#186Chapter 187 Landing on Ghost Island! The Severely Injured Old Man and the Unkillable Dead
Chapter 187 Landing on Ghost Island! The Severely Injured Old Man and the Unkillable Dead
It was cold and deathly still; even the sea breeze seemed to have stopped flowing here.
With a dull groan of mechanical gears meshing, Franky pulled the lever in the control room and lowered the drawbridge.
"Hehehehe! The great adventure begins!"
Luffy was the first to excitedly jump off the suspension bridge onto the shore.
Next came Zoro, Sanji, Robin, Franky, and Victor.
They also walked off the ship along the suspension bridge and stepped onto this land filled with the aura of death.
Before them stood a moat that emitted a nauseating stench.
The river water had an extremely strange dark green color, and there were even some unknown murky foam floating on it.
Beyond the moat lies a vast, menacing black forest.
The withered branches looked like pairs of ghostly hands reaching towards the sky for help.
Robin stopped, his deep, captivating eyes gazing silently at the dark, unfathomable river.
An elegant smile curved her lips:
"The river water is so murky, who knows how many dismembered corpses are buried at the bottom."
"Maybe as we walk past, a water ghost will suddenly stretch out its pale hand from the mud and grab our ankles tightly."
"..."
Upon hearing these words, Franky, who was walking in front, shivered noticeably.
"Hey, Robin!"
Franky turned around, exasperated, and complained.
"Even though I'm a super tough guy, please don't use such a gentle tone to say such terrifying things!"
Sanji, on the other hand, is a completely different story.
His eyes instantly turned into two beating red hearts, and he writhed like a noodle as he moved closer:
"Ah~~ Robin-chan!"
Even when telling such eerie ghost stories, Robin-chan's intellectual demeanor remains captivating!
Viktor rubbed his temples in exasperation and led the way into the gloomy, withered forest.
The group hadn't gone far into the Black Forest when the dry branches underfoot made a crisp "crackling" sound.
Sudden!
"roar----!!!!"
A deafening roar of a wild beast suddenly erupted from the bushes ahead!
A monster the size of a small mountain of flesh suddenly leaped out of the forest and crashed heavily in front of the group, blocking their path.
That was none other than a legendary hellhound.
Its body was covered with messy gray-black fur, and its three gaping maws were dripping with highly corrosive saliva.
However, upon closer inspection, people noticed a strangely incongruous sense of absurdity.
The leftmost head of this hellhound is not only smaller than the other two, but also...
Moreover, its fur was reddish, and it had a pair of pointed ears... It was actually the head of a fox.
"Hellhound?"
Zoro looked at the deformed behemoth before him, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Looks like there's finally something fun to do to stretch my muscles in this boring, godforsaken place."
On the other side, Sanji also took a deep drag on his cigarette and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke.
He took a half-step back with his right foot, his leg muscles tensing instantly, ready to kick.
Just as the Straw Hat crew's two main fighters were about to make their move and tear the giant beast to pieces.
"etc!!!"
Luffy shouted excitedly, bypassing Zoro and Sanji, and charged towards the terrifying hellhound without hesitation:
"What a cool dog!!!"
"I want to be like Usopp! I want to take it as my mount!!!"
Faced with this "little treat" that was offered to them on their own initiative.
The hellhound let out an angry growl from its three large mouths at the same time and lunged fiercely at Luffy!
However, Luffy advanced instead of retreating.
He didn't even try to dodge the stench that was rushing towards him.
"Rubber rubber—gun!!!"
It was accompanied by an extremely dull, loud bang.
Luffy's fist, imbued with terrifying strength, struck the nose of the most arrogant dog head in the very center of Cerberus with extreme precision.
"Whoa—!!!"
The hellhound, which had been so ferocious just moments before, was sent tumbling halfway through the air by this punch.
The head in the middle suddenly saw stars, and was in so much pain that tears streamed down its face and blood flowed from its nose.
The enormous creature immediately resembled an extremely well-behaved domestic puppy.
Its limbs were on the ground, belly pressed against the ground, and it stuck out its tongue ingratiatingly, letting Luffy jump onto its back with great excitement.
"..."
Watching this utterly absurd moment of taming.
Everyone rolled their eyes in perfect unison and burst into laughter.
And so it happened in this gloomy and terrifying foreign land.
The group followed Luffy, who was riding on the back of a giant hellhound, through the withered forest and arrived at an extremely vast cross-shaped cemetery.
Looking out, hundreds and thousands of broken cross tombstones are faintly visible in the mist.
Suddenly, the deathly silence was broken by an extremely faint sound of loosening soil.
Right next to the hellhound Luffy was riding, in a cemetery, the hard soil began to churn outwards.
"Smack!"
A pale, decaying hand violently rose from the ground and gripped the edge of the tombstone tightly.
Then, amidst extremely eerie low growls and groans.
A zombie with a face covered in rough stitches crawled stiffly out of the grave.
Something's up!
Everyone tensed up instantly, preparing to fight the evil spirit that had crawled out of hell.
However.
As the captain of his ship, Luffy's thought process is always so unique.
He looked at the extremely terrifying zombie, but his face showed no surprise or fear whatsoever.
He walked step by step toward the zombie that was still baring its teeth and growling.
Under the utterly incredulous gazes of everyone.
Luffy stretched out his hands and pressed down hard on the zombie's shoulders, one on each side.
Then.
He used all his strength to... stuff the zombie back into the dark tomb, intact.
"Huh?!" The zombie didn't even have time to react.
It was forcibly pressed back into the ground by this strange force, leaving behind only a series of extremely puzzled low growls.
After doing all this, Luffy even thoughtfully stomped the soil around the grave down with his feet.
He dusted off his hands, turned around, and laughed loudly as he said:
"Don't be afraid, everyone. That was just an old man who was seriously injured."
"He was so badly injured that he could barely walk, so I helped him back to rest."
The next second!
Countless veins bulged on the foreheads of Zoro, Sanji, and Franky.
They roared at Luffy with extreme rage:
"Are you blind?! What old man?! That's clearly a zombie that crawled out of a grave!!!"
"What the hell is going on in your head?! Have you ever seen a seriously injured old man crawl out of the cemetery soil?!"
"Are you a demon?! Are you a pervert?!"
