The technology to create the slime was important to the scientist, but as for the slime itself, he only saw it as a disposable experiment.
Since Cyrus was interested, he naturally wouldn't mind handing it over, and of course, it wouldn't matter even if he did object.
'But Lord Cyrus's companions?' Caesar's eyes lit up. 'The lone survivor from the destroyed Ohara, the historian Nico Robin.'
Compared to Issho, Caesar was far more interested in Robin, or rather, the forbidden historical knowledge she possessed.
Having spent so much time in the same research organization as Vegapunk, and since they were all highly intelligent people, Caesar had naturally noticed that the lead scientist was very concerned with past history.
For people like them, competition was everywhere.
...
On the shore of the island, the Rose Hunter slowly docked.
Before the two Admirals eventually turned this place into a world of ice and fire, Punk Hazard looked like an ordinary island, and from the outside, there was no sign that a top-tier research institute was hidden here.
Robin lifted her sunglasses and glanced at the News Birds that had led the way.
The birds had flown back to perch on the mast, folding their wings to rest.
"It seems we've arrived. Punk Hazard isn't on the standard route, nor is it on any Log Pose," Robin noted.
Issho, holding his Cane Sword, walked to the bow of the ship with his face turned toward the island.
"Someone's coming," he stated.
A moment later, a team of people in full protective suits approached the Rose Hunter.
"You two, by order of Lord Cyrus, we are here to guide you."
"Let's go!" Robin said, jumping down from the ship.
Her tone was calm, but her action was quite hurried. Issho leaped down and followed.
The two were led deep into the research institute, and when they finally saw Cyrus, he was sitting in the main control room that monitored the entire island, waiting for them.
"Cyrus!" Seeing him, Robin strode forward and threw her arms around him.
The seated Cyrus was slightly shorter than the standing Robin, and seeing this embrace, Caesar kept his mouth tightly shut, not making a single sound.
"Let go of me, I'm suffocating!" Cyrus's voice was muffled against her.
Robin released her arms and took a step back, straightening her clothes.
"We've troubled you this time, Issho-san." Cyrus turned his head to look at the blind swordsman standing to the side.
"It is what I should do. Besides, I did not do much," Issho replied, shaking his head.
"You've done something huge this time," Robin said, sitting down opposite Cyrus with her eyes fixed entirely on him.
"It was nothing major. I just didn't hold back when I made my move and went a little overboard," Cyrus replied, shaking his head casually.
Those words left both Robin and Issho completely speechless.
Caesar still kept his mouth shut, not daring to make a sound.
"The World Government will definitely not tolerate this," Robin warned, looking at Cyrus.
"Mm, I know. I expect we'll be running into them very soon."
"You mean, in Dressrosa?" Robin was very smart; hearing Cyrus say this, she immediately understood what he meant.
She had heard from him that Doflamingo was once a Celestial Dragon, and since Cyrus was definitely going to Dressrosa next, the World Government had probably already made arrangements there.
"Mm, that's the place. But it's just my guess," Cyrus nodded, then looked at Robin. "I don't really care about them, but my main concern is you."
Cyrus knew the World Government wouldn't fail to see that Robin was the weakest in his current group, meaning if they were to act, she might become one of their prime targets.
"I'm very strong now, you know."
Hearing his words, Robin made a fist and flexed her arm, though unfortunately, there wasn't much muscle to see.
No one spoke up to persuade Cyrus to bypass Dressrosa.
Both Issho and Caesar knew that Cyrus and Doflamingo had clashed before, and needless to say, Robin had even been personally involved back in the North Blue.
"You think you're a good fighter?" Cyrus raised an eyebrow. "Let me see!"
"Cien Fleur..." Robin crossed her arms, but before she could call out her move, Cyrus's fingertip was already pressed gently against her neck.
"Oh, right. When facing a much stronger opponent, I shouldn't call out my attack names," Robin said with a flash of realization, feeling Cyrus's fingertip lightly touch her skin.
As her voice fell, a dozen arms sprouted from Cyrus's body, trying to bend him backward.
The result, needless to say, was entirely futile.
Robin quickly changed her mind.
The dozen slender arms moved to gently massage Cyrus's shoulders and arms instead.
"So, what do we do next?" she asked while using her ability.
"We go straight there, then follow the route recorded by the Log Pose. Next, I'm going to meet those guys in the New World," Cyrus said, rubbing his chin.
"Which guys?" Robin asked, stunned before she understood as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Big Mom, Whitebeard, Kaido?"
"And Red-Haired Shanks!" Cyrus added.
"Red Hair and Big Mom have ceased hostilities. It seems Red Hair passed through the Big Mom Pirates' territory and continued along his route," Caesar suddenly interjected.
"You know about this?" Cyrus asked, a little surprised.
"I have connections with the Big Mom Pirates!" Caesar replied immediately.
Cyrus nodded and stood up.
"You two rest for two days. We'll set off right after," he said to Robin and Issho before looking at Caesar.
"You wait here for my people to come and take over some of the things on the island, as well as those children."
Caesar immediately nodded.
"Lord Cyrus, what about the others? The test subjects?" He was naturally referring to the failed products from the Artificial Devil Fruit research, those half-human, half-beast creatures who couldn't revert to their original forms.
"You can deal with them yourself," Cyrus ordered after thinking for a moment.
"Continue testing on the pirates?" Caesar asked tentatively.
"You may!" Cyrus nodded.
"Then there's no problem."
After Caesar finished speaking, he watched Cyrus leave with Robin and Issho before letting out a massive sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it seemed this man wasn't going to force him to stop all his experiments.
After all, he had spent a great deal of time researching this, and if he had to give it all up, he wouldn't even know what to do next.
However, until he fully understood Cyrus's personality, he wouldn't dare to go too far.
...
Two days passed quickly.
Cyrus wasn't idle during these two days, and Issho, the human training aid, was back online.
This time, however, the main training target was Robin.
The current Robin was learning a more eclectic mix of skills than Cyrus had before.
She had to practice the Two Colors of Haki, the fist techniques Cyrus taught her, as well as the swordsmanship taught by Hawkeye.
Robin clearly understood that to stay by Cyrus's side, she couldn't afford to be a weak link, so she didn't slack off in the slightest.
It was just that during this intense training, Cyrus's very hands-on guidance forced Issho to turn off his Observation Haki entirely.