Drum Kingdom, inside the royal palace.
In front of King Wapol was a large spread of delicious cooked meat. Holding a small knife, he gently inserted its tip into the meat and then took a bite.
Crunch, crunch—
Not only the cooked meat but also the blade of the knife was bitten off and swallowed, an expression of immense satisfaction on his face, as if it were the most delicious thing in the world.
The king of Drum Kingdom, Wapol, was a user of the Munch-Munch Fruit, capable of swallowing any object and turning it into a part of his body. He was the mastermind behind the "Doctor 20" policy.
"Hahaha... I hear that many people have been begging me for the 'Doctor 20' to treat them this month. How are the national tax revenues for the month?"
As he swallowed the knife in his hand, he asked the two men beside him.
One was the staff officer of Drum Kingdom, Chess, a man with wavy, thick lips and long arms. He used a bow and arrow and was an expert archer, capable of hitting a target with three arrows at once.
"Reporting to Your Majesty the King, this month's revenue has reached a historic high, double that of the previous month. Congratulations!!" he reported with a smile, presenting the astounding results.
"That's right, Lord Wapol. Under your leadership, Drum Kingdom will surely rise to new heights. Only by firmly controlling the people can we truly seize the initiative! Politics doesn't require heart; the system is what's most important. The 'Doctor 20' is the system that will lead us to the peak."
The other man was Kuromarimo, an executive of Drum Kingdom, a man with an afro and a beard who wore boxing gloves and primarily attacked with electrified hairballs. He was also one of Wapol's followers.
The exile of the doctors and the "Doctor 20" policy would never have succeeded so easily without these two fanning the flames.
"So, my policy was correct after all. If we continue to develop like this, Drum Kingdom will become even stronger... As I thought, Dad's way of governing the country was no good! Hahahahaha!!"
Wapol laughed heartily, not feeling that there was anything wrong with his actions.
In the royal palace, there was a fourth person present, named Dalton, the captain of the Drum Kingdom's Royal Guard and a user of the Ox-Ox Fruit. He had a heart that truly cared for the people.
Because the previous king of Drum Kingdom, Wapol's father, was a wise ruler who governed Drum Kingdom in an orderly fashion and even developed it into the renowned "Great Medical Nation," Dalton had tolerated Wapol time and again, hoping he would show some promise.
But now, it seemed Wapol was heading in the complete opposite direction.
"Your Majesty, I feel this is improper... The 'Doctor 20' policy is a mistake. It has severely damaged communication with the people. I do not believe that controlling the people by threatening the sick is the right course of action!!"
"It may seem that tax revenues are rising now, but that is only because the people are being threatened. In reality, the populace is living in misery. We must reform. If this continues... Drum Kingdom will face a destiny of destruction."
"What did you say, Dalton!"
Dalton's words instantly made Wapol's expression turn cold, and he reprimanded him in a harsh tone.
"Do you think I'm not governing well? I am the king! This country is my possession... Hahahaha, only a king who has the country in his grasp is a true king. Controlling medical technology means controlling the lifeline of the people, doesn't it?"
Hearing this, Dalton's face was filled with horror, and his heart grew cold with despair.
It was hopeless! This country was hopeless. If things continued like this, the future awaiting Drum Kingdom was absolute destruction.
Due to Wapol's "Doctor 20" policy, there had been popular uprisings in many places.
For a king to force his people into submission by monopolizing and controlling medical technology was not something a king should do.
More importantly, the king controlled the "Doctor 20" to serve only himself.
A tyrant! A devil!!
Then, in an instant!
A golden ship silently docked above the royal palace. The Hero-King's calm, ruby-red eyes swept over the scene below, and he then scoffed.
"Until the end of time, every inch of this world is this king's garden. And this king's garden will not tolerate such filth..."
The next moment!
A golden ripple slowly appeared, forming a vortex.
From the vortex, a golden treasure instantly shot out.
With a loud boom.
The palace instantly exploded, the entire roof blown away. The invincible treasure blasted unstoppably towards the throne below.
"To dare act so wantonly in this king's land is a capital offense!!!"