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The moment Groudon appeared, it signaled the end of the war.
The next morning, the battlefield was in ruins.
The Two Kings of the Minks, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, were tied to execution stands, and the Musketeer Squad and Guardians received the same treatment.
Most of the Minks hiding in the forest were found by the pirate army and driven to the execution square.
Facing an unbeatable enemy, the Minks fell into complete fear. Even if they wanted to resist, they had no strength.
Even the Sulong had been defeated.
"Gumeow!"
Nekomamushi struggled and roared, "I will not let you go even as a ghost! One day, my vengeful spirit will curse you to death!"
"Noisy!"
Daichi took out a pistol, aimed it at Nekomamushi's head, and pulled the trigger without hesitation, under everyone's gaze.
"Bang!"
Smoke billowed from the muzzle.
A bullet hole appeared between Nekomamushi's eyebrows, blood flowed down his face, and his eyes gradually lost focus.
He was dead.
"Nekomamushi Boss!!!"
"Neko!!!"
The citizens cried out in grief, and even Duke Inuarashi, who had been at odds with Nekomamushi, couldn't help but shed tears at this moment.
No one expected the pirates to kill Nekomamushi Boss without hesitation. The pirates' cruelty terrified them.
Daichi looked indifferently at the Minks.
"Jack, what are we here for?"
"To hunt down the Kozuki remnants!"
Jack replied in a deep voice.
"Exactly!"
Daichi looked at the Mink citizens.
"Your Two Kings were Kozuki Oden's vassals and once fought against us. That is the cause of their death!"
"Being associated with the Kozuki clan is a capital offense!"
"I am well aware that the Minks and the Kozuki clan were allies hundreds of years ago, but that era has long passed."
"Most of you have never seen the Kozuki clan in your lives, nor do you know whether the Kozuki clan is good or bad. You were merely indoctrinated with the concept of being like brothers and sisters with Kozuki."
"You are not Kozuki's slaves!"
"You are free."
"I give you the right to choose, and I hope you have your own thoughts. Whether to protect Kozuki and continue to be our enemies, or to lay down your weapons and surrender to us!"
After Daichi finished speaking, he looked at Inuarashi.
"Dog King, I also give you a chance. Either let your citizens put aside their hatred, or let them die with you."
Inuarashi's face was pale.
Nekomamushi's death made him realize that this man would truly kill all the Minks. If he didn't do something, everyone would die.
"Let's go, give them some time."
Daichi left with his subordinates and headed towards the giant Whale Tree.
There was still a fleet below Zou, and given the Minks' condition, it was impossible for them to escape. If they hid, then he would burn this country to the ground.
If they couldn't be used by him, it meant they were his enemies. Otherwise these Mink warriors would surely follow Kozuki to seek revenge against the Beast Pirates in the future.
Seeing the pirates leave, the Mink residents rushed to the execution stand, frantically freeing Inuarashi and the other tied-up warriors.
"Duke-sama."
Inuarashi sat cross-legged on the ground, looking at Nekomamushi's body, raising a hand to cover his face, silently shedding tears.
He knew he would surely die today.
Perhaps he could escape, but the consequence would be the Minks dying for him, a result he would rather die than accept.
"Wanda, Carrot."
Inuarashi called the two, bowing his head to the ground and pleading, "I want to ask you, the future of Zou is entrusted to you!"
"Duke-sama, please get up quickly."
The two girls were frightened.
In the Musketeer Squad, they were relatively junior members, especially Carrot, who was only 12 years old this year, had just joined the Musketeer Squad, and couldn't even transform into Sulong.
With their abilities, how could they bear such a heavy responsibility?
"We cannot—"
The two froze, their words of refusal swallowed.
The other Musketeer Squad members and Guardian warriors all picked up their weapons, surrounding Duke Inuarashi, their eyes burning with the fire of revenge, clearly preparing to die.
Duke-sama entrusted them because there was no one else to entrust, but if only they survived, it would be too despicable.
"Duke-sama!"
Carrot couldn't help but cry.
Duke Inuarashi stood up, facing his citizens.
"This war was caused by me and Nekomamushi. It is our responsibility. I now issue one last command in the name of the King of Mokomo Dukedom."
"Do not seek revenge for us!"
"The darkness will soon pass. Please endure it for now. When dawn arrives, the strength of the Minks will be needed!"
The King's final request.
Seeing the Duke pick up his weapon and leave, the citizens painfully closed their eyes, unable to bear watching Duke-sama go to his death.
Soon after, in the Whale Forest.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Smoke and dust soared into the sky, but the battle quickly subsided.
Below the Whale Tree.
The pirate army ascended the vines like an ant colony, searching the surface of the Whale Tree in a carpet-like fashion.
After several hours of waiting.
"Found it, Daichi-sama!"
"At the tail!"
"It's truly astonishing!"
Inside the deep tree hollow, the massive red Poneglyph was placed in the center. Even from afar, one could feel its profound historical weight.
"Hajrudin, move this stone onto my ship!"
"Leave it to me."
The Poneglyph was large and heavy, but it was nothing to the giants. At most, a few people could take turns carrying it.
Daichi returned to the city with his subordinates.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were both dead, and the elite Minks' Musketeer Squad and Guardians were also almost completely wiped out.
The elder of the Minks, Grandpa Monkey, as a representative, bowed with suppressed rage, "Pirate-sama, we are willing to surrender to you."
"At least you're sensible."
Daichi glanced at the other party.
He could feel the Minks' suppressed anger and resentment, but he didn't care. These guys were stubborn, willing to die for a Raizo they didn't even know.
He didn't know whether to call it loyalty or stupidity.
If there was true kindness, it would be one thing, but he saw no guilt or repayment towards the Minks from Kin'emon and the others.
"Speed, take all Mink members aged 12 to 18."
"Understood!"
Given the Minks' growth cycle, 12-year-olds already had decent combat power. Those too young needed care, and those too old were not ideal, as their thinking was hard to change.
After several days of turmoil, all the young Minks were taken away and sent to the fortress, where a new life awaited them.
Starting with brick-laying!
Meanwhile, inside the fortress.
An old man wearing a hard hat secretly found Hancock's two sisters.
"Rayleigh-sensei?!"
"Shh!"
Looking at Rayleigh, Sandersonia and Marigold couldn't believe their eyes, never dreaming that Rayleigh would come to save them.
"Where is Hancock?"
"Hancock is on Daichi's ship!"