"Really, Porche?" Luffy asked as he tilted his head.
Porche nodded. "I think so. I only read about it in the newspaper when it was announced. He was officially named one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea," she replied.
Franky raised an eyebrow. "What's a guy like that doing out here?" he asked.
The old man limped forward. "I don't know his reason but there are others like me. Victims. Lost souls wandering this forest, hiding from the zombies," he responded.
Zoro narrowed his eyes. "There are others?" he asked.
"Yes," the old man said. "And since you were invited here. It's likely Moria has his eyes on you too," he added. He dropped to his knees, trembling. "Before I die… just once… I want to walk in the sun again," he said as tears streamed down his face.
Franky's lip quivered. "That's horrible… I'll help you. I'm not crying," he said as he sniffled loudly.
"You're too soft," Zoro muttered.
"Seriously," Sanji added as he rolled his eyes.
Luffy clenched his fist. "We were already looking for the guy stealing shadows. If he's targeting us too, then we'll kick his ass, and help you out while we're at it," he said.
From behind a tree, another voice called out. "Please do it. We'd be grateful."
Sanji turned. "You were eavesdropping?" he said.
"Let's go," Luffy said as he led the crew towards the mansion.
As they walked, the sky darkened and rain began to pour.
"It's coming down hard," Sanji said as he shielded his cigarette.
"Shouldn't we head inside?" Franky asked.
Luffy paused, looking up. "Wait… I see something," he said.
A massive shape loomed behind the mansion. "Is that a mark?" Luffy asked.
"A flag?" Zoro guessed.
"No… wait. That's not a flag," Franky said. He squinted his eyes to get a closer look. "It's a sail," he said.
"A sail?" Sanji echoed.
The old man reappeared. "Yes. It's a sail," he responded.
The crew turned to him. "You're still following us?" he asked.
He nodded. "Thriller Bark isn't an island. It's the world's largest ship. That sail you see behind the mansion… that's its mast. And Moria? He's somewhere inside," he said.
Meanwhile, deep within the mansion, Usopp, Chopper, and Nami crept down a dim corridor. The candlelights casted long shadows on the walls.
A sudden laugh echoed through the hall.
"What was that?" Usopp whispered.
"It sounded like a laugh," Nami replied. She narrowed her eyes.
"It must be Doctor Hogback," Chopper said with a smile on his face. They approached a half-open door and peeked inside.
Inside there was a laboratory. There were cylinders filled with glowing liquid lining the walls. A stretcher lay at the center, holding a body stitched together and wrapped in bandages. Beside it stood Doctor Hogback, hunched over his workbench.
"My magnificent creation… look, Cindry," Hogback said as he gestured proudly. "This is art," he added.
Cindry stood beside the Hogback. Her expression was blank. She was holding a container. "I've made dinner," she said.
"Oh? What's on the menu tonight?" Hogback asked.
"Soup spaghetti," she replied as she poured it directly onto the table.
"Careful, it's spilling," Hogback said as he flinched.
"I wish plates were extinct," Cindry muttered coldly.
From their hiding spot, Nami stared at Cindry. She thought was this, the same girl that died in that stage accident.
Usopp pointed. "Is that a corpse on the table?" he asked.
"With that skin tone, it's definitely not alive," Chopper said. "And look, it has a number tattoo, just like the zombies in the graveyard," he added.
"Then Hogback must be the one reanimating these corpses," Nami said.
"But medicine only works on the living," Chopper whispered. "Even with the best care, this shouldn't be possible," he added.
"We cane keep watching," Usopp said. "Maybe we'll learn how he's doing it," he added.
Suddenly, a voice behind them. "Yohohohooo… How do you do?" they heard.
They turned and froze.
A tall figure loomed behind them. He was wrapped in bandages. His skull-like face was missing eyes and a nose. He wore a samurai gi, a swirling blue sash around his waist, and a sword at his hip. His mouth was partially covered by a scarf.
"If you want a better look, you should just go inside," he said.
Usopp's eyes widened. "That laugh…"
"Brook?" Chopper gasped.
The trio burst through the doors. They tumbled into Hogback's lab.
"Who's there?" Hogback snapped. HHe turned to look to see Nami, Chopper and Usopp. "It's you three," he said as he stepped forward.
"They found us," Usopp, Nami, and Chopper shouted in unison. They scrambled backward.
"We didn't see anything," Chopper insisted.
