Chapter 258: Seastone
Caesar's awakening had caught everyone by surprise.
Charlotte planned to ask Caesar Courant about it, as he was currently researching artificial Devil Fruits and might know something.
But when he went to Caesar Courant's laboratory, the scientist wasn't there.
Instead, Charlotte found him standing alone at the harbor as the sun was setting.
Charlotte jumped down and walked toward him.
"Caesar Courant, why are you out here?"
Caesar Courant had locked himself in his lab for over a year, obsessed with unraveling the secrets of artificial Devil Fruits.
Charlotte had never interfered, giving him unlimited resources to continue his work.
But today, for some reason, Caesar Courant had left the lab.
At that moment, Caesar Courant was staring at a pile of stones, seemingly lost in thought.
Charlotte followed his gaze.
The sight shocked him.
Seastone.
This was Udon, the place where Seastone was mined.
The scattered stones before them were raw Seastone, likely gathered by the Beasts Pirates.
"Quick! Gather people to collect all these stones. They're extremely valuable!"
Charlotte immediately shouted to the nearby crew members.
Though some were puzzled, they followed his orders without hesitation.
Seastone was one of the main reasons for coming here.
He had been so focused on Devil Fruits that he had nearly forgotten about it.
Wano Country was the only place known to produce Seastone.
Charlotte wasn't sure if there were other sources, but he was certain that the World Government had access to it—after all, Impel Down's security relied heavily on Seastone.
Still, Wano's production far exceeded anything the World Government could produce.
Now that Charlotte had taken control, Seastone would be his greatest resource.
The trade potential alone was immense.
Kaido had built an empire, and his control over Seastone trade had been a crucial part of it.
However, ruling Wano wouldn't be easy.
The local forces were still strong, and Charlotte's destruction of the land had made him an enemy to its people.
To them, he was the man who ruined their homeland and killed their loved ones.
If he wanted to rule Wano, he had to crush enough resistance to instill fear.
But he couldn't stay in Wano forever.
Charlotte planned to stay for a month, eliminate the local threats, and then leave a trusted commander to rule.
He had already chosen that person—
His Second Division Captain, Wolfe.
The elephant Zoan user.
"Gather as much Seastone as possible and load it onto the ship. We're staying here for a month, and these stones are crucial!"
Charlotte's voice rang out.
"Yes, Captain!"
The crew members responded immediately, beginning to haul the stones aboard.
Though they had no idea what Seastone was used for, they knew to follow orders.
The volcanic ash still lingered in the air, creating a gloomy atmosphere.
The ground remained scorching hot, as lava continued to flow from the cracks Charlotte had created.
Caesar and his younger siblings were huddled together, staying close to their eldest sister, Esdeath.
Esdeath sighed, glancing at them.
Even so, she continued releasing cold air, making the space around them more comfortable.
Elena and the other girls immediately moved closer, enjoying the free air conditioning.
Charlotte smiled.
A moment of peace like this was rare.
Sitting at the bow of the ship, he watched as his crew worked tirelessly.
Unknowingly, his eyes grew heavy.
He leaned against the statue of Poseidon and drifted into sleep.
Suddenly—
A scream jolted him awake!
"Ouch!"
A child's pained voice echoed.
Charlotte immediately snapped to attention.
He quickly looked over.
Several children were gathered around a pile of collected Seastone.
At the center, Deidara lay on the deck, struggling to breathe.
His small hands clutched a piece of Seastone.
His chest rose and fell violently.
It looked as though he had been drained of all energy.
"Deidara! What's wrong?!"
Robert, who had been nearby, rushed over.
"Third Brother! I… I have no strength left!"
Deidara trembled, still clutching the Seastone in his hands.
He tried to stand, but his body refused to move.
Panic flashed in his eyes.
Robert hurried to help him up.
But as soon as he pulled Deidara to his feet—
He collapsed again.
Robert stood there, hands on his hips.
"Are you doing this on purpose?! I just pulled you up, and now you're lying down again?!"
He scolded in frustration.
"I don't know what's happening, Third Brother! My body won't listen to me!"
Tears welled in Deidara's eyes.
Seeing his brother's distress, Robert's expression changed.
He realized—
Deidara wasn't joking.
"Dad! Dad! Something's wrong with Deidara!"
Robert immediately shouted in alarm.
Charlotte sat up instantly.
Everyone turned toward them.
Barrett set down his dumbbells and walked over.
Esdeath, along with the rest of the siblings, hurried toward the scene.
Charlotte leapt from the bow, landing beside Robert.
"Calm down. Tell me exactly what happened."
He placed a gentle hand on Robert's head.
"Deidara… he can't stand up!"
Robert's voice was filled with urgency.
The moment he said it, everyone tensed.
Charlotte turned toward Deidara.
The boy lay flat on the deck, crying.
His face was pale.
Charlotte's gaze shifted.
The pile of Seastone beside him—
The small stone in Deidara's hand.
It was Seastone.
Charlotte instantly understood.
He bent down and took the Seastone from Deidara's hand.
The moment the stone left his grasp—
Deidara's strength returned!
"Ah! I feel normal again!"
Deidara shouted in surprise, jumping up.
The relief on his face was undeniable.
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