Chapter 234: Punk Hazard Blown Up?

Water 7 wasn't Claudius's final destination; it was just a stop along the way. While there, he received news of a mineral discovery in the Calm Belt. Using the opportunity, he briefly discussed the sea train project connecting the Calm Belt with Tom.

This time, Claudius's ultimate destination was Little Garden. Yes, Little Garden again. Despite several previous attempts, he still hadn't managed to set foot on the prehistoric island. Every time he approached it, some crisis would arise, forcing him to return to Mariejois to manage the situation.

This time, Claudius meticulously studied the almanac before setting off, confirming it was an auspicious day for travel. After consulting with his intelligence network, he was confident that no urgent matters would require him to return to Mariejois anytime soon.

With everything in order, Claudius embarked on his holiday voyage aboard the Prometheus, accompanied by his friends.

Currently, however, Claudius was still in Water 7. He had to coordinate with Sengoku regarding the Calm Belt sea train project. After all, the development of the Calm Belt was a joint venture between CP-X and Marine, with a 50-50 partnership.

Not only did Claudius plan to leverage seastone environmental fusion technology, but he also intended to persuade Marine to invest in the Calm Belt sea train project.

Sitting in the municipal building on the highest floor, Claudius held a cup of tea in one hand while a Den Den Mushi sat on the table in front of him. Through the window, he gazed at the cityscape of Water 7.

Coincidentally, his visit overlapped with the impending arrival of Aqua Laguna." This massive tsunami threatened to engulf the entire island, sweeping everything in its path. Claudius had never witnessed such a spectacle and decided to stay an extra two days to observe it.

After the tsunami subsided, the city would collect high-concentration sea salt, a unique resource harvested from the turbulent waters. Over the years, Water 7 had marketed this salt as a rare and precious product, boasting miraculous properties, claims that Claudius found amusing but effective. The product had become a profitable export, eagerly sought by outsiders.

As the sky darkened and steady rain began to fall, Tom explained that this was the precursor to Aqua Laguna's arrival.

---

"Your Highness, the Prometheus has been prepared, but Robin refuses to leave. She says she'll 'live and die' with the Great Library," Stussy said with a teasing smile as she entered the room.

Claudius glanced at her and chuckled. "Live and die? As if my ship would sink. Don't worry, Water 7 has weathered Aqua Laguna for years. They've even turned it into a tourist attraction. Where's Nia?"

"Nia says she wants to stay on the ship as well," Stussy replied with a grin.

"Really?" Claudius shook his head in mock exasperation. "What a stubborn pair."

At that moment, the Den Den Mushi on the table rang. Seeing the caller, Claudius smirked. It was Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Claudius picked up the receiver and said with a playful tone, "Busy man, Sengoku."

Sengoku's voice, though tired, carried a cheerful note. "I can't compare to you, Your Highness. I hear you're enjoying Water 7?"

"Yes, I'm here for Aqua Laguna. I've never seen it before, so I thought I'd take a look," Claudius replied casually.

"Another vacation, huh? I'm jealous," Sengoku said with a chuckle.

"If you're that envious, why not resign as Fleet Admiral and join me? Five insurances, one housing fund, and three months of paid vacation every year," Claudius joked.

"Spare me," Sengoku replied, laughing.

After exchanging pleasantries, Sengoku asked, "So, what did you want to discuss earlier? I was in a meeting and couldn't answer."

"Well, I wanted to discuss your Marine Science Unit," Claudius began, but before he could finish, Sengoku interrupted, sounding surprised.

"You already know about the incident? Is CP-X's intelligence network really that fast?" Sengoku asked, astonished.

Claudius blinked in confusion. "Incident? What are you talking about? I was referring to the seastone technology for the Calm Belt project."

Realizing his mistake, Sengoku sighed and explained, "Ah, I jumped to conclusions. Well, since you'll find out soon enough, I may as well tell you. Something big happened at Punk Hazard."

"Punk Hazard?" Claudius asked curiously.

Sengoku continued with a mix of frustration and helplessness. "Caesar Clown—the scientist in charge of researching new types of bombs and artillery, was secretly experimenting with chemical weapons. We turned a blind eye to his unauthorized work, but this time, he caused a major accident. There was a gas leak, and now the entire island is covered in toxic gas.

"The base is a total loss, the research equipment is destroyed, and many personnel were killed. Punk Hazard has become uninhabitable, wiped off the map entirely. Do you know how much we invested in that place? It's a disaster!"

Claudius couldn't help but laugh inwardly but kept his tone sympathetic. "I take it you're pretty upset."

"Upset? I want to strangle that b*****d Caesar myself! Years of investment, down the drain. Do you know how much cutting-edge equipment we had there?" Sengoku lamented, his voice filled with bitterness.

"What about Caesar?" Claudius asked, steering the conversation.

"We're planning to send him to Impel Down for a few years. Once he's served some time and cooled off, we'll reinstate him. He's too valuable to simply discard," Sengoku admitted.

Claudius nodded thoughtfully. This was the privilege of being a technical talent: even after causing massive damage, Caesar's expertise made him indispensable.

---

As Sengoku continued to vent, Claudius saw an opportunity. Caesar's skills were indeed exceptional, and if properly guided, he could be an asset. Handing him over to Crocodile or Doflamingo for future projects could yield significant results.

"Well, Sengoku, if nothing else, this incident proves that Caesar's weapon has potential," Claudius remarked.

"It has potential, sure," Sengoku replied, "but such weapons are banned under World Government law. They're too destructive and unethical."

Claudius smirked. "The law might prohibit them, but that hasn't stopped the World Government from bending the rules when it suits their agenda, has it?"