Mary Geoise, Five Elders' Council Chamber.
A Video Transponder Snail was broadcasting live footage from Egghead Island.
York's voice also ca through a nearby Den Den Mushi.
"See? Vegapunk is taking that person sowhere else now."
The Five Elders frowned as they observed the blurry figure in the footage.
Though York had activated the Video Transponder Snail imdiately, she'd still been a step too late.
However... the audio had co through clearly from the start...
"They just ntioned the Mother Fla? What exactly is that?" Jaygarcia Saturn Saint, the Warrior God of Science and Defense, asked with a furrowed brow.
"If you don't let us know what we stand to gain from you... why should we cooperate?"
"Tch, you old foxes are as cunning as ever!" York's voice was low, but with the help of the amplified audio from the auxiliary Den Den Mushi, it remained crystal clear.
"Fine, fine, I'll give it to you! You must rember sending a Lunarian to Vegapunk for research, right?"
"The Lunarian Race?"
Just that na made all the Five Elders straighten in their seats.
In the outside world, rely providing information about a Lunarian could earn a reward of 100 million Berries!
And this bounty had remained active across the seas for over a century.
All because of their precious trait... those inextinguishable flas.
"What... are you implying?"
"Truly won't act without incentive... Vegapunk conducted extensive research on that Lunarian man and discovered that the flas on his back could potentially be used as an energy source." York's words gradually sped up.
"After thoroughly studying its properties, he successfully developed the Mother Fla using Egghead's Fusion Furnace... It's an energy source capable of providing free, shared energy for the entire world."
Energy!
Derived from Lunarian flas, enough to power the entire world for free!?
The Five Elders exchanged glances...
Others might not understand, but as the Five Elders, as Imu's most loyal old hounds, they knew exactly what this... represented!
It ant that by obtaining the Mother Fla and the Fusion Furnace that created it...
They could once again control the world's most powerful weapon...
Uranus!
The reason Lunarians had dwindled until none could be found anywhere across the seas was precisely because the flas on their backs...
Could be used to activate and power Uranus.
In other words...
The Lunarians were Uranus's mobile, living ammunition.
This was why Lunarians were so valuable.
And now York was telling them...No need to waste ti searching anymore.
It can be achieved simply through the Fusion Furnace created by Vegapunk!
"What do you want? As long as you hand over the Mother Fla to us, we can fulfill any wish of yours." Saturn frowned slightly before continuing,
"You heard right—any wish."
"My, my, how quickly you change your tune! But I already guessed you'd want this thing—desperately enough to chase after the Lunarian Race like madn across the seas..."
York's voice was languid, yet tinged with unmistakable smugness.
Though she bore the burden of carrying the desires—eating, drinking, sleeping—of the other five satellites... she was still Vegapunk.
Selfish and greedy as she was, she was still Vegapunk.
She... was too clever.
"Na your terms."
"Make a Celestial Dragon..." York's voice replied without hesitation after a brief pause, "...and ensure that all satellites, including Vegapunk himself, disappear. I will be the only Vegapunk!"
"The first condition is no issue. Once the Mother Fla is verified as functional, you will beco a Celestial Dragon—one of the most exalted among them."
After exchanging glances with the other Elders, Saturn nodded and continued.
"But making you the sole Vegapunk... that we cannot allow. Vegapunk is far too valuable. We must keep all of them in Mary Geoise."
"Oh? Is that so?" York's voice gradually darkened. "You should know that the current Mother Fla is a single-use consumable... And Vegapunk, frustrated by research setbacks, has begun studying the Ancient Energy of the ancient civilization to aid his work. So... they've been researching the Poneglyphs and the Void Century."
Her words rang clearly in the ears of the Five Elders.
They... hesitated.
The Void Century was the absolute taboo of the Celestial Dragons and the World Governnt—a wound that must never be touched.
And soone as brilliant as Vegapunk could easily uncover the truth from it...
"Oh, and that man who visited Vegapunk today... It seems he altered the flas of the Lunarian Race. If I'm not mistaken, the flas on his body could also serve as an energy source... The reason Vegapunk took him to study the Mother Fla was likely because he saw him as a major breakthrough."
"...Deal!"
That final statent tipped the scales in York's favor completely.
Every condition struck precisely at the Elders' vulnerabilities.
Especially the last one...
A potential alternative to the Lunarian flas...
In other words—a third energy source capable of powering Uranus.
"York, do you know that man's identity?" Saturn asked one final, crucial question. "This is extrely important."
"Not at all. Vegapunk may be brilliant, but he isn't omniscient... Well, I'm hanging up now. Any longer, and suspicions might arise."
"Fine. Do your best to stall Vegapunk and that visitor... We'll dispatch forces to Egghead imdiately to take full control."
The Den Den Mushi disconnected.
The Five Elders exhaled deeply.
"This matter... must be reported to Imu-sama.""Send soone out first... Imu-sama surely wants to obtain the Mother Fla and that peculiar man as soon as possible."
"Then who should we send? The Marines?"
"No, the Marines would never agree to this... Contact Golden Lion." Nusjuro Saint made the final decision.
"It's ti he repaid his debt to us."
...
"Hmph, do they really think I'm a fool?" York hung up the Den Den Mushi with a cold laugh.
"What if they back out after learning this so-called 'peculiar man' is actually Michael?"
"York? What were you saying just now?" Atlas blinked her large, moe eyes curiously, "I didn't catch that."
"Oh, I was just talking in my sleep."
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