Chapter 63: Beast Pirates VS Gecko Pirates

Wano Country is a closed-off nation, and the method of entering it isn’t known to any outside islands.

In other words, even if you have an Eternal Pose or a Vivre Card, you’d still need to either figure out how to get in, stumble upon it by chance, or force your way in through sheer might. If you can’t do any of that, then reaching our stronghold is outright impossible.

That’s exactly why Wano is the perfect base. Information from inside doesn’t leak out, and likewise, news from the outside doesn’t come in. It’s safe to say pirates almost never make it here from beyond its borders.

——But by that same logic, any pirate who does make it into Wano must possess considerable strength and a fair share of ill fortune. At the very least, they’re likely not some half-baked rookies playing at being pirates in this new era. No… they’d have to be like them.

"Kishishishishi!! Hey there, Kaido!! Came to get a good look at that ugly mug of yours!!"

"Worororo…!! Just as I heard—quite the spirited rookie, aren’t you… Moria?"

In Wano’s "Ringo" region—a frozen land where snow falls year-round, so cold that corpses stored in barrels don’t rot even after centuries—two giants stood facing each other. Two pirates.

On one side: us, the Beast Pirates. Leading 500 of his crewmen, my partner and the captain of this ship—resting his iron club on his shoulder with a bloodthirsty grin—Kaido, the "Strongest Creature."

And on the other side: a massive pirate crew. Over 500 men strong, led by a towering figure who could rival even Kaido in size. Spiky red hair, horns jutting from his forehead, large pointed ears, and a mouth full of jagged teeth. A burly frame, gripping a longsword slung over his shoulder as he stared Kaido down with a fearless smirk. Bounty: 320,000,000 Berries. The captain of the Gecko Pirates—Gecko Moria.

As I laid eyes on Moria for the first time, my honest assessment was: —Not bad. I expected him to be weaker, but judging by the Haki I sensed… yeah. No wonder the average New World pirate or even our own subordinates wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

His entire body radiated Haki. And he was staring Kaido down without flinching.

"But to come all this way just to pick a fight with me… you do know who the hell I am, right!?"

"Kishishi, who the fuck cares who you are!? If you’re in the way of my ambition, I’ll cut you down and keep moving!! That’s what it means to be a pirate!!"

"……!! Got some nerve… then I won’t hold back. I’ll slaughter every last one of you…!!!"

"Dumbass!! Real pirates don’t fear death!! You think we’d be out here if we were scared to die!? —Let’s go, boys!!!"

"OOOOOHHHH~~~~!!!"

Moria spat his defiance at Kaido, and his crew roared with battlelust at his command. Watching them from across the battlefield, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Ohhh… Ahaha, they’ve got some guts, huh~? I’ll give ‘em that—they didn’t hesitate to pick a fight with us."

"Hmph… Let’s see how long that bravado lasts."

"Muhahaha, we’re killing ‘em all, right!?"

"Pirates rising up in this new era, finally making it to the New World… Heheh, we’ll have to teach ‘em a lesson…!!"

Behind Kaido stood his three top executives, each commanding their own forces. King, the "Wildfire", sneering at the rabble of weak pirates, his killing intent rising. Queen, the "Plague", laughing at the fools who didn’t know their place. And Jack, the "Drought", grinning behind his mask, stressed from the recent surge in government work thanks to this new pirate age.

And behind them—the officers leading the rank-and-file.

"Lot of suicidal bastards here…"

"They’ve got numbers, that’s it. Think they can handle us?"

"…………"

They, too, stood undaunted before the coming battle. Each one a powerhouse in their own right.

And then there were the 500 crewmen—among them, a child. A fish-man kid named Jack, staring straight ahead, determined to fight despite his youth. Normally, we wouldn’t let a kid join the fray, but Jack was tougher than most of our regular crew, gifted with natural ability and resilience. If he died, so be it—if he couldn’t survive this, he wasn’t worth keeping. But I believed he’d live, grow stronger.

And our forces didn’t end there. Mixed among the fighters were the monstrous Numbers.

But even this wasn’t our full strength. Half our forces remained stationed at Onigashima and across Wano to maintain control. Our current numbers here were around 1,000.

But it still wasn’t enough. In a few years, we’d double that. To maintain our power, to prepare for war—we needed more soldiers.

