The dining room went quiet.
Moria lowered his head and stared at the floor in front of Aiden's dining table.
Thud.
A heavy, muffled sound echoed. Even the floor shook slightly.
Moria, who had once fought Kaido in the New World, now knelt heavily on one knee in front of Aiden.
He did not make a speech. There was no ceremony. Moria just lowered his reddish-purple hair and exposed his neck.
"Moria... is at your command."
Moria forced the words out. Revenge was the only reason he could say them.
"Alright, why make it so serious? Get up. You're going to break something."
"..."
The mood broke at once.
Moria stood up. His nearly seven-meter body forced him to lower his head slightly so he wouldn't hit the ceiling.
Now that he had submitted, Moria could no longer hold back.
"So, when do we leave?"
"The Beasts Pirates just lost King. Their defenses are at their weakest right now!"
Moria spread his arms, already imagining Kaido's defeat.
"We have to move fast! This is the best chance we'll get!!"
However.
"Leave?"
Aiden gave him a strange look:
"Who said I was leaving now?"
Moria froze. He looked like he did not understand the words. "But... didn't you just agree to go kill Kaido?"
"I agreed, but I didn't say I was going today."
Aiden clapped his hands. His tone was relaxed:
"I just killed King, and my hands are still a bit sore. Plus, the G-6 Branch just received a new shipment of supplies, and I haven't even checked everything yet."
"Besides, it is a long trip from here to Wano. If I get there in bad shape and haven't slept well, how can I kill Kaido?"
Aiden pointed at the bright sunlight outside the window and yawned:
"What is the rush? Kaido won't grow wings and run away... oh right, he actually does grow wings, but he won't run away."
Moria opened his mouth wide. His two rows of sharp shark teeth were exposed to the air. He looked at the lazy man in front of him. His chest heaved, and he almost choked on his own breath.
It was like he had already sharpened his knife, put on his armor, and even written his suicide note, only for the leader to say, "Let's take a nap first."
Moria gritted his teeth and forced the words through them:
"That is Kaido! The chance will slip away..."
"That is a tactic for the weak."
Aiden cut him off.
"Only people who are unsure of winning need to rush for the first strike or seize a chance."
Aiden looked at Moria.
"If I can kill him, I can kill him today or tomorrow. It does not matter if it is a sneak attack or a head-on assault."
"The result will be the same."
Moria fell silent.
He looked at Aiden's unhurried manner. He suddenly realized that, in this man's eyes, his only use might really just be leading the way.
Moria realized Aiden was not bluffing. He really did not feel rushed.
"I understand."
Moria lowered his head. His clenched fists slowly let go.
"Good."
Aiden smiled:
"Since we are not in a rush to leave, do not just stand there."
"The food here is decent. Seeing your travel-worn look, it has probably been a long time since you had a proper meal, right?"
Aiden pointed to a wooden crate:
"Sit. Let's eat and talk."
Facing this man's relaxed attitude, Moria had no choice but to slow down and follow Aiden's pace.
Soon after, a large plate of food was brought out and placed in front of Moria.
The smell of roasted meat filled the air.
Sizzle.
Moria cut off a piece of bone-in steak that was browned on the outside and still tender inside. He put it in his mouth.
The meat was hot and well cooked. The kitchen had handled it better than Moria expected.
Moria's face, which had been full of gloom and hatred, softened for a second.
Ever since his defeat against Kaido in the New World and the complete wipeout of his crew, he had been drifting on the sea for too long.
And even before his defeat, he rarely had the chance to eat this kind of proper meal.
"How is it?"
Aiden leaned back with his cup in hand. He looked relaxed. "Even though this place is still being built, I don't let my men eat badly."
"...It is very good."
Moria swallowed the food. His throat still sounded rough, but his tone was clearly softer.
He looked at the food on his plate and hesitated.
"Um... Aiden."
Moria put down his knife and fork. He rubbed his hands together slightly awkwardly:
"Is there more food here? I mean... if you don't mind, could my 'crew' have some too?"
"Crew?"
Aiden's hand paused while cutting his meat. His eyebrow twitched by reflex.
He almost said, "Where do you have a crew from? Weren't they all killed by Kaido?" but he forced the words back down.
Ripping open someone's scars like that was not something he would do right now. Although Aiden usually had a sharp tongue, he knew his limits in this kind of situation.
After all, Moria came to join him for the sake of revenge. There was no need to stab him in the heart.
"Of course."
Aiden nodded calmly, putting on a generous look:
"I am not a stingy person. Since they are your crew, they are one of us. Tell them to come in and eat."
However, Aiden had a question.
His Observation Haki had been covering the area. When Moria came in earlier, he had specifically checked the pirate ship at the port.
He did not sense any presence that was even slightly strong.
"Strange..." Aiden thought to himself. "If it is an elite crew member who managed to escape from Kaido, they shouldn't be weak."
"Thank you!"
Hearing Aiden agree, Moria let out a sigh of relief. He got up and quickly walked out of the dining room.
Aiden did not stop him. He just took a drink from his cup, waiting to see who Moria would bring in.
