Chapter 54: Secrets Behind the Curtain
"It's been a long time since we last contacted each other, Mr. Vegapunk."
Mio answered the Den Den Mushi calmly, eyes fixed on the vast, endless sea stretching out before him.
"Hehe, I should have contacted you via text, but I finally have some free time and no one's around. So, I figured I'd give you a proper call."
Vegapunk's voice came through, gentle as always. Despite now being fully aligned with the World Government, he didn't seem to mind the call.
"So, Mr. Vegapunk, do you have something to discuss?" Mio asked with a faint smile.
"Indeed, I do." Vegapunk chuckled, getting to the point. "Two things, actually. First—about the World Government. Second—about the genes you provided me earlier."
"Oh?"
Mio's eyes lit up, but he remained silent, choosing instead to listen.
In a high-security research facility located deep within the Holy Land of Marijoa, Vegapunk sat alone in a heavily guarded lab. Steam rose from a freshly brewed cup of tea in his hand as he spoke slowly.
"Only by joining the World Government can one truly understand the scope of its power."
"It sounds like you've seen some things firsthand."