessly rubbed his forehead.

So many years have passed.

Sentomaru still has that silly, innocent look on his face...

"You want to rescue Kizaru?"

Storm looked at Sentomaru with curiosity.

"You should know that once Kizaru comes out, he will take Vegapunk with him and escape."

"Then Vegapunk will be taken back to the World Government and become a research tool for the World Government once again, with his ambitions never having the chance to be realized."

"I... can probably guess."

Sentomaru answered in a muffled voice.

"The World Government wasn't actually that good to Uncle Punk..."

"But you're a pirate."

"Compared to pirates, the World Government is much more trustworthy, isn't it?"

Storm was speechless after being confronted by the simple-minded Sentomaru.

After a long pause, he managed to give a reluctant reply.

"……you're right!"

Seeing Haku suffer a setback, Vegapunk and Kizaru laughed in unison.

The air inside and outside the ocean bubble was instantly filled with a joyful atmosphere.

Vegapunk laughed for a while, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said meaningfully.

"Sentomaru, the World Government is not as trustworthy as you think, and the great pirate in front of you may not be as untrustworthy as you think."

Vegapunk's words were a bit convoluted.

Sentomaru couldn't quite process it all at once.

Kizaru, however, understood the hidden meaning in Vegapunk's words.

This old friend seems to trust Storm quite a bit...

At least Vegapunk did not object to Storm "kidnapping" him.

But why?

A hint of doubt flashed in Kizaru's eyes.

But he didn't ask that question yet.

Vegapunk waved to Sentomaru again.

"Senmo Maru, go to Laboratory Number One and bring me the things from Locker Number Seven."

"Yes, Uncle Punk."

Sentomaru nodded obediently, and then ran towards Research Institute No. 1.

When Storm and his group arrived at the Third Institute.

Sentomaru returned with the item that Vegapunk had mentioned earlier.

It was a small treasure chest.

"Vongola, based on what I know about you before, you seem to be very interested in top-tier Devil Fruits."

Vegapunk generously handed over the treasure chest in his hand.

"This Devil Fruit is considered one of the top-tier fruits in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia."

"Some time ago, the World Government gave me this Devil Fruit, intending for me to replicate its power."

"But I haven't had a chance to use it yet."

"Now, can I use it to trade for Borsalino with you?"

Storm's eyes narrowed slightly as he reached out and took the treasure chest from Vegapunk, then opened it.

Inside the treasure chest, a light brown Devil Fruit lay quietly, its surface covered with spiral patterns resembling arabesques.

Strom reviewed the contents of the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia and immediately identified the name and ability of the Devil Fruit.

[Zoan Type, Inu Inu Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Tanuki Form]!

This is definitely a top-tier Devil Fruit!

The specific ability of this [Mythical Zoan Type: Tanuki Fruit] is that it can transform the "leaves" it creates into any other being at will, including even living beings.

for example.

If Storm eats the Mythical Zoan Fruit, he can use the "leaves" he creates to directly replicate a "Kizaru" on the spot.

Furthermore, this "Kizaru" also possesses the power of the [Glint-Glint Fruit]!

The individual replicated from the Mythical Zoan type, the Tanuki Fruit, possesses the exact same abilities as its original counterpart!

The most terrifying thing is that there is no limit to the number of times the [Bake-tanuki Fruit] can be replicated!

If the user can sustain it, he can create a "clone army".

Storm slapped the sea bubble that was trapping Kizaru.

"This yellow monkey is yours!"

(End of this chapter)