Just as the Straw Hat crew was loudly and joyfully complaining to each other.
Luffy's extremely "polite" behavior seemed to have thoroughly enraged the spirits in the cemetery.
"Ughh...
The entire cemetery instantly erupted in excitement!
Hundreds and thousands of bizarre zombies, like a tidal wave, burst forth from the ground with extremely shrill screams!
In just a few seconds, they had completely surrounded the Straw Hat crew.
"Tch, since I've come back to life, I might as well die again!"
Zoro's eyes turned cold, he drew his twin swords, and bit down on Wado Ichimonji.
His arm muscles bulged, and his body spun rapidly like a top.
"Three-Sword Style: Tornado!!!"
A terrifying tornado composed of extremely sharp sword energy rose from the ground.
Like a roaring sword dragon, it instantly engulfed the dozen or so zombies charging at the front, slicing them into countless extremely fine pieces!
"Tch, this is so boring."
Zoro shook the dirt off his blade and frowned.
"It feels like chopping up a pile of moldy, rotten wood."
"Hey! You bunch of rotten bastards!"
Sanji tumbled rapidly in mid-air, his right leg sweeping out with tremendous force, like a black lightning bolt.
"First flesh kick!!!"
With feet as swift as the wind, he violently kicked a group of zombie heads away, as if kicking a soccer ball.
"Want to bully the few with the many? Then witness the power of my scientific prowess!"
Franky laughed arrogantly, and the mechanical structure of his right arm instantly deformed, his iron fist blasting out like a heavy cannon.
"Super—!"
"Take this powerful right hand strike!!!"
In the center of the crowd, Robin maintained an extremely elegant posture.
She crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"Thirty-round Flower - Suspended!!!"
Countless pale arms, like blooming cherry blossoms, suddenly appeared on the bodies of the horde of zombies that were rushing towards them.
Those arms were tightly strangling the zombie's neck, accompanied by a very crisp sound of bones breaking.
In an instant, he snapped the necks of an entire row of zombies, causing them to fall to the ground in extremely contorted positions.
The Straw Hat crew's fighting power was terrifying; they cleared a large area of land in an instant, like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
However.
Before everyone could catch their breath, a scene that shocked them all unfolded!
Under the eerie green phosphorescent light of the cross cemetery, the "corpses" lying on the ground actually came to life again!
Then.
This terrifying army of undead let out another chilling roar.
As if they hadn't been hurt at all, they continued to rush towards the crowd one after another!
"Are you kidding me...?"
Zoro frowned as he looked at the scene that defied all logic.
"These guys... it's one thing to be unable to kill them, but to be cut like that and not even bleed a drop?!"
Just as everyone was getting extremely annoyed by the unkillable and ineffective zombie army and was about to be plunged into a fierce battle.
Viktor has yet to make a move.
His black eyes instantly turned into an eerie crimson.
Under the Sharingan's perspective, these corpses were indeed completely dead.
There was no blood flowing with any life, nor any signs of physiological function.
but.
Within each rotting corpse resides a black energy body emitting eerie fluctuations.
Those were clumps of "shadows" forcibly stuffed into the corpses!
They extended countless black energy threads, like marionettes, perfectly controlling the actions of the dead!
He suddenly raised his head and shouted loudly at the crowd still struggling in front of him:
"Zoro! Sanji! Franky!"
"These things are just empty shells being manipulated by others!"
"They don't have souls inside them; instead, someone else's'shadow' has been forcibly stuffed into them as their power source!"
"As long as those shadows are not destroyed or removed, physical attacks are completely ineffective against them!"
"Don't waste your energy!"#187Chapter 188 Despair in the Sea of Fire! The Surgeon's Lies
Chapter 188 Despair in the Sea of Fire! The Surgeon's Lies
After hearing Viktor's words.
The Straw Hat crew finally gave up on continuing their pointless entanglement with the zombie army.
The group fought and retreated, quickly fleeing the cross-shaped cemetery filled with the stench of decay and phosphorescence.
After passing through a desolate forest shrouded in thick fog, a massive and eerie Gothic castle suddenly appeared before them.
"SUPER—!!!"
Franky tilted his head back, peering at the magnificent castle through his sunglasses, and let out a sigh of admiration:
"The load-bearing structure and the carvings on the exterior walls of this building are simply impeccable masterpieces!"
However…" Franky sniffed.
"Why does this place have such a strange smell?"
Robin stood aside
A graceful smile played on her lips as she added in a gentle tone:
"Perhaps... this castle was built on the foundation of countless human bones, and then its walls were painted layer by layer with fresh blood?"
"Those scratches on the door might have been left by someone who was buried alive inside the wall."
"Big Sister Robin! Please stop talking!!" Franky shuddered.
"Bang!!!"
A deafening roar abruptly shattered the eerie atmosphere.
Luffy showed absolutely no awareness of being a guest, nor did he have the courtesy of knocking.
He simply raised his foot and rudely kicked open the two heavy oak doors, each weighing several tons.
"Excuse me!!!"
Luffy swaggered in:
"Is anyone home?! We need to find someone!!!"
Two figures suddenly appeared in the center of the hall.
One of the men was overweight and round, and looked like a standing penguin.
He had an oddly pointed hairstyle and wore a black coat that resembled a fishing net.
One of the "Three Eccentrics" of the horror ship, the genius surgeon Hogback.
Beside him, a woman with an expressionless face and a good figure followed quietly.
But the blonde maid, Victoria Cindorie, had obvious, rough stitches all over her face and body.
"Hiss hiss hiss hiss..."
Hogback let out a shrill, leaky laugh.
He was just about to put on the airs of a high-and-mighty castle owner and pretend to "welcome" the group of pirates.
*Smack!!!*
The maid Cindy, standing beside him, remained expressionless.
He picked up a white porcelain plate he was holding and smashed it precisely onto Hogback's fat face!
"Waaaaah!!"
Hogback's nose bled profusely from the blow, and he angrily covered his face and roared.
"What are you doing?! Cindry-chan!!!"
Cindy maintained her expressionless, emotionless face.
"I just can't stand seeing your face."
"It would be great if plates and all those things just disappeared from this world."
Seeing this unusual scene.
He slid towards Cindy like a noodle:
"Ah~~ This maid with a melancholy air!"
