Silence settled over the Thousand Sunny after Brook vanished into the fog, his bony figure running straight across the sea toward the massive, island-sized shadow ahead.
The fog rolled in thicker, swallowing the water where he had been standing moments ago.
The silhouette of Thriller Bark loomed—unnatural, jagged, and unmoving, like a grave that refused to stay buried.
No waves.
No wind.
No sound.
For a long moment, the crew simply stood there.
Staring.
Processing.
Then—
Luffy slammed a fist into his palm, eyes bright.
"Alright!" he declared cheerfully. "We're going to Thriller Bark!"
The reaction was instant.
"NO WE'RE NOT!!!"
Nami, Usopp, and Chopper shouted in perfect, terrified harmony.
Usopp lunged forward and clutched the mast like it was the last solid thing in the world.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
"DID YOU MISS THE PART WHERE HE SAID A WARLORD LIVES THERE?!"
Chopper shook so hard his antlers rattled.
"A WARLORD!"
"They're like—like—"
"THE STRONGEST!"
"AND SCARY!"
"AND EVIL!"
"AND THEY STEAL SHADOWS!"
"AND TURN YOU INTO—INTO—"
He gestured wildly, unable to finish.
Nami pointed straight at Luffy, veins popping.
"We JUST escaped Enies Lobby!"
"We JUST survived Marines, CP9, and your GRANDPA!"
"I am NOT emotionally, physically, OR FINANCIALLY prepared for ANOTHER Warlord!"
Sanji crossed his arms, cigarette trembling slightly as he exhaled smoke.
"…Even I don't like this idea."
"Warlords aren't normal enemies."
"They don't play fair."
Franky scratched his chin, expression unusually serious.
"…Gecko Moria."
"That guy's bad news."
"Body manipulation, shadows, zombies—"
"SUPER creepy."
Usopp's eyes widened. "WHY DO YOU KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT HIM?!"
Franky shrugged. "Because I read the newspapers you idiot."
Luffy tilted his head, confused.
"Huh?"
"But we said we'd help Brook."
The deck went quiet.
Usopp spun on him, eyes glassy.
"WHEN."
"WHEN DID WE SAY THAT?!"
Luffy blinked. "When I asked him to join."
"That DOESN'T COUNT!" Nami screamed.
"That's just you being you!"
Robin closed her book with a soft thump, completely calm. "…You did say it."
She smiled faintly. "And when the captain says something like that… it tends to become reality."
Usopp turned pale.
"No."
"No no no."
"That's not a rule."
"That's a curse."
Zoro leaned against the railing, arms crossed, expression bored. "She's right."
He glanced at the arguing trio. "When the captain decides something, arguing is pointless."
"You know that by now."
Usopp sagged like his soul had left his body.
"…I hate when you say that."
Nami slumped against the rail, defeated.
"…I hate that it's true."
Chopper sniffled.
"…We're all gonna die…"
"…In a haunted island…"
"…Without shadows…"
Luffy grinned from ear to ear, hands on his hips.
"Don't worry!"
"We'll just beat the Warlord!"
The entire crew exploded.
"THAT'S NOT REASSURING!!!"
"YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THAT!!!"
"THAT'S THE PROBLEM!!!"
Sanji grabbed Luffy by the shoulders.
"LISTEN TO ME, YOU IDIOT!"
"Warlords don't get beaten easily!"
Luffy just grinned back at him, completely unfazed.
Sanji held his glare for a second longer… then slowly exhaled, shoulders dropping.
"…Tch."
He released Luffy and lit another cigarette, taking a long drag.
"Fine," he muttered. "No use crying about it."
Smoke drifted from his lips as he glanced toward the looming shadow of Thriller Bark.
"Guess we're fighting another Warlord."
Nami turned sharply. "SANJI?! You're just accepting this?!"
Sanji glanced back at her.
"Nami-san, you got a better idea?"
"Because running won't stop him from chasing us."
Usopp fell to his knees. "WHY IS EVERYONE SO CALM ABOUT THIS?!"
Zoro smirked faintly. "That's the spirit."
