The bright moonlight cascaded like water over the Udon Quarry, coating the desolate land with a silvery sheen. Shimotsuki Munetika and Uzuki Karo led hundreds of elite samurai, quietly advancing toward the quarry's perimeter. Clad in lightweight armor, the samurai's waist-mounted swords gleamed with a cold light under the moon, their synchronized footsteps echoing distinctly through the silent night.
"According to our intelligence, Amatsuki Hidehiro should already be engaging Hyougoro and his men by now," Shimotsuki Munetika said in a deep, resonant voice that carried clearly through the stillness as he gazed up at the high-hanging moon.
Uzuki Karo stroked his graying beard and nodded slightly. "With Amatsuki's capabilities, they should swiftly conclude the battle and join us. We must seize this opportunity—now is when the quarry's defenses are at their weakest."
At Shimotsuki Munetika's command, the samurai surged into the quarry like a tidal wave. Yet, contrary to all expectations, they encountered almost no substantial resistance. Within the vast quarry, only the hurried footsteps of the samurai reverberated through the empty mining pits, creating an eerie atmosphere.
"Something's wrong!" Shimotsuki Munetika suddenly halted, his brow furrowed. As a battle-hardened samurai, he keenly sensed the dangerous aura permeating the air. His right hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword.
Uzuki Karo also scanned their surroundings warily, lowering his voice. "Indeed, it's peculiar. No matter how lax the defenses, we've advanced this far without Moria, the Beasts Pirates' officer, making an appearance. This defies logic."
Just then, a sinister laugh suddenly echoed through the quarry: "Yeehihihihi! Isn't it a bit late to realize that now?" The laughter, like the cry of a night owl, sent chills down their spines.
Shimotsuki Munetika and Uzuki Karo exchanged a glance, simultaneously realizing they had fallen into a trap. They swiftly turned to see the towering figure of Moria, backed by a group of shadows, blocking their retreat under the moonlight. Moria's grotesque face appeared especially terrifying in the lunar glow, his sharp fangs glinting coldly. "Rebels," Moria cackled mockingly, "if you kneel and beg for mercy now, I might just spare your lives."
"You bastard!" Shimotsuki Munetika bristled with rage, abruptly drawing his sword and pointing it at Moria. "Don't you dare belittle the dignity of a samurai!" His voice thundered through the quarry.
Uzuki Karo immediately shouted, "Samurai! For honor and glory, follow me and carve a path through!" Though aged, his voice brimmed with strength.
"Charge!" Hundreds of samurai roared in unison, their battle cry shaking the heavens. The mighty shout seemed to pierce the clouds, embodying the samurai's resolve to face death without fear.
Moria sneered and snapped his fingers: "Zombie Army, attack!" At his command, a horde of eerie shadows surged from the darkness. As the monsters drew closer, the Samurai realized in horror that their enemies weren't living humans—their bodies were covered in stitched scars, some missing limbs yet moving with unnatural ease.
"What—what kind of monsters are these?" a young Samurai stammered, his face pale in the moonlight.
"Damn it! Why won't they die?" another Samurai shouted, cleaving a zombie's chest only to watch it continue swinging its blade undeterred. Despair flickered in his eyes.
Shimotsuki Munetika immediately took charge: "Stay calm! Aim for their heads!" Leading by example, he dashed forward, his sword tracing a graceful arc as it cleanly severed a zombie's head. The headless corpse crumpled to the ground, stirring up dust. Uzuki Karo swiftly organized the Samurai into a defensive formation: "Back-to-back positions! Don't let them scatter you!" His steady, commanding voice became an anchor in the chaos.
The quarry erupted into a storm of clashing steel and battle cries. Though valiant, the Samurai gradually found themselves struggling against the painless, unafraid Zombie Army. Under the moonlight, the desperate struggle between humans and undead monsters intensified. Armor clattered rhythmically amidst the fray, while colliding blades sparked like falling stars.
Amid the chaos, Shimotsuki Munetika noticed the zombies seemed endless. Fighting while strategizing, sweat traced paths down his temples. Uzuki Karo battled with equal ferocity—his advanced age did nothing to dull the deadly precision of his swordplay.
"This is unsustainable!" Shimotsuki Munetika yelled to Uzuki Karo. "We must find whoever controls these zombies!"
Meeting his gaze, Uzuki Karo nodded in understanding: "Capture the leader to scatter the followers!" In unison, they charged toward Gecko Moria's position. Seeing their leaders advance, surrounding Samurai rallied to break through the zombie encirclement.
"Kishishishi, coming right at me! Shadow Horns Blade!" Moria cackled, sweeping his hand toward the charging duo. His shadow instantly morphed into two sharp spears that shot upward from the ground. Shimotsuki Munetika and Uzuki Karo nimbly dodged the sudden attack.
In that fleeting moment, Moria crouched—then exploded into motion, his massive form blurring as he materialized before Shimotsuki Munetika. "What?!" Before Munetika could react, Moria's colossal blade was already descending. Desperately, he coated his chest with Armament Haki. A thunderous impact sent him flying backward, crashing into a distant pile of rubble.
"Munetika!" Uzuki Karo roared, lunging at Moria with a sweeping strike. Moria merely raised a hand, casually blocking the fierce attack.
"Not bad for an old timer," Moria remarked, genuinely surprised by the elder's ability to withstand his blow.
"Bastard, don't underestimate the samurai of Wano Country!" Before Uzuki Karo could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.
Looking down, he saw a pitch-black shadow spear had already pierced through his chest. Blood gushed out, and though he wanted to say something, only weak gasps escaped his lips.
Shimotsuki Munetika, who had just struggled to climb out of the rubble, happened to witness this scene. Ignoring the broken bones in his chest, he roared with eyes wide in fury: "Karo!"
Moria laughed triumphantly: "Yeehihihihi, old fool, this is what happens when you overestimate yourself!"
Shimotsuki Munetika endured the pain, tightly gripping his samurai sword, his eyes burning with vengeful fury: "Moria, I'll make you pay with your blood!"
"With just you?" Moria curled his lips disdainfully, "Look at your companions - they can't even protect themselves now."
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