One Piece: Lord of the Weather Chapter 26: Factory network

On the first day of the new month, Pablo entered the director's office with his usual papers.

He placed the report on the table and sat down.

The director read the first page slowly.

Then the second.

Then he raised his head.

"Day shift production is excellent."

"Yes."

"The night shift has dropped again."

"Yes."

The director looked at him.

"When you were on nights, the numbers rose. When you returned to days, they dropped again."

"This ans the problem is Siro, not the workers."

The director fell silent.

He placed the papers on the table and clasped his hands.

"Siro has worked with us for seven years."

"And the numbers work with us every day."

The director looked at him with thinking eyes.

"And what do you suggest?"

"I have a candidate to replace him."

"Who?"

"A man in our section. His na is Daniel. In his thirties. Quiet, works hard, and understands how things work."

"And you trust him?"

"Enough."

The director let out a breath slowly.

He looked at the numbers in the report again.

The difference was clear.

Two weeks under Pablo's direct supervision and two weeks under Siro's supervision.

The numbers needed no comnt.

"Alright. I will sign the decision."

Pablo stood up.

"Thank you."

---

The next day, Pablo found Daniel in the middle of the second line, working at his usual rhythm.

A man in his thirties, dium height, dark brown hair, and eyes that captured things before he spoke about them.

The type who watches more than he talks.

Pablo had noticed this for weeks.

He signaled for Daniel to step off the line.

Daniel approached without rushing.

"Yes?"

"Siro will be replaced. You will take his place."

Daniel paused for a second.

He was not completely surprised.

But sothing moved in his eyes.

"Night shift supervisor."

"Yes."

He looked directly at Pablo.

"Why ?"

"Because you work hard, do not fill ti with talk, and because I believe you will do what is asked of you."

Daniel nodded slowly.

Then he said in a quiet but clear tone:

"And who recomnded to the director?"

Pablo looked at him.

"."

Daniel paused for a mont.

Sothing calculating in his eyes.

An intelligent man who understood what that sentence ant.

"So I am here because of you."

"Yes."

"And this ans?"

"It ans your weekly reports co to first. And any major decision on the night shift goes through ."

Daniel looked at him.

No anger in his eyes.

No surprise.

Only quiet understanding.

"And if I perform my job well?"

"I will remain the reason you keep it."

Daniel nodded.

Then he extended his hand.

"Alright."

Pablo shook it.

"You start next week."

---

On the day Siro left his position, Pablo said nothing.

He went to the director and took the change order.

What happened after that did not concern him.

The decision was made, and the page was turned.

---

In the evening, Pablo sat in his small office after the shift ended.

The papers were in front of him, but he did not look at them.

He was thinking.

Tom in the export position. A card outside the factory but with weight.

Daniel now the night supervisor, indebted to him and loyal to him as much as intelligent n understand the aning of debt.

And Marco developing outside the factory beyond even what he had expected.

Three cards.

But the factory held more than this.

There was a man nad Cristo, in his forties, who supervised the reception of fruit when it arrived from the ships. He inspected and sorted it before it entered the production lines.

A sensitive position.

Whoever controls reception controls what enters the factory and what is rejected.

And there was another man nad Pedro, responsible for the juice branch. The section that used the rotten fruit sorted out from the lines.

A smaller section but relatively independent, with steady inco.

Both n worked with acceptable seriousness.

He had watched them over the past weeks.

Cristo was a quiet man who loved stability and did not like risk.

Pedro talked more but followed those above him automatically.

Both could be worked with.

But not now.

He needed more ti to understand them.

And the right opportunity is not created by rushing.

He closed the papers and put the pen aside.

The plan was clear.

Daniel had been taken.

Cristo and Pedro were waiting for their turn.

And the world outside the factory was still waiting.

There were no great gains inside the factory.