With Gecko Moria shackled in seastone cuffs, the battle aboard the Thriller Bark finally came to an end.
Just a few months ago, Fire Fist Ace had defeated a Warlord of the Sea. And now, yet another veteran Warlord had fallen.
"Lahohoho~! Captain, the World Government hasn't even managed to find replacements for the vacant Warlord seats yet, and now they've lost another one. I'm certain they'll be furious."
Lafitte smirked as he tucked Captain John's prized flintlock, Greed, at his waist. His other spoils—the famed western blade Death's Edge—had already been mounted on the treasure wall of the Ark Maxim, displayed proudly alongside his noble's sword.
Law had found the Black Blade: Shusui too heavy and ill-suited to his style. In the end, he chose to continue wielding his cursed blade, Kikoku, leaving Shusui as another trophy on the collection wall. Even Bonney had added her prize, placing the massive battle-axe of the great pirate Silver Axe beside the others.
Collecting spoils had already become both a pastime and a statement of power for the Kiryuu Pirates.
"This won't be the last."
Souta Kiryuu's voice was calm as he looked down at the still-defiant Moria. Then he gave Capone Bege orders to strip Thriller Bark of its treasures.
As for the massive ship-island itself—they didn't need it right now. Souta decided to leave it adrift in the Devil's Triangle.
If, one day, his Seraphim could obtain the Float-Float Fruit powers of Golden Lion Shiki, then perhaps they could retrieve the ship with ease. But if they tried to fly it now, flying the ship under the Kiryuu Pirates' banner would only draw the wrath of the Marines and the World Government. It would be destroyed before long.
"Boss, besides Doflamingo, who's your next target?"
Bege asked curiously after ordering his mafia underlings to ransack the Gothic castle.
Everyone in the crew already knew that their next mission was against Donquixote Doflamingo. Law, especially, had been sharpening his strength in anticipation of that battle.
Now, among the remaining Warlords, there were Mihawk, Boa Hancock, Jinbei, and Crocodile.
Jinbei was closely allied with Whitebeard's crew and resided in Fishman Island ten thousand meters under the sea. Mihawk, the world's strongest swordsman, wandered alone and appeared without warning—difficult to pin down. Neither was an easy target, and both were non-Devil Fruit users, meaning there was little gain in capturing them.
That left two prime candidates: the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, and Crocodile the Sand Crocodile. Both had Devil Fruit powers, both ruled over fixed territories. Easy prey for the Kiryuu Pirates.
"I hear Crocodile commands quite a number of Devil Fruit users under his banner."
Souta smirked, and Bege understood instantly—besides Doflamingo, Crocodile was next on their list.
"It's about time I made contact with the Pirate Empress…"
Souta's lips curved upward. Once news of the Shichibukai defeats spread across the Sabaody Archipelago, once the tale of his slaying Celestial Dragons twice over became known, he was certain Boa Hancock wouldn't be able to resist his charisma.
And when the time came, he intended to make the Empress his.
But for Hancock to follow him freely, Souta first needed to remove the World Government's threat over Amazon Lily. That meant another hunt had to be prioritized—Golden Lion Shiki. His Float-Float Fruit powers were something Souta had to claim for himself.
One of his first Seraphim must possess Shiki's power-infused green blood.
While Bege's men ransacked the castle, Bonney and Kuma found the pirates who had regained their shadows. Among the thousand freed, Souta recruited a number of lackeys and left them to guard Thriller Bark, while others who wished to escape were released by Kuma.
Souta also took from Charlotte Lola the Vivre Card linked to her mother, Big Mom Charlotte Linlin. Originally, Souta planned to chase the ugly daughter of the Yonko off the ship. But to his surprise, Bege's assassin Gotti fell for her at first sight.
Lola proposed, and Gotti accepted instantly.
Not wanting to witness such an eyesore, Souta and Bege decided to leave the couple behind on Thriller Bark as caretakers of the island ship.
With treasure in their hold and captives in tow, the Ark Maxim departed, leaving Lola and Gotti waving them off.
On the voyage back.
The deck had become Bonney's personal training ground. Her victims this time: Gecko Moria, Absalom, and Perona—all reduced to three-year-old children by her powers.
Souta found the tiny pink-haired Perona especially adorable in her shrunken twin-tailed form. He picked her up casually, squeezing her cheeks and ruffling her hair as though she were a kitten.
"Stop it! Don't—don't! Lord Moria, save me!"
The little Perona flailed desperately, her tiny hands pushing back against Souta's grip, but it was useless. The more she struggled, the more laughably cute she looked.
The defiance of the weak was nothing more than a hamster baring its teeth before a predator—harmless, and amusing.
"Let her go! If you have a problem, take it out on me instead!!"
Moria's high-pitched boyish voice rang out, full of anger but laced with the sound of suppressed tears. The entire crew burst out laughing.
"I'll give you one chance to join us. Refuse, and next time, I'll make you feel a humiliation you'll never forget."
Souta's sinister grin fell upon the childlike Moria. His words froze the deck. Even Perona stopped struggling, wide-eyed in fear.
Don Accino, Rob Lucci, Gabra, Foxy, and Absalom—all the captives stared in stunned silence. Was this really something a ruthless pirate should say?
Death was easier to accept than such ridicule. To be killed was one thing. To be degraded was far worse.
"What are you staring at? Believe me when I say I'll cut you all to pieces. Or better yet—turn you into women."
Souta's mocking tone cut through the tense silence. He would become the innovator in a world of pirates that had never seen such cruelty.
"Hohoho! Truly, Captain, your methods are unique. To think where others cannot think—Lafitte is in awe."
Ever the diplomat, Lafitte eased the tension with his words.
At that, Moria and Lucci both clenched their legs together, silent and trembling.
"Captain Souta, I… I'll join you. I swear loyalty, I'll never betray you—please, take me in!"
It was Foxy, the Slow-Slow Fruit user, who broke first. Fear had hollowed him out. Returning to captivity meant endless torment. Better to surrender now and beg for a place under Souta's protection.
After all, wasn't this the very law of piracy? If you couldn't beat them, you joined them. Even the Davy Back Fight was built on that principle.
So why wouldn't the Kiryuu Pirates accept him?
"Today, I'm in a good mood. I'll make an exception and grant you a place among us."
Souta's smile widened as he looked at Foxy groveling before him. One more piece had been added to the Kiryuu Pirates' growing empire.
...
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