Under the sunlight, the Straw Hat's boisterous laughter added a touch of vitality to the dilapidated Zou.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi stood to the side, their gazes meeting, complex emotions swirling in their eyes—a sense of Feeling from years of experience and an ineffable excitement in that moment.
They raised their hands, slowly wiping away the tears that streamed down their faces.
Inuarashi and Nekomamushi straightened their bodies, exuding an awe-inspiring aura as they turned to face Kin'emon and Kanjuro, their voices firm and powerful, echoing in the wind for a long time:
"Kin'emon, Kanjuro, this is the continuation of Lord Oden's will (Snake Snake does not acknowledge it), the master that we, the Nine Red Scabbards, have always upheld and collectively recognized throughout the long years—Lord Kozuki Orochimaru!"
These words were like a giant stone cast into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand ripples.
Kin'emon and Kanjuro's bodies trembled violently, their eyes flashing with shock and disbelief. They stared intently at the Kozuki Orochimaru before them, as if trying to find the shadows of Lord Oden and Lady Toki in him.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment; everyone held their breath, waiting for their response.
Unlike Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, who were unaware of the outside world, Kin'emon and Kanjuro, who had traveled with Orochimaru for several months, knew of Orochimaru's strength—he was a great pirate of the seas.
He was a figure no less impressive than Lord Oden.
Finally, Kin'emon's eyes reddened. He knelt on one knee, his right hand clenched into a fist and heavily pounded his chest, his voice trembling slightly yet filled with determination:
"Your subordinate Kin'emon bows to Lord Orochimaru! I am willing to go through fire and water for you, without hesitation!"
Kanjuro also knelt on one knee, his expression, however, carried a hint of fanaticism—this was the lord he truly wished to follow:
"Kanjuro is willing to follow Lord Orochimaru!"
Seeing this, Inuarashi waved his hand. The members of the Mink Tribe, like a black torrent, knelt down in unison, their movements strong and powerful. Immediately after, they leaned forward, their foreheads lightly touching the ground, performing the highest bow.
That bowing posture was the most sincere respect for their lord, not only stemming from Orochimaru's identity but also an acknowledgment of Orochimaru saving their king.
"Welcome back, Lord Orochimaru!"
The deafening shouts soared into the sky, echoing continuously between the sea and the heavens.
Luffy and the others, who had been frolicking, also quieted down. They silently watched the scene unfolding before them, not expressing any dissatisfaction with this sudden turn of events.
On the contrary, a smile played on Luffy's lips. In his heart, it was naturally a good thing for more people to treat Orochimaru well.
Orochimaru's gaze slowly swept over everyone, finally resting on Inuarashi and Nekomamushi's slightly weathered faces, a ripple stirring in his heart.
He sighed softly: "Inuarashi, Nekomamushi... Tadaima (I'm home)."
Hearing Orochimaru's "I'm home," the emotions that Nekomamushi and Inuarashi had accumulated for years instantly broke free.
Tears uncontrollably gushed from their eyes, blurring their vision.
Nekomamushi was the first to move, rushing towards Orochimaru with an agility unsuited to his massive size.
Nekomamushi's eyes were instantly blurred with tears, and a long-suppressed, tearful "Meow-ow" escaped his throat. His thick, powerful arms, now trembling, eagerly wrapped tightly around Orochimaru, as if fearing that if he let go, the person before him would disappear.
His body trembled violently, rubbing against Orochimaru, his voice filled with grievance and longing:
"Meow-ow... Meow-ow... Lord Orochimaru, you're finally back! We missed you so much, meow-ow..." Years of waiting and anticipation transformed into hot tears at this moment, soaking Orochimaru's clothes.
Each "meow-ow" was laden with countless days and nights of longing, recounting the years of steadfastness in solitude.
Nekomamushi's stout body tightly embraced Orochimaru, with such strength that it seemed he wanted to embed him into his own body.
Orochimaru's face turned red, buried in the fur, his breathing became rapid. He struggled to extend an arm from Nekomamushi's embrace, gesturing towards Luffy and the others nearby, his voice weak but urgent: "Help... help..."
Seeing this, Inuarashi quickly stepped forward, using both hands to pull Orochimaru out of Nekomamushi's arms and shield him behind him.
He glared at Nekomamushi with furrowed brows and angrily scolded: "You old cat demon! Didn't you see you scared Lord Orochimaru? Look at yourself now, do you still think you're a little kitten?!"
Nekomamushi was stunned by the shout, then glared back at Inuarashi, "You shut up, do you think you, this filthy old dog, are any better?"
"Shut up!"
A certain "scared" Orochimaru, expressionless, took the towel Robin handed him and wiped his face, his voice somewhat cold, "So, are Big Mom's people lost?"
The cat and dog paused at Orochimaru's words, then, as if in a huff, they puffed up and exchanged angry glances, letting out a heavy "Hmph," and simultaneously turned their heads away haughtily.
Inuarashi's furry ears twitched slightly. He secretly glanced at Nekomamushi, who had also turned away and stood with a perfectly straight back, then looked at the thoroughly disgusted Orochimaru. His heart felt like a spilled seasoning bottle, with various flavors intertwined.
He pondered for a moment, then finally took the initiative to speak: "Truce, old cat. If we keep arguing... Lord Orochimaru will get angry, after all, he's always found us annoying since he was little ó ᆺ ó."
As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding air seemed to quiet down a bit. Nekomamushi's ears also twitched. Although he still didn't turn around, his tense body noticeably relaxed a little.
Nekomamushi heard Inuarashi's words and instinctively glanced at him. He raised his hand, about to bring his pipe to his mouth for a puff, but his movement suddenly froze.
As if suddenly remembering Orochimaru's aversion to the smell of smoke, his expression shifted slightly. He then pretended nonchalance, flicked his arm, and tossed his beloved pipe far into a corner.
"I'm only talking to you for the sake of our lord," Nekomamushi rasped, his tone a bit stiff and uncomfortable, seemingly trying to maintain his stubborn dignity.
Inuarashi's mouth twitched slightly, and he retorted, unwilling to be outdone: "Hmph, as if I'm so eager to talk to you!"
Despite their words, their gazes met in the air, then both simultaneously gave each other a disgusted side-eye. After that, as if reaching some unspoken agreement, they both abruptly turned, each extending a paw, and firmly clasped them together.
Witnessing Inuarashi and Nekomamushi's paws clasped together, the surrounding Mink Tribe members erupted in a chorus of exclamations.
Some Mink Tribe members had tears in their eyes, filled with emotion: "We've waited so many years, and finally, we see them reconcile!"
The younger generation of the Mink Tribe, though not fully aware of the long-standing conflict between the cat and dog, were also infected by the atmosphere of reconciliation and jumped with excitement.
On Zou Island, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were the kings of day and night respectively, and their prolonged conflict had long worried their tribesmen.
Now, seeing them put aside their past grievances, the tribesmen's faces bloomed with genuine smiles, whispering softly: "The kings of day and night have finally reconciled. Lord Orochimaru is so amazing. This is simply a miracle!"
Just then, Zunesha seemed to sense this rare harmony and joy as well.
It slowly raised its long trunk, spraying a powerful gush of seawater towards Zou Island.
The fine droplets of water, refracted by the sunlight, transformed into a shimmering mist.
In an instant, a dazzling rainbow spanned the entire Zou Island, extending from one end of the island to the other.
Reflected in the rainbow, Zou Island seemed to be draped in a dreamlike veil, every inch of land bathed in brilliant light.
"How beautiful!"
Everyone looked up in unison. Congratulations, Coca-Cola, a world where only Momonosuke was hurt was achieved.
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