Ideally, we’d recruit Moria, but he didn’t seem the type to submit. The rest were just weaklings—no loss if they died here. Weak pirates are expendable. And thanks to this new era, there’d be no shortage of replacements.

"OOOOH…!!!"

"UOOOH…!!!"

Finally, Kaido and Moria’s weapons clashed, shockwaves tearing through the air.

Miraculously, Moria held his ground—though he was pushed back slightly, it wasn’t enough to break him. Even under pressure, his smirk never faded, his fighting spirit unshaken.

I couldn’t help but admire him. And pity him. —If only he had the sense to serve under someone, he’d have made a fine asset.

"—Fufufu, shall we begin, then? ♡ Time to show Moria and his Pirates the greatest nightmare they’ll ever face…!!"

---

And so, the war between the Beast Pirates and the Gecko Pirates erupted in Ringo.

The clash of over 500 pirates on each side burned with such frenzy that it seemed to repel the falling snow and biting cold.

The ringing of steel, the sound of flesh being torn, the dying screams and furious roars—casualties were mounting on both sides. These were New World pirates, after all. The battle was fiercer than anything they'd faced before.

But there was no need for fear. Because Gecko Moria was a man who had never lost a single fight since becoming a pirate.

"Tch…! Kishishi…! Hell of a punch you got there…! But fights ain’t decided by brute strength alone— Shadow Doppelganger! "

"Hah!? Shadows!?"

Moria was forced back slightly after clashing weapons with Kaido, but the moment he landed, he activated his Devil Fruit power. From his own shadow emerged a pitch-black duplicate of himself—an exact copy in size and shape. Kaido’s follow-up strike was caught by the shadow, and Moria grinned.

"Surprised!? That’s the power of my Kage Kage no Mi …! The ‘Shadow Human’ who controls all shadows…!!"

"Tch…! Boring-ass power…!"

"Save the complaints till you’ve had a real taste of it!! — Horned Shadow Blade: Lizard Strike! "

"!!"

Moria’s shadow clone intercepted Kaido’s attack, then—even as it was shattered—reformed into sharpened spikes that shot toward Kaido’s body. Kaido deflected them with his club, but that was exactly what Moria wanted. The scattered shadows swirled behind Kaido, reforming into another Doppelganger, and in an instant—

Moria swapped places with it.

His sword flashed.

"!!?"

"Kishishi! Didn’t see that coming, did ya!? That was my shadow!! Too bad for you!!"

Kaido’s club smashed the shadow aside, but in that split second, Moria’s blade carved a shallow cut into Kaido’s skin.

Damn, he’s tough.

Moria was impressed despite himself, but this was far from over. As Kaido turned in surprise, Moria smirked, taunting him.

"Oh yeah… Forgot to mention. That shadow behind you? Still kickin’."

"Hah…!?"

The moment Kaido turned back to face Moria, the Shadow Doppelganger had already reared back its fist—

And unleashed a barrage of shadow punches straight into Kaido’s spine.

"— Shadow Boxing Rush! "

"…………!!!"

Kaido’s body rocked under the relentless assault, and in that opening, Moria lunged in for another strike.

A pincer attack—body and shadow in perfect sync.

Even for a battle-hardened monster like Kaido, countering this kind of first-time ambush was no easy task. Moria wasn’t just fast and strong—he had honed his Devil Fruit powers to perfection, mastered combat instincts, and wielded Haki with deadly precision.

Moria was strong.

Strong enough to earn a 320,000,000 Berry bounty from the World Government. Strong enough to crush every pirate and Marine who stood in his way. Strong enough to make his enemies see nightmares.

He had no mercy for those who obstructed his ambition—to become the Pirate King. Rivals of his generation? Veterans who looked down on him? He feared none of them. He would win. He had the strength to do so.

And the same went for his crew.

Moria commanded over 500 men, but his original crew—the ones who had been with him from the start—were his most trusted. They were his nakama.

They had followed him, grown stronger, made names for themselves. A bunch of reckless, hopeless idiots who wouldn’t last anywhere else—but to Moria, they were everything. They believed in him.

And together, they would reach the top.

Anyone who stood in their way would be crushed under the weight of their nightmares.

