Roy stood by the window of the Onigashima's main hall, watching the ship's silhouette gradually disappear into the distance on the sea, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
Jack's departure will inevitably lead to a direct conflict with the Straw Hat Pirates.
Given Luffy's personality, he would never stand idly by if he saw the Mink Tribe being bullied.
Given Jack's intelligence, encountering an unreasonable opponent like Luffy would definitely escalate the situation.
This is the effect Roy wanted.
In the original timeline, when the Big Mom Pirates were still around, the Straw Hat Pirates went to Totto Land Cake Island to rescue Sanji, where they fought Big Mom.
It was during that battle that Luffy first Awakening an advanced use of Observation Haki —the ability to briefly Future Sight.
But things are different now.
Big Mom is dead, her remaining forces were absorbed by Kaido, and Sanji was not taken to Totto Land.
Without the delay caused by his journey through Totto Land, Luffy should have arrived in Wano Country much earlier than in the original story.
And that's exactly what Roy needs.
He needs Luffy to come to Wano Country as soon as possible, to confront Kaido sooner, and to Awakening under Kaido's devastating pressure.
Kaido was the catalyst for this miracle.
What Roy needs to do now is ensure that the catalytic process goes smoothly.
The goal is to have Kaido beat Luffy to the brink of death, but not to actually Luffy him.
Roy had a strong feeling that Luffy might be the key to Roy's conquest of the world.
·······
Zou.
This colossal elephant, which has lived for over a thousand years, still trudged along with heavy, slow steps, alone in some unknown sea of New World.
On the vast land atop the giant elephant, the kingdom of the Mink Tribe remained as peaceful as ever.
Claw City —the capital of the Mink Tribe —is built in a dense forest atop the highest point of the elephant's back.
The buildings here are constructed using wood and the unique white rocks found on elephant backs.
The roof was covered with a thick layer of moss, making it look as if it had grown out of the forest from a distance.
Duke Inuarashi stood on the highest observation platform of the palace, gazing at the endless forest in the distance.
At this moment, however, a sense of unease lingered in my heart.
"Your Majesty the Duke!"
A Musketeer Squad came galloping from the forest, his face filled with panic.
A large number of unfamiliar members have been spotted to the north of Mori Rin! At least three hundred people, judging by appearances!
The flag reads, "The Beasts Pirates!"
Inuarashi's pupils contracted sharply.
Kaido of the Beasts Pirates.
For the Mink Tribe, this name represents the darkest memories of twenty years ago.
"Notify all Musketeer Squad members to assemble immediately!"
Inuarashi drew his longsword and leaped off the watchtower.
"Also, send someone to Senlingzhong to inform Cat Viper that the Guardians should also prepare!"
"Yes!"
The sentry dashed off.
After landing, Inuarashi didn't linger and led the elite members of the Musketeer Squad northward at breakneck speed.
······
On the north side, in the forest, Jack's members had already lined up.
Three hundred members of the Beasts Pirates, led by Jack, set off forward.
The mammoth's thick trunk swung in front of him, snapping all the trees in its path in half, and Jack carved a path through the once dense jungle.
"Hurry up! Everyone, keep up with me!"
The artificial Devil Fruit User who came out of the SMILE factory followed closely behind, forming a crooked array in the forest.
"Boss, this place stinks! It smells like wild animals," said a henchman with a pig's nose, pinching his nose.
Jack ignored him and pointed his long nose in the direction of Claw City.
"The target is the red stone under the big tree in the center of the island."
Kill any Mink Tribe you encounter on the road.
"Yes!"
A group of oddly shaped creatures responded with uneven voices, then surged into the depths of the forest like a tide.
Before they had gone far, a dense rain of arrows suddenly burst forth from the forest ahead.
The arrows were wreathed in tiny blue arcs of electricity—a natural ability of the Mink Tribe: Electro.
The dozen or so ability users at the forefront were riddled with arrows, falling to the ground screaming in agony.
However, many more artificial Devil Fruit User, thanks to the thick skin and tough flesh granted by their Zoan abilities, withstood the rain of arrows and continued their charge.
Duke Inuarashi leaped out of the forest, unleashing a lightning-fast slash with his longsword that sent the two foremost ability users flying.
Behind him, hundreds of the Mink Tribe warriors from the Musketeer Squad surged out of the forest, clashing head-on with Jack's army of Artificial Devil Fruit.
The battle came unexpectedly.
But soon,
The battle then became one-sided.
While all the ordinary Mink Tribe warriors can use Electro attacks, their attacks are rarely fatal against these artificial ability users enhanced by Devil Fruit.
Conversely, those with special abilities could send a Mink Tribe warrior flying several meters away with a single swipe of their claws.
Only the elite Musketeer Squad, personally led by Duke Inuarashi, were able to barely hold their ground against the onslaught of the Artificial Devil Fruit army.
" Duke Inuarashi —it's been a long time."
A deep voice came from the battlefield.
Inuarashi looked in the direction of the sound, his pupils contracting again.
Jack.
Jack the Drought, one of Kaido's All-Stars, was striding towards them.
His enormous size, exceeding ten meters, was enough to intimidate anyone.
" Jack."
Inuarashi gripped his longsword tightly, his eyes burning with rage suppressed for twenty years.
What are you Beasts Pirates doing on Zou?
"It's very simple."
Jack grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.
"Hand over the red stone you hid in the Whale Tree, and then get your people out of Zou obediently."
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll spare your lives."
Inuarashi's expression changed drastically.
The Road Poneglyph.
That was something the Kozuki Family entrusted to the Mink Tribe for protection; it was a crucial clue to the path to Laugh Tale.
How did the Beasts Pirates know it was on Zou?
"I don't know what you're talking about," Inuarashi said in a deep voice.
"Playing dumb?"
Jack's smile grew even more ferocious.
"Then don't blame me for being impolite."
All troops, listen to my command—crush them!
The Artificial Devil Fruit army behind Jack roared and charged toward the Musketeer Squad's defensive line.
The battle instantly intensified.
Jack himself did not rush to make a move, but stood at the back, watching the battlefield with his cold eyes.
In his view, an opponent of that caliber was not worthy of his personal intervention.
The elite members of the Musketeer Squad fought desperately, with every Mink Tribe warrior pushing their Electro to its limit.
Blue arcs of electricity crackled across the battlefield, charring the bodies of some of the weaker ability users.
But even more people with special abilities rushed forward.
A user with rhinoceros horns charged forward, knocking three members of the Musketeer Squad flying.
A user whose entire arm had transformed into crab claws used both hands to clamp down on the surrounding Mink Tribe warriors, breaking their bones and tendons.
Another ability user with bat wings swooped down from the sky, each time he swept past, leaving a trail of blood.
"Your Grace! The defenses are about to crumble!"