Saint Saturn's clouded pupils were fixed tightly on a test tube displayed on the screen.
Floating inside it was the very thing they had dreamed of obtaining—the raw solution of the Lineage Factor.
That precious liquid shimmered with an eerie light beneath the lamps, containing countless secrets and immeasurable power.
"The Seraphim mass production plan must be accelerated!"
Saint Saturn's voice seemed to rise from the depths of hell, low and hoarse, carrying a chilling determination.
"It is time for Vegapunk to show us those… little toys of his."
His words rang like war drums, stirring the fighting spirit of everyone present.
At that moment, the Commander-in-Chief of CP0 understood just how serious the situation had become.
He bowed respectfully and withdrew.
As he turned to leave, he faintly heard the sound of porcelain shattering behind him.
It was sharp, crisp, and piercing.
And beneath their feet, on the enormous world map that covered the floor of the entire hall, the territories that had once belonged to other powers were rapidly changing color.
The North Blue in particular had completely turned into the signature blue of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
It was as if the entire world were being drawn into the Divine Kingdom's grasp.
...
In the North Blue's Steel City, Forrest, by the time the third morning's light pierced through the clouds like poetry, the entire city had changed so much that even locals could barely recognize it.
The old noise and prosperity had been replaced by a new order, and that change had been driven by a series of mysterious and powerful forces.
In this city, Germa's clone soldiers had become a unique sight.
They marched through the commercial district in perfect formation, every step carrying disciplined precision.
Pinned to the chests of their deep-blue uniforms were two badges.
On the left was the red star of the Eternal Divine Kingdom, and on the right was a smaller version of the Germa 66 emblem.
Those two badges symbolized their new identity, representing both loyalty to the past and expectation toward the future.
What shocked people most was that these killing machines, once famous for their cold-blooded ruthlessness, were now helping an old woman pick up scattered fruit.
Their movements were precise and delicate, every small action revealing a gentleness no one had ever seen from them before.
The bakery owner rubbed his eyes as he watched the scene and could not help muttering, "It feels like I'm dreaming…"
His gaze landed on the blue light flickering inside the soldier's electronic eye.
That strange gentleness felt both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time.
At the same time, the once-infamous Blood Anchor Pirates had also undergone a complete transformation.
Now, every member wore a brand-new uniform and stood at the harbor checkpoint, their eyes filled with firmness and resolve.
Captain Redek's mechanical prosthetic had been newly painted with the emblem of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
It was both an acknowledgment of his past and a promise for his future.
He was carefully checking the documents of every ship entering the harbor, every movement showing a seriousness and responsibility he had never possessed before.
"What are you staring at?!"
He suddenly glared at a dumbfounded fisherman, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority.
"I'm part of the North Blue Third Maritime Patrol now!"
As he spoke, he roughly shoved a flyer into the fisherman's hands.
"The new fishing law starts next week. Don't you dare break the damn rules!"
The flyer trembled lightly in the fisherman's hands, carrying the hopes and dreams of this city's future.
In this age of change, every corner of the North Blue was quietly undergoing earth-shaking transformation.
And these changes were being pushed forward by people who had once been misunderstood and doubted.
The black-market capital, Karon, seemed covered by a heavy curtain.
This unique city was like a strange gem hidden in a dark corner, giving off an aura no one could quite grasp.
When the first ray of dawn tried to pierce through the morning mist, Karon Harbor was still wrapped in haze.
The thick, milky fog had not yet fully dispersed, like ink carelessly brushed across the world by nature itself.
It wound gently through every corner of the harbor, draping the cargo, ships, and busy figures on the docks in a dreamlike veil.
At that moment, the salty sea wind surged in from the depths of the vast ocean, carrying the dampness and bitterness of the sea as it struck people's faces without mercy.
At the same time, the air was mixed with the sharp smell of still-wet paint.
It was the unique scent released when fresh color and chemical materials blended together.
The two smells intertwined, creating an atmosphere that was strange, complicated, and unmistakably new.
In this city, there was a street famous enough to make people shiver.
Blood Alley.
It was like a venomous snake lurking inside the city's body, filled with danger and the unknown.
At the entrance to Blood Alley, several burly men with fierce faces drew particular attention.
Their rough skin gleamed oily beneath the morning light, and the deep wrinkles on their faces seemed to hide countless stories and crimes.
At that moment, they were standing on tall ladders, cursing crudely under their breath.
One of them pulled hard at the old sign bearing a dripping curved blade, a symbol of violence and bloodshed.
Under his brute force, the old sign gradually loosened until it was finally torn down.
Then, they carefully hung up a brand-new blue-and-gold emblem of the Eternal Divine Kingdom.
The emblem shone dazzlingly beneath the sun, forming a stark contrast with the dirty, worn surroundings.
"Damn it, be gentle! This sign is worth five hundred thousand berries!"
The voice carried undisguised tension and worry.
One-eyed Baxter was holding up the brand-new sign, and his large, rough hands, normally so powerful, were trembling slightly beyond his control.
Sunlight fell across his weathered face, illuminating the beads of sweat rolling down from his forehead and along his cheeks.
Complicated light flickered in his single eye.
There was awe toward the expensive sign before him, but also helplessness at the fact that his once-wild arrogance now had to be restrained.
Only three days earlier, he had still been the most vicious and feared human trafficker on this street.
Back then, he had been like a savage beast, his eyes filled with greed and cruelty. Wherever he went, people fled in terror.
Through brutal methods and a complete lack of restraint, he had controlled the dark trades in this district, and no one had dared provoke him in the slightest.
Yet now, he seemed like a completely different person.
He looked almost like an ordinary renovation worker, every movement cautious to the extreme, as if terrified that the slightest mistake might damage the sign in his hands.