Chapter 75 : The True Power of Psyduck

The sudden appearance of Zoro and Psyduck left both the king's army and the civilians of Drum Island stunned.

After all, how often does one see a duck strutting around with its upper body bare in the freezing snow?

Zoro glanced around, his sharp eyes quickly assessing the situation. The uniforms of the king's army looked familiar—they were the same group that had attacked the Going Merry earlier.

His gaze brightened when he noticed the cotton-padded clothes they were wearing.

"These guys… They're the ones who went after the Golden Merry before," Zoro muttered, remembering how their leader had been beaten by Ikki.

A grin crept onto his face. "Since we're enemies… it's fine to take their clothes!"

Without waiting for the soldiers to react, Zoro moved. In a flash, he grabbed a set of cotton clothes and threw them on. He patted the thick material with a satisfied smirk. "This is warm. Not bad!"

"Psy-ay-ay" Psyduck chimed in, flapping his wings for emphasis. 'If you get one, I want one too!'

By now, the soldiers had recovered from their shock and raised their weapons, surrounding Zoro.

"You fool! Who do you think you are? Do you even realize what it means to attack us?" one of the soldiers barked.

"The consequences?" Zoro tilted his head, a wry grin spreading across his face. "It means you'll lose another set of cotton clothes!"

Before the soldiers could react, Zoro darted forward and snagged another set, tossing it to Psyduck .

Although the clothes were far too large for a duck, Psyduck managed to drape them over his body, reveling in the newfound warmth.

The civilians watching the scene unfold were in awe. With a casual display of strength, Zoro had dismantled the king's army with ease.

Whispers of recognition began to spread. They realized this was the pirate they had spotted earlier at the port.

Still, they hesitated. He was a pirate, after all. Asking him for help was unthinkable. But as the tension mounted between Zoro and the soldiers, it became clear that a fight was inevitable.

Seizing the moment, the townspeople quietly moved Dalton, who was gravely injured, to a safer place.

The king's soldiers, shaken by Zoro's sheer power, began to back away. None dared to step forward.

Among them, Chess and Kuromarimo exchanged uneasy glances.

"Damn it… Chess, what do we do now? These pirates are stronger than we thought!" Kuromarimo muttered, his voice low but tense.

Chess gritted his teeth, glaring at Zoro, who regarded them with nothing but disdain. He knew all too well that these pirates weren't just strong—they were leagues above the king's army. And with Wapol gone, their forces were weaker than ever.

"Kuromarimo , you drag him here, and I'll head back to the ship to attack with the cannons!"

After giving the order, Chess turned on his heels and bolted toward the main port of the Drum Island.

Wapol's ship, which had the ability to dive for short periods, was currently docked at the port.

Seeing Chess flee, Kuromarimo wasted no time. He wasn't about to stay behind and face these powerful pirates alone. Shouting, "Hold the line!" to the remaining soldiers, he quickly followed Chess.

The rest of the king's army, seeing their leaders retreat, immediately scattered and fled as well.

Zoro watched them go, making no effort to stop them.

"Psyduck , let's move. We're heading for the ship!" Zoro said, glancing at the duck before turning toward the direction where the Going Merry was docked.

Psyduck tilted his head in exasperation.

"Psy-ay-ay-ay!"

The duck clamped Zoro's clothes in its beak, as if to say, Don't even try. Let me lead the way!

Zoro scoffed, not about to admit that a duck could navigate better than him. Without another word, he picked up the struggling Psyduck and marched forward.

But his determination was cut short by the sudden boom of cannon fire. Zoro glanced up to see dozens of spherical cannonballs slicing through the air toward them.

Without hesitation, Zoro turned and started running.

Suddenly, his body froze in place. Not only that, the cannonballs hovering mid-flight had also stopped.

Psyduck was using his telekinesis.

Though the duck's control over his abilities was notoriously unstable, they always activated in dangerous situations. Interestingly, Psyduck himself didn't feel threatened by the cannonballs—his reflexes hadn't even processed the danger yet. It was Zoro's sense of direction that triggered the duck's powers.

Psyduck wasn't about to let Zoro lead him into certain doom.

As the cannonballs floated midair, two of them accidentally collided, triggering an explosion. The sound and flames startled Psyduck , causing his telekinesis to surge uncontrollably.

The duck's focus shifted to the source of the attack. The massive ship at the port, decorated with its distinctive hippopotamus bow, suddenly lurched upward as a colossal force of telekinesis lifted it clear off the sea.

The king's troops aboard the ship, along with Chess and Kuromarimo , were utterly baffled.

"What… what's happening?!" Chess stammered. "Why is the ship flying?!"

"You're asking me?! Who should I ask?!" Kuromarimo shot back, panic clear in his voice.

"I'm too young to die!"

"We need to abandon ship!"

Zoro watched the chaos unfold, equally stunned. He hadn't expected the duck to be this powerful.

But the real spectacle was just beginning.

As the ship hovered higher, Psyduck's telekinetic force intensified. Cracks began to spiderweb across the vessel's surface, the hull groaning under the strain.

Many soldiers jumped from the ship in panic, but even after leaving it, they found themselves floating helplessly in midair, trapped by Psyduck's power.

"Please… please let those soldiers go!"

A voice called out from behind Zoro, breaking the tense silence.

At that moment, Psyduck's focus shifted entirely to the ship, allowing Zoro to regain his mobility.

Turning around, Zoro spotted Dalton standing a few feet away. Though his injuries had only been crudely bandaged, Dalton stood upright, supported by several civilians.

Zoro frowned as Dalton addressed him and Psyduck .

"I am Dalton," he said firmly, though his expression betrayed his weariness. "We've met before. I beg you—release the king's troops."

Dalton's disappointment with the king's army was evident, but so was his conviction. He understood that their cowardice and incompetence were not entirely their fault. The real blame lay with their corrupt leaders—Valpo, Chess, and Kuromarimo .

As the saying goes, 'The army reflects its leader.' Dalton believed that with proper guidance, even these spineless soldiers could become a force for good.

--------------------

Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V