A little rabbit in a shirt came to Wanda's side and stared at her in disbelief.
"Big Sister Wanda, you're not joking, right?"
Wanda looked at Carrot, who had already grown so much, and reached out to rub her head.
"No. We're serious."
Little Carrot immediately showed a blissful expression as her head was rubbed, even forgetting the question she had just asked.
Inuarashi looked deeply at Wanda.
"Have you truly made up your minds? Once this begins, there will be no chance to regret it."
Pedro's gaze was firm as he looked at the two kings.
"We know exactly what we're doing. So now it is your turn."
"Meow!"
Nekomamushi licked his palm with his tongue.
"Looks like you learned a few tricks outside and now think you can turn the world upside down.
"This old cat hasn't fought in a long time, except against that old dog. Don't disappoint us."
Inuarashi rolled his shoulders.
"The rules of the Mink Tribe are clear. If a fellow Mink challenges the kings, the kings cannot refuse—unless the old kings concede on their own."
Pedro's face turned fierce.
"The losers leave the Mink Tribe's territory forever and may never return."
Wanda sent Carrot to the side.
"For the future of the Mink Tribe, what does it matter if we wager everything?"
"Roar!"
Roars erupted from the surrounding Minks.
They were isolated from the world, yes—but the Mink Tribe had never hidden away because they feared humans.
They were animal-like by nature, born brave and fierce. To put it simply, whoever had the bigger fist had the final say.
"Roar! Moo! Eeek!"
The Minks around them grew excited.
How many years had it been?
How long had it been since they last witnessed a battle for the throne?
Ever since these two kings had declared their rule with overwhelming strength, the Mink Tribe had not seen anything like this in over ten years.
Clang, clang, clang!
The warning bell rang across the entire Mink territory.
The residents all raised their ears and listened. It didn't sound like an enemy invasion. It sounded more like a signal that something major had happened, calling all their kin to gather.
Once the Minks realized what it was, they began rushing toward the signal.
Men, women, young, old—as long as they could move, they headed there on their own.
Because this was a major event.
Small matters were usually handled by the subordinates of the two kings. There was no need to summon everyone.
By noon, the Mink territory, located on Zunesha's back, was bathed in bright sunlight. Since Zunesha was thirty-five thousand meters tall, they were closer to the sun than anyone else.
The Minks arrived one after another.
After learning what was happening, they were first stunned, then shocked, then excited. Finally, they consciously stood at a distance.
Every time a new king rose to power, it meant the new king's strength was greater and could lead the tribe higher.
The previous king, Duke Sihan the Goat, who had voluntarily abdicated, also arrived at the scene.
He was the most senior among them, so he had come to witness this moment.
Once the tribesmen had gathered, the plump Goat Sihan signaled everyone to quiet down.
The surrounding Minks gave this old king great respect and fell silent one after another.
"Mm."
Goat Sihan was very satisfied with the effect. He first looked toward Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, then turned to Pedro and Wanda.
After carefully choosing his words, Goat Sihan coughed.
"The rules of the Mink Tribe have always been clear.
"If any resident is dissatisfied with the current kings, they may issue a challenge. The current kings must either accept the challenge or voluntarily…"
He stopped there.
After all, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi were both staring at the challengers with fighting spirit, their excited expressions almost impatient.
Goat Sihan looked at Pedro and Wanda.
"Challenger Wanda. Challenger Pedro. Have you truly made up your minds? This is your final chance to turn back."
Pedro said nothing. He silently drew the great sword from his back.
Wanda also drew her blade.
Seeing this, the surrounding Minks grew even more excited, their faces flushing red. Still, no one made a sound.
Of course, some were worried for Pedro and Wanda.
Bepo, along with several of Pedro's old friends, looked deeply concerned.
These two kings were far stronger than the kings of old.
In the past, there had also been challengers who refused to accept them and tried to attack them.
Without exception, all of them had lost.
There had been more than one or two challengers. After so many defeats, the members of the Mink Tribe clearly understood just how strong Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were.
Goat Sihan understood their answer. He then shouted to the surrounding kin,
"I hereby declare that the royal challenge officially begins!"
The moment he finished speaking, Goat Sihan immediately ran to the outer edge.
What kind of joke was this? With his old arms and legs, why would he stay in the middle? To get beaten?
Clack!
Inuarashi drew his sword and looked at Pedro.
"Come. Let me see what you learned out on the sea."
