Chapter 70: The Thriller Bark (Part 3)
"Keh heh heh heh... No wonder you dared to challenge me—you're quite strong. Your shadow should make an excellent zombie general!"
Moria pulled out an enormous pair of scissors with one hand and reached for Esdeath's shadow on the ground with the other.
Esdeath, already prepared, moved swiftly, dragging her shadow along to avoid his grasp.
"Hmm? Seems you know my ability well," Moria muttered, startled. He realized then—though his Shadow-Shadow Fruit powers were mysterious, many who had their shadows stolen still lived on in hiding, possibly spreading knowledge of his techniques.
"Doppelman!"
The scattered shadow behind him reformed into a clone of Moria, flanking Esdeath for a pincer attack.
"Need help?" Eric asked. Even though Moria was considered among the weaker Warlords, he had once challenged Kaido and escaped with his life. Who knew how much his strength had changed?
"None of you interfere. Finally, a worthy opponent. If you get in the way, I won't forgive you."
Classic Esdeath. The love of battle ran deep in her bones. Eric knew better than to interfere without asking first.
"Then Kurumi and I will go look for the ghost girl. Chiron, Kullikay—stand by and cover Esdeath. If she's in danger, you act."
Eric had already briefed them on Moria's abilities: how he could absorb shadows en masse to drastically power up, use his shadow as a stand-in to dodge attacks, and alter its shape to transform his physical body. Knowing all this, Eric trusted Esdeath to win, but still felt uneasy—so he left her in the hands of the dependable Chiron and Kullikay.
"Understood," Chiron replied.
"But looks like that girl doesn't need our help," Kullikay noted calmly. He had no doubt Esdeath would win.
"To stand in front of me like I'm not even there—how arrogant, brat. Keh heh heh... Shadow Lance!"
Moria's shadow scattered into bats, then rapidly reformed into a giant lance aimed at Eric .
Clang!
Esdeath intercepted it with her western sword, blocking a blow powerful enough to pierce Oars' neck.
"Then we're off."
Eric and Kurumi darted through the doors, leaving the hall.
'Perona seemed to flee early in the anime after Usopp defeated her. Hope she doesn't bail before we find her.'
...
"Your opponent is me—Gecko Moria."
"Then I'll slice you to pieces first!"
Moria split the giant scissors into two kukri-like curved blades and attacked Esdeath.
"Your strength is decent, but your form is sloppy. Do you even know how to wield a blade?"
Esdeath's comment enraged Moria. His eyes bulged, veins surged, and his tiny pupils shrank into angry pinpoints.
"Damn brat! I'll turn your corpse into my zombie maid!"
His immense slash collapsed an entire wall of the hall.
"Where are you aiming?"
A voice came from his flank, followed by a brutal impact to his side. Esdeath, wanting the fight to last, had used a kick rather than a cut.
"Damn it!"
Moria glared up at her, still crouched, though he was taller even hunched over.
"You've got power from your massive body—but no agility. Your anger makes your attacks full of holes. All I feel is rage—no fighting spirit. This is what passes for a Warlord…?"
Esdeath's casual comment hit deep.
"Keh! I'll make you eat those words, brat!"
Furious, Moria lunged again.
"Too slow!"
Esdeath flashed past him. Shlick shlick shlick
Lines of blood streaked across Moria's round body.
"Your flesh may be tough, but it can still be cut. Seems I'll get to enjoy this after all."
Her smile was beautiful—but to Moria, she looked like a sadist out of his worst nightmares.
"Don't get cocky, brat!"
Moria's sharpened teeth gleamed as he snarled.
"Looks like Esdeath's baiting him to use Shadow Asgard," Chiron observed. "She wants to defeat him at his strongest."
"Pff."
Kullikay blew a smoke ring. Since joining Eric 's crew, he'd rarely needed to fight—mostly thanks to Esdeath.
...
Eric and Kurumi raced through the castle's empty corridors.
"Eric -, do you know where that ghost girl is?"
"...No. But in a situation like this, shouldn't she show up on her own to ambush us?"
"...So do we really need to search?"
"Kurumi, doesn't this feel like a couple playing a video game together? Clearing stages, exploring a haunted house? Romantic, right?"
"That's true. Then please show me around this castle properly, Eric -."
"Hora hora hora… you two lovebirds are disgusting."
A pink-haired girl in twin-tails suddenly popped up through the floor ahead of them.
"She's so small!"
Perona appeared to be only thirteen or fourteen—not the mature version Eric remembered from the anime. He quickly adjusted his gaze downward... and then back up.
'So flat…' he noted internally.
"Where are you looking, you pervert!"
Perona quickly shielded her chest. Though she laughed oddly, her behavior was far more normal than some "normal-looking" lunatics Eric had met.
"I wasn't looking! What's there to look at?!"
Eric shouted back.
"If you weren't looking, how do you know it's flat?"
Kurumi seized the contradiction instantly.
"You looked at my chest?!"
Perona and Kurumi spoke in unison.
"..." Silence followed.
"I am NOT flat!"
Perona shouted, denying the obvious.
"It's fine. You've got room to grow."
Eric gave her a warm smile. Perona would look stunning when older—but to her, it felt like mockery.
"Perverted scumbag! Negative Hollow!"
She summoned a ghost and launched it at Eric . Though described as flying, it moved slowly enough for Eric to step aside easily.
"Only an idiot would get hit by such a slow ghost."
Eric had forgotten—he was the only one in the crew who'd actually been hit by a Negative Hollow. And Kurumi still had the photo.
"Mini Ghost: Ghost Bomb!"
Several tiny ghosts zipped over.
"Watch out! These ones explode. Get back!"
Eric warned Kurumi. He'd only mentioned Perona's negative ghosts before—not her other skills.
"Too late! Goodbye, pervy freak!"
The mini ghosts ignored Kurumi and all dove for Eric .
Snap snap snap!
Perona snapped her fingers.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The mini ghosts exploded in sequence, engulfing Eric in smoke.
(END CHAPTER)
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