Chapter 81: Mokomo Dukedom

Buggy's off-key scream struck the deck of the Oro Jackson like a thunderbolt.

"An elephant?!"

"An elephant walking in the ocean?"

The crew exchanged glances, their first reaction not fear but absurdity.

"Hey, is Buggy hallucinating from the fog or something?"

"Could be. His brain's never been quite right to begin with."

"What'd you say, Shanks!" Buggy's furious roar came from the crow's nest.

However, two people couldn't laugh.

Kozuki Oden's expression changed instantly. He rushed to the rail, staring hard into the depths of the fog.

Meanwhile, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, who'd been playing around with the crew on deck, both stopped at the same time, their faces showing incredulous excitement.

"It's Zou!" Inuarashi's voice trembled.

"No mistake!" Nekomamushi's eyes widened to saucers. "It's our homeland! We're home!"

As everyone stood confused, Roger's booming laughter rang out again.

"Gu ha ha ha! It really is a giant elephant! Interesting! So interesting!"

He stood at the bow, eyes gleaming, even more excited than if he'd discovered treasure.

Under Roger's monster-like vision, the sky-piercing outline in the fog was already clearly visible.

Just then, a deep, ancient call penetrated the fog and echoed between heaven and earth.

"Mooooo————"

The sound wasn't loud, yet it carried an unmatched vitality that made the entire Oro Jackson tremble lightly.

The fog seemed startled by this call and began churning violently before receding.

Sunlight tore through the clouds and poured back onto the sea surface.

An indescribable colossus finally revealed itself completely before everyone.

It was a giant elephant!

An elephant so impossibly huge it seemed to carry the entire world!

Its legs were like pillars holding up the sky, rooted deep in the seabed ten thousand meters below, yet its body towered into the clouds. On its back, they could even make out the outlines of mountains, rivers, and forests. Each step stirred up waves rivaling a storm.

Before this living island, the Oro Jackson was as tiny as a leaf floating in a bathtub.

"Waaaaaah!!" Shanks and Buggy clung to each other, letting out screams completely different from before, mixed with terror and excitement.

The entire crew stood frozen on deck, minds blank. They'd seen Sea Kings, seen giant sea beasts, but the scene before them completely exceeded their understanding of the word "creature."

As the ship drew closer, the oppressive presence of that mountain-range-sized elephant leg became increasingly real.

The sea surface rose and fell rhythmically with the giant elephant's every step. The Oro Jackson was like a toy boat in a cradle, gently pushed up, then slowly lowered.

"Your Majesty! It's us!" Inuarashi stood at the bow, shouting with all his might toward the kingdom on the elephant's back. "Inuarashi and Nekomamushi have returned!"

His voice, amplified by Kyle's sound waves, carried far into the distance.

Soon, Zunesha responded. The elephant lord curled its trunk and brought the Oro Jackson up onto its back.

Several agile figures quickly approached. Leading them was a tall, imposing goat mink wearing magnificent robes. He was the king of Mokomo Dukedom.

"Inuarashi! Nekomamushi!" The king roared with excitement upon seeing the two familiar figures. "You little brats, you finally came back!"

The king and a group of mink guards jumped onto the deck. The scene instantly became a long-awaited reunion. The king excitedly gave each of them a heavy punch, less punishment than an outlet for joy.

"Where have you been all these years! I thought you'd died out there!"

"Your Majesty, it's a long story!" Inuarashi rubbed his head, grinning. "We met Lord Oden, and then..."

His gaze shifted to Kozuki Oden.

The king's eyes followed, and when he saw the swords at Oden's waist and his distinctive topknot, his expression turned serious before showing understanding and respect.

"So you're a samurai from Wano Country's Kozuki family." The king bowed respectfully. "Welcome to Mokomo Dukedom."

Next, his gaze swept across Roger, Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, and the others, sensing the undeniable powerful aura emanating from this group, understanding dawning.

For Inuarashi and Nekomamushi to follow them, and to travel with the Kozuki heir, these were no ordinary people.

"I am Sheehan of Mokomo Dukedom," he turned to Roger. Though the man looked carefree, his kingly bearing couldn't be ignored. "Welcome, all of you, to our country, the kingdom on Zunesha's back."

"Gu ha ha ha! I'm Gol D. Roger, a pirate!" Roger cheerfully extended his hand. "Sorry for the intrusion!"

At the king's invitation, the entire Roger Pirates crew climbed onto Zou.

The moment they set foot on this land, everyone was captivated by its unique culture.

The minks were naturally warm and hospitable, full of curiosity about these outsiders, especially the never-before-seen Kozuki Oden and human crew members.

"Garchu!"

An adorable rabbit mink girl pounced on Shanks, giving him a big hug and affectionately nuzzling his cheek.

"Wow! So soft!" Shanks cried out in delight.

"Damn it! Why not me!" Buggy stomped his feet in jealousy.

Sheehan hosted everyone at a banquet in the great Whale Forest.

At the feast, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi vividly recounted their adventures following Oden to sea and later joining the Roger Pirates.

The minks listened spellbound, periodically erupting in exclamations and cheers.

After a few rounds of drinks, Roger got straight to the point: "Your Majesty, we came for a Poneglyph. We heard there's a red Road Poneglyph on this island."

At the mention of "Poneglyph," the king's expression grew serious. He fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

"That's right. That stone has been guarded by us minks for generations. Since you're guests brought by someone from the Kozuki family, we have no reason to refuse."

He stood up and personally led Roger, Rayleigh, and Kozuki Oden toward the depths of the Whale Tree.

Kyle, Scopper Gaban, and the others remained behind, continuing to enjoy the banquet.

Inside the Whale Tree was an enormous hollow space.

A bright red cubic boulder covered in ancient text stood quietly in the center, radiating an ancient and mysterious aura.

The fourth Road Poneglyph!

"Finally... finally we've collected them all!" Roger stared at the red stone before him, his eyes bursting with unprecedented brilliance. He reached out as if he could touch the outline of that final island.

Kozuki Oden was equally thrilled. He hurried forward and began deciphering the text.

Just then, Oden suddenly noticed a familiar pattern on the wall beside the monument.

"This is... our Kozuki family crest!" Oden exclaimed in shock.

The king stepped forward with a proud smile: "That's right. Since ancient times, the Kozuki family and us minks have been brothers. This crest is proof of the covenant between us."

The legend... was true!

Kozuki Oden's heart surged.

That forgotten history his father spoke of had just been confirmed in this moment.

When Oden finished making a rubbing of the final Road Poneglyph and integrated its information with the previous three, a precise set of coordinates finally appeared before the world!

Where the four points converged, the legendary final island was no longer an unreachable dream!

"Set sail!" Roger raised all four rubbings high, his voice echoing throughout the Whale Tree, filled with unshakable determination. "Men! Let's hold a celebration feast, and then go find this world's final treasure!"

"Yeah!!!"

The crew's cheers seemed to make even the massive Zunesha tremble.