Early the next morning, the sky was just beginning to brighten.
The bonfire from the previous night had vanished, leaving only wispy smoke drifting toward the clouds.
The lingering scent of alcohol in the bottles on the ground had long since faded away with time.
The members of the Beasts Pirates were sprawled out asleep.
The only one with a somewhat graceful posture was Toki, who is nestled in Bazel's arms for warmth.
"Keep it down!"
"We don't know if these big humans are good or bad people yet. If they discover us, we're done for!"
"Our target is valuable treasure. We must be careful with our movements!"
Not far away, King's eyes twitched slightly, though they didn't fully open. He merely scanned the approaching lifeforms through narrowed slits.
'It's the Tontatta Tribe...'
King felt a slight sense of relief.
Last night, he had been forced to drink quite a lot by an embarrassed and angry Kaido and Bazel. While he was still far from being drunk, his mind was certainly not clear.
Coupled with the poor quality of last night's alcohol, his head now throbbed with pain and felt swollen.
"Wow, this weapon is huge!" Rampo exclaimed, wearing a yellow hat, as he stood in awe before Kaido's Kanabo.
"This human is huge too! He's the biggest human I've ever seen!!"
"Kaido-san has such a robust physique because he possesses ancient giant bloodline." A voice suddenly interjected.
The sound made the three Tontatta tribesmen in the camp jump, their hair standing on end.
"No need to be afraid. Like you, I belong to a special race. The only difference is that my race now consists of only me." King said, sitting up cross-legged with his weapon discarded beside him.
His gaze toward the Tontatta Tribe was complex.
"If I wanted to attack you, I would have already done so."
"What in the world..."
Just then, the other members of the Beasts Pirates also began to wake up.
"I thought it was an enemy at first, but it turns out to be the legendary fairies of Dressrosa." Hanafuda yawned, vigorously shaking his dizzy, throbbing head.
"I've heard legends about you in the Dressrosa Kingdom."
"Haah~"
Bazel rubbed his sleepy eyes and casually offered the half-empty bottle of alcohol left from the previous night.
"It's the Tontatta Tribe. How rare. Would you like some alcohol?"
Toki pinched Bazel's waist in annoyance and tried to snatch the bottle away.
"Don't corrupt these adorable little ones. They would never...???"
Rampo took the bottle without any hesitation and poured some into his mouth.
"Hmm, so this is human alcohol? It's just so-so. It's nowhere near as good as our flower nectar wine!"
"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself."
"My name is Rampo, and I'm the vice chief of the Tontatta Tribe. Nice to meet you."
"Hey, Rampo!"
Kabu hurriedly pulled his companion back.
"Weren't we here to steal things? Why are you introducing yourself?!"
Rampo blinked and pointed at Bazel, "But he gave me a gift! They must be good humans."
Just as Bazel and the others thought Kabu would object, "Is that so? So you are good humans after all! We sincerely apologize for earlier intending to steal your treasure!"
Kabu, pulling Rampo and Bomba along, bowed in apology.
'Such a simple-minded race...'
Bazel lay on the ground, curiously observing the miraculous Tontatta Tribe.
"This is my first time seeing the Tontatta Tribe. Would you like to join the Beasts Pirates?"
"We're looking for an island where we can settle down long-term, and we're currently short on companions. If you join, I can discuss it with the captain and make the Tontatta Tribe executives."
"We'll jo…"
Before Bomba could finish his words, Rampo covered his mouth.
"We're very sorry. Although we'd really like to travel the seas with you, I'm only the vice chief and can't make decisions on behalf of the entire tribe."
Thinking about the target island they planned to head to in the future, Bazel felt even more eager to recruit these Tontatta tribesmen skilled in cultivating giant plants.
The environment of Wano Country was far from ideal, both in the wilderness and living conditions.
During their drinking session yesterday, Kaido had discussed matters related to Wano Country with him.
Back when Kaido was still with the Rocks Pirates, he had heard about that place from the seniors and had a very deep impression of that isolated, ancient country.
Both the Seastone and its backward, closed-off era made it perfectly suited for the Beasts Pirates' development!
