A lion-like member of the Mink Tribe stepped forward, unsheathing his sword and pointing it directly at the man laughing freely in the center of the clearing.
"Who are you? How did you get in here?"
The man's laughter gradually subsided. He turned toward the speaker, tilting his head slightly before replying with an easy smile,
"And who might you be?"
The lion Mink answered without hesitation,
"My name is Sicilian. I am the captain of the Musketeer Squad."
"I see… then allow me to introduce myself. My name is Joy Boy. A pleasure to meet you."
Sicilian paused, momentarily caught off guard. The Mink Tribe had long lived in isolation atop Zou, their worldview simple and direct. Faced with such an open and friendly demeanor, he slowly sheathed his sword and nodded politely.
"…Likewise."
At that moment, another Mink stepped forward, his form resembling that of a cougar. It was Pedro, leader of the Guardians who protected the Whale Forest.
His gaze swept across the damaged surroundings, lingering on broken trees and scorched earth before settling on Joy Boy.
"Human, what exactly did you just do?"
Joy Boy scratched the back of his head, his expression almost sheepish.
"My apologies. I did not intend to damage this place. Though, I believe my friend would not mind."
Pedro's brows furrowed.
"Your friend? Who here do you know?"
As he spoke, Pedro glanced back at the gathered Mink Tribe members. One after another, they shook their heads, clearly unfamiliar with the stranger.
Pedro turned back, his stare sharpening.
Joy Boy remained unbothered. He simply spread his hands.
"You misunderstand. The friend I am referring to is beneath our feet."
Suspicion deepened among the Minks. Under their watchful gaze, Joy Boy cupped his hands around his mouth and mimicked a deep, resonant call.
"Woo… woo… woo…"
The response came immediately.
A massive, ancient roar echoed across the island.
Zou itself had answered.
Shock rippled through the Mink Tribe. Pedro's eyes widened as he stared at Joy Boy in disbelief.
"You… you can communicate with Zou?"
Joy Boy grinned broadly.
"Of course. We have been friends for eight hundred years."
"Eight hundred years? That is absurd."
The youthful appearance before them made the claim impossible to accept. Every Mink present wore the same expression, disbelief mixed with suspicion.
Yet none could deny what they had just witnessed.
Zou had responded.
Silence lingered between them. The Mink Tribe continued to observe him cautiously, while Joy Boy's expression gradually shifted. His smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful look as he pressed a hand to his forehead.
After a brief pause, Pedro spoke again, unable to hold back his curiosity.
"What is that form of yours? Are you a Devil Fruit user?"
The question was natural. Joy Boy's current appearance, radiant and unnatural, clearly resembled a transformed state.
Joy Boy lowered his gaze, briefly examining his own body.
"A user… perhaps it would be more accurate to say I have become the fruit itself."
The answer only deepened their confusion.
Joy Boy chuckled lightly, then continued,
"That aside, could you provide me with some food? I am quite hungry."
The abrupt shift in tone left the Minks momentarily speechless.
Despite their caution, Zou's reaction could not be ignored. After a brief exchange of glances, they decided to comply.
Under their watch, Joy Boy was escorted toward the Mokomo Dukedom.
Along the way, he admired the surroundings with genuine interest, behaving as though he had always belonged. He spoke freely with several younger Mink Tribe members, his tone lively and unrestrained.
Upon reaching the residential area, Sicilian immediately ordered food to be brought forth. Before long, a large assortment was placed before Joy Boy, most of it consisting of fresh fruits.
Without hesitation, he began eating.
The sight was astonishing.
The pile of food diminished at a visible rate, vanishing piece by piece as Joy Boy devoured it with relentless appetite.
As he ate, subtle changes appeared in his body. His muscles became more defined, and his already pale skin seemed to glow faintly.
He spoke between bites,
"This body's appetite is quite remarkable… not a bad trait to have."
Within a short time, everything had been consumed.
Despite the enormous quantity, his stomach showed no sign of fullness.
Joy Boy exhaled lightly, releasing a stream of white vapor from his mouth.
"It has been a long time since I enjoyed food like this…"
At that moment, a small squirrel Mink dressed as a nurse approached, holding a large glass of juice.
"Um… you should drink this. Eating so much at once might make you choke."
Joy Boy laughed openly.
"Thank you."
He accepted the drink and finished it in a single motion.
Having eaten his fill, he rose to his feet, intending to stretch. However, before he could move further, his expression suddenly tightened.
A flicker of pain crossed his face.
He clutched his abdomen and dropped back down.
The surrounding Minks were immediately alarmed. The nurse rushed forward to support him.
"What is wrong? Did you overeat?"
Joy Boy closed his eyes briefly, steadying himself before shaking his head.
"No. I recently fought a battle. The injury is here."
He removed his hand from his abdomen.
Pedro and the others leaned in to examine it. There was no visible wound, only a long, narrow white scar. Across its surface, faint strands of black and white energy intertwined, shifting subtly.
Pedro frowned.
"A battle? Against whom? Has your enemy come here as well?"
Joy Boy shook his head.
"No. That battle took place in the East Blue. This location is far removed from it."
"What? Then how did you arrive here?"
"Thanks to Zou. It responded to my call. Without that, I would not have survived. As for my enemy… before I say more, tell me, is there any Marine presence here?"
Pedro's expression hardened slightly.
"You must be joking. This is Zou. Aside from the Mink Tribe, no other race resides here. Very few humans can even reach this place, let alone the Marines."
"I see… then this truly is a rare sanctuary."
A trace of relief appeared on Joy Boy's face.
He continued,
"The enemy I fought… are the Celestial Dragons."
At the mention of that name, Pedro's expression changed instantly. Shock flashed across his face, quickly replaced by deep-seated hatred.
He clenched his teeth.
"The Celestial Dragons? Are you referring to those so-called gods who rule the world?"