Clifford Kingdom, 5,000 meters above Nakor City. Alvis Island, Research Base.

"Zephyr-san, any thoughts on returning here?"

As they stepped out of the skyport, Aeridar turned to the sturdy man beside him with a smile. Zephyr looked around. The buildings and fortifications he had once raided were fully repaired, now sporting even more high-tech turrets.

"It’s impressive," Zephyr said after a moment of silence. "I’ve been to the Marines’ secret research facilities. Compared to this, they aren’t even in the same league."

Behind him, Ain and Binz, covered in bandages, observed their surroundings carefully. During their last raid, they hadn’t had the chance to look closely. Now, the sheer scale of the floating island and its futuristic technology left them stunned.

"You flatter us. Compared to Vegapunk, the man whose wisdom is 500 years ahead of humanity, we are still lagging," Aeridar laughed, shaking his head humbly.

"Vegapunk..." Zephyr fell silent at the mention of the name. No scientist in the world could truly compare to that man.

However, seeing Aeridar’s humble, sunny smile, Zephyr felt a sense of cognitive dissonance. On the battlefield, this man was a manic, high-intensity warrior; in private, he seemed like a cheerful, polite gentleman. It was as if he had two personalities.

"To be honest, Zephyr-san, you served the Marines your whole life, yet they and the World Government abandoned you. By now you must realize that ’Justice’ is just a lie they use to deceive the masses," Aeridar said mockingly.

"For those at the top, utility and profit are the only bottom lines. They don’t care about justice, and they certainly don’t care about the cries of the weak!"

Zephyr, Ain, and Binz remained silent.

"You should see the residents of the Clifford Kingdom. Compared to those living under the fear of pirates or the exploitation of kings and nobles, this place is paradise," Aeridar said proudly.

He had every right to be. The quality of life in the Clifford Kingdom was several tiers higher than that of most nations. Peace, tranquility, and freedom were the standards here. They didn’t fear pirate raids or the cruelty of the Celestial Dragons.

"But not all pirates are like you, Aeridar-sama. Most are the lowest form of scum!" Ain argued, her face pale.

"I don’t deny that," Aeridar replied, his voice deep. "But Ain-san, do you think the world would be perfect without pirates? Roger’s ’Great Pirate Era’ was merely a catalyst. It brought all the darkness already hidden under the World Government’s rule into the light!"

Ain and Binz were shocked. They looked to their Sensei, hoping for a rebuttal. But Zephyr, who knew the darkness of the world better than anyone, remained silent.

"You cannot imagine the depths of human depravity. The Celestial Dragons are the prime example. Those pieces of trash are a waste of air while living and a waste of space while dead!" Aeridar’s face twisted in disgust.

"Even the most cold-blooded pirates can’t compare to the Celestial Dragons or certain kings. And yet, these ’trash’ are protected by the Marines in the name of Justice, with the power to mobilize Admirals at their whim. What a joke."

Ain and Binz, who had been shielded from the world’s absolute darkness by Zephyr, were left breathless. Their worldview was being shattered before they even reached the interior of the base.

They soon reached the underground facility. Switch Dalt, Vade, Hubert, and several other scientists were waiting at the main corridor.

"Zephyr-san, we meet again. I finally got to witness your legendary strength!" Dalt stepped forward with a smirk.

"Dr. Switch Dalt..." Zephyr’s gaze turned heavy. This was the man behind the Chris Pirates’ biological weapons, the creator of the Dragonians, SS Serum, and XT Serum.

Beside him were Mechanic Vade and Devin Hubert, two world-class scientists the Government had been desperate to recruit.

"Dr. Dalt," Aeridar cut to the chase. "Can you restore Zephyr-san’s arm?"

The Neo Marines believed Zephyr had surrendered for their survival. Their "bottom line" for joining the Chris Pirates was whether Aeridar could truly restore Zephyr’s right arm so he would no longer need a prosthetic.

"Of course," Dalt replied instantly.

"Is it true?" Ain and Binz asked, their voices trembling with excitement. Even Zephyr was moved, though Dalt’s immediate confidence made him slightly skeptical.

"Are you questioning my technology?" Dalt frowned. He hated being doubted.

"No, no... we didn’t mean..." Ain and Binz waved their hands frantically.

Aeridar chuckled. "Dr. Dalt, not everyone understands your genius. Be patient."

"Hmph," Dalt snorted. "By studying the genes of Calamodus, the black beast you faced, I extracted its self-healing factor. I’ve refined it to be compatible with human DNA. It can repair any part of the body and heal long-term internal injuries. If Sriya weren’t so stubborn, I would have fixed his limbs ages ago."

Zephyr, Ain, and Binz inhaled sharply. They had seen the beast’s terrifying regenerative abilities firsthand.

Ain looked at Aeridar with newfound resolve. "If you can truly heal Zephyr-sensei’s arm, I will lead the Neo Marines to join the Chris Pirates!"

"Sigh..." Zephyr let out a long breath. "If you can truly fix my arm, then the Chris Pirates will have to make room for one more High-Ranking Executive."

In the end, the pirate world was too cruel. He couldn’t leave his students to face it alone.