One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

"I say, Borsalino-senpai, this science lab… it's not in Marineford?"

Aboard a dedicated Navy warship, Wright and Borsalino were en route to a classified location—an undisclosed island housing the secret base of the Marine Science Division.

"That's~ correct~"

Borsalino's expression grew subtly amused. "Otherwise~ why would I say~ you'll be staying there for quite a while~?"

Wright rubbed his face, attempting to soften his expression. "A secret island for mad scientists, filled with grotesquely modified monsters and hazardous machines…"

"Occasional explosions, toxic leaks, or mechanical uprisings…"

"And let me guess, sinister scientists in white coats wielding chainsaws, wrenches, and giant syringes roam the place…"

"Ugh… horrifying!"

Borsalino stared at Wright in disbelief as the latter continued his exaggerated internal monologue. Nearby Marines were already trembling with fear.

Does this guy's imagination always run this wild? You're treating the Marine Science Division like some horror comic setting! Honestly, you're overacting better than I could!

"Ahem…" Borsalino had to interrupt Wright's imaginative tirade. "Junior~ you've been reading too many comics~"

"The place isn't that terrifying. On the contrary~ to create a conducive research environment, the scenery there is actually quite pleasant~"

"Ew… that kills the vibe for scientific research!" Wright retorted with disdain.

"…" Even Borsalino, with his usual flippant demeanor, had a twitching vein on his forehead.

"Oh? Is that the island?"

The sight of an approaching island prompted Borsalino to abandon any thoughts of discussing the practical applications of light-based abilities with Wright.

"That's correct~ there it is~"

Borsalino's previously carefree gaze sharpened. "Ahead lies~ a highly classified area~"

"This island~ is undetectable until you get close enough~ so it may have seemed to appear suddenly~"

"This unique characteristic~ minimizes the risk of discovery~"

"Ah… so that's why the Glint-Glint Fruit user, Borsalino, is assigned to this. Speed makes you the ideal candidate," Wright nodded in understanding.

"Prepare to disembark~" Borsalino squinted. "My dependable subordinate~ should already be waiting to receive us~"

...

"Old man! What brings you here personally again?"

Wright eyed the figure before him with a complicated expression.

The man was a head taller than Wright, broad-shouldered and muscular, carrying a massive double-edged axe. He wore a large red bellyband and had a childlike haircut, but his square face strained to maintain a serious demeanor.

"This time~ I'm just the guide~" Borsalino gestured toward Wright. "Junior Wright~ please present Fleet Admiral Sengoku's authorization."

Wright handed over the document, which the man examined thoroughly. "Verified. Everything checks out."

"Hello, Vice Admiral Wright. I'm Sentomaru, Dr. Vegapunk's bodyguard. And let me tell you—only someone as tight-lipped as I am could take on this role!"

"…Nice to meet you, Sentomaru. So, what's Dr. Vegapunk up to right now?" Wright extended a handshake, casually asking.

"That's classified! There's no way I'd tell you the doctor is researching Devil Fruit weapons!"

"…"

An awkward silence followed.

"Uh… you just revealed the classified information."

"Huh? I'd never leak secrets! I told you that because I wanted to tell you… yeah, that's it!"

"…Right. Thank you very much."

Watching Sentomaru shift to security arrangements, Wright quietly leaned toward Borsalino. "Senior, are you sure this guy is reliable as a bodyguard?"

"HOHO~ this is the outstanding subordinate~ I wanted to introduce you to~"

Borsalino's definition of "outstanding" seemed questionable. "Sentomaru is an ex-treme-ly dependable man~"

"Well~ it's getting late~ I'll head back to headquarters now~"

"I'll leave the rest~ in Sentomaru's hands~"

"Take care~"

Borsalino suddenly pulled out a handkerchief to dab at his forehead, as if recalling something unpleasant. Without waiting, he hurriedly boarded the warship and left.

He left.

As the admiral overseeing the Marine Science Division, Borsalino was unwilling to meet Vegapunk and had fled in a rush!

Confirmed! Borsalino must've been involved in one of Vegapunk's experiments! Auxiliary research… hehe.

Wright watched Borsalino's retreat with schadenfreude. But as realization dawned, his smirk faded.

Wait… doesn't that mean I'm next in line for experiments?!

Hmm… first order of business is to produce enough Lightforged Crystals so I can avoid getting dragged into this.

Perfect plan!

"Hey, where's Old Man Kizaru?" Sentomaru returned from his security rounds to find Wright standing alone.

"Oh, he bailed," Wright shrugged. "Said you'd take care of things."

"…" Sentomaru's expression darkened. "Dr. Vegapunk's been missing him lately… how inconsiderate!"

Haha!

"Take me to Dr. Vegapunk," Wright interjected, steering the conversation away. The mention of Devil Fruit weapons earlier sparked his curiosity.

Weapons like "Lassoo" or "Funkfreed" might be imminent. And Shuzo hadn't even gotten his Alpacacino yet!

"Alright…" Sentomaru led Wright inside the research facility.

"I hear Vice Admiral Wright's healing abilities are unparalleled?" Sentomaru inquired. "Dr. Vegapunk even praised the Lightforged Crystal you developed as a stroke of genius!"

"Oh… such high praise from the doctor is truly an honor!" Wright replied humbly, though surprised by the compliment.

"I've also heard that embedding Seastone in the hulls of Marine ships was Dr. Vegapunk's invention…" Wright remarked, full of admiration.

"I'm a great admirer of the doctor's work. His inventions have elevated Marine justice to new heights—an immeasurable contribution!"

"Admiration?" Sentomaru shot Wright a peculiar look. "When it comes to science, Vegapunk's accomplishments are indeed praiseworthy, but…"

"But?" Wright's eyes gleamed. Could this be some juicy dirt on Vegapunk?

"You'll understand when you meet him… he's easy to get along with, but sometimes…"

Sentomaru trailed off, glancing at the direction Borsalino had fled, his expression becoming even more peculiar.

"Sometimes he can be… hmm…"

"…I'm the tightest-lipped man in the world, so you'll have to find out for yourself!"

Wright: MMP!

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