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Chapter 54: The Angel's Oracle — Moria's POV
The "former" Warlord of the Sea, Gecko Moria… He was currently looking back on his life as a pirate, reflecting on the path he had walked… like a flashing reel of memories before death.
My life as a pirate… what the hell was it all for…
When Moria was young, he firmly believed without a shred of doubt that he was stronger than anyone else! That he could accomplish anything! That he was the man destined to become the Pirate King… But 23 years ago… he waged war against Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors, and was utterly defeated. His overwhelming self-confidence and burning ambition were effortlessly crushed. He lost every single one of his exceptional, widely renowned subordinates…
Yet, even then, Moria did not give up.
"Haa, haa…! Wheeze…! L-Like hell I'll give up…! Like hell I'll lose everything…! For the sake of the comrades who believed in me, followed me, and died for me…!! I will definitely become the Pirate King…!"
After that, Moria completely changed his mindset. He formed the new Thriller Bark Pirates and ascended to the position of a Warlord of the Sea. He decided that having living subordinates was unnecessary, keeping them to the absolute bare minimum… Perona, Absalom, and Hogback. Those three were enough. He would use the power of his Shadow-Shadow Fruit to collect shadows and build an immortal army of zombies. He would leave all the fighting to them…
Because zombies were already dead, there was nothing left to lose. There was nothing left to fear. An invincible, infinite military force! This was the answer!
"Kishishishishishi! I am! The man who will become Pirate King using the power of others!!"
…However, Moria would soon be forced to realize that this mindset was nothing more than a naive, sweet delusion…
Two years ago… Moria was defeated by the rumored rookie pirate crew, the Straw Hat Pirates. His own abilities were turned against him… and in the end, he lost in what essentially amounted to self-destruction. The powers he used to control perfectly in the past… had dulled from years of relying entirely on others. He hadn't even noticed until it caused his defeat. How pathetic…
After the battle with Straw Hat came the Summit War. But Moria failed to accomplish anything of value there, either. He had happily joined the war, expecting to score high-quality corpses and shadows, but…
"Hand over your shadow!!"
"Then hand over your height!!"
"Bufooooh!!?"
The small "Invisible Phantom Thief," Line, who had recently been making waves with a 1 billion Berry bounty. Moria had targeted him, intending to snatch his shadow… but was instead beaten black and blue at a speed his eyes couldn't even follow… His hair was needlessly shaved off, and by that point, Moria's pride was already completely in tatters.
The final, fatal blow came after the war had ended.
"Fuffuffuffu…! Moria, you no longer have the strength required to bear the title of a Warlord…"
"Gah… Wheeze…! Y-You bastard, Doflamingo…!"
Out of nowhere, he was attacked by a fellow Warlord, Donquixote Doflamingo. With absolutely no way to defend himself, Moria was defeated.
"Fufufu… It sounds much cooler to say you died honorably in the Summit War rather than being formally erased by the Government, doesn't it? You should be grateful I'm killing you right here. Fuffuffuffu!"
"Guuuuugh…!!!"
Moria… had been discarded by the World Government… The reason: lack of strength… He desperately wanted to deny it, but he couldn't… because Moria truly didn't have that kind of strength anymore…
"Damn it...!! Damn it...!!"
…After being defeated by Doflamingo, Moria was sent to Mary Geoise. What awaited him there was an unimaginably brutal life as a slave…
"Come on, hurry up and move that luggage, -e! You're going to spend the rest of your life working for me, -e!"
"Gu… uugh…! Y-You bastard!! Who the hell do you think I am!!"
"I don't care who you are, -e. Former Warlord or whatever, I don't care… but it displeases me greatly when a mere human raises their voice at me, -e." Bang! Crack! Stab!
"Guka!? A-Agaah…!!"
Whenever he showed even a hint of defiance, he was shot with a gun, beaten with a whip, and stabbed with a spear… He had an explosive collar locked around his neck and Seastone cuffs restricting his wrists… Resisting was completely impossible.
"Haa, haa… Y-You'll pay for this someday… Kishishi…"
"What rebellious eyes, -e. Take another bullet for now."
Bang!
"Guaa…h…"
Nearly half a year had passed since he was captured and made a slave…
"…Wheeze…"
He was forced to carry impossibly heavy loads. Forced onto all fours to be ridden like an animal. Subjected to meaningless, brutal violence. …This miserable, agonizing life as a slave was slowly but surely draining the vitality and willpower from Moria's body. He was constantly covered in fresh wounds, and his physique… had perhaps grown a bit thinner.
But, even so—
"Haa, haa… O-One day… you'll remember this… Kishishi…"
…Even so, Moria's spirit refused to break. He swore that one day, he would escape this hell, enact his vengeance upon these people, and claim the throne of the Pirate King…! Moria waited patiently for his chance. And then—
"…Moria-sama! …Moria-sama!"
