One Piece: With Sign-in System-Chapter 170 - : Zou, Carrot and the Cat Viper Leader

A colossal elephant, one that had survived for a thousand years, marched steadily through the vast ocean.

Upon its massive back lay the legendary phantom island—Zou.

As Ron returned to Zou, he was surprised to find that Kuina and the others had already formed friendships with the island's residents—the Mink Tribe.

"You must be the captain of Kuina and her crew, right? You're also one of those rare hairless folk, huh?"

A cheerful voice sounded beside him.

Ron turned to see a girl with fluffy white fur, long rabbit ears twitching as she curiously sniffed at him.

"My name's Carrot! What's yours?"

Ron's eyes flickered slightly.

Carrot? So this is her?

Before he could respond, Robin took out a bright orange carrot and dangled it in front of Carrot's eyes.

"Carrot, look at this."

The moment Carrot spotted the vegetable, her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"A carrot! My favorite!"

She instantly forgot about Ron and pounced toward Robin, eager to claim her prize.

With Carrot momentarily distracted, Robin and Kuina stepped closer to Ron, eager to hear about his journey to Wano.

Ron's response was casual, "I didn't do much... just took out King in front of Kaido, had a little fight with him, and, well, destroyed their entire Beast Pirates headquarters."

His relaxed tone made it sound effortless.

Robin and the others exchanged glances, momentarily speechless.

Ron shifted his gaze toward them.

"What about you? Any conflicts with the Mink Tribe?"

"Not really," Bonney replied, spreading her hands. "At first, they thought we were intruders, so we had a little scuffle. But once we cleared up the misunderstanding and treated them to a meal, we became friends."

She still didn't quite understand how it all happened—it all felt a bit surreal.

"Yeah, and one of the rulers of this place, Cat Viper, even said he'd get someone to help us repair our ship."

Conis smiled sweetly at Ron. "The people here seem really easygoing."

"Cat Viper Boss isn't that easygoing," Carrot muttered through a mouthful of carrot. "It's just that your food was too delicious. And that drink you call 'alcohol'—he loves it!"

Robin chuckled and looked at Ron. "That's about the gist of it."

"What's your plan next, Ron?" Kuina asked.

"I haven't decided yet. For now, let's just focus on getting the ship repaired."

Thus, the crew settled down in this nation of the Mink Tribe, a place with hundreds of years of history, known as Mokomo Dukedom.

Carrot stuck to them like glue, spending most of her time with the group.

On the second day after Ron's return to Zou, a massive feline figure appeared before him.

"Kid, so you're their boss, huh?"

The speaker was an enormous cat with sharp fangs, a pipe dangling from his mouth. He wore a robe covered in circular patterns, his thick mane framing his face, and a long, striped tail swayed behind him.

Ron tilted his head slightly, his eyes still closed.

"That's right. What do you need from me?"

Cat Viper locked his gaze onto the black-haired youth standing before him.

There was an elusive yet undeniable danger radiating from Ron.

His instincts screamed at him—

This human... was not to be trifled with!

"I'll say this upfront," Cat Viper spoke in a deep, warning tone. "You and your crew can stay in Mokomo Dukedom, but under no circumstances are you allowed to step foot in the Whale Forest on the western side. That place is forbidden. Anyone who trespasses will be considered an enemy of the Mink Tribe."

His golden eyes remained fixed on Ron, waiting for his response.

But the next moment, a faint, almost playful smile appeared on Ron's face.

"That might be a problem."

Cat Viper's eyes narrowed.

Ron continued nonchalantly, "There's something in that forest that interests me."

A chilling glint flashed in Cat Viper's eyes. His fur bristled.

"In that case... you are an enemy!"

The instant those words left his mouth—

Swish!

With lightning speed, Cat Viper swung his massive, razor-sharp claws straight at Ron.

Five claws slashed through the air, slicing toward Ron with deadly force!

But before they could reach their target—

Clang!

A single hand caught his paw. Firmly.

An overwhelming force surged from Ron's grip, stopping the attack in its tracks.

Cat Viper's pupils contracted violently.

How...?

The members of the Guardians standing beside Cat Viper immediately reacted, drawing their weapons and lunging at Ron.

Schwing!

