Chapter 1192: Born with a Civil Engineering Soul, a Life Dedicated to Construction

“Master Minatomo! Does this look okay?”

The workers from Wano Kuni, wearing safety helmets, approached Minatomo. Safe construction was still crucial, so even Minatomo had changed his usual style. Besides the cloth wrapped around his head, he was now wearing a woven safety helmet.

What appeared to be ordinary tree vines were actually by-products of Queen’s berry cultivation industry.

The berries were edible, the dry branches made for high-quality fruitwood charcoal, the leaves could be used medicinally, and even some vines were especially tough.

Although Queen was the one who cultivated them later, the seeds indeed came from Arceus. In Wano Kuni, anything related to Arceus was utilized to the utmost, and to waste anything connected to the Celestial Emperor Middle Lord Venerable was considered a great disrespect.

These safety helmets were similar products. In the past, buildings in Wano Kuni typically had only one or two floors and were mostly wooden structures, so not wearing a safety helmet didn’t have much of an impact.

However, things were different now. The proportion of reinforced concrete was gradually increasing, building heights were rising, and even a large number of Pokémon appeared among the assisting workers.

Getting hit on the head by an accidentally kicked-up stone could be quite fatal, so even though Minatomo was rather old-fashioned, he didn’t intend to test the hardness of the stones with his head.

“Hmm, not bad. You two can also graduate.”

As he grew older, Minatomo started taking apprentices, passing on his skills or learning together with them. Even for him, he had never built this type of structure before.

This he learned from some immigrants from the Outer Island. Having technical skills opened doors anywhere, and many chose to immigrate under the allure of the Hundred Beasts.

But talent can be quite baffling at times; Minatomo was naturally adept in this area, mastering architectural planning, even those he hadn’t been exposed to, in an extremely short time.

This upheld his reputation as the legendary carpenter of Wano Kuni.

Having built Ghost Island and the Monastery, and participated in most of the reconstruction of Wano Kuni, his name was destined to be remembered in the nation’s history, though in the long river of history, just as a few strokes.

“Although this shouldn’t be said… the fire really did come at the right time…”

Minatomo’s apprentice muttered softly, followed by a loud “thwack”, as Minatomo swung a stick directly onto his head.

The vine helmet dampened the impact, so he didn’t really feel anything, but the apprentice immediately crouched down while clutching his head, a lesson learned from his time with Minatomo.

If he showed no reaction, Minatomo would only continue hitting him.

“Don’t speak out of turn; if people around here hear it, you won’t escape a beating.”

Minatomo reprimanded his apprentice but didn’t refute him.

The reconstruction of Kuri was initially only pending this area, and now, the process had been hastened.

Hotei’s timely measures for handling it ensured the fire brigade was not delayed, but Minatomo still thought the fire was somewhat unusual.

No lives were lost, only property damage, which amounted to nothing with compensation for new homes.

And now, the construction speed…

It wouldn’t be long before this street would be completely finished.

Setting aside previous thoughts, whatever the cause, the situation had occurred, so all he needed to do was build the houses properly—everything else was irrelevant to him.

With no issues in design layout, Minatomo began inspecting the site below, correcting some mistakes.

“Heave-ho, heave-ho…”

Two people were carrying a wooden beam across the construction site.

Wood hadn’t been entirely discarded; some areas still depended on wood.

One could tell from the slightly immature hands and youthful face of the person in front that he was a newcomer.

“Damn it, why do I have to do hard labor here!”

“Because you can’t do anything else. You failed the Shinsengumi’s written exam and didn’t pass the martial prowess special recruitment. You wouldn’t lower your pride to work as a waiter in the Flower Capital; you found factory work dull. You lack skills for technical jobs, and you couldn’t stick to advanced studies, so what else could you do but labor here?”

“But…”

“No buts. If I hadn’t been with Master Minatomo all this time, you think doing this work would be so easy?”

The man was angrily questioning, but the boy looked dismissive.

“It’s just selling physical strength—anyone with energy can do it, right?”

No sooner had he spoken than he almost swallowed his words as a short figure carried a larger wooden beam past him. Though it didn’t speak, the boy grasped a message from its eyes.

[Weakling, move aside, don’t block the way.]

This wasn’t a Pokémon from the Machamp family. While Machamp family Pokémon appeared on construction sites, they weren’t limited there—they could be found in gyms, fighting clubs, and many places.

But this newly emerged Pokémon was different.

The Pokémon carrying the lumber was gray all over, yet its skin showed pink “veins.” These prominent exposed veins and the massive wooden beam on its shoulder spoke volumes of its inner strength.

Muscle Bone Pokémon, Timburr.

The bigger the block of wood, the older this Timburr is, and the closer it is to evolution. Different from the Machamp family, though it also exercises its body, it is focused on the construction site.

In the Pokemon World, wherever Timburrs live, they are sure to be seen on construction sites.

“Understand? It works better than the two of us combined and only requires one wage. With these Pokemon around, simply selling physical labor is no longer popular.”

Compared to Pokemon, human strength appears very insignificant, and true prodigies are rare.

