By mid-morning, Liora had assembled a small team of laborers, all eager for work. They carried brooms, crates, and tools toward the abandoned warehouses, moving with quick efficiency under her direction.
Sanemi watched from the outside of the warehouses, hands clasped behind his head. "Start with a complete sweep," he instructed.
"Sweep, scrub, and organize every corner. Once clean, each warehouse must be arranged for maximum production efficiency, barrels here, ingredients there, storage for finished bottles over there. No wasted motion."
The laborers nodded, following the precise instructions as though guided by invisible threads. Even in this rudimentary setup, Sanemi's meticulous planning turned chaos into order.
"Liora, assign half the laborers to inventory management. Keep track of everything, ingredients, bottles, crates. Every entry must be logged. Any missing item is my problem, understood?"
"Yes, Chairman," Liora replied, already issuing commands to her team.
As he was about to leave, a sudden familiar ding emerged.
[Ding!]
Foundation Year – 0
• Objectives,
Recruit 5 Core Members: (5/5 Complete)
COMPLETE
Secure Starting Capital:
(11,234,000/10,000,000 Berries)
COMPLETE
Establish First Business Operation: (1/1)
COMPLETE
Ensure Protection Against Hostile Threats: (COMPLETED UNDER SPECIAL MEANS)
• Reward: Wayne Group Headquarters (Tier 1), Expansion Options Unlocked]
He stopped dead in his tracks with a wide grin, things just keep getting better. Seb did his job well.
Rewards Unlocked:
Wayne Group Headquarters (Tier 1)
Your current operations (tavern + warehouses) now officially function as a Tier 1 headquarters.
Enables management of multiple production sites, trade routes, and workforce expansion.
HQ provides a central command for both administration and security operations.
[Expansion Options Unlocked]
Construct additional warehouses or production sites.
Expand trade networks to neighboring islands.
Hire and train additional employees for production, administration, and security.
Launch new product lines beyond Iron Bull.
Increase brand influence among civilians, merchants, and local authorities.
….
"Hmm… so the system doesn't actually "give" me anything. The rewards simply consist of strategic capabilities and operational missions." He came to a conclusion after pondering.
Nonetheless, it would still be helpful no matter what.
…
A soft knock on the attic door announced Marlow's arrival. The Innovation Chief stepped inside, his sleeves rolled up, dust clinging faintly to his coat from travel.
"Morning, Chairman," Marlow greeted, a small smile on his face as he set down crates of experimental tools. "Looks like you've already started without me."
Sanemi's smirk widened. "Only preliminary cleanup. You're here for the real work, starting production."
Marlow's eyes flicked over the blueprints and warehouse plans laid across the table. "Perfect. Everything's ready for scaling. If the laborers follow orders, we can begin our first batch by afternoon. Shipping and inventory already prepped?"
Sanemi nodded. "Liora handled that. You just focus on running the production lines. I want a seamless start. Every bottle accounted for, every barrel correctly brewed. No excuses."
Marlow chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "Seamless start, huh? That's ambitious. But with this team… we'll make it happen."
"Good, make sure to be somewhat ready before Jonas comes." Sanemi spoke letting Marlow leave.
"Before revealing the Iron Bull to the East Blue… how about we start on Organ Islands first. A test if you will." He came to a conclusion and wrote down a few shops and other local businesses that the Iron Bull could be sold to.
It wasn't that difficult, his name was already known across all of the Organ Islands.
…
The chaos erupted fully as the alarm rang through the camp. Pirates scrambled, tripping over crates and each other, torches thrown haphazardly, flames licking the wooden walls. The smell of smoke and blood hung heavy in the air, mixing with the salty tang of the nearby sea.
Seb's eyes were focused calm, calculating, always ahead. Every movement was precise, every strike measured. Coyote, by contrast, moved like a rogue dog unleashed, wild and unpredictable, yet somehow impossibly effective. The two of them were a contradiction, control and chaos, but deadly in tandem.
A group of four heavily armed pirates charged toward them, axes raised. Seb ducked under the first swing, slicing cleanly across the attacker's midsection. The second pirate hesitated, only to feel the tip of Seb's blade press to his throat before he could react. The other two swung blindly, and Coyote danced between them, dagger flashing. One fell with a gasp, the other stumbled backward, screaming in shock as Coyote whispered, "Wrong place, wrong time." Then a swift shove sent him sprawling into a puddle of dirt and blood.
"Faster!" Seb hissed, moving toward the dock. "The exit is clear, but we don't have much time."
Coyote grinned, twirling the dagger. "Relax, I'm having fun." His voice carried over the din of panicked shouts. "Besides, I like watching your serious face while fighting."
A flare of fire arced toward them, someone had set a crate ablaze. Seb didn't flinch, he grabbed Coyote by the arm and pulled him aside as the flames roared past. The heat singed his coat, the acrid smoke stinging his eyes. Still, neither of them slowed.
At the edge of the camp, a final line of pirates formed, panicked but determined. Seb's eyes scanned, noting positions, angles, escape routes. Coyote leaned casually against a barrel, dagger at the ready.
Seb's jaw tightened. "Cover the right flank. I'll take the center."
Coyote tilted his head, eyes glinting. "Covering is boring. Let me improvise."
Before Seb could argue, Coyote surged forward, moving through the line of pirates like a hurricane. Screams echoed, a lantern toppled, spilling oil onto the ground. A single spark and the flames jumped higher, cutting off another escape route. Seb couldn't help the faint smirk tugging at his lips, this madman worked too well to stop.
Finally, the dock was in sight. Seb gestured sharply. "Jump. Now."
Coyote didn't hesitate, leaping with feline grace, dagger in hand. Seb followed, landing silently onto the creaking boards of the dock. Behind them, shouts and chaos continued, but the two were already slipping into the shadows along the water's edge.
The moonlight glinted off Seb's blade, the only hint of violence in the calm night. Coyote's grin reflected in the rippling water beside him, wild and untamed.
"Not bad for a warm-up," Coyote whispered.
Seb didn't answer, eyes scanning the horizon. The small boat they'd arrived on bobbed gently in the water. He had the target, Coyote and the means to leave the island.