"Leo?!!" Upon hearing the name, Hogback, who had been noisily slurping his soup, shot up from his chair in a panic. "You mean the Leo with the 3 billion Berry bounty?!!"
Perona didn't even turn her head. "That's the one. Hurry up!"
Hogback didn't dare delay. After hastily wiping his mouth, he rushed out of the dining room.
Had Lord Moria's mouth been blessed? He said he'd come, and he really came.
Meanwhile, deep within the castle dungeons.
This was where the corpse of the ancient giant, Oars, was imprisoned.
It was also Gecko Moria's most anticipated project.
All he needed was to place a powerful shadow into Oars' body, and he would instantly possess the fiercest, most powerful zombie in the world!
Gecko Moria had been waiting for the day Oars would be revived—the day he would take his revenge on Kaido.
He would definitely beat Kaido until he cried like a baby.
Every day at this time, Moria would come here to indulge in this beautiful fantasy.
"Lord Moria! Lord Moria!!!"
Just then, Perona's frantic voice came from outside the door.
Moria showed no displeasure, only confusion. "Perona, what's got you so flustered? Did another pirate crew barge in?!!"
As he finished speaking, he realized something was off. For an ordinary pirate crew, Absalom and the zombie army could handle it.
It shouldn't have reduced Perona to such a state.
Perona, floating with her small umbrella, drifted quickly to Moria. "Lord Moria, Leo is here, and he means trouble."
"I... I didn't dare attack him."
Perona stammered, admitting she had been truly frightened by Leo.
And even more afraid he would actually spank her.
Moria was taken aback, then let out a sharp-toothed laugh. "Kishishishishi... So that's all it is? Good! He came at the right time!!"
If Leo's bounty had risen to 3 billion by defeating an Emperor or a Marine Admiral, he might have hesitated to confront him.
But Leo had only destroyed Enies Lobby. It seemed today he would have to gratefully accept the strong shadow Leo would provide.
"Perona, where is Leo now?!" Moria's voice was urgent.
"At their speed, they'll reach the castle in less than ten minutes. I've already told Hogback to gather the zombie army."
"Good!!!"
"Once I capture Leo and create the most powerful zombie, I'll make sure everyone out there knows that I am the strongest Warlord!!" Gecko Moria wore a look of triumph, already picturing himself stepping on Kaido.
By the time Leo and the girls reached the castle entrance, the entire zombie army had assembled.
Standing at the front was the pot-bellied,(corpulent) figure of Gecko Moria.
To his left was Hogback, one of the three primary subordinates.
To his right was the Ghost Princess Perona, another of the three.
"Huh? Where's Absalom??!" Gecko Moria frowned, scanning the area.
How could Absalom not have heard about something this important?!
"Absalom! Stop using your invisibility and get out here!!" Moria shouted towards the sides.
But... there was no response.
"Gecko Moria, stop shouting. Absalom is already dead," Leo stated, looking calmly at Moria.
"What did you say?!!" Moria's expression changed drastically. "You killed Absalom?!!"
"Hogback! Perona! Have you seen Absalom?!!" Moria looked at the other two with a last shred of hope.
Hogback and Perona exchanged a glance and shook their heads simultaneously.
Moria's heart sank, and rage instantly ignited.
His three primary subordinates were like family to him.
Leo had actually killed Absalom?!
This was unbearable!!
Baring his fangs, Moria snarled, "Zombie Army! Attack!!!"
Upon receiving the order, all the zombies roared in unison, charging towards Leo and the girls with claws bared.
"Robin! Kalifa! Doberman! Take care of them!"
"Understood!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The three women flashed forward, plunging into the zombie horde as if entering无人之境 (unopposed territory).
Every punch and kick from them was a lethal move against these weak zombies.
"Soul Blast!!"
"Trente Fleur: Giant Tree!!"
"Rankyaku!!"
With their powerful attacks unleashed, the zombie numbers visibly dwindled, offering no resistance.
Moria's face twitched with anger. The zombie army he had spent years creating was being reduced by a tenth in mere moments!!
Furious, Moria turned to look at Ryuma.
The former dragon-slaying samurai.
Also the most powerful zombie he had created, aside from Oars.
"Ryuma! Kill them!!"
Shing!
The black blade Shusui was drawn in an instant. Ryuma's eyes flashed as he swiftly charged towards Robin and the others.
Although Ryuma contained Brook's shadow, his innate strength from his past life was so great that the zombie Ryuma could wield far more power than Brook ever could.
