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A Noitem remnant led Noir to a sheltered corner of the base.
A nondescript building stood there, its scale reminiscent of a large chemical plant from Noir's previous life.
The guide knocked twice on the door. Noir expected it to open automatically, as others had, but instead, it creaked open manually.
A nervous-looking man emerged, bowing deeply to Noir. "Your Highness," he said, "The Scientist is in the laboratory. Please follow me."
A high-tech automated entrance to the base, but a manually operated door here?
Noir was slightly bemused but followed the man inside.
The interior of the "factory" was disappointing. Instead of advanced technology, Noir saw only an array of greasy machinery and scattered parts.
The impressive facade of the base seemed to have vanished.
This eccentric scientist is probably some grimy, unhygienic brute, Noir thought to himself.
The guide led him to an office within the factory and knocked hesitantly. "Doctor ( alias for scientists too )" he announced, "His Highness wishes to see you."
...
Silence. The air grew still.
Noir raised an eyebrow. No response? Lost in research, or intentionally ignoring me?
Patience is key when dealing with eccentric geniuses.
Noir stepped forward and knocked himself. "It's Noir," he said. "May I come in?"
Finally, there was a response – a flurry of chaotic noises from within, as if something had been knocked over. Then, a surprisingly loud explosion!
Noir smirked, casually disabled the lock with a flick of his wrist, and pushed the door open.
"What the?!"
A dark mass hurtled towards him, burying him and his companions under a pile of debris.
Noir struggled out of the junk heap, staring in disbelief at the chaotic state of the room. Was this a landfill?
Even for an eccentric scientist, this was excessive.
The spacious room was overflowing with clutter, leaving barely any space to stand.
Noir looked around, but there was no one in sight. "Did the doctor get buried alive in his own trash after the explosion?" he muttered.
That would be a tragic end.
Wait, why is there a strand of… pink hair… in the garbage?
Intrigued, Noir reached out, grasped the hair, and pulled. A small figure emerged with a yelp.
Noir blinked, staring at the creature he’d unearthed. Their eyes met. The air crackled with… something.
A pink-haired little girl, with a fluffy ahoge sticking up from her head, stared back at him. She wore an oversized lab coat, her face smudged with grime, but her features were undeniably angelic.
Noir, his face expressionless, tossed the unidentified child aside.
This has to be a dream. Maybe she's the doctor's daughter?
"Ouch!"
The dazed child landed outside the door, clutching her backside. Two figures rushed to her side. "Doctor, are you alright?!"
Noir slowly turned his head, a sense of dread creeping in. Did they just call her… doctor?
This adorable, seemingly clueless little girl… is the brilliant scientist I was expecting?
The pink-haired girl straightened up, her hands clasped behind her back in a pretense of authority. "What are you doing here? Didn't His Highness request my presence?" she demanded, her voice surprisingly stern, yet childishly high-pitched.
The two figures pointed awkwardly behind her. "uh… His Highness just threw you out there, Doctor."
The girl froze, then turned to face Noir, their eyes meeting once again. Noir was speechless.
He walked over to her, stooping low to meet her gaze. "You're… the Scientist?"
The girl's stern facade crumbled. She nodded meekly. "Yes, Your Highness. I'm Dr. Alpha Kuri. You can call me Kuri."
Reality sunk in, and Noir felt a pang of disappointment. His mental image of a mad scientist shattered into a million pieces.
Shaking his head, Noir asked, "Alright, Kuri, why didn't you leave with the others?"
Kuri's face puffed up like a steamed bun. "My invention was almost complete! They barged in and told me to evacuate right away!"
Kuri… a fittingly childish nickname.
Noir chuckled, his voice softening instinctively. "What kind of research are you doing?"
Kuri's large eyes sparkled. "A next-generation combat armor! It's almost finished!"
Noir's heart skipped a beat. Combat Armor… Could it be…?
"Do you mind if I take a look?"
Kuri shook her head eagerly, like a child showing off a new toy. "Of course, Your Highness! It's my greatest invention!"
She led Noir out of the cluttered office to a slightly cleaner area where the combat armor was displayed.
It was a towering suit of heavy armor, reaching Noir's height. He tapped on it curiously. The material was incredibly durable. Even with Haki, it would take several powerful blows to break through.
"What does it do?" Noir asked. If it was for combat, it must have offensive capabilities.
Kuri beamed, her nose practically touching the ceiling. She pressed several buttons on the armor's hand, and the suit whirred to life, various weapons extending from its surface.
While impressive-looking, the weaponry – hand-mounted machine guns, shoulder cannons – was nothing new to Noir, a man from another world.
But in this world, it was revolutionary. Ignoring the user's skill and experience, the armor's firepower rivaled that of Franky's cyborg modifications.
However, this was only comparable to Franky from two years ago. After gaining access to Vegapunk's research, Franky had become a walking arsenal.
Kuri was just a child. Comparing her to the monstrous genius of Vegapunk was unfair.
Besides, Noir didn't need Kuri to be centuries ahead of her time. Her current skills were impressive enough.
Seeing Noir's indifferent reaction, Kuri's cheerful expression faltered. "Isn't it amazing?" she asked, her voice filled with disappointment. "I think it's pretty good…"
Noir knelt down, meeting the little girl's gaze. Even then, he still towered over her.
He gently patted her head. "You've done a great job, Kuri. But you could do even better."
Kuri looked up at him skeptically. Even better?
That was a novel concept…
As a child prodigy, Kuri had displayed extraordinary talent from a young age, quickly becoming a key figure among the Noitem remnants.
Her inventions were always praised as the best, leading her to believe they were…
Knowing she was unconvinced, Noir smiled and pulled out a dusty stack of blueprints from his dimensional storage.
Time to dazzle the little scientist.
...
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