At the highest structure of Thriller Bark, Moria sat lazily upon his enormous sofa, grinning as he looked down at the two "corpses" lying on the floor.
"Zehahahaha~"
"I just love strong shadows."
As he spoke, he picked up the Straw Hat Pirates' bounty posters and examined them one by one.
"This one's Pirate Hunter Zoro… and this one is—"
"Hm?"
"Who's this blond guy supposed to be?"
Staring at the extremely abstract sketch on the bounty poster, a question mark practically popped up over Moria's head.
He lowered his gaze toward Sanji lying on the ground.
"…This guy?"
"But he doesn't look anything like the drawing."
The difference was way too big.
If anything, the man on the floor looked far better.
"Lord Moria," the mouse–spider zombie said, "among the Straw Hat Pirates, only this one has blond hair."
"We observed them from the shadows. He's the only match."
"Oh? Then it must be him."
Moria nodded.
As for why the drawing looked so ridiculous—
that wasn't his problem.
After all, it was just material for a shadow.
He casually tossed the bounty aside and waved his hand.
"Same as usual. Throw them back."
"Yes!"
The mouse zombies snickered as they lifted the two "bodies" and quickly vanished.
"How's Absalom doing?" Moria asked.
"After Dr. Hogback's treatment, Lord Absalom is no longer in mortal danger," the squirrel zombie replied.
"But when he'll regain consciousness… that's still unclear."
"I see…"
Moria frowned.
To knock Absalom unconscious—
this pirate crew truly was formidable.
A crew whose combined bounties exceeded one billion Beli was no joke.
After a moment of thought, Moria spoke again.
"Summon Hogback and Perona."
"I intend to activate Zombie Number 900."
Straw Hat Luffy's bounty was 420 million Beli—
his shadow would be more than enough to drive Oars, that monstrous corpse!!
As for that ninja…
"Hmph. I'll collect interest from him first."
"Dr. Hogback is already on his way," the squirrel zombie said.
"He asked us to inform you in advance."
"As for Lady Perona—"
Before he could finish, cheerful laughter echoed through the hall.
"Horahorahora~"
"Lord Moria, I'm here~"
Upon hearing Perona's voice, a kindly smile appeared on Moria's face—
though he quickly restrained it, remembering his image.
He waved the squirrel zombie away and said:
"Perfect timing, Perona."
"Come witness the resurrection of Number 900 with me."
"Zehahahaha!"
"Horahorahora~"
"Okay, Lord Moria~"
Perona floated down, smiling sweetly.
Then her gaze fell upon the bounty posters on the table—
and her expression slowly turned serious.
"Before that… I need to report something important."
"Hm?"
"Go on."
Seeing her so solemn made Moria curious.
The little girl he'd practically raised like a daughter was usually carefree—
why was she suddenly this serious?
"You already know there's a ninja in the Straw Hat crew, right?" Perona said.
As she spoke, she pulled out Jin's bounty poster and placed it before him.
Moria glanced at it and nodded.
"Of course I know."
That was exactly why he'd lost his temper earlier.
This man was very likely a ninja from Wano!
"Lord Moria, you absolutely must not underestimate him!" Perona said seriously.
"His strength is terrifying."
"Oh?"
"And how so?" Moria asked with a light chuckle.
Seeing that he didn't seem to take it seriously, Perona frowned.
"Please take this seriously, Lord Moria."
"Alright, alright—I'm listening," he said helplessly.
The squirrel zombie nearby silently complained inwardly:
You really spoil her…
If any of us talked like that, we'd be flattened.
"I'm not joking," Perona continued.
"He can spew unbelievably terrifying flames in an instant."
"The temperature is so high it can even melt the armor of the zombie generals."
"Flames…?"
Moria's expression slowly darkened.
The ninjas he'd encountered before never had abilities like that.
The ones from Wano mostly relied on strange tools.
But this man…
Fire?
"Is it… Fire Release?" Moria muttered.
"Yes!" Perona nodded quickly.
"The flames spread instantly and covered a massive area."
"The zombie generals you awakened earlier…"
Her voice trembled.
"They were all killed."
"…All dead?!"
Moria shot to his feet.
His heart felt like it was bleeding.
Those generals were his accumulated assets over many years!
"Yes. Every general sent to the animal zombie park was destroyed."
Moria froze—then slowly sat back down.
"That batch, huh…"
"I split them into two groups," he explained.
"Only about half went to your area."
Still—
losing even half made his chest ache.
That damned ninja!
"Even if half survived, it doesn't matter," Perona said quietly.
"If they run into him, they'll just be burned to death anyway."
That terrifying Fire Release could kill John and the others—
it could certainly kill the rest.
"…That is troublesome," Moria muttered.
A ninja capable of Fire Release was a natural enemy of zombies.
Damn it—did Kaido send this guy to mess with me on purpose?!
Was that bastard sabotaging him because he knew about the zombie experiments?!
Gritting his teeth, Moria said:
"Don't worry, Perona."
"If necessary, I'll handle him personally."
A ninja with Fire Release was dangerous—
but not unbeatable.
A mere 400 million bounty was still beneath his notice.
"Yes, Lord Moria."
Perona finally relaxed.
If Moria personally intervened, then the problem would be solved.
After all—
he was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
At that moment, a spider zombie rushed in carrying a large box.
"Bastards! Let me go!!" Luffy shouted angrily from inside.
He'd been charging toward the rear courtyard when something suddenly bound him completely.
Clack!
The lid opened.
Luffy blinked at the light.
"Finally! I can see again!"
He tried to jump out—
but his legs caught on the box.
Thud!
He faceplanted hard.
Perona twitched.
"…And who is this?"
"Lady Perona," the mouse–spider zombie laughed,
"this is Straw Hat Luffy—the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates."
