Chapter 165: The Booming Den Den Mushi Farming Business, Departure for Elbaf
Kuri, Wano Country.
Kai led Hiriluk, Kureha, and Chopper to the lush base of the Tontatta tribe.
Thanks to Princess Mansherry's miraculous healing power, Hiriluk's terminal illness was effortlessly cured.
"I feel lighter than ever, as if I've gone back to my youth!"
Hiriluk was overjoyed, jumping on the spot like a child, savoring his long-missed vitality.
His face now flushed with healthy color, no trace of old frailty remained.
Princess Mansherry smiled with innocence and satisfaction. Bringing health to others was her greatest joy.
Chopper had already cried himself into a tear ball.
All past worries and dark clouds faded away with the tears.
Kureha's tone was tinged with complexity. As a doctor, she was glad for Hiriluk's recovery, but deep inside, a vague confusion grew.
If such miraculous power from a fruit can easily erase incurable diseases, what's the point of doctors devoting lifetimes to medicine?
Kai seemed to see through her thoughts, calmly saying: "The healing fruit's power is indeed miraculous, but it has just one limitation. Only a very few lucky ones get to experience that miracle."
"For the vast majority suffering from illness, reliable doctors and effective medicine remain their true hope. Doctors will always be indispensable."
That was exactly why he recruited this 'witch.'
"I plan to establish a large medical school in Wano."
Kai looked earnestly at Kureha. "You will be the dean, fully responsible for training the next generation of doctors while leading research on the hardest diseases."
Fear of death is human nature, and medical work tied to health and life has limitless value and profit.
But speaking of doctors brings to mind Trafalgar Law. In this world, no surgeon compares to Law with the Ope Ope no Mi
Yet recruiting Law would mean having to choose between him and Doflamingo.
Kai pondered deeply.
Should I take down Doflamingo myself, or… should I?
Kureha looked sharply at Kai: "Fine. I won't waste your money."
After entrusting school preparations to Kureha, Kai dashed to the Den Den Mushi farming base on Kimotsuki's outskirts.
When he stood on a hill overlooking the base, even Kai was stunned.
A carefully planned, sprawling area covering over a thousand acres stretched out—a "Den Den Mushi City" rather than a farm.
Line after line of neat breeding units came into view.
Countless Den Den Mushis of various sizes and shell patterns crawled slowly inside.
A faint fresh scent of plants and fungi filled the air—food favored by Den Den Mushis mixed with their own secretions.
Teams of Tontatta carried baskets of specialized feed, swiftly distributing it across units.
Thousands of Den Den Mushis stretched their heads, happily "brr brr brr" sounding as they ate.
Among the sprawling Den Den Mushi base, a stout figure stood out.
Former Onigashima elite ninja Shinobu hurried between units. When she spotted young Den Den Mushis, she stopped to offer her palm.
Thanks to the Growth Fruit, the little Den Den Mushis rapidly matured before their eyes,
leaping over the long growth cycle in seconds to become adults ready for use.
Kai strode into the base.
His arrival immediately caught the attention of busy Tontatta and Shinobu.
"Kai-Rando!"
"Kai-Rando is here!"
The small Tontatta dropped their work and cheerfully gathered around.
Leading them was Leo, chest puffed proudly. "Kai-Rando! Thanks to our efforts, the Den Den Mushi count has reached 11,025, all healthy!"
Kai bent down, smiling sincerely, gently patting the heads of several tiny clansmen. "Great work! You've exceeded all my expectations — you're all heroes."
At the same time, he did not forget the seemingly thinner Shinobu. "Thank you for your hard work."
Last visit, the farm had barely one or two thousand. In just a few months, it had grown past ten thousand. The effort by Tontatta and Shinobu was clear.
Shinobu crossed her arms, turned away, and replied stiffly, "Hmph, I'm just fulfilling my promise."
Kai felt no anger at her coldness.
To talented people, he always gave patience and privileges.
He calmly pulled a rustic brass key from his pocket and tossed it to Shinobu.
Shinobu instinctively caught it, frowning at the key. "What's this?"
"For you."
Kai's tone was carefree, as if it were nothing. "A house near Yamato Castle in Flower Capital—not a bad location or view."
Since Shinobu worked so well, Kai wouldn't shortchange her.
Giving homes to top talent never goes out of style.
"I don't want it."
Shinobu almost reflexively refused, wanting to throw the key back.
Working for Kai was already against her will. Accepting his gift would make her seem ungrateful for money.
But Kai cut in, calm as ever: "What about your brother Shinosuke? If I'm not mistaken, he has a nice girlfriend now. As a family, don't you want him a decent home to settle and start a new life?"
Pausing, his tone softened. "Accept it — it's just a fair reward for your outstanding work."
Those words struck Shinobu's softest core.
