After the battle concluded, Hitsugisukan made a decision. Zeraora is a complete outsider with no ties to Zou Island. No one on the entire island could trace his lineage, so although he is also a Mink, Zeraora cannot become the duke of Zou Island.
However, Setsuna is different. She is a true native of the island. Although she had sneaked away at the age of seven, it doesn’t affect her origin.
Her father was a member of the Musketeer Squad, and her mother is a member of the Guardians. They have strong roots in Zou Island, and both of them possess considerable strength. If they indeed plan to live together, then he can confidently pass the throne of Zou Island to them.
The duke inheritance system on Zou Island is quite intriguing. In Hitsugisukan’s generation, he was the sole duke, but this is because during his time, he didn’t have any rivals.
But a dual duke system is also possible. His plan is to have these two stay by his side, familiarize themselves with how to govern Zou Island while he evaluates them. As long as they prove suitable, they can smoothly succeed him in due course.
“Duke-sama, it’s still too soon for us to take this position. We’ve returned just to visit and don’t plan to stay permanently. We still have many things to do outside.”
Facing Hitsugisukan’s proposal, Setsuna didn’t agree. Being the duke of Zou Island involved more than status and power within the Mink tribe—it meant responsibility.
As the duke of Zou Island, they must ensure the island’s security, which means they cannot freely leave Zou Island, but Setsuna’s adventurous spirit wasn’t yet satisfied.
While becoming the Duchess of Zou Island was her dream, it wasn’t the right time. Moreover, her goal was to earn Hitsugisukan’s recognition through her own strength. Currently, this proposal of his seems influenced by Zeraora’s strength.
“I’m the same. My lord granted me a new life, and my task is far from finished.”
In this context, Zeraora’s “new life” can be understood as strength. The magnitude of strength he displayed far surpassed that of an ordinary Mink. To Hitsugisukan, it seemed to be something that only a Devil Fruit user could achieve.
However, Setsuna had clearly stated that neither she nor Zeraora were devil fruit users. They had gained their power due to certain reasons.
Setsuna simply wasn’t prepared to bear the responsibility yet, while Zeraora felt it wouldn’t be appropriate to agree directly; it might appear calculated.
“Well, that’s really troublesome. I’ve already had the Musketeer Squad increase their vigilance. It’s highly unlikely that ordinary individuals could land on Zou Island again like they did yesterday, but those kinds of powerful people…”
Seeing that the young pair wasn’t planning to immediately accept the throne and plan to continue their travels, Hitsugisukan found himself in a dilemma. Anyway, he couldn’t force them to become the duke.
Suddenly, Zeraora had a new idea. While they might not intend to inherit the throne now, it didn’t mean they couldn’t improve their popularity. This was a perfect opportunity to strike while the iron was hot.
“If you can enter the Sulong state, wouldn’t that resolve the problem?”
“Of course, that’s the source of our power. However, it can only be used on the night of a full moon, which happens once a month.”
“In that case, I have an idea, Setsuna. I’ll go back and come back in a few days.”
“Alright.”
Bidding farewell to the Minks temporarily, Zeraora and the Millennial Dragon returned to Wano Country. Zeraora needed the help of Arceus’ power.
“Why have you returned alone? Where’s Setsuna?”
“Lord Arceus, there have been some developments on Zou Island during this time.” He briefly explained what happened on the island to Arceus and also conveyed Hitsugisukan’s stance afterward.
“Going too far can be counterproductive. I didn’t give him a direct answer, and for now, Setsuna doesn’t seem inclined to stay on Zou Island either. However, I believe this is an opportunity for us to establish a connection with Zou Island, using the power of the moon.”
Under the radiance of a full moon, Minks could tap into their inner power and enter the Sulong form. However, whether it was a full moon or a new moon, the moon itself remained the same; only the planet’s rotation cast shadows.
Moreover, cloud cover could cause Minks to exit the Sulong state, so all they needed were stronger moonlight techniques.
Ordinary people couldn’t harness the power of the moon, but in the world of Pokémon, there was an item known as the Moon Stone. For some Pokémon, it was an evolution stone, enabling them to evolve using its power.
However, Moon Stones also contain the power of the moon. Setsuna had tried it before, and during a new moon or daylight, she was able to enter the Sulong state while holding a Moon Stone, though it depleted the stone’s power. Once the stone’s power is used up, it becomes an ordinary stone.
But for Minks, it was a crucial strategic resource, allowing them to enter the Sulong state regardless of the time.
Thanks to World Government’s operation, Zeraora’s integration into the Mink tribe happened faster than expected, so some plans have to be brought forward.
That night, Arceus harnessed the power of the moon with the Pixie Plate and condensed a large amount of special stones using the Stone Plate.
The power of moonlight, guided by the power of the plate, almost solidified and continuously infused into those stones. The stones varied in size, indicating differences in their inherent strength.
Moon imprints appeared one by one on the Moon Stones, and the moonlight of the night appeared considerably dim.
A large number of Moon Stones were thus created. Then, without taking any rest, Zeraora once again returned to Zou Island, carrying the Moon Stones that Arceus had created.
A few days passed, and the people of Zou Island saw Zeraora return; nothing significant had happened during these days.
While the disappearance of the CP leader’s Vivre Card indicated that they had likely been annihilated, it was a team consisting of a Logia-type and a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user specialized in countering Minks. Whether they send reinforcements or handle it in some other way, they will need some time.
Zeraora then poured hundreds of Moon Stones onto the ground. In the world of Pokémon, these stones alone would be enough to build up a fortune, and even raising a Larvitar would be a piece of cake.
“Did you go to look for these things?”
Hitsugisukan, not having seen Moon Stones before, looked puzzled at the stones Zeraora brought back.
However, Setsuna recognized them; she had tried out their power before.
“Are these…Moon Stones? That’s right, with these stones, there won’t be any problem! Duke-sama, these are treasures for Minks.”
Saying that, she immediately demonstrated the use of the stones to him. As she grasped a stone, her fur began to expand and grow longer. Then, right before Hitsugisukan’s eyes, in broad daylight, Setsuna entered the Sulong state.
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