The moment the word "command" was spoken, Cindry immediately fell silent, no longer uttering another word.
When Hogback turned Cindry head to examine the clean severed cut across her neck, he couldn't help but be astounded.
How was this even possible?
Though Cindry was a zombie and thus did not bleed, such a flawlessly smooth cross-section was something even Hogback had never seen before. It looked like something straight out of a medical textbook.
Perfect beyond measure.
"So, you're the one responsible for making all of these zombies."
Law stepped further into the mansion, glancing at the murals and preserved specimens around him. "But I am curious—how exactly did you give this horde of corpses life again?"
Hogback, however, had no intention of answering. Law's actions had enraged him.
"What are you standing around for?! Seize him!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Law heard a series of rustling sounds from every direction.
From the murals and specimens pulled forth distorted shapes, writhing silhouettes that slithered like serpents in the night, mouths wide open as they lunged at him.
"You actually turned corpses into murals and specimens? What a grotesque hobby."
Law placed one hand firmly on the hilt of his blade, holding it horizontally before his eyes, while the other hand brushed lightly along the steel.
Within the "Operating Room," his blade gleamed—Kikoku let out its mournful cry.
In an instant, the swarm of zombies was dissected, torn apart into chunks of flesh that floated weightlessly in the air.
The monsters shrieked in terror.
"Even in death… you still feel fear?"
Law shook his head and turned his gaze onto the stupefied Hogback.
"I've read through much of your work. I once regarded you as the greatest surgeon of this century. Much of what I learned about anatomy, I first learned from you."
Sweat began to bead on Hogback's face. He dropped Sindori's head to the ground and raised both hands nervously, forcing a laugh.
"S-so that's how it is—we're colleagues, then! That makes things easier. Take a look at my creations—"
He never finished.
Law had already drawn his blade.
With a ringing hum, Hogback's head flew from his shoulders.
Splurt—
But unlike before, this time Law had not used his Room. The cut was real—Kikoku's steel had cleaved him physically, blood spraying across the floor.
The severed head rolled, freezing in place, Hogback's face still contorted with disbelief.
"I admired your books. I respected the accomplishments you made in your lifetime."
Law flicked the blood from Kikoku, droplets scattering across the floor like a blossoming flower.
"But admiration aside, I have nothing but disgust for your necrophilic perversion—hoarding the corpses of women as playthings."
He passed by Cindry torn-apart body, and with a gesture, restored her to one piece. After one final glance at her, he pushed open the doors and left the mansion.
Cindry slowly rose to her feet. She said nothing, only watched his back as it disappeared around the corner.
After a long silence, she turned her head toward Hogback's body—his fat corpse sprawled apart from his head—and strode quickly over.
Thud!
Her sharp heel smashed furiously into the bloated mass of meat, over and over again, venting the rage that belonged no longer to a zombie, but to a woman wronged.
Meanwhile, as Law walked along the path outside, he soon noticed the crooked trees, their branches twisted like monstrous hands. Hanging from them were clusters of black bats, grinning down at him.
I'm being watched again, Law thought grimly.
"Never expected to see so many zombies along the way!"
Mikita floated above with her umbrella, clutching Hilton's bat-like wings tightly so the strange bat-man couldn't escape.
She, Alvida, and Porche had intended to bring Hilton back to the Terror Ghost ship. But on the way, they were suddenly ambushed by a swarm of zombies.
The creatures were already missing limbs, their bodies reeking of rot, yet they moved with startling speed.
One after another, they clawed their way up from the graveyards along the roadside—or dropped down from those eerie, grinning trees above.
In no time, the three were surrounded.
Acting decisively, Alvida swung her spiked club, smashing a path open for Mikita and Porche.
"You two head back to the ship—I'll hold them off!"
But seeing the sheer number of zombies, Porche doubted Alvida could handle it alone. Though she found them terrifying, she clenched her jaw and stayed behind.
"Mikita, you can fly. They can't stop you. Take this bat with you and get reinforcements for us!"
"Alright! You two wait for me—I'll be back quick!"
Without hesitation, Mikita soared off, dragging Hilton with her.
Thus, Alvida and Porche remained, standing against the army of zombie soldiers.
Yet, the fight wasn't as difficult as expected.
Working together, they had already taken down most of the horde in short order.
"Looks like we won't even need reinforcements—we can handle this ourselves."
Porche flicked her conductor's baton, sending razor-sharp flower-petals spinning through the air, cutting down several zombies.
She wrinkled her nose, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe away the gore that had splattered onto her arm.
"Ugh, filthy… disgusting…"
Alvida heaved her club, smashing down an entire walking tree that moved using its roots and vines. Only then did she exhale in relief.
"They may not die without salt or seawater, but at least physical attacks are enough to disable them. That makes things manageable."
The remaining zombies lingered at a distance, watching for a while—then surprisingly retreated instead of attacking again.
Alvida nodded. "Just as that bat-man said… They may have zombie bodies, but their souls are still human. They can still feel fear. They still have human emotions."
"The physical strength of a zombie, combined with the personality, willpower, battle habits, and techniques of the human whose shadow was stolen… That's already a nightmare to deal with." Porche grumbled.
Though the zombies had retreated, neither woman dared let their guard down.
That was when they heard it—strange footsteps echoing through the mist. Heavy. Urgent. Drawing closer.
"They're back again?!" Porche muttered in exasperation.
The next instant, a monstrous hound burst out of the fog—its body grafted with three heads: two of dogs and one of a fox.
Right behind it came a massive hippopotamus, of all things—wearing a pure white wedding dress, wielding a massive battle-axe, stomping the ground with each ponderous step.
That suffocating sound of heavy footsteps—it had been hers all along.
The hippo-woman glanced at the two pirates, as if judging them—then locked onto Alvida.
"It's you! You're the one who dared to interfere with my love for Lord Absalom! I'll kill you!!"
Absalom?
Wasn't that the name the bat-man mentioned? One of the so-called "Three Weirdos"?
Do I… know him?
Pls drop some power stones supper me at my
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