Franky cracked his knuckles. "SUPER unlucky… but SUPER exciting."
Chopper whimpered. "I don't want to fight a Warlord…"
Robin spoke softly, almost amused.
"Every major step forward seems to require confronting monsters."
Luffy pumped his fist.
"Alright!"
"Let's go get Brook's shadow!"
Usopp screamed. "WHY ARE WE DOING THIS FOR A SKELETON WE MET TEN MINUTES AGO?!"
Luffy smiled innocently.
"Because he's going to join our crew."
Zoro sighed deeply. "…We're really doing this."
Robin smiled again, eyes glinting.
"The Florian Triangle…"
"A land where ships disappear."
"How fascinating."
Usopp stared at her. "YOU'RE NOT HELPING!"
Ahead of them, Thriller Bark waited.
Silent.
Watching.
And whether they liked it or not—
The Straw Hats were already on course for another nightmare.
————————-
Thriller Bark
The Thousand Sunny scraped gently against the dock—
If it could even be called a dock.
The wood beneath their feet was warped and swollen, half-rotted yet stubbornly intact, like it refused to fully decay. A chill crept up from the ground the moment they disembarked.
The air was thick.
Cold.
Unmoving.
No wind.
No birds.
No waves.
Above them, the sky was locked in eternal night—heavy clouds frozen in place, as if time itself had decided this island wasn't worth advancing for.
Broken towers pierced the fog in the distance, jagged silhouettes leaning at impossible angles. Gravestones littered the ground in chaotic clusters, some cracked, some freshly dug, others tilted as though trying to crawl away. Twisted trees lined the path ahead, their branches creaking softly—
Not from wind.
But from movement.
Nami wrapped her arms tightly around herself.
"…This place gives me the creeps."
"Everything about it feels wrong."
Usopp swallowed hard, eyes darting in every direction.
"I feel like the island is staring at me."
"Like—like it knows we're here."
Chopper clutched his hat.
"I don't like it…"
"I really, really don't like it…"
"I want to go home…"
Franky scanned the surroundings, jaw tight.
"…This isn't natural."
"An island that doesn't move, doesn't breathe… it's like a graveyard that forgot it was dead."
Sanji exhaled smoke slowly.
"Tch."
"Figures the Warlord with shadow powers lives in a place like this."
Robin's gaze lingered on the gravestones.
"…This fog feels intentional."
"As if it's meant to keep people from leaving."
Zoro rested a hand on his swords. "Then let's not let it get to us."
Then—
A tree moved.
Not swayed.
Moved.
Its roots tore free from the soil with a wet, cracking sound. The trunk twisted unnaturally, bark stretching as a face formed—eyes hollow, mouth curling into a crooked grin.
Its branches lifted.
Like arms.
Usopp screamed at the top of his lungs.
"THE TREES ARE ALIVE!!!"
"I KNEW IT! I KNEW THIS PLACE WAS EVIL!"
Chopper shrieked and dove behind Franky.
"IT'S LOOKING AT US!!!"
Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"Whoa!"
Before anyone could react, he sprinted forward.
"HEY!"
"YOU'RE AWESOME!"
He pointed dramatically. "JOIN MY CREW!"
Zoro's veins popped. "DON'T—!"
He grabbed Luffy by the collar and yanked him back with force. "NO YOU IDIOT!"
The tree blinked.
Paused.
Then slowly turned around and began walking away, roots dragging across the ground.
"…Rude," Luffy muttered, arms crossed.
Nami smacked him. "YOU CAN'T RECRUIT EVERYTHING THAT MOVES!"
They took two cautious steps forward.
CRACK.
The ground split open.
A hand burst through the soil.
Then another.
Fingers clawed desperately at the dirt as a rotting figure dragged itself out of a grave, jaw hanging loose, eyes lifeless.
"Uuuuuuu…"
Nami's scream pierced the fog.
"Z-Z-ZOMBIEEEEEE!!!"
Usopp fainted instantly, hitting the ground face-first.
Chopper shrieked. "I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THIS!"
Sanji stepped in front of Nami. "…Alright. Stay behind me."
Zoro clicked his tongue. "Tch."
