Grow stronger quickly! Only by becoming powerful can one be invincible!
These two phrases echoed relentlessly in Moria's mind. Ever since his defeat by Kaido in the New World's Wano Country, Moria hadn't trained for even a second over the years. His Devil Fruit abilities had improved slightly due to frequent zombie creation, but that was all.
He wasn't sure if others could do it, but absorbing other people's shadows into his own body did allow him to wield the shadow owner's power. He hadn't paid much attention to this before, but now that Badak pointed it out, if he trained as Badak suggested, perhaps he really could defeat Kaido with his own hands. He couldn't afford to stay stagnant any longer.
Moria desperately wanted to avenge his fallen comrades himself, but he knew all too well the gap between himself and Kaido. Through conventional means, he could never surpass Kaido in his lifetime. If there had been even a glimmer of hope, a proud warrior from the West Blue like him would never have sunk to such depths of despair.
"So that's it. After all this talk, you actually want to use my abilities to rapidly increase your own strength."
Moria had finally grasped Badak's true intentions.
"You're half right and half wrong. Even without your help, I could grow stronger quickly. My main concern is helping my comrades improve faster. One person's strength isn't enough to dominate these seas. Look at Red Count Barolick Redfield or the Demon Heir Douglas Bullet—both were top-tier fighters. And where are they now? Locked up in Impel Down. Only a group of trusted, powerful allies can truly be invincible."
Badak possessed exceptional talent and the Fiery Eyes and Golden Gaze ability that allowed microscopic observation. He learned quickly, could steal others' signature techniques, and grew rapidly through training alone.
At this point, he'd already pushed his body to its current age's limits. To increase his combat power further, he needed deeper mastery of various Haki types.
"Comrades? Just because you spared me after defeating me, you think I'll keep transferring shadows for you? Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm Gekko Moria—you think you can use me as some tool?"
Moria had initially been moved by Badak's dedication to his crew—it reminded him of himself.
But then he realized: Wait, they can't maintain long-term coexistence with others' shadows. Shadows return to their original bodies after a certain time. Does that mean I'd have to keep transferring shadows for them endlessly? Wouldn't that make me just a tool?
"Don't jump to conclusions, Moria. You remember how severe your injuries were last night, don't you? Yet look how completely you've healed in such short time."Badak noticed Moria was getting angry and quickly said, "Using shadows to speed up learning is taking a shortcut. Famous swordsmen and martial arts masters have bodies tempered through countless trials, making them incredibly strong. Only then can they unleash their techniques."
"With their shadows inside a novice, can the novice match the physical strength of those swordsmen and martial arts masters? So, the novice might get injured very easily."
"And us? We possess powerful healing abilities. We are the final piece of the shadow training plan."
Moria pondered for a moment. Badak's words made some sense, but he still felt like the other party was treating him as a mere tool.
"If you want me to agree to your shadow training plan, it's simple. Lend me your shadow. I also want to master Haki and test whether your plan is reliable."
Moria began making exorbitant demands.
Badak didn't even think before rejecting Moria's request. Seriously, do we have that level of trust? If I give you my shadow and you immediately go back on your word, what then?
"Moria, let's be straightforward. I won't lend you my shadow. But I know where you can find a more suitable shadow for yourself. I can help you take that person down."
"Who?"
"The 12th leader of the Hachinosu Pirates from the Flower Country, Chin Jao the Drill."
Badak revealed the name he had long prepared.
"Him! You've got some nerve, kid, daring to set your sights on someone like that. He's a notorious pirate with a bounty of 500 million Belly, and behind him stands the Flower Country, a dominant force in the West Blue."
Though Moria had never dealt with Chin Jao before, he had heard of him—that guy was not someone to be trifled with.
"Exactly. Only the shadows of the strong are useful. Those weaklings you've collected in the past are all flash and no substance, only good for scaring kids."
Badak's words infuriated Moria. "Fine, fine. As long as you take down Chin Jao, we'll officially cooperate and implement your shadow training plan."
Hearing this, Badak grinned in delight. "Great, Moria. I know you still have illusions about your zombie project, so I'll give you a tip. The famous surgeon Hogback from the West Blue should be able to help you. Honestly, when it comes to zombies, quality matters more than quantity. Those ordinary zombies make decent tools—they can handle all the dirty and hard labor."
"Hmph, say whatever you want." Moria pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "If you succeed, contact me through this Den Den Mushi number. You'd better hurry—I can't stay in the West Blue any longer. The Grand Line has the shadows I need."
Damn, is this the equivalent of a business card in the pirate world?
The next moment, Moria instantly turned into a shadow, which then swiftly vanished into the distance.
"This guy already had an escape plan ready, huh?" Badak chuckled at the sight, unbothered.
"Badak, was the shadow training plan prepared for us? Will Moria ditch us and go solo? Are we really going after Chin Jao the Drill?"
Robin, who had stayed silent until now, voiced all her doubts at once."The Shadow Training Plan was something I came up with during my battle with Moria. The main purpose was indeed for all of you, because the New World is far more dangerous than imagined. If we don't encounter strong enemies, that's fine, but once we do, there's a high chance of complete annihilation. Moria serves as a cautionary tale."
"As for Moria, there's no need to worry about him anymore. Look!"
Badak showed everyone Moria's fingernail. "We'll use this to make a Vivre Card. No matter where Moria runs off to in the New World, we can easily track him down. If he behaves, fine. If he tries anything, we'll make him regret it."
Badak still had his eye on Moria's Thriller Bark. A ship built like a small island was simply too perfect for him—he'd already thought of a name for it.
"As for Chin Jao, whether Moria was involved or not, I would have sought him out anyway. I'm very interested in the Eight Impact Fist technique. Besides, there's hardly anyone left in the West Blue worth fighting."
"Tch."
Perona scoffed, but Badak wasn't wrong. With even Moria defeated by Badak, who in the West Blue could stand against him now?
"Boss, should we head straight to the Flower Kingdom then?"
Daz Bones was eager. The fight with Moria had been entirely handled by the boss, but this trip to the Flower Kingdom promised a good battle—the Happo Navy wasn't as pathetic as Moria was now.
"No rush. It's the end of the year—showing up to pick a fight would be impolite. Let's return to the Irosia Kingdom first and regroup."
Badak and his crew had been sailing for a while, and with the New Year approaching, they could deal with Chin Jao afterward.
Would showing up right after the New Year to pick a fight really be any more polite? Perona was curious, but she kept it to herself.