If Luffy were still around, hearing this statement would definitely make him curse out Joy Boy. Saying something like "for the sake of freedom" sounded utterly shameless—especially when this so-called freedom came at the cost of losing even one's own consciousness.
But to Joy Boy, it was only natural. After silently repeating the words in his heart, he immediately straightened his back and declared:
"All you need to know is that I am Joy Boy—the man who will become the Pirate King and liberate the world once more!"
Carrot still wasn't convinced. She wrinkled her nose and muttered under her breath,
"What a big mouth!"
Joy Boy acted as if he hadn't heard her. Compared to Nami, who had been yelling in his face earlier, Carrot wasn't nearly as annoying—certainly not enough for him to take seriously.
Among the gathered Mink Tribe members, the only ones he truly paid attention to were Pedro and Shishilian. From his observations, these two clearly held significant influence within the tribe.
But at this moment, his greatest interest lay in Pedro.
Pedro harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Fleet Admiral. That was, without a doubt, a good thing.
Joy Boy steadied himself and turned to Pedro.
"Pedro, I've told you about myself. Now, it's your turn. Tell me—what's your history with the Fleet Admiral?"
At the mention of the name, Pedro's face twisted in hatred. In a low voice, he replied,
"I've never even seen him in person..."
Hearing this, Joy Boy gave a slight nod. Pedro might have some strength, but compared to the Fleet Admiral, he was no more than an ant. If Pedro had ever truly stood before that man and dared to bear such hatred, Carl's perception would have undoubtedly detected it.
Joy Boy had a fair understanding of who the Fleet Admiral was—a tyrant of unparalleled cruelty and ruthlessness. He would never allow someone like Pedro to exist in this world.
If Carl had ever set his sights on Pedro, then survival would have been impossible.
Pedro took a deep breath, his teeth clenched in fury.
"But he killed the man I respected most! Nekomamushi!!"
In this timeline, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi had died long ago aboard Whitebeard's ship. Because of this, they had never returned to Zou, nor had they ever become rulers.
As a result, Pedro never referred to Nekomamushi as the "Boss."
Some of the older Minks present had been cared for by Nekomamushi and Inuarashi in their youth, so while their grief wasn't as deep as Pedro's, a sorrowful atmosphere still settled over them.
The younger Minks, like Carrot, however, felt nothing. After all, they had never even met Nekomamushi or Inuarashi.
Joy Boy narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I see... Nekomamushi and Inuarashi were men of honor. They were truly worthy of respect."
Pedro's expression froze for a moment before he quickly asked,
"You know about Nekomamushi?!"
Joy Boy nodded.
In Luffy's memories, Toki had once spoken about Nekomamushi and Inuarashi. Now, those memories were proving useful.
After thinking for a moment, Joy Boy said,
"I have a companion—Kozuki Toki. Her husband was Kozuki Oden. Have you heard of them?"
Pedro's eyes widened in shock, and he nodded furiously.
"Of course! Lord Oden was Nekomamushi's benefactor, the man he respected the most! When he left Zou, he sent letters back, always mentioning Oden!"
As he spoke, Pedro clenched his fists.
"But... Lord Oden was also brutally murdered by the Fleet Admiral! Even his son, Momonosuke... That bastard didn't even spare a child!!"
Joy Boy let out a timely sigh.
"Sigh... You should already know how cruel Carl is. In his eyes, there's no difference between the old, the weak, or the young. Anyone who stands against him is mercilessly slaughtered. Over the years, how many innocents have died by his hands? Momonosuke is just one of them."
Pedro's anger flared.
"Exactly! He's a monster! I even read in the papers that he's actually a Celestial Dragon himself! Those scum are all the same! And now, that bastard has become the Fleet Admiral of the Marines... This is a disaster for the entire world!"
His fury got the better of him, and he choked on his own words, coughing violently.
Seeing this, Joy Boy reached out and patted Pedro's back. In a calm voice, he said,
"I understand how you feel. A world ruled by the Celestial Dragons is already beyond saving."
Pedro's hatred burned, but now, so did something else—a growing sense of kinship with Joy Boy. He cast the man a grateful glance.
"Thank you... By the way, you mentioned Lady Toki earlier. Is she... still alive?"
Joy Boy didn't answer immediately. Instead, he frowned.
This reaction made Pedro's heart sink.
With a heavy thud, he dropped to his knees, slamming a fist into the ground.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! That bastard Fleet Admiral!!"
Joy Boy crouched down and helped Pedro up.
"Don't get so worked up. Lady Toki is still alive—she was just relocated. I'm not sure if she's awake yet..."
When the group fled, Toki had not boarded Lindbergh's submarine. Instead, she had been taken to a small, unremarkable country for safety.
Joy Boy briefly explained the situation, and upon hearing it, Pedro finally let out a breath of relief.
"That's good... That's really good..."
Seeing that the moment was right, Joy Boy spoke again.
"Pedro, do you want to join me in overthrowing this world shrouded in darkness?"
Pedro's body stiffened.
"W-what did you say?"
Joy Boy's eyes shone, and from his chest came the rapid beat of the Drums of Liberation. He extended a hand toward Pedro.
"Be my companion, Pedro!"
Instinctively, Pedro reached out, hesitantly grasping Joy Boy's hand. His voice wavered as he said,
"But... just you and me? Can we really defeat that Fleet Admiral? He commands the entire Marine force..."
Joy Boy's expression grew serious, his voice unwavering.
"If we lose hope so easily, then the world is truly beyond salvation. Besides, who said it's just us? Anyone who longs for freedom can become our ally!"
Pedro stood there, stunned, repeating the word under his breath.
"Freedom...?"
As he whispered it, his face slowly filled with longing. He turned his gaze toward the other Minks.
At that moment, Carrot suddenly leapt out from the crowd, shouting at Joy Boy,
"You villain! Are you trying to send Pedro to his death?!"
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+200 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg