"Your physical fitness is pretty good, you've got the strength to chatter already?"
Alcremie expressed her intentions with more expressive body language and words, but Jack didn't get angry. Such a cute Alcremie, it's normal for others to like her anyway, they couldn't take her away.
"What kind of tricks did you use to brainwash that creature?! Let me go, I shouldn't be in this place!"
"Sure, as long as you join us, I can release you."
Formally joining still required an assessment, but as long as the other party agreed, Jack could temporarily improve Cavendish's treatment.
"In your dreams! I will never associate with a bunch of brutes like you!!"
"Is that so? No problem, you'll change your mind."
According to Kaidou's teachings, when you're interested in someone's combat power, you need to have enough patience with them. Jack had already learned this essence.
"Sheepshead, you watch these guys, let me know if anything happens."
Alcremie was just a key custodian and not a guard. After switching someone to act as a temporary prison guard, Jack intended to leave.
"Wait! Give me my sword back! It's a famous sword!"
"You don't need it now. You'll have a new 'sword.'"
...
A while later, Jack had returned to Wano Kuni, and Cavendish was taken by Jack to the Hundred Beasts' main camp, then sent to Udon.
This was the only way to enter Wano Kuni without an identity check, entering as prisoners, directly into the prison, where they had no chance to cause trouble.
And Cavendish also saw the 'new sword' in his hand.
A crowbar, also known in physics as a Holy Sword.
"Bastards! You damn bastards! How can you call this a sword?!"
"According to Lord Jack, once you see reason, you'll get your things back."
The pirates guarding the quarry looked at Cavendish playfully. Here, even prisoners were divided into levels.
The most ordinary were those wearing prison uniforms, most of whom were undergoing labor reform with a chance of being released. The most severe were those with heavy shackles on their legs, indicating they were grave offenders never to be released, only to work themselves to death.
The most special were like Cavendish, who hadn't changed into prison uniforms, which meant someone from Hundred Beasts wanted to recruit them, but they hadn't agreed, so they were sent here to experience life.
"In the meantime, just get used to your new weapon."
This was a quarry, where hammers, chisels, and crowbars were commonly used tools. Jack had fulfilled his promise by selecting the most sword-like tool for him from among them.
Cavendish didn't choose to join deceitfully and then escape because, at that time, he didn't want to join any forces.
It wasn't possible to come and go as one pleases with any of the Sea Emperor's forces. Pretending to join and then leaving was no different from declaring war, and should he escape after pretending, he would be hunted by the Hundred Beasts.
Unless he joined another major force for protection, he would spend the rest of his life on the run.
There were people like that, but that wasn't Cavendish's fundamental reason for refusing. If he were afraid, he wouldn't have boldly challenged Jack; moreover, his character led him to refuse to engage in such deceit.
...
Eventually, he was forced to remain there and began plotting his escape, and under the threat of no food without work, he was compelled to start laboring. Farul was also transformed from a warhorse to a packhorse.
Though it's a prison, there were no big shots acting like local tyrants here; all prisoners knew one thing: only the people of the Hundred Beasts were in charge.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of hammer meeting rock echoed as the prisoners labored under the watchful eyes of the prison guards, yet Cavendish noticed some faces wearing a trace of expectation.
"What are you all so happy about?"
"Today, outsiders will come to visit, cooperate with them, and you can earn a reduction in your sentence."
"Visit? What's there to see in a place like this?"
Looking around the quarry, Cavendish saw nothing worth seeing.
"We are the exhibits. Violating the law here lands you in the mines as a warning to the local children."
This was a regular warning activity in Wano Kuni, organized by the General's dispatched personnel to have the domestic children of suitable age visit, letting them know what life is like violating the law, thus stabilizing the domestic condition.
The activity was implemented after Kozuki Hiyori survived an assassination attempt. Its effectiveness wasn't apparent yet, but according to feedback from parents, the children had been more well-behaved at home.
"So, outsiders will enter this prison, right?"
"You could say that, I suppose. Is there a problem?"
"You're a local, right? I have a plan, maybe we could escape. Just tell me the terrain around here..."
"Wait! You mean... escaping?!"
Listening to Cavendish, this person became quite excited.
"Yeah, but I need more hands."
Seeing the excitement in the other's eyes, Cavendish thought they were interested, but in the next moment, the person did something unfathomable to him.
"I report!! Someone's planning a jailbreak!!! Help! Someone's going to escape!!"
The person dropped their pickaxe and shouted towards the prison guards. Before Cavendish could react, the people from the Hundred Beasts were already upon him.
"What's all this shouting? Who's trying to escape?!"
"It's him! The new guy! I heard him say he's planning a jailbreak and wanted to involve me!"
"You traitor!"
Seeing his plan exposed like this, Cavendish was furious, but before he could do anything, someone pressed him to the ground. The Prison Warden, Babanuki, appeared behind him at some point.
The Machamp's strength pressed on him was all too familiar; not long ago, Jack had subdued him this way as well. But his attention wasn't on this; it was on the informant.
"Bastard, why did you betray me? Don't you want to escape?"
"Fool, I ended up here because of a brawl at the Flower Street, I'll be out in a month at most. Only an idiot would attempt a jailbreak with you. Um, Lord Babanuki, would this count as a meritorious deed..."
"We'll see. For your contribution in reporting, you can be a good exemplary case this time, and this new guy can be the negative example."
During such activities, Udon Quarry always caught a few examples to show outsiders the difference between good reform and hidden malice, leading those with hope to get out unwilling to risk joining riotous activities.