"Even the way he coldly smashes the plate is so captivating! It's absolutely mesmerizing!"
"Bang!"
Before Sanji could even get close...
Zoro delivered a merciless punch to Sanji's head.
"Are you an idiot, you lecherous cook?! Are you blind?!"
"Her body was covered in stitches, and she didn't smell of life at all. She was clearly a creepy zombie!!!"
Luffy, holding his straw hat, approached Hogback, who was still covering his nose.
"Hey! Uncle Penguin!!"
"Did you see our navigator, the long-nosed dog, the reindeer, the crow, and the little dog that spits out bombs?!"
"They landed on the island before us, they must have been here!"
Upon hearing Luffy's question, Hogback's small eyes, hidden behind his sunglasses, darted around slyly.
As Moria's right-hand man.
He certainly couldn't allow these dangerous pirates to disrupt Lord Moria's crucial plan.
"Hiss hiss hiss... What is this pirate guy saying?"
"There is no living person in this castle except for me, a genius doctor who loves medicine."
"Since you have come from afar, why don't you go to the guest rooms first, have a cup of hot tea, and rest for a while?"
Just as Hogback's face was beaming with smiles.
"Whoosh!"
Hogback only felt a blur before his eyes.
Viktor had appeared silently behind him without him even noticing.
A knife was pressed tightly against Hogback's fat neck.
"Stop your clumsy lies, you quack."
Viktor said with a smile:
"Are all the disgusting zombies on this island your 'masterpiece'?"
"You're in charge of stitching up the corpse with that shoddy technique, and then Moria is in charge of stuffing the stolen shadow inside."
Am I right?
Upon hearing the name "Moria," Hogback's obese body trembled violently.
"You...how do you know Lord Moria's name?!"
Hogback screamed in despair.
"Guards!! Help me!!!" Hogback screamed desperately.
As he cried for help, a flurry of footsteps echoed through the dark corridors surrounding the castle hall.
"Ughhhhhhh—"
Numerous "terrified zombies" emerge from picture frames on the wall.
And fully armed "soldier zombies" wielding various rusty weapons and wearing tattered armor.
They surged out from all directions!
In just a few seconds, they completely surrounded the Straw Hat crew.
"Tch, here we go again!"
Zoro angrily bit down on Wado Ichimonji and swung his twin swords fiercely.
The dozen or so zombie soldiers at the forefront were brutally dismembered into countless pieces.
Sanji also leaped up in a fit of rage, his legs creating countless afterimages.
However, in narrow terrain, these zombies become particularly troublesome.
"hateful!!!"
Franky angrily blasted a zombie away with his "Powerful Right Hand," cursing through gritted teeth:
There are just too many of these disgusting guys!
"And they're practically indestructible; they're incredibly difficult to deal with in this narrow corridor!"
Looking at the corridor, which was crammed full of zombies and there was almost no room to stand.
Viktor, who had been standing at the back, lost his smile and instantly turned cold.
"You can't kill him, huh?"
"Then... let it all turn to ashes, along with that filthy shadow."
The next second
Victor's hands moved rapidly across his chest.
"巳-未-申-亥-午-寅!"
Viktor took a deep breath, and his previously flat chest bulged dramatically high in that instant.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Annihilation!!!"
"boom--!!"
In an instant!
A scorching sea of fire, like a tsunami, erupted wildly from Victor's mouth.
The raging flames instantly filled the entire long, dark corridor!
It swept forward furiously with a destructive force capable of burning everything in the world!
"Buzz—!!!"
The temperature in the corridor rose terrifyingly to an alarming level within microseconds.
The valuable oil paintings on the walls of the corridor were completely carbonized into black ash the moment they came into contact with the heat wave, without even a spark.
Even the sturdy load-bearing stone pillars emitted a mournful cracking sound under this terrifyingly high temperature.
"Roar roar roar roar roar!!!!"
Those zombie armies that claim to be "absolutely immortal".
Upon contact with this terrifying, desperate sea of fire, they didn't even have time to let out a complete scream.
Their rotting flesh and hard bones were like fragile scraps of paper.
It was burned directly into black ash!
And those "shadows" that have lost their carriers.
Under the scorching heat of the flames, which were powerful enough to purify everything, a shrill, silent scream rang out.
They transformed into weak, dark shadows, fleeing in a sorry state towards the dim sky outside the corridor.
Just a few seconds later.
The corridor, which was originally crowded with terrifying zombies, is now eerily empty.
Only on the smooth ground was a thick, glaring layer of black ashes.
A gentle breeze blew in through the broken window, and the ashes drifted sadly in the wind before vanishing completely.
"thump."
Hogback, who had been standing at the edge of the hall, was trembling violently when he collapsed to his knees in despair on the scorching stone floor.
His eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, bulged out and were bloodshot with fear.
He was very proud of his "genius surgical suturing technique".
He believed that the "invincible, immortal legion" was enough to sweep away all enemies on the sea...
Before this bespectacled man's casual exhale of flame.
It couldn't even last a few seconds!
The entire army was utterly wiped out!
"monster..."
Hogback clutched his head in despair, muttering to himself in despair:
"These people...they're not pirates at all...they're a bunch of terrifying monsters!!!"
Victor walked up to Hogback.
Viktor looked down at the cowardly genius doctor.
The cold blade pressed against his throat again, the voice flat:
"Now."
"I'll ask you one last time, patiently."
Where is my partner?
Faced with the deadly fear of death, Hogback's obese body trembled violently like a leaf.
In order to survive, his cunning mind raced at that moment:
"I...I know!! I know!!"
Hogback frantically pointed to a dark passage deep within the castle and cried out in a shrill voice:
"I saw them run into that deep courtyard with my own eyes! I'll take you there! I'll lead the way myself!! Please don't kill me!!!"
They heard that their companions had been located.
Luffy nodded in satisfaction, touched his iconic straw hat, and shouted excitedly:
"You should have said so earlier, Uncle Penguin! Let's go!! Let's rescue Nami and the others!"
Hogback scrambled to his feet, stumbling and crawling, and humiliatingly led the way for the others.
However.
When he turned around with difficulty, his back to the Straw Hat crew.
A sinister, venomous sneer quickly appeared on his ugly, sweat-covered, fat face.
"Hiss hiss hiss..."
