One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

"Hey, Wright, about the Lightforged Crystal—it's already been discovered by quite a few pirates. Are you really okay with that?" Smoker asked as Wright returned from the Marine Headquarters after infusing more Lightforged Crystals.

Since entering the New World, Smoker had finally come to understand just how miraculous these crystals were.

Back in Paradise—the first half of the Grand Line—Smoker, a Logia user with considerable mastery over his powers, hadn't truly grasped the value of the Lightforged Crystals.

At that time, Smoker could singlehandedly protect a large contingent of subordinates, and any pirates who crossed his path were swiftly overwhelmed.

After awakening his Haki, Smoker felt even more confident. On missions aboard the Lightbringer, he rarely needed to use the Lightforged Crystals at all. Injuries among his crew were minimal, and those few were manageable.

But in the New World, the pressure became palpable.

Even the lowliest pirate underlings might possess rudimentary Haki. While Smoker himself wasn't threatened, the same couldn't be said for the Marines under his command.

In these circumstances, the number of people Smoker could personally protect plummeted. Sometimes, even he had to fight with everything he had just to survive.

The G-5 base Marines, meanwhile, were a mixed bunch. Before Fujitora's arrival and the subsequent mastering of coordinated combat formations, many were reckless and unruly. Casualty rates were consistently high.

As Fujitora was not officially listed in the Marine roster and served as a secret ace under Wright's command, even Fleet Admiral Sengoku worked to conceal his existence within Marine circles. As such, Fujitora rarely intervened directly, spending most of his time stationed at the G-5 base rather than sailing with the fleet.

Under these conditions, the importance of the Lightforged Crystals became evident—preserving lives, treating injuries, and sustaining the critically wounded until they could return to base for Wright's personal attention.

Remarkably, despite fierce battles against New World pirate crews, there hadn't been any fatalities at the G-5 base during Wright's tenure.

Of course, there were rare exceptions—like the unlucky ones who were decapitated or bludgeoned beyond recognition.

"There's definitely an issue here," Wright admitted, sipping from his cup. "I've been thinking about this for a while. Even King Cobra of Alabasta brought it up during the World Summit.

"Civilians have already caught wind of the Lightforged Crystals, so it's inevitable that pirates would, too. But for the sake of the vast majority of Marine soldiers, we can't make any drastic changes yet."

This very topic had come up in recent discussions between Wright and Sengoku.

With the effectiveness of the Lightforged Crystals now known, some Marine ships had already been attacked by pirates targeting these life-saving treasures.

Fortunately, Sengoku had prepared for this. Lightforged Crystals, designated as emergency medical supplies, were distributed sparingly—most ships carried only a few dozen, and allocation depended on the danger level of the mission area.

Even if pirates managed to steal some, the limited quantity rendered them ineffective for large-scale use. Furthermore, the secret of stacking their healing effects remained classified, even within the Marines.

"And then there's this…" Smoker's expression turned odd. "The papers are calling you the 'Pinnacle of Modern Healing Abilities.'"

The entire G-5 base had been stunned when they first saw the headline in the World Economy News.

"...That's Morgans stirring the pot again," Wright sighed.

It was an inevitable consequence. As the Marine Headquarters found it increasingly difficult to suppress information about the Lightforged Crystals, they opted for a partial disclosure—emphasizing that the crystals were useless once shattered.

This was the wisdom of Sengoku and Tsuru. Even in their limited use for life preservation, the crystals' value was undeniable, but pirates wouldn't see them as a strategic asset.

Why hadn't anyone noticed the secret?

Because no one would dare shatter such a priceless object just to test it! Breaking one crystal could mean the loss of a life.

Otherwise, if a Yonko-level pirate like Whitebeard decided to loot a few Marine ships and stockpile a large quantity, they might recover from critical injuries in no time, rendering the crystals a severe threat.

Morgans had skillfully manipulated the story, redirecting the narrative away from Wright's combat prowess and diplomatic achievements, focusing instead on his medical contributions.

Fortunately, this shift had no negative impact. Wright's reputation skyrocketed among the Marines and the medical community. Sengoku even used the opportunity to allocate some Lightforged Crystals to the World Government, pleasing all parties involved.

"It's just a shame we'll have to share them with those damn Celestial Dragons," Smoker grumbled.

"The Celestial Dragons are comfortably sheltered in Mary Geoise. They won't need them unless they want a backup supply or plan to hand them to CP agents," Wright replied with a shrug. "And if they ever try to use a Lightforged Crystal to save themselves in front of me… I'll make sure they're in for a surprise."

Smoker fell silent, his admiration for Wright's audacity evident in his expression.

"Speaking of which… any way to fix Fujitora's eyes? He keeps claiming he can't see, but his observation skills are sharper than anyone's."

Wright gave Smoker a peculiar look. "And since when did you become so bold? Don't think I don't know about you and Hina—handle it yourself."

"As for Fujitora, he's chosen not to see. Even if I could heal him, he wouldn't agree to it."

Smoker sighed in defeat, puffing on his cigars with renewed frustration.

Meanwhile, in the first half of the Grand Line, Drum Kingdom.

Inside a treehouse, a raspy voice echoed.

"Listen, you'll die at 5:30 p.m. in four days. That's your fate."

"The bacteria inside your body… unless you find a panacea, there's no cure."

"But I can give you three more weeks to live!"

"Too bad you have no money to pay me…"

"Stop babbling! Just treat me already!"

"Chopper… what's happened to you?"

"You found the Amiudake mushroom… for me?"

"Doctor… live on…"

"I want to be a doctor. Teach me medicine…"

"A reindeer can become a doctor?"

"Of course, Chopper! Because you're so kind!"

Back in the treehouse, Dr. Kureha took a swig of plum wine, exhaling deeply.

"Your illness is beyond the scope of modern medicine, Hiriluk…"

She paused, glancing at a World Economy News article lying on the table.

"'The Pinnacle of Modern Healing Abilities'… Marine Vice Admiral Wright, huh?"

Taking another swig, Kureha donned her coat and sunglasses before stepping out into the blizzard.

"Two weeks left. I should make it in time… though it's absurd for a medical powerhouse like Drum Kingdom to lack reliable Den Den Mushi communication due to the weather!"

"If I can reach the nearest communication station, I should be able to contact Marine Headquarters… Let's see if this 130-year-old granny still has some influence."

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