"!!"
"Moria-sama, can you hear me? It's me! I came to save you!"
"That voice… is it Absalom!?"
"Grrrrrr, that's right!"
…Moria's comrade, Absalom, had used his Clear-Clear Fruit powers to infiltrate Mary Geoise and come to his rescue. What incredible loyalty. Moria was deeply moved.
"Kishi… Kishishishi…! Thank you! Quick, Absalom! Get me out of here!"
"Of course! Moria-sama. I stole the keys, so with this…"
He could finally escape this hell. Or so Moria thought. However—
"Who are you talking to all by yourself? You're being loud, -e."
Bang!
The Celestial Dragon… fired his gun… towards Moria. And, unbelievably, that bullet…
"Gaha…!?"
…struck Absalom.
"Ugwaaaah!! I-It hurts!!"
"A-Absalom!!?"
"Hnnn? What is this, -e? Who is this guy? When did he get inside my house?"
The Clear-Clear Fruit could erase one's appearance, but it didn't erase their physical body. Meaning, the bullet hit its mark. Perhaps due to the shock of the pain, his power deactivated, revealing Absalom's figure. He was crouching on the ground, bleeding profusely from his leg.
"A-Absalom! Stand up! Just run! Forget about me, just run!!"
"M-Moria… sama… It's no good, I can't… move…!"
…And just like that, Absalom was captured as an intruder… The crime of sneaking into Mary Geoise was severe. Both of Absalom's arms and legs were amputated, and he was mounted alive on the wall of the Celestial Dragon's room… displayed like a grotesque piece of art. Normally, he would have been executed, but the Celestial Dragon wanted a "talking lion wall ornament," so his life was spared. So Absalom didn't die… but…
"Help… me... P-Please… just kill… me…"
"A-Absalom…!!"
To have your limbs torn off, utterly immobilized, and crucified for the rest of your natural life… wasn't it far more agonizing to be kept alive like this? To a true pirate, "death" was not a threat. But to think that being forced to live could be a threat…
"Gu… Giiiiiiiaaaaaaahhh!!! You bastards! How dare you do this to Absalom!! I-I will never forgiv—"
"You're being loud, -e."
Bang!!
He wasn't even allowed to raise his voice in anger… Moria was shot. What was this? What was this hell? What was this pathetic, miserable state? He was stronger than anyone else? He could accomplish anything? He was the man destined to become the Pirate King…?
What kind of Pirate King couldn't even save a single comrade…
Uwooooh…! S-Someone, please… Please save us from this hell…!! An angel, a demon, I don't care who… Please, please, please…!!
Moria shed large, heavy tears. This incident was the final breaking point. The spirit of the man who aimed to become the Pirate King was completely and utterly shattered…
Then, another half a year passed… bringing us to the present.
"...…"
Moria had already forgotten how to speak. With the dead, lifeless eyes of a zombie, he lived only as an obedient slave, carrying out orders without a single thought. That was the life he lived every single day.
"...…"
All Moria could do now was pray… He knew no help was coming, but it was the only thing he had left. He prayed every day. Prayed from the bottom of his heart. To the heavens… to the gods… he continued to beg for salvation.
And then—
"Gyaaaaaaah!!?"
Finally, that day arrived—
"W-What the hell is this, -e!? What are these things!?"
"Ugyaaaaah!! Stay back! Stay awaaay!!"
"Hiiiiiiiiii~!!"
All across Mary Geoise, mysterious "red-and-white plants" suddenly appeared in massive numbers. These plants walked on two legs, had massive fangs, and breathed fire, toxic gas, and iron balls… To put it simply, their biology was impossible for any normal plant. Thousands of these sudden invaders began systematically destroying the beautiful streets of Mary Geoise and attacking the Celestial Dragons.
"U-Uwaaaaaah!!? Someone! Someone save me, -e!! Call the Marine Admirals! I-I'm going to be eaten!!"
The mysterious red-and-white plants eventually reached the mansion where Moria worked. They smashed down doors, broke through windows, crashed through the ceiling… and swarmed into the estate. …Strangely enough, the red-and-white plants paid absolutely zero attention to Moria or the other slaves, focusing exclusively and relentlessly on attacking the Celestial Dragons.
…W-What the hell are these things…? What on earth is happening in Mary Geoise?
With a massive "?" floating above his head, Moria stood there in a pure daze. Suddenly—
⌁ "Jiii. Mic test, mic test. Umm… To all the slaves, can you hear me? I'm Densuke!" ⌁
"…Huh?"
…A mysterious female voice calling herself Densuke echoed directly inside his head.
