Vegapunk was a known genius even before he got Ohara books. Ohara books offer knowledge just like many books. Vegapunk is more intelligent for using that knowledge. Smartness comes from using knowledge and creating something. Knowledge is physics and building something based on that physics is engineering.
And what makes you think that Judge or Queen didn't gain anything while working together in MADS?
And what makes you think that Judge or Queen didn't gain anything while working together in MADS?