A moment later.
Heavy footsteps sounded again.
Moria pushed the door open and came in. He sat back down on the reinforced wooden crate. But this time, his movements were extra careful.
"Come out, it is fine now."
Moria lowered his head and spoke softly toward his chest. His voice lowered in a way Aiden had not expected.
Aiden blinked as the bottom of Moria's large and torn black gothic trench coat suddenly moved a few times.
Then.
A dirty little hand holding a torn toy bear carefully reached out from the edge of the coat's inner pocket. It tightly grabbed the hem of Moria's clothes.
After that came a small head with messy pink curly hair tied into twin tails.
It was a little girl who looked to be only four or five years old. She wore a gothic dress that clearly did not fit her. She had a pair of big, round eyes, and wet tear marks still hung on the corners of her eyes. Her skin was sickly pale from not seeing the sun for a long time.
She hid timidly in the shadow of Moria's giant body. She looked curious but wary, keeping most of her body behind Moria while secretly peeking at Aiden sitting across from her.
The moment he saw the little girl, Aiden's hand paused.
Those signature pink twin tails...
And the patched-up Kumacy doll in her arms...
"Perona?!"
"Wow... so she was already following Moria at this point?"
Aiden quickly went over the timeline in his head.
"Looking at the little girl's current size, she is at most four or five years old, right? By the time the Thriller Bark arc starts in twenty years, she would already be an adult."
Aiden looked at the child in front of him, who did not even reach Moria's knee. Then he thought of the gothic girl in the original story who always floated around holding Kumacy.
He decided not to think too much about the timeline.
On the other side, seeing Aiden staring for too long, Moria got a little nervous. He shielded Perona with his large hand again and explained awkwardly:
"Cough... don't misunderstand."
"I... I picked her up."
Moria's expression sank, and he looked down.
"I met this kid while drifting on the sea after I escaped. She was hiding in a broken barrel and almost drowned. I just fished her out along the way."
As he said this, Moria's large hand gently patted Perona's head. His movement was soft:
"She is my only 'crew' now."
"Since I am going to risk my life with you in a place like Wano, I cannot take her with me to die."
Moria looked up at Aiden. For the first time, he sounded less like a pirate and more like a guardian:
"Could you... let her stay at your base for now? Just giving her some food is enough. The child doesn't eat much."
Aiden did not speak. He just quietly watched the little girl who was staring eagerly at the cake on the table.
This contrast in Moria was not annoying at all. It made Moria look more human.
"Tsk."
Aiden clicked his tongue. He made sure not to scare her.
He waved to Perona, picked up a piece of strawberry cake from the table, and held it out:
"Come here."
Perona pulled her head back in fear. But tempted by the sweet smell of the cake, her stomach let out an embarrassing growl.
She carefully poked her head out and looked at Moria.
Seeing Moria nod in encouragement, she finally gathered her courage. She ran over in small quick steps, grabbed the cake, and quickly shrank back to Moria's feet. She took big bites, getting cream all over her face, as if it were the most delicious thing in the world.
"Alright, let her live here."
Aiden picked up his knife and fork again and waved at the messenger soldier next to him:
"Go find two careful female Marines..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Aiden stopped himself. He rubbed his temples and waved his hand helplessly:
"Never mind. G-6 was just built, and I don't have anyone here who knows how to take care of a child."
"Letting my men handle this... who knows how she will turn out."
Aiden looked at Perona, who was wolfing down the cake. Aiden thought for a moment and made a decision:
"Later, I will contact Vice Admiral Tsuru myself. I will ask her to send a few reliable logistics officers or nurses from Headquarters to take care of this girl's daily life."
After saying this, Aiden looked at Moria and made a promise:
"Do not worry. The kid will be fine here. Vice Admiral Tsuru's people are reliable. They will not let her suffer."
Hearing this, Moria went quiet.
Contacting the Great Staff Officer of the Marines specifically for a picked-up child... This care and attention made Moria's last worry ease.
He gave Aiden a deep look. He did not say thank you, but just gave a firm nod.
With that settled, the dining room grew lively again.
Half an hour later, Moria, who had eaten his fill, set down his fork.
Since Aiden had shown such sincerity, he also had to show his own.
"Since I have become your subordinate, I should offer a decent greeting gift."
Moria reached into his clothes, took out a rectangular wooden box, and gently placed it on the dining table.
"This is the only thing I took with me when I left Wano."
Moria's fingers paused on the worn paint on the box's surface.
"I don't know if it will be enough. But it is the most precious treasure I can offer."
Clack.
The latch of the wooden box sprang open.
Aiden looked inside the box.
It was a katana.
The black and purple scabbard was painted with red patterns. The hilt was wrapped in deep purple ray skin, and the guard had a manji-like shape.
"The national treasure of Wano. The sword used by the 'Sword God' Ryuma when he was alive."
Moria said:
"It is the famous sword said to have slain a dragon in the sky. A black blade tempered through countless battles."
"It may be better in your hands."
"Please use it to cut off Kaido's dragon head!"