"KISHISHISHI!! You’re like a damn wild boar!! Stupid as hell, Kaido!! I’m gonna take you down right here, and my crew’s gonna wipe out yours!! I’ll show you a real nightmare !! You better be ready!!"

"…………"

Yes—what was about to unfold…

Was the true nightmare of the New World.

---

"~Though honestly, Moria's already been taken care of, and these small fries won't last long... sigh, what should I dooo~?"

"Hah!? The hell’d you say, you brat—GYAAAAHH!!?"

"Idiot!! Don’t charge in blind!! Don’t you know who that is!? That’s the ‘Mystical Beast’ Nue!! The Beast Pirates’ No. 2!!"

"Still… didn’t expect her to actually be a damn kid…!! But while Captain Moria’s dealing with Kaido, we gotta clean up our end too…!!"

The crewmen—likely Moria’s officers—kept their guard up as they faced me. Hmm, they are stronger than your average pirate... I guess. Maybe Moria’s first mate or something? I think he had one, but if I recall, even his right-hand man’s bounty didn’t break 100 million. Honestly… not much different from the fodder I just wiped out. Doesn’t even seem like he’s eaten a Devil Fruit. Boring. Might be fun to bully, though.

But really, 500 enemy pirates? Numbers don’t mean much when they’re all weak. If I went all out, this’d be over in seconds.

...But then our own crew wouldn’t get to fight. Wouldn’t get stronger. We’ve got new recruits, some promising kids—I want them to grow through this battle.

Still, even then… an hour at most? Fine. I’ll let them struggle a bit before crushing their hopes. The higher they climb, the harder they fall—and the more fun it is. At this point, tormenting them is the only entertainment left. Sigh. If only there was one more Moria-tier fighter here. But Kaido’s hogging the real fun. And from the look of their shadows, Moria’s about to use that move… What a waste.

With a flick of my wrist, I sent the charging pirate flying.

"GUOH!!?"

"The first mate just got launched!?"

"What kinda freak strength does that kid have…!?"

"Hmm~. Watching Kaido and Moria go at it is fun and all, but I should probably check on the others. Don’t want anyone dying~."

I shifted my gaze from the so-called "first mate," resting my spear on my shoulder as I scanned the battlefield with Observation Haki.

—Ah, they’re putting up a fight. Might as well take a look.

Floating into the air, I drifted toward a nearby skirmish—where a certain kid was holding his own.

"Tch… What the hell… a brat!?"

"It is a brat!! But… this one’s tough!! He’s already taken out a bunch of us!!"

"...!"

The enemy pirates stared in shock at the child. And yeah, he was just a kid—unlike me, a perpetually youthful beauty~.

But this boy—our newest recruit, Jack—was only five years old.

Of course they were surprised. But we don’t discriminate by age. If you can fight, you fight—whether you’re a baby or a dying old man. Strength is all that matters.

And Jack? He was a fish-man. Born with ten times a human’s strength. On top of that—

"Wha—!? This brat’s changing shape!!"

"A Devil Fruit user!! Zoan-type…!?"

"A bit small, but… no way, a mammoth!?"

That’s right.

Ancient Zoan: Elephant-Elephant Fruit, Model—Mammoth.

Jack had eaten the fruit before he could even remember. Lucky kid. Kinda like me, actually~.

With the mammoth’s power, even at five years old, Jack outclassed most grown men. A kid or not, a mammoth was still a mammoth.

But raw strength alone doesn’t win battles.

"Quit gawking!! Brat or not, he’s the enemy!! Surround him!!"

"Circle him and crush him!!"

"Heheh, a mammoth hunt, huh? Feels like we’re cavemen or somethin’!!"

"Gh…! O-Ooooh…!!"

Naturally, if one-on-one wasn’t an option, they’d just gang up on him.

Like ancient hunters cornering their prey, they struck from all sides—spears and swords cutting into Jack’s thick hide.

The boy roared, pain twisting his face, but he kept fighting. Kept glaring.

"Hah…! Hah…! I… I love destroyin’ stuff…!!"

Ohhh, bold words for a five-year-old. I was way weaker at his age—mentally, at least.

But still. Five. Charging in blindly and getting surrounded? Not the smartest move. Unless… he meant to do it? Now that’d be interesting.

I kept watching, grinning.

"Then we’ll destroy you first!!"

"Ngh…! Ugh…!!"

