CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 148: SEASTONE MINE

On the Golden Ark, Brook met with Udon’s daimyo, Ametsuki Maiken, along with the Oniwabanshu. Since the new city wasn’t ready yet, the Golden Ark remained the most luxurious place for receiving guests.

"Brook, while I don’t oppose Oden-sama taking you as his master, he is the shogun’s only son. He cannot stray far from the Flower Capital."

Ametsuki Maiken glanced at the young Kozuki Oden standing behind Brook, but Oden’s impatient and irritated expression made it clear he had no intention of going back. Maiken couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

Not long after, following a second report from the Oniwabanshu to Shogun Kozuki Sukiyaki, new orders were issued: Oden would be allowed to train in Kuri, but half of the Oniwabanshu would stay behind to protect—and monitor—him. Their secondary task, of course, was to keep an eye on Brook and his outsiders. Brook didn’t object. For now, his main goals were simple: get his hands on Seastone... and quietly drain Wano’s economy dry.

"Ametsuki-sama, do you remember the Seastone mine we discussed before? I’d like to send all those bandits and thugs from Kuri to work there. Give them a chance to redeem themselves through labor."

Brook smiled as he spoke, pulling out the leasing contract for the Seastone mine. A few dozen platinum coins were attached for good measure, enough to make Ametsuki Maiken’s eyes widen with temptation.

The Seastone mine wasn’t heavily used—aside from crafting restraints and tools for the Shogunate, it had been largely neglected. Seeing Brook willing to spend a fortune on the lease... Maiken found it impossible not to be swayed.

As for where Brook got so much platinum? That was thanks to the News Coo. Since the Golden Ark couldn’t leave port to buy more, Shakky had urgently reached out through Antonio and Mortomas. Every day now, flocks of News Coos were delivering shipments of platinum.

Even if each bird only carried one pound a day, with a hundred birds, they managed to smuggle in seven to eight hundred pounds of platinum in just a week.

Shakky had immediately launched her grand exchange plan—but she couldn’t flood the market too quickly, or platinum’s value would crash.

Instead, she began discreetly buying up industries across Wano, snapping up assets before anyone realized what was happening—getting maximum value for minimum cost.

After Brook and Ametsuki Maiken signed the mine lease, Shakky also bought several storefronts in Udon and acquired land near the mine to set up a Seastone processing plant.

...

Once Maiken led half of the Oniwabanshu away, Oden immediately asked Brook for permission to join the fighting at Kuri’s battlefield. Seeing he had an escort squad watching over him, Brook agreed.

Meanwhile, Shakky, Stussy, the Qilin Lion, and Scarlet followed Maiken to Udon to continue business negotiations. Golden Lion Shiki and Whitebeard had finished setting up the new city and also moved toward the battlefield at Kuri.

Shipwright Tom and Fisher Tiger stayed behind to oversee construction. Marksman Silva and doctor Crocus also remained, supervising the bandits working on the project.

Antonio, Parrot, and Memory Seahorse stayed aboard the Golden Ark, managing incoming platinum shipments and gathering information from the outside world.

Brook and Charlotte Linlin remained stationed on the ship, overseeing construction. Linlin unleashed her soul powers, creating an army of Homies to speed up the new city’s development.

...

"Brook, is this the right way to develop the Soru Soru no Mi?"

Charlotte Linlin eagerly showed off a few shadowy soul avatars she had created—messengers meant to harvest lifespans in the future.

Brook couldn’t help but admire Linlin’s long, slender legs, her curvy hips, the sinuous waistline, and her full, bountiful chest—all while she flashed an adorably clueless smile, seeking praise.

"Ahem! Linlin, very good! You really are a natural!" Brook said approvingly—right before Linlin happily scooped him up and buried him between her overwhelming assets. For once, he enjoyed it without interruption—finally getting the ’facial massage’ he had longed for.

...

"Brook! Teach me more moves! I want to learn everything!"

Linlin whined like a spoiled queen, her voice sweet and willful.

"Linlin, your soul can split off like that... have you tried sending your entire soul out of your body?" Brook asked curiously.If she could assign souls to objects and create Homies, and divide her own soul, then why not fully project it? Maybe she could attack, control, or even possess others.

"I haven’t tried~"Linlin replied, setting Brook down and attempting it earnestly. Unfortunately, she didn’t succeed.

Brook had already experimented: attacking Homies to see if he could enslave their broken souls. Sadly, it didn’t work. His Yomi Yomi no Mi powers had no control over Homies—but they could easily destroy them.

Even mighty Homies like Zeus and Prometheus were afraid of Brook’s ghostly aura—especially the deadly melodies.

...

"Come on, Linlin! Let’s go check on the new city!" Brook hopped onto her shoulder, settling in comfortably atop her twin peaks—his favorite ’facial cleanser.’

"Brook! When are we getting married? Shakky said you have to marry before having kids!"

As they soared into the sky on Zeus, Linlin asked seriously. Since she couldn’t have kids until after her next birthday, she figured marrying early was fine.

Brook sweatdropped slightly. "Linlin, marriage is for life. If we do it, we should make the whole world notice! We need to become powerful first—conquer Wano, take over Sheep’s House, and make the Hell Pirates the strongest crew!"

He paused, then smiled. "Then we’ll get married in the grandest wedding ever—and the whole world will tremble!"

Of course, internally, Brook cursed Shakky for filling Linlin’s head with ideas. But honestly... he was finding it harder and harder to resist. To hell with ’waiting until 18’—he was a pirate now! The rules of his past life meant nothing anymore.

...

"Okay! If I make the Hell Pirates the strongest, we’ll get married!" Linlin’s face lit up with excitement, as if she had found her life’s mission.

No more slacking off—she needed to get stronger fast.

...

"Linlin... actually, before marriage, there are... other ways for us to get closer." Brook added slyly, looking at her adorable face, her bright, shining eyes, and her impossibly pure, angelic expression.

Brook swore to himself—he would find the Pure Gold. He would never let that beautiful little angel turn into the terrifying old crone he knew from the future!

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+122 Chapters on p@treon/tambeerg