Aiden stood up and reached out to grab Shusui's hilt.
Hum.
The moment his fingertips touched the hilt, a faint warmth passed from the hilt into his palm. His Haki flowed into the blade without resistance, as if the sword was already an extension of his arm.
That feeling...
Shusui fit his hand too well.
Aiden paused. He looked at the legendary Black Blade in his hand and felt a little surprised.
But he did not think too deeply about it. He just figured that since he had already forged his own Black Blade, his swordsmanship had reached a level where a famous sword could handle smoothly in his hand.
Aiden chuckled softly and stroked the hilt with his fingers.
Shing!!
The longsword left its scabbard.
The black and red blade caught the sunlight.
The blade carried a reverse choji midare pattern.
The dark red jagged pattern ran across the black blade. The red stood out clearly against the black steel.
The sword was much heavier than a normal katana. The blade was wider and thicker. It felt like a sword built for heavy cuts and hard clashes.
Shusui's greatest trait was its hardness.
It was said that even if a dinosaur stepped on it, it wouldn't bend a single millimeter.
"Good sword."
Aiden flicked his wrist and casually swung the sword to the side.
He did not release any flying slash.
But a heavy sound cut through the air.
Aiden nodded in satisfaction. He turned his wrist and, with a crisp click, put Shusui back into its scabbard.
He did not rush to put the sword down. Instead, he rubbed the centuries-old black and purple scabbard with his thumb, feeling the texture of age on it.
"If I remember correctly, you got this sword in the Ringo region of Wano, right?"
Aiden spoke casually, as if he were only making small talk:
"It is said that Ringo is Wano's eternal graveyard. They have a tradition of using swords as tombstones. Even in death, a samurai's soul rests inside their sword to protect the land."
"Since you got this sword, it seems you went and dug up the 'Sword God' Ryuma's grave?"
Moria was surprised by Aiden's knowledge of Wano. He did not dare to lie and let out his strange laugh. "Kishishishi... Dead men don't need swords. Leaving a weapon in a grave is a waste."
"Is that so? Dead men don't need swords..."
Aiden repeated the sentence thoughtfully before changing the subject:
"Being able to find Ringo in that closed-off country, and even dig up their national treasure... you know Wano too well for an outsider."
"This makes me curious..."
Aiden leaned forward slightly, and Moria stopped moving.
"When you risked everything to challenge Kaido back then, was it really just to make a name for yourself?"
"Do not give me that excuse about wanting the 'Pirate King's throne'. You and I both know that, with your strength back then, taking your crew to fight Kaido was asking to die."
Moria's body suddenly stiffened.
He lowered his head, avoiding Aiden's stare. The fingers gripping his cup squeezed so hard they turned white.
"I am a pirate... Challenging a stronger pirate is..."
"Was it because of the Kozuki name?"
Moria froze.
Smash!
The cup in Moria's hand fell to the floor and shattered.
He jerked his head up. His face changed as he stared at Aiden:
"How... how do you know?!"
Other than his dead father, no one in the world should know this secret!
Not even Kaido knew!
"Nothing stays a secret forever."
Of course, Aiden would not say he read it in a manga from his past life. Aiden tapped his temple:
"I know more than you think."
Aiden spoke slowly:
"Your father was likely from a Kozuki branch family that fled Wano around that time, right?"
"You were born in the West Blue, but you went back to Wano later on."
"So... when you went to challenge Kaido, aside from wanting power, was part of you also trying to take back Wano?"
The dining room went silent.
Moria's chest heaved heavily. He stared at Aiden, as if trying to understand who he really was. But in the end, his shoulders dropped, and he leaned back heavily against the crate.
Since he was exposed, Moria stopped hiding it.
Moria looked down as he remembered the past:
"Before my father died, he always told me that Wano was a country of gold and a holy land for samurai."
"Later, when I grew up a bit, I was secretly brought back to live in Wano's Ringo region for a while... and that was when I saw the truth of that country."
Saying this, Moria sneered:
"What country of gold? It is a rotten, closed-off, arrogant dump that hates outsiders!"
"The samurai there are stuck in the past, and their Shogun was a fool!"
Moria looked up. He did not soften when he spoke of Wano:
"So, do not think I would fight for something like 'restoring the Kozuki clan'."
"That idiot Kozuki Oden had a great hand and played it terribly. Dancing naked for the sake of so-called 'honor'? He completely ruined the Kozuki name! What do I care if he lives or dies?!"
"I have no feelings for Wano. In fact, I wish that country would be destroyed!"
"I only went there because I saw the potential of those natural defenses for a base!"
"I only wanted to kill Kaido because he got in my way and killed my men!"
"That is it!!"
Moria shouted the last words. He wanted to cut all ties with that stupid family. He wanted to prove he was a pure pirate, not some prince trying to avenge his country.
Aiden watched him for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Good."
Aiden raised his cup and toasted Moria from afar:
"If you tried to talk to me about national duty or saving the people of Wano, I would have thought you were fake."
"Because I don't like that country either, especially those self-righteous samurai."