4 Chapter 4: The Genius and the Sky

Dante was currently enjoying himself at one of Sabaody's many attractions. He loved the thrill gained from amusement parks and despite his new life and powerful abilities, some things would always remain the same.

He watched from up in the sky the cruelty of the world he found himself in. He could slaves getting transported, pirates ransacking a shop and killing bystanders, and auction houses selling all kinds of beings as merchandise.

"Well, I can't help everybody nor do I intend to." Dante's body turned illusory as he vanished from the Sabaody, reappearing far away on a tropical island in the New World, the second part of the grand line.

...

A weirdly built man was currently working on a certain project of his. His head was something out of a fairy tale since his forehead reached all the way to the top of the room. He was fully focused on the task at hand not noticing the air behind him shifting and transforming into Dante's figure.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Vegapunk." His voice startled the genius scientist, he was close to getting a heart attack.

"Who are you?! And how did you even get inside my lab?!" Dr. Vegapunk was a genius and the master of the laboratory built on Punk Hazard. He had installed countless contingencies to keep himself and his subordinates as well as his research protected. Yet despite all that, a stranger had managed to creep up on him.

"Haha, I have many names... But you may call me, the Fool." Dante had shifted his clothes into a formal three-piece suit and a long black cloak hiding his body. The earrings had been transformed back into a translucent mask resembling that of a clown which hid Dante's face from Vegapunk.

"I've never heard of someone called the Fool! Are you part of the underworld?! I won't work for you! I doubt you'll pay me even half the amount the world government does!" Even in such a situation, the strange scientist could only think about his experiments and the funding needed to perform them.

Dante observed Vegapunk and the lab he resided in without uttering a word. His calm and composed attitude slightly worrying the genius scientist. He had long activated his alarm system the moment the intruder had presented himself yet despite the presence of his bodyguard and an admiral, none of them seemed to have reacted to it.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you. I... wish to offer you to become one of my subordinates." Dante turned towards Vegapunkt.

"I can't pay you with money, at least not for now, but... I can pay you with something much more valuable." Gray fog oozed out for Dante surrounding the entire lab. Vegapunk trembled slightly, he was both excited about experiencing something he had never seen nor heard before, and the fact that he was at the stranger's complete mercy.

The fog trembled, shifted, and rearranged itself to depict a variety of objects and creations. What Dante showed Vegapunk was hundreds upon hundreds of different inventions and materials stored inside his memories from different fictional worlds. Worlds he was now able to visit and experience for himself.

He showed Vegapunk the Iron Man Suit, the transmutation from Fullmetal Alchemist, the existence of the Hogyoku in Bleach and so much more.

Dante gave Vegapunk something much more valuable than funds, he gave him access to knowledge and resources unavailable in the entire world.

"What are these?! I've never seen a power source like that! And these that tower, how did it merge with a living being?! How can someone forge a sword with souls?!..." Vegapunkt nearly burst open from the countless questions he had after witnessing the scenes inside the gray fog.

"Follow me, and I'll show you all of them and much more!" Dante's words sounded like music to Vegapunk's ears. How could he refuse such an offer? Screw the world government, this was worth so much more than anything they could give him.

"Before I accept your offer... What do you plan to do with my research?"

"I want to create the perfect vessel. I want to use your research on the Lineage Factor to extract it from the most powerful beings in the different realms I just showed you and create a vessel, able to use all of their unique and powerful abilities!" Dante's grandiose wish fueled Vegapunk's scientific curiosity. 

"To create the perfect being..." Vegapunk repeated Dante's goal, he could understand that. He was currently trying to create one by himself! To create the perfect existence that will shield and protect the weak from the terrifying pirates and the oppressive world government!

"Alright..." Despite Dante's goal aligning with his own, it wasn't the reason that Vegapunk accepted the proposal. In fact, it didn't matter what Dante wanted to do with him. Which scientist wouldn't jump at the opportunity to discover and experience hundreds of different civilizations, each with their own distinct and progressive development?!

Vegapunk couldn't care less if the being in front of him was a god or the devil, he would choose the same answer every time. And if it turned out to be the devil himself, he was confident in somehow outsmarting him.

...

After organizing a list of 'ingredients' the genius scientist, now (unofficially) affiliated with Dante, needed for his 'perfect' vessel, Dante set out to retrieve the items.

"Vegapunk already has the lineage factor of both Kaido and King. He's also in possession of the blood of the seven warlords and that of the upper brass of the marines.

Despite that, he said he needed a strong 'volunteer' to become the blueprint for the clones. He said the best would be someone of the buccaneer race..."

Dante, who was currently enjoying the breathtaking sight of Skypea far above the sea, pondered on who to choose. He could go with the standard way and ask for Kuma to help him but more than anyone else, he deserved a peaceful life.

"I could ask Whitebeard in exchange for a cure? I'm not sure if that stubborn old fool would accept something like that..." There weren't many people that fit Vegapunk's requirements.

Lost in his thoughts, Dante arrived in front of a temple built above clouds. In front of the gates stood two guards holding a spear each formed with steel clouds.

"Stop! Who are you?!" One of the guards exclaimed, watching the newcomer walk closer to god's temple.

The loud voice guided Dante out of his thoughts before realizing he had arrived at a sky island.

"Huh...? How did I land here?" Dante examined himself and his surroundings. There was only one possibility of why he suddenly arrived here without noticing.

"Something's calling me... But what?"

A quick divination informed Dante that the Sky Island was safe yet he was unable to track whatever had brought him here.

'Anti-divination?' Dante was baffled that there existed something in the One Piece world that could hide from him. Especially considering he wasn't just a simple god, he was a Pillar!

Glancing at the two guards who shifted awkwardly around, fearing a sudden attack, he smiled at them trying to ease their nervousness. That did, however, do the complete opposite as the two guards assumed his smile to be that of a predator and not an amiable gesture.

""Intruder!"" The two guards shouted at the top of their lungs while ringing a bell they had hidden somewhere. A flow of soldiers came rushing from inside the gate quickly surrounding Dante with dozens of arrows aimed at him.

He sighed watching the panic in everyone's eyes and could only shake his head in disbelief. He hadn't done anything besides walking closer, why did they have to overreact like that...

Luckily for him, a fellow god came to the rescue.

"Put your weapons down, you morons!" A man clad in white attire with a long white beard and a giant hat on his head walked out of the gates.

He locked eyes with Dante, the words coming out of his mouth shocking Dante to his core.