Gecko Moria put away his scissors. The last crew member's shadow had been taken, and the floor was now littered with unconscious victims. Meanwhile, behind him stood a full row of grotesque and terrifying zombies.
If Karslana and the crew of the Starlight were present, they would have noticed that the sailors lying on the ground weren't just those captured near the trench; the crew members who were supposed to remain on the ship were also among them.
Turning back to glance at the zombies, Moria's previously jubilant expression vanished, replaced by a look of disdain. "Where's that skeleton swordsman? Why hasn't he been captured yet?"
One of the zombies cautiously replied, "Master Hogback said he wanted to ensure there were no loose ends causing destruction on the island. He's trying to lure the target into the mansion to capture them all at once."
"That's none of my business! All I care about is whether they deliver prey worthy of becoming a General Zombie's shadow to me! Don't bother me with the details!" Moria grumbled, his lips curling downward as he lounged on the luxurious chair in the center of the room, which resembled a throne. "Go tell them to hurry up! I'm getting impatient!"
The zombie quickly responded and fled the room, leaving the other zombies behind to begin transporting the unconscious sailors.
The Starlight had long been under Moria's control. Some zombies had even repaired the damaged rudder of the ship. The next step was simple: return the shadowless crew members to their ship and send them drifting out of the Florian Triangle, ensuring they could never find their way back to Thriller Bark. For Moria and his crew, this would mean mission accomplished.
…
"Where's the Starlight?"
Karslana strained her eyes, looking into the distance, but the spot where she remembered the ship being anchored was now empty, with only the undulating sea remaining.
After escaping the trench, William wanted to guide the group toward the mansion at the center of the island. He believed Moria himself would be nearby. However, Karslana and the others insisted on returning to the ship first. Even though the ship couldn't sail, they wanted to warn the crew onboard about the island's horrors.
Deep down, Karslana and the other crew members, after witnessing the zombies, couldn't help but view their familiar ship as a sanctuary.
William didn't insist too much. After all, the merchant ship's rudder was broken, and the ship's doctor was injured. He had plenty of ways to eventually lead them toward the mansion.
But now, with the ship mysteriously gone, Karslana and the sailors could only stare blankly at the empty sea.
"What about Portia and the others?" Karslana murmured to herself.
William and Selkirk exchanged a glance, then shrugged. William said to Karslana, "It seems we'll have to check out that mansion. If the crew left on the ship are still alive, they're most likely there."
"Shut up, you selfish coward!" Karslana, already furious at William's behavior in the trench, glared at him as soon as he spoke. "You were sneaky on the ship, and even more so after landing on the island. Where's that guy called Ganis? You were the first to escape the trench!"
William feigned an awkward smile, but Selkirk wasn't as patient. He coldly retorted, "Don't take your anger out on us. Didn't you also run when facing the zombies?"
Karslana was about to continue arguing, but William quickly stepped between them to mediate. "Let's not fight in this situation. The mansion is the only intact building on the island that hasn't been destroyed by zombies. It must hold secrets about this place. Whether we're looking for the ship or Portia and her team, the mansion is our best bet. Portia was kind enough to let us hitch a ride on her ship; I can't just abandon her. Will you come with us?"
Karslana pressed her lips together, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded. She turned to the sailors behind her, who had narrowly escaped danger. While two young sailors nodded firmly, the others seemed hesitant, avoiding Karslana's gaze entirely.
William didn't expect all the sailors to be fearless warriors. He turned to Brook, whose mood had improved. However, Brook's skeletal face revealed no discernible expression, so William simply asked, "Will you come with us, Brook?"
Brook's voice sounded despondent. "My ship is gone too, and for Portia and the friends who hosted me, I must go to the mansion. I'm not afraid of the zombies—only the ghosts…"
Brook instinctively rubbed his arm with his hand, showing signs of lingering fear.
"If you can avoid them, do so," William said, chopping his right hand downward forcefully to emphasize his point. "From what I've seen, those ghosts need to make contact to affect you. With your speed and some precautions, it shouldn't be easy for them to catch you."
In truth, William wasn't sure about this, but he was merely trying to blend in with the group heading to the mansion and eventually confront Moria. Brook and Karslana had no other options. They needed to find the ship and its crew if they wanted to leave the island. Portia was also Karslana's close friend, and she couldn't ignore the plight of the noblewoman.
Leaving behind the sailors who refused to venture further into the island, Karslana, William, Selkirk, Brook, and two brave sailors quickly departed the shore. On the way, they passed through a small grove where Karslana, recalling the zombies' fear of fire in the trench, suggested making torches to light when encountering zombies.
While crafting the torches, Gin suddenly appeared from nowhere and joined the group heading to the mansion. When Karslana questioned him, he claimed he had gotten lost in the dense fog and separated from the group while avoiding zombies.
Karslana remained suspicious, but since they were already deep into the island, she avoided further conflict with William's group to prevent drawing the zombies' attention. Instead, she whispered instructions to the two sailors from the Starlight, keeping her distance from William's group and clearly showing her wariness, leaving Brook awkwardly caught in the middle.
Karslana's actions were exactly what Gin had hoped for. He took the opportunity to share with William what he had learned from survivors on the island.
Only then did William understand Moria's hunting methods and realize that the place they were in was a massive ship-island modified from a West Blue island.
Given the size of the ship, even Moria couldn't monitor every corner. Many survivors remained hidden on the island, either clinging to the hope of reclaiming their shadows or unable to leave due to unforeseen circumstances. These survivors cooperated daily to avoid zombies, explore the island, and gather usable resources and intelligence.
These survivors were well aware of Moria's intentions. After extracting this information from them, Gin immediately ran to inform William, knowing he and his group would eventually head to the mansion. Gin had been waiting for them along the way.
"So, all the zombies on the island are Moria's doing, and his goal is to capture us alive and steal our shadows?" William's eyes darted as he processed the information.
(End of Chapter)
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