Chapter 166: Night Lan Duke! Appearance
Immediately after.
As Sicilian collapsed, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi quickly dragged him to the side.
At the same time, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in their hearts.
After all, with a powerhouse like that masked man, even if he slaughtered everyone present right here, the two of them wouldn't have much to say.
With Nekomamushi and Inuarashi guiding the way.
Lotte and the group soon arrived at the main gate of the Mokomo Dukedom.
But when all the Mink Tribe residents inside discovered the arrival of Lotte and the others, they immediately retreated in panic and scattered.
"Outsiders are invading!"
"How can there be outsiders? It's been so long since any outsiders came to the Mokomo Dukedom. How did these guys get here?!"
"Hurry and report to the Duke!"
With the Mink residents fleeing without hesitation.
Some Mink warriors rushed over, surrounding Lotte and the others in layers upon layers. Many sharp-eyed ones recognized Nekomamushi and Inuarashi.
They immediately shouted.
"Nekomamushi, Inuarashi! You two brought outsiders here, didn't you!"
"What exactly is your purpose?!"
As these words fell.
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi quickly spoke up to explain.
"The two of us just wanted to bring people here for something. Among those I brought is someone from the Kozuki clan of Wano—they've been allies with our Mink Tribe for generations."
"I need to meet the Duke!"
As his words fell.
Those warriors exchanged glances.
Then they turned back and stared fixedly at Nekomamushi and Inuarashi.
"Then don't move from here. Wait until the Duke arrives."
"We'll report this to the Duke. He will surely make the right judgment—this is the most important thing!"
As soon as the words ended.
The masked Lotte let out a playful light laugh.
"According to you, we have to stand here and wait for that Duke to come? Isn't that asking a bit too much?"
"And I'm getting a little hungry right now. I don't want to keep waiting."
Actually, for Lotte.
Even if he stood motionless in place.
He could recover plenty of stamina just through photosynthesis.
There was no need to worry about hunger at all. It was just that these warriors' attitude rubbed him the wrong way, and he also wanted to test the strength of the Mink Tribe.
In the original story, the strongest Minks.
Were none other than Inuarashi and Nekomamushi in their Sulong form.
They were capable of suppressing the weakest of the All-Stars, Jack—the guy whose bounty was mostly inflated because of Jack himself.
Hearing Lotte's words.
The Mink warriors immediately showed wariness.
As electricity suddenly began flashing across their bodies, Lotte couldn't help but narrow his eyes with interest.
This was one of the Mink Tribe's greatest trump cards.
The ability to store and release static electricity was quite terrifying.
But in front of the true powerhouses of the New World, this was nothing at all.
"Is that so? Then let's give it a try."
"Can you stop my steps?"
Lotte released his Conqueror's Haki with a playful smile. The astonishing aura instantly turned into a tornado-like pressure that surged outward in all directions.
In an instant, the Mink warriors present were frozen in place.
Their bodies rigid.
Sweat poured down their cheeks nonstop.
Clearly, just resisting this terrifying Conqueror's Haki was already extremely difficult.
Many of the Mink warriors' eyes even showed fear as they stared at Lotte and asked in a low, trembling voice.
"You… just who are you?!"
Fear was mixed in his shaking tone.
After all, though Zou Island wasn't without outsiders before, compared to those ordinary outsiders, this one's oppressive presence was simply too terrifying!
Just as these Mink warriors were caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat.
A slightly aged, deep voice suddenly came from the side.
"Enough."
As the words fell.
An extremely terrifying shockwave swept through in that moment.
While Lotte narrowed his eyes slightly, Kozuki Oden stepped forward first.
He suddenly swung his dual blades, easily slicing apart the incoming gusts.
As the dust gradually settled.
An elderly Mink resembling a black panther, dressed in luxurious robes and leaning on a cane, appeared.
"Thud… thud… thud!"
The cane struck the ground with clear, crisp sounds.
The black panther elder simply glanced quietly at the other Mink warriors.
"That's enough. All of you, stand down."
"If they wanted to attack, you'd all be dead already. Staying here won't accomplish anything."
"Let this old one talk with them."
When Nekomamushi and Inuarashi saw the elder, respect filled their faces.
"Hokage sir, this is the current Duke of our Mokomo Dukedom."
"Duke Nekomamushi of the Night—known as the Black Panther."
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi began introducing him to Lotte and the others.
This Duke was currently the strongest existence in the entire Mokomo Dukedom. Though he appeared elderly, his strength was absolutely not to be underestimated.
At this moment.
Nekomamushi also shifted his attention to Inuarashi and Nekomamushi.
"Nekomamushi, Inuarashi."
"You two brats have finally returned. After sneaking out for so long, how did the outside world feel?"
A faint smile appeared at the corners of the black panther elder's mouth as he spoke calmly.
He could see that these people didn't seem to have any intention of harming the Mink Tribe. They were probably here for some specific matter, just as previously stated.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi scratched their heads somewhat embarrassedly.
After all, they had left the island without permission.
In the eyes of the Mokomo Dukedom's Minks, this was highly inappropriate.
Though it wasn't like Wano's complete isolation policy, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi were still too young.
So leaving the island was generally not allowed.
Hearing the elder say this.
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi exchanged glances, then looked at Duke Nekomamushi with embarrassed yet determined expressions.
"The outside world has good people and bad ones, but we've already found our own path."
"Duke, rest assured—we'll definitely come back someday!"
"After all, the Mokomo Dukedom is still our home."