Of course, true superhumans remained the main problem facing this world. During tests, Bill discovered that a .30-06 round only left a mark on his skin, and so it was decided that, despite new, more powerful weapons, their greatest tactic remained range.
No matter what skill Bill had in this world, to defeat a superman, it would take another superman.
It was with this thought in mind that he began developing systems for his lieutenants.
He was lucky to have so many people around him who could reasonably be called superhuman. From what Bill had seen of Captains Hina, Maynard, and even his own father, having more than one strong subordinate was rare among Marines.
Even Captain Smoker, who held a high position in Loachtown before forcing Jin and Pearl to join his service, only had Tashigi.
With this thought in mind, Bill crossed the factory floor with his small group of followers. Receiving a few greetings like "Hello" and "How are you?", Bill responded to the workers as he walked with his companions.
Outside the factory floor there was an underground shooting range.
It was a very spacious room, and within a few months, it became a place where Bill tested the equipment he was developing in his lab. His designs were brilliant, but still experimental, and he didn't want to risk damaging the barracks or anything else above ground.
Entering the cell, which could have been a bomb shelter, Ricky whistled.
— Every time I see this place, I can't believe my eyes.
The lights were bright, and the doorways were wide enough to accommodate anyone up to 25 feet tall. Nodding in agreement, Bill turned his head and said,
If you find this hard to believe, wait until you see what happens next.
Laughing, Bill led the group to a weapons rack located against the same wall as the door.
There stood Carol and one of the young men who had arrived from Clock Island, a man named Hugo Hutchings. He was one of the few who had signed up for the Science Department almost immediately.
Thanks to mastering the Life Return technique, Bill had an incredible memory. It wasn't quite absolute, but close enough; he firmly remembered everything he paid attention to.
Hugo was born with a similar ability. His life on Clock Island was full of ups and downs, as often happens with those with such mental abilities.
As a child, he was sometimes so absorbed in his own thoughts that he would live in his imagination for weeks. As he grew older, this gave way to boredom, which led to depression.
It was only when he came into contact with the Science Department that the bright young man seemed to find a path for himself, one that Bill was happy to pave for him.
Ultimately, despite everything, Bill knew he couldn't stay in his lab as often as he'd liked. The seas were too dangerous, and securing contracts would require his direct involvement, at least until he was sure Ricky or someone else could do it for him.
"Everything ready, Hugo?" Bill asked when they were close enough to start a conversation without raising their voices.
Nodding his head, the young man standing next to Carol said:
— Yes... yes, Captain. The jump boots and gloves are fully prepared, charged, and... ready for use.
"Great," Bill replied, nodding as he looked over the gear on the weapons rack.
Having looked at everything, he turned to Sasha and the others and said:
"When we are together, few can defeat us, and I know that our combined strength grows with each passing week.
Stopping to look at Ricky and Borodo, he continued:
"But as our operations expand, we won't always be able to be together. I hope we never have to split into small groups, but who knows..."
I'm sure you're all aware of the news about the Whitebeard Pirates, but it remains to be seen how the Marines will deal with them if Whitebeard loses his mind.
At this thought, the faces of the group darkened.
Just a couple of weeks ago, it was reported that a Whitebeard crew member named Edward Teach had assassinated one of the division commanders. This commander was considered Whitebeard's "son," and so Bill was monitoring the situation.
To make matters worse, this pirate was now trying to gain protection from the World Government by becoming one of the Seven Lords of the Sea.
Bill had never met any of the Emperors, but he knew their titles were more than just honorary.
Each of the four Emperors controlled a vast territory in the New World, spanning several kingdoms, with Edward Newgate, better known as Whitebeard, controlling more land than any other two Emperors combined.
Not to mention his personal strength, which was considered the greatest in the world, he could command entire fleets of pirate and royal ships.
Bill didn't know what it meant to be the strongest man in the world, but he knew what it meant to be a pirate lord leading an armada of superhuman commanders.
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