New World, uncharted waters.
"So the legend was true—Zou Island!"
Standing on the warship, Smoker looked up in astonishment at the colossal creature that stretched beyond sight. He did not even notice when the waves extinguished his cigar.
"Lord Smoker, the Mink Tribe may live in seclusion, but they are not some legendary beings, are they?"
Kin'emon asked curiously.
The Mink Tribe was not like Wano Country. They disliked humans and did not enjoy interacting with them, but there were oddballs everywhere. There would always be those willing to brave the seas in pursuit of a wider world.
Wano Country would hunt such people down without mercy, but the Mink Tribe would at most vent their anger before waving them goodbye.
After all, to put it bluntly, Mink Tribe slaves could still be found everywhere in the Black Market slave trade.
"No, I have seen the Mink Tribe. I mean..."
Shaking his head, Smoker composed himself and smiled. "Never mind that. What do we do next? Climb up?"
Kin'emon was still puzzled, but he nodded nonetheless.
"The Mink Tribe has been an ally of the Kozuki Clan for generations. There are no weaklings among them; even their infants possess the strength to defend themselves. We must seek their help."
With that, Kin'emon turned around and called out, "I'm counting on you, Kanjuro!"
"Understood!"
Kanjuro answered, removed the brush-sword from his back, and focused intently over the white drawing paper prepared by the Marines.
Seeing everyone's attention drawn away, Smoker silently replaced the two cigars in his mouth. After lighting them, he took out a crumpled ball of paper he had kept on him amid the swirling smoke.
To others, it might have been nothing more than a wad of waste paper, but only Smoker knew that it contained the secret