The moment he saw Ryuma move, Brook, standing at the back, grew excited.
He had challenged Ryuma multiple times to reclaim his shadow, but failed every time.
Whether he could get his shadow back hinged on this moment.
Ryuma was fast, about to breach the battlefield in the blink of an eye.
In that split second, a long sword suddenly shot out, blocking Ryuma's path.
Tashigi, holding her Yubashiri, stared fervently at the Shusui in Ryuma's hand.
Not only was it one of the 21 Great Grade Swords, it was also a black blade.
It was even slightly superior to her Yubashiri.
A blade like this could only truly shine in her hands.
"Your sword... I'll take it!!" Tashigi raised her sword, pointing it at Ryuma, her aura suddenly transforming!
Without a word, Ryuma swung his blade and closed the distance!!
Tashigi, not willing to be outdone, met him with her own sword!!
A fierce battle erupted instantly!
"Kishishishishi.... Leo, I've seen your wanted poster. Let me test the true worth of your 3 billion Berry bounty!!" Gecko Moria sneered, not taking Leo seriously in the slightest.
Leo shook his head and glanced at Nami beside him. "Your opponent isn't me. It's her."
"Nami, go on."
"I'll finish him quickly," Nami said arrogantly, raising an eyebrow at Leo.
In the sky, thunder rumbled ominously.
"Gecko Moria, let's see how I deal with you!!"
"Falling Thunder!!!" Nami pressed her right hand down, striking out in anger.
Bolts of lightning as thick as bowls crashed down one after another, aiming for Gecko Moria.
"Kishishishishi~ Deal with me?!! Let's see if you're qualified!!"
"Shadow Spear!!!"
Moria was infuriated. A mere navigator from the Leo Pirates dared to be so insolent!
His shadow instantly morphed into a (pitch-black) spear, shooting towards the airborne Nami at high speed.
"Is that all you've got?" Nami pouted.
Snap!
A crisp snap of her fingers.
A massive bolt of lightning (boldly) fell, shattering the Shadow Spear to pieces.
"What?! How is this possible?!!" Moria's eyes widened in disbelief.
Having been (lying around like a corpse) in the Florian Triangle for ten years, he still thought his strength was the same as a decade ago.
"I don't believe it! Fragment Bats!!" Moria roared, launching another attack.
The shattered pieces of the Shadow Spear transformed into countless black bats, flapping their wings and baring sharp fangs as they swarmed towards Nami in the air.
"Petty tricks!!"
"Cloud Spike Pierce!!"
Nami suddenly clenched her right fist. Sharp, compressed triangular spikes materialized in the air, instantly coated in refined Armament Haki.
With a series of sonic booms, the cloud spikes shot out, piercing clean through the oncoming bats, utterly annihilating them.
"Bastard! This is a joke!!!" Moria looked up, letting out a hysterical roar.
Leo was one thing, but how could a mere navigator block his attacks?!!
He was the man who had challenged Emperor Kaido! How could he be unable to defeat some unknown woman?!
Moria couldn't accept it. He refused to accept it.
"Unforgivable! Unforgivable!!!"
Thoroughly enraged, Gecko Moria let out a beast-like growl. A giant shadow clone separated from his body, charging at Nami like a ghost.
"Doppelgänger! Finish her!!"
Nami shook her head in boredom and counterattacked once more.
After a brief glance at their fight, Leo lost interest and looked away.
Gecko Moria still hadn't faced reality, still thought he was the man from ten years ago.
After so many years of(decadence), he couldn't even use the two Haki types, spending his days lost in (glorified) fantasies.
And he still wanted revenge on Kaido?!
Might as well learn about the Fifth Emperor of the Beast Pirates, the Bat-Man.
"Lord Moria, fight! Defeat her!!"
"Lord Moria, hit her! Hit her!!!"
"Doppelgänger, you can do it!!"
Perona, floating in the air, puffed out her cheeks, wholly focused on cheering for Moria.
In her eyes, Lord Gecko Moria was the strongest and would surely defeat all enemies and achieve final victory.
"Do you think Gecko Moria will win?!!"
"Of course! Lord Moria is the best!" Perona answered instinctively.
The next moment, her eyes widened in horror as she turned her head and found herself in a death stare with Leo.
"Ah!!!!" Panicked, Perona fumbled her umbrella, and it fell to the ground.
Without a second thought, she tried to float away and escape.
Float... float... Why couldn't she move?
She glanced back and saw that her twin-tails were somehow held firmly in Leo's grasp.
Leo looked at Perona, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he gently pulled back...
