Uchiha's personal opinion

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded very firmly.

"I……"

Vegapunk was speechless.

He simply couldn't produce any evidence to prove that he was who he was!

And even if you could produce them, so what? What if you were asked to prove that those materials were authentic?

"As a great scientist, you must have some special skills, right?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu didn't press the issue further: "Since you need to receive the treatment you deserve, you must demonstrate the necessary abilities, otherwise..."

"I can perform semi-mechanical modifications on living organisms!"

Vegapunk immediately said.

"That's it?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu leaned back tactically, looking quite dissatisfied.

"You must be aliens!"

Vegapunk was silent for a moment, then suddenly said something surprising.

"Ok?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu was indeed somewhat surprised.

"Like those alien races on the moon, you and your subordinates are certainly not native to this world!"

Vegapunk said with increasing certainty, "Moreover, your characteristics are too consistent, both in appearance and in your power system!"

There's some truth to that. After all, while ninjas may look different, their physical characteristics are quite similar, meaning they all look like human beings, unlike the bizarre, alien-like humans found in the world of One Piece.

Uchiha Tokumitsu rubbed his chin. Although he didn't say anything, he was quite satisfied.

He had only interrogated the legendary super scientist on a whim, and Vegapunk's intelligence and composure at this moment made him feel that the trip was largely worthwhile.

"But you're not from the moon either!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu didn't speak, but his expression only strengthened Vegapunk's resolve.

"What an interesting conjecture..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu raised an eyebrow, increasingly satisfied with Vegapunk's performance, and at the same time becoming more determined to recruit him.

Vegapunk swallowed hard, suddenly becoming nervous.

The oppressive force in Uchiha Tokumitsu's scrutinizing gaze was simply too strong.

What do you want?

Upon hearing this, Vegapunk immediately felt relieved.

You made the right bet!

"Food, water, shelter..."

Vegapunk immediately said.

"Oh, and I also need to treat my men!"

Sentomaru lost half of his body to save him, so Vegapunk needs to save him both morally and logically.

"These are all fine, but what can you offer?"

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded, but remained noncommittal in his words.

"A brain that appears only once every 500 years in the world!"

Vegapunk declared in the loudest voice he had ever uttered: "Listen, even for the next five hundred years, no one will be able to rival me!"

"How confident you are..."

A faint smile appeared on Uchiha Tokumitsu's face.

This finally put Vegapunk at ease.

"But semi-mechanization is not enough!"

Uchiha Tokumitsu suddenly said, "I will support you in all your research, including bloodline factors, artificial Devil Fruits, human gigantification, and other areas!"

Vegapunk was immediately horrified!

How could anyone know me so well!

"But you must also offer your loyalty and show me your sincerity..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu extended his left hand, and five beams of light of different colors condensed on his five fingers: "I will give you everything you want, but you must also offer your wisdom and loyalty."

"This is……"

Vegapunk swallowed hard, looking at the eerie light in Uchiha Tokumitsu's hand, and felt a sense of unease.

"The seal of self-karma."

Uchiha Tokumitsu said, "Don't worry, it's just some necessary little tricks, it won't have any effect on your health."

"...I'm willing to accept!"

The Self-Binding Seal took a deep breath, closed its eyes, and adopted a submissive posture.

You will get everything you want!

Uchiha Tokumitsu slowly placed the five fingers of his left hand on Vegapunk's forehead.

Vegapunk only felt a burning sensation in his head, followed by a slight dizziness, but nothing else.

"that's it?"

After Uchiha Tokumitsu withdrew his hand, Vegapunk slowly opened his eyes and asked in a somewhat incredulous tone, while touching his body and feeling nothing unusual.

wrong……

Vegapunk also felt that his body had suddenly become more energetic, as if he had become ten years younger.

In addition to the cursed seal, Uchiha Tokumitsu also added the Sage Seed, which not only strengthened Vegapunk's body but also deepened his control over him.

Especially as time went on, Vegapunk, who no longer possessed Sage Mode, could not remove the Sage Mode Seed after it had fully integrated into his body, even if he had special techniques to break the surface Karma Binding Seal. The Sage Mode Seed, which had penetrated deep into his flesh and even his soul, could not be removed.

"Give him what he wants."

Uchiha Tokumitsu stood up with satisfaction and said to the Imperial Guard ninja, "Also, issue an imperial decree to recall Orochimaru."

"By the way, Orochimaru will be your direct superior, but if your research can produce results in a short period of time, you can also get the opportunity to establish an independent laboratory."

"I understand……"

Vegapunk finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Also, since you invented the Seastone warship, you must know where Seastone is produced, right? Your first task is to draw a nautical chart."

"I see……"

Vegapunk, who had just relaxed, felt another chill.

He even suspected that Kizaru might have deliberately feigned defeat to sell him out!

Otherwise, how could one have such a deep understanding of oneself!

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded, gave a few instructions to the Imperial Guard ninja, and then left.

"May I ask... who is this distinguished guest?"

Vegapunk took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and asked with a hint of nervousness.

"Our Majesty! The most honorable king in the entire world!"

The Imperial Guard ninja, a member of the Uchiha clan, spoke with a slightly broken One Piece dialect, proudly declaring, "To have His Majesty's favor is truly an honor for you!"

"Is that so..."

Vegapunk was genuinely surprised.

He understood perfectly the meaning of the word 'Your Majesty'.

Even if he was a great scientist and very proud, he still understood the difference in status.

"...So, am I free to move around now?"

"I asked tentatively," Vegapunk inquired.

The Imperial Guard ninja didn't speak, but simply gestured towards the door to invite them in.

……

Vegapunk's first "creation" was to transform Sentomaru, who had lost half of his body, into a cyborg.

This work also amazed Orochimaru, who had rushed over from afar.

Orochimaru's research revealed that it involved bloodlines and genetic plates, and he also had profound expertise in human modification. Vegapunk's semi-mechanical modification technology also impressed him, making his trip worthwhile.

Vegapunk exchanged semi-mechanical modification technology with Orochimaru, gaining prior knowledge of human modification technology—after all, the technological foundations of the two worlds are completely different, and Vegapunk, without chakra, could not replicate Orochimaru's experiments.

Even so, the prior knowledge of human modification technology enlightened Vegapunk, and he found a new approach to his previously failed experiment on human giantification.

In short, Orochimaru and Vegapunk were kindred spirits, and the two mad scientists who felt they had known each other for a long time soon became inseparable.

Uchiha Tokumitsu also began assigning them special scientific research tasks.

"Extraction and transplantation of substances characteristic of domineering cultivation?"

Looking at the first topic, Vegapunk raised an eyebrow, becoming even more convinced of his judgment that the force he had now joined was 'alien'.

If they weren't extraterrestrials, it's impossible for them not to have the material characteristics of cultivating Haki in their bodies—basically, any native can acquire Haki through cultivation!

Just as humans in the One Piece world cannot extract chakra through ninja secret techniques, due to subtle differences in their bodies, no ninja has ever gained the ability of Haki.

Uchiha Tokumitsu wasn't ambitious; he would be content as long as his subordinate ninjas could acquire the characteristics of Armament Haki, which wasn't a difficult task for Vegapunk.

Moreover, Vegapunk plans to combine this research with his own research on 'bloodline factors,' which will inevitably cost a fortune, to achieve his grand 'money-grabbing' ideal!

"There's another one..."

Orochimaru handed over another document.

"Research on the counter-relationship characteristics of Devil Fruits?"