Third Research Institute

Third Research Institute
Statistics
Japanese Name:	第三研究所
Romanized Name:	Daisan Kenkyūjo
English Name:	Third Lab Complex
First appearance:	Chapter 657; Episode 581
Region:	Punk Hazard (Ice Lands)
Affiliates:	Caesar Clown; Vegapunk (former)

The Third Research Institute was a laboratory on Punk Hazard where Vegapunk performed experiments for the World Government. After Caesar Clown ruined the island with his gas weapon and the government's subsequent abandonment of the facility, Caesar made it his base of operations for the Underworld.

Layout and Locations

On the frozen side of the island the research institute is built into the base of a mountain and has a natural harbor in front that connects to the river. The building was originally the lab in which Vegapunk carried out his chemical weaponry experiments, but now it is used by Caesar as a hideout and for his immoral research. There are many different levels and rooms in the building, and each building is surrounded by balconies with chemical chimneys on the roofs. The building is marked PH-006 along with a gaping hole on the right side. Due to being on the cold side of the island, most of the facility is covered in snow and ice.

The structural layout of the research institute is made up of five large sections connected with each other via gates that can prevent hazardous materials from sweeping into the other sections. Each section is coded with the letters A, B, C, D and R.

A map of the institute.

The facility before the freezing.

The facility after being cut by Trafalgar Law.

Section A

Section A (A（エー）棟, Ē-tō^?, literally meaning "Building A") is the front entrance of the institute that is the only passage connected to Section B and the outside.

Front Entrance

The front entrance is well secured with shutters that can withstand explosives.

Lobby

For the chapter titled "The Lobby of Laboratory Section A", see Chapter 678.

The Section A Lobby (A（エー）棟ロビー, Ē-tō Robī^?) was where most of the Straw Hats, Law, G-5 and Brownbeard entered the institute to escape Shinokuni. After the G-5 grunts fixed the hole Zoro and Kin'emon made the two groups made plans to escape the island before Caesar could trap them in the section while confused.

Connecting Hallway

The Connecting Hallway (連絡通路, Renraku Tsūro^?) is the path between Sections A and B. After Luffy took down Run, he came through here followed by Law and Smoker along with the Straw Hats, Kin'emon, Brownbeard and most of the G-5 while some were trapped in Section A. Making their way through while the G-5 were attacked by Vegapunk's dragon and Vergo leading Sanji to come to their aid fighting Vergo when the gate to Section A was reopened letting in Shinokuni and a report from Section D was announced. Sanji, Vergo and G-5 then made it out of the hallway before the gate to Section B closed.

Section B

Section B (B（ビー）棟, Bī-tō^?, literally meaning "Building B") is the largest section containing all manner of research devices and large chemical pipes along the walls with connecting hallways to Sections A, C (marked "C-B"), D (marked "D-B"), and R (marked "B-R"). There is a checkup room on the second floor and the Biscuits Room on the third floor with a back hallway. As the central section, it is connected to all the other sections in the institute. It also contains the garrison for Caesar's troops.

Second Floor

Checkup Room

The Checkup Room (検査室, Kensashitsu^?) is where kids from the Biscuits Room have their tests with a hallway just outside. While here Ginko asked about Momonosuke and was told to keep quiet. Later Chopper and the G-5 medics brought Mocha here when the room started to collapse.

Third Floor

Biscuits Room

For the chapter titled "Biscuits Room", see Chapter 658.

The Biscuits Room (ビスケットルーム, Bisuketto Rūmu^?) is a large nursery room where the giant-sized children were kept until Nami, Sanji, Chopper, Franky and Kin'emon came and took them. The room has its own exit and entrance.

Section C

Section C (C（シー）棟, Shī-tō^?, literally meaning "Building C") is a large section with connecting hallways to Sections R and B (marked "C-B"). It has long-range communications off the island, a poison gas weapon self-destruct panel for the same type of weapon that destroyed the first two institutes and the rest of the island along with Caesar's personal quarters that contains his private lab on the fourth floor.

Basement

Waste Container

The Waste Container (ゴミ箱, Gomibako^?) is located in the basement of Section C and is connected by numerous trash chutes throughout it. Here Luffy met Momonosuke and made their escape from the chamber.

First Floor

The first floor is where Luffy and Momonosuke came out from the waste container through a trash chute.

