Chapter 1068

When Pythagoras asks for clarity, Lucci explains that two months ago, a ship from CP5 disappeared, and a month ago, a ship from CP7, and from approximately two weeks ago, one from CP8. He asks why none of these World Government ships have been seen or heard from again, and Pythagoras says that he should have confirmed they had all departed, but Lilith takes the Den Den Mushi from him and angrily accuses him of blaming them for the ships’ disappearances. Pythagoras manages to get Lilith to stop talking and hangs up on Lucci. In response, Lucci asks that the Seraphim, dubbed “S-Bear”, needs to use its abilities to get everyone to the island, meaning they would abandon ship and have it be destroyed by the mechanized Sea Beasts. On Momoiro Island, the Revolutionary Army continues chasing after Bartholomew Kuma, who uses his Devil Fruit powers to warp off the island.

In the Scrapyard, Luffy asks Dr. Vegapunk why he wants him to take him off the island, especially since his lab is here. Vegapunk admits this to be true, but also says that he has completely used up all of the World Government’s research funds and has been doing as he pleased since then. Despite this, he does not possess the manpower or resources required to continue bringing his ideas to fruition. He then announces that his big dream is to use science in order to create a world where energy would be provided for all, free of charge.

Luffy does not exactly understand, and Jinbe tells him that resources that produce energy are often fought over by other countries, thus resulting in war. Vegapunk confirms and says that energy exists everywhere in the world, and he wishes to convert it to usable power, thereby removing the need for such wars. Though he does not quite understand yet, Luffy, while stating he does not wish to be a hero, says that a person who wants to make others happy is good, but he still wonders why he wants to leave Egghead. Vegapunk says that the energy he seeks to find was what powered the ancient robot, and in trying to find it, he has had to explore the Void Century and ultimately discover the truth. Just then, they hear an explosion, and Vegapunk says that since he had delved too deep, the World Government wants to kill him.

He also speculates that CP0 has arrived, and further speculates they are responsible for that explosion, resulting in Jinbe and Vegapunk to tell Luffy what CP0 is compared to CP9. In the meantime, Lucci, Kaku, Stussy, and their troops have arrived in Fabriophase, with Kaku left in awe over the futuristic island. The people see them and are left confused by their unique appearances and arrival as they note that two Sea Beasts were destroyed. Pythagoras tells Shaka that CP0 managed to invade Egghead, causing Usopp and Nami to freak out. Seeing how they were so willing to sacrifice their ship and use S-Bear to strike against them, Shaka decides to respond in kind.

He orders all researchers to evacuate and has Atlas head back to the Labophase while also having S-Shark, and the Seraphim clones of Dracule Mihawk and Boa Hancock (dubbed “S-Hawk” and “S-Snake” respectively), ready for battle, with Sentomaru in charge of commanding them. Back in the scrapyard, Vegapunk asks Luffy if he will take him off the island, to which the latter ultimately accepts, even though the deciding factor was because Vegapunk’s head is so strange. Nevertheless, Vegapunk expresses his gratitude and tells them to bring Jewelry Bonney with them to Labophase, and that they should all leave before Fabriophase becomes a battlefield. With that, Vegapunk teleports away, leaving Luffy and Chopper surprised. Meanwhile, the CP0 agents are confronted by Vegapunk’s holograms.

Their guns fail to work and Kaku’s attacks are proven futile as well, even though he was enthusiastic over fighting something like a space monster. Stussy tells everyone that it is just a hologram, much to their annoyance that she did not mention that fact sooner. Lucci admits that Stussy is well informed, and she says being on Egghead is nostalgic for her. Kaku decides to fly above the cloud that Labophase is on, but Stussy points out two lines on the cloud. She then says that if someone crosses that line, then lasers will be fired, as what Kaku passed was the “Frontier Dome” that serves as an interception system that protects Labophase. Kaku ends up getting blasted and falls back down to the ground, prompting both him and Lucci to tell her not to be so coy and tell them these things beforehand. Eventually, Atlas arrives on the scene and tries to fight them, but Shaka warns her that she is no match for them, and he is proven correct when Lucci transforms into his hybrid form and attacks Atlas with Rokuogan, destroying half of her face in the process. Atlas collapses, prompting all the researchers to start evacuating, as Lucci notes that Atlas is still alive. Just then, Luffy and the others arrive on top, and he and Lucci lock eyes.