Chapter 517: Returning to Marvel

"Akatsuki…"

With a loud crash, another desk in Sengoku's office at Marineford was reduced to splinters. Sengoku's eyes burned with rage, his face contorted in frustration. In front of him stood Garp, the two Admirals, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Admiral-candidate Gion (Momousagi), all silently awaiting his reaction.

The reason for Sengoku's anger was clear: Daniel Davis, under the banner of Akatsuki, had distributed flyers detailing the exploits and hardships of former Admiral Zephyr, as well as the World Government's current treatment of him. Despite Davis's decision to stick strictly to the facts without embellishment, the truth alone had ignited a storm within the Navy. Since the flyers circulated, Sengoku had already fielded inquiries from several high-ranking officers.

Most of the Navy's core strength had at some point been trained by Zephyr. While not all had close ties with him—Admirals like Kizaru and Akainu being examples—Zephyr had once been a high-ranking Navy admiral, after all. For many, learning that the man who attacked him, severing his arm and slaughtering nearly an entire ship of cadets, was now to be granted the title of Warlord was unacceptable.

Those who held personal grudges against Zephyr voiced milder protests, but his loyal followers responded with fierce opposition. Zephyr, though uninterested in power, had over the years trained countless soldiers who now occupied key positions. These close followers would one day form the core of the NEO Navy.

Unfortunately, no amount of protest would sway the World Government. They had resolved to make Edward Weevil a Warlord, regardless of resistance within the Navy.

Adding to Sengoku's fury was Zephyr's refusal to answer his and Garp's calls. It marked a split in the once-unbreakable trio of Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr.

For Davis, his goal was to erode the Navy's faith in its leadership and the World Government, priming the organization for collapse. In time, when Zephyr publicly declared his discontent, he could rally a substantial portion of the Navy to his cause—much like Dragon had done years ago.

Back then, Dragon hadn't left the Navy alone; he'd taken numerous skilled soldiers with him.

"Zephyr… What's going on with Sengoku?" Whitebeard muttered as he read one of the flyers, sighing deeply. The former admiral was an opponent Whitebeard had once respected.

Edward Weevil's nomination, however, held no interest for him. At this point, the "Whitebeard Jr." title was nonexistent, a term that would only arise after Whitebeard's death. If it came out now, it would be an open challenge to the Whitebeard Pirates, and while Whitebeard might overlook it, his crew wouldn't.

"Beckman, do we have any intel on Akatsuki?" On a deserted island in the South Blue, Red-Haired Shanks, after reading a flyer, turned to his first mate, Ben Beckman.

Beckman was responsible for the Red-Hair Pirates' intelligence network.

"From what we know, Akatsuki is an organization specifically opposed to the Navy and the World Government. If we didn't know they weren't affiliated with the Revolutionary Army, we might've suspected as much. Their members appear to wield two Devil Fruit powers—though that's hard to believe. Each member also seems to possess spatial abilities, which is puzzling. How they achieve this remains unknown," Beckman explained.

"And what about Luffy?"

"He's currently training near Amazon Lily with Rayleigh. It's unlikely he'll reach the New World within a year or two."

"What about Buggy?"

"His current whereabouts are unknown, but the Navy and several pirates are searching for him."

"Captain, is the Laugh Tale Log Pose real?" asked a portly crew member, dressed in green and gnawing on a chunk of meat.

"Honestly, I don't know. It was mentioned back in the day, but the Log Pose should've been destroyed. That Buggy… he just can't keep his mouth shut." Shanks sighed. Even he couldn't fully decipher Davis's plan.

"So, should we get involved?"

"Absolutely not," Beckman interjected. "If we interfere, it would confirm the authenticity of the Log Pose and only cause more chaos."

Although both Shanks and Buggy had once been apprentices on Roger's ship, they now held vastly different statuses. People would take Buggy's claims with a grain of salt, but if Shanks or Rayleigh got involved, it would spur countless others to jump into the fray.

"Seems Buggy's on his own for now. Cheers!" Shanks said, raising his glass and joining his crew in celebration.

The Red-Hair Pirates had no interest in Laugh Tale; they were more focused on adventure. The world was vast, with no shortage of places to explore.

Roger's early life had been dedicated to seafaring and adventure. Only after he was diagnosed with an incurable illness did he assemble a crew to find Laugh Tale.

"There's still no sign of the Pure Gold… Guess I'll have to wait for Luffy and his crew." Daniel knew where the Pure Gold was hidden—inside a massive anglerfish-like Sea King capable of swallowing islands whole. But given the vastness of the ocean, that information was as good as useless.

