Chapter 256: PX-Pacifist Plan?

Claudius had an excellent relationship with the Marines, and his status was exceptionally high. The people gathered around Zephyr's ward were all Marine officers of considerable rank—ordinary soldiers weren't allowed to visit. Those present were individuals who had a close rapport with Claudius.

As soon as they heard Spandine's voice announcing Claudius's arrival, they instinctively stepped aside, clearing a path.

Claudius strode in, his tall figure exuding urgency as he moved through the crowd toward Zephyr. The moment he saw the mechanical prosthetic arm attached to Zephyr, a hint of regret flashed across his face.

"Already? That fast?" Claudius asked in surprise.

He hadn't expected that in the short time since Zephyr lost his arm, the replacement would already be in place.

Zephyr was momentarily taken aback. What does he mean by 'fast'…?

But when he saw the genuine concern in Claudius's expression, he felt warmed. Despite having stepped back from the front lines years ago and no longer being of much help to Claudius, it was clear that this young Celestial Dragon still held deep respect for him.

Collecting his thoughts, Claudius asked with concern, "Teacher Zephyr, how do you feel? Is the injury healing well?"

Zephyr flexed his new mechanical arm, then smiled and replied, "It's nothing serious. Thanks to Garp arriving in time to protect our Marine recruits, the damage was kept to a minimum. Losing an arm isn't much of a price to pay."

Due to Garp's swift intervention and Zephyr's own efforts to buy time, Marine's recruits had suffered minimal losses. A few had died, but Zephyr, as a seasoned Marine veteran, understood the brutal reality of combat at sea. He wouldn't allow himself to drown in grief over casualties.

Claudius could tell that Zephyr truly didn't care about losing his arm. His priority had always been his students. Seeing this, Claudius felt a deep sense of admiration.

He really is a remarkable teacher. No wonder so many Marine officers respect him so much.

Nearby, Garp chimed in with a few boastful remarks, but Claudius paid him no attention. Instead, he eyed the massive mechanical arm with curiosity and said, "It's pretty cool, Teacher Zephyr."

"Hahaha! I guess you could say I fulfilled my childhood dream. When I was a kid, I used to strap wooden stakes to my arms and pretend to be a cyborg. Never thought it'd actually happen," Zephyr said with a chuckle, his tone laced with nostalgia.

Claudius laughed along before commenting, "I don't know if I should congratulate you or not, but… isn't this arm a little too big? It looks impressive, but doesn't it get in the way? Don't they have a smaller version?"

As he spoke, Claudius turned his gaze toward the scientist standing beside Zephyr. The man, clearly nervous to be addressed by such a high-ranking Celestial Dragon, stammered, "S-Saint Claudius, I… I didn't design it! I only installed it!"

Claudius waved a hand reassuringly. "Relax, I'm not blaming you. I'm just curious."

The scientist exhaled in relief before explaining, "Well… this mechanical arm wasn't originally designed for Zephyr."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Claudius asked, intrigued.

"It was actually meant for individuals over six meters tall," the scientist clarified.

"Six meters?" Claudius repeated, his gaze shifting to Zephyr. The former Admiral stood at just over three meters, half the intended size. If the design was meant for someone that large, then…

Bartholomew Kuma?

Claudius quickly put the pieces together. So Marine's science division has started working on the Pacifista project?

It was becoming clear that the next stage of Marine development would involve mass-producing modified cyborg soldiers, powerful weapons of war. This mechanical arm was likely an offshoot of that research.

Marine's funding must be substantial if they can afford to push the Pacifista project forward so aggressively.

Claudius was certainly interested in the technology, but he had no intention of developing it himself. Why go through all that trouble when Marine was already doing it for him? Once he had Marine fully under his control, all their advancements would be his to command.

After discussing the mechanical arm for a bit longer, Claudius's expression darkened slightly. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he said, "Zephyr, don't worry—I'll personally ensure that Edward Weevil pays for what he's done. CP-X has already deployed a vast network to track him down. The moment we find him, I'll personally lead the charge to cut him to pieces."

Zephyr was visibly moved by Claudius's determination, but he quickly shook his head and cautioned, "Your Highness, don't be too reckless. This isn't something that should be rushed."

Before Claudius could respond, another voice spoke from the doorway.

"Zephyr is right, Your Highness. This isn't something we can handle impulsively, we need a long-term strategy," said Sengoku as he stepped into the room.

Zephyr had been in the hospital for several days now, and Sengoku had visited multiple times. Upon hearing about the mechanical arm installation, he had finished his work early to come observe.

Surveying the room, Sengoku saw that many high-ranking Marines had gathered. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed them. "You've all seen what you came to see. Get back to work."

Among the departing officers, Yamakaji muttered something about heading to the Calm Belt for another ore transport mission. He bid farewell to Zephyr before leaving.

Soon, the room felt much emptier.

At the moment, none of the three Admirals were present, likely occupied with important assignments. Only Garp remained, seated comfortably with no intention of leaving.

Spandine, ever the sycophant, took the hint and exited. Sengoku couldn't very well expect Claudius or Zephyr to pour tea, and Zephyr's new mechanical arm had likely ended his tea-serving days for good. As for Claudius—he was their guest now, and even Sengoku didn't have the nerve to make a Celestial Dragon serve tea.

After glaring at Garp, who remained oblivious, Sengoku sighed and poured himself a cup of tea.

Meanwhile, Garp walked up to Claudius and said, "Claudius, since CP-X has eyes everywhere, I need a favor."

"Ah, don't worry. I'll do my best to track down Edward Weevil," Claudius replied.

Garp waved his hand. "No, it's not about that. I want you to help me find Red-Haired Shanks."

At that, Claudius blinked in surprise. "What do you need him for? Do you two have bad blood?"

"It's not just bad blood, it's a grudge as deep as the ocean! I can't wait to smash that despicable bastard into the ground. Listen to me—he's doing this on purpose. This is all revenge against me!" Garp fumed before launching into a rant about how Shanks had ruined his life.

When Claudius heard that Shanks still had both arms and had still managed to steer Luffy toward piracy, he nearly burst out laughing. But one glance at Garp's seething expression made him hold it in.

Once Garp finished venting, Claudius, barely suppressing his amusement, patted the old Marine on the shoulder and said, "Alright, alright. I'll see what I can do."

Garp narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying not to laugh?"

Claudius immediately adopted a serious expression and replied, "How could I? Am I the type to kick someone while they're down?"