Hogback roared madly in his heart:
"Go! Go ahead and march forward in your ignorance! You damned monsters!"
"Since physical attacks can't kill you, then let's lure you bunch of fools into 'Lady Perona's' terrifying courtyard!"
"In the face of that terrifying woman, even the strongest physical attacks and the most terrifying flames are laughable and utterly useless!"
"Your shadows... Lord Moria, I'll accept them without hesitation! Hiss hiss hiss!"#188Chapter 18d of Princess Mononoke!
Chapter 189 The End of Princess Mononoke!
Led by the "enthusiasm" of the genius surgeon Hogback, the Straw Hat crew traversed a series of dark and long corridors.
Finally, the group was led to a spacious indoor garden.
The scene here evokes a strong sense of disconnect.
The garden was filled with strange plants with distorted shapes.
Among those flowers and plants, some eerie animal zombies roam around.
A penguin with a dog's head, a lion with a pig's nose sewn on.
They look both strangely "cute" and terrifyingly horrifying.
"despair."
The moment everyone stepped into this indoor garden.
Hogback, who was walking at the very front, surprisingly displayed an unusual agility despite his obese body.
He darted into a hidden passage in the wall beside him as quickly as an oiled eel.
"Clang!"
The heavy steel fence fell instantly, sealing off the secret passage.
Through that seemingly impenetrable iron fence, Hogback's ugly, fat face instantly shed all pretense, and he let out a wild, arrogant laugh:
"Hiss hiss hiss hiss!!!"
"You hopeless idiots!"
"You really think I'll obediently lead the way for you?!"
"Wait in despair and repent in Lady Perona's 'negative realm'!"
"Lord Moria will gladly accept your powerful shadows! Hiss hiss hiss!"
Just as Hogback's arrogant laughter was still echoing in the garden.
"Hello hello hello hello hello..."
A unique, ethereal girl's laughter came from above without warning.
Accompanied by this unique laughter.
A girl carrying a pink parasol, with pink pigtails, and dressed in an exquisite black and white Gothic Lolita outfit.
Perona, the "Princess Mononoke," slowly floats down from the ceiling.
Several translucent white ghosts hovered around her, making a "whooshing" sound in the air.
Perona's large eyes looked down at the Straw Hat crew below, and she curled her lip in disdain:
"Another bunch of clueless idiots have arrived. What a downer."
Look at this arrogant gothic lolita blocking the way.
Without saying a word, Luffy suddenly stretched his right arm backward to its maximum extent:
"Since you're an enemy blocking my way, I'll beat you to a pulp!"
"Rubber, rubber—a pistol!!!"
With a muffled blast, it crashed straight down on Perona in mid-air.
at the same time.
"Don't underestimate us, Ghost Woman!"
Sanji also leaped into the air in perfect unison, his long, powerful legs creating sparks as they flew through the air.
A fierce flying kick swept ruthlessly towards the white ghosts protecting Perona.
However.
A bizarre scene unfolded.
Luffy's fist, powerful enough to shatter steel, made contact with Perona's body the instant it struck.
It slid smoothly right through Perona's body.
"Boom!"
The fist, having lost its target, continued its momentum, violently smashing a huge stone pillar behind Perona, sending debris flying everywhere.
Meanwhile, Sanji's kick also pierced straight through those white ghosts.
Because his full-force attack missed its target, Sanji almost lost his balance in mid-air and tumbled around before barely landing.
"What's going on?! It has no physical form?!" Luffy exclaimed in shock.
"Horo horo horo!!"
Seeing their attacks laughably miss, Perona let out a triumphant laugh in mid-air:
"A bunch of useless barbarians!"
"My ghostly body is absolutely invincible!"
"Since you enjoy causing trouble so much, then go and taste the despair that wells up from the depths of your soul!"
"Go forth, you pessimistic ghosts!!!"
Perona arrogantly waved her pink parasol.
In an instant, five eerie white ghosts bared their fangs and claws, emitting a shrill scream.
They pounced on the crowd below with terrifying speed!
At this critical moment.
Viktor, who had been following, immediately shouted:
"Everyone get out of the way!!!"
"Whatever you do, don't let that thing touch you!!"
Out of absolute trust in this first mate.
Upon hearing the warning, Zoro didn't hesitate at all. He nimbly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the ghost's attack.
Sanji, on the other hand, twisted his waist powerfully, narrowly avoiding the ghost in mid-air.
Franky decisively raised his hands and used the powerful recoil of the hand cannon to quickly push himself backward.
As for Viktor himself, the moment the ghost pounced, he scooped up Robin beside him and lightly touched the ground, instantly creating a safe distance.
Everyone managed to dodge the bizarre attack with incredible skill.
Only the oblivious Luffy was unfortunately pierced straight through the chest by that white ghost.
"Well..."
The moment Luffy was pierced by the ghost, his previously high fighting spirit and excited expression froze eerily.
He collapsed to his knees on the grass, his hands desperately bracing themselves against the ground.
"Ugh... I'm such a useless piece of trash... I want to go home..."
"What Pirate King... what crewmates... living is so tiring..."
"If there is an afterlife... I want to be a sea cucumber lying motionless on the seabed..."
"..."
Seeing their usually fearless and idiotic captain now strangely kneeling on the ground, questioning the meaning of life.
Everyone immediately understood the terrifying effect of the attack just now.
If you get hit by that thing, you lose all your fighting spirit, which is practically fatal on the battlefield.
Seeing that three of his special moves had missed...
Perona's arrogant expression instantly vanished, and she stomped her foot in mid-air in a fit of exasperation:
"Damn it! You barbarians, you're quick to hide!"
"I'd like to see how you dodge the terrifying attack that's about to follow!"
"Extremely powerful ghost wind—"
Just as Perona angrily raised her parasol, preparing to summon a giant exploding phantom to completely level the garden.
"Hello."
A deep voice suddenly rang out in the garden:
"Foolish woman, look at me."
Upon hearing this insulting term, Perona instantly flew into a rage.
She angrily lowered her head and shouted in the direction the sound came from:
"Who are you calling a hopelessly stupid woman?!"
However.
The moment her gaze fell upon Viktor.
"Buzz—!"
Perona felt a dull thud in her brain.
The sound of the wind in the surrounding garden, Luffy's pessimistic mutterings, and the exclamations of his crew...
