Inside Hilton's carriage, Ash and the others were tightly packed together.
Kirk blinked and said, "So the size of a zombie's number doesn't show how strong it is, and it doesn't even show when it was made?"
Ash was explaining the zombie numbering system to him. "That's right. Moria's zombies are numbered from 1 up to 900, and the numbers mark different categories."
"Numbers 1 to 199 are Wild Zombies, mostly animals and beasts," Ash continued. "200 to 399 are Surprise Zombies that can ambush you. Those two groups answer to Perona, the Ghost Princess, who commands the Wild and Surprise Zombies."
"Numbers 400 to 799 are Soldier Zombies, and 800 to 899 are General Zombies," Ash went on. "Those are under Absalom's command. Most below 800 aren't too strong, but the ones in the 800s are often corpses of notable fighters from their past lives."
Kirk scratched his head. "More strange knowledge added. Still, we'll be eliminating these guys soon, so what does it matter? I want to think about what to cook for dinner tonight."
Youki laughed. "Haha, we'll eat anything you make!"
Tsuki's eyes lit up. "Ah! Aren't you curious about the Invisible Man? Is there really an Invisible Man? What's his real name?"
Kirk and Youki exchanged sheepish looks, their smiles shifting into something more mischievous. Invisible… it sounded interesting.
Ash couldn't help but chuckle. "It's just a Devil Fruit power, the Clear-Clear Fruit, letting someone turn invisible. I don't remember random names of every person."
Tsuki prodded, "Then how do you remember the name of that Ghost Princess?"
Ash replied plainly, "Comparing an ugly monster and a beautiful girl is easy."
Tsuki conceded, "Alright, you're right…"
Youki interjected, "You said numbers go 1 to 900. You mentioned up to 899. What about number 900?"
"Oh, number 900 is the corpse of Oars the Continent-Puller," Ash said calmly.
Everyone's jaws dropped. "!!!"
Kirk repeated, "Oars the Continent-Puller?! The legendary giant from 500 years ago?"
Ash raised an eyebrow. "That famous?"
Kirk nodded. "Of course! He was known as Oars the Continent-Puller, a sixty‑seven meter tall giant, one of the largest ever recorded."
Ash instinctively rolled his eyes. Sixty‑seven meters was big, but still tiny compared to the giant Zunesha. "So what? He's been dead five hundred years. Moria's zombie is just an animated corpse, and without a proper shadow, it's just frozen meat. One fire, and even sixty‑seven meters would turn to ash."
"…Yes, yes, you're the most amazing," a voice drawled sarcastically.
"…Anyway," Kirk tried to refocus, "after the Three Mysterious Ones, is Captain John the only real threat?"
Ash took a breath. "It's hard to say. He was famous, but in the original story, he didn't show much power. We don't know if he's truly strong or if the shadow Moria used is weak."
"Captain John?" Brook's empty eye sockets gave a puzzled look. "I think his name sounds familiar. Was he a pirate from the West Blue?"
"I'm not sure where he's from," Ash admitted, "but you likely heard his name before. Captain John used to be a member of the Rocks Pirates before forming his own crew."
"Rocks Pirates?!" Brook exclaimed. "That's why the name seemed familiar. The Rocks Pirates were huge when we first entered the Grand Line!"
Kirk tilted his head. "Rocks Pirates? I've never heard of them."
Youki echoed him. "Same here. We even brushed up on famous pirate crews with Bro Sali after entering the Grand Line."
Brook bobbed his skull in thought, then said, "When we first went into the Grand Line, the Rocks Pirates were already legendary."
Ash nodded. "That's normal. The Rocks Pirates were active thirty to forty years before, and broke up twenty‑nine years ago. Vice Admiral Garp earned his 'Hero of the Marines' title after fighting them."
Youki gasped, "Is that why he's a hero? I thought it was for Roger!"
Brook's grin widened. "Pirate King? Roger?"
Ash looked at Brook, expressionless. "You should know that name."
Brook thought for a moment. "Hmm, I remember something. He was a famous rookie who entered the Grand Line before the Rumbar Pirates… I think."
Kirk and Youki stared blankly. "Rookie?! Alright then, the elder has seniority!"
Brook laughed, "Yohohohoho, not really, I actually died forty‑three years ago! Now I'm just a rookie pirate back from the dead."
Ash deadpanned, "If you set sail as a pirate again, I'll kill you."
Brook immediately knelt, "I'm sorry, I just want to see Laboon again. Going to sea is just a joke!"
Ash smirked slightly. "That rookie Roger found Crocus as his ship's doctor at Twin Capes in 1496, sailed the Grand Line for three years, charted it, reached the Final Island, and became the Pirate King."
Brook's hollow bones rattled with emotion hearing that.
Ash added, "Then the next year, he was executed in Loguetown in the East Blue, his hometown."
Brook: "!!!"