"Then why is he wearing a zombie general's armor?"
"…I don't know," the zombie admitted awkwardly.
They'd watched him put it on—
but had no idea why.
"You wouldn't understand!" Luffy shouted proudly.
"This is a man's romance!!"
Perona: "..."
Sorry—she really didn't.
"A man's romance…"
Moria's eyes flickered with nostalgia—
before Kaido's image intruded and darkened his expression.
"Hang him up."
"Yes!"
The mouse zombies rushed forward.
"You think I'll let you?!"
Luffy roared and began wriggling across the floor like a caterpillar—
surprisingly fast.
"Grab him!"
"Yeah!"
They chased him in chaos.
"Hm?"
At that moment, Hogback arrived at the doorway.
"…What is that thing?"
He stared in confusion at the squirming Luffy.
"That's Straw Hat Luffy," Cindry said coldly.
"Can't you see the straw hat?"
"…Oh."
"…EH?!"
"Straw Hat Luffy?!"
Hogback nearly jumped.
That thing was the infamous Straw Hat?!
"Since you're here," Moria said,
"how long until Absalom wakes up?"
"With his physique, definitely within a day," Hogback replied.
"But I request permission to… adjust his brain."
"Otherwise, he might get beaten again because of his lustful habits."
"Zehahahaha, don't be so strict," Moria waved him off.
"Everyone has bad habits."
"This time was just unfortunate."
"Any crew with over a billion Beli total bounty would be dangerous."
Even he hadn't expected that.
"…Very well," Hogback sighed.
"Zehahahaha! Even if Absalom can't attend, no need to wait any longer!"
Moria stood up.
"It's time to activate Zombie Number 900!"
"Oh!"
"Finally?!"
Hogback's eyes shone with excitement.
He'd personally modified that corpse—
its body was monstrously powerful.
With Luffy's shadow added…
it would become an absolute monster.
"That's right!" Moria laughed wildly.
"With this, I'm one step closer to becoming Pirate King!"
Those words triggered something in Luffy.
He suddenly stopped wriggling and shouted:
"The one who'll become Pirate King is ME!!"
He struggled upright and kicked two mouse zombies away.
"You fat garlic-head! I'll never give that spot to you!"
"…Fat garlic-head?!"
Every zombie froze in horror.
But Moria only sneered.
"You're a prisoner, brat."
"Where do you get the confidence to say that?"
"I'll defeat you!" Luffy declared.
Then he immediately dropped back down—
and resumed crawling toward the exit.
If he couldn't fight now, he'd escape first.
"That's enough."
Perona sighed.
"Negative Hollow!"
Several small ghosts flew out.
"Oh no—again—!"
Before Luffy could finish, they passed straight through him.
"…Ugh…"
His spirit instantly collapsed.
"I'm sorry… in my next life… I want to be a sea worm…"
Hogback: "..."
The man who just claimed he'd become Pirate King now wanted to be a sea worm?
Perona's Devil Fruit really was terrifying.
"Horahorahora~"
She laughed proudly.
Except for that terrifying ninja—
everyone else was just her toy.
At that moment, Kumashi hurried in, looking flustered.
"Oh? You're back already?" Perona asked cheerfully.
"I told you to notify the others to gather the pirates' treasure—did you do it?"
"Mm-mm!"
"Don't talk, Kumashi!" Perona snapped.
"That's not cute!"
Kumashi: "..."
"…Good, much cuter now~" she said happily.
"Come—let's witness Number 900's birth together."
She floated back beside Moria.
Kumashi shuffled after her, wanting desperately to report something—
but Perona scolded him again.
"Don't interrupt me!"
"…Yes…"
"Don't talk!"
Kumashi: "..."
Hogback sighed.
"You're too harsh on him."
"He's my subordinate!" Perona snapped.
Kumashi's voice wasn't cute—
that was unacceptable.
Hogback fell silent.
Meanwhile, Kumashi was on the verge of tears.
Because several people were hidden inside his body—
and he desperately wanted to warn his master.
But he wasn't allowed to speak.
Inside Kumashi—
"…We've wandered into a seriously dangerous place," Nami whispered.
After separating from Jin, they'd been fleeing—
until they hid inside Kumashi to escape another zombie group.
"Keep your voices down."
"I know!"
"I think I just heard Luffy's voice…"
They carefully unzipped Kumashi's back and peeked out—
only to see a horrifying scene.
Luffy was hanging in midair.
Moria tore his shadow from the floor—
and snipped it off with scissors.
Snip!
"Ugh…"
Luffy's head drooped—he lost consciousness.
The four of them went pale.
"Lu—!"
Usopp instantly covered Merry's mouth and dragged her back inside.
"Don't make a sound."
Moria laughed madly.
"With this, Oars can finally be revived!"
"Lord Moria," the mouse zombie asked,
"what should we do with Straw Hat?"
"Same as the others," Moria grinned.
"Throw him back onto their ship."
"Don't let them die."
"Otherwise, the shadows disappear."
Zehahahaha~
The mouse zombies carried Luffy away through the tunnel.
Usopp clenched his fists.
"So Zoro and Sanji too…"
At least—
they wouldn't die.
That meant there was still hope.
"Merry… should I summon Jin now?" Merry whispered.
"No," Usopp replied firmly.
"We regroup first."
"Nami's right."
If Jin were summoned now, he'd immediately fight Moria head-on—
and no one knew what would happen.
Better to gather everyone first.
"Usopp—get smoke bombs ready."
"Got it."
Moria, holding Luffy's shadow, laughed as he walked.
"Let's go—to the freezer."
His footsteps faded.
Below, the massive sealed corpse awaited—
the legendary continent-puller, Oars.
Seeing it, Nami and the others trembled.
"T-this thing…"
"…What is that?!"
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