Fourth Floor

Caesar's Laboratory

Caesar's Laboratory (シーザーの研究室, Shīzā no Kenkyūshitsu^?) is where his private lab and personal quarters are located.

Section D

Section D (D（ディー）棟, Dī-tō^?, literally meaning "Building D") is where the SAD Production Room is located with connecting hallways to Sections R (marked R-D), and B (marked D-B).

SAD Production Room

The SAD Production Room.

The SAD Production Room (SAD（エスエーディー）製造室, Esu-Ē-Dī Seizōshitsu^?) is a massive chamber dedicated to the manufacture of Caesar's Clown secret chemical SAD which is used by his supplier, "Joker", in producing SMILEs. This room was destroyed by an explosion after being cut entirely in half along with the rest of the whole institute by Trafalgar Law.

Section R

Section R (R（アール）棟, Āru-tō^?, literally meaning "Building R") is a transport chamber.

First Floor

The first floor has connecting hallways to Sections B (marked "B-R"), D (marked "R-D"), and C with ventilation shafts connected to the outside.

Section R-66

Section R-66 (R（アール）棟66, Āru-tō Rokujūroku^?) is a train tunnel that leads directly to the sea.

Second Floor

Secret Room

The Secret Room.

The Secret Room (秘密の部屋, Himitsu no Heya^?) was once the master control room of Dr. Vegapunk. After taking over, Caesar Clown forbid anyone from entering and converted it for his own use. Here Caesar made his plan for the trap on the first floor. Vegapunk's artificial Devil Fruit was stored in a glass case near the main console until Kouzuki Momonosuke broke the glass and ate the fruit.

CHECK-102

CHECK-102 is where Nami, Sanji, Chopper, and Franky were held captive along with Kin'emon's living head until their escape. Caesar and his men later came to investigate when they got a report on G-5.

Frozen Hall

There is a massive ice covered hall full of the frozen corpses of prisoners previously brought to the island, which has a direct path towards the main entrance of the institute.

Cliffside Rear Entrance

There is a rear entrance to the institute on a cliffside where Sanji, Nami, Franky, Chopper, Kin'emon and the kids from the Biscuits Room left and met Zoro, Usopp, Luffy, Robin Brook and Brownbeard. Later Law took out a couple of Caesar's men and brought Chopper back with him.

History

Past

Kaidou and Arber are held captive and experimented on.

About 34 years ago, Kaidou, the Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu user, and Arber, a lunarian, were held captive in the facility and underwent various experiments. One day, Kaidou decided to break out and recruited Arber into his crew.

Vegapunk extracted Kaidou's Lineage Factor and used it to replicate his Devil Fruit, but considering the artificial Devil Fruit a failure, Vegapunk stored it in his secret control room and later abandoned it when Punk Hazard was evacuated. Years later, Kouzuki Momonosuke, who had managed to sneak aboard a boat headed to Punk Hazard, snuck into the room and ate the fruit.

Dressrosa Saga

Punk Hazard Arc

Kin'emon traveled to the island in search of Momonosuke. The Warlord Trafalgar Law confronted the samurai and quickly defeated him, cutting him into three pieces: head, torso, and legs. Kin'emon's head was taken to the facility while his torso and legs were left out in the raging elements. The torso, still retaining its arms and Kin'emon's two swords, blindly attacked centaurs until one survivor managed to send a distress call which was picked up by the Straw Hat Pirates, as well as intercepted by Tashigi. The Straw Hats decided to head to Punk Hazard and investigate the distress call, unaware that Smoker was following their trail.

When Smoker, Tashigi, and the other G-5 Marines arrived near the island, Smoker was surprised that there was still so much poisonous gas coming from the island, when all of it was dispersed two years ago. This prompted him to investigate the island. After navigating through treacherous icebergs, the group eventually made berth and discovered the laboratory where they encountered Law at the entrance, who claimed it was his vacation house.

After Caesar captured Law, Tashigi, Smoker, Luffy, Robin, and Franky, Caesar caused poisonous gas to spread across the island, using Smiley. The poisonous gas, called Shinokuni, spread across the island, making it inhospitable everywhere except in the research facility. However, Caesar, desperately trying to petrify his enemies, allowed the gas inside the lab's Sections A and B.

When Law defeated Vergo, a subordinate of Donquixote Doflamingo who was undercover in the Marines and was on the island on Doflamingo's behalf, Law cut the entire lab in half horizontally.