Oh? Looks bad. They’re wailing on him now. Ahaha, too bad~. He did well for a kid, but—

Time to step in.

"—!! You little…!?"

"Too bad~! Better luck next life~♡"

"GYAAAAHH—!!?"

"! N-Nue…!!"

I caught the spear mid-thrust, twisted it, and impaled the attacker instead. With my free hand—now a massive tiger’s paw—I swiped aside the rest.

Then I glanced down at the bloodied Jack and smiled.

"Ahaha, what’re you doing, Jack~? Charging in without thinking is no good. Losing’s pointless, y’know~?"

"Tch…! I…!"

Jack flinched, looking guilty. Cute. Still a kid after all.

But then—

"MUHAHA!! Well well, Jack!! Talk big all you want, but you’re already down!? What a joke!!"

"The hell’s wrong with you, Jack… You screwin’ around?"

"! S-Sorry… Bosses…!!"

Two towering figures strode forward—Queen and King, laughing and scowling respectively, tossing aside dead pirates like trash.

Oof. Getting scolded by them must be terrifying for a kid.

And behind them—

"But he’s doing fine for a child. I think it’s cute~♡"

"Mhm~. Jack’s trying his best, right~? I would’ve killed him if he got wrecked without taking anyone down, but he did okay~♡"

Jack the Drought, still panting, clenched his fists—grinning through the blood.

This battle was far from over.

And neither was his rampage.

"…Tch… Sorry ‘bout this, sis…"

Huh? We were being nice to him, so why’s he scared of us too? Was it really that terrifying? I thought we were praising him~.

But King and Queen weren’t done. Crushing their enemies underfoot, they added:

"Oi, Jack… Don’t get cocky just ‘cause Nue and Joker spoil ya. This Queen’s already got enough dead weight with one idiot to deal with."

"Yeah!! This King’s got enough trash to handle as it is!!"

"Got that, Trip-Up Jack?!!"

"Tch…"

King and Queen’s words overlapped, hammering into Jack’s ears. He stiffened up, blatantly tense. Couldn’t even muster a reply. So I decided to tease him a little—along with Smoothie.

"Ahaha!! Don’t worry, you can fail as much as you want, as long as you don’t die~♪ Kids grow stronger by brushing with death, y’know?"

"Ufufu, he is just a child. It’s only natural he’d be dead weight."

"Understood, Trip-Up Jack?"

"…"

—Huh? He shrank back even more. What’s with that? Why’s he freezing up when a couple of adorable big sisters are being so sweet? Guess he’s still intimidated ‘cause we’re stronger and higher-ranked? Not that I mind being feared~♪

"Hey, you bastards, quit ignorin’ us!!"

"Actin’ all relaxed… We’ll make you regret it!!"

While we were all busy scolding Jack, the enemy side shot back with some angry protests. Their reasoning was hilarious too—we were acting too relaxed? Couldn’t help but laugh. Smoothie was grinning too, Queen was smirking, and King stood there like it was obvious, not even bothering to laugh.

Then we fired back:

"Relaxed? —Ahahahaha!! Of course we are!!"

"Fufufu… How amusing."

"Hey, hey—how blind are you people!?"

"Hmph… Would’ve been more fun if you weren’t so relaxed…"

"Ha!? The hell’d you say!?"

Facing the enemy, we stood completely at ease. No need to even brace ourselves. That’s right—we were relaxed. Totally.

The gap between them and us was insurmountable. No contest. Honestly, at this point, it’s just ridiculous. Like bullying the weak. Not that I mind bullying the weak, but some might find it boring. King probably does, and I can’t say I enjoy it as a real fight. Would’ve been different if we were up against Moria, but Kaido hogged him for himself.

So instead, our job was to clean up the trash around us—to mercilessly show them the nightmare of the New World as their baptism.

"Shall we… start trampling them now? ♡"

"Yeah."

"Let’s."

"Time to crush ‘em."

"!!"

And then—we transformed, unleashing a hunt without a shred of mercy.

---

Moria had won every battle as a pirate… up until now.

"Haah… Haah… Kishishi, not bad…!! But my power’s far from spent…!!"

"—Oh?"

Even after entering the New World, he’d slaughtered countless subordinates of Kaido’s.

He was the strongest. He’d keep winning, keep fighting, and become the Pirate King alongside his crew. That’s why he’d sailed this far.

