Arceus's Pirate Journey

Chapter 287: Chapter 286: Moonstone

This was the decision of Hichugiskhan after the battle. Zeraora is a complete outsider, with no known ties to Zou, and no one in all of Zou could find any of his relatives.

Although he is a member of the Fur Race, he cannot become the King of Zou. However, Setsuna is different; she is a native of Zou. Even though she slipped out on her own at the age of seven, it doesn’t negate her origins.

Her father is a member of the Firearms Team and her mother is part of the Knights group. In Zou, they are known as having strong roots and good pedigree. Both of them are quite capable, and if they intend to live together, he can confidently hand over the throne of Zou to them.

The Duke system of Zou is quite interesting. In the generation of Hichugiskhan, he was the only king because he didn’t have any siblings as rivals at the time, hence there was only him.

If suitable, a dual monarchy is also possible. His plan is to have the two of them stay by his side, familiarize themselves with managing Zou, and undergo his assessment. As long as they’re deemed fit, they can smoothly succeed the throne.

”Lord Duke, this position is still too premature for us. We only came back for a visit this time and haven’t decided to stay here permanently; there are still plenty of things to do outside.”

In response to Hichugiskhan’s proposal, Setsuna did not agree. Being the King of Zou is not just about status and rights among the Fur Race; it bears more responsibility.

As the King of Zou, one must safeguard Zou’s security, which means they can’t leave Zou at will, and her adventures are not yet complete.

Although becoming the Duchess of Zou is her ideal, it is not the right time. Additionally, her aim is to use her own strength to earn Hichugiskhan’s recognition. Now it was clear he only made this proposal due to Zeraora’s power.

”I feel the same way; that noble master granted me a new life, and my tasks are not yet complete.”

In this context, Zeraora’s rebirth can be understood as power. His displayed strength far exceeds the scale of an ordinary member of the Fur Race, in Hichugiskhan’s view, it’s almost the expression of a power-wielder.

However, Setsuna had clearly stated that neither she nor Zeraora are power-wielders; they only obtained power for certain reasons.

Setsuna is simply not prepared to take on the responsibility, while Zeraora feels that accepting directly might seem inappropriate, giving an impression of ulterior motives.

”That would indeed be troublesome. I have already instructed the Firearms Team to strengthen the guard; it would be impossible for ordinary people to land on Zou like yesterday. But for such strong individuals...”

Seeing that these two young individuals had no intention of immediately accepting the throne and planned to continue traveling, Hichugiskhan found himself in a bind, as he couldn’t force someone to be king.

But Zeraora came up with a new idea; although he wasn’t planning to inherit the throne now, it didn’t mean he couldn’t earn favor. This was a golden opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.

”If entering the Moon Lion state is possible, then it shouldn’t be a problem, should it?”

”Of course, that’s the source of our strength, though it can only be used on a full moon night once a month.”

”In that case, I have an idea. Setsuna, I’ll go back first and return in a few days.”

”Alright.”

Bidding a temporary farewell to the Fur Race, Zeraora and the Thousand-Year Dragon returned to Wano Kuni. He needed to harness Arceus’s power.

...

”Why did you come back alone? Where’s Setsuna?”

”Lord Arceus, something happened in Zou recently...” He briefly explained the matters of Zou and the attitude of Hichugiskhan that followed.

”Too much is too much; I did not immediately accept his offer. Setsuna also has no immediate intention to stay in Zou, but I believe this is an opportunity to establish connections with Zou, using the power of the moon.”

Under the full moon’s illumination, the Fur Race can activate their internal power and enter the Moon Lion state. However, whether it’s a full moon or a new moon, the moon remains the same, only blocked by the planet’s shadow caused by its orbit.

Furthermore, clouds can cause the Fur Race to exit the Moon Lion state, so what they need is more powerful moonlight techniques.

An ordinary person can’t harness the moon’s power, but in the world of Pokemon, there is an item called the Moonstone. For some Pokemon, it is a kind of Evolution Stone, allowing them to evolve using the stone’s power.

However, Moonstones contain condensed moon power. They’ve tried it before, and Setsuna could enter the Moon Lion state even on a new moon or during daylight by holding a Moonstone, albeit consuming the stone’s power.

When the power within the stone is drained, it becomes an ordinary stone. Yet, for the Fur Race, it remains an exceptionally crucial strategic resource as it allows them to enter the Moon Lion state at any time.

Thanks to the operations of the World Government, Zeraora integrated into the Fur Race much faster than anticipated, leading to some plans being pushed forward.

That night, Arceus used the Pixie Plate to draw upon the moon’s power and the Stone Plate to gather a large amount of special stone blocks.

Under the guidance of the Plate’s power, the Moonlight Power almost materialized, continuously entering these stone blocks. The blocks varied in size, signifying differences in their power.

One by one, moon imprints appeared on the Moonstones, seemingly dimming that night’s moonlight considerably.

A large number of Moonstones were created in this manner. Subsequently, without resting, Zeraora brought the Moonstones created by Arceus back to Zou.

...

A few days later, the people of Zou saw the returning Zeraora, and nothing unusual happened during these few days.

Although the disappearance of the Life Cards from the CP Center indicated that these people had been annihilated, their team included a Logia-type user and a Paramecia-type ability user specifically countering the Fur Race. Whether to send more people or how to handle the situation, they needed time.

Then, Zeraora poured several hundred Moonstones onto the ground. In the world of Pokemon, just relying on these stones would be enough to build a fortune. Raising a Larvitar would be absolutely feasible.

”Is this what you’ve been looking for?”

Hichugiskhan looked at the stones brought back by Zeraora, somewhat perplexed, as they had never seen Moonstones before.

But Setsuna recognized them, as she was the one who had tested this power initially.

”These are... Moonstones?! Yes, with these stones, there’s no problem! Lord Duke, these are treasures to the Fur Race.”

Saying this, she demonstrated the use of the stone to Hichugiskhan. As she held the stone, her fur began to expand and grow, then right in front of Hichugiskhan, she transformed into the Moon Lion during daylight...