"Gurgle~ Gurgle~"
Warm spring water continuously bubbled up from the ground, quickly forming a small pool.
"This is it!"
Gurd couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from curling upward.
Groudon was the creator of the land, wielding the power of Earth Power. As its jinchūriki, Gurd had inherited this ability.
Currently, he couldn't create land or move mountains to fill seas, but sensing the terrain structure was still quite simple.
Beneath the Flower Capital, there was a vast amount of magma. Combined with Wano Country's unique environment—the presence of a freshwater inland sea—the underground freshwater reserves were extraordinarily abundant.
This created the perfect conditions for hot springs to form.
All he needed was to find a suitable location and use his Earth Power to open a small fissure above the underground hot spring. The pressure from the surface would then draw the spring water upward.
The warehouse beneath his feet—or rather, this entire plot of land—was ideal for creating a hot spring. He had bought this warehouse mainly because it was cheap and had enough space.
In any case, the property value was about to skyrocket!
"Keh keh keh, once I convert this into a Hot Spring Inn, who'd worry about not being able to rent it out?"
"Wait, no—I'm a pirate. What kind of pirate runs a Hot Spring Inn? It should be called the Paradise Hot Spring SPA Club!"
"Damn, I'm a genius!"
Gurd rubbed his smooth head, feeling refreshed, and strode into the city.
Soon, he arrived at his destination.
Gang You's Carpentry Shop.
His striking physique immediately caught the attention of the carpenters.
"I'm here to see Master Gang You."
Gurd stated his purpose.
The owner of this carpentry shop, Gang You, was the finest woodworker in Wano Country. Even the Skull Castle on Oni Island had been designed and built under his leadership.
Before long, a short old man with two nails stuck in his nostrils came out, looking impatient.
"Pirate brat, make it quick. I've got a lot of work to do."
"Master Gang You, I'd like you to build me a large mansion!"
Gurd pulled out a blueprint—a rough sketch he had drawn from memory, with a layout resembling a traditional garden.
"Hmm!"
Gang You's interest was piqued at a glance.
The drawing looked messy, clearly the work of an amateur, but the layout was intriguing. It bore some resemblance to Wano Country's style, yet was distinctly different.
"What's it for?"
"A Hot Spring Club—uh, Inn!"
Gurd nearly slipped up.
Gang You frowned deeply, taking a long moment before handing the blueprint back to Gurd.
"Tch, find someone else."
"Master Gang You, money isn't an issue."
Gurd quickly added.
Gang You shook his head, his expression a mix of happiness and frustration.
"It's not about the money. I don't have any spare time. Right now, I've got eight houses to build—eight!"
"..."
For some reason, Gurd completely understood how he felt at that moment.
He, too, had once owned eight houses!
Fine, you leave me no choice!
"Master Gang You."
Gurd pulled the old man aside and whispered,
"Let me be straight with you. This Hot Spring Inn is actually owned by Boss Kyoshiro. He's the one who sent me here."
"Boss Kyoshiro?"
Gang You's eyes widened instantly.
If this really was Kyoshiro's property, then this job had to be accepted—and prioritized above all else.
In the vast Flower Capital, who would dare refuse Boss Kyoshiro? Especially since Boss Kyoshiro was known for his unparalleled benevolence.
The only question was—was this pirate brat lying to him?
Even if Boss Kyoshiro wanted to build a house, he should have sent his underlings. Why would he dispatch pirates to find him?
Gang You hesitated.
"Don't believe me?"
Gurd grinned brightly: "Master Gang You, how about this—you send one of your disciples to the Kyoshiro family, mention my name, and say we're here to collect construction funds."
"This..."
Gang You was mostly convinced.
This kind of thing couldn't be faked. If the Kyoshiro family was paying for the house, then the property would naturally belong to Boss Kyoshiro.
"Wait here!"
Though he believed Gurd, Gang You still sent a disciple to confirm with the Kyoshiro family—whether to verify the truth or to collect the funds, someone had to make the trip.
While waiting, Gang You studied Gurd as he sipped tea, growing increasingly puzzled. He couldn't help but ask: "Punk, what exactly is your relationship with Boss Kyoshiro?"
"Well."
Gurd set down his teacup, his smile unwavering: "Boss Kyoshiro and I are beloved friends, closer than brothers!"
——
By evening, Gurd boarded the Beast Pirates Ship returning to Oni Island.
After confirming everything, he discussed many details with Master Gang You and agreed on a one-month construction timeline.
The timeframe seemed short, but for skilled craftsmen, it was more than enough. If not for the desire to build something refined, they could have finished in half the time.
Moreover, Master Gang You took charge personally, bringing along a team of elite carpenters, which naturally drove up the construction costs.
Friendship discount price: 2,000 gold!
But it didn't matter.
All expenses would be covered by Boss Kyoshiro!
"Pfft, pfft pfft~~"
"..."
Speed gave Gurd a strange look.
Since boarding the ship, the guy hadn't stopped smiling.
His grin was practically splitting his face.
Just a trip to the Flower Capital, and this country bumpkin was over the moon. Anyone who didn't know better would think he'd stumbled upon a fortune.
"Gurd, are you really okay?"
"I'm fine, better than ever!"
Gurd's smile grew even brighter.
In less than a day, he'd mastered Conqueror Haki, scored a free mansion, and extorted a whopping 500 gold. How could he not be happy?
As the saying went.
Never had there been such a glorious start!
If Kyoshiro hadn't been strapped for cash and owed him 500 gold in compensation, he would've gone ahead and bought a few more properties.
But no matter—he'd collect the debt next time he went to the Flower Capital to take possession of the house. Then he'd ask Boss Kyoshiro to help him scout for tenants.
"Keh keh keh~~"
"..."
Speed rubbed her arms uncomfortably and couldn't help saying, "Stop laughing, it's creepy. You're giving me goosebumps."
"Hmph, what would a woman know?"
Gurd lifted his chin proudly.
In his distant homeland, scholars described villainous bosses laughing exactly like this. It was a signature laugh from his hometown—full of flair and deep cultural heritage!
Speed sighed, rubbing her forehead, and decisively changed the subject: "When we get back to Oni Island, you're heading to the Dungeon, right?"
"Yep."
Gurd nodded.
Yamato was locked up in the Dungeon. He wondered if she'd woken up yet.
Oni Island was the Beast Pirates' stronghold. Almost no enemies could breach it—take the remnants of the Kozuki Clan, for example. They'd gathered forces to attack Oni Island several times, only to be wiped out before even reaching the shoreline.
Plus, the Beasts usually sent captured enemies to the Prisoner Quarry for labor, which meant the Oni Island Dungeon had become more of a decoration. It had held fewer enemies than it had held Yamato.
With no prisoners, there naturally weren't any regular jailers. So after capturing Yamato, Gurd also had to take responsibility for guarding her.
This basically meant he was imprisoned alongside her.
"Oww—!"
Gurd suddenly clutched his cheek.
Speed was startled.
"What's wrong with you?"
"I—ow—!"
Gurd lowered his hand, his face twitching uncontrollably.
"My face cramped up! Quick, rub it for me!"
"Serves you right. Drop dead!"
A pink fist struck Gurd's face.