The fog drifted lazily through the ruined courtyard, carrying with it the fading scent of decay.
Bits of web still clung to broken pillars.
The severed remains of the giant spider lay motionless nearby.
Franky slowly lowered his fists. "…Okay."
He turned toward Brook. "You're officially the creepiest guy I've ever met."
Brook gave a polite bow.
"Yohohoho!"
"I shall take that as a compliment."
Robin brushed dust from her sleeves. "Thank you for your help."
Brook straightened.
"Think nothing of it."
"After all, we are… allies now, it seems."
Franky scratched his chin. "So you weren't kidding earlier."
Robin looked at Brook calmly. "You said you would explain this island."
Brook's hollow eyes darkened. "Yes…"
He turned toward the looming silhouette of Thriller Bark's castle.
"This island is ruled by Gecko Moria."
Franky frowned.
"Yeah, you mentioned that earlier."
"One of the Seven Warlords."
Brook nodded.
"A man who commands shadows."
Robin tilted her head slightly. "Shadows… as weapons?"
Brook shook his skull.
"Not merely weapons."
He tapped the ground with his cane. "He steals shadows from living humans."
Franky stiffened. "…Steals?"
Brook continued. "He then implants those shadows into corpses."
Robin's eyes narrowed. "So that's why the dead walk."
"Precisely."
Brook gestured toward the fog-shrouded graves. "The zombies move because shadows reside inside them."
Franky crossed his arms tightly. "That's messed up."
Brook's tone grew heavier.
"The zombies obey Moria absolutely."
"They cannot disobey his commands."
Robin folded her hands. "And the shadows themselves?"
Brook nodded slowly. "They retain traces of their original owners' personalities."
Franky blinked. "…Meaning?"
Brook glanced sideways.
"A coward's shadow placed into a corpse will create a cowardly zombie."
"A swordsman's shadow will grant sword skills."
Robin's eyes sharpened. "So fighting them is unpredictable."
"Yes."
Brook's voice softened. "Worse still…"
He paused.
"Those who lose their shadows…"
Franky waited.
"…Cannot exist in sunlight."
Robin inhaled quietly.
"They burn."
Brook nodded.
"When dawn arrives…"
"They are erased."
Silence pressed down around them.
Franky slammed his metal knuckles together. "So if we don't beat Moria before morning…"
Brook nodded.
"…Many will die."
Franky growled.
"Yeah."
"Now I REALLY want to punch this guy."
Robin looked at Brook. "So you want your shadow back."
Brook lowered his head.
"Yes."
He placed a skeletal hand over his chest.
"But not only for survival."
Robin waited.
Brook's voice softened. "I still have a promise."
Franky raised an eyebrow. "A promise?"
Brook smiled faintly. "To meet an old friend again."
Robin tilted her head. "A person?"
Brook shook his skull. "A whale."
Franky blinked. "…A whale?"
"A whale named Laboon."
Franky's eyes widened. "…LABOON?!"
Robin's eyes widened as well. "You know him?"
Brook turned sharply toward them. "You do?!"
Robin nodded. "Not personally."
She paused. "But our captain and the others encountered a giant whale at the entrance of the Grand Line."
Brook froze completely.
"…They did?"
Robin continued gently.
"They said the whale was waiting for pirates who once promised to return."
Brook's jaw trembled.
"So…"
"He's still waiting?"
His knees buckled.
He dropped to the stone ground.
"Laboon…"
Tears streamed endlessly from empty eye sockets.
"I'm sorry…"
His shoulders shook.
"I should have returned…"
He clenched his fists.
"How long has it been…"
"Decades…?"
He bowed his skull to the ground. "But I swear it…"
His voice hardened with resolve. "I will see you again."
"I will keep my promise."
Franky stepped forward and placed a heavy hand on Brook's shoulder. "…You've got guts."
Robin smiled faintly. "And a reason to fight."
Brook slowly stood.
"Yes."
He wiped his face despite having no skin.
"Which is why I cannot fall here."
Robin turned toward the fog. "Our crew is scattered."
Franky nodded.
"Sanji's looking for Nami."
"Luffy and Zoro went after the others."
Brook straightened his posture. "Then let us regroup."
Robin nodded. "The sooner we reunite…"
Franky grinned. "…The sooner we smash a Warlord."
Brook lifted his cane.
"Yohohoho!"
"Lead the way."
The fog parted before them.
Three figures stepped forward into the nightmare island—
Bound by shadows.
Bound by promises.
And unknowingly walking toward a fate far darker than any grave.
———————-
Elsewhere—
Deep within Thriller Bark's castle…
Footsteps echoed.
Bare feet.
Slap.
Slap.
Slap.
Luffy wandered through a massive hallway lined with cracked pillars and torn banners.
"Huh?"
He looked left.
Then right.
"Where did everybody go?"
His stomach growled.
"…Also I'm hungry."
