A deafening explosion echoed through the forest, like something massive had detonated. The animals on the white-rock mountain stirred, their panic rising. The sound wasn't far off, and they could guess its source. Eyes turned toward the direction Mobambie and Chopper had gone, and Karasuke, the crow, shouted on their behalf.
"Mobambie's ship! Could it be humans?!"
His shocked cry spurred him into action, racing toward the sound with the other animals in tow, a thundering herd charging toward the disturbance. The explosion was a singular event, but trouble was certain.
At the cliff's edge, they saw it: thick smoke rising from the wreckage of Mobambie's dilapidated ship, now reduced to splinters.
Chopper stood protectively in front of Mobambie, his back to the cliff, his expression fierce. Facing them were three men.
One, a short man with a mohawk named Count Butler, rummaged through the debris, tossing aside shattered wood to uncover books, inspecting and discarding them in a frenzy. Guarding him were two imposing figures: a hulking, dog-faced giant called General Hotdog and a lanky, distinctively-haired man named President Heaby, both glaring at Chopper and Mobambie.
"Mobambie!" Karasuke called from the cliff.
"Karasuke!" Mobambie replied, looking up.
Both were unharmed, but the situation was dire.
"It's them! The ones who attacked the elders!" Karasuke shouted.
"What do we do? Dad's ship…" Mobambie's voice trembled.
"Did these guys hurt the island's animals?" Chopper asked, his gaze sharp.
Mobambie, shaken by the destruction of his father's ship—the last tether to his memories—struggled to speak. That ship had been his emotional anchor, a fact he might not have fully realized. Its ruin felt like losing his father again, tears welling in his eyes as fear gripped him.
Chopper, sensing Mobambie's distress, grew worried. The boy's turmoil was palpable, fueling Chopper's resolve to protect him. Despite his own fear, he glared at the trio.
The three men were an odd bunch, their motives unclear. Then, Butler looked up, holding a tattered book from the ship's wreckage. Though weathered, it brought a wicked grin to his face. He raised it triumphantly, flipping through its pages.
"I found it! The record of the 'Royal Treasure'!" he declared.
Chopper frowned, unable to grasp Butler's words. Muttering "Royal Treasure…?" under his breath, he caught Butler's attention.
"Exactly! Years of research led me to discover the 'Royal Treasure' lies in an animal's horn. I couldn't find the beast, but this kid was hiding the info. Now I know—the Animal King holds that horn!" Butler crowed.
"Master Butler, maybe don't spill everything," Hotdog interjected.
"Hah?! Oops!" Butler yelped.
"Master Butler's just joking!" Heaby added. "He can't keep secrets, so don't glare like that!"
Hotdog, a towering muscle-bound figure with a canine face, and Heaby, tall with a distinctive hairstyle, were Butler's devoted guards—formidable in their loyalty and strength.
Chopper's brow furrowed, wary. He knew Hotdog's kick had obliterated the ship in an instant, hinting at their immense power. Tension coiled within him. Behind him, Mobambie trembled, unaccustomed to outsiders, especially those who'd harmed his friends. To him, they were surely pirates.
The fear radiating from Mobambie shifted Chopper's mindset. He had to protect him. Unconsciously, his gaze hardened, different from before.
Thanks to Butler's blunt explanation, one thing was clear: they sought the Animal King.
Spotting the crowd of animals on the cliff, Butler discarded the book, smirking. With Mobambie, a human, and Chopper, who spoke human language, answers were within reach. The island's residents must know the Animal King's whereabouts. For Butler, that was all that mattered. Unable to lie, he spoke plainly.
"With so many here, let's ask. Where's the Animal King? Be honest, and you'll only get minor injuries. Either way, you're getting hurt," he said with a sneer.
"Master Butler, maybe keep that under wraps," Hotdog cautioned.
"Ah!" Butler gasped.
"He's joking!" Heaby rushed. "Spill now, and no one gets hurt!"
Their exchange told Chopper enough. They had no intention of sparing the animals, honest or not. There was no real choice—only violence.
Chopper had no obligation to risk his life for strangers. Yet, he didn't budge.
"Stop it! Leave this island alone!" he shouted.
"I'm saying, tell us where the Animal King is, and you'll only get slightly hurt," Butler retorted.
"He means you won't get hurt!" Heaby added.
Their contradictory words only confirmed it: these men were dangerous. Chopper's eyes sharpened, fear mingling with resolve. He'd already devised a plan to protect everyone.
With sudden determination, he roared, "I'm the Animal King!"
"What? You?" Butler tilted his head, skeptical.
"Chopper?!" Mobambie gasped.
The declaration stunned everyone. Chopper, trembling, wondered why he'd said it, but there was no turning back. The animals on the cliff erupted in cries, shaken by his words.
"You're after me, right? Then leave the others alone!" Chopper demanded.
"Chopper, why?! You said you weren't—" Mobambie began.
"So, you're the Animal King!" Butler interrupted, eyes gleaming. "Then your horn is the Royal Treasure!"