Luffy tilted his head. "…Huh?"
He walked right up to it, squinting thoughtfully. "…You okay?"
Before anyone could stop him, he gently placed his hands on the zombie's chest and shoved.
Thud.
The corpse fell straight back into the grave.
"There," Luffy said proudly. "It's just an old man with wounds."
The crew exploded.
"THAT WAS A ZOMBIE!!!"
"WHY DID YOU TOUCH IT?!"
"WHY DID YOU PUSH IT BACK LIKE IT WAS NORMAL?!"
Chopper shook Luffy. "THAT'S NOT HOW ZOMBIES WORK!!!"
Usopp woke up just in time to see—
The zombie's hand slowly rise again.
Everyone screamed.
Then—
BOOM.
The ground trembled.
A massive shadow dropped in front of them.
Three snarling heads.
Three sets of glowing eyes.
Rows of jagged fangs dripping saliva.
A Cerberus.
The beast growled, shaking the fog itself.
Usopp pointed with shaking hands.
"THAT'S A THREE-HEADED DOG!!!"
"WHY DOES THIS ISLAND HAVE A BUDGET FOR NIGHTMARES?!"
Chopper sobbed. "WHY DOES IT HAVE EXTRA HEADS?!"
The Cerberus roared.
Luffy grinned.
"Oh!"
"A dog!"
"NO—!" Nami screamed.
Too late.
Luffy dashed forward. "HEY BOY!"
CHOMP.
The Cerberus bit down on Luffy's arm.
"Ow," Luffy said casually.
He punched it straight in the face.
POW.
The massive beast flew backward, crashing through tombstones before skidding to a halt.
Everyone stared in horror.
The Cerberus slowly stood up.
Its tails wagged.
"…Woof?"
Luffy beamed and began petting it.
"See?"
"It's friendly now!"
Sanji stared. "…I hate this place."
Nami's eye twitched. "…I'm billing this island."
Zoro exhaled deeply. "…I really hate this island."
From the shadows of Thriller Bark—
A quiet laugh echoed.
Low.
Amused.
Unseen eyes watched as the Straw Hats stepped deeper into the fog.
And the hunt—
Had officially begun.
———————
Thriller Bark — Inside the Castle
Deep within the massive structure at the heart of Thriller Bark, torchlight flickered weakly along stone walls lined with grotesque statues and stitched-together corpses. The castle groaned with every movement of the island, as if it were alive—and unhappy.
At the far end of a vast hall—
A massive shadow reclined upon a throne.
Gecko Moria.
His enormous frame slouched lazily, one hand propping up his chin, the other idly tugging at the shadow beneath his feet as it writhed like a living thing.
"Kishishishi…"
"What a drag…"
A door creaked open.
A tall figure stepped in, boots echoing sharply against the stone floor.
Absalom.
Bandages wrapped parts of his face, scars pulling his features into a perpetual sneer. His voice carried smug satisfaction as he bowed just enough to count as respect.
"Lord Moria."
Moria didn't bother looking up. "…What now?"
Absalom smirked. "We've got intruders."
That caught Moria's attention—just barely.
"…Huh?"
He shifted, eyes half-opening. "Who'd be stupid enough to wander into my island?"
Absalom straightened. "The Straw Hat Pirates."
Silence.
Then—
Moria let out a slow, unimpressed laugh.
"Straw Hat…?"
"Those rookies from Enies Lobby?"
He waved a dismissive hand. "Kishishishi… so some brats came looking for death."
He yawned, stretching his massive arms.
"I'll deal with them later."
Absalom's grin widened.
"…In the meantime," he said, "there's a woman with orange hair among them."
His eyes gleamed. "I'll take her."
Moria chuckled darkly. "Kishishi… do whatever you want."
Absalom turned, already imagining it.
"I'll make her my bride."
His laughter echoed as he exited the hall.
Moria leaned back into his throne, shadows pooling thickly at his feet.
"Straw Hat Luffy…"
"Let's see how long you last in the dark after I take all of your shadows."
Somewhere within Thriller Bark—
The fog thickened.
And the island prepared to play.