"Tch.""Tch."
In the gloom of the old castle, scores of zombies crouched behind pillars and balustrades, craning their necks to spy on the handful of people inside.
Neither Mihawk nor Gecko Moria looked pleased. The former was stuck cradling a sleeping kid, the latter seethed at Ozz's shamelessness.
"Black Emperor Ozz, what exactly are you after."
"Shh."
Ozz crossed one leg over the other and pressed a finger to his lips, flicking his gaze toward the dozing Perona.
Moria froze, then kept glaring, waiting for the rest.
"I know you, Moria. A man like you does not bend the knee," Ozz said mildly. "And I intend to bring every last Warlord of the Sea under my banner. Sure, I could kill you and let the Government pick a replacement, but what a bore that would be."
He closed his hand, as if palming an invisible coin.
"Between a physical win and a mental one, I prefer the latter. If I wanted to, I could have wiped out everyone in this ocean who refuses me."
Ozz was not bloodthirsty, not anymore. Few dared provoke him these days, and he raised his hand far less often than before.
"If you absolutely refuse to submit, fine. Give me face when it concerns the Warlords, and I will guarantee the safety of your people, so long as they do not come for me."
Moria had been on the verge of exploding. The second half jammed in his throat. His face went darker, lines of shadow spidering across it.
"No one but you can hurt them."
By "people" he meant one person. Hogback and Absalom were not with him yet. It was only Perona.
"That so."
A thin, needling smile tugged at Ozz's mouth.
"You keep saying you will take revenge on Kaido. What about Perona when the time comes. Can you protect her and fight him and that nest of monsters he commands."
Moria had no answer.
Because it was true. He could not beat Kaido, much less Kaido plus King and Queen and the rest of the Beasts. He had adopted Perona, but he loved her like his own blood.
"So you are saying you will shield Perona for life," Moria asked, eyes fixed on Ozz. "You will see to it she never comes to harm, Dotor Ozz."
Because if Ozz wanted to hurt Perona, Moria could not stop him. The offer on the table was this. Give face in matters of the Seven, and in return Perona received a lifetime policy. One hundred percent coverage.
Moria was the kind who would wager his life for his crew.
"Yes," Ozz said. He knew people. With a near omniscient view of the board, he was a tempter of the strong, a devil who whispered at just the right seam.
"A bargain, really. I will not ask you to do anything outrageous. When the Warlords move, you move. Give me face. That is all."
Give face.
That phrasing went down a whole lot easier. Serving under Ozz's name tasted worse than death. Giving face to protect his girl, that he could swallow.
He hesitated, then nodded.
"I understand. When it concerns the Warlords, I will give you, Black Emperor, the highest courtesy. Keep your word."
Ozz's smile widened. In his head it was free profit. He already liked the porcelain-doll girl as Mihawk's future partner and would have kept an eye on her anyway. Now he earned Moria's respect and an owed favor on top.
"Hawk, if anything comes up, you will be the one to look after Perona."
"Why would I do that."
Mihawk's brows knit. He clearly hated the idea. He had raised his voice without meaning to.
Which was exactly when the child in his arms blinked open eyes as large as saucers, as if the sound had shaken her awake.
"Uh oh, you woke her, Hawk," Ozz said, far too amused.
Mihawk jerked his gaze down. Perona stared up at him. The moment she realized the face above her was a stranger's, a sheen of tears glazed her eyes.
Panic flickered across Mihawk's face. The cool vanished. He fumbled, all thumbs, utterly at a loss with a baby.
"If she cries," Moria started, perhaps softer now that the ice had thinned between them, "when she cries, she will"
Ozz's eyes flashed red. He vanished from Mihawk's side and appeared next to Moria in a heartbeat.
"What are you doing," Mihawk snapped, a bad feeling prickling his spine. Ozz just looked entirely too pleased.
Perona let out a single ringing wail.
Pale, translucent ghosts bubbled up from her little body. They were tiny, like toy specters, but Ozz knew what they were. Without Haki they hit like a concept, not a thing. Unless you were already as negative as Usopp on his worst day, you were going down.
Mihawk, closest to the crying source, took the full wave. The mini ghosts passed through him first.
Instantly, a crushing self-loathing rolled over him.
Ozz teleported Perona into Moria's arms and, with his free hand, produced a snapshot Transponder Snail.
Mihawk was on his knees, palms to the floor, head hanging. Even Yoru seemed to open its eye and stare at its master. The blade had sulked when he used it to slice fruit. Now it watched with concern.
Mihawk mumbled in a flat, hoarse voice.
"Traveling alongside you is an embarrassment, Ozz. I am sorry. I am just worthless trash."
Even Zoro, whose sword spirit would one day rival Mihawk's, had been caught by this once. With no guard up, Mihawk was no exception. Recovery came quickly though. In a handful of seconds the fog lifted.
The first thing he did when he surfaced was glare at Ozz and the clicking camera snail.
"Delete it."
"No."
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