As long as they became the strongest force in that land, the Beasts Pirates wouldn't have to worry about development issues for decades to come.
Bazel already had a preliminary plan for managing and reforming Wano Country.
He intended to implement the system he had experienced before his transmigration.
A third-party labor dispatch system, the 996 'blessing' work schedule, and distributing exquisitely packaged gifts during festivals and holidays. (T/N: 996 derives its name from its requirement that employees work from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, 6 days per week.)
They would provide workers willing to work for them with the three social insurances and one housing fund, with wages distributed through the daimyos of Wano's major regions.
As long as the Beasts Pirates controlled all the daimyos, they could indirectly control the entire Wano Country.
This approach was not only convenient but also meant that if any unrest occurred, the various daimyos would be the ones to suppress it, saving the Beasts Pirates from having to clean up the mess themselves.
As for external business...
The Seastone alone was enough for the Beasts Pirates to establish the world's strongest trading company.
Of course, this was still just a preliminary draft. The specific implementation plan would need adjustments after they arrived in Wano.
The most important task now was to persuade the Tontatta Tribe to join!
With their technology for nurturing giant plants, the barren Wano Country could definitely be transformed into the most habitable island on the sea!
As for the ancient weapon buried beneath Wano...
Bazel had no interest in it.
Not to mention the harsh conditions for retrieving such a thing, whether it could even be used, or whether one could survive after using it, were all still questions.
He certainly couldn't defeat the Five Elders or Imu now.
"If you are willing to join, I can make decisions on Kaido's behalf to establish a unique Greening Office. The chief of your Tontatta Tribe can serve as the director of the Greening Office, with full authority over personnel assignments."
"Gr-Greening Office?"
The three Tontatta tribesmen looked at each other, completely bewildered.
"The Wano Country Environmental Greening Office is a crucial department, second only to the Security Office. It's a responsibility only entrusted to trusted partners!"
Upon hearing this, King looked strange. He tugged at Bazel's sleeve, and whispered in his ear, "You're lying, right? Since when is greening the second most important job?"
"You don't understand."
Bazel patted King's shoulder meaningfully.
"There's only one leader, but there can be countless directors and managers. It's just a title."
"Think about it: if you were a new member joining us, would you prefer to be an ordinary employee or an executive?"
King answered without hesitation, "An executive, of course!"
"Then the question arises, and this one's a freebie."
Bazel placed both hands on King's shoulders.
"Arber, would you prefer others to call you Employee Arber, or Director Arber, Executive Arber, or Manager Arber?"
King fell silent.
Although he didn't know the exact meaning of 'director' or 'manager', they certainly sounded much more impressive than 'employee'.
"It seems you've figured it out."
Bazel lay back down and extended his hand toward Rampo.
"I understand this is a difficult decision for you. We will stay here for a few days. You can return and discuss it with your chief."
"We, the Beasts Pirates, are good pirates who adhere to a people-oriented approach and treat the ship as our home. If the Tontatta Tribe is willing to join, I will fight for your right to live under the sunlight."
"The Tontatta Tribe deserves to live under the sun, not underground on some island!"
Bazel's deceiving tone grew increasingly passionate.
"You are the finest guardians! You are the finest garden managers! You are the most trustworthy partners!!"
"The Beasts Pirates might still sail without you, but with you…!"
He carefully cupped his hands, lifting the three stunned Tontatta tribesmen who stared at him in awe.
"Our lives will surely be more vibrant! Our future will surely be more peaceful and beautiful! General Manager Rampo, let us create a brighter future together with us, Beasts Pirates!!"
"This isn't just for humans! It's for the Tontatta Tribe too!!"
"You humans... you humans... sob sob sob!!"
Tears instantly welled up in Rampo's eyes. He lowered his head, covering his face with his hands, suppressed sobs escaping.
"Damn it! Why are there such thoughtful, understanding humans who truly get our tribe?! I will definitely persuade the chief!!!"
"I swear on the great hero Noland! I will lead the Tontatta Tribe toward a brighter future!"
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