"—Shadow’s Asgard: Gathering of Shadows!!!"

"!!?"

He temporarily borrowed the shadows of his subordinates, already under his control, to amplify his own strength. That’s why he’d chosen this battlefield—the perpetually cloud-covered Ringo, under the cover of night.

Moria could steal others’ shadows and bring them under his dominion. Implant them into corpses, and he could create zombies—a terrifying power.

But if he poured those shadows into himself or others, their original owners’ strength would be added to his own.

In other words, Shadow’s Asgard was Moria’s ultimate technique—absorbing every shadow under his control to empower himself. That’s why he’d secured his crew’s shadows in advance. Taking shadows mid-battle would knock his allies unconscious, so timing and location were crucial. But he’d managed it.

"Kishishi… Kaido… No matter how strong you are, I won’t lose…!! As long as I have my crew, I can grow infinitely stronger…!!!"

"…!!"

His body now dwarfing even Kaido’s, Moria roared. Sure, Kaido was strong. Rumor had it he’d suffered defeats before, but he didn’t seem like it.

But Moria wouldn’t lose either. More importantly—he had his crew. Comrades who’d entrusted him with their shadows without hesitation, believing in him unconditionally.

"Come at me, Kaido…!! Savor the full might of my shadows…!! OOH…!!"

"Tch…!!!"

That’s exactly why he couldn’t lose. Behind Moria stood the shadows of countless comrades.

With their combined strength, he slammed his fist straight into Kaido’s face. This time, he wouldn’t be overpowered. He sent Kaido flying—the impact was real. No matter how tough Kaido’s body was, there was no way he could withstand the combined might of Moria and 500 of his crew.

Moria grew stronger with each ally. That power was what would propel him to the pinnacle of piracy.

"OOH…!! DIE, KAIDO…!!!"

"…………!!"

With enough force to shatter the earth itself, Moria relentlessly hammered Kaido into the ground. He was dealing real damage. Kaido was still human—not invincible. Any man could be killed. So there was no reason Moria couldn’t win.

"Now, let me show you a nightmare… DIE…!!!"

Moria roared. He would defeat Kaido. With unwavering resolve, he struck.

Kaido fell onto his back.

—Well? What’s wrong? Is that all you’ve got?

Kaido’s expression remained grim as he slowly rose. Then, he spoke. Whatever he was about to say, Moria wouldn’t waver. Clinging to his conviction, Moria listened.

"—Pathetic."

"…………Hah?"

—For a moment, Moria’s thoughts froze.

Pathetic? Was Kaido talking about him?

—No way. Not just him, but the combined strength of his entire crew? Impossible.

Yet Kaido continued, shattering that belief with a single sentence.

"You’re weak. And your crew’s even weaker… This is all you’ve got with ‘em combined? Disappointing. Shouldn’t have brought dead weight along."

"…!!! THE HELL YOU SAYING, YOU BASTARD!!!"

Moria’s roar shook the very air of Ringo. His fury was incandescent.

—He insulted my crew.

Unforgivable. He’d carve Kaido’s shadow out and erase him without a trace.

Blind with rage, Moria raised his fist to crush Kaido—

But in that instant… he heard a scream.

"GYAAAAAAHH—!!?"

"Tch!!"

A death cry.

Moria’s blood ran cold. He whipped his head toward the sound—

And there she was.

"—Aww. Boring~. Hey, Kaido~~~ Can I pleaaase take over? These guys are way too trash."

"Wha…!?"

Nue.

Moria knew her. The Beast Pirates' Vice Captain—the "Monstrous Beast" Nue. She looked like nothing more than a girl, but her strength placed her firmly as Kaido’s second-in-command.

And right now, she was driving a spear through the gut of one of Moria’s oldest comrades, blood gushing from the wound.

"YOU… YOU BITCH!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

"Ahahaha!! What’s it look like? Fighting, hurting, killing—duh!! Listen close, can’t you hear it? The screams of your precious little crew~?"

"Tch!!? Wha—"

Moria lunged at her, but Nue effortlessly dodged, leaping back with a grin.

And then—

The sounds. The sights.

They hit Moria like a tidal wave.

"—Hmph. Already giving up? Weak."

"Agh… M-Moria… hel… p—"

"—!!?"

