"Did someone attack us?"
The next day, upon returning to Ghost Island, Jack stared at the massive hole in the island's surface, his tiny eyes filled with disbelief. He was pondering which lunatic, after perhaps drinking fake wine, dared to launch an attack while both Kaidou and Arceus were on Ghost Island.
The Origin vessel rested quietly at the port, indicating Arceus hadn't left. Kaidou, however, might not necessarily use the ship when out, yet one could still discern his presence by checking the trash heaps.
If the fragments of wine casks significantly increased and were mixed with pieces of Kaidou's wine gourd, it confirmed that Kaidou had also been in Wano Kuni during this time. The lifespan of his wine vessel was short, inevitably meeting a fate of being shattered.
As for how he deduced this, Ghost Island was built with the dimensions of the Giant Race in mind, featuring multi-layered buildings. Now, with that huge hole spanning two layers, it was something an ordinary person could never create.
"No, Master Jack, it was just a small affair between Governor Kaidou, Master Arceus, and the Ghost Princess."
"...."
Looking again at the enormous hole above, Jack was at a loss for words. The architecture of Ghost Island was extraordinary, and making such a hole meant significant force had been used.
"By the way, Master Jack, you are standing in a construction zone. It might be better to keep a distance."
"What's the big deal? It's just a few bricks, right?"
Jack didn't take such trivial matters to heart, but before he finished his sentence, a shadow loomed over him, and a broken beam mixed with an unknown mass was thrown down from above.
The earlier battle hadn't damaged the main structure of the building, but extensive repairs were still necessary. Some key components of the structure needed to be replaced; otherwise, another incident might truly collapse Ghost Island.
Arceus's Judgment had melted those items into molten steel, forming irregular conglomerates as the liquid cooled.
Re-shaping them for reuse was no longer possible, so, adhering to the principle of no waste, these remnants became the food for Rock and Steel-type Pokemon. For convenience, Yamato simply discarded them down below.
Theoretically, no one should be in the construction zone, but Jack remained daring as usual, unless specifically instructed to be cautious, he retained his reckless nature.
Thud!
With a muffled sound, Jack supported the falling building material with one hand. By observing the markings beneath his feet, one could estimate its weight, and at this moment, Yamato peered out from the damaged area.
"Oh, Jack, you're back? Give me a hand and throw those steel blocks up here; we've run out on top! By the way, those materials should go to Corviknight. The ones from a few days ago already went to Pupitar and the others, so it's Corviknight's turn now."
Jack said nothing but picked up the steel blocks with a head full of black lines, throwing them upwards with all his might, then dragged the waste away. He had a bad feeling that if he lingered, something else might fall.
Yamato smoothly caught the steel blocks Jack threw up, then handed them to the person beside her for size measurement. Once they determined the required shapes, it was Tinkaton's turn, who carried a large hammer.
The material of the Arceus Steel was extremely special. Forging such metal was exceedingly labor-intensive for ordinary people; yet, the Tinkaton, with their innate Machamp-like strength and ongoing training in smithing techniques, fit this need perfectly.
Moreover, their hammers were made of Arceus Steel as well. Using the same material when metal was malleable brought about the best results, saving Arceus the trouble of personally rectifying each piece of metal.
The Tinkaton demonstrated remarkable workmanship, with a slight downside: a high scrap rate, leading to the mysterious appearance of excessive waste materials.
"You guys, be serious! Stop deliberately messing it up!"
"Ha~"
"Don't try to defend yourselves! I see the metal bits around your mouths!"
They were excellent craftsmen but, concurrently, they were Steel-type Pokemon. Faced with Arceus Steel, they found it hard to suppress their inner cravings. As fellow Pokemon, they could consume Arceus Steel bit by bit, like eating hard candy.
Upon discovering the method for dealing with scraps, incidents like this started occurring. Generating waste during remodeling was reasonable, and Arceus initially produced additional steel material for the construction team.
The absence of set rules resulted in a persistently high scrap rate.
This is why the waste was given to other Pokemon as extra food. Tinkaton's secret indulgence wasn't hidden from Yamato; her silence emboldened them.
Compared to building houses, Tinkaton excelled more in demolishing them, leaving no debris behind.
Previously banning Steel-type Pokemon entry aimed to prevent occurrences like this. Incidentally, Tinkaton's hammer was not only its survival weapon; in critical situations, it also served as an emergency food stash.
"Stop eating! Once we're done here, I'll get something else nice for you to eat. Now, we need to pick up the pace. And you guys! I see you hiding things, hurry up and finish the project, and then those will be yours!"
Arceus Steel was a specialized term within the Hundred Beasts; in Wano Kuni, people called it simply Divine Steel—a dream metal for all craftsmen and swordsmiths. Tinkaton had a voracious appetite; meanwhile, they were left to collect the leftover steel dust from Tinkaton's indulgence.
They lacked the means to remelt large steel pieces, so they opted to enhance quality by mixing in powder.
This wasn't against the rules; Arceus Steel was an inexhaustible resource for the Hundred Beasts. If not for feeling the project's timeline slipping, Yamato wouldn't have addressed it in person at all.
She didn't fret over the matter, but the craftsmen thought otherwise. Unable to understand what transpired, Yamato noticed their even more vigorous work efforts.
Yamato believed herself to be kind-hearted, which was true, yet the craftsmen didn't share this view. For them, the discovery meant making amends by hard work.
As time passed, steel frames duly forged were repositioned, and the renovation crew began fill-ins, while Yamato, carrying a batch of wood planks, headed to another floor. The exterior was mended, but the upheaved flooring within still required reinstallation.
Inside Ghost Island, banging sounds persisted as the repair work continued, though some were less than pleased. Over in Wano Kuni's training grounds, Queen lay flat on the ground, lifeless, resisting the urge to rise.
Soon after venturing out, Kaidou captured him, pressing him into service as a training partner to familiarize himself with his new form.