บท 397: Mink tribe's choice!
Hearing Nicholas's words, Momonosuke, who was still overwhelmed by Nicholas's feat of moving the ocean, snapped back to reality. Despite Nicholas's display of immense power, Momonosuke firmly believed that no one could withstand the might of Zunesha. His confidence peaked as Zunesha's outline became visible.
He knew that the ocean just now was a mere casual attack from Zunesha. A full-powered assault from Zunesha would be unfathomably devastating.
"Destroy my enemies!" Momonosuke shouted inwardly.
"As you wish, my master," a voice responded, and the giant elephant let out an earth-shaking roar once more.
"Vista, you handle things here. I'll take care of that big guy," Nicholas said. With that, he turned into lightning and disappeared from the ground.
When he reappeared, he was several miles away. As he ascended, his speed increased.
With a bang, accompanied by a blast of air beneath him, Nicholas landed steadily on Zunesha's back.
Stepping onto the ground, Nicholas looked slightly surprised. His Observation Haki could sense the giant elephant's thoughts becoming more active.
However, Nicholas wasn't planning to deal with the giant elephant just yet, as he had more important matters to attend to, and Zunesha's landing on Wano wouldn't be easy.
Nicholas's target was the Mink Tribe living on Zunesha's back.
The Mink Tribe is an ancient race in this world, possessing animal traits but human habits. They walk upright, speak human languages, and have intelligence comparable to humans. Every adult Mink is an outstanding warrior.
Nicholas wasn't there to bully the Minks but to eliminate the giant elephant. If not for the Minks living on Zunesha's back, Nicholas would have attacked the elephant long ago.
If the Minks insisted on confronting Nicholas, he would avoid harming them as much as possible, as he admired them greatly. The Minks, although somewhat xenophobic, would become incredibly loyal allies once befriended. They are known for their absolute loyalty and unyielding spirit, never compromising with strong foes, even under severe torture and near extinction, they wouldn't betray their friends.
If it weren't for the protagonist's plot armor and the bond between the Minks and the protagonist Luffy, the Minks would have been annihilated during Jack's attack on Zunesha.
Soon, Nicholas arrived at the Mokomo Dukedom. Before him lay an ancient town full of historical charm. Tall stone buildings covered in moss and algae gave the place a vibrant feel. An ancient tree resembling a whale stood behind the country, its massive canopy resembling a whale spouting water.
In Nicholas's perception, countless life forms were present in the Whale Forest, indicating that most of the Mink Tribe had already moved there.
As Nicholas prepared to proceed, hundreds of strong life forms suddenly surrounded him from all directions.
The Mink Tribe had clearly noticed Nicholas's arrival.
"Oh, is this the full member lineup of the Musketeer Squad, the strongest combat group of the Mink Tribe?" Nicholas said with a smile, looking at the various Minks surrounding him, both openly and in hiding.
"Nicholas, what are you doing here on Zou?" A Mink who recognized Nicholas couldn't help but shout.
"I'm here to give you a heads-up to evacuate. After all, I'm planning to take down this big guy beneath our feet," Nicholas replied, tapping the stone slab under his foot.
Hearing Nicholas's words, many Minks were initially confused, clearly not realizing he meant the giant elephant, Zunesha, beneath them. However, those who understood quickly turned pale.
"Nicholas, are you serious?" At this moment, the members of the Musketeer Squad stepped aside, allowing Duke Hitsugisukan of the Mokomo Dukedom to approach Nicholas with a grave expression.
"Of course. If we weren't friends, I would've already launched an attack on this giant," Nicholas said directly. He had a decent relationship with the Minks, especially since Duke Hitsugisukan was sensible enough to see the bigger picture.
"Can you tell me why? We mean no offense, but you understand that Zou is our homeland. If something happens to it, our situation on the sea will become very troublesome," Duke Hitsugisukan couldn't help but ask.
"It's simple. This giant attacked me on its master's orders. As for your safety, rest assured, as long as you're within my territory, no slaver group would dare target you. By the way, your so-called brothers, the Kozuki Clan, are currently at war with me. Are you going to help them?" Nicholas inquired, watching Duke Hitsugisukan deeply ponder.
To Duke Hitsugisukan, the Kozuki Clan seemed a distant memory. Nicholas's previous visit to Zou was nearly the first human presence identified with the Kozuki Clan in hundreds of years. Moreover, unlike Hitsugisukan and Nekomamushi, who were almost brainwashed from childhood by following Kozuki Oden and would sacrifice the entire Mink Tribe to protect the Kozuki, Duke Hitsugisukan had no direct ties with them. Any connection from thousands of years ago had faded over centuries without contact.
For Duke Hitsugisukan, his priority was the survival and continuation of the Mink Tribe. "Alright, as long as you can guarantee the safety of the Mink Tribe, do as you will," he said seriously to Nicholas.
Zou's sudden movements had filled Duke Hitsugisukan with a sense of impending crisis. Nicholas's words revealed that Zunesha, besides moving across the ocean, could also be commanded to perform other actions. Knowing there was someone else who could control the giant elephant made Zunesha less suitable as a permanent home for the Mink Tribe.
If Zunesha was ordered to engage in a war, would the Mink Tribe be dragged into the conflict? If Zunesha got involved, the Minks on its back would likely be classified as enemies by the opposing forces. For the Minks, who had a small population, war was never a good option.
After Duke Hitsugisukan made his decision, none of the Musketeer Squad members objected. They hadn't been influenced by Hitsugisukan and Nekomamushi's loyalty to the Kozuki Clan, and many had never even heard of them. Naturally, they wouldn't go to war with Nicholas over a 'brother' they didn't know.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง