Today's Wano Country! Talking Business (Please Keep Reading!)

"Are you okay?"

Ian walked over to Yamato.

The girl sat on the ground, rubbing her forehead. A large bump had already risen there, along with a conspicuous burn mark that was bright red.

"Ian's ability is so unfair!"

Yamato did not cry out in pain. Instead, she puffed up her cheeks and complained about something else. "No matter what I do, I can't hurt you!"

Her ability was indeed completely countered by Ian.

It was not quite like being immune to ice the way one might be immune to fire, but freezing Ian—who could generate flames of extreme heat anytime, anywhere—was no easy task.

At the very least, Yamato could not do it.

Since elemental attacks were useless, she could only rely on physical attacks.

Unfortunately, Ian's defenses were also beyond what Yamato could break through at the moment.

"I told you, you're still far from it. If you want to hurt me, you'll at least need to master stronger Haki."

Ian patted the girl on the head, not worried that this would discourage her.

"Hmph! Just you wait, Ian!"

Yamato slapped Ian's hand away and sprang to her feet, loudly declaring with complete confidence, "I'll master the kind of Haki you mentioned soon enough!"

It would not be that easy.

The two of them had only recently awakened Armament Haki. Both its quality and quantity were still low.

They could only manage coating for now. They were still far from hardening, let alone flowing emission.

It was foreseeable that, for quite some time to come, Yamato would not have the ability to injure him.

"Then you'd better work hard."

Ian chuckled.

"Of course!"

Yamato wiped her nose.

Her goal was to surpass Teacher Kai. Her desire to grow stronger was no less than Ian's.

"Brother Ian!"

Seeing that their fight had ended, Jack approached with Umit. "This guy came looking for you! He seems to be that Deep Sea Current you mentioned before."

"Deep Sea Current—"

Ian looked at the man.

He wore a captain's hat, had narrow eyes, two curled mustaches above his upper lip, and a thick beard on his chin.

"So that's how it is. Deep Sea Current Umit, right? You're here to discuss purchasing Seastone."

One of the New World's underground magnates who had attended the Charlotte Family's tea party in the original story, the man known as the Shipping King.

"Mr. Ian, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Umit hurriedly extended his hand toward Ian.

This young man seemed to hold a very high position within the Beasts Pirates.

All the pirates watching had been cheering for him just now.

Even the young man called Lord Jack addressed him as big brother.

"You've come a long way, Mr. Umit. It must have been tiring."

Ian shook his hand, then looked at Yamato. "Want to come along?"

"No way, that sounds boring."

Yamato shook her head repeatedly. "I'm going to train! I have to master advanced Armament Haki as soon as possible!"

"Then go ahead."

Ian nodded lightly as he watched the girl run off happily.

Only then did he turn back to Umit. "Come on, Mr. Umit. Let's talk inside."

Huh?

Talk with you?

"Mr. Ian,"

Umit could not suppress his curiosity any longer. "Aren't I supposed to speak with Mr. Kaido?"

"Idiot, do you even know who you're standing in front of?"

Jack heard the man's doubt toward the big brother he respected most and immediately snapped, "Brother Ian is Boss Kaido's disciple and the King of Wano Country! He manages all of Wano Country, and he's also in charge of the Beasts Pirates' business!"

Kaido's disciple? The King of Wano Country?

Umit's eyes widened.

So this young man was really that extraordinary?

"I was presumptuous."

Umit hurriedly bowed to Ian in apology. "Please forgive me, Mr. Ian."

"It's nothing. You simply didn't know any better."

Ian did not mind. "Let's go."

"Alright."

Umit no longer hesitated and followed Ian into the main building.

Along the way, he secretly watched Ian's back.

He wasn't even fifteen yet, was he?

The Beasts Pirates had a true monster hidden among them!

Ian brought Umit to the reception room, and the two took their seats.

"Mr. Ian."

Suppressing his curiosity about the boy, Umit impatiently asked, "I won't waste words. I'm willing to purchase Seastone from you at twenty percent above market price!"

The price was still negotiable, of course.

Umit's actual limit was fifty percent above market price!

Even so, he still felt it would be worth it!

These were the Beasts Pirates!

If this could serve as an opportunity to build a friendship with the Beasts Pirates, what did such an expense matter? He could treat it as the cost of making friends.

But Ian merely said, "It isn't a matter of price. Seastone is a very rare mineral, Mr. Umit."

