The captain of the Musketeer Squad, Shishilian, had effectively given up his chance to be elected king, making it only natural for Pedro to ascend as the ruler of the Mink Tribe.
Wanda and her followers were simply too few in number. With the rest of the Mink Tribe remaining as silent observers, their influence was negligible.
Watching Pedro's face filled with excitement and Joy Boy grinning beside him, Wanda sighed in resignation. She knew that the darkest era of the Mink Tribe would begin the moment these two took control.
She had done everything in her power, yet the outcome remained unsatisfactory.
To Wanda, the Mink Tribe now resembled a makeshift troupe, easily swayed by Joy Boy, a newcomer who had barely spent a day among them. Despite the absurdity of the situation, a king had actually been elected.
What was even more ridiculous was how obvious it was that Pedro had fully aligned himself with Joy Boy, believing his every word without question. At this point, electing Pedro as king was no different from giving Joy Boy the throne himself.
Perhaps the Mink Tribe had been isolated from the world for too long. What some called innocence and simplicity now seemed like ignorance and blind obedience.
Wanda had no desire to remain there any longer. Hugging Carrot tightly, she turned and left in anger, her supporters following without hesitation.
Joy Boy shook his head at the sight and said helplessly,
"No matter the era, there will always be differences among people."
Pedro patted Joy Boy on the shoulder and said,
"Don't mind it. Women are just small-minded. They have no place in battle anyway."
Joy Boy merely smiled without comment. He agreed to some extent—ever since his consciousness had awakened, from Nami to Carrot to Wanda, every woman he encountered had been a source of frustration.
He had never felt much toward women to begin with, and now he was even less inclined to have them in his crew.
Still, he would never openly express such thoughts. Saying things that undermined unity between men and women was simply unnecessary.
Feigning a sigh, he said,
"It's a pity... but those who hesitate will never experience true freedom. However, as you said, it's better for women to stay out of battle. One day, the light of freedom we fight for will shine upon them as well. When that day comes, they will realize how narrow their perspective truly was."
Hearing Joy Boy's words, Pedro felt a surge of purpose, nodding firmly with determination.
"That day will come! For freedom!"
A fierce look of hatred crossed Pedro's face as he gritted his teeth and declared,
"But before that, we must kill the Celestial Dragons! We must avenge Master Nekomamushi!"
Joy Boy frowned slightly. He did not want his noble ideals to be tainted by "revenge," but after suffering setbacks before, he had learned to be more tactful. Given how devoted Pedro was to him now, there was no need to argue over this.
Pressing down on his straw hat, Joy Boy said in a deep voice,
"Leave it to me. Anyone who stands in the way of freedom will be eliminated."
...
One Month Later
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The once-peaceful Whale Forest was now filled with crackling explosions of electricity. Shadows darted and clashed in the chaos, accompanied by the roars of beasts.
Joy Boy, Pedro, and Shishilian stood in a clearing, watching the battle with different expressions.
Joy Boy looked pleased, nodding in admiration.
"Impressive combat prowess. The Mink Tribe truly are born warriors."
Pedro, beaming with pride, agreed, "Indeed! This is what the Mink Tribe should be!"
Shishilian, however, furrowed his brows, concern evident in his expression.
"But... isn't this training too intense? Fighting against our own kin like this..."
Before he could finish, Pedro interrupted harshly,
"Shishilian, you cannot afford to hold back now! You must understand the kind of enemy we will soon face. If we don't fight seriously now, we will die when we step onto a real battlefield!"
"But... must we really enter this war?"
Pedro's expression darkened, and his face twisted with anger.
"What do you mean by that!? The great war is approaching, and you want to shake the morale of our Free Army!? Don't forget—I am the king now!"
For context, the original Forest Guardians and Musketeer Squad had been merged under Joy Boy's leadership and renamed the Free Army.
Sensing the growing tension, Joy Boy spoke up in a soothing tone,
"Enough, Pedro. Shishilian is just worried about everyone, and that's understandable."
The moment Joy Boy intervened, Pedro calmed down. With a huff, he turned away from Shishilian and refocused on the battle.
Feeling awkward, Shishilian hesitated, but Joy Boy continued,
"Shishilian, don't blame Pedro for getting upset. Hesitation before battle is a grave mistake. As a General of the Free Army, your will to pursue freedom must never waver!"
Shishilian took a deep breath, then clenched his fist and nodded firmly.
"I understand!"
Seeing his resolve, Joy Boy smirked and said,
"Good! Shishilian, go help with the training. Another group of recruits has just awakened their Haki. This is the Mink Tribe's innate talent—let's make full use of it!"
Shishilian nodded and vanished in a flash.
Once he was gone, Pedro turned to Joy Boy and asked,
"Joy Boy, what's the next step?"
Joy Boy removed his straw hat, staring at the conspicuous hole in it. His eyes gradually turned pure white as he replied calmly,
"Stay here and continue training. I have somewhere to go."
Pedro blinked in surprise before quickly asking,
"Where? How long will you be gone?"
Joy Boy smiled faintly.
"Don't worry, I won't be long. Just a brief return to an old place."
...
At the Edge of Zou
Standing at the very tip of Zou, Wanda gazed down at the sea shrouded in mist and let out a quiet sigh.
She adjusted the bundle strapped to her back and turned, ready to leave the island.
Suddenly, a white figure darted out from a thicket—it was Carrot.
She called out urgently,
"Wait, Wanda! I'm coming with you!"
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+200 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg