"One Piece:The True Codex"Chapter 349: The Art of Hospitality
When William entered the room, his eyes immediately locked onto Moria. This was their first face-to-face encounter.
Sending Gin to Marine Headquarters was a critical part of William's strategy. There's a vast difference between developing in isolation and growing discreetly. The former often leads to a disconnection from the outside world due to a lack of intelligence, while the latter involves not only self-development but also actively gathering external information to adjust strategic plans according to the situation.
Though William had been building his influence in the East Blue over the years, he never lost focus on the Grand Line. In addition to sending Gin, he had also dispatched others to the Grand Line to acquire technology for sea trains.
Gin, a Marine Major, might not have access to the higher-level classified information within the Marines, but as an executor of numerous plans and intelligence operations, he naturally gained a wealth of useful information—even without deliberately seeking it out. And for someone like Gin, who had ulterior motives, the potential was even greater.
The relationship between the Seven Warlords of the Sea and the Marines could be described as strained at best. On the surface, both were armed forces under the World Government, working together to suppress the rampant piracy of the Great Pirate Era. However, in reality, the two sides were mutually distrustful and antagonistic. Many within the Marines, from top to bottom, held deep reservations about the Warlord system. Gin's inquiries into the Warlords' affairs at Marine Headquarters didn't raise any suspicions; most assumed he was merely gathering evidence of their crimes.
Unlike the Four Emperors, who ruled the New World with vast territories and influence, the Warlords often operated within fixed domains, making them easier to locate compared to the wandering rogue pirates.
William's decision to target Moria was a calculated one. Moria resided in the Florian Triangle, an area relatively isolated from the outside world. No matter what happened during the assassination attempt, it would be difficult to alert the Marines. Even if the Marines were somehow notified, locating the massive Thriller Bark within the Florian Triangle would be no easy task.
Moreover, Moria's annual attacks on various ships provided William with a convenient opportunity to infiltrate his ranks.
Compared to other Warlords—some of whom were kings, national heroes, or otherwise high-profile figures—Moria, who appeared mysterious yet unremarkable, was the most suitable target for William. Dampier had seen this potential from the start.
Despite having defeated legendary figures like "Golden Lion" Shiki and Garp, William didn't let his guard down. Although the Marines were still baffled as to how William had managed to defeat Garp and his fleet, assuming he possessed some extraordinary abilities, William was well aware of the challenges he faced. Both battles had been anything but easy—he had relied on a combination of cunning strategies, full effort, and a bit of luck to ultimately prevail.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea were, after all, one of the three great powers of the Grand Line. William harbored no illusions about being able to waltz in and effortlessly take down Moria.
For this reason, William brought Gin and Selkirk along, even though he knew that doing so would make their group more conspicuous. He also took great care to disguise himself and his companions, ensuring that Moria would have no reason to suspect them. This element of surprise was crucial to his plan.
Since becoming a governor, William had enjoyed a life of relative comfort. Yet, he willingly endured the hardships of traveling on a small merchant ship, subjecting himself to others' commands, and adopting an unapproachable, disheveled appearance. His meticulous preparation underscored just how seriously he regarded Moria.
However, upon seeing Moria in person, William couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment.
William had encountered opponents whose strength had diminished over time. "Golden Lion" Shiki was one such example.
Shiki, already an elderly man, had suffered severe head injuries and endured years of imprisonment in Impel Down, escaping only by severing his own legs. By the time he faced William, Shiki was a shadow of his former self. Yet, even in his weakened state, Shiki's presence and determination remained formidable. Despite his age and disabilities, he maintained a physique not far removed from his prime and never showed any signs of complacency.
Moria, on the other hand, was so obese that he likely couldn't even see his own toes when he looked down.
From the condition of Thriller Bark's crew and Moria's interactions with his subordinates, it was evident that Moria rarely took action himself—not out of disdain, but out of sheer laziness.
The eerie environment of Thriller Bark, designed to instill fear in outsiders, had also eroded Moria's own willpower, making him increasingly reliant on the strength of others.
Lying on the ground, William's gaze shifted past Moria's back and met Gin's eyes. William gave him a subtle signal, followed by a mocking smile. It was unclear whether he was mocking Moria for failing to recognize his true value or laughing at how convincingly he had played the role of a helpless fool.
Moria couldn't even be bothered to turn on the searchlights himself, delegating the task to a zombie. He then instructed Absalom to unveil a male corpse dressed in a kimono, its skin dried and decayed, on a hospital bed behind him.
Finally, Moria turned his attention to Brook, whom he held in his massive hand. Misinterpreting Brook's earlier plea as a fear of decapitation, Moria chuckled, "Don't worry. You're the most valuable catch this time. How could I bear to kill you?"
To everyone's surprise, Gin, standing opposite Moria, smirked and said, "Then you've made a grave mistake, Moria!"
Moria turned to Gin in confusion, only to hear a sudden explosion behind him.
The tightly bound William erupted into a cloud of scalding white steam, radiating intense heat.
As the steam surged forward like an enraged dragon, the zombies and the crew of the Starlight couldn't help but cry out in shock. The steam roared toward Moria, who stood with his back to William.
Hearing the commotion and feeling the heat at his back, Moria instinctively began to turn his head. But before he could fully turn around, the steam struck the back of his neck, scattering in all directions and revealing William's figure.
The searing heat made Moria cry out in pain, but his scream was abruptly cut short. William's right hand, shaped like a blade, pierced through the back of Moria's neck. His technique, honed through mastery of the Six Powers (Rokushiki), allowed his hand to cut through flesh like a blade. William's entire arm plunged deep into Moria's thick neck, nearly severing it entirely.
Fortunately for Moria, his earlier attempt to turn his head had caused William's strike to miss the spinal column. Even so, Moria spat out a large mouthful of blood, which rained down on Brook's afro, soaking it completely.
Brook, his jaw hanging open, was so stunned by the sudden turn of events that he forgot to struggle. Moria, now in agony and shock, dropped Brook to the ground.
Moria's eyes turned blood-red, the casual ease he had displayed moments earlier replaced by pain and disbelief. Behind him, William's expression was twisted with fury. The blood from Moria's wound evaporated upon contact with the intense heat radiating from William's arm, forming a faint mist that swirled around him.
"Throwing your guests to the ground isn't exactly the proper way to treat them, is it, Mr. Moria?" William growled.
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