Mangaka in the StrawHats

Vegapunk, who had been intensely absorbed in his research, found himself jolted with shock upon noticing the sight on his monitor: a massive, gleaming robot towering on the screen, every joint articulated with precision and ancient elegance!

Damn it!

Isn't that...!!!

Right here, on his secluded island, Egghead, there lay such a robot—one he'd studied countless times, now little more than rusted metal and immobile circuitry.

Yet this lifeless relic had not prevented Vegapunk from recognizing immediately that the robots on the screen shared the same origin, the same unmistakable design.

This... this is a robot from 800 years ago!

Normally, relics from such a distant past would be obsolete, outclassed by centuries of advancement.

But it's different in this world... he mused. For all of Vegapunk's groundbreaking discoveries, all the world's advancements in science and technology ultimately traced back to this long-lost era. The most advanced technology today, every innovation, came from that time, 800 years in the past. And now, here, these same ancient robots were back, fully intact, flying in formation—ten of them soaring together through the sky!

This was no small event. This is monumental.

"Vegapunk, what's with that look on your face? What's got you so rattled?"

The Five Elders, observing his astonishment, furrowed their brows. They were on high alert, sensing something was amiss.

Vegapunk opened his mouth to spill the truth, but suddenly he hesitated, struck by a realization.

Wait, no. The world government doesn't know about my research on the blank century, the void hidden in history.

If he admitted the truth now, admitted that this technology was from 800 years ago, he would be effectively exposing himself, revealing the forbidden studies he'd kept secret.

Collecting himself, Vegapunk exclaimed, "This... This is astonishing! Such massive robots capable of independent flight! Who could possibly have created these?"

What?! The Five Elders exchanged bewildered glances.

"So you have no idea where these robots originated?" Saint Ju Peter asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Vegapunk shook his head and answered with feigned ignorance, "I don't."

But within him, his heart raced, emotions swirling uncontrollably. The technology of the void century resurfacing now—what could this signify?

It suggested, tantalizingly, that others might also be researching the technology of that lost era. Oh, if only we could exchange ideas!

"Forget it. It's no surprise that he doesn't know," muttered Saint Marcus. He cast a glance at his soldier, issuing an order with cold efficiency, "Go. Send the CP0 to handle this." In the minds of the Five Elders, even a fleet of robots was nothing beyond CP0's capabilities.

"Yes!" The soldier received the order and quickly departed.

Not long after, three distinct figures appeared at the gates of Pangea Castle. One wore a yin-yang eye mask, another a sunflower mask, and the third a fearsome lion head mask.

These were the CP0 agents stationed in the holy land.

"Who dares to attack the holy land?"

The CP0 with the yin-yang mask spoke in a steady, emotionless tone as they advanced.

"I wouldn't know. Revolutionary soldiers are all madmen, throwing themselves against the world government without a thought," the one in the sunflower mask replied, shrugging nonchalantly before adding with a slight grin, "Let's go resolve this mess."

As they spoke, the three of them moved in sync, the ground beneath them barely disturbed as they launched themselves upward in a flash—

Moon Walk!

Leaving Mariejois in their wake, the three agents advanced rapidly!

In this world, few things were beyond their capacity to handle.

Before long, they spotted the ten colossal robots speeding toward them.

"So massive?" the CP0 agents murmured in disbelief, staring at the Terra Robots with astonished expressions.

"The uglier they are, the older they must be!" scoffed the CP0 in the lion head mask. "Just like those useless giants—big and dumb!" His laugh was cold and derisive.

"Why don't you two stand back and watch?" he sneered. "I'll take care of these fools myself!"

With that, he shot forward, accelerating faster than the eye could follow.

The CP0 with the yin-yang mask and the sunflower mask exchanged glances.

Show-off...

Meanwhile, within the Terra Robots' targeting systems...

"Target locked!"

"Enemy confirmed!"

"Commencing elimination!"

The robots charged forward, unfaltering. One of them, its eyes glowing, locked onto the CP0 with the lion head mask and released a swift, deadly beam—Whoosh!

Nani?? The CP0 agent in the lion head mask, filled with confidence only moments ago, suddenly felt a jolt of alarm as his observation Haki flared in warning.

Danger! Serious danger!

The intensity of the warning sent a chill through him.

No way... Could these lasers really be so potent?

To be fair, the lion-headed CP0 agent was no stranger to powerful weaponry. He was familiar with the laser technology embedded in the pacifists, beams derived from the Shining Fruit.

But those lasers, dangerous as they were, had never truly threatened his life like this. And yet, the three blazing beams in front of him now felt like a direct assault on his very existence!

As the beams neared, his eyes narrowed, realizing too late—

Damn it!

Flashes of energy—ice, fire, lightning, and pure light—coursed through the beams, each one brimming with immense destructive force. No wonder his Haki's warning had been so intense!

But no matter how strong these beams were, his Haki had been honed to advanced levels, powerful enough to guide his movements. Trusting his instincts, he dodged to avoid the deadly laser.

But then—two more blue beams fired in his direction, one to his left, the other to his right, closing in from both sides.

"What?!" he stammered, realizing in horror that, no matter where he turned, the three intersecting beams would leave him no escape.

This was impossible! How can these robots block every path without leaving any blind spots?

It dawned on him in a flash of dread—

These robots... they also have observation Haki!

And not just any Haki—their ability to read his movements surpassed even his own!

Only with such a skill could they predict his evasive route and ensnare him in their crossfire.

"Oh no, save me!!—"

With no time left, he screamed, a final, desperate cry echoing as—

Boom!

The trio of laser beams, each charged with devastating energies, swallowed him whole in a blinding, explosive burst.