At that moment, everything mysteriously vanished.
Magical Technique: Shackles and Binds.
Perona's mental world was instantly and forcefully pulled into a terrifying crimson world by this domineering eye technique.
She was horrified to discover that her beloved, adorable zombies were...
In an instant, they transformed into truly terrifying monsters with hideous faces, dripping with foul-smelling pus.
"Ahhh! Don't come any closer!!"
The monsters let out chilling roars and brutally pinned her to the ground.
Immediately afterwards, Perona felt as if her soul was being struck by countless cold iron nails.
It cruelly pierced through her limbs and torso, pinning her to the spot, unable to move an inch.
Pain! Despair!
In the real world...
To everyone's shock, Perona's arrogant expression froze instantly in mid-air.
"thump!"
He instantly lost all his buoyancy and fell straight down from mid-air, crashing heavily onto the soft grass.
Perona's mental state completely collapsed.
All the white ghosts floating in the garden vanished instantly, like fragile bubbles, completely dissipating into the air.
"A good opportunity."
Zoro keenly seized the opportunity.
"Whoosh!"
He appeared instantly beside Perona, who was lying on the ground convulsing.
Faced with this bizarre enemy.
Zoro simply and decisively reversed the hilt of his sword, using the hard bottom of the "Wado Ichimonji" hilt.
It struck Perona precisely on the back of her neck.
"Bang!"
A dull thud.
Perona let out a painful groan, her eyes rolled back, and she passed out completely on the grass.
The battle ended abruptly and mysteriously in an instant.
The eerie crimson in Viktor's eyes receded rapidly like a tide, returning to its usual deep black.
Franky exaggeratedly pushed up his sunglasses, his mouth agape in disbelief:
"Hey... what just happened?"
"How come that arrogant woman suddenly collapsed in pain after you just glanced at her?"
"Is this some kind of SUPER magic?"
Sanji took a deep drag on his cigarette.
Although his inherent chivalry made him unhappy with Zoro's rough handling of the woman earlier.
But they also clearly knew that only by using this method could they break the deadlock.
At this time.
Robin remained quietly held securely in Victor's arms.
This cunning archaeologist, far from rushing down, did not hurry to come down.
Instead, she naturally stretched out her jade-like arms and ambiguously hooked them around Viktor's neck.
Her delicate face drew closer, her warm breath brushing against Viktor's ear.
She murmured softly in a gentle tone:
"Allah..."
"First mate, you just decisively pulled me into your arms immediately."
"You seem to have become more concerned about me lately."
Why is that?
Hearing the seductive whisper in his ear, Viktor's lips twitched helplessly.
He naturally couldn't let this mature woman, who liked to flirt with danger, continue to harass him so arrogantly.
Viktor turned his back, using his broad back to block Zoro and the others from seeing behind him.
Then, under the gaze of those captivating eyes, Viktor suddenly lowered his head.
Robin was not given any chance to react.
He directly sealed those two warm and soft red lips with his own.
"Hmm!"
Robin's eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting Victor to retaliate in such a forceful manner.
After a brief kiss.
Victor calmly straightened up and gentlemanly placed Robin gently on the grass.
He immediately turned around, his gaze fixed on the massive spiral staircase at the deepest part of the castle:
"The obstacle has been cleared."
Let's continue.
Robin stood still, quietly watching Victor's broad back.
Her slender fingers unconsciously touched her warm lips.
A strange, delighted smile appeared on her lips.
Then, she lowered her head slightly, and a charming blush appeared on her usually composed face.
"Pfft!"
With Perona falling into a deep coma, the effects of the Negative Specter completely dissipated.
Luffy, who was just moments ago negatively thinking about becoming a sea cucumber, suddenly bounced violently off the ground like a fully inflated balloon!
"Ah! He's back to life!!!"
Luffy clenched his fist tightly.
His large eyes blazed with renewed excitement and fighting spirit.
"Everyone! We're about to go in!!!"
"Go and reclaim our comrade and Brook's shadow!"189Chapter 1Pride of the Samurai! Clash of Great Swordsmen and the Black Blade Shusui
Chapter 190 The Pride of the Samurai! Clash of Great Swordsmen and the Black Blade Shusui
"Bang!"
With a loud, violent crash, Luffy kicked open the heavy castle gate.
Like an unstoppable whirlwind, the Straw Hat crew stormed into Thriller Bark's innermost fortress.
The main hall of the fortress was dark and empty, with huge stone pillars standing all around.
Before everyone could even see the structure of the main hall clearly...
A sharp, piercing laugh suddenly echoed across the empty dome of the hall.
"Chirp chirp chirp... Chirp chirp chirp!!!"
That was the laughter of Gecko Moria, the absolute ruler of this island and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
However, Moria did not choose to show himself and confront this group of imposing pirates head-on.
As a highly cunning tactician, he slyly lurked in the shadows.
"Splash splash splash splash—!!!"
Accompanied by that chilling laughter.
From the endless shadows high above the hall, a black torrent suddenly burst forth, releasing countless bats formed from pure shadows.
These shadow bats swarmed down in a massive, overwhelming manner, instantly obscuring everyone's view.
It was like a messenger that triggered a switch, completely activating all the hidden mechanisms inside this enormous castle.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A violent tremor erupted instantly, as if triggering a tectonic shift in the earth's crust.
The seemingly solid stone slab ground beneath everyone's feet suddenly collapsed in a large area without warning!
At the same time, the surrounding walls also resembled a living maze.
It began to move and flip rapidly, dividing the space of the main hall.
The trapdoors and the secret doors in the maze were all activated at the same time!
"Whoa! The floorboards collapsed!!!"
Amidst the chaotic feeling of weightlessness and swirling dust.
Viktor's Sharingan spun rapidly.
He remained calm in the face of danger, his chakra surging precisely within him, and he instantly formed a hand seal with one hand.
"Instantaneous Movement Technique!"
With a whoosh, Victor's figure transformed into a black lightning bolt, and at the critical moment when the stone slab was about to completely collapse, he decisively grabbed Robin, who was falling beside him.
The two of them lightly leaped onto the edge of a still-moving wall and landed steadily in a safe area.
However, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Franky were unable to escape the massive and complex maze trap.
They were mercilessly swallowed up along with the shattered stones.
