"Damn it, can you do anything but hide?" Youki shouted, frustration burning in his eyes.
Kirk was busy dismantling Oars, Brook wrestled with the Zombie Generals, and Youki alone faced the shadows. Enraged, he unleashed a storm of wind blades in every direction, slicing through the shadowy forms that darted around him.
"Hee hee hee, this is my ability! You think I would listen if you told me not to use it?" Moriah's voice echoed from a distant shadow.
"All right, then I won't hold back either. Let's just see who falls first!" Youki yelled, eager to engage.
"…No!" Moriah refused flatly. Suddenly, another shadow leapt out and attacked Youki with a piercing strike: "Shadow Horn Spear!"
"Damn it! If you're that brave, then don't run!" Youki summoned a wind wall to block the attack and surged toward Moriah's main body.
Meanwhile, Kirk had nearly finished disassembling Oars. Standing atop the fallen giant, he discovered a hidden wonder.
"Damn, Moriah actually built a control room inside Oars' belly. Incredible!" Kirk muttered in amazement.
Brook, tangled by muscular zombies into awkward poses, called out: "Mr. Kirk, if you have a moment, could you lend a hand?"
Kirk glanced over and noticed the group of Zombie Generals were riddled with transparent holes from Brook's cane sword. Yet they continued to leap and swing cutlasses, hammers, and muskets with relentless aggression.
"Why are you stabbing them with a cane? They're zombies! Cutting them apart would be far more effective."
Brook's jaw almost dropped. "Ah… I…"
---
Elsewhere, in the Cemetery, Ash surveyed the scene. Pale Tsuki, annoyed Sali, and Perona—dragged back by the two, each holding one of her pink pigtails—were all unconscious. Ash's brow furrowed in thought.
"You… dragged her all the way back like that?" Ash asked as he placed the nearly finished afternoon tea set into his ring. "Didn't I say to eliminate them all? Why bring one back? Do you want me to do it? You know I can't stand the sight of blood."
"No, not really," Tsuki explained. "When we encountered her in the castle, she was sneaking around trying to run, but Bro Kirk caught her. We were going to deal with her, but she cried and said she was only brought out to sea by Moriah and never killed anyone herself."
Sali added, "Bro wasn't sure, so he didn't act directly. He thought her ability might be useful, so he captured her alive. Bro Sali can verify later if she's telling the truth."
Ash frowned. Perona's excitement at Moriah still being alive on Hawkeye's island came rushing back. He recalled that she had wanted to find Moriah, her adoptive father, immediately.
Wait… how did Perona reach Hawkeye's island?
Previously, before reaching Twin Capes, Ash's memory wasn't strong enough to recall everything clearly. Now, thinking back on Thriller Bark and Perona's actions, he noticed something odd: although Moriah had taken her in young, their bond wasn't as strong as he had assumed.
In the original events, after Usopp scared her unconscious, the first thing Perona did upon waking was prepare to abandon Moriah. She had only helped him move luggage and treasures for fun and would leave if danger threatened.
Later, when Bartholomew Kuma appeared, Perona still emphasized her detachment from Moriah and even considered giving Kuma's shadow as a farewell gift. Kuma, however, corrected her and sent her to Hawkeye's place.
If that was the case, she didn't necessarily need to be eliminated. The key was whether she was lying about never harming ordinary people.
Regardless, Ash's principle remained clear: no pirates on his ship—exceptions Nami and Robin.
"All right, bring her back for Bro Sali to verify. If she hasn't harmed anyone, letting her live is acceptable," Ash decided, stroking his chin.
Even so, he couldn't help but feel relieved. Sparing a beautiful flower had its advantages, despite her slightly peculiar eyes.
"By the way, what happened to you two? Why do your faces look so grim?" Ash asked.
Sali rolled her eyes, snorted, and climbed into the carriage. Ash stared, bewildered.
Tsuki whispered hurriedly, "I was frightened by the zombie murals in the castle."
"As for Sali," he continued, "she was hit by his ghost-like attacks passing through Perona's body."
"Tsuki!" Sali's displeased voice came from inside the carriage.
"I didn't say anything!" Tsuki quickly replied.
"Hmph!" Sali snorted in annoyance.
Tsuki wiped cold sweat from his forehead. "Anyway, Perona tried to escape thinking only Sali and I were guarding her. Sali punched her, and she's been out cold ever since."
Ash blinked. "And you dragged her here like a sack of potatoes?"
Tsuki explained, "Sali was carrying her, but Perona ambushed and broke free from the ropes. After the punch, Sali didn't bother with the ropes anymore. Neither of us could manage her, so we ended up dragging her by her pigtails."
Ash glanced at Perona, speechless, then looked at Tsuki with a smirk. "Tsuki, what kind of Devil Fruit ability do you want?"
Tsuki's face lit up. "Ah! Bro Ash, is it finally my turn? Let me think, let me think!" He grabbed his hair and spun, muttering to himself, trying to decide.
"Open personal panel."
[Host Personal Panel]
[Name: Ash]
[Age: 13]
[Physique: 374]
[Spirit: 65]
[Abilities: Iron Body LV2 (Expandable), Armament Haki (Expandable), Observation Haki (Expandable)]
[Energy: 641]
[Devil Fruit Ability: Zoan Type – Human-Human Fruit Mythical Zoan Divine Beast Form]
"Oh! 641 energy points!" Tsuki exclaimed.
"Looks like Moriah is gone," Ash noted calmly, surveying the battlefield.
---