"Especially not zombie-making," Usopp added.
"Don't say that!" Nami hissed.
Hogback chuckled darkly. "It doesn't matter what you've seen. It's already too late," he said. "The night attack will begin," he added.
"Night attack?" Nami asked.
"You'll see," Hogback said. "Your friends will see too," he added.
Nami thought this was not good. However it all has to be connected. She turned to Cindry. "This isn't medicine. You're experimenting on the dead, is that what the Night attack is?" she asked.
"Nami, don't be so blunt," Usopp whispered.
Hogback laughed. "You're free to think what you want," he said.
Nami stepped forward. "We saw her. She was Victoria Cindry. She died ten years ago." she remarked.
Hogback's smile faded. "So you've been in that room," he said. He looked shocked.
He raised his hand. "Cindry. Ryuma. Cast these fools into the world of shadows," he said. "In the shadow world," Hogback said. "You'll never see the light again," he added.
Cindry readied her plates. "Wait!" Chopper cried.
Ryuma stepped forward. "Well, well, you're quite a lovely lady," he said to Nami. "May I see your panties?" he asked.
"As if," Nami snapped. She thought back to Brook who made an identical request.
Hogback grinned. "He's a General Zombie. A Special one. He came from Wano, in the New World. It said he had slayed a dragon," he added.
Ryuma unsheathed his sword and walked past them.
"Could you open that passage door over there?" he asked calmly.
"Wait, I thought he was going to cut us," Usopp said.
"Run," Chopper shouted.
"Let`s go," Nami said.
They bolted but after just three steps. All of a sudden they felt a slash. Usopp, Nami and Chopper spat blood as they were struck.
"Three-Pace Hum," Ryuma said as he held his sword.
"Incredible," Hogback whispered as he watched them collapse.
Meanwhile, on a bed, a short young woman with big, round black eyes sat on it. She had long waist-length, light pink hair that was kept tied into two pigtails with black and white flower hairpins. She wore a red crown with a black cross on her head, as well as red lipstick and a thick layer of black eyeliner. Her white long-sleeved heart shaped shirt was short enough to expose her belly. She wore a red mini cape with a pink ribbon on front. Her black and white striped tights completely cover her legs, and she wore a mini-skirt and a red and gold belt with a heart belt buckle, as well as red buckled boots.
Th white ghost went inside her body. "What is with that look?" she said as she looked at a teddy bear covered in bandages. He had a blue and white striped hat.
"I am sorry Miss Perona," the bear said.
"If you are not cute, you are not fit to serve me," Perona said. "Then again there is only one truly cute man," she added. "That guy keeps coming in my dreams," she remarked. "Ever since, I saw his poster," she said. "Maybe those guys will bring him to me," she said.
The bear started to sweat.
In the graveyard, Absalom stood on a gravestone. He saw the zombies upside down with their feet in the air. "Wake up Soldier Zombies," he said.
The zombies started to get up. "You are zombies, you feel no pain, even if you are beaten you can get up once again," he said.
"What a bother," the zombies said.
"Stop being lazy," Absalom shouted. "Stop goofing and tell me who I am," he said.
"Our leader Absalom," one said.
"Leader," they all chanted.
"Whose hobby is peeping," one said.
"Pervsalom," they all started to chant.
"Shut up," Absaolm said. He sighed. "Get ready, I will get them," he added.
"Them," they all started to chant.
Absalom sighed once again. He thought they were clowns but useful clowns. He looked across the yard and smiled. Absalom made his way to the old church. He entered the church and said, "Be revived, ancient warriors," he said.
At that moment, a coffin opened and a grey-brown skin with long light pink hair came out with a bottle in hand. He wore a white shirt with bandages. He had a red coat, with yellow epaulettes, and pink on the end of the sleeves. His pants had vertical white and black stripes. He had two swords stuck in his stomach as well as a large number of open stab wounds in his gut. "Time again," he said.
"John," Absalom said.
Then a man with a tattered green trench coat, purple pants and black hat stood up. He had two extra arms that were bandaged and slightly wrapped around his body. "Gill," Absalom said.
After that, a wide build man with massive hands and forearms got up. He had a golden helmet. His lower body was of a elephant. His body was covered with bandages, and his armor was branded with his number, 889. He has lost his left eye and two of his front teeth.
"Ganzuim," Absalom said.
There were more zombies rising. "Arise all," he added.