Wapol looked at Dalton kneeling below and grew angrier the longer he stared at him.
What "strongest warrior of the kingdom"? What bullshit.
Two years ago, a mysterious man had swaggered right into his country.
He had walked openly all the way to the castle.
The ordinary royal guards hadn't been a match for him at all. One by one, they were dropped in the snow by gunshots.
Before Chess could even draw his bow, the mysterious man had shattered it with a single shot, rendering him useless.
Kuromarimo had fared no better. He had only just rushed forward before being shot down too, and had spent more than two months bedridden afterward.
As for Dalton, the so-called strongest warrior in the kingdom, he had been beaten from start to finish.
Though his Zoan bison body was thick-skinned and durable, all it took was one Seastone bullet from that man to put him on the ground.
It wasn't until that mysterious man pressed a gun to his head that Wapol finally realized all his people had already been taken down.
On the spot, Wapol had dropped to his knees and begged for mercy, thinking the man was about to kill him.
But to his surprise, the mysterious man had only told him to lead the way to the treasury.
Wapol had been extremely unwilling. It was obvious that bastard had come to rob him.
But with a gun against his head, what choice did he have? He could only obediently lead the way.
When they reached the royal treasury, the mysterious man found a chest.
Wapol knew exactly what was inside.
Two Devil Fruits.
Originally, one of them had been meant for his brother to take away. But for some reason, before that brother ever arrived, the mysterious man had shown up first.
Back then, Wapol had also considered eating one and selling the other.
But since he didn't know what abilities they held, he hadn't dared eat either.
That day, the mysterious man took the entire chest away.
Though he also grabbed some gold and treasure, that had just been pocket change.
Wapol was certain the man had come specifically for the Devil Fruits.
Only after the mysterious man swaggered away did Wapol collapse to the floor on the spot.
That was the moment he truly realized that his guards meant absolutely nothing in the eyes of real monsters.
From that day onward, Wapol's temper only worsened, and the more he looked at Dalton, the more he disliked him.
Looking at Dalton now, Wapol recalled how this man had repeatedly defied his commands in the past, always talking about carrying out the former king's instructions.
The fire in Wapol's heart finally exploded.
Everything within reach near his throne began flying at Dalton as he kept screaming the same words over and over.
"Trash! Trash!"
Chess and Kuromarimo hurriedly stepped aside, the curves of their mouths rising higher and higher.
It was obvious.
The king's patience with Dalton had completely run out.
After everything that could be thrown had been thrown, the exhausted Wapol pointed at Dalton.
"Get out of my sight! If you can't catch that old woman, then get lost yourself! Get out of this country!"
Dalton remained kneeling on the ground, unmoving.
Wapol froze for a moment.
"Why are you still here? Didn't you hear my order?"
Dalton still did not move.
His head remained lowered, hiding his expression from the other three.
Chess and Kuromarimo frowned.
What was this bastard trying to do?
Defy orders?
The thought made both their expressions turn strange and excited.
If that was the case, there was no need to wait seven days.
Wapol stared darkly at Dalton, who remained kneeling with his head bowed.
Then, with a sharp metallic sound, he drew his ornate sword from his waist.
It was mostly decorative.
"What are you trying to do, Dalton? So now you're openly disobeying me? Am I no longer king enough for my words to matter?"
Dalton kept his head lowered.
In his heart, he recalled the dream he had held since childhood.
All he had ever wanted was to become a soldier of the kingdom, to protect his homeland and its people.
But why had everything turned out like this?
The previous king had died young, leaving behind this scourge to inherit the throne.
Just look at what this country had become under his rule.
The whole kingdom was rotten, the people miserable and desperate.
Thinking of that, Dalton gave a bitter smile.
What was he still clinging to?
This country was already rotten to the core.
Then he thought again of Hiriluk's unyielding spirit in the face of death, and then of himself.
Was he really still going to endure the orders of this worthless king?
Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born that way?
Dalton's eyes reddened as he finally raised his head.
Thump.
Wapol took a step back the moment Dalton looked at him.
"You… what are you trying to do, Dalton? I'm the king!"
Chess and Kuromarimo reacted at once, quickly stepping in front of Wapol.
Chess raised the bow on his back and aimed it at Dalton.
"You'd better think carefully, Dalton. The only king of this country is His Majesty Wapol!"
Kuromarimo's hands became covered in fluffy fur.
"So, Dalton, your ambition is finally showing itself?"
The two of them instantly framed everything as rebellion.
Wapol froze for a second, then glared angrily at Dalton, who had finally raised his head.
"What are you trying to do? What are you trying to do, Dalton? Have you forgotten what the old king said?"
"I haven't forgotten!"
Dalton's face darkened as he reached behind his back and pulled out his weapon—a metal shovel.
Gripping it with both hands, he lowered himself into a charging stance.
"The old king told me to watch over this kingdom well and never let it fall into suffering and ruin!"
Dalton stared fixedly at Wapol behind the other two.
"But you are the one leading this kingdom into ruin.
"So, Your Majesty Wapol... please step down."
Wapol's face turned livid.
Now he understood.
This bastard was rebelling.
He pointed forward. "Take him down! Chess! Kuromarimo!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Without wasting a word, Chess loosed his arrows.
"Roar!"
Dalton transformed into his beast form—a black bull—and slapped the arrows aside. He bent low, his legs driving powerfully into the ground.
Crack!
The palace floor shattered beneath him.
"Don't even think about committing treason!"
Kuromarimo swung a fur-covered fist at Dalton the moment he spoke.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dalton evaded the attack.
Having worked with him for so many years, Dalton knew exactly how dangerous that fur was.
In the next instant, Dalton accelerated.
Whoosh!
He blasted straight past the two of them.
"What?!"
Chess was horrified.
Too late—Dalton was already close to King Wapol.
Kuromarimo, who had just been knocked aside, shouted as well, "Your Majesty, get out of the way! Dalton's gone mad!"
The guards outside the hall had no time to rush in.
"Dalton, calm down!"
Wapol's face turned deathly pale. His body shook like a leaf as his hands frantically groped around the throne for something.
Then, suddenly, Wapol touched a hidden compartment.
His heart leaped with joy.
He hurriedly opened it and grabbed the thing inside.
By then, Dalton had already reached him. His eyes were red as he ignored the gun Wapol had pulled out and aimed at him.
"Your Majesty... it's time for you to step down."
Bang!
The gunshot rang out.
Dalton looked down at the flower of blood exploding from his chest. A wave of weakness rushed through him.
Clang.
The shovel in his hand fell to the ground.
"S-Sea... stone..."
"Hahahahaha!"
Wapol burst into laughter as he stood up and kicked Dalton hard in the chest.
"Ugh—!"
Blood spilled from the corner of Dalton's mouth as he looked up at Wapol in disbelief.
Chess and Kuromarimo stared at Wapol too, as though seeing him for the first time.
Wapol looked down at Dalton smugly.
"That man who came last time used Seastone too, didn't he?"
He waved a hand.
"Men! Drag him away and treat him. Don't let him die.
"I want this bastard to watch with his own eyes as the worthless peasants he protects suffer in misery!
"Hahahahaha!"
"You—!"
Dalton's anger surged to his heart, and his vision went black.
He fainted on the spot.
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