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The trident in Nekomamushi's hand spun continuously. He could tell that Wanda's target was him.
"Meow! Don't disappoint me."
Wanda looked at Nekomamushi.
This was the strategy she and Pedro had decided beforehand.
She would deal with the faster one.
Pedro would fight the stronger one.
Both sides studied each other, neither moving first, waiting to see who would lose patience.
Carrot, who had been worried outside the battlefield, suddenly shouted,
"Big Sister Wanda! Big Brother Pedro! Do your best!"
That sudden voice was like a signal.
Wanda swung her sword forward.
Whoosh!
A hundred-meter sword aura flew straight at her opponent.
"Oh?"
Nekomamushi tightened his grip on his trident as he watched the incoming slash.
"A swordsman now?"
As he spoke, he thrust his trident forward.
Bang!
Wanda's slash was scattered by his strike.
Nekomamushi was just about to say something else when a figure had already arrived beside him.
Clang!
Nekomamushi turned and blocked Wanda's sword.
"Looks like you've grown quite a bit. But it seems that's all."
As Wanda made the first move, Pedro also sent out a slash toward Inuarashi.
Clang!
Inuarashi cut apart the sword aura with one swing, then immediately took a defensive stance.
The next second, Pedro raised his great sword and brought it down with full force.
Clang!
The instant they clashed, Inuarashi was shocked.
This guy's strength was this great?
Crack, crack.
The collision between sword and sword produced grinding sounds. Inuarashi looked at Pedro with a grim expression.
"It seems you really did learn quite a lot outside."
Clang!
Pedro exerted force and knocked him back.
Inuarashi was forced back by the tremendous power, his feet carving two marks into the ground.
"Old dog!"
Nekomamushi was somewhat surprised.
He knew how strong his old friend was, yet Pedro had pushed him back.
"Do you have time to worry about someone else?"
Wanda knocked aside his trident and thrust straight toward the cat's belly.
"Hm!"
Nekomamushi pushed off the ground and hurriedly avoided Wanda's sword.
As the battle began, the Minks around them became excited, shouting at the top of their lungs.
Of course, that was mostly the male Minks.
"Big Sister Wanda! Big Brother Pedro! Keep going!"
Carrot and Bepo cheered for them.
Bepo's brother, however, was shaken as he watched Wanda and Pedro fighting the two kings.
"They're this strong? They can already fight the kings to this extent?"
"Moo!"
Rody, standing to the side, was also shocked.
He had thought that no matter how strong Pedro had become, he still wouldn't be stronger than Duke Inuarashi.
But now, Pedro was actually able to fight that lord to this point.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
Pedro kept slashing at Inuarashi without using his ability.
After all, this was a battle between Minks.
Inuarashi blocked Pedro's great sword again and again.
Although his strength was being suppressed, battles were not won by brute force alone.
Before long, Inuarashi caught an opening and used skillful force to deflect Pedro's sword.
Clang!
Pedro's great sword was knocked to the side.
Inuarashi seized the chance and kicked with his right leg.
"Battle is not decided by brute force."
Bang!
Pedro caught the incoming dog leg with one hand and curled his mouth.
"But battle cannot be fought without strength either."
As he spoke, he swung the great sword in his right hand toward the dog leg.
"Lord Inuarashi!"
Sicilian cried out in shock from the side.
Duang!
With his leg caught and unable to pull free immediately, Inuarashi directly coated it in Haki.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
Inuarashi used Pedro's brief breath of recovery to quickly pull his leg free.
Pedro hadn't expected to chop off the dog leg in one strike anyway. He reversed his great sword and swung.
Clang!
Inuarashi was once again forced back by the slash.
On the other side, Nekomamushi, who fought speed with speed, looked increasingly unhappy.
He realized Wanda's speed was almost equal to his own.
Clang, clang, clang!
Nekomamushi kept using his trident to deflect Wanda's sword, searching for an opening to counterattack.
Wanda stared firmly at him.
"I won't give you that chance."
She gripped her sword with both hands.
"Hound Strike!"
Whoosh!
Nekomamushi avoided Wanda's attack and retreated.
At almost the same time, Inuarashi was also forced back by Pedro.
By coincidence, the cat and dog ended up standing back-to-back.
"Are… are you kidding me? Lord Inuarashi is being suppressed? That can't be real!"
Sicilian, one of Inuarashi's Three Musketeers, wore an expression of disbelief.
