Chapter 143 — The Second Battery
S.C. 1511 — Early March
Foosha Village — Ren's Workshop
The new shelves looked beautiful.
Sturdy wooden planks Kiro helped him cut.
Smoothed edges.
Perfect height.
Everything arranged the way Ren's mind liked it.
Glass jars on the left.
Metal scraps sorted by type.
Tools arranged from heavy to fine-tip.
Ren stood in the doorway and inhaled.
Organized.
Clear.
Finally usable.
Zemo sat proudly on a new low cabinet—like he built it himself.
Ren tapped his knuckles lightly against the surface.
"Alright," he muttered. "Now we can actually work."
Today's goal was simple:
Upgrade the battery.
---
The New Blueprint
The first battery Ren made months ago worked… but barely.
Enough to power a tiny lantern.
Nothing more.
His new mind had been turning through every possible improvement while he cleaned yesterday:
Better electrodes.
More stable electrolyte.
Higher output.
Longer life.
He pulled out graphite rods he'd collected from broken tools.
Small sheets of zinc he saved from scrap metal.
And a thick ceramic jar for insulation.
Kiro arrived right on time, carrying a wooden tray full of sanded strips.
"You wanted these, right?" Kiro asked.
"Yes," Ren said. "Thank you."
Kiro glanced around the workshop.
"You finally made this place look like… something a scientist would actually use."
Ren smiled. "It was time."
Zemo barked in agreement.
---
Electrodes, Part 1
Ren began sanding the zinc plates.
Sfff. Sfff. Sfff.
The sound was soft, rhythmic.
He didn't need to think.
His hands moved on their own, guided by instinct and simulations running quietly in the back of his mind.
Kiro watched.
"What exactly does sanding do?"
"Makes the surface cleaner," Ren replied. "More contact. More reaction."
"Huh. Looks like you're polishing a fish."
Ren blinked.
"…Why would I polish a fish?"
Kiro shrugged. "Looked similar."
Ren laughed under his breath.
---
Unexpected Visitor #1 — Luffy
CRASH.
The door flew open with the grace of a falling tree.
"REN! ZEMO! KIRO! LISTEN—A BIRD STOLE MY LUNCH!"
Zemo froze.
Kiro dropped a strip.
Ren stopped sanding mid-stroke.
Luffy stomped inside dramatically.
"It was THIS big," he said, spreading his arms to impossible wingspan. "It took my meat! My MEAT!"
Ren pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Luffy… we're building something. Can you please—"
"I WANNA HELP!"
"No—"
Luffy grabbed a graphite rod.
"What does this do?"
"DON'T—!"
Snap.
The rod broke cleanly in Luffy's hand.
"Oops."
Ren stared at the broken graphite.
Kiro whispered, "Ren… remember breathing…"
Ren inhaled.
Exhaled.
"Luffy," he said calmly. "Sit there. And do not touch anything."
Luffy obeyed—surprisingly.
Zemo patted Luffy's foot sympathetically.
---
Electrolyte Mix
Ren poured distilled water into a bowl.
Added crushed mineral salt.
Added vinegar.
The mix fizzed lightly.
Kiro leaned in.
"That normal?"
"Yes."
"Looks like it'll melt your eyebrows."
Ren blinked. "Whose eyebrows?"
Kiro pointed at Luffy.
Luffy gasped. "MY EYEBROWS?!"
"No," Ren sighed. "This isn't dangerous."
"Okay good," Luffy said. "Eyebrows are important."
Zemo agreed with an enthusiastic yip.
---
Assembling the Battery
Ren set up everything:
Ceramic container
Zinc plate
Graphite rod
Electrolyte
Insulation lid
Connection wires
He slid the zinc plate in first.
Then the rod.
The reaction began immediately.
Tiny bubbles.
Slow rising current.
Low hum.
His telepathic sense instinctively "felt" the energy flow — faint, like a small heartbeat inside the jar.
Ren tightened the screws.
"Alright… let's test output."
---
The First Test
Ren connected a small copper wire to the battery terminals.
Attached them to a tiny fan blade he crafted earlier.
Kiro leaned forward.
Luffy sat up.
Zemo's tail twitched.
Ren flipped the small switch.
Whirrrrr—
The fan spun.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
Then faster.
Ren's eyes widened.
Kiro raised both eyebrows.
Luffy screamed, "IT'S MOVING BY ITSELF! GHOST WIND!!"
Zemo barked in alarm.
Ren smiled.
Battery V2 was alive.
---
External Test — The Drill
Ren connected the battery to his small hand-drill prototype.
The drill whined to life with more force than before.
The wooden plank's surface cracked under the bit.
Kiro let out a low whistle. "That's… actually strong."
Ren nodded.
"More stable. Higher charge. Longer life."
He turned the drill off.
The ceramic jar battery was humming warmly — the perfect first step for powering real equipment.
---
Unexpected Visitor #2 — Makino
Makino stepped in holding a basket.
"I brought snacks—"
She paused.
Saw the spinning fan.
The drill.
The wires.
Luffy screaming about ghost wind.
Makino sighed.
"Ren… please tell me nothing is going to explode."
Ren smiled gently.
"No explosions today."
"Good," she said. "Because I brought sweet buns, and I would like to leave with the same number of limbs."
Luffy shot up. "SWEET BUN!!"
Ren caught him by the collar before he tackled the basket.
Zemo also lunged.
Makino laughed.
The workshop felt warm and full.
---
Night — Quiet Satisfaction
When everyone left, Ren sat on the workbench.
The new battery pulsed steadily.
A small, reliable source of power.
Not much for the world…
But perfect for his plans.
Zemo curled against his feet.
Ren stroked his fur softly.
"Tomorrow," he murmured, "we try upgrading the windmill."
Zemo barked in soft approval.
Ren smiled at the battery again.
Step by step.
Power by power.
He was building something worth protecting.
---
End of Chapter 143