His navigator—a woman who’d been with him since the beginning—was impaled and burned alive by King, her final plea dying in her throat.

"YOU BASTARDS!!! OOOOH…!!!"

"—Don’t ignore me."

"Tch… GRAAH…!! D-DAMN IT, KAIDO, MOVE—!!!"

He tried to rush to her aid. But Kaido’s club smashed into him—yet Moria endured, refusing to fall.

Then, another scream.

"—Oi oi!! Already croaked!? Muhaha!! Too much toxin!? Guess this strain was a dud!"

"…Gh… Agh…"

"—!!"

His cook—a man who’d fed his crew through countless voyages—was convulsing, blood erupting from his pores as Queen’s poison ravaged his body.

"RRRGH… MOVE…!!!!"

Moria tried to bulldoze past Kaido—but he couldn’t. Kaido’s strength had surged beyond expectation. Or was Moria weakening as his crew died? Either way, Kaido’s onslaught kept him trapped.

"—Guess that’s it~♡ You had such youthful energy too~♡"

"Ugh… Wha…?"

"—!!"

His youngest fighter—a promising rookie—was now a withered husk, aged centuries in seconds by Joker’s mysterious power. His body crumpled like parchment, life draining before Moria’s eyes.

"Dumb brat. Can’t even recognize his own weakness."

"Bet your little voyage was fun while it lasted, huh? Well… time’s up."

"——!!!"

Moria screamed his crew’s names.

A swordsman, his arm severed, lay dead. A fishman, his skull crushed. A sniper, half his body torn away. The ship’s doctor, gutted like a fish. The cheerful musician, beheaded.

"YOU BASTARDS—!!!"

Rage and bloodlust drove Moria forward—but Kaido smashed him down before he could take a step.

He could feel it now—his strength was fading.

Of course it was. Shadows vanished when their owners died. No host, no power. Moria’s might came from his crew’s shadows.

And as they died, so too did his strength.

Weakening.

Helpless.

"Save us…!!"

"Captain Moria—!!!"

"P-please… I’m begging you, don’t kill me…!!"

"GYAAAAHH—!!!"

"Haah… haah… We’re all… gonna die…"

"Tch… RUN, DAMN IT!!! GET OUT OF HERE!!!"

A futile order. His crew fled, but the monsters pursued.

"Jukiki~!"

"Kyunyu kyunyu♡"

"Hahacha!!"

"Gokiki gokiki…!"

"Tch tch, Numbers~. Try not to make too much of a mess. Oh, here’s another one! Go get ‘em!"

"! Jukiki~!"

"N-no…!! CAPTAIN—WAAAGH—!!!"

"Gokiki~♪"

"Hahacha…"

"Tch!! NUE, YOU BITCH—!!!"

Grotesque abominations—half-man, half-beast—tore through his crew with gleeful cruelty. In their claws, severed heads and limbs of familiar faces.

And then Nue, grinning, plucked a fleeing crewmate from the air and dropped him into the writhing mass of monsters.

—Moria couldn’t watch anymore.

This was no battle.

This was a nightmare.

And as Moria weakened, Kaido pressed his advantage.

"Who’s showing who a nightmare now…?"

"Tch… KAIDO…!!!"

Kaido loomed over him—a dragon in full beast-form, towering above Moria’s battered, bleeding body.

Around them, the Beast Pirates transformed.

One by one, they crushed his crew—not just their bodies, but their spirits.

This was the March of the Hundred Beasts.

Dragons. Dinosaurs. Mythical horrors. Ancient giants.

They trampled the snow and flames alike, reducing men to pulp beneath their feet.

"STOP IT…!!! Haah… haah… I SAID STOP, DAMN YOU—!!!"

Moria’s body shrank back to normal.

Yet still, he fought.

Battered. Broken. Eyes bloodshot with hate.

He’d kill Kaido.

He’d kill them all.

"—Whoopsie~."

"Tch!!? U—OOH…!!?"

Nue’s foot slammed him into the ground before he could take another step.

As Moria struggled to rise, he realized—

The shadows inside him…

Every last one…

Gone.

"—Aaand game over~♡"

"…!! Kaido… Nue… YOU…!!! HOW DARE YOU… HOW DARE YOU KILL MY CREW—!!!"

A howl of grief.

