Chapter 170 Processing Method, Releasing Prisoners
Udon, one of Wano Country's regions, contained the country's largest prison and largest mine, which were actually one and the same. Samurai who resisted Kaido were sent to Udon's prison to work as miners, digging every day.
Kaido was a cruel man. Ordinary people's lives meant nothing to him, but capable people were different.
Like Whitebeard and Charlotte Linlin, Kaido also greatly valued talent. Even enemies, as long as he considered them useful, he would spare their lives.
So Udon's prison gathered many powerful samurai.
At this moment, Brett was already approaching this prison mine from the sky above.
"Finally arrived!"
Stepping on air and looking down at this massive mine, Brett felt quite emotional.
Fish-Man Island's mining areas were much more extensive than this place—several mining areas connected continuously, almost covering the entire seabed plain.
But underwater mining areas and land-based mines had completely different visual impacts.
The pale mountains stretched endlessly, revealing an astonishing sense of vastness and ruggedness.
Within the massive walls, the prison was built into the mountainside.
Looking down from the sky, Brett could see dense clusters of small black dots in the prison, moving around like ants.
Better hurry up.
Brett began his descent.
Like thunder falling from heaven.
"Hey, look at that—what is it?"
A certain prisoner carrying a large stone happened to be looking at the sky. He saw that ray of light descending from above.
"Is it a meteor?"
Another prisoner also asked in wonder.
For their painful and tedious prisoner lives, any unexpected situation was worth their amazement.
"What are you staring at! Get back to work!"
The prisoners' halt angered the overseers. Though war had begun with the Charlotte Family, the Beasts Pirates overseers still stationed here dutifully performed their duties, cracking whips and berating prisoners to continue laboring.
Barbed whips left bleeding marks on bodies, the bone-deep pain enough to make even iron-hearted warriors' foreheads bulge with veins.
But the prisoners dared not speak their anger—the heavy restraints on their bodies left them powerless, able only to bow their heads and work.
Then, the light of hope descended from heaven.
CRACK!
Brilliant light crashed into the prison's center. In this instant, electricity jumped in all directions.
The electric light dispersed, and Brett looked around.
Everyone stared at him in shock.
Who was this person?
The prisoners looked completely bewildered.
"Who the hell are you!"
The Beasts Pirates stationed here quickly reacted after their brief shock.
An intruder!
Never knowing what fear was, the fierce and brutal pirates wielded weapons and surrounded Brett.
No need for more words.
Brett's brow furrowed.
Fierce wind suddenly rose.
His Conqueror's Haki, evolved to a new realm, instantly swept the entire field like a bomb exploding in all the Beasts Pirates' minds.
The chasm-like Conqueror's Haki was completely irresistible to the pirates stationed here. One by one, they rolled their eyes back and fainted.
Conqueror's Haki was truly convenient.
Brett marveled inwardly.
"That is—"
Among the prisoners, a certain short old man stared wide-eyed in surprise. "The same ability as Oden!"
Brett surveyed the entire scene. Some more Beasts Pirates came rushing over, but the situation was already decided.
"I came here with one request," he said. "I heard that Wano Country's craftsmen are the only ones on the seas who can finely process seastone. So, craftsmen of Wano Country, could you teach me the processing method?"
"In return, I can release all of you."
Though Brett had no good feelings toward the Kozuki clan, he harbored no ill will toward these prisoners who had been imprisoned for twenty years yet remained steadfast in wanting to save their homeland.
The various samurai, nobles, and stonemasons serving as prisoners in this mine were all stunned.
Had the hope they yearned for day and night finally arrived?
"Sir," among the prisoners, the short old man stepped forward from the crowd. He said seriously, "Releasing us would mean becoming enemies with that evil dragon Kaido!"
"I'm naturally aware of that."
Brett recognized this old man—Straw Hat's advanced Armament Haki tutor, former ronin leader of Wano Country, Hyogoro the Flower.
"But it doesn't matter."
What could it matter anyway?
He'd have to fight Kaido sooner or later. Pluton was buried beneath this country. To obtain it, Kaido was a threshold that had to be crossed.
Even if Master Tom had Pluton's blueprints, they couldn't just pass up the original prototype.
In the near future, Fish-Man Island and the Beasts Pirates would inevitably clash.
So he had even more reason to release these prisoners—let them cause some trouble for Kaido.
This was called win-win. He'd obtain the seastone processing method while also planting some seeds of trouble for Kaido in Wano Country. Two victories.
"Will you refuse this deal?"
Brett asked.
Without even needing to listen to these prisoners' inner voices, he already knew what their final decision would be.
The seastone processing method was indeed Wano Country's secret for hundreds of years, but compared to this country's future, what these people would choose was self-evident.
Hyogoro took a deep breath.
He turned back to look at the prisoners.
"I'm not a stonemason, so I can't make decisions arbitrarily. Fellow countrymen who have inherited the technique through generations, what do you think?"
Among the prisoners, a group whispered among themselves, then a thin man stepped forward. He declared loudly, "No matter how important our generational techniques are, they can't compare to this country's future!"
"We're imprisoned here, unable to contribute anything to this country—only accumulating wealth for the evil dragon Kaido! But if we leave this prison, we can at least accomplish something!"
He looked toward Brett. "We accept your proposal!"
"Excellent."
Brett's mouth curved upward.
He walked before Hyogoro and reached out to grab his collar.
Then he casually yanked it off and threw it aside.
BOOM!
The collar exploded thunderously.
"Prepare to embrace freedom, samurai."
Hearing Brett's words, quite a few prisoners burst into tears.
They could indeed escape this prison and gain temporary freedom, but outside this prison lay an even larger prison.
Freedom?
What freedom was left in this country?
Regardless, the deal was struck. Brett removed the prisoners' collars while listening to the stonemasons explain the method for processing seastone.
Wano Country's stonemasons could prepare a special powder that temporarily softened seastone. Combined with their special processing techniques, they could work seastone into various refined forms.
Now Brett had obtained the formula for this powder.
Then the prisoners gained freedom—everyone had a bright future.
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