Chapter 166: 166: The Admiral's Arrival.

Words : 893 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Moria condensed his shadow into armor, layering it over himself as he lunged into close combat with Zenkichi. Unfortunately, Zenkichi's hand-to-hand abilities far surpassed Moria's. Within seconds, he was overwhelmed and sent flying. Still, Moria wasn't discouraged. Regaining his footing, he condensed his shadow into a humanoid figure—an exact replica of himself—and charged forward once more. This shadow warrior had properties similar to Logia-type Devil Fruits, allowing it to shift between a tangible and intangible form. Even when physically struck, it could disperse into shadow and reconstitute itself. It could also launch powerful physical attacks, despite being formed of shadow. Even Haki and Seastone couldn't truly destroy it. This ability made Moria's shadow warrior incredibly difficult to handle, especially in prolonged battles. The shadow copy was torn apart by Zenkichi's blows repeatedly, only to regenerate effortlessly each time. This was Moria's preferred tactic—using his nigh-indestructible body double to wear down stronger opponents. As long as their strength didn't vastly outmatch his own, this strategy usually turned the tide in his favor. Unfortunately for Moria, the difference between his power and Zenkichi's was too great. And unlike most powerhouses in the pirate world, Zenkichi possessed methods that specifically countered abilities like Moria's. As the shadow warrior rushed forward again, Zenkichi calmly raised his hand. A white aura shimmered around his palm. He tightened his fist, then launched a punch into the air. The very space before him fractured like glass, spiderwebbing with cracks. The shockwave from his punch shattered the shadow warrior completely, dispersing it into fragments of darkness. In the next instant, Zenkichi vanished—and reappeared behind Moria, his hand tightening around the warlord's throat. Moria didn't panic. He had already prepared for this and activated his spatial technique, swapping places with his shadow clone to escape Zenkichi's grasp. "I knew you'd try that," Zenkichi muttered, smirking. Dark sealing lines spiraled across his palm, forming a chakra-based fūinjutsu from the shinobi world. He slammed his hand into the shadow clone—sealing it away instantly. "What?!" Moria's face twisted in shock. He could no longer sense his shadow. As a wielder of the Shadow Shadow Fruit, his shadow was the core of all his power. Without it, he was helpless. "You should've known," Zenkichi said, his tone calm. "This is where it ends." He appeared before Moria again, his fist wrapped in that radiant white aura—and drove it into Moria's skull, extinguishing his life in one final, crushing blow. Moria was dead. With his demise, all the shadows he had stolen were released. The zombies under his control crumbled, and the stolen shadows returned to their rightful owners. A tall, bony figure stepped forward from the ruins and bowed deeply to Zenkichi. "Thank you so much, sir!" It was Brook—the skeletal musician and swordsman—restored now that his shadow had returned. Brook was a user of the Yomi Yomi no Mi, the Revive-Revive Fruit. After dying, he was brought back to life, though by the time his soul found his body, only his skeleton remained. Even so, in this bizarre world, Brook still functioned. He could walk, speak, eat, and even... use the bathroom, somehow. "I'm still missing a musician on my ship," Zenkichi said, eyeing him thoughtfully. "Want to join us for a while?" He had no plans to keep Brook permanently—but for now, he was curious to hear the famed Soul King's music. Brook hesitated only a moment before nodding enthusiastically. "It would be my greatest honor!" With Moria gone and the Devil's Triangle descending into chaos, Brook had no better prospects. Sticking with Zenkichi was clearly the smartest move. "Good," Zenkichi said simply. They didn't linger. Not long after, they set sail—and left the Devil's Triangle behind. But just as they did, a massive warship appeared ahead, blocking their path. At its bow stood a tall man in a yellow-striped suit, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. "Why'd you have to come this way?" Admiral Kizaru asked lazily, his voice half-hearted. "Seems like this is going to end in a fight after all." He sighed, clearly annoyed. Kizaru hadn't wanted this mission. Sengoku had insisted. Originally, Kizaru had planned to "accidentally" miss Zenkichi, to avoid confrontation altogether. But fate had other plans. Now that they'd crossed paths, there was no going back. With a resigned shrug, Kizaru stepped forward to the edge of the warship. He might have preferred to avoid trouble, but he was still an admiral of the Navy—one of the world's strongest. "Admiral Kizaru?" Zenkichi said, curiosity flashing in his eyes. "Didn't expect to see you here." A confrontation with a Navy admiral was unexpected—but welcome. Kizaru's laid-back expression didn't change. He spoke in a flat, matter-of-fact tone. "You've caught the Navy's attention, Zenkichi. You're a threat to world stability." "So today, I'm here to arrest you—to prevent you from making things worse." He paused, then added, "Of course, if you'd rather resist... I can always execute you on the spot." "To be honest, I prefer that. Arresting people's a hassle—I don't like wasting time." Kizaru stared down at Zenkichi and sighed again, clearly irritated by the whole situation. --- Send Power stones ಠ⁠◡⁠ಠ

Chapter 166: 166: The Admiral's Arrival.

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