When he looked up, he was surrounded.

Hundreds of beasts.

All staring.

All waiting.

Their eyes said one thing:

"You’re last."

Kaido and his crew watched as despair twisted Moria’s face—some with indifference, others with mocking grins.

"Now then… how should we play with you? You look fun to break."

"Muhahaha!! Pathetic, Moria!! No matter how many notches on your belt, pick the wrong fight and this is what happens!!"

"Oh, if you’re going to kill him, leave the head intact? That’s 320 million berries in my pocket~."

"I’ve got plenty of experiments in mind~. —Ah, Moria? Your crewmates… were de-li-cious♡"

"Tch…!!"

Moria had no words left.

No strength.

—What is this?

How is this real?

An hour ago, his crew was whole.

A day ago, they were laughing.

Now they were gone.

Tortured.

Broken.

Dead.

This wasn’t just a nightmare.

It was hell.

And it was the price of stepping into the New World.

"Worororo… Don’t get too cocky now."

"!"

The dragon who orchestrated it all spoke.

"Hey, Moria—join my crew. Do that, and I’ll forget this ever happened."

"……!!"

That was an invitation. A joke. How dare this bastard, who had slaughtered his comrades, even think of asking him to join?

"But if ya refuse—I’ll send ya to the same place as yer friends."

And then came the threat. If he wouldn’t join, he’d suffer the same fate—no, worse. He’d die in agony, just like them.

In that impossible nightmare, Moria—cornered and desperate—chose…

"Tch…!!"

"Hah!?"

"Ah—!? A shadow!?"

The Beast Pirates erupted in shock. Where Moria had stood moments ago, there was now only his shadow. Moria could swap places with his own shadow. He must have moved it elsewhere without them noticing.

"Ahaha~, you got played. Did he escape?"

"Shut yer damn mouth!! —You lot!! Find him!! He can’t have gotten far!!"

"Ooooh!!"

Nue laughed, amused, while Kaido barked orders in rage. His men scattered instantly, combing the area.

—But Moria was already long gone, far from Kaido’s reach, deep within a graveyard.

"Hah… Hah…"

Clutching his wounds to keep the blood from dripping, he staggered forward.

No shadows followed him. His comrades were gone. All dead.

"Damn it… Why… Why’d they have to die…!!"

Now, alone, the crushing weight of loss finally bore down on Moria’s heart.

Everything—everything was gone. His precious crew.

He couldn’t understand why. Were they too weak? If they’d been stronger, would they have lived? Had he picked the wrong fight? Should he have fought dirtier?

Countless reasons flickered through his mind, vanishing as quickly as they came. Their deaths cast a dark shadow over his spirit, breaking his will—

Until, at last… Moria arrived at a fundamental truth.

"…Comrades… only die ’cause they’re alive…"

His face, smeared with blood, tears, and dirt, twisted as he spat the words. That was it. The living die. Simple.

"Kishishishi… Yeah… Who needs the living? Anything alive just vanishes when it dies… So then—"

So then, Moria reached his conclusion.

If living comrades die… then they should never have been alive to begin with.

Luckily, Moria had the power to command the dead.

"If they’re already dead… if they’re zombies…!! Then I’ve got nothing to lose… NOTHING!!!"

His face contorted with madness as he voiced his revelation. And he walked on.

By chance, this was a graveyard. And there, he spotted a particular tomb.

The "Eternal Grave." In Wano’s Ringo, the cold preserved corpses for centuries, untouched by decay.

And the grave markers? Swords. For a samurai, the blade they carried in life became their tombstone.

Staring at the grave—at the sword—Moria remembered a legend he’d heard before the battle.

—Long ago, when Wano was known as the "Land of Gold," there was a samurai.

—He cut down every foreign invader, his strength so overwhelming that the world proclaimed, "Wano has its swordsmen."

—His name was Ryuma. A legendary swordsman said to have once slain a colossal dragon in Wano.

—And the blade marking his grave was one of the 21 Great Grade Swords: Shusui.

"…Kishishi… Not yet… It’s not over…!!"

Moria laughed, then left—taking the sword and the corpse with him.

He would rise again, no matter how many years it took. He’d return to the New World with an army of the dead and become the Pirate King.

And so, Moria left Wano… left the New World—never realizing he’d been allowed to escape.