in another world ; one piece : bnha

074

chapter seventy-four
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xiii. punk hazard arc

In Caesar's lab, Caesar is telling Monet how the slime came to be; a byproduct of the accident that happened four years ago. Rather than purify the gas like he told his subordinates, Caesar had compressed the poisonous gas and turned it into a monster to be used for his whims.

Shoto was as calm as a lake as he was patiently seated inside the cage that was only ever big enough for him stretch one limb at a time. He was quite thankful to be not claustrophobic or else he would be hyperventilating minutes ago.

Although the idea of being useless to them outside is agonizing, Shoto played his part well.

He pretended to be in a weakened state just so that they would drop their guards around him, and he also attempted to play dead but that didn't really go well since Monet's feather was enough to get him to sneeze and 'rise back up from the dead', as they would call it.

"I have a ton of questions and tests to run." Caesar had fretted in excitement, and Shoto wasn't so enticed by the idea of becoming a lab rat.

"Good for you. . ." He could only reply, unimpressed.

"But why are you getting weakened by the seastones? That's one anomaly." The gas man muttered, tapping his chin as a thinking gesture. "You aren't affected by water but seastones can weaken you?"

At this point, he seems convinced that Shoto is the one from the rumor that once circulated the lab he worked in back then.

"Unless, you aren't it. . ." Caesar was now having doubts.

Shoto didn't exactly do anything to ease his worries. What can he say? It's not like he wants to be a test subject anyway. It was his mistake to have given the information away earlier.

"We'll know in time." Caesar decided decisively, nodding to himself. "Which shouldn't be too long, I want to work on it right away!"

Shoto drowned out the noise and found himself gazing towards the table where Caesar had carelessly placed Law's heart on. It was dangerous, having the heart so exposed that way. For a scientist, Caesar doesn't really regard living matters that doesn't concern himself.

He had to do something, he decided. He can't just sit inside a cage pretending to be weak the entire time his crew and Law fights for their objective.

He had to get out in the perfect timing, retrieve Law's heart, and fight Caesar and Monet if he has to.

"You can produce ice?" Monet's voice drew him out of his thoughts as Shoto glanced at her at the corner of his eyes, observing her.

Pausing slightly, Shoto then arched a brow. Should he reply truthfully? It seems like she was just genuinely curious but anything that he says from that point onward can be used against him.

"My devil fruit has something to do with snow." She revealed, her voice smooth and almost silky. It seems like she was just trying to find similarities between him and herself. For what? Shoto doesn't know. Maybe to feel understood?

Nonetheless, Shoto can't be friendly in such a dire situation. His crew was fighting for their lives in this island and he's simply conversing to the enemy? He can't do that.

Suddenly, he sees just the person he was expecting by the doorway.

Law.

He perks up slightly, suddenly reminded of their plan B. Law must be getting desperate as he was trying to lure Caesar and Monet out of the room, sparing a glance at Shoto's state at the corner of his eyes.