They were forcibly separated along different passages and slid towards the abyss of the castle.
Looking at the hall that was completely divided by the walls, Victor steadily shielded Robin behind him.
His eyes instantly turned icy, and a contemptuous sneer curled at the corner of his lips:
"Are you trying to use this underhanded maze to defeat us one by one?"
"Too naive."
...
Meanwhile, deep within the castle, in an unknown corridor.
"Bang."
Zoro fell from a steep slide trap and crashed heavily onto the cold stone floor.
He nimbly got up and brushed off the dust and cobwebs that covered his body.
"Tch, what a troublesome mechanism."
Zoro looked around and found himself in a long, dimly lit corridor.
For someone who has no sense of direction, if there is no direction, then there is only one choice left.
forward!
He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist and strode forward along the gloomy corridor.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, an old-fashioned wooden door appeared at the end of the corridor.
"Squeak—"
Zoro pushed open the wooden door with force, but the scene behind it made him pause for a moment.
Inside this Western-style, gloomy Gothic castle, there is surprisingly a spacious Japanese dojo filled with tatami mats!
And in the very center of the dojo.
A strange figure sat quietly cross-legged.
It was a samurai zombie covered in dirty, old bandages and wearing a tattered vintage kimono.
Although he had no trace of human presence.
But Zoro's gaze was instantly drawn to the long sword at the samurai's waist!
The scabbard of that knife was decorated with flamboyant and eerie dark red patterns.
Just lying quietly in its scabbard, the heavy killing intent emanating from the sword was enough to send Zoro's seasoned swordsman instincts into a frantic alarm.
That was absolutely a terrifying and deadly weapon!
It seemed to have sensed the intruder's sword aura.
The zombie samurai (Ryoma, the once-famous dragon-slaying samurai) slowly rose from the tatami mat.
Because what Moria implanted into his body was Brook's shadow.
So he opened his withered jaw and let out that signature yet incongruous laugh:
"Yohohoho...yohohoho..."
However, this comical laughter could not conceal the real changes in him.
As he stood up, a sharp, domineering, and terrifying sword aura appeared, seemingly capable of easily tearing apart the air in the entire dojo.
It swept out like a raging storm in an instant, so fierce that it was almost suffocating.
Longma slowly extended his large, bandaged hand and steadily grasped the hilt of the sword at his waist.
"Clang—"
With a clear dragon's roar, the dragon horse slowly drew out the long sword.
As the blade was gradually revealed, a jet-black blade appeared in Zoro's field of vision.
On the deep, night-like black blade, a magnificent pattern of chaotic, reversed T-shaped blades emerged.
The entire knife exuded an unparalleled pressure that seemed capable of utterly severing everything in the world.
Ryuma gripped his sword in one hand, his empty eye sockets calmly fixed on Zoro:
"This is the 21st Great Grade Sword, the Black Sword 'Autumn Water'."
"Are you also a swordsman, sir?"
Hearing this awe-inspiring name and seeing this exquisite black knife...
Zoro's body trembled slightly with extreme excitement.
A fervent fighting spirit instantly ignited in his sharp eyes!
He grinned, revealing an arrogant smile, like that of a bloodthirsty demon.
"Clang! Clang!"
Zoro decisively drew the Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu from his waist, gripping the hilts firmly with both hands, the tips of the blades pointing directly at Ryuma:
"I was just worried about not having a good knife to use..."
"I've got my eye on your knife!!!"
The battle erupted instantly upon hearing this arrogant declaration!
There was no unnecessary chatter, no fancy probing.
Between two pure swordsmen, there is only the purest clash of swordsmanship!
"Yo ho ho ho! Come and get it!"
Longma let out a strange laugh, his figure moving like a swift black lightning bolt, instantly covering a distance of several meters.
The black sword "Shusui" in his hand slashed fiercely straight at Zoro with a terrifying whooshing sound.
"when----!!!!!"
A deafening clang of metal clashing resounded violently within the dojo, like a terrifying muffled thunderclap!
Sparks flew everywhere!
Ryoma used Brook's agile fencing technique.
However, thanks to his invincible warrior body, forged from countless trials and tribulations, as if cast from steel, he was able to survive.
In addition, there's the terrifyingly heavy weight of the black sword "Autumn Water".
Every ordinary thrust he unleashed possessed the destructive power to cleave through a slash.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!!!"
The dense clanging of metal exploded into a series of sonic booms.
Zoro's slashes were easily deflected time and time again the moment they touched Shusui.
The terrifying recoil force made it difficult for Zoro to steady himself.
Under the violent, overflowing sword energy of the two clashing, the entire spacious Japanese dojo began to tremble and crumble.
The sturdy walls on all sides were slashed with countless deep grooves by the sword energy and collapsed with a roar.
The wooden planks and tatami mats underfoot crumbled and flew away as easily as scraps of paper!
However, faced with this powerful suppression, Zoro felt no fear whatsoever; on the contrary, he was extremely excited.
"marvelous..."
Zoro laughed maniacally, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands, feeling the intense tingling sensation spreading through his arms:
"This knife is as heavy as a lump of iron..."
"But precisely because of this, its destructive power is unparalleled!!!"
This epic duel between swordsmen quickly reached its climax.
Amidst the flashing swords, the two tacitly distanced themselves.
Their eyes clashed fiercely in the air; they both knew it was time to decide the final outcome.
"Yo ho ho ho! Take this!"
Longma gripped Qiushui with both hands, and a violent power gathered on the blade.
Zoro calmly held the pure white "Wado Ichimonji" firmly in his mouth.
Immediately afterwards, he strangely reversed the grip on the two knives in his hands and lowered his body.
"Buzz—"
This was accompanied by the eruption of pure sword intent within Zoro.
Incredibly, a ghostly blue, solidified sword aura ignited on the two swords he was holding in reverse!
The two of them simultaneously stomped violently on the ground, like two dazzling shooting stars, and leaped into the air at the same time!
In that brief moment of suspended motion, Zoro's eyes sharpened to the extreme.
"Three-Sword Style: Flying Dragon: Flame!!!"
"Nightfall Song - Straight Thrust!!!"
"Whoosh—!!!"
In mid-air, a blinding flash of light streaked past.
The two figures narrowly missed each other in mid-air.
"Bang."
