The Last Battle on Zou Island

"Momo no ..."

A loud shout echoed through the jungle, causing Nekomamushi and others who were still searching around to change their appearance.

"Is this the voice of ... that CP0, who voluntarily revealed his position because he encountered an enemy he couldn't defeat?" Although they knew the other party's general location, the hearts of Nekomamushi and the others kept sinking, the only enemy that could make that CP0 take the initiative to reveal its place at any cost would be that monster Apophis!

"And why did he only say two words and then lost his voice? Could it be ..." an ominous feeling came over several people, making them run faster to follow the sound in one direction.

They soon saw CP0, whose head fell to the side, his eyes still wide under his mask, and Momonosuke, whose body shattered into several pieces and whose eyes filled with fear and despair.

Seeing this, Raizo, the only one of the trio of retainers who wasn't too injured, hugged his head and cried, "Momonosuke-sama, Momonosuke-sama! It was I who failed to supervise, making you suffer this great disaster, and no longer have face to face Oden-sama, after capturing the criminals to avenge your death, I will atone for my crime!"

Nekomamushi also cried bitterly, " Momonosuke-sama, Oden-sama, I am an old cat ..."

Vista, on the other hand, sighed slightly. He didn't have much desire to avenge Momonosuke's death. After all, Apophis even dared to kill CP0, so he assumed that the Whitebeard Pirates' aura wouldn't be much of a deterrent to it, and he wasn't sure he could protect his subordinates in case the other side went on a killing spree.

In the end, this action is only his own decision. If it is just a passing thing, it is no big deal. But if it costs the entire team to sacrifice to avenge the "traitor", even if the Whitebeard Pirates have always been harmonious, internal disputes may break out.

So Vista was the only one who could show compassion.

...

After successfully killing Momonosuke, Apophis didn't just leave. There was still a battle waiting for him, a struggle with that man, but something he was quite looking forward to him.

Therefore, Apophis participated in the war between those pirates and the minks, and the energy of the blood would allow him to recover quickly from his physical strength and injuries.

Although the power that the Seven Star Sword fed back didn't restore the mental state to its peak as well, this low-intensity war counted as a tonic in itself for Apophis.

...

The minks' sanctuary, the whale forest, the sad clouds, one by one, had depression and sorrow written all over their faces.

Kanjuro and Kin'emon, who had been severely traumatized earlier, hadn't recovered by now. But were struggling unceasingly to go outside, saying with rage in their mouths, "That bastard Apophis, I'll kill him, even if I have to risk this life to die, I'll drag him with me."

"Sir Kin'emon, please don't move, or your injuries will get worse again!" The anxious nurse beside him discouraged her.

"Kin'emon, I understand your desire to avenge Momonosuke-sama's death, and so do I, but in your current state, you'll probably die on the road without even meeting your enemies."

Nekomamushi admonished, "And, according to you, he experienced two battles before boarding the island, and after boarding the island and fighting continuously for such a long time, his physical strength and energy should have reached their limits. So he's probably hiding somewhere to recuperate and heal."

"What we need to do now is to condition ourselves to our best before the enemy recovers, so that we can avenge Momonosuke-sama's death. Otherwise, even if you find him, it will only be in vain!"

"Sir Kin'emon, you'd better listen to Boss Nekomamushi and recuperate here, the Guardians already searching everywhere, and it's probably ... not going to be long," Shishilian was saying, when a dog girl suddenly came running from the outside world, panting.

"Sir Shishilian, Boss Nekomamushi, it's wonderful that you ... are all here!"

"Wanda, what's going on?"

"Lord Duke ... Duke, he can't hold on much longer. Please get over there as soon as possible for support."

"How is that possible?" Shishilian stared, incredulous, and asked, "It wasn't that long ago that there was news that the pirates were on the downside!"

"It's true, but just now, a swordsman joined the battle, and that swordsman was so outrageously powerful that even the Duke was no match for him!"

Nekomamushi and Kin'emon looked at each other and asked in rapid-fire speech, "Is it someone who wears a scary ghost face mask and fights with a bloody slash?"

"How do you know?" Wanda was stunned for a moment, then added, "That swordsman is simply insane, and if he gets in his way, he will easily kill both the tribe and those pirates. The Duke just thought he was too dangerous to take the initiative to meet him, but I didn't expect him to be that strong!"

"That guy is indeed crazy!" Nekomamushi said all a little palpitations, "After so many battles, it's fine not to go to recuperate, but then he goes to the battlefield to kill again. Moreover, it's that kind of semi-crippled state that can suppress Inuarashi, is that guy's physical ability infinite?"

After saying that, Nekomamushi was a little embarrassed again. He had subconsciously thought that the other party wouldn't run to the battlefield before. That's why he didn't send someone to search there. Otherwise, with such apparent characteristics of the other party, how come he didn't wait until Wanda came to inform.

"Great, this must be the spirit of Momonosuke-sama guiding us, even if it means death, we absolutely cannot let that guy get away with it!" Kin'emon said, and stood upon his sword, looking agitated and headed out the door.

"Well! He must never be allowed to walk out of Zou in peace. Otherwise, how can I have the face to ask forgiveness from Oden-sama!" Nekomamushi didn't stop him. He knew that Kin'emon and the others were already determined to die.

Soon, Nekomamushi and the group of wounded men with Kin'emon arrived in the middle of the dukedom.

Here, the streets and alleys filled with broken limbs, both pirate's and minks, but Nekomamushi and others had no time for them, as Inuarashi was now lying on the ground with a fractured leg, and many minks had gathered around to protect him.

"How's he doing now, Inuarashi?"

"Boss Nekomamushi, you've finally arrived!" The minks who spoke were almost weeping with joy, they were in a dazed state before, but now that they had a backbone, they finally knew what to do, "The Duke is seriously injured and unconscious, but is not in a life-threatening condition at the moment."

"That's good!" Nekomamushi dropped to the ground, happy instead of worried about such an outcome. It was tough for a single person to survive a fight with a monster like Apophis.

"By the way, where's Apophis?" Seeing that the minks across from him were a bit confused, Nekomamushi quickly asked differently, "Where did that bastard who severely injured Inuarashi run off to?"

"Right up ahead, he's fighting another incredibly powerful swordsman!"