"Hee hee hee hee, who would've thought I'd be stepping into Marineford again… it's been ages,"
Outside the mighty stronghold of Marineford, a barque crept closer under the shadow of several looming warships.
Standing at the bow, the eerie laughter of Gekko Moriah echoed across the sea.
"Moriah-sama, could this be a trap set by the Marines?"
Beside him stood Absalom, sharp-eyed and tense, his gaze flicking between the surrounding Marine vessels. The ships, branded with the World Government's insignia, circled ominously.
But Moriah, ever arrogant, waved his hand dismissively.
"Impossible. I am one of the Shichibukai, appointed by the World Government itself. The Marines wouldn't dare lay a hand on me."
Despite the confident words, Absalom didn't ease up. He grumbled, his voice lowered.
"But Moriah-sama… Crocodile was a Shichibukai too, and so was Donquixote Doflamingo. That didn't stop the Marines or the World Government from turning on them."
The mention of their names dimmed Moriah's grin. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the patrolling battleships.
"That… was different. Crocodile tried to overthrow Alabasta—he was exposed. And Doflamingo got tangled in that mess with Dressrosa. Treason, mass manipulation… they didn't just cross a line, they leaped over it."
A glint of regret sparked in Moriah's eyes.
"Such a shame I wasn't there when those two fell. If I'd been able to harvest their shadows…" He clenched a fist, envisioning the power he could've seized. "Their strength would've made my zombies unstoppable. Maybe then… maybe I could've faced Kaido again…"
Moriah, wielder of the Kage Kage no Mi, thrived in chaos and battle—the more powerful the shadows, the stronger his undead army. The fall of two former Shichibukai was a banquet he had arrived too late to enjoy.
"Moriah-sama, why do you think the Marines summoned the Shichibukai this time?"
Absalom, brow furrowed, scanned the waves as if expecting an ambush.
"We were fine in the Florian Triangle. Then suddenly they drag us to Marineford for some 'important announcement'?"
Moriah grunted. "Probably something tied to those deaths. If the Marines are this bold, if they're acting without orders from the Celestial Dragons… then the balance between the three powers might be shifting."
Just then, a sharp voice rang across the deck.
"You insolent man! How dare you stand in the way of my entrance! Move before I turn you to stone!"
Both Moriah and Absalom turned. Striding toward them with grace and menace was none other than Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress and captain of the Kuja Pirates. Her snake-like Salome slithered beside her, while her crew kept pace, eyes fierce.
"Hancock," Moriah sneered, "you want to pick a fight with me? Here, of all places?"
Hancock glared at him, her beauty radiating arrogance.
"The Marines forced my hand, threatening to revoke my title if I didn't come. But now that I'm here, you dare to block my way?" Her hand raised, glowing with Mero Mero no Mi energy. "If I turn you all to stone, no one would blame me. After all, I am… too beautiful to be punished."
Her eyes narrowed coldly. "Sink this eyesore into the sea!"
As tension exploded on the deck and both sides prepared to strike, a lazy, sarcastic voice interrupted.
"Ohhh, come on now… can't we all play nice in front of the Headquarters?"
Floating down on a beam of light, Borsalino—Admiral Kizaru—appeared on the scene, his usual smirk in place.
"Kizaru," Hancock snapped, "why have the Marines summoned the Shichibukai?"
Moriah too stared at the Admiral, now visibly uneasy. But Kizaru shrugged, as if the matter were a mild inconvenience.
"Well, well, I'm just the welcoming committee. You'll have to ask Fleet Admiral Sengoku for the details…"
"Tch." Hancock turned away with a dramatic swish of her hair. The thought of Marineford already made her bristle with contempt—until a name surfaced in her mind.
She looked directly at Kizaru, her eyes burning with both authority and emotion.
"Kizaru… is Lord Luo Ye currently at Marineford?"
"Luo Ye… Lord Luo Ye?" Kizaru blinked. Even his usually unfazed demeanor cracked into confusion.
Boa Hancock—one of the most prideful women in the world—had just used an honorific that suggested reverence.
"Yes," she said firmly, with no trace of hesitation. "Lord Luo Ye."
Kizaru tilted his head, visibly amused now. "Strange… never heard anyone call him that before. Especially not one of the Shichibukai…"
But the look on Hancock's face wasn't one to be mocked. There was danger in her glare, the kind that could turn men into statues. Kizaru backed off with a dry cough.
"Anyway… yeah. Luo Ye is here. He's an Admiral now, so he's stationed at Marineford."
The ice on Hancock's face melted instantly, replaced by a softness no one present had ever seen on her.
"Then the concubine is content. If Lord Luo Ye is here, I will stay."
Now Kizaru's curiosity was fully piqued. What kind of bond did she share with Luo Ye, a man notorious for his ruthlessness?
Hancock noticed his gaze and frowned. The gentleness disappeared like mist in wind.
"Enough staring. Take me to see him. I've no interest in your Marine schemes or politics. I came to Marineford for one reason only—"
Her eyes glittered with resolve.
"—to see Lord Luo Ye."