Zoro landed smoothly on the collapsed ruins, maintaining his extremely forward-leaning sword-wielding posture.
Longma landed smoothly behind him, his black sword Qiushui still pointing sharply forward.
The entire dilapidated temple fell into a brief, deathly silence.
Two seconds later.
"Pfft—!"
Suddenly, a deep slash appeared strangely on Ryoma's hard chest.
Immediately afterwards, blazing blue flames, like an erupting volcano, violently erupted from that fatal wound!
The eerie blue flames swiftly engulfed Ryoma's bandaged samurai body.
However, looking at his own body that was burning fiercely.
Instead of resentment and unwillingness, Longma's empty eye sockets emitted a relieved and relieved laugh.
"Yohohoho...what a satisfying duel..."
Longma slowly raised his hand and solemnly sheathed the heavy, domineering black sword "Autumn Water".
Then, he forcefully and steadily tossed the Shusui, scabbard and all, to Zoro in front of him.
"This once proud body has been defeated by a swordsman like you. It is a disgrace to me..."
Ryoma's voice grew weaker amidst the flames, but it still carried the pure pride of a samurai:
"But this sword... it would be happy to be with such a skilled swordsman as you."
Accompanied by Ryoma's words of relief.
"Whoosh!"
The black shadow that had been forcibly inserted into Ryoma's body, belonging to Brook, finally detached completely from the burning husk.
The shadow transformed into a weak black silhouette, quickly flying out of the dojo and into the distant sky.
Zoro turned around and caught the black sword "Shusui" that was thrown to him with perfect precision.
Feel the heavy, perfect touch in your hand.
Zoro solemnly wore it on his waist, his sharp eyes filled with profound respect.
He gazed at the dragon horse, which had been completely reduced to ashes in the blue flames, and calmly declared:
"I'll take this knife."
"I will find him a suitable master. Rest in peace, swordsman."190Chapter 1en Shadow! The Awakening of Oz the Demon and the Shadow of Despair
Chapter 191 The Stolen Shadow! The Awakening of Oz the Demon and the Shadow of Despair
The camera abruptly shifts, skipping over the intricate castle maze.
"Bang!"
A loud bang followed.
Luffy stumbled and crashed through those trapdoors and labyrinthine passages like a headless fly.
With his irrational, beastly instincts and unparalleled destructive power.
He actually managed to smash a path through it.
The most central area of the castle has been found—
Moriah's spacious and luxurious bedroom.
Luffy kicked the heavy door panel and frame inside with one kick.
"Excuse me!"
In the center of the bedroom sits a large, soft Gothic sofa, as big as a small mountain.
Lying lazily was a strange man with an obese and bloated body, two devilish horns, and skin as pale as paper.
Gecko Moria, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Moria did not panic when he saw Luffy burst through the door.
He shifted into a more comfortable position, holding a glass of red wine in his hand, and from his face, which resembled a giant bat, came his extremely unsettling, shrill laugh:
"Chirp chirp chirp... Chirp chirp chirp..."
"Straw Hat Kid, I never thought you, a fly, would actually make it all the way to my place."
Moria swirled his wine glass, his narrow eyes filled with contempt and greed:
"However, your luck has run out."
"It's a pity that your journey ends here."
Faced with the provocation of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Luffy's eyes instantly became incredibly sharp.
His legs were slightly apart, his hands resting on his knees, and it felt as if an engine was roaring inside him. His skin quickly turned a scalding pink, and large amounts of steam rose from his body.
"Enough with the nonsense, Uncle Onion Head!"
Luffy angrily activated Gear Second, his voice deep and resonant from the rapid flow of his blood:
"Hand over Brook's shadow, and everyone else's shadows!!"
"Rubber, rubber—"
Luffy's figure vanished from his spot in an instant, leaving only a sonic boom cloud in the air.
"Jet pistol!!!"
The fist, imbued with Armament Haki, slammed into Moria's fat face with a terrifying speed that broke the sound barrier.
However.
Faced with this seemingly inevitable and devastating attack, Moria, lying on the sofa, didn't even blink.
Just as Luffy's fist was about to touch Moria's nose, at the critical moment...
"Whoosh!"
The black shadow that had been lying quietly on the floor beneath Moria's feet suddenly seemed to come alive and stood upright in an instant.
The dark figure known as the "Shadow Mage" rapidly condensed and hardened in mid-air.
In the blink of an eye, it transformed into an indestructible, thick black wall, firmly blocking Moria's path.
"boom--!!!"
Luffy's powerful Gear Second punch, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, slammed heavily into the shadowy black wall.
The violent force erupted the moment of contact, creating a fierce shockwave that made the curtains in the bedroom flutter wildly.
However, the seemingly thin, dark wall only dented slightly.
He then neutralized all the power in Luffy's fist.
"What?!" Luffy was shocked and tried to pull his fist back.
"Hehehe, too slow."
Moria gave a cold laugh.
The shadow wall instantly dispersed like a fluid, transforming in the blink of an eye into countless sharp black bats and razor-sharp spears.
Like a raging storm, they launched a fierce counterattack against Luffy, who was right in front of them.
"Rubber rubber - Jet machine gun!"
Luffy twisted his body rapidly in mid-air, his fists turning into countless afterimages as he fiercely clashed with the shadow bats and spears.
But no matter how hard Luffy attacked.
Moria's "Shadow Mage" can automatically protect its master.
It's like a perfect shield with no blind spots, capable of changing shape at will.
It can not only withstand all physical attacks, but also launch a deadly counterattack at any time.
After a fierce battle, Luffy, with the incredible speed of Gear Second, finally managed to bypass the Shadow Mage's defensive net and delivered a powerful kick to Moria's obese abdomen.
"Got it!" Luffy thought with delight.
However, Moria, who was kicked, did not scream. Instead, he smiled strangely.
The next second, to Luffy's incredulous gaze...
The "Moria" that was kicked instantly turned into a dark shadow.
At the other end of the room, where the Shadow Mage had been standing, the real Moria appeared unharmed.
The body and shadow are instantly swapped!
Luffy's painstaking attack ultimately only shattered a black shadow that felt no pain.
"It's no use, Straw Hat Boy."
Moria stood not far away, looking at the panting Luffy as if he were a caged beast, and mercilessly mocked:
"In front of my'Shadow Mage'."