"Other than the portion we keep for ourselves, all the Seastone we intend to sell has long since been allocated. If you want to purchase a large quantity, someone else's share will inevitably have to be reduced."

Umit gritted his teeth inwardly.

That was true. Especially after it had been discovered that ships fitted with Seastone could freely enter and leave the Calm Belt, Seastone's value had skyrocketed.

Who would be willing to see their share reduced?

And among those who had already been able to buy Seastone from the Beasts Pirates, which one wasn't a major power with a formidable reputation?

Had he come here for nothing?

Umit suddenly looked up at Ian. "Mr. Ian, why don't you just say what you mean?"

If Ian truly intended to refuse him, there would have been no need to summon him here in the first place.

And yet he had even politely invited him over to discuss matters.

A smile curled Ian's lips.

Talking to smart people really was easy.

"Are you interested in cooperating with the Beasts Pirates, Mr. Umit?" Ian asked.

"Any time!"

Umit's eyes lit up, and he answered without hesitation.

He did not even ask what the cooperation would involve.

"Excellent."

Ian nodded in satisfaction. "We can sell Seastone to you, but we also hope you can do us a favor."

"Please, go on."

Umit sat up straighter.

"I know you're a renowned shipping magnate in the New World."

Ian said, "Your fleets operate throughout the New World, and you even have businesses in the Four Seas and Paradise."

"They're only insignificant achievements."

Umit repeatedly shook his head, though he could not quite suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth.

"I hope you can help us sell weapons."

Ian said, "To the distant reaches of the New World, as well as Paradise and the Four Seas."

The reason for approaching Umit was very simple.

Wano Country's weapons production capacity was excessive.

Over the past five years, Wano Country had undergone tremendous changes.

Because of Ian's sword confiscation decree, the samurai class had been completely eliminated. No one in the country was called a samurai anymore. Aside from the Beasts Pirates and the soldiers under Ian's command, only the peace officers of each town were qualified to carry swords.

Meanwhile, the land enclosure movement had continued advancing over those five years, forcing large numbers of farmers off their land.

To survive, they could only enter the towns, factories, and mines.

The massive influx of labor brought rapid industrial development.

Over five years, factories sprang up across Wano Country.

Beyond the Weapon Factory, supporting industries such as mining, steel, manufacturing, and construction also developed at breakneck speed.

Such immense changes naturally brought immense turmoil.

The Sword Abolishment Edict undoubtedly provoked resistance from many former Samurai. Some Samurai even banded together, leading landless farmers in uprisings, but the Beasts Pirates easily crushed them all.

Even now, only a few stubborn fools still shouted slogans about punishing traitors to the nation and demanded Ian's death.

The farmers who had been forced off their land had also settled down by now.

After all, the benevolent Emperor Ian had reduced their workload, shortened their working hours, and even paid them wages based on performance.

A diligent worker could not be called wealthy, but they could at least barely support themselves and their family. Even for larger households, a husband and wife working together could keep things afloat.

That was not much different from when they had farmed the land, and they no longer had to worry about poor harvests caused by the weather.

Life was barely manageable.

For the common people at the bottom, being able to get by was already enough.

If they could survive, did they really need to risk everything to fight the Beasts Pirates?

Thus, while some resistance members still remained in hiding, Wano Country's overall situation was stable.

With industry surging ahead, abundant mineral resources, and a stable domestic environment, productivity rose dramatically.

The weapons industry in particular had originally been intended by Teacher Kai solely for the Beasts Pirates' own use. It was only after they realized they could not possibly use it all that they began selling overseas.

But now, even the volume sold to the countries and islands around them that were affiliated with the Beasts Pirates could no longer keep up with production capacity.

So Ian decided to expand their channels further.

At that moment, Umit, the man who had established contact with him and the Beasts Pirates, entered his sights.

Naturally, Ian had spread the news that ships fitted with Seastone could cross the Calm Belt in order to drive up the price of Seastone.

He had not expected such an unexpected bonus.

Umit was one of the world's few major shipping magnates. With his help, Wano Country's weapons could be sold all over the world.

"Of course, that won't be a problem!"

Umit did not hesitate in the slightest. "Besides helping transport the goods, I can also help you find suitable distributors in Paradise and the Four Blues! I know plenty of people like that!"

What was such a small favor worth?

As long as he could secure the friendship of the Beasts Pirates!

"Oh!"

Ian's eyes lit up. This guy was truly considerate.

"Then, shall we have a pleasant cooperation?"

"A pleasant cooperation!"

Umit grabbed Ian's hand.

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