Chapter 27: The Wandering Sovereign
The voyage to Zou was a lesson in the bizarre geography of the New World. They weren't sailing to a fixed point on a map, but to a living, moving creature. Nami, with her newly enhanced senses, was their primary guide. She could feel the subtle currents disturbed by the elephant's colossal footsteps, the unique atmospheric pressure that clung to its ancient form. It was like tracking a mountain range that refused to stay still.
After days of navigation, a smudge appeared on the horizon that resolved not into land, but into a leg. A limb so vast it defied comprehension, rising from the sea like a gray, wrinkled pillar supporting the heavens. The sight stole the breath from everyone, even Arata.
"Zunisha," he whispered, his golden eyes wide with a reverence usually reserved for Robin. "To see a myth walking... it humbles even the divine."
As they drew closer, following the instructions to approach the leg, a profound, mournful groan echoed through the sea, a vibration felt in the soul more than heard with the ears.
"I have sinned… I have sinned…"
The crew clutched their heads, stunned and confused by the psychic lament. Luffy, ever immune to such subtleties, just looked annoyed. But Arata stood perfectly still on the deck of the Raiju, his head tilted, his expression one of deep, pained empathy.
"You can understand it?" Robin asked, her voice hushed.
"Not the words," Arata replied, his voice thick with emotion. "The feeling. The weight of it. Centuries of guilt. An eternity of penance. This is not a beast; it is a prisoner of its own past." The sorrow emanating from Zunisha was a frequency that resonated with the part of him connected to the fundamental forces of life and consequence.
They made the incredible ascent up the waterfall to the top of Zou, a journey made trivial by the Raiju's ability to defy gravity and water alike. The sight that greeted them was one of profound devastation. The Mink Tribe's home, Mokomo Dukedom, was in ruins, scorched and broken. The air, which should have been fresh and clean, was tainted with the lingering smell of smoke and despair.
The encounter with the wounded but resilient Minks was a lesson in loyalty that shook the Straw Hats to their core. The revelation that they had endured days of torture at the hands of Jack the Drought without betraying their friend, Raizo of the Wano Country, was a level of devotion that transcended race or nationality.
Through it all, Arata was a quiet, supportive presence. He did not take center stage. He used his powers not for combat, but for aid. He helped the Mink warriors clear the worst of the rubble with precise, concussive blasts that shifted massive beams without causing further collapses. He moved among the injured, his hands glowing with a soft, golden light as he used gentle electrical stimulation to ease nerve damage and muscle spasms, accelerating their natural healing in a way that left Chopper both amazed and furiously scribbling notes.
He earned the tearful gratitude of the Musketeers and the Guardians not through displays of destruction, but through acts of quiet, efficient compassion. He was a healer, a restorer.
When the truth was finally revealed—that Raizo was safe and that their samurai friends, Kin'emon and Kanjuro, were alive—the emotional release was powerful. The Straw Hats had once again proven their quality, earning the undying loyalty of the entire Mink Tribe.
That night, as a somber celebration of survival began among the ruins, the rulers of Zou, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, approached Arata. The massive cat and dog Minks regarded him with a new, deep-seated respect.
"Stormbringer," Inuarashi began, his voice a low rumble. "We owe you our thanks. Your aid to our people was... unexpected."
"Your power is strange," Nekomamushi added, his tail twitching curiously. "It feels old. Like the voice of Zunisha itself. You were not... troubled by its cry?"
Arata met their gazes. "I was not troubled. I was grieved. I can feel its sorrow. It is a burden no living being should carry for so long." He looked up towards the dark sky, towards the unseen head of the elephant miles above. "It is a curse, is it not? One that can only be lifted by a specific someone."
The two Dukes stiffened, their eyes widening in alarm. This was a secret known only to the ruling line of Kozuki.
"Do not be concerned," Arata said, raising a placating hand. "Your secrets are safe with me. I am not here to interfere with fate, only to ensure it reaches its proper conclusion." He turned his gaze towards where Luffy was challenging a group of Minks to an eating contest, his laughter echoing in the night. "The one who will liberate this great soul is already here. My role is simply to make sure he has the chance to do so."
His words, cryptic and sure, sent a shiver down the spines of the hardened warriors. This man was not just a powerful ally; he was a seer who understood the currents of destiny. The alliance with the Straw Hats had just gained a dimension they could never have anticipated. The whisper of Zou had spoken of a coming war, but it had also spoken of a coming storm that would shield its participants. And that storm was now walking among them, his calm, golden eyes seeing centuries into the past and future, his power not a weapon of conquest, but a tool of preservation for the righteous.