He even let someone cut him twice, and though it left a few marks, it still couldn't break through his defense. This means that in lower-level battles, his safety level has skyrocketed; ordinary pirates' attacks can no longer harm him.
The long-range attacks from the flintlock gun may hurt, but he can withstand them. With this ability, he can conduct underwater reconnaissance. The water flow combined with this layer of scale armor prevents ordinary guns from causing effective harm.
Moreover, the diving ability allows him to effectively avoid most ability users. As long as he doesn't act recklessly, his path to growth is much safer than others.
Even the most ordinary Magikarp, the abilities he gained are enviable to others. The banquet isn't over yet, but everyone is holding their cups as they walk toward him. He better not think about leaving here upright tonight.
"Ah woo~ What are those people doing? Do they have a grudge against him? Why are they making him drink so much of that awful stuff?"
Two roast chickens, three grilled fish, and a large chunk of Sea Beast meat; Setsuna stuffed her belly full, watching with confusion as the pirates continued to force Mandfeish to drink.
"No, this is how they show they get along well, I think."
"Is that so? The outside world is really interesting. People can actually turn into fish."
"That is Lord Arceus's power. You want to get stronger, right? Since you're staying here, work hard; you'll have your chance."
"I don't want to turn into a fish."
"There are many forms of power; he just was a bit unlucky. According to the law of conservation, a person's luck has a certain total value, and he already exhausted his luck before, so his last drawing wasn't great."
"Is that so? Can I become a more powerful wolf?" Setsuna licked the oil off her paws as if expecting something. Nekomamushi and Inuarashi left Zou two years before her, causing an uproar when people from Zou discovered they had run off.
She also wanted to be the center of such attention, hence her ambition to become the new queen of Zou.
"Maybe, but it's still a bit early for you. Where do you want to go?"
"I want to thank Lord Arceus, and he can teach me to control the Moon Lion, right? People from Zou say I'm too young and it's too early to learn."
The tradition of Zou is that those who are skilled at controlling the Moon Lion teach the younger ones. Since Arceus could calm her Moon Lion's berserk state, he should know how to instruct on controlling this power.
Controlling the Moon Lion is the fastest way for the Fur Race to enhance their strength. Though there's a time limit, being very strong for one day a month is quite nice.
"Don't rush, I'll take you there after the banquet ends."
He is a life creation of Arceus and has his own understanding of many things. The Fur Race's traditional greeting method is Karuchu, but if Setsuna greets Arceus that way, it may be seen as disrespectful.
However, this is a part of etiquette for the Fur Race. Zeraora intends to let her gradually get accustomed to outside customs instead of admonishing her publicly.
"By the way, Zeraora, can you use the Moon Lion?"
"…No."
"You can't? I was hoping you'd teach me. Let's learn it together, then."
.....
Due to previous abilities granted lasting for three days, the Hundred Beasts' banquet generally lasts three days. Mandfeish was forced to drink round after round, and finally, he was carried away by his roommates. Everyone sobered up except for him.
And he was tied up with ropes when taken away. Though he was drunk, he seemed to truly become a Magikarp in his dreams, jumping non-stop.
And Zeraora took Setsuna to find Arceus, who had already agreed to the matter. Though he doesn't understand the Moon Lion, he can indeed help control it.
With his Bell of Healing, Setsuna won't completely lose control. Practice makes perfect, and trying several times will eventually allow mastery of the Moon Lion.
This is quite similar to the way of Zou.
Kaidou is still missing, but his Life Card is very lively, and there is no news in the papers of him being captured again, so he seems to be doing quite well.
In the past few days, the news that the headquarter of the organ trafficking assassination group has been completely destroyed has spread. The news mainly came from those people released by the Hundred Beasts.
They don't know why the Hundred Beasts would attack this organization, but it doesn't matter; the Hundred Beasts saved them, so their words carried a lot of goodwill towards them.
Morgans did some artistic spins on this, crafting articles that even the Hundred Beasts' own crew finds unbelievable, giving them a "Justice" label.
Because news of pirates burning and looting is too much, unless a country is destroyed, it can't attract much attention. At such times, an article about a pirate crew acting with "justice" is more eye-catching.
The result is the same: the organ trafficking assassination group's headquarter was destroyed, but Morgans' ghostwriters imagined many reasons and processes behind the Hundred Beasts pirate crew's action.
It's almost enough to write a novel, and overall, that issue of the newspaper sold quite well.
...
Hundred Beasts Territory.
"Weren't we going to snatch some treasure? Why did it turn out like this?"
"I don't know, I remember Boss Queen saying it was an act of revenge, but whatever, it's all over now."
...
Navy Headquarters, Sakazuki looked at the headline with anger. Although he had only joined the Navy for a bit over a year, fresh out of Zephyr's boot camp, in his view, whatever pirates do doesn't deserve the label "justice."
...
Morgans' newspaper elicited varied feedback from different factions, but the fiercest debate occurred in the World Government's conference room. These were government officials at the core of World Government's power; not all matters require intervention by the Five Elders, as these government bodies are the main workforces.
The arguing parties can be divided into two camps.
One side believes the Hundred Beasts' senseless attacks pose a great threat to the world and should be eradicated early, because he is connected to the organ trafficking assassination group.
He bragged to the Heavenly Celestial Dragons about the things the organ trafficking assassination group could provide, but the Hundred Beasts' actions destroyed these and caused him great personal loss.
The other side, being beneficiaries, has a large portion of their revenues from artificial organs and prosthetics. With the organ trafficking assassination group's disappearance, they quickly filled the market vacuum.
The two sides have been adversaries due to economic interests, and even if he has no ties with Kaidou, he merely wishes to see his opponent suffer.
Ultimately, the former's proposal wasn't passed, and in the Underworld, the Hundred Beasts' actions have already caused a huge commotion....