The playful banter among the crew died down abruptly as a new sound cut through the forest's oppressive silence: the rhythmic clatter of wheels on stone.
"What's that?" Carina whispered, her eyes wide.
The sound grew louder, and soon, a gothic-looking carriage emerged from the fog. It was pulled by a pair of bizarre, patchwork horses that looked as if they had been stitched together from different animals. The carriage itself was ornate and black, looking like a miniature hearse on wheels. It came to a stop directly in front of them with an unnerving lack of sound.
The door swung open, and a strange creature hopped out. It had the limbs and head of a man, but its torso was that of a bat, and its entire body was wrapped in stained bandages. It gave the pirates a formal bow.
"Greetings, esteemed guests," it said in a raspy voice. "I am Hildon, from Doctor Hogback's mansion. I have been sent to welcome you."
"Hogback?" Deuce's eyes widened in recognition. "You mean the genius surgeon, Dr. Hogback?"
As a man of science and medicine himself, Deuce was well-acquainted with the legendary name that had once been the talk of the medical world.
"The very same," Hildon confirmed with a slight nod.
"Wow! He's really here?" Deuce murmured, his mind racing. Could the strange, unnatural creatures they'd seen be connected to him? This went far beyond simple surgery. This was something else entirely.
"Is he famous or something, Deuce?" Ace asked, scratching his cheek.
Deuce's thoughts were interrupted. "Ah, yes. Incredibly famous," he explained. "He was a miracle worker, a surgeon whose skill was said to save countless lives. But then, years ago, he vanished from the public eye without a trace. To think he ended up here…" He trailed off, his gaze returning to Hildon, a sense of unease creeping over him.
Hildon's lips curled into a mysterious smile, a hint of pride in his tone. "Indeed. For the past several years, the doctor has been conducting research on this island—research that surpasses all human understanding."
The words sent a chill down Deuce's spine, but he kept his composure. "In that case, we'd be grateful for the ride, Mr. Hildon."
"You are most welcome," Hildon replied with a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "If you are also a man of medicine, I'm sure you and Master Hogback will have much to discuss."
He gestured for them to board the carriage. Whatever was happening in that mansion, it was clear they were being invited directly into the spider's web. They had no intention of hiding their presence anyway, so they might as well play along for now.
Once inside, Carina leaned close to Deuce. "Are you sure about this? There's something seriously wrong with this place."
"Don't worry, Carina," Deuce whispered back, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
"How can we not worry? There are zombies and monsters outside!"
"Exactly! That's why I agreed to the ride," Deuce said, puffing out his chest. "Out of sight, out of mind. If I can't see the creepy things, I can't be scared of them." He paused, then added with a smirk, "Besides, do you really want to risk another run-in with those... 'social-death' ghosts?"
"Hey! You guys were the ones who got hit," Carina retorted, though she couldn't suppress a shiver at the memory. "I was perfectly fine."
As they spoke in hushed tones, Hildon served them glasses of red wine before climbing onto the roof to act as the driver. The carriage began its slow, steady journey toward the mansion. Ace and Carrot pressed their faces to the window, watching the bizarre wildlife with wide-eyed fascination, their cheerful curiosity a stark contrast to the growing tension inside the carriage.
On the other side of the massive island, two figures sprinted across the surface of the water, their feet barely disturbing the black, still sea. Jerry had easily caught up with Brook, and together they were making for a different landing point, far from the main gate.
"Mr. Jerry, this is truly none of your concern," Brook said, his voice laced with genuine worry. "I truly do not wish for you to lose your shadow on my account."
Jerry just waved a hand, a warm smile on his face. "Hey, don't say that, Brook. Skull may have been the one to formally invite you, but we all agreed. Since you're sailing with us now, that makes you one of us. We're not a weak crew, you know." He clapped the skeleton on the shoulder. "It's only natural for partners to help each other out, right?"
Brook stopped for a moment, the sound of his feet on the water ceasing. "Partners…" he repeated softly. He stood silent for a long moment, then let out his signature laugh. "Yohohoho! I understand. Thank you." He quickly recovered his cheerful demeanor. "By the way, Mr. Jerry, how is it that you can run on the sea?"
"Haha, simple! I just tell the water to hold me up, and most of the time, it listens," Jerry joked. "What about you?"
Brook gave him a thumbs-up. "Marvelous! My heart is heavy with sorrow, but since I'm only bones now, I'm light enough to do this!"
"Then how is it that you have no heart, yet you still have the desire to ask beautiful women to see their underwear?" Jerry teased.
"Ah, even without a heart, some habits are hard to break! Yohohoho!"
After a few more moments of lighthearted banter, they reached the shore and stepped into another dark, foreboding forest. The air was heavy and silent, save for the occasional chirp of unseen insects.
"So, Brook, are you familiar with this island?" Jerry asked, his eyes scanning the gloom.
"Quite familiar, I'm afraid," Brook replied, a hint of reminiscence in his tone. "I caused quite a stir here once. It ended in a miserable failure, but I managed to learn a few things in the process."
"Oh?" Jerry prompted, looking intrigued.
Brook glanced around the quiet woods before continuing. "This island is filled with strange and terrifying zombies. Though they are products of Moria's Devil Fruit ability, their frightfulness is very real. I was so scared of them that I could only ever run away. However, during one of my escapes, I accidentally discovered their secret… and their weakness."
He paused for dramatic effect. "I saw a zombie eat a piece of grilled fish, and the shadow implanted in its body flew right out! The zombie just collapsed. At first, I thought their weakness was fish, but I later realized… it was the salt."
"Because the zombies are animated by shadows granted by a Devil Fruit," Brook explained, pulling a small pouch from his coat and shaking it, "the salt, which carries the energy of the sea, is their ultimate nemesis."
Jerry nodded thoughtfully. If Devil Fruits were the source, then there was another obvious countermeasure. "In that case, seawater should work just as well."
"Eh? You could say that," Brook admitted. "But it's rather difficult to splash seawater on them, let alone get it in their mouths."
Brook was a Devil Fruit user himself, so the sea was his enemy. Furthermore, carrying buckets of water was far less practical than carrying a pouch of salt. He hadn't considered it a viable option. He was, however, unaware of the unique abilities of the man standing beside him.
Jerry's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Heh, that might not be such a problem for me."
As they walked and talked, Brook shared every piece of information he had about Thriller Bark.
"With that in mind, we should be alright… hmm? There's someone up ahead." Not long after they entered the woods, Jerry, who had been listening intently, suddenly stopped. His eyes flashed with focus as he stared into the darkness.
"A person? It can't be a zombie!!!" Brook shrieked, throwing his hands up in the air. He was so terrified his magnificent afro seemed to puff out slightly.
Jerry looked at him, completely deadpan. "You are literally a skeleton. Why are you so afraid of zombies?"
"They are two completely different things!" Brook insisted, his voice trembling. "Zombies, ghosts, and ghouls are obviously much scarier!"
"Uh-huh. You and Deuce would get along," Jerry sighed. "You're both terrified of everything."
"I am nothing but bones now! I have no courage left to speak of! Yohohoho!"
Despite his fear, Brook still managed a skull joke. Jerry just shrugged, his senses telling him the presence ahead was almost certainly human, not one of the island's undead inhabitants.
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