Chapter 73: The Thriller Bark (Part 6)
Moria's current appearance left even his subordinate Perona stunned. Her eyes bulged—such a cute girl, ruined by exaggerated reaction expressions…
"Ah… ah…"
Moria's massive body let out deep roars. He had absorbed too many shadows, and now could no longer control the immense power—he was about to lose control...
"Iodine deficiency, huh? That's goiter. Needs treatment,"
Eric 's out-of-place comment drifted through the hall, completely disrupting the atmosphere.
The watching pirates all struck exaggerated faces, hands raised, mouths agape, eyes popping—yet another wave of theatrical reactions.
"You brat!"
Even in a crazed state, Moria snapped back to himself out of sheer anger at the remark.
"As expected of the man I've fallen for—to restore his wife's joy in battle, he even helped snap the enemy back to consciousness~"
Esdeath said, smiling like a little girl.
Kullikay, once a manly type, was thrown off by her love-struck attitude and muttered to himself: 'Even a sadistic battle junkie turns into a love-struck girl… Love really is incomprehensible.'
"Cut the nonsense, Esdeath! Declaring marriage on your own like that—what are you doing?"
Kurumi snapped.
"Esdeath! Now that Moria's going all-out, hurry and finish him off! Don't wreck Thriller Bark! We still need this place!"
Eric shouted.
Esdeath's expression immediately shifted from girl-in-love to domineering queen.
"Did you hear that, Moria? I'm going to carve my glorious image deep into Eric 's heart—make him fall completely for me. I won't hold back anymore."
"Ice Storm Dive!"
A massive ice block formed above Moria, crashing down toward the sluggish giant.
But Moria smashed the block with one punch.
Boom!
Weaponless, Esdeath charged in. Ice-armored gauntlets wrapped in Haki formed around her fists. She pummeled Moria's stomach and throat, each strike sending shockwaves out his back.
"Ugh…"
Moria couldn't hold it anymore. His mouth opened wide, and shadow after shadow flew out into the sky.
"Your oversized body has no lower-body stability. You can't move fluidly. Right now, you're just a big, dumb punching bag!"
Esdeath kept punching, partly for satisfaction, partly to teach Eric never to fall into the same trap.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each strike echoed. Moria became a giant sandbag, getting wailed on as black shadows poured from his mouth.
Watching pirates started murmuring—
"The shadows are escaping…"
"Why is he losing control over them?"
"Is his will weakening?"
"He couldn't handle all 800 shadows. If you go beyond your limits, you're doomed. Know your own strength, Captain."
Chiron added a side comment—another lesson for Eric .
"Yeah…"
Eric could only nod in agreement.
Suddenly, Esdeath jumped back, her expression changed.
Moria, eyes previously white from the beating, regained focus.
"Bats Swarm!"
A swarm of shadows shot at where Esdeath had just been.
"You brats, thinking you can defy a Warlord in these seas? All who stand out will be crushed!"
Moria's relentless attacks forced Esdeath to dodge. His massive punches and stomps made the entire ship shake.
"In the end, you're just a failure from the New World. You lost once, and never got back up. Instead of striving upward, you chose to rot in a floating coffin!"
Eric transformed into a full-on internet keyboard warrior—fired up with that keyboard confidence.
"You survived Kaido, but your spirit died. Now you lurk in the first half of the Grand Line, bullying weaklings who wander in. You should've died back then!"
Esdeath, rubbing her reddened cheek, blushed.
"Ah~ That expression when Eric said that... So cool. I'm falling even more for you, Eric ~"
"You damn brat! You don't understand how terrifying the New World is! You don't know what Kaido is like! Shut your mouth and die!"
Moria charged at Eric , footsteps booming like thunder.
Esdeath's face shifted again like a Sichuan opera mask—from dreamy to war goddess.
"Ice Horn of Ash!"
Two giant ice lances shot toward Moria.
"Damn it!"
He caught one in each hand, halting his charge.
Then Esdeath created a tall ice pillar and launched herself high into the air.
"Ice Storm Dive!"
A massive ice boulder even larger than before crashed down.
Moria broke both lances with a crunch and reached up—but Esdeath landed early and froze his footing.
Losing balance, Moria was crushed head-on by the falling block.
"She took down a Warlord all by herself…"
"Our shadows are saved!"
The surrounding pirates wept. They had lived too long in hiding from sunlight.
Buzz... buzz...
Shadows continued escaping from Moria's mouth.
"No! My army!"
Moria clutched his mouth, trying to hold them back.
"You belong to me! I command you!"
"Hmph, tough guy. Here's another one!"
Esdeath dropped an even larger ice boulder on the prone, bleeding Moria.
'What is this, Planetary Devastation?'
Eric couldn't help comparing it to a certain ninja's move. It was dramatic—and really cool.
The impact forced Moria's head forward. His sharp teeth gaped open.
A torrent of black shadows spewed into the sky like vomit.
"The shadows are returning!"
"Our shadows are back!"
...
Moria, drenched in blood, lay beneath the ice, barely breathing.
"Moria-sama…"
Perona tearfully approached his side.
"Perona…?"
Moria's voice was faint and broken.
"I'm here, Moria-sama," she replied, kneeling down.
After a pause, Moria asked, "Is... Dr. Hogback... okay?"
Perona hesitated, then chose honesty.
"He refused to abandon ship and fought the enemy captain. He was… reduced to ashes. The enemy captain is a Logia-type—Lightning Human."
They weren't supposed to reveal Eric 's ability, but since Moria was clearly finished, a little leak didn't matter.
"I see… Perona, go with them."
He entrusted her to Eric , saying: "Take good care of this girl."
"I will."
Eric nodded solemnly.
With his last strength, Moria whispered,
"Go see the New World for yourself... That's where the real nightmares begin…"
"Though you've become a fat recluse, back when you fought Kaido, you were a true warrior. Any last words?"
Eric respectfully asked.
"Death... doesn't scare a pirate... It's just another end. I'll be waiting in hell. Let's see how far you go… Keh heh heh..."
That was the last they heard of his eerie laughter.
Eric had already cleared the area, moving others out of range to ensure privacy.
"Perona, take Chiron and Kullikay to check the ship's cargo stores."
He gently sent her away so she wouldn't have to see Moria's corpse. Her official entry into the crew was sealed.
[Achievement Unlocked: "Defeat/Kill One of the Warlords – Moria" – 3 Achievement Points]
[Bounty Claimed: Gecko Moria – 320,000,000 Berries]
Due to spending on shipbuilding, Eric had dropped back into nine digits—but now, he was back in the ten-digit club.
"Kurumi, send a few clones to keep an eye on those pirates. Don't let them get too close."
"Leave it to 'us.'"
Three Kurumi clones nodded.
"Come on, Esdeath, stand there—I'll take your picture."
Eric borrowed Kurumi's camera to photograph her and Moria's body.
"Why?"
"To make you famous. You took down a Warlord by yourself."
"No need."
"But think about it—once your victory over Moria spreads, strong fighters will come challenge you—"
"Let's do it."
Before Eric finished, Esdeath stepped into place. A battle maniac through and through.
She posed with her bloodied rapier, a true Valkyrie… with a strong sadistic flair.
Click click!
Photos from every angle.
"Now strike a cool pose!"
Click click!
Moria's body, too, photographed from multiple sides.
It was starting to feel less like a victory documentation… and more like a photography exhibition.
(END CHAPTER)
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