"Your so-called 'pure physical attack' is a complete joke."
Moria's eyes turned incredibly greedy as he stared intently at Luffy's vibrant body:
"However, I must admit that your powerful physique and tenacious fighting spirit are simply too perfect!"
"This is simply the best offering prepared for me!"
"Chirp chirp chirp!"
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Luffy gritted his teeth, preparing to use Armament Haki to forcefully break through this strange defense.
but.
Just as Luffy took a deep breath, preparing to unleash his power...
He suddenly felt his feet sink into the ground.
Unbeknownst to him, the once-hard stone slab beneath his feet had transformed into a viscous, black shadow, resembling a swamp.
Before Luffy could react, the dark shadow surged up like a tsunami, rapidly climbing up his legs.
"Shadow box!"
Moriah's cold voice echoed in the room.
The shadows clinging to Luffy solidified and hardened in an instant.
In the end, it transformed into an enormous black cube-shaped box, locking Luffy completely inside, leaving only his head sticking out.
"Let me go!! You bastard!!"
Luffy struggled desperately inside the black box.
The rubber muscles bulged high, trying to break the cage with their monstrous strength.
However, this "shadow box" made of shadows was as hard as iron.
Not only could it not be destroyed, but it also began to tighten as Luffy struggled.
Like a giant hydraulic press, it relentlessly squeezed Luffy's body.
Accompanied by severe oxygen deprivation and the pain of his bones being crushed, Luffy's vision began to blur.
He was panting heavily, and his struggles were getting weaker and weaker.
Finally, his eyes rolled back, he lost consciousness completely, and his head drooped limply.
"Hehehe, I've got you."
Moria walked up to Luffy, who was already unconscious.
He stretched out a large, pale hand and pulled out an enormous pair of black scissors from who-knows-where.
Then, Moria squatted down with practiced ease.
He grabbed the black shadow connected to Luffy's body at his feet as if he were picking up a piece of black cloth that had fallen to the ground.
"Snap!"
It was accompanied by the sound of scissors snapping shut.
Luffy's vibrant shadow was completely severed at the root by this strange pair of scissors.
The moment the shadow was cut off, Luffy's once powerful body seemed to have all its vitality drained away.
It lay limply on the ground, like a soulless rag doll.
"Throw it back onto that pirate ship."
Moria kicked Luffy's unconscious body away like he was kicking trash.
He ordered the few zombie henchmen who had just arrived to throw Luffy back onto the Sunny and leave him to fend for himself.
For those who have lost their shadow.
Once exposed to sunlight, it will turn to ashes and pose no threat whatsoever.
Moria gripped Luffy's struggling shadow tightly with both hands, his eyes gleaming with an intensely fanatical excitement.
"Finally, I've obtained... this perfect offering! Hehehehe!"
He couldn't wait to take Luffy's shadow with him and stride towards the huge freezer at the bottom of the castle.
Pushing open the heavy door of the icehouse, a biting chill rushed out.
Inside the massive ice wall, a gigantic, chilling corpse lay frozen solid!
The corpse was several times larger than that of an ordinary giant.
He had curved horns on his head, protruding fangs in his mouth, and bulging muscles all over his body.
It exudes a ferocious aura that still inspires fear even after hundreds of years of death.
Those are the remains of "Oz," the legendary monster who once dragged an entire country away!
"Hee hee hee! Awaken! My strongest warrior!"
Moria laughed wildly as he walked to the base of Oz's enormous head.
Without hesitation, he shoved the black shadow that belonged to Luffy into Oars's gaping maw!
The moment the shadow entered Oz's body, the remains of the demon, which had been dormant for hundreds of years, suddenly trembled violently.
"Chirp chirp chirp!"
"With Straw Hat Boy's level of combat instinct, plus Oars' invincible demon body!"
Moriah spread his arms wide, bursting into wild laughter, his eyes filled with a thirst for power:
"Even that monster Kaido, this time... I will crush him under my feet!!!"
...
Meanwhile, in a ruin outside the castle.
"Victor!" Nami rushed over and hugged Victor excitedly.
And so, Victor and Robin finally reunited with Usopp, Nami, and the animal army, who had just escaped by water and were still in shock.
They embarked on a journey to find their other companions.
They hadn't been gone long.
"Luffy?!"
Nami, with her sharp eyes, spotted Luffy immediately. He was carelessly discarded by several zombies in the ruins and bushes.
The crowd immediately surrounded them.
Chopper quickly took out the first-aid kit to check.
"He had no obvious external injuries, and his vital signs were stable, but we just couldn't wake him up..."
"Chopper said anxiously."
Viktor stood to the side, not looking at Luffy's face, but staring intently at Luffy's feet.
Under the moonlight, there was nothing around Luffy's body.
There was no shadow.
Viktor's usually composed face instantly darkened, his brows furrowing.
"Oh no..."
Before he could finish speaking...
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
An unprecedentedly violent earthquake erupted without warning from beneath everyone's feet!
The entire terrifying three-masted ship seemed to have been hit by a magnitude 10 earthquake; the ground cracked violently, and huge rocks fell from the sky.
"What happened?!" Usopp cried out in alarm, crouching down to cover his head in fear.
Immediately afterwards.
To everyone's utter horror, the magnificent dome at the very center of the castle was suddenly blasted to pieces from the inside by a red arm larger than a warship!
Accompanied by flying debris and deafening roar.
A terrifying demon with two horns on its head, a body that blots out the sky and resembles a moving mountain, slowly rose from the ruins of the castle.
Its enormous body even blocked the pale moonlight from the sky, casting a huge, despairing shadow over the entire island.
Oz the Demon lowered his enormous head.
He stretched out a hand large enough to crush a castle and touched his shrunken belly.
Then, he opened his blood-red maw and let out a roar that stirred up a gust of wind.
But the content of that roar gave all the Straw Hat crew members present an eerily familiar feeling:
"Meat---!!!"
"I want to eat meat!!"
Look at this terrifying demon whose body is like a monster, but whose behavior is full of "Luffy vibes".
Everyone was completely stunned into despair.
The smile on Viktor's face had completely vanished.
He looked up at the monstrous creature that blotted out the sky, his voice low and deep:
"Put Luffy's fighting instincts into the body of that legendary demon..."
"Moria, you've really given us... a huge problem."