"What did you say? The Shinigami Pirates have invaded?!"
Gecko Moria's shrill voice echoed through the towering chamber.
A pirate with grand ambitions, he had been preparing to enter the New World and challenge Kaido—
yet at this critical moment, everything had gone wrong.
"Lord Moria… Vice-Captain Aldrich has already been killed!"
The reporting pirate trembled, terror filling his eyes.
"…Damn them!"
Bloodshot veins bulged across Moria's eyes. His voice twisted into something manic and chilling.
"They slaughter my crew… disrupt my plans…"
"I'll kill every last one of them!"
His face contorted with rage as he rose from his coffin-like throne.
Moria had always held himself in high regard.
He could not tolerate this kind of humiliation.
"Lord Moria, please calm down! The enemy is the Shinigami Pirates—"
"Shut up, you idiot!"
Towering at nearly seven meters tall, Moria looked like a demon as he raised his hand—
and crushed the pirate into a pulp with a single slap.
"Death… just wait."
"I'll avenge Aldrich."
"Whether it's you… or Kaido… no one will stand in my way!"
"Heh… hehehehehe!"
BOOM—
As Moria stepped forward, his massive body cast a long, distorted shadow across the ground.
A suffocating killing intent filled the air.
He was going—
to take revenge.
On the other side of Thriller Bark
When the storm of cherry blossoms finally faded—
only corpses remained.
Gin Ichimaru, Byakuya Kuchiki, and Kenpachi Zaraki had torn through the ship like beasts unleashed into a flock of sheep.
No matter how many pirates Thriller Bark had—
before the three captains, they were nothing more than fodder.
"Is this all?" Kenpachi grinned wildly, his chipped blade dripping with blood. "Not even close to enough. This isn't satisfying at all!"
Corpses piled around him like small hills.
The scene was grotesque enough to make one's skin crawl.
He tilted his head back, gazing at the cold moon—
madness flickering in his eyes.
Only battle could please him.
"Ren Kuro," Gin said lightly, standing beside him, "this many people aren't even worth my time. With Captain Kuchiki and Captain Zaraki alone, they've already wiped them out."
His eyes reflected a river of blood flowing across the deck.
"Don't rush," Ren Kuro replied calmly. "The strongest one on this ship hasn't shown himself yet."
"Oh?" Gin's smile deepened. "You mean Gecko Moria? Now that's interesting."
At that moment—
BOOM—
A thunderous crash echoed in the distance.
A massive silhouette emerged through the shadows.
A powerful aura surged forward like a rising tide, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"Kehehehehe… You slaughtered all my crew…"
"You bastards!"
Moria's laughter was sharp and filled with killing intent.
"…Gecko Moria."
Ren Kuro smiled faintly.
He immediately noticed—
Moria wasn't the bloated, broken figure from the future.
No stitched body.
No lifeless despair.
Instead—
he looked confident.
Driven.
Alive with ambition.
At this point in time, Moria was still a pirate chasing dreams, filled with greed and the courage to challenge Kaido himself.
Which was why—
he hadn't retreated.
He had come out to fight.
"Oh? Now that looks interesting." Kenpachi grinned, resting his Zanpakutō on his shoulder.
"Such a big man…" Gin's smile faded slightly, replaced by a sharp, dangerous glint.
"…This one…" Byakuya said nothing more—but the way he raised his blade made his intent clear.
The moment Moria appeared—
the three captains' fighting spirit ignited.
"Gecko Moria," Ren Kuro chuckled, "are you here to avenge your crew?"
"After losing everyone, you've got nothing left."
"To put it bluntly—you're just a stray dog now."
"What exactly are