Since leaving the Onigashima elite, she and her brother had lived on the run from Kurozumi Orochi — never safe for a moment.
They often lacked even the most basic food and warmth.
Now, a home in Flower Capital near Yamato Castle was here, tied to her brother's marriage — how could she refuse?
Shinobu took a deep breath, her tone less sharp but still stiff: "I'll pay you back."
"As you wish."
Kai shrugged indifferently and turned back to the already sizable breeding ground. "The Den Den Mushi population multiplied so much—can you keep up?"
"It's all thanks to the hardworking employee you brought," Shinobu said.
Shinobu paused, swallowing the word "slaves." Had she not spent these months personally working with the little people, she could hardly believe such pure, diligent free labor existed in this world.
If Kai didn't treat the Tontatta well, she'd have considered running away with them.
Kai nodded knowingly and immediately decided to send reinforcements to ease the Tontatta's workload.
You can't shear a sheep to death.
At first, the Tontatta researched Den Den Mushi care. Now that's settled, repetitive tasks like feeding and cleaning can go to peripheral members.
"Shinobu."
Kai looked at her and formally appointed, "You're now the deputy manager of the Den Den Mushi farm, responsible for expanding output."
"This scale needs... to grow even more?!"
Shinobu gaped in shock, even forgetting the sudden "deputy manager" title.
"Of course." Kai's expression grew serious. "My target is 50,000 saleable Den Den Mushis in a year, and that's only the start. The number will keep growing. Be prepared."
Fifty thousand sounds like a lot.
Numbers aside, compared to Kai's real plan, it's just a drop in the ocean.
His ultimate goal is to make Den Den Mushis as common as everyday essentials in every sea household.
That means demands in the tens of millions.
Alabasta alone houses over ten million people.
This doesn't even account for lifetime replacements.
Of course, due to market limits, acceptance, and pricing, he wouldn't saturate right away.
Starting with fifty thousand as a test sample to gauge demand is safest.
Still, that's no small number. At current prices, that could mean more than 20 billion beli yearly income!
Equivalent to buying five Kaido bounties per year.
Kai knows the price will plummet as supply floods, but he welcomes and even wants that.
Compared to the user base and related platforms built on that, pure hardware profits are a mere pittance.
In extreme cases, he might follow industry leaders, setting Den Den Mushi margins to 5% just to build friendships.
With the farm settled, Kai could finally set out for Elbaf.
But—
Robin furrowed her brows. "The route to Elbaf passes through the Red Hair Pirates' territory."
Elbaf, hailed as the "world's strongest nation," is powerful enough to stand without any Yonko's protection.
But problematically, it's surrounded by Red Hair Shanks' extensive territory.
To reach Elbaf, no way around Red Hair's lands.
Beast Pirates and Red Hair Pirates' relationship isn't civil — maybe outright hostile.
Kai smiled faintly. "Relax, Shanks is smart. He won't do anything reckless."
But reality didn't cooperate.
Just after the Ryuukozou entered the Red Hair Pirates' edge waters, the Red Dog intercepted in a serious way.
"Natural Disaster Kai!"
At the bow, Shanks stood, his red hair flowing, his cold face sharp under the sun.
Gripping Griffin in his right hand, eyes eagle-sharp, he said, "You crossed the line. Planning another total war between us?"
Behind him, Ben Beckman, Yasopp, and other core officers stood on full alert, their icy stares locked onto Rayquaza and Kai.
Yasopp's eyes especially blazed with fury. They hadn't yet avenged their vice-captain's severed arm.
"Humph!"
Yamato, Kozuki Hiyori, and others stepped forward, fierce and unyielding.
The entire sea felt tense, as if breath itself were crushed. Even the waves calmed.
Then—
"Long time no see, Shanks."
Kai's calm voice shattered the silence, his face bearing a relaxed smile. "No need to be so unwelcoming. I'm just accepting a friend's invitation to visit his home."
"A friend? Who? Let me meet them."
Shanks' eyes narrowed sharply.
"Yes." Kai smiled, introducing his four giant friends. "These are my giant friends. They warmly invited me to Elbaf, so of course, I couldn't refuse."
"Hey, Kai, is a fight about to break out?!"
Dorry and Brogy, away from Elbaf for nearly a century, didn't know the famous Shanks. They thought pirates were robbers and drew swords.
Even Kashi and Oimo followed their captain's move without hesitation.
"Giants? Elbaf giants?"
Beckman nearly bit through his cigar, seeing those mighty giants.
As the Red Hair Pirates' core, he knew the captain's friendship with the Elbaf giants—he'd visited with Shanks and had warm hospitality.
Now, Kai has gained the mighty giants' friendship, too?
It's not that giants only befriend Red Hair Pirates...
But this friendship will certainly cause unpredictable consequences.