Chapter 165: 165: Moria, A Warlord.

Words : 815 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

The Devil's Triangle. Zenkichi and Robin drifted into the eerie sea region aboard a small boat. A thick fog blanketed the surroundings, muting all sound but the soft lap of water against the hull. Robin narrowed her eyes. "Where are we? I can't see a thing in this mist." Zenkichi answered calmly, "This is the Devil's Triangle. It's a peculiar region—shrouded in fog all year. Some call it a ghost sea, but that's just talk." Robin's gaze swept across the quiet sea. Dozens of derelict pirate ships floated eerily nearby. "There are so many abandoned ships here," she murmured. "It does feel haunted." Zenkichi scoffed. "That's not because of nature. Most of this... was engineered." Robin turned to him, surprised. "You mean someone made it this way?" "Partially," he replied. "A man with a shattered spine—metaphorically and literally. Just a broken fool trying to hide in fear." As Zenkichi looked ahead, the fog parted slightly, revealing a massive silhouette looming in the distance. An island-ship—one that drifted here from the West Blue and eventually merged into the Grand Line. It was more than a ship. It was a floating island. And it belonged to one of the Shichibukai—Gecko Moria. Once heralded as a pirate hero, Moria had dared to challenge one of the Four Emperors. His ambition was fierce; he'd dreamed of standing above even Kaido of the Beasts. But that dream was shattered—literally. Kaido's brutal strength had demolished his crew and crushed Moria's will. Since then, like Crocodile, Moria had abandoned the pursuit of strength and turned to darker, stranger means. While Crocodile chased the power of ancient weapons, Moria chose to rely on corpses and shadows—building an army of the undead. "You stay here," Zenkichi said to Robin, stepping off the boat. "I'll take a look." In a flash, he vanished and landed on the drifting island. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the soil rippled unnaturally. Hands shot up from the earth—decaying arms stretching toward him—followed by entire bodies. Zombies. Animated corpses stitched crudely together, each powered by a stolen shadow through the power of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit. Zenkichi didn't even blink. "Pathetic," he muttered as the undead rushed him. Golden light glowed on his fingertip—laser energy condensed with deadly precision. Zenkichi raised his palm lazily and fired. Beams of searing light exploded through the charging zombies, tearing them apart. From the castle at the island's center, a swarm of black bats emerged, fluttering toward him like a living tide. He recognized the trick. These weren't ordinary creatures—they were shadows, twisted and weaponized by Moria's Devil Fruit. Still, he walked forward, unfazed, each step deliberate. As the bats swarmed him, water from the sea swelled violently. A colossal water dragon, forged from seawater, rose and crashed down. Water Release – Water Dragon Bullet Technique. The wave crashed down upon the zombies, saturating their corpses. Saltwater neutralized the shadow-bound abilities. The creatures dropped, lifeless once more. Zenkichi made his way through the crumbling mob, eventually reaching the towering castle at the center of the island. From within the shadows, a voice rang out. "Zenkichi...?" Gecko Moria emerged, his expression a mix of confusion and hostility. "What are you doing on my ship?" Zenkichi regarded him coolly. "I heard you once challenged Kaido. I was passing by, so I figured I'd take a look at what's left of you." He paused. "I recently met someone who tried to fight Whitebeard. He turned out to be garbage." "So now I'm curious about you." "Don't—" Moria's face contorted with rage. "Don't say that name!" Kaido. The one who'd ruined him. Moria had lost everything—his crew, his pride—and the wound was still fresh. Zenkichi's words dug straight into that scar. "You've lost your spirit, haven't you?" Zenkichi said coldly. "Instead of fighting for your dream, you now hide behind shadows and corpses." "You think an army of undead will make you Pirate King? They aren't even your power." "No matter how strong they get, it won't be you doing anything. You're just a coward pulling strings in the dark." "A rat, pretending to be a lion." Zenkichi's disgust was plain. "Your slogans... your ambition... it's all a joke." Moria's fury exploded. "Die!" He lunged forward without hesitation. Despite the strength he still retained—this was not the withered Moria of the future—he was no match for Zenkichi. Moria had been in decline for only a few months, not yet the pale figure seen years later. His skills weren't gone. His Haki wasn't forgotten. But even at near-peak, he was still nothing in front of Zenkichi. The battle was over before it truly began. --- Consider supporting me on patreon. Patreon.com/Zphy

Chapter 165: 165: Moria, A Warlord.

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