One Piece: Marine Luffy, Garp regrets it

Lightning crackled at Luffy's fingertips, and with a sudden motion, a thin bolt of electricity shot out.

Under Vegapunk's wide-eyed shock and Kizaru's indifferent gaze, the bolt pierced straight through Caesar's heart.

"You... you...!" Caesar gasped, his bloodshot eyes full of disbelief before his body slumped lifelessly to the ground.

The two Marine officers, stunned by the sudden turn of events, looked at each other in panic and then turned their bewildered gazes toward Kizaru.

Kizaru sighed, rubbing the back of his head lazily. "Luffy-san, if the Fleet Admiral and the government hear about this, it'll cause quite the headache for me."

Luffy shrugged, unfazed. "He was just a scumbag. The Fleet Admiral won't lose sleep over it. As for the government? Let's say the criminal resisted arrest and was killed in the process. Problem solved."

Kizaru tilted his head thoughtfully, his usual nonchalant smile returning. "You've got the Fleet Admiral's favor, after all. Fine, I'll follow your lead."

To Kizaru, Caesar was nothing more than an annoyance—his reckless actions had caused enough trouble. Luffy's decisiveness made the matter easier to deal with, and Kizaru wasn't inclined to argue.

The decision was sealed with just a few words.

Vegapunk, still processing the situation, swallowed hard before speaking hesitantly. "Is this... really acceptable? Skipping the trial undermines the purpose of the law."

Luffy turned to him, his gaze sharp. "The law exists to protect people. Scum like Caesar, who treat human lives as tools for experiments, don't deserve its protection."

Vegapunk, though initially uneasy, couldn't refute Luffy's point. As a scientist who had devoted his life to progress, he understood the fine line between innovation and inhumanity. He sighed and addressed the Marines.

"Take his body and bury it somewhere discreet."

The Marines saluted and dragged Caesar's lifeless form out of the room.

As they exited, they encountered a young man with a sturdy build, a large axe slung across his back, and a watermelon-shaped haircut. His red bellyband and confident demeanor were unmistakable.

Seeing Caesar's body, the young man frowned. "What's going on here? That guy was supposed to be useful for my uncle. Why's he dead?"

Before the Marines could explain, the research room door opened, and Kizaru stepped out, followed by Vegapunk and Luffy.

"It's fine, Sentomaru," Kizaru said casually. "His guilt was confirmed, so he's been dealt with."

Sentomaru relaxed at Kizaru's assurance, then turned his attention to Luffy, his curiosity evident.

"Are you Rear Admiral Luffy who injured Kaido? I read about you in the papers."

Luffy blinked, surprised. "Huh, didn't think I'd be recognized here."

Before Luffy could say more, Vegapunk interjected, his voice tinged with surprise. "You injured Kaido?!"

Luffy grinned. "Yeah, though the newspapers exaggerated a bit. I managed to break his defense and give him a good hit." He narrowed his eyes playfully. "What's with that doubtful tone, Doctor?"

Vegapunk scratched his oversized head awkwardly, the motion looking almost comical. "Ah, no offense. I've just been too busy with research to keep up with current events."

Kizaru chuckled. "Doctor, you should read the papers once in a while. Luffy-san's exploits have been making waves."

Vegapunk gave a dry laugh, then suddenly smacked his forehead. "Oh no! I've wasted too much time here. My research isn't finished, and now my inspiration's piling up again! I need to get back to the lab!"

As he turned to leave, Luffy muttered, almost absentmindedly, "For someone as talented as you, having robot assistants to help with research doesn't seem like a bad idea."

Vegapunk froze mid-step. Slowly, he turned around, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Robots... of course! Why didn't I think of that? If I could build robots to handle my routine tasks—eat, drink, sleep, even go to the toilet—I'd have more time for research!"

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