Chapter 114 — Cargo Crates That Don't Complain
S.C. 1511 — Mid January
Foosha Village — Underground Lab (Woodworking Corner)
The underground lab echoed with a gentle tapping sound.
TOK. TOK. TOK.
Ren adjusted his grip on a small mallet while Zemo sat beside a pile of wooden planks, his tail thumping the ground with every tap.
Today's mission was simple in words…
but painful in effort.
Crates.
Not big ones.
Not fancy ones.
Not suspicious ones.
Just simple cargo crates that could survive rough roads, salty wind, and clumsy dockworkers… without looking like they were built with KEA-level precision.
Ren inhaled deeply.
"Let's make crates that look normal," he whispered.
"But are secretly better."
Zemo blinked slowly, impressed by the ambition.
---
Step 1 — Why Crates Matter
Ren opened his notebook to a page labeled:
Merchant Basics — Storage & Transport
He read the top lines aloud:
• Goods must arrive safely
• Goods must look ordinary
• Crates must stack perfectly
• Crates must not attract attention
• Crates must not fall apart when a goat sneezes
He added that last line after seeing a Foosha farmer accidentally topple a storage pile with his goat's sneeze.
Ren sighed.
"If we want to sell salt, dried fish, herbs, or crops… we need reliable crates."
Zemo put a paw on a plank.
Ren interpreted it as: "Begin."
So he did.
---
Step 2 — Preparing the Wood
Ren sorted the planks:
✔ Straight ones → crate walls
✔ Slightly curved ones → lids
✔ Short ones → stabilizers
He sanded each plank down with stone grit until the edges stopped threatening splinters.
Zemo sniffed a plank and immediately pulled back when dust got into his nose.
Ren laughed quietly.
"Woodworking rule number one: dust fights back."
Zemo sneezed angrily.
---
Step 3 — Making KEA Nails (Carefully)
Ren placed a tiny ingot of KEA alloy on the table.
He hammered it into small, thin nails—nothing flashy, nothing shiny.
Just durable.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He didn't want to use too much KEA.
A few nails here and there would:
• increase crate strength
• reduce cracking
• help with stacking
• stay unnoticed because they looked like regular iron
A perfect enhancement that nobody would suspect.
Zemo pawed the nail pile, making a tiny clinking sound.
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"That bell sound you made is worth more than every merchant in Edge Town."
Zemo puffed up proudly.
---
Step 4 — Crate Assembly (The Quiet Battle)
Ren placed the planks together:
side → side
base → support
back panel → alignment
Then he hammered.
TOK—TOK—TOK—TOK—
Not too fast.
Not too loud.
He wanted the connections tight but flexible, so he mixed:
• regular nails on the outside
• KEA nails on hidden joints
• rope bindings for shock absorption
The hybrid design meant the crates would:
survive shaking
survive bumps
survive being dropped by someone like Luffy (Ren shuddered imagining it)
Zemo inspected each joint with a critical squint.
Ren whispered:
"Yes, yes, the angles are straight."
Zemo nodded like a professional foreman.
---
Step 5 — The Lids (The Most Annoying Part)
Ren carved shallow grooves along the top panels.
He tested one lid.
It slid perfectly.
He tested a second one.
It slid halfway… then stuck like a stubborn mule.
Ren frowned.
"…You think this is funny?"
The lid said nothing.
Zemo did, though.
A single amused bark.
Ren sighed, sanded the groove again, and the lid finally slid smoothly.
He lifted it with satisfaction.
"Good. No merchant likes crates that scream when opened."
Zemo tilted his ears.
Ren clarified:
"Squeaky lid = suspicious = bad business."
Zemo nodded gravely.
---
Step 6 — Weight Test
Ren placed a heavy stone inside the finished crate.
The crate didn't crack.
Didn't bend.
Didn't complain.
Good.
Then he pushed it from the table.
THUD.
Zemo jumped.
The crate survived the fall perfectly.
Ren wrote:
Crate Drop Test — Passed
(1 meter height, stone load, Zemo startled)
Zemo glared at the crate for scaring him.
---
Step 7 — Purpose of the Crates
Ren stacked the completed crates neatly.
There were four in total:
Crate A: herbs
Crate B: salt
Crate C: dried fish
Crate D: mixed supplies (rope, jars, tools)
He stared quietly at them.
These weren't just wooden boxes.
They were the first real signs of a merchant identity.
Tools of trade.
Symbols of preparation.
Silent companions for future journeys.
Ren whispered:
"These crates will travel with us someday."
Zemo pressed against his leg, tail thumping lightly.
---
Step 8 — Labeling
Ren wrote simple charcoal symbols on each crate:
🟦 = herbs
⬜ = salt
🐟 = fish
📦 = supplies
No fancy words.
No suspicious markings.
Just clear, practical labels.
Zemo sniffed the fish crate aggressively.
Ren gently pushed him away.
"It's dried, Zemo. Not delicious."
Zemo looked betrayed.
---
Ending the Day
Ren leaned back, stretching his tired arms.
The crates stood ready.
Quiet.
Sturdy.
Unremarkable to anyone else…
…but perfect for Ren's future trade network.
"We're getting closer," Ren whispered.
Zemo curled beside the stack of crates like a guardian fox protecting treasure.
Ren smiled.
Tomorrow would begin the next step—preparing transport.
But for now, the crates were done.
Silent proof that the future was being built piece by piece.
---
End of Chapter 114