"Ah!!!! Don't... don't... don't pull my hair! Don't pull my hair!!"
Tears welled up in Perona's eyes from the pain.
"Still trying to run?!!" Leo looked at her with an amused smile.
He had to admit, Oda was a master at character design.
Every beautiful woman brought him a different kind of freshness.
The same hairstyle on any other woman would never feel the same as it did on Perona.
Was it a first impression bias?!
"You... you big jerk!!! Once Lord Moria defeats that woman, he won't let you get away!!" Perona glared fiercely at Leo.
"You... just you wait!!"
Leo shook his head helplessly at Perona's utterly non-threatening threats.
The situation was crystal clear.
Doberman, Robin, and Kalifa were plowing through the zombie army like a wrecking ball. Wherever the three women went, zombies fell in swathes, like wheat during harvest.
Tashigi had already gained the upper hand against Ryuma; her victory was only a matter of time.
As for Nami and Moria...
Leo looked at Perona, who was staring daggers at him, and raised his eyebrows, gesturing upwards.
Perona instinctively looked up.
She saw Moria, his entire body charred black, clearly having taken a serious lightning strike.
"Lord Moria!!!" Perona's pupils contracted, and she cried out in alarm.
She wanted to go support Moria, but Leo's strong grip on her twin-tails held her firmly in place.
"Let me go, you bastard! I need to save Lord Moria!!"
"Let me go... Waaahhhhh... You jerks, don't hurt Lord Moria!!"
Seeing rescue was hopeless, Perona broke down in tears, her heart aching as she watched Moria.
"Cough, cough~" The injured Moria clutched his chest, casually wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, a look of resolve flashing in his eyes.
He couldn't lose. He absolutely could not lose!!
Absalom was already dead. Perona and Hogback must not die!!
Even at the cost of his life, he had to let them escape!!
"Leo!! I'll fight you to the death!!" Gecko Moria's eyes were bloodshot as he roared in defiance. "Shadow Asgard!!!"
With a furious roar, the shadow at Moria's feet shot out countless black tendrils in all directions.
Wherever they went, the shadows attached to all the zombies seemed pulled by an invisible force, detaching from their bodies and converging into Moria's form.
This was the ultimate technique Moria had developed from his Shadow-Shadow Fruit.
It allowed him to absorb all shadows into his body through his Devil Fruit power.
The more shadows he absorbed, the stronger he would become.
In the original story, Moria absorbed 1,000 shadows, but without the strong will to support it, coupled with his decade of (decadence) and diminished strength, he suffered a severe backlash from absorbing too many.
As Moria absorbed more and more shadows, his size and the aura within him swelled at a visible rate.
Even Vivi, Kaya, and the others in the distance could clearly sense this powerful presence.
However~
Leo cast a dismissive glance, a cold smile curling his lips.
Shadow Asgard was different from other ultimate moves; its wind-up was far too long.
"Hehehe... Gecko Moria, you didn't actually think I'd wait for you to finish absorbing, did you?!!"
Even as Nami taunted, her hands never stopped moving.
Leo had once told her that in battle, you must never give the enemy the slightest chance to catch their breath.
"Ten Thousand Thunderbolts: Heavenly Attraction!!!"
With a clear, cold shout, the thunderclouds rolled, and a sky full of lightning descended like divine punishment.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
The light of the thunder blazed, a silver ocean instantly engulfing Gecko Moria.
"Ah!!!"
Shadow Asgard was directly interrupted. Moria's mouth gaped open, and all the shadows he had just swallowed came spewing out.
Terrifying arcs of electricity, like venomous snakes, crazily weaved around his body, even forcing their way inside, wreaking havoc on his bodily functions.
Intense pain instantly wracked his entire being. Moria writhed and rolled on the ground in agony.
Boom!
Boom!
The ground was scorched black by the successive strikes.
Moria's screams grew weaker and weaker until the (sky-filling) lightning subsided. His body was a mess of split-open flesh, a gruesome sight.
The ground was also spattered with drops of blood.
"Ah..."
Moria lay sprawled on the ground in a(spread-eagle) position, his body convulsing uncontrollably.
Though not dead, he was critically injured!
The current Gecko Moria had no fighting capacity left. The residual lightning energy within him damaged his internal organs every second, causing him immense suffering. Even breathing had become a luxury.
"Lo... Lord Moria!"
Seeing this, Perona, still held captive by her pigtails, burst into heartbroken sobs.
"You... you bastard! Let me go right now! I have to save Lord Moria!"
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T/N :
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