"Gurararara! Looks like recruiting him into our crew was the right call after all!" Edward Newgate, the man known as Whitebeard, stroked his magnificent mustache, his voice filled with genuine satisfaction.
"Yeah, Pops!" Marco agreed readily. "Alright, I'll go gather the supplies then, yoi!" Without wasting a moment, Marco gathered a few crewmen and set off in a smaller boat. The list of required ingredients was quite extensive, after all, and Marco was determined to get enough for Alex to produce a mountain of these Senzu Beans! Ideally, enough for every single member of the crew to carry a pouch full! With that kind of advantage, the Whitebeard Pirates' combat strength wouldn't just double – it would soar even higher!
Meanwhile, Alex watched as dozens of pirates worked efficiently, transforming a huge, previously cluttered room into a surprisingly organized workspace. "Hirahira~rahaha! Everything's ready now," Alex thought, "just waiting for Marco to get back with the goods!"
Whitebeard observed the setup, noting how strangely simple the room looked compared to a typical apothecary or factory. "Alex, my boy," he rumbled, intrigued, "this place looks quite different from a normal medicine workshop."
"Hirahira~rahaha! Don't you worry, Captain," Alex replied with a grin. "Senzu Beans aren't your everyday medicine! You can't judge 'em by ordinary standards! Say, Captain, I was hoping to get maybe a dozen or so quick-handed, sharp-witted crew members assigned to me as staff. To help me with the Senzu Bean production!"
Honestly, Alex had no intention of keeping the Senzu Bean manufacturing process a secret from Whitebeard and his crew. These beans, while amazing, were just a basic item from his system. He was confident he'd unlock far more incredible and powerful creations later on. Besides, he trusted the character of Whitebeard and Marco; these weren't the sort of men to betray someone who helped them. If he taught them how to make the beans now, he could free himself up from the production line sooner and focus on other research and development!
Hearing Alex offer to teach his crew, Whitebeard was genuinely taken aback! A flicker of guilt even crossed his mind. Just moments ago, he'd been eager to decipher the secrets from the recipe list, yet here was Alex, completely unconcerned, ready to openly share his knowledge with Whitebeard's sons. Seeing the earnest look in Alex's eyes, Whitebeard gave a firm nod.
By evening, Marco returned, his boat laden with a massive haul of supplies. Alex hurried over, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the bounty. "Hirahira~rahaha! Excellent! No time to waste, Marco! Gather the men you selected, let's start making Senzu Beans right away!"
Marco's own face lit up with pleasant surprise. Alex was actually going to teach him and the others how to make them!
Soon, under Alex's clear instructions, Marco and the chosen crew members were quickly getting the hang of the Senzu Bean creation process. It was surprisingly straightforward, yet utterly impossible to figure out without Alex's guidance. As the night wore on, Marco and the others worked tirelessly, their excitement palpable. For Marco, a doctor himself, his admiration for Alex reached new heights. This wasn't just medicine; it was a world-changing invention!
Seeing the others still hard at work, Alex let out a yawn and headed back to his room. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he pulled up his system panel. Thanks to the efforts of the dozen or so crew members working through the night, the number of basic Senzu Beans produced had already surpassed two hundred! Not a huge amount in the grand scheme, perhaps, but far faster than he could manage alone. And the best part? The crew had completely mastered the simple production method. Now, with a proper shift schedule, the Senzu Bean factory could operate continuously!
Elsewhere, Whitebeard stared at a large pouch overflowing with freshly made Senzu Beans, resting on the table before him. His heart swelled with sheer joy! But unlike some other, more selfish captains, Edward Newgate had no intention of hoarding these precious items for himself.
"Marco!" Whitebeard commanded, gesturing with a large hand. "Distribute this first batch to the frontline fighters!"
"Pops! What about your injuries, yoi?" Marco asked, concerned.
"Gurararara! These old wounds?" Whitebeard laughed heartily. "I've endured them for decades! What's a little longer?"
Respecting his captain's wishes, Marco promptly took the pouch and began distributing the Senzu Beans to the regular crew members.
When Alex woke the next day, he was astonished to find that the Senzu Bean production count had skyrocketed to over one thousand! Those dedicated pirates hadn't stopped, churning out bean after bean throughout the night! Hirahira~rahaha! This is fantastic news for me! Alex thought gleefully.
Even more surprisingly, overnight, Marco had apparently overseen a major renovation. The already large production room had been knocked through into adjacent spaces, instantly tripling its size! The initial team of less than twenty workers had expanded to over a hundred, with dedicated supervisors overseeing each step of the process!
"Well? What do you think, Alex?" Marco asked, beaming with pride at their expanded operation. "Quite the setup we've got now, eh, yoi?"
"Seriously impressive!" Alex admitted, genuinely impressed by the Whitebeard Pirates' efficiency and resources. At this rate, they could potentially produce tens of thousands of Senzu Beans a day! The unlock requirement for his next item suddenly seemed well within reach! Excitement bubbled within him.
Just then, Diamond Jozu came rushing into the expanded factory floor.
"Marco! Alex! It's Pops! There's a problem!" Jozu yelled, his voice tight with worry.
Marco and Alex exchanged concerned glances and immediately hurried to the main cabin.
There sat Whitebeard, a large, half-empty pouch of Senzu Beans before him.
"Alex, you're just in time!" Whitebeard said, his expression a strange mix of happiness and disappointment.
Alex could tell instantly: Whitebeard's overall condition had improved significantly, perhaps around fifty percent healed. Marco quickly stepped forward, using his abilities to sense the changes within Pops' body. After the factory's output increased, Marco had given Whitebeard a full pouch. The readings confirmed it – the blockages and damage from many of his old injuries were about sixty percent cleared!
However… some of the deeper, more severe underlying ailments, the truly chronic issues born from devastating injuries decades past, showed very little improvement.
What's going on? Marco and Alex thought, frowning in unison.