Chapter 144 — Wind and Sun
S.C. 1511 — Early March
Foosha Village — Old Windmill Hill
The morning breeze was gentle but steady—perfect for what Ren needed.
He arrived at the old windmill before sunrise, Zemo trotting beside him.
Kiro and two of the subordinates followed, each carrying wooden crates filled with tools, metal scraps, and the new Battery V2.
The windmill creaked slowly as the first gust pushed its tired blades.
Ren placed a hand on the wooden frame.
The wood was old.
The gears were worn.
The shaft leaked energy every rotation.
He closed his eyes and exhaled.
"We're not replacing it," he said. "Just waking it up."
Zemo barked as if approving the phrase.
Step 1 — Structural Check
Ren climbed the small ladder to examine the blades.
Kiro steadied it from below.
"Careful," Kiro muttered, "the left side creaks when someone climbs."
Ren nodded, already aware.
His senses picked up every vibration through the wood—the faint quiver in the beams, the uneven strain where the blade met the axle.
He tightened a bolt.
Shifted the blade angle.
Ran his fingers along a cracked plank.
"This one needs reinforcement," he said.
Kiro handed him a fresh board.
Together, they replaced the cracked plank with a thicker piece of cured wood Ren had treated days ago.
The blade felt stronger now.
Ren smiled faintly.
Step 2 — Gear System
Inside the windmill, the two remaining subordinates were already at work.
One oiled the gears with a mixture Ren had prepared.
The other shaved uneven points from the wooden teeth.
Ren crouched beside a stripped gear.
He examined it.
Too soft.
Too dry.
Too brittle.
"Replace it?"
"Not the whole thing," Ren murmured. "Just the inner ring."
He retrieved a small KEA-coated insert he'd forged earlier.
The ring clicked into place perfectly.
As he spun the gear, it rotated smoother than before.
"Much better," he said.
Kiro grinned.
"You and your fancy metal tricks… one day I'll understand."
Ren chuckled softly.
Step 3 — Installing the Solar Panels
The sun had risen by now.
Ren pulled two solar tiles from the crate.
They weren't perfect—not glass like in his past life, but a hybrid:
Thin mineral plates
Graphite wiring
Compound X–treated coating
Reinforced backing
Primitive… but usable.
He strapped them to the windmill's slanted roof with KEA-nails pierced through thick wooden mounts.
Zemo stood below, tail wagging as if supervising.
"You're not helping," Ren muttered.
Zemo barked in disagreement.
Comedy Break — Luffy Time
Halfway through installing the wiring, a distant shout shook the calm morning.
"REEEEEEEEEN!!"
Ren froze.
Kiro groaned.
"Oh no…"
Luffy barreled up the hill at full speed, arms flailing, hair a mess.
"I FOUND A HUGE BIRD! IT STOLE MAKINO'S BREAD!!"
Ren blinked.
"Another bird?"
"YES!" Luffy said dramatically. "AND IT LOOKED AT ME WITH EVIL EYES!"
Zemo narrowed his eyes as if taking that personally.
Ren sighed.
"I'm busy right now."
Luffy blinked… then saw the solar panels.
"What's that?"
"Sun panels."
"What do they do?"
"They drink sunlight."
Luffy gasped.
"THEY'RE SUN EATERS?!"
Zemo barked excitedly.
"No," Ren said, rubbing his forehead, "they collect energy."
Luffy was already climbing the windmill ladder.
Ren nearly had a heart attack.
"LUFFY—NO—DON'T TOUCH—"
Tap.
Zzzzt.
The panel sparked lightly.
Luffy yelped and fell off the ladder.
Kiro caught him by the shirt.
Ren exhaled long and tired.
"…Luffy, please stay on the ground."
"Okay," Luffy nodded. "But the sun eaters shocked me."
"They're not—"
"—SUN EATERS!!"
Ren gave up.
Step 4 — Wiring to Battery V2
Ren connected the solar wires to the small energy box he built last night.
Then he linked it to Battery V2.
A faint, steady hum vibrated through the box.
The battery warmed gently.
Ren's telepathic sense picked up the subtle movement of electrons along the wire—like a tiny stream.
It worked.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Good," he whispered.
Kiro leaned closer. "Is it charging?"
"Yes," Ren said with satisfaction. "Slow but stable."
The subordinates exchanged impressed glances.
Zemo hopped onto a wooden beam and barked triumphantly.
Step 5 — Windmill + Solar Hybrid Test
Ren stepped outside.
The windmill blades turned—smoothly now.
Soft rhythm.
No grinding.
No jerks.
Ren flipped a switch on the small box.
A thin copper indicator vibrated.
Windmill rotation → charging
Solar panels → charging
Both inputs working.
Kiro whistled. "You actually did it."
Ren nodded.
"It's enough to power the workshop and tools."
Luffy, eating a leftover bun Makino packed, asked:
"Can it cook meat?"
"…No."
"Then what's the point?"
Ren stared at him expressionlessly.
Kiro laughed until he had to sit down.
Makino Arrives (Predictably)
Makino climbed the hill holding a basket.
She saw Luffy hanging upside down from a fence, Zemo barking up at him, Kiro sitting in the grass laughing, and Ren covered in sawdust and metal dust.
Makino sighed.
"I don't even want to know what happened."
Ren smiled gently.
"We fixed the windmill," he said simply.
Makino walked over to examine the blades.
"They look… stronger?"
"And cleaner," Kiro added.
Ren nodded.
"I installed solar panels too."
Makino's brows rose.
"Solar panels…? Ren, is this safe?"
"It's stable," Ren assured.
"Well," she said, handing him a bun, "as long as nothing explodes, I'm proud of you."
Luffy shouted from the fence, "THE SUN EATERS ARE SAFE NOW!"
Makino blinked. "The what?"
Ren shook his head rapidly. "Ignore him."
Evening — Quiet Progress
When the others left, Ren sat beside the windmill, watching the blades turn in the orange light.
Battery V2 pulsed faintly inside the energy box.
Wind.
Sun.
Stored power.
A small but real step.
Zemo leaned against him, tail flicking slowly.
Ren scratched his head.
"Tomorrow," he murmured, "we start laying the foundation for the B.A.E."
Zemo barked softly.
The windmill creaked in the evening breeze—stronger now, healthier.
Ren let the sound soak in.
The island, the village… and his plans…
Everything felt a little more alive.
End of Chapter 144