Kuina's Wado Ichimonji slid out an inch from its sheath.

"Stand down."

Ron's calm voice drifted into her and Conis' ears before they could make a move.

The next second—

A terrifying aura erupted from Ron's lean frame, rippling through the air like an invisible tidal wave.

Compared to Cat Viper's towering build, Ron's body seemed slim, almost unimposing—

But at that moment, the entire battlefield froze.

Cat Viper's expression changed instantly.

In that single instant—he understood.

"STOP!!"

His thunderous roar rang out across the scene.

The Guardians immediately halted, their weapons freezing mere inches from Ron.

At that same moment—

Carrot, who had been happily munching on a carrot while Robin gently patted her head, perked up at the sudden shift in atmosphere.

She blinked in confusion.

"Boss Cat Viper? What's wrong?"

Cat Viper remained silent, his forehead beading with cold sweat.

That aura...

That pressure...

He had felt it before—years ago, in the presence of monsters.

At that moment, he knew with absolute certainty—

This human was not someone he could defeat.

Even if he teamed up with "that dog"...

Even if they fought together...

They still wouldn't stand a chance.

Ron smiled at him and released his grip on his paw.

"Smart call," he said lightly. "I'd expect no less from a former retainer of Kozuki Oden. Looks like your time aboard Whitebeard and Roger's ships wasn't wasted."

Cat Viper's breath hitched. His pupils shrank.

"You... who the hell are you?! How do you know about all that?!"

Ron turned away, heading toward Bonney, who was busy tossing meat and vegetables into a steaming hot pot.

"The food's almost ready," he said lazily. "Let's talk over a meal."

The rich aroma of simmering broth filled the air, drifting toward the stunned Cat Viper.

"Boss Cat Viper," someone called his name hesitantly.

The members of the Guardians turned to look at Cat Viper.

He stared at Ron in silence for a few seconds before stepping forward.

Without saying a word, he walked over and sat down across from Ron, right beside the steaming hot pot.

"Alright," he said. "Let me hear what you have to say."

Ron smiled at his words, reaching over to pick up a bottle of liquor from beside him.

With a casual toss, he sent it flying toward Cat Viper.

The large mink caught it effortlessly.

"It's a Liquor from the Sabaody Archipelago. Give it a try," Ron said.

Cat Viper didn't hesitate. He popped open the bottle and took a large swig.

Ron took a sip from his own drink as well.

With his keen eyes, Cat Viper took note of the enormous jug in Ron's hand, filled to the brim with alcohol.

His gaze sharpened.

"How do you know about those things?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

Ron took another sip and smiled.

"I happened to hear about them."

"From who?"

"That," Ron replied lazily, "I can't tell you. But what I can tell you is that we aren't your enemies."

Cat Viper scoffed.

"Every villain says they're not a villain." He took another deep swig, his expression darkening. "Just like that damn Orochi who slithered his way into Kozuki's court."

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Ron chuckled softly.

"If we were the kind of people who came here to steal that thing for malicious reasons," he said, "do you really think we'd be sitting here drinking and chatting with you?"

His tone remained relaxed, almost playful—yet the confidence behind his words was unmistakable.

"You should understand by now, shouldn't you?" Ron continued, swirling the drink in his hand.

"Even if you and that dog duke of yours both entered Sulong Form, the two of you still wouldn't be able to stop me."

His voice was calm. Matter-of-fact.

But behind his words was an overwhelming presence—the unshakable assurance of a true powerhouse.

Cat Viper kept drinking in silence.

He didn't respond.

But deep down, he was shaken.

This human even knows about the Minks' Sulong transformation...

Just how much does he know?!

At that moment, Bonney checked on the bubbling hot pot and clapped her hands.

"The food's almost ready!" she called out. "Come on, everyone—gather around!"

Kuina sheathed her sword and walked over alongside Conis.

Robin, Enzo, and Carrot also joined them, settling in with eager anticipation.

A small group formed around the pot, taking their seats.

As for the members of the Guardians...

Well, no one had left a spot for them.

They could only stand far behind Cat Viper, watching from a distance.

The mouthwatering aroma of the hot pot filled the air, drifting toward them.

Their stomachs rumbled.

One by one, they swallowed hungrily.

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