He scratched his head.
"They must've gotten lost."
A pause.
"Probably Zoro."
He nodded confidently.
The hallway ended at a towering set of double doors, blackened with age.
Something heavy breathed on the other side.
KRRRRRRRRREEEEE—
The doors slowly pulled open.
A cavernous throne room stretched before him.
High ceiling lost in darkness.
Tattered curtains hanging like dead skin.
And at the far end—
A massive throne made of stitched shadows and broken stone.
A gigantic figure lounged lazily upon it.
Long neck.
Stitched face.
Predatory grin.
Gecko Moria.
Luffy squinted.
"…Whoa."
He took a few steps forward. "So you're Gecko Moria?"
The giant figure slowly tilted his head downward.
Heavy footsteps echoed as he shifted.
His voice oozed amusement.
"Kishishishishi…"
"So a little brat wandered into my castle…"
Luffy pointed at him. "So you're the Warlord who stole Brook's shadow."
Moria raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"You know that skeleton?"
"Yeah."
Luffy crossed his arms.
"He's my friend."
"So give it back."
Silence.
Then—
"KIIIIISHISHISHISHI!"
Moria's laughter boomed across the hall, shaking loose dust from the ceiling.
"You demand things from a Warlord?"
He leaned forward, his enormous shadow stretching across the floor toward Luffy.
"You rookies really have no sense of fear."
"I once fought Kaido."
"The strongest creature alive."
His grin widened grotesquely.
"I survived."
He slowly stood.
The floor creaked under his weight.
"And you…"
He pointed.
"A boy worth a few hundred million…"
"You think you can defeat me?"
Luffy tilted his head.
"Yep."
Moria blinked.
"…What?"
Luffy grinned.
"Because I know I can."
"Shishishishi!"
Moria's eye twitched.
"No hesitation… no respect…"
His grin sharpened.
"Good."
"I enjoy crushing idiots like you."
Moria spread his arms.
The shadows in the room began to ripple.
They bubbled.
Stretched.
Moved independently of their owners.
"Welcome to my territory."
Black tendrils burst from the floor.
WHOOSH.
Luffy jumped back.
"Whoa!"
More shadows surged.
They twisted like serpents.
SNAP.
Two wrapped around his legs.
Another seized his arm.
"HEY!"
Luffy tried to stretch—
But the shadows hardened like iron.
"Tch."
Moria watched calmly.
"Struggle."
Luffy strained.
"Gomu Gomu—"
A shadow hand clamped over his mouth.
"MMMMPH!"
Moria slowly walked closer.
"Let me show you the difference between us."
He extended his palm.
A dark mist swirled around Luffy's feet.
His shadow began to peel away.
Like skin.
"HEY!"
Luffy's eyes widened.
"STOP THAT!"
The shadow stretched violently, screaming silently as it tore loose.
Luffy felt his strength drain instantly.
His knees buckled.
"Wha…"
The shadow ripped free completely.
It hovered between them, writhing.
Luffy collapsed face-first.
Thud.
The shadow struggled.
Moria grabbed it.
"Excellent."
He stared down at the unconscious pirate.
"Not dead."
"Not yet."
"But completely useless."
Moria turned away.
"Dispose of him later."
"Kishishishi…"
⸻——————
Outside the castle—
Wind howled through chains.
A colossal figure towered above the forest.
Ancient.
Frozen.
Bound by massive iron restraints.
Oars.
Moria approached, Luffy's shadow writhing in his hand.
"Do you know what you are?"
He pressed the shadow against Oars' chest
It sank inside like smoke.
Oars' massive fingers twitched.
Moria's grin stretched impossibly wide.
"At last…"
"My masterpiece."
He threw his head back.
"KIIIIISHISHISHISHI!"
"With the shadow of a 300,000,000 million Berry pirate…"
Oars' eyes snapped open.
Red light burned within them.
His mouth twisted into a grin—
A grin far too familiar.
"Shishishi…"
Oars flexed.
Chains groaned.
Cracks formed.
Moria turned toward the castle.
"Oars will be unstoppable."
Thunder rumbled.
Fog thickened.
Somewhere in the darkness—
A rubber boy lay unconscious.
A skeleton prayed to the past.
And a monster born of shadow took its first breath.
Thriller Bark had truly awakened.
———————-
Elsewhere.
Fog dragged across broken stone like crawling fingers.
Zoro walked alone.
Again.
He stopped.
"…Tch."
Looked left.
Nothing.
Looked right.
Still nothing.
"…How the hell…"
He scratched his head.
"We were literally together two minutes ago."
A branch snapped somewhere.
Zoro didn't move.
"…Luffy probably ran into something stupid."
Pause.
"…curly brows is probably still looking for nami."
Another pause.
"…And I somehow ended up in hell."
A hollow CLINK echoed.
Metal.
Dragged across stone.
Zoro's hand slid to Wado Ichimonji.