"Y-Yeah!" Chopper stammered, stepping forward to face them.
"Promise you won't hurt the island's animals anymore!" he demanded.
"Of course, I promise!" Butler said, laughing. "Not that I mean it! Hand over that horn! The Royal Treasure will grant me limitless power!"
"That's not a promise!" Chopper snapped.
"Shut up! Why should I keep promises to you? All I need is the Royal Treasure's infinite power to become king of the world!" Butler roared.
"You're insane! We can't reason with you!" Chopper cried.
"Hand it over! The infinite power! The Royal Treasure!"
Negotiation was futile. Chopper's haste left him rattled, his thoughts scrambling. As he froze, Butler, growing impatient, moved suddenly, pulling a violin from beneath his coat, emblazoned with "Evil" on the back.
"Playing hard to get? I've got ways to deal with that," Butler sneered.
"What are you doing?!" Chopper demanded.
"No point keeping you alive! I'll just take the horn from your corpse!"
Butler began playing the violin with elegant, rapid strokes. The music seemed meaningless at first, but seconds later, the ground trembled, as if a herd of massive beasts were charging. The undeniable shaking couldn't be ignored.
Soon, they appeared. Crashing through the forest, toppling trees, a herd of creatures emerged—Tsunokui, armadillo-like beasts with black, armor-hard hides. Ferocious and aggressive, they treated all but their kind as enemies. Their charge felled trees and crushed flora, their destructive force akin to living weapons.
The violin's melody seemed to control them. Chopper, quick to notice, hesitated. How could he protect Mobambie? That was his only thought. Before he knew it, his body moved, transforming into his Beast Point and sprinting away.
"Hey! I'm over here! Come get me!" he shouted.
"Hmph, you won't escape. Tsunokui, kill him and take his horn!" Butler commanded, still playing.
The herd veered toward Chopper. Butler, Hotdog, and Heaby mounted the Tsunokui, pursuing him. With their focus on him, the other animals were safe—for now.
Mobambie stood frozen, speechless. The enemy's presence and Chopper's sacrifice overwhelmed him. Realizing he had to act, he snapped out of it, looking to the cliff where the island's diverse animals—rare beasts with unique strengths—stood gathered. Together, they could do something. With hope, he pleaded.
"Everyone! We have to save Chopper! Lend me your strength!"
"Save him? Don't be stupid, Mobambie. He's not the real Animal King," Karasuke retorted.
Karasuke, the only animal besides Chopper who spoke human language, eyed Mobambie with distrust.
"But he lied to protect us! He knew they were after us, so he led them away. We can't abandon him!" Mobambie cried.
"Forget it, Mobambie. He's a pirate, like them. We don't know who he is, but he's probably bad news. No need to save him," Karasuke said.
"But—"
"You said you hate pirates. Let them fight it out. We'll figure out our next move," Karasuke insisted.
His logic was sound. A clever animal would prioritize their own and the island's safety, not outsiders. But was that right?
Chopper had drawn the enemy's attention, risking his life for strangers. Ignoring that felt wrong. Mobambie pressed on desperately.
"Is that really okay? Abandoning him—don't you feel anything?" he asked.
"It leaves a bad taste, sure, but we can't do anything," Karasuke said.
"I feel the same, but maybe if we try, we can. Nothing changes if we don't act. This island will keep living in fear of pirates," Mobambie argued.
"Even the Forest Guardians can't beat those Tsunokui," Karasuke countered.
"I know, I know, but…" Mobambie's voice broke, head bowed.
"A good country needs its king and people to work together. Relying only on a king won't bring peace or progress," he said softly.
"Mobambie…" Karasuke murmured.
"Kirinlion would've helped! Even if he couldn't win, he'd never abandon a friend!" Mobambie shouted, raising his head, his doubt gone.
"We relied on Kirinlion too much. Even if he could do anything, we should've helped him. Nothing changes like this! If we don't act now, we'll keep running from pirates forever! Is that what you want?!"
"That's not what I want, but…" Karasuke faltered.
"I want to save Chopper! Please, lend me your strength!" Mobambie pleaded.
His desperate cry rang out, but the animals only exchanged glances, hesitant. They heard him, but his words didn't reach them.
Mobambie's expression hardened with anger. He bolted, not toward Chopper but up the mountain's slope, toward Kirinlion's cave.
"Fine! If you won't help, I'll do it alone! I'm done asking!" he shouted.
"Mobambie!" Karasuke called.
Ignoring them, he ran into the cave, stopping before Kirinlion's lifeless body. Panting but undeterred, he gazed at the majestic golden form, his face tinged with sorrow.
"I'm sorry… This is all I can think of," he said softly.
He reached out, touching the radiant, undimmed golden horn.
"You'll understand, right? It's to save a friend."
Knowing no reply would come, he spoke anyway. Strangely, he felt Kirinlion's voice in his heart. With a resolute nod, Mobambie's hesitation vanished.
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