Just then, Ron walked over from behind and patted Zephyr's shoulder: "Brother Zephyr, this is a good suggestion. There are ready-made laboratories, ports, and even some technological equipment left by Caesar..." He grinned, "With some modifications, it will be an excellent military base."
Zephyr's gaze swept over everyone: the anticipation in Ain and Bins' eyes, the soldiers' tired but still straight backs, and the grateful eyes of the Dressrosa citizens.
Finally,
He snorted coldly: "...Hmph, since you've all decided, why are you asking me?"
Ain's eyes lit up, and she immediately saluted: "I'll arrange the advance team right away!"
Rebecca showed a brilliant smile: "That's great! Dressrosa will fully support the reconstruction of the New Navy! In the future... we will still need your help!"
Kyros stepped forward, giving a solemn warrior's salute: "Dressrosa will never forget the kindness of the New Navy."
A few days later,
Punk Hazard, now completely renewed.
The flag of the New Navy fluttered atop the central laboratory tower, and the soldiers were busy clearing the ruins and repairing facilities.
Ron stood on high ground, looking at the former Death Land test site that had been converted into a training ground, and nodded with satisfaction: "Not bad, this place is more useful than I imagined."
Ain flipped through the reconstruction plan, a slight smile on her lips: "The laboratory can be converted into a medical department, and Caesar's old equipment can still be used to train soldiers..."
Zephyr stood with his back to them, looking at the distant sea horizon, the sea breeze lifting his cape,
"Smile, brother?" Ron teased.
"Less nonsense!" Zephyr snapped without turning his head.
And under their gaze, a volunteer ship from all over the world was slowly entering the port, the deck filled with new recruits who had come because of their reputation.
The New Navy Zephyr TikTok account posted a video announcing that the New Navy's address is Punk Hazard, recruiting new soldiers from all over the Sea, and that they will use the remaining scientific equipment to recruit righteous scientists to benefit humanity, stating that they will not be like evil scientists such as Caesar who harm the Sea.
Video opening: A grand aerial shot sweeps over the renovated Punk Hazard island, the former Death Land filled with poisonous gas, now transformed into a steel fortress. On the towering research tower, the flag of the New Navy flutters.
Zephyr stood in the center of the training ground, his sunglasses reflecting the soft sunlight:
"Warriors of the Sea, listen!"
"This is the New Navy Headquarters—Punk Hazard Base!"
The camera switches to Caesar's old site, which has been converted into a state-of-the-art laboratory,
Recruitment announcement with explosive text effects:
Warrior Recruitment: Whether you were previously a Marine, a retired soldier, or a civilian with a sense of justice—as long as you dare to punch the corrupt World Government, this is your battlefield!
Scientist Recruitment: We accept all geniuses eliminated by the Vegapunk laboratory! Use the equipment left by Caesar to research antidotes for plagues and defense systems against Sea Kings!
Following this,
Princess Rebecca suddenly burst into the frame, raising her sword and vowing: "All citizens of Dressrosa guarantee for the New Navy!"
Finally, it freezes on the large slogan painted on the laboratory wall:
"Science should serve life, not create death!"
After the video was released, it immediately surged to the top of the trending list within an hour!
As the New Navy's recruitment video continued to spread, an unprecedented wave of response swept across the world:
Grand Line · Future Kingdom Baldimore
In the laboratory late at night, the hum of machinery came to an abrupt halt.
"Is everything packed?"
Leonardo Hertz, a professor of mechanics wearing goggles, kicked aside a desk piled high with blueprints. His metal prosthetic limb gleamed in the light, and his voice echoed in the empty laboratory. More than a dozen busy figures stopped simultaneously.
"Professor, the core component of the engine can't be taken..." A young assistant reported through gritted teeth.
"Then blow it up!" Hertz roared with laughter and raised a hammer, smashing it fiercely against the "World Government Appointed Scientist" plaque hanging on the wall.
Amidst the clang of metal, he turned to look at the New Navy recruitment video looping on the screen, especially the close-up of Zephyr's sunglasses reflecting warm light,
Like a belief!
"That old man Vegapunk..." Hertz's mechanical fingers crushed the last World Government award medal, "For twenty whole years, just because we refused to help the Celestial Dragons develop slave collars, he banished us to this godforsaken place of ice and snow!"
Outside the window, a blizzard was raging.
But the temperature in the laboratory continued to rise due to the boiling anger. A female engineer with a mohawk directly initiated the self-destruct sequence: "Let them find their damn Celestial Dragons to fix the reactor themselves!"
....
South Blue · White Town Former Site Underground Research Institute
Drip... drip....
The blood sample in the petri dish was slowly solidifying.
Dr. Eileen Vestor's finger hovered over the microscope, having held that position for a full three minutes.
On the screen, the renovated laboratory in the New Navy video caused her pupils to constrict violently—the purified gas synthesizer, how similar it was to the equipment she was using.
"Doctor?" The assistant looked at her worriedly as she suddenly removed the World Government badge. The golden badge, symbolizing the highest medical honor, fell into a vessel filled with the blood of lead poisoning patients, making a dull "thud" sound.
"We were deceived..." Eileen's voice was so soft it was as if she was afraid of waking a nightmare, "The funds given by the Government... were never for developing an antidote..." She grabbed an old, dust-covered photo from the corner of the desk, showing her family who had died horribly from lead poisoning twenty years ago.
That night, all samples in the research institute were secretly transferred.
All that remained were large characters written on the wall with blood samples: "The truth is at Punk Hazard".
...
West Blue · Underground Armory
The light of explosions reflected on the faces of three men.
"Hahaha! Satisfying!" Karl, a demolition expert with a scarred face, laughed wildly as he pressed the last detonator.
Thirty billion Berry worth of illegal weapons turned into a sea of fire in a series of explosions. His mechanical eye flashed, projecting machine blueprints into the thick smoke.
"See clearly?" Locke, a modification expert, spat out his cigar, "This is true war technology—power used to protect the weak!"
He kicked aside the corpse of the gang boss at his feet. This idiot, who had tried to point a gun at them five minutes ago to speed up development, was now the best material for sympathetic detonation.
The electronic warfare expert, who had been silent among the three, suddenly spoke: "The ship is ready." On the screen of the phone he showed, the location of the New Navy Headquarters was blinking.
When the siren sounded from a distance, the armory's final self-destruct device was activated.
In the sky-high flames, three motorcycles rushed out of the ruins, with the flag of the New Navy fluttering behind them. They had quickly made it from the gang's silk bedsheets.
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