"I've spent enough time here for now. Time to check on things back in the Marvel universe. But first, there's something I need to take care of." After handling matters in the One Piece world, Daniel prepared to return to Marvel.

Before leaving, he located an area in the Calm Belt teeming with massive Sea Kings and planted a sapling of the Divine Tree, entrusting its growth to one of his Shadow Clones. In the Calm Belt, there was hardly any gap between the Sea Kings—though that lack of space was more relative to their massive sizes than to any threat they posed to small human ships.

Only time would tell if Zephyr would take action. To truly win him over, the situation needed to deteriorate further, prompting Zephyr to fully abandon his loyalty to the Navy.

"Looks like Kizaru's lasers are powered by an energy conversion system. I thought someone like him wouldn't bother outfitting each Pacifista with his own laser… It's just a matter of energy conversion."

The Pacifista lasers were similar to Stark's Iron Man repulsor beams, converting energy into concussive force.

"With this kind of energy technology, it'd be far more practical to power warships or domestic devices. It's clear the World Government has skewed priorities, clinging to such tech only for their military projects."

The Pacifistas' energy systems rivaled the Arc Reactor's capabilities. This technology could revolutionize the world, but apart from the Pacifistas, there was no sign of its implementation elsewhere. The World Government's technology was evidently narrow-minded, prioritizing control over progress.

"Red Queen, design the next Iron Man suit using this weapon system. Also, let's create a few Pacifistas of our own."

While the Pacifistas lacked the mobility of the Iron Man suits, sheer numbers could compensate. Besides, the Pacifistas could still strike airborne targets even if they couldn't fly.

"Understood."

"Red Queen, display my messages. Let's see who's been trying to reach me." Back in the Marvel universe, Daniel found no urgent communications awaiting him. Stark and Coulson seemed to be managing without him for now.

"A new Alzheimer's treatment? Interesting… Who sent this?" Reading an email from the Biochemical Medical Association, Daniel raised an eyebrow.

As one of the Marvel world's prominent biochemical experts, Daniel held several medical research titles, mostly honorary, though he occasionally had to review papers for prestigious journals. The email wasn't asking for a review, but rather a recommendation from someone in the association who'd seen the article and wanted his opinion.

Alzheimer's—more commonly known as dementia or senility—was a lucrative market for any effective treatment.

"ADDC9, huh? Something feels off. Red Queen, run a check on ADDC9."

"Right away."

In moments, the virtual screen displayed all available information on ADDC9 from the web.

"They're certainly in a rush…" Daniel shook his head as he scrolled through the articles. If an effective Alzheimer's treatment existed, he'd be thrilled. But this company had invested billions in labs and factories before the drug had even proven itself. He found the premature hype and immense investment questionable.

"Long time no see, Rebecca." After some thought, Daniel decided to contact Rebecca, the person who had sent him the email. She was now a renowned anti-viral specialist.

"It's been a while. So, what do you think about ADDC9? Is it legitimate?" Rebecca asked, sounding eager.

"Seems you're pretty invested."

"I have someone close to me who needs it."

"My advice? Don't get your hopes up. I've only skimmed the documentation, but some areas are suspiciously vague. I'll need to run a few tests to be certain. If someone really needs treatment, I can use traditional medicine to help—provided they're open to it."

"So you think it's got side effects?" Rebecca fell silent before asking.

"Tell you what, I'll run some tests and get back to you tomorrow with a clearer answer."

"Thank you. I trust your expertise, and I'll let them know."

"ADDC9… Let's see if you're really as miraculous as claimed." While Daniel could conduct tests at home, he preferred to handle it more formally in the lab. Besides, it was a good opportunity to check in on the lab after his absence.

If anyone else had

 asked, he might not have prioritized it. But Rebecca had supported him early in his career, even teaching him foundational biochemical knowledge. He also worried that if ADDC9 was flawed, it could pose a serious threat to public health. Unlike the profit-hungry corporations that prioritized earnings over ethics, Daniel wasn't willing to let a dangerous drug go unchecked.

"Good to see you, boss!" Helen Zhao greeted him with surprise when he arrived at the lab.

"Let's not act like I've been neglecting this place."

The lab had moved to a larger facility that included a luxury hotel next door, as the advancements in nanomedical technology had made the lab immensely profitable.

No wonder investors flocked to industries like this; once they succeeded, the money poured in. Despite Daniel's low-key approach, word had spread, and high-profile clients stayed at the hotel next door for treatments.

The lab's main clientele fell into three categories: wealthy thrill-seekers who engaged in high-risk sports, celebrities—particularly female ones—attracted to the lab's painless nanocosmetic procedures, and lastly, medical cases seeking cutting-edge nanotechnology for healing and rejuvenation.

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