Year 1519 in the Sea Calendar.
A new year has begun, and Aeridar, Doflamingo, and Caesar are still locked in a stalemate, with Aznat Island as their chessboard. The war on the island has been raging for six months.
The two sides are at a complete standstill in the Barrid Kingdom's territory, and on average, at least a thousand people are killed or wounded every day.
Aznat Island has become a meat grinder, devouring countless lives. Many mercenaries in the underworld no longer dare to accept contracts from either side or set foot on the battlefield.
While the front lines are still active, intelligence from the Chris Investigation Bureau's reconnaissance at Port Florent indicates that the number of transport and troop ships belonging to the Garfield Pirates entering the port has gradually decreased. It seems their resources are running dry.
Upon receiving this information, Aeridar and Doflamingo shared a malicious laugh. It seemed their victory was within reach.
The sea, meanwhile, continued its usual tumultuous state—clashes, raids, and Marine clean-up operations. The Revolutionaries were also active in the shadows.
The entire world was anything but peaceful.
On an island in the first half of the Grand Line, a secret Marine research base was located at a confidential location.
Beep, beep, beep, beep…
A six- or seven-meter-tall humanoid machine opened its mouth, and countless light particles gathered, emitting a brilliant glow.
Whoosh!
A few seconds later, a golden beam of light shot out, instantly piercing through a steel target 300 meters away.
Rumble!
Accompanied by a deafening explosion, a scorching orange flame shot into the sky, pulverizing a large rock several hundred meters behind the target.
"Log it. The laser beam condensed perfectly with no scatter. It easily pierced a three-centimeter-thick steel target from 300 meters away and vaporized a huge rock 500 meters away. Its effective range has doubled," a middle-aged man in a white lab coat said calmly, looking through binoculars.
Next to him, a young man, also in a white lab coat, was quickly writing down the older man's words in a notebook.
"PX-1, continuous laser beam!" The middle-aged man ordered the tall humanoid machine.
Beep, beep, beep, beep…
The tall humanoid machine opened its mouth again, and countless light particles began to gather once more.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several laser beams shot out of its mouth, accurately piercing four steel targets. Rocks and dust flew, and the ground rumbled as four large craters were instantly blasted into the barren land.
Zzzzzzzz…
However, after firing four consecutive laser beams, the humanoid machine, designated PX-1, stopped. Electric sparks flew all over its body, and its mouth was glowing red and showed signs of melting.
"Damn it, another problem." The middle-aged man cursed under his breath.
He quickly rushed to PX-1, examining it as he narrated, "Log it. The power core is flawed and needs to be replaced with a better one. The energy transmission lines are not strong enough to handle high energy output and need to be redesigned and reinforced. The steel is not strong enough and shows signs of melting; we need to replace it with a stronger alloy."
He listed a series of problems so quickly that the young man recording them could barely keep up.
Pere pere pere... Pere pere pere...
Click.
Just as the middle-aged man finished his examination, the Den Den Mushi in his pocket rang. He answered it. "Moshi moshi, it's me."
"Dr. Biggar, how are the Pacifista tests going?" a voice on the other end asked.
Upon hearing the voice, Dr. Biggar's expression turned serious. "Dr. Vegapunk, while many problems were exposed, we've made a lot of progress since the last test."
"I see…" Vegapunk on the other end of the line pondered for a moment. "Thank you for your hard work. Bring PX-1 back."
"Uh… that…" Dr. Biggar hesitated.
"Hmm? Just say it, Dr. Biggar," Vegapunk said.
"I was thinking, perhaps you could ask the Marines and World Government to allow Bartholomew Kuma, the prototype, to stay here? If so, our research progress would be much faster," Dr. Biggar suggested cautiously.
"I've considered that as well. In fact, I asked Admiral Borsalino about it two days ago. However, since Kuma is a Warlord of the Sea, I'm not sure if they would agree without a suitable successor," Vegapunk replied.
"That's very considerate of you, Doctor. In that case, we can only continue like this for now," Dr. Biggar said, sounding a bit helpless.
....
On the coast of Mt. Corvo in the Goa Kingdom, East Blue.
A small wooden sailboat was moored in the water. A young man with black hair and freckles on his cheeks stood on the boat. He had an "ASCE" tattoo on his left arm, with the S crossed out. He wore an orange hat adorned with smiling and sad faces, a red rosary, and a skull-shaped tag tied to the hat's rope. He was wearing a yellow short-sleeved shirt with his chest exposed and black shorts, and a dagger was tucked into his waistband.
"Be careful, Ace!"
From the shore, a young man wearing a straw hat and a blue T-shirt with a white "56" on it waved his arms enthusiastically. A group of men and women stood behind him, all smiling.
"Goodbye, Luffy! I'm heading out first!" the young man named Ace said with a smile, one hand on the oar and the other holding his hat.
"Yeah! I'll get a lot stronger when I set sail in three years!" the boy called Luffy shouted, nodding vigorously.
"Hahahaha!" Ace laughed heartily.
With a stroke of the oar, the small wooden sailboat set sail and left the coast.
"Go for it, Ace!"
Luffy waved his arms, shouting with a smile.
"Take care of yourself!" a man with a white bandana and a beard called out.
"Don't catch a cold!" a beautiful woman with a green bandana and short hair also shouted gently.
"You guys just wait! I'll make a name for myself all over the world!"
Ace turned around, waving his hand, and shouted with a laugh.
Unbeknownst to anyone, the Pirate King's son, Ace, quietly set off from the coast of Mt. Corvo. Perhaps the gears of a new era had begun to turn at this very moment, and the seeds of the future, a vast and turbulent age, had been sown here.
Luffy watched the small sailboat sail away and disappear on the horizon. He smiled. "He's gone!"
"Sigh… I wonder what Garp is going to say this time," a short middle-aged man next to him said with a sigh.
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