chapter 205 part 1
Chapter 205: New Crewmates +2, Adventure Continues!
Gecko Moria spread his arms and roared at the sky as dark, ink-like energy surged around him.
Using the power of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, he absorbed all the shadows under his control into his body, like spirits being summoned home!
Two thousand shadows!
It was a terrifying power, far exceeding twice his original capabilities, and it surged wildly into his body.
His body began to swell uncontrollably. Muscles bulged and his joints creaked as if enduring unbearable pressure.
Every inch of his skin was stretched taut by the black shadow power, and blood vessels protruded like earthworms under his skin, throbbing with an eerie rhythm.
In the blink of an eye, Moria transformed into a giant even larger than Oars. His body towered into the clouds, casting a shadow that enveloped the entire castle.
At this moment, Moria possessed world-destroying power. Every movement of his limbs could incite a roaring gale, and his power was enough to shatter an island with a single palm.
However, behind this immense power was a colossal drain on his mental energy.
Moria felt as if his brain was about to explode. Countless chaotic consciousnesses clashed within his mind. The absorbed shadows carried their respective memories and emotions, frantically attacking his mental defenses.
His eyes instantly became bloodshot, his eyeballs protruded, and he let out an incoherent roar.
Finally, faced with this uncontrollably powerful force, Moria's mental fortitude completely collapsed.
He fell into a berserk state, losing all reason and leaving only his primal instinct for destruction.
His giant hands flailed wildly. Wherever they reached, the sea surged into waves dozens of meters high. The terrifying three-masted ship-island, Thriller Bark, swayed ceaselessly under his blows. The destructive force he unleashed had already reached the peak Warlord level!
The Marines and pirates on the island were scared out of their wits. Terrified screams instantly rose one after another.
They fled frantically, stumbling over and pushing each other. Their usual ferocity and arrogance had vanished. Only one thought remained in everyone's mind: survive.
Brook and Carrot were also swept up in this chaotic human tide.
Brook's usually nimble movements were panicked. His skeletal frame creaked as the crowd squeezed him, but he still tightly protected Carrot as they ran toward the island's edge.
Carrot's small face was filled with terror, her pink ears pressed flat against her head. While running for her life, she kept glancing back at the berserk, demon-like Moria. She wanted to help her captain, but she was still young and hadn't learned her Sulong form. If she went back, she would be of almost no help.
The three people at the center of the storm were in even greater peril.
Moria's irrational attacks caused the buildings of Thriller Bark to begin collapsing.
Giant boulders and broken pillars fell one after another.
Absalom's eyes widened. He watched in terror as everything around him collapsed. Even his transparent body trembled slightly from fear.
He frantically dodged the falling debris, but was quickly submerged in the chaos.
Hogback collapsed to the ground in fear, clutching his head and muttering to himself as he tried to avoid the unexpected disaster. His glasses were long gone, and his eyes were filled with helplessness and despair.
Perona's fate was the most tragic.
Amidst Moria's violent attacks, a gigantic ceiling slab crashed down, smashing directly onto her leg.
"Ah!"
Perona let out a shrill scream. Her lower body was crushed under the heavy ceiling slab, unable to move.
Fresh blood seeped from her leg, staining the surrounding ground red.
Her face was full of pain and fear. She struggled desperately with both hands, trying to push away the deadly ceiling slab, but it was all in vain.
"Kumashi! Save... save me!"
Perona cried out to her subordinate, but Kumashi had long since fled, completely ignoring her.
Looking at the constantly shaking ceiling slab, Perona felt her life force drain away bit by bit. The roaring gale and the huge sounds of collapsing buildings filled her ears. She bit her lip tightly, tears uncontrollably streaming from the corners of her eyes as images from the past flashed through her mind.
At that moment of life and death, Perona was completely enveloped by terror, and she closed her eyes in despair.
Her breathing was hurried and heavy, each heartbeat feeling like a final countdown.
However, just as she completely gave up hope, the mountain-like weight on her body suddenly lightened.
Perona opened her eyes dazedly, finding the scene before her hard to believe.
Ren Arakawa, the pirate who should have been her enemy, now appeared before her, his hands steadily lifting the giant rock that had pinned her down.
Looking at Ren Arakawa's cold, resolute face, Perona's eyes instantly grew moist, and a complex emotion surged through her heart.
But she quickly came to her senses, feigning her usual arrogant demeanor. "I don't need you to save me! Get lost!" she shouted. Although her voice was firm, it carried a subtle tremor.
Ren Arakawa ignored Perona's shouting and scooped her up in one motion.
The sudden movement sent a wave of excruciating pain through Perona's crushed leg.
Her vision went black, and the pain was so intense her eyes rolled back. She was in too much pain to care about her pride and could only let out a series of pained groans.
"Ah! It hurts! It hurts so much! You... be gentle..."
Ren Arakawa took flight with Perona. A few powerful beats of his wings brought them to the island's edge where Brook and Carrot were.
Carrot hastily shouted at Ren Arakawa, "Captain! Let's run!"
Ren Arakawa shook his head. "I can beat him, unless that fellow Moria pulls some shameless, underhanded trick."
He steadily placed Perona on the ground and turned to leave.
Perona gritted her teeth, enduring the sharp pain in her leg. She resumed her arrogant posture and loudly questioned, "Why did you save me?"
Without turning his head, Ren Arakawa simply called out, "I'm in the mood for peeled apples now."
Perona was stunned for a moment, and tears once again welled in her eyes. She shouted, "Then what color apple do you want?"
Ren Arakawa did not answer. He flapped his wings and flew toward the gigantic, demon-god-like Gecko Moria.
His figure appeared so small against the gray sky, yet so resolute. The contrast between his figure and the colossal Moria was stark. In Perona's eyes, this scene became a masterpiece.
At this moment, her heart was filled with complex emotions for Ren Arakawa.
Ren Arakawa's expression was solemn. His hands blurred into phantoms as he quickly formed hand seals, and chakra surged wildly around him.
From his shoulder, a Water Style: Earth Grudge mask slowly emerged from his body, its eerie appearance adding a touch of mystery to the tense atmosphere.
As soon as the mask appeared, it quickly began to churn. The surrounding water vapor seemed to have been summoned, continuously gathering toward it.
At this time, the berserk Gecko Moria was rampaging across the island.