"Report, Captain! The intel was accurate — it's this kid with two swords. He really does have the power to threaten the kingdom!"
The subordinate standing beside Dalton snapped to attention and answered with utmost respect.
"And what about the one with the hat?" Dalton pointed to Law and asked.
All of his subordinates shook their heads. They had no clue where Law came from.
Dalton was silent for a moment.
In truth, he didn't want to arrest Lin Mo and Law.
After all, he hadn't seen Lin Mo's powers firsthand. He wasn't even sure if the boy truly possessed the strength to crush bullets with his bare hands.
Wapol had only recently become king of Drum Kingdom, but he'd already issued countless unfair edicts that left the citizens of the island grumbling in resentment.
Anything that might threaten his rule — be it a person or an object — Wapol would demand it be eliminated immediately.
Even if the boy had no intention of destroying the island or opposing him, Wapol would still likely order his exile or execution.
"You two should leave. If you leave Drum Island now, I promise the innkeeper will be safe," Dalton said, unable to bring himself to hurt the two kids.
Law looked over at Lin Mo.
Lin Mo walked forward in silence.
Immediately, the surrounding guards raised their rifles and aimed them at him.
Lin Mo ignored them, walking past Dalton without hesitation.
Law grinned and followed close behind as the two made their way toward the castle ahead.
Dalton stood stunned as Lin Mo passed him, turning slowly to watch the two boys walk toward the fortress.
His subordinates, guns still raised, trailed two meters behind them with tense, wary steps.
When Lin Mo reached the castle gates, the doors swung open from within.
A grotesquely fat man with deep purple hair, an enormous mouth, and a cylindrical tin jawplate appeared, seated atop a massive, dopey-looking creature — a furry river hippo named Robson. He wore a steel-white hooded cloak and was surrounded by guards.
This was Wapol — the tyrant king of Drum Island.
Known as "Tin-Plate" Wapol was a Paramecia-type user of the Munch-Munch Fruit.
With his ability, he could eat anything and incorporate it into his own body or synthesize new objects. He could even eat himself and spit himself back out to become thinner.
The Munch-Munch Fruit was actually quite powerful — if used properly, its potential was immense.
Unfortunately, no matter how powerful a Devil Fruit might be, it was useless in the hands of a worthless user.
"Hm? Two brats?" Wapol looked down on Lin Mo and Law arrogantly from Robson's back, not bothering to distinguish which of them was the real threat. "Ahahaha! Doesn't matter who you are. Since you've come here, don't even think about leaving!"
He suddenly clapped his hands.
Immediately, his subordinates dragged out the innkeeper, his hands bound behind his back.
"You little punk! If you don't want this guy to die, stand there and don't move!" Wapol snarled. "Men! Kill those two brats! Ahahaha! Once they're dead, no one in this kingdom will dare oppose me again! Ahahaha!"
Seeing Lin Mo actually come, the innkeeper panicked. "Kid, run! Don't worry about me! You're still young — you can't die here!"
Lin Mo stared expressionlessly at Wapol.
The guards surrounded them, dozens of guns aimed directly at Lin Mo and Law.
Law smirked, raised a hand, and activated ROOM, engulfing the whole group in his spatial field.
"You don't need to do anything. I've got these guys handled," Law said calmly. With a flash, he vanished.
The soldiers widened their eyes in disbelief.
"Huh? Where'd he go? Where's the kid with the hat?!"
"How did he just disappear?"
In the next instant, Law appeared behind a few of the guards and unleashed Tact – Slaughterhouse, slicing off arms and legs in a single motion.
"Ahhh! My hand! My leg!"
"I'm gonna die! I'm gonna—huh? I'm still alive?"
"Oh god, he's a monster! That kid's a monster! Run!"
Those still intact turned and tried to flee.
But they were still inside Law's ROOM — and when it came to speed, none of them could match him.
Before they could escape the range of his spatial field, Law was already upon them. Every guard within ROOM was cut into pieces and left scattered across the ground — all still alive, but completely disabled.
"Eh?" Wapol's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What kind of power is this? It's terrifying!"
"Hmph," Law chuckled. "Don't worry — you're next."
He expanded ROOM, enclosing Wapol within it.
Then he blinked — and reappeared directly in front of the stunned king.
Before Wapol could react or escape, Law sliced him into countless segments.
"Ahhh! Your Majesty, are you alright?!" his subordinates cried.
Law chuckled and returned to Lin Mo's side. "What a joke. These clowns were way too easy."
Lin Mo walked forward silently.
At that moment—
Dalton transformed into a black bull using his Ox-Ox Fruit powers and blocked their path.
"I didn't want to fight you, but I'm still the captain of the royal guard. Even if the king is useless, I can't allow you to harm him," Dalton said grimly. "You two — leave this country immediately, or I will act."
Lin Mo didn't stop.
Just as when they'd first arrived from the bottom of the mountain, he ignored Dalton's warning and continued walking.
As he neared Dalton, the bull-man roared in frustration — despite his reluctance, he had no choice but to attack.
Dalton charged forward with tremendous force, aiming to send Lin Mo flying.
But Lin Mo effortlessly dodged all of Dalton's close-range assaults.
When he was within just three meters of the innkeeper — and Dalton was still stubbornly attacking — Lin Mo raised his hand.
With one clean blow to Dalton's chest, he sent the massive man flying over ten meters.
The black Haki around Lin Mo's fist slowly faded.
He walked up to the guard still holding the innkeeper.
Before he could say a word, the guard, shaking in fear, dropped the rope and stumbled backward.
Lin Mo silently untied the rope binding the innkeeper.
Now freed, the innkeeper's expression was one of total shock. "You—Lin Mo—you really sent Captain Dalton flying with one hit? My god, was everything they said true? Are you really that strong?"