As the number of Timburrs, Machops, Machokes, and other Pokemon gradually increased, various foremen also discovered that these Pokemon were much more efficient than humans.

However, they are not proficient in technology and can only assist humans, leading to a sharp increase in the demand for skilled workers, while the status of laborers gradually declined.

The environment forced them to change, and continuing education was the best way forward; otherwise, they would have to consider positions like assembly line work.

The emergence of Pokemon improved people’s livelihoods, proving beneficial to most, as evidenced by shortened construction periods.

But their appearance likewise squeezed some people’s survival space; during the era of Pokemon proliferation, industrial transformation within Wano Kuni never stopped for a moment.

Those who used to make charcoal shifted to producing berry charcoal, and for simple heating, it was better to use what fell off Carkol.

Those who had already joined teams were fine, and nowadays construction teams never lack newcomers. Without some skills, no master is willing to take on apprentices to teach skills, and even when wanting to sell physical labor, there’s nowhere to go.

“What are you standing around for? Today has just started; the weather is still relatively cool. When the sun comes out, you’ll know what heat is. Complaining day in and day out, today just honestly follow me to work and see if you’ll shed a layer of skin.”

Their relationship was not mentor and novice but father and son. This was just an ordinary lesson; the man didn’t understand grand principles — this was how he showed his child what the future held.

After all, the Hundred Beasts’ policy didn’t include social welfare that allowed people to lie flat; these were not the kind of people they wanted.

Timburrs were excitedly transporting wood, while the scene in the ruins left by the previous fire was one of dust swirling.

Hair resembling curly waves, and a large red nose like Buggy, more developed muscles than Timburr, but what’s in its hands changed from wooden beams to I-beams.

Now they walk among the ruins holding I-beams, scrutinizing up and down to locate key load-bearing parts, then forcefully swing the I-beams towards the center.

Bang! Boom! Boom!

Houses collapsed on cue, and no debris fell outside the pre-marked circle on the ground. The Pokemon inside patting the dust off themselves, displayed very satisfied smiles.

Although they weren’t wearing safety helmets, the rubble had no impact on them, as their tough muscles and skin absorbed most of the damage.

Gurdurr, also a Muscle Bone Pokemon, evolved from Timburr, loves to show off muscles, favors I-beams as weapons — it seems the talent points of this Pokemon are all spent on I-beams.

With I-beams, they are the mightiest warriors, but when equipped with other weapons, they turn into simple-minded bullies.

After evolution, their hobbies changed; Timburr liked carrying, while Gurdurr preferred demolition. Clearly possessing muscles that even wrestlers envied, yet continually exercised at the construction site.

According to the philosophy of these Gurdurrs, this is true strength; the fake muscles in a gym can not compare to theirs.

They don’t only demolish; reinforced concrete is their specialty, but when they dismantled the ruins and built the foundation with their I-beams, they found the prepared rebar seemed to be missing a bundle.

“Tinkaton?”

Several Gurdurrs exchanged glances, ultimately unable to figure out what happened, only assuming it had been taken by laborers from another area.

These Gurdurrs were still too young. Had someone experienced noticed a small amount of steel missing, they would immediately search the site for extra pink figures.

Indeed, not far away, a few pink-haired twin-tails were happily snapping rebar like bamboo sticks and were chewing it joyfully.

In some places where the framework was already built, there was a Pokemon with muscles even more developed than Gurdurr’s, a nose so big that Buggy would find it extremely familiar.

However, their faces appeared much older, with visible wrinkles on the forehead and even beards on their chins, now holding massive Stone Pillars, stirring the concrete below.

Pokemon generally don’t work as technicians, such as Machamp, the final evolution of the Machop family, although with immense strength and four arms, its fingers are not nimble enough for meticulous work.

But these Pokemon are exceptions.

Conkeldurr, Timburr’s final evolution, possesses a natural talent for mixing concrete.

The proportion of cement and sandwater; what kind of water to use for what kind of concrete.

They always can mix the concrete that best suits the current building type.

In the legends of the Pokemon World, human concrete technology was learned from Conkeldurr.

The evolution from Timburr to Gurdurr tests strength; as long as strength breaks through, the opportunity to evolve is there. But Conkeldurr’s test surpasses mere strength.

Their sheer power is terrifying, but beneath this scary strength lies skill.

It adeptly mastered moves that don’t rely on force, skillfully using centrifugal force to wield Stone Pillars, and even without a weapon, they remain formidable warriors.

Hence, experienced Conkeldurr also possess high battle skills, and this strength is applied during mixing concrete.

Apart from material ratios, mixing frequency is also a unique ability of Conkeldurr; with their special ability, they can use the pillars in their hands to complete the concrete mixing work in an extremely unscientific manner.

From initial form to final form, the Conkeldurr family’s abilities inseparably tie in with civil engineering. From solely relying on brute force for transportation to understanding structural building, they can build frameworks, complete demolition work.

Finally realizing unique techniques, they become leaders, faintly reflecting certain real aspects of civil engineers.