"Come out."
No response.
The fog shifted.
A silhouette stepped forward.
Kimono—old and tattered.
Skin—gray and cracked.
Eyes—dead.
A sword rested on the man's shoulder.
Zoro slowly exhaled.
"…You don't look alive."
The figure stopped.
"I am Ryuma."
Zoro squinted.
"That's it?"
"Just Ryuma?"
Ryuma tilted his head.
"A name does not need decoration."
Zoro's gaze dropped.
The blade.
Pitch black.
Not reflecting light.
Not reflecting Zoro.
His breath slowed.
"…A black blade."
Ryuma's lips twitched upward.
"So you noticed."
He rotated the sword slightly.
"This sword is bound to me."
"It is an extension of my own arm."
Zoro's fingers twitched.
"…My sword broke earlier."
Ryuma stared.
Zoro smirked.
"That thing would make a good replacement."
A faint killing intent seeped out.
Ryuma lifted the blade.
"Try to take it."
Zoro grinned wide.
"Gladly."
Wind pushed between them.
The fog split.
Steel whispered.
Two monsters smiled.
———————-
Elsewhere.
Chopper tiptoed.
Usopp tiptoed louder.
"Why are we in a building…"
Usopp whispered.
"…that clearly exists to murder people?"
Chopper sniffled.
"I thought someone was behind us…"
Usopp spun.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SOMEONE?!."
Chopper grabbed Usopp's shirt.
"Maybe it was a ghost!"
Usopp screamed.
"WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?!"
A door slowly creaked open.
Both froze.
Inside—
Operating tables.
Blood stains.
Saws.
Jars.
Stitched torsos.
Detached arms.
Eyes floating in liquid.
Chopper gagged.
"I-It smells like… medicine and death…"
Usopp clapped both hands over his mouth.
"This is worse than death."
A slow clap echoed.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
A tall man emerged from behind a curtain.
Long face.
Sunken eyes.
Lab coat stained dark.
"Well well…"
"Two test subjects wandered in."
Usopp pointed shakily.
"WHO ARE YOU?!"
The man bowed.
"Doctor Hogback."
Chopper gasped.
"T-The famous genius surgeon?!"
Hogback's smile twisted.
"Former genius."
Usopp whispered.
"Former?!"
Hogback stepped closer.
"You see…"
"I no longer save lives."
"I improve corpses."
Chopper trembled.
"You're… a bad doctor…"
Hogback chuckled.
"Correct."
He leaned down.
"A talking reindeer…"
"What magnificent material…"
Chopper squeaked.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!"
Usopp spread his arms.
"WAIT WAIT WAIT—"
"WE ARE POOR AND USELESS AND NOT WORTH CUTTING OPEN!"
Hogback pointed.
"You."
Usopp flinched.
"Will be disassembled slowly."
He pointed at Chopper.
"You will be studied thoroughly."
Chopper screamed.
"I DON'T WANNA BE STUDIED!!!"
The tables shook.
Bodies twitched.
Stitches stretched.
Zombies sat up.
Usopp fainted.
Then woke up screaming.
"RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN—"
—————————
Inside the Church.
Candles dripped wax.
Zombie guests sat motionless.
Heads tilted unnaturally.
Nami lay unconscious.
Beautiful.
Bound.
Absalom leaned close.
Sniffed.
"Keh keh keh…"
"So perfect…"
The zombie priest lifted a cracked book.
"D-does anyone object…"
Silence.
A zombie's head fell off.
No one reacted.
Absalom growled.
"Hurry it up!"
The priest swallowed.
"V-very well…"
"By the power vested—"
BOOOOM!
The doors exploded.
Wood shattered.
Wind blasted through the church.
Smoke filled the aisle.
Footsteps echoed.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
A burning cigarette glowed.
"I object."
Absalom squinted.
"…Who the hell are you?"
Sanji stepped into the light.
Eyes dark.
Vein bulging.
"You don't deserve to breathe the same air as her."
Absalom laughed.
"Keh keh keh…"
"She's my bride."
Sanji vanished.
He reappeared beside Nami.
Gently lifted her.
Checked her pulse.
"…She's alive."
Absalom snarled.
"HEY!"
Sanji slowly turned.
The temperature dropped.
"You touched her."
Absalom flexed.
"I ate the Clear-Clear Fruit!"
"I'm invisible!"
Sanji lit another cigarette using the first.
"Great."
"Then no one will see me beat you to death."
Flames burst from his leg.
The zombies leaned forward.
The priest dropped his book.
Sanji stepped forward.
"Let's cancel the wedding."
—————-
Author's Note
Hey guys! I promise I'll be finishing up the Thriller Bark arc this week, probably around 2–3 more chapters.
It's not really my favorite arc in One Piece, but it's still an important part of the story, so I want to do it justice.
Thank you so much for all the support and for sticking with the story. It really means a lot💙.