The once-feared Thriller Bark...
Now, this island wasn't just ruined, it was so decayed that even finding a smooth path had become a grueling task.
After crossing countless ravines, mounds, shattered trees, and broken debris, Luffy and his companions finally arrived at the underground operating room Robin had discovered earlier, the very place where Moria and his gang were now hiding.
It might be the only remaining part of the island that could still be called a "structure," though the castle that once stood above the basement was long gone.
Bang bang bang, CRASH!
"Anyone home? We're coming in!" Luffy called out.
At the basement entrance, Robin and Brook watched, utterly bewildered, as Luffy politely knocked on the door... then promptly kicked it open.
Honestly, they didn't understand what he was trying to do.
But Luffy didn't overthink it, knocking was just a habit.
Kicking the door in? That was a statement.
From the very beginning, Luffy had chosen to come with overwhelming force. He had no intention of wasting time negotiating with Moria.
The sudden crash of the door echoed down the dark staircase.
Lying on the hospital bed, still recovering, Moria snapped his eyes open.
His massive, demonic frame was wrapped tightly in bandages, soaked with the special medicine Dr. Hogback had concocted for his recovery. Combined with the basement's lack of ventilation, a pungent herbal stench filled the treatment room.
"Master Moria!"
Perona, who had been staying in the room next door, peeked out at the noise and immediately rushed over, shouting in panic, "It's that fire-starting brat again! He's back!!"
You couldn't blame her for panicking. The power Luffy had unleashed that day was terrifying. And Perona had witnessed every moment of it.
That man had commanded flames like a god of destruction, his energy shaking the island to its core. Under his assault, the entire place had nearly crumbled. He was unstoppable, divine and devastating.
She could still feel those blazing fire pillars pass through her ghostly form, so hot, so intense, it felt like her very soul had been set ablaze.
Upon hearing her words, Moria forced himself upright. His twisted face radiated fury, and flames of hatred ignited in his eyes.
But then, he looked at Perona, so small and concerned by his side, and his hatred slowly gave way to deep worry.
Perona had told him before: after releasing that terrifying power, Luffy had also collapsed unconscious.
Moria had assumed that if they hadn't attacked during his recovery, either they had left, or Luffy was equally wounded and incapable of fighting.
He hadn't expected them to return at such a critical time.
Right now, Moria wasn't completely helpless. Thanks to Dr. Hogback's treatment, he could force himself into one all-out battle if he ignored the risk of reopening his wounds.
But deep down, he knew, without the power of his shadow, he couldn't possibly defeat Luffy.
Even in his prime, he had lost. And now?
Still, he clung to a shred of hope. Surely that level of power had taken a toll on Luffy. Surely he was injured, too.
And if that was the case, well, there was no retreat. So why not fight again?
This… was why Luffy had no respect for Moria.
In Luffy's eyes, Moria wasn't someone worthy of serious effort anymore.
He was just a brainless brute who didn't know when to back down.
A deserter from the New World, crawling back to the relative safety of Paradise. Had it not been for Moria's own arrogance, he wouldn't have fallen so far.
Take Doflamingo, for example. That guy exploited every available resource, bowed to the strong when needed, forged alliances, but never lost his pride.
It may have been twisted, but through his own ruthless methods, Doflamingo had given his family real power and influence.
And to Luffy, that alone was impressive.
In this world, being able to protect those you care about, and those who care about you, was no small feat.
Meanwhile, Moria always acted like he was better than everyone else. Still dreaming of revenge against Kaido.
Maybe even he knew deep down that it was impossible. That's why he stayed hidden in the Florian Triangle, playing zombie games to satisfy his own vanity.
He didn't assess situations, didn't improve himself, and when he failed, he blamed everything but himself.
Lost in confusion, always lost, how could someone like that ever take control of their own fate?
No wonder he was destined to be toyed with by all sides in the future.
Maybe the World Government realized during the Paramount War that his powers were a potential threat. That's why they ordered Doflamingo and the Pacifistas to eliminate him.
The funny thing was, everyone else saw the writing on the wall, except Moria.
Maybe that oversized head of his really was just for show. No brain to speak of.
Step. Step. Step.
Three pairs of shoes echoed down the winding stairs, footsteps crisp against the darkness.
At the bottom step, Luffy kicked open another wooden door.
Light poured into the hallway, momentarily blinding him after such a long descent through the shadows.
Inside, Moria had removed his bandages and changed into a pair of overalls and a small blazer. Scorch marks were still faintly visible on his exposed skin.
Perona and Absalom stood protectively on either side of him. As for the powerless Dr. Hogback, who knew where he'd run off to.
"Kehehehe… Kid, I didn't expect you'd actually have the guts to come back here!" Moria sneered before Luffy could speak.
Though his tone was mocking, there was no mirth in his expression.
As he scanned Luffy from head to toe, finding not a single scratch, Moria's pupils contracted. A bead of cold sweat slid from his temple down his cheek.
"Sigh…" Luffy let out a breath, clearly annoyed that things wouldn't go smoothly. "Moria, submit, or do I beat you until you do?"
"You…!!!"
"Brick Bat!"
Moria exploded in rage at Luffy's scornful tone. His earlier tension vanished as he roared in fury, launching an immediate attack using his Devil Fruit powers.
"Knew it, we're doing this the hard way," Luffy muttered, unimpressed. Fights with no gain didn't excite him anymore.
His hands burst into roaring flames,
Not the usual golden flames of Sky Flames…
But a deep, fierce orange:
The Lightning Flame.
"Flame Lance!"
Luffy's arm morphed into the shape of a lance, like a true firearm, and fired a barrage of blazing, high-energy blasts at the swarm of dark-purple bats circling overhead.
One by one, the bats were incinerated, melted into liquid, and slithered back to Moria's feet.
"Master Moria, let us help you!" Perona shouted, rushing to his side.
==========
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