He knew Lord Inuarashi's strength.
He was powerful.
Yet now, he had actually been pushed back by someone else.
The surrounding Minks first fell silent.
Then they roared with even greater excitement.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi stood back-to-back, each watching their opponent.
"Meow. Looks like we were underestimated, old dog."
Crack, crack.
Inuarashi twisted his neck.
"Stinking cat, if you can't handle this, then step down. The Mink Tribe will be mine from now on."
Nekomamushi crouched down into an attacking stance.
"Meow! I don't mind fighting three at once, old dog."
As he spoke, he kicked off the ground and rushed toward Wanda.
"Woof! I don't mind fighting three at once either, stinking cat."
Inuarashi gripped his sword and slashed toward Pedro.
Clang, clang, clang!
The attackers and defenders instantly switched positions.
At first, Wanda and Pedro had been attacking.
Now it was Nekomamushi and Inuarashi's turn.
"Meow!"
Nekomamushi's trident attacked Wanda rapidly.
"Your strength has indeed grown, but compared with us, you're still far off."
Whoosh!
The moment Wanda deflected his trident, Nekomamushi's large tail lashed out directly.
Whoosh!
Wanda's figure flickered, dodging the tail strike.
The instant she steadied herself, she immediately raised her sword in front of her.
A trident was thrusting straight at her.
Clang!
Nekomamushi pressed forward with force, and Wanda was pushed backward.
Nekomamushi drove strength through his legs. Wanda gritted her teeth and also pushed back in silence.
Crack!
The ground beneath both sides split open.
From the situation, Wanda was at a slight disadvantage.
Nekomamushi's whiskers lifted.
"I'm not only fast, Wanda."
On the other side, Inuarashi's speed also suddenly increased. Using his advantage, he temporarily suppressed Pedro.
"Your strategy is good, but you forgot something. That stinking cat and I are not one-dimensional fighters."
As he spoke, Inuarashi's sword sliced open Pedro's clothes.
"The two kings are getting serious!"
Seeing the situation reverse, Sicilian's heart finally settled.
Clearly, the two kings had only been testing them earlier.
Sicilian relaxed, but Bepo's brother and the others grew tense.
Pedro, who had held the advantage earlier, was now in danger once the kings took things seriously.
The situation had shifted in an instant, and now they were at a disadvantage.
Bepo's brother watched the fight worriedly and inwardly cursed Pedro.
If he came back, then he came back.
Why say all those strange things?
And in the end, he even challenged the two kings.
Seeing his brother's worried expression, Bepo tugged his sleeve.
"What is it, little brother?"
Bepo's brother turned to look at him.
Bepo said, "Big brother, don't worry. Big Brother Pedro is very strong. Big Sister Wanda is strong too."
His brother sighed.
"I know they've grown stronger, but they still should've stayed sensible. Look at this. Aren't they overestimating themselves now?"
Bepo had never been very good with words, and now he was at a loss.
How was he supposed to make his brother understand that Big Brother Pedro and the others were not what he thought?
Chopper crossed his arms nearby, looking like an old man as he said,
"Don't worry, Big Brother Bepo. Pedro and Wanda are very strong. At the very least, stronger than you think."
"Yes! Exactly!"
Bepo looked at Chopper as if he had seen a genius.
Carrot looked at him.
"Little raccoon, is that true? Are Big Sister Wanda and the others really strong?"
Chopper's face darkened. He pointed at his head.
"Look carefully! Raccoons don't have horns. I'm a reindeer! And just watch properly."
"Oh! Sorry!"
Carrot apologized softly.
But from the look in her eyes, she still didn't believe this little thing wasn't a raccoon.
Pedro looked down at his torn clothes, then toward Inuarashi, who had the attitude of a senior guiding a junior.
The corner of Pedro's mouth slowly widened.
"I have never underestimated any opponent. Our captain often warns us with one saying."
"Oh?"
Inuarashi noticed that Pedro did not seem to care about the injury he had given him. After sensing Pedro's condition again, his expression immediately sank.
"Tell me. Besides strength, what else did that man teach you?"
"Ah."
Pedro twisted his neck, making cracking sounds.
"Our captain said that on the surface, you may insult your opponent however you like.
"You can even curse his family if you want.
"But in your heart, you must remain one hundred percent vigilant, because you never know how many trump cards your opponent has.
"If you fail to do that, the one who loses in the next instant may be you."
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