Moriah was genuinely surprised to see Youki flying straight toward him in a daze. The movement clearly was not Moonwalk.
He had encountered many Devil Fruit users over the years, yet very few could fly freely in their normal human form.
Youki had no patience for hesitation. Seeing his fist about to crash into Moriah's face while the man still looked distracted, irritation flared inside him.
This oversized turkey dares to look down on me?
Armament Haki surged through his arms. His fists and the golden gauntlets he wore turned pitch black.
"If you look down on me, then you gonna get fucked up" Youki roared.
Since spending time with Ash, Youki had picked up the habit of using modern phrases now and then. It was proof that bad habits spread easily among friends.
Across from him, Moriah's eyes widened.
This man can fly and use Armament Haki? When did Paradise produce someone like this?
Before Youki's blow could land, a massive force smashed into him.
Bang!
He was sent flying sideways, crashing through a stone wall and collapsing part of it in a cloud of dust.
Youki stared blankly from within the rubble.
Moriah let out his eerie laugh. "Kishishishishi. I told you defeating me is not easy. Does it hurt?"
"Kirk, what are you doing?"
Youki pulled himself out of the debris, dust covering him from head to toe. He shouted toward the towering figure nearby. "We agreed to take one each. Why is Oars attacking me?"
Standing on Oars's shoulder, Kirk looked just as helpless. "Do I look idle to you? You have not even touched Moriah, and I have already cut Oars over a hundred times. He is a zombie. He feels nothing. If he ignores me and comes after you, what am I supposed to do? Want to switch?"
"No. The Shichibukai is mine."
Moriah reclined lazily. "Kishishishishi. Why not finish your argument first? The winner can fight me. I will wait."
"Shut up!" Youki snapped.
Below them, Brook trembled as he faced a growing crowd of armored zombies.
"Um, excuse me," Brook called out. "A large group of armored zombies is approaching from behind. These must be the Zombie Generals that Ash mentioned. Should we not handle them first? After all, Moriah is just lying there and not attacking."
Moriah suddenly sat upright and looked at Brook. "Kishishishishi. Humming Brook. If you had not spoken, I would not have noticed you. I need a swordsman's shadow. Hand yours over and I will spare you the trouble."
"Ah, why are you suddenly serious!" Brook exclaimed.
"Not really. I simply saw someone from West Blue and felt like discussing it."
"No, please do not covet my shadow."
"Oh. Very well." Moriah lay back down again.
Brook blinked. "You are surprisingly agreeable. Perhaps you are a good person."
"He is just too lazy to move, you fool!" Youki barked, veins bulging on his forehead.
Brook immediately bowed. "My apologies. I am only bones, so I do not have a brain."
Youki suppressed the urge to punch him and turned toward Kirk, who was still carving at Oars.
"Are you preparing a banquet, Kirk?" Youki shouted. "Why are you slicing him so neatly? Use your ability. Are you planning to keep cutting until New Year just to defeat a subordinate of a Shichibukai?"
Kirk had already moved to Oars's other shoulder. "Since I am here, I thought I might examine what species he belongs to. Giant or something else."
"Oh, so you are not only a chef but also a doctor?" Brook asked while fencing off several Zombie Generals.
"I am not. That is why I need to examine him," Kirk replied calmly.
"You really are hopeless. Study all you want."
From the ruins, Youki thrust his hands forward. Dozens of azure wind blades burst forth and tore toward Moriah.
"When we return, that brat Ash will mock us for taking this long to defeat one Shichibukai."
The dense barrage arrived instantly. Moriah barely managed to rise before the blades sliced through him.
Brook froze. "Is it over already?"
In the next moment, Moriah's severed body dissolved into a swarm of black Shadow Bats that scattered in every direction.
"So that is his ability," Kirk shouted. "Stay alert."
He slammed his palm onto Oars's left shoulder. Instantly, the massive shoulder vanished, severed cleanly. Oars's left arm crashed heavily onto the ground.
At the same time, a massive figure rose from Youki's shadow, wielding enormous scissors and aiming to cut his shadow free.
"Kishishishishi. You have been calling me a mere Shichibukai since the beginning. If you are so strong, hand over your shadow."
Youki reacted instantly. He shot forward, avoiding the blades of the scissors while flicking his arm back to release three more wind blades.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
Moriah blocked with the scissors and glared darkly at both Youki and Kirk.
"You are far from capable of stealing my shadow," Youki said coldly.
Moriah's face twisted. "Shadow's Horn Spear!"
A black spear shot toward Youki.
He dodged sharply and raised a wind wall to intercept the attack, then charged straight at Moriah.
"What kind of pathetic trick is that? Try this instead."
"Scattered Bats."
Moriah vanished again, switching with his shadow and dissolving into bats.
Watching the repeated substitution, Youki's temper exploded.
"Break them all!"
The wind blades shredded through the bats, scattering them across the battlefield.
"Shadow's Box!"
The dispersed shadows converged instantly, forming a pitch black cube around Youki and sealing him inside.
"Shadow's Horn Spear!"
The spear thrust directly into the box.
"You have lost your mind."
With a violent surge of Armament Haki, Youki shattered the shadow prison from within. The box burst apart, and he appeared before Moriah in an instant, his fist coated in black.
He struck.
Moriah's body shattered once more into countless Shadow Bats that fled in every direction.
Youki landed, eyes blazing with fury.
"Damn it. Another substitute. Is hiding the only thing you can do?"
===
Powerstones?? (´ε｀ )
____
Patreon = _Zeph