Jin smiled, lips curling as his eyes went blood-red.
"You two," he said, gaze drifting over Dogstorm and Cat Viper, "I hope your fluffy little kingdom can keep me entertained."
The air shuddered.
A pitch-black wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded out of him.
The world hummed.
That oppressive, suffocating will washed over the plaza.
Hiyori was the only one Jin deliberately excluded.
"This aura…!"Nekomamushi's pupils shrank. "Conqueror's Haki!!"
Inuarashi's fur stood on end.
This pressure… even stronger than Lord Oden's… like facing a demon…
All around them, minks dropped like wheat before a scythe.
Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud—
Even elite fighters were down on one knee, weapons jammed into the ground just to keep themselves upright.
"Wh–what… is this…?"Wanda gasped, muscles trembling. Her lungs burned like someone was sitting on her chest.
Her two gossiping girlfriends from earlier had already fainted face-first.
Only a handful of young monsters like Pedro and Sicilian were still standing, teeth gritted so hard they creaked.
"Old dog, this is bad…" Nekomamushi hissed.
He wasn't crushed by the Haki, but staring at the man at its center—a calm figure framed by black wings, aura like a hell-king—made his instincts scream.
"Yeah," Inuarashi said grimly. "We really kicked a steel plate this time.
"This Conqueror's… it's even more terrifying than Lord Oden's."
The pressure snapped off.
Jin's hand turned, and his massive zanbatō appeared in his grip.
"All the small fry are cleared," he said calmly. "Now we can actually start."
"No, wait—!"
Hiyori, eyes brimming, bolted forward and threw her arms around Jin's leg.
"Please, Musashi-sama, don't fight them!" she begged. "Please!"
Jin glanced down.
Big teary eyes. Hands sHaking, clutching his pants.
He clicked his tongue.
"I came here to do one job," he said. "I finish, and we're gone."
He sighed and let the massive blade vanish.
The crushing killing intent eased.
The minks who were still conscious staggered back to their feet, staring at him with naked fear.
Jin stretched his wings.
"Say your goodbyes," he told Hiyori. "Once I'm back, we leave."
He kicked off the ground, wings beating once.
With a rush of wind, the golden-eyed man shot toward the towering Whale Tree.
"Alright, Musashi-sama…" Hiyori whispered, watching him go.
Dogstorm and Cat Viper watched too.
Neither moved to stop him.
No point.
The feeling they'd gotten just now…
If that guy decided to tear this place apart, it wouldn't be "a tough fight."
It'd be a disaster.
"Hiyori-sama, we're sorry," Dogstorm said, bowing. "We dragged you into this mess."
"Please don't say that!" Hiyori panicked and bowed back. "I'm the one troubling you. I'm so sorry."
"No, no, absolutely not!" both dukes rushed to straighten her. "We are retainers of Lord Oden.
"For you, we'd go through hellfire."
"Cat-cat, Dog-dog…" Hiyori choked out, using the childhood nicknames she hadn't said in years.
Both of them froze.
Then they laughed, eyes wet.
"Hiyori-sama," Nekomamushi said, picking her up and settling her on his shoulder, "we've got something to give you."
"Mm!" she nodded, hugging his thick fur.
Across the plaza, the minks started waking up one by one.
"What just… what happened?"
"Ugh, my head…"
"It was that human, right? Just standing there and boom…"
Pedro and Sicilian traded a grim look.
"That power… terrifying," Pedro muttered.
Wanda squinted up toward the Whale Tree.
"He flew toward the forbidden area," she said quietly. "And the dukes didn't stop him…"
The warriors began dragging their unconscious comrades off the street, resetting barricades, re-checking weapons—with wary glances toward the sky.
Jin landed on the Whale Tree's trunk about halfway up, boots touching down by a familiar slit in the wood.
He slipped inside.
The passage corkscrewed up—until it opened into the heart of the tree.
And there it was.
A massive crimson stone block, etched with ancient glyphs.
The third Road Poneglyph.
"Tsk, tsk," Jin grinned. "Third one.
"Wonder how much I can squeeze out of Doffy for this set…"
He set his paper and ink out and began to work, carefully pressing the parchment across the grooves, transferring each symbol in full.