A v-voice? Who is it? Is there an invisible person like Absalom nearby? …No, I'm not hearing it with my ears… where is this voice coming from…?
⌁ "Nihehehe, did I surprise you? You see, Densuke is an angel!" ⌁
"A-An angel…!?"
⌁ "Because Densuke is an angel, I can talk to everyone by connecting our souls, even from far away! Isn't that amazing?" ⌁
"Connecting… souls? What does that mean?"
Looking around, Moria saw the other slaves murmuring in astonishment. "A-An angel!?" "Could it be real?" "A-Amazing…!" It seemed this voice was reaching every single slave in Mary Geoise, including Moria. Incidentally, the Celestial Dragons apparently couldn't hear it at all.
⌁ "Jiii. Umm… Right now in Mary Geoise, I think the Piranha Plants are busy chomping on the Celestial Dragons… but don't worry, they won't attack the slaves." ⌁
"Piranha Plants?"
She was likely referring to those red-and-white plants. So the angel was the one who unleashed them… They were still aggressively chewing on the Celestial Dragons.
⌁ "Nihehe! The Piranha Plants are a special gift Master specially prepared to save all the slaves!" ⌁
"…Master…?"
It seemed this voice—Densuke—served someone she called her "Master."
⌁ "Jiii, and you see… Master said he's going to rescue every single slave in Mary Geoise. Good for you guys!" ⌁
"!!??" x4
Rescue… the slaves? All of them?
"T-That voice just now… is it really true?"
"They're going to… save us…"
"The Angel has come… to deliver us!?"
"P-Please save me!! Angel! God!"
"Please… I'm begging you…!!"
"I don't want to be here anymore!!"
The desperate pleas of the slaves echoed across Mary Geoise.
⌁ "Jiii, it's okay! We're definitely going to save everyone! Master never abandons anyone! But, to save everyone at once… I need you all to gather in one place." ⌁
"Gather… in one place?"
⌁ "So everyone! Please assemble at the Central Plaza in Mary Geoise! Once you get there, Densuke and the others will help you escape!" ⌁
"!!!!" x4
The Central Plaza in Mary Geoise…? If we go there, we can finally escape this hell…!?
⌁ "If your legs are hurt or you can't walk on your own, try chanting '1-800-Help-Densuke~♪' in your heart! That will connect you directly to Densuke! Then I'll have Master, Big Sis Esune, or Big Sis Perona come pick you up!" ⌁
It seemed the Angel had comrades named Esune and Perona, aside from her Master…
"Wait, P-Perona!?"
Hearing Perona's name suddenly dropped into the conversation made Moria's eyes practically pop out of his skull. Was this Perona the same Perona he knew? His crewmate, Perona… He wasn't sure.
"I-I need to confirm this! Umm… she said if I chant it in my mind, I can talk to the Angel…? ..."
Moria squeezed his eyes shut and chanted exactly as instructed.
Z-Zero-one-two-zero-Help Densuke…
Immediately, a ringing sound—Purururu… Purururu…—echoed in his brain, sounding exactly like a Transponder Snail call. A moment later…
⌁ "Clack… This is Densuke!" ⌁
!! …C-Can you hear me? Angel…
⌁ "Yup. I can hear you. It's Densuke. Who are you? Where are you? Can't you move?" ⌁
...
She actually responded. Moria audibly gulped.
…M-My name is Gecko Moria. Angel, I have something to ask you… You mentioned a 'Big Sis Perona' earlier. Could that be… m-my crewmate, Perona!?
He asked the question hesitantly. And then…
⌁ "Ji!? Gecko Moriya!? Jiii~! I finally found you! Yay! Jijijijiji!" ⌁
Finally? Found me?
⌁ "Nihehe I'll let Big Sis Perona know right away! Wait right there, Moriya! See ya" ⌁
"A-Ah, wait…!"
The telepathic conversation was abruptly and unilaterally cut off.
"…W-What was that…"
He didn't really understand, but since she told him to wait, he stayed put. About two minutes later…
"Waaaaaaah!! Moria-sama!! I missed you so much!!"
"!!!!"
Bursting through the shattered window, Perona launched herself directly into Moria's chest.
"P-Perona! ...You…!! Ki-Kishishishi! Thank goodness…! I'm so glad you're safe!!!"
"That's my line! Moria-sama~! Did you lose some weight?"
"Ki~shishishishi! Thank goodness! Thank goodness! So, Perona, where have you been all this time? And who the hell is that Angel?"
"Mmhmm. Mmhmm… I'll explain everything. First, about Densuke…"
⌁ "Jiii, Master! It looks like Big Sis Perona safely reunited with Moriya!" ⌁
"Oh, really? Fuhehe! I guess that's what you call a touching reunion."
⌁ "A moving bottom-tier union!" ⌁
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