Kidnap Robin, chase the Pirate King title, copy Roger's "laugh at the end" routine?
What then?
March into Marineford, let Sengoku cut his tongue out and stick him on a cross?
He snorted.
No thanks. Selling secrets was safer. And more profitable.
"Let's see how much I can milk from you, Donquixote Doflamingo," he murmured, sliding the last sheet away to dry.
Back in the city, Nekomamushi and Inuarashi had dragged out their "gift."
A small lineup stood in front of Hiyori.
Wanda.
Pedro.
And a squirrel mink girl clutching her bag nervously—Ella.
"Hiyori-sama," Dogstorm said, "these three will serve as your escorts and attendants."
"Eh? That's too much!" Hiyori flustered. "Cat-cat, Dog-dog, really, I can take care of myself—"
"Absolutely not," Inuarashi said, firm as granite. "You are the last living blood of the Kozuki clan—at least in this era.
"That 'prophecy' may or may not come to pass."
He met her eyes.
"But your life cannot be gambled with."
Hiyori bit her lip.
"But… I have Musashi-sama…" she said quietly. "He won't let me be in danger."
Both dukes shared a look.
Ah.
So the real worry was that the walking disaster in the sky might not permit extra tails following her.
"Please be at ease," Dogstorm said. "We'll make it clear to him."
Then they turned to their chosen trio and dropped their voices.
"Wanda, Pedro, Ella," Inuarashi said. "No matter what happens, your first priority is Lady Hiyori's safety."
"Nothing else comes before that," Nekomamushi added. "Even at the cost of your lives."
The three young minks straightened.
"Yes, Duke Inuarashi!"
"Yes, Boss Neko!"
They knew exactly what that meant.
This was Kozuki Oden's bloodline.
The child of their lord.
And the future of a whole country.
"Go pack your things," Dogstorm said. "From today, you follow her.
"That guy will be finished soon."
He looked back at Hiyori and forced a smile.
"If you're ever wronged or unhappy, Hiyori-sama… have them bring you home. Zou will always be your second home."
"Cat-cat, Dog-dog…" Hiyori burst into tears again. "You're too good to me…"
"Don't cry, Hiyori-sama," the two big idiots panicked, patting her. "It's nothing, really…"
A golden dragon came gliding back a little while later, hovering above the main plaza.
Jin didn't bother landing—just hung there in the sky, massive body coiled.
Below, minks tensed all over again.
Even awake, even braced, they couldn't forget how easily he'd crushed them just by standing there.
Jin ignored them.
Three pieces, he thought, satisfied. Not bad.
Fruits in hand…
Barrier-Barrier Fruit.
Buffalo Zoan.
Artificial Azure Dragon model.
Eagle Zoan.
A few other odds and ends.
Sell some.
Feed some to future core subordinates.
The eagle Zoan would go to someone he needed flying. The barrier and Kaido-copy stayed reserved for his inner circle.
Someone important.
"Musashi-sama!"
Hiyori arrived with her little entourage in tow—Pedro, Wanda, and Ella, all carrying small packs.
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi jumped up onto a rooftop to speak at his eye level.
Jin glanced over them quickly.
One dog. One leopard. One squirrel.
Bodyguards and a support.
Fine.
"Humans from the outside like this stuff, don't they?" Dogstorm called.
He tossed a small chest up.
Too small to bother checking. Jin just flicked it into his bracelet without opening it.
"Get on the boat," he said.
"Yes, Musashi-sama," Hiyori said obediently, climbing aboard.
The three minks followed.
"You three," Nekomamushi said, "remember what we told you."
"We will, Boss Neko! Duke Inuarashi!" the trio answered at once.
"Go," Dogstorm said, raising a hand.
The golden dragon's massive claw came down, scooped up the boat, and with one powerful wingbeat, lifted them away.
Jin didn't look back.
He'd already taken what he'd come for.
No need for more polite goodbyes with a tribe that had literally signed up to be someone else's lapdogs for centuries.
Nekomamushi watched until the dragon was a speck.
"We've done all we can," he said softly. "Now we wait for the Fire Festival."
"Right," Inuarashi said. "I'm going back on patrol…"
"Meow, I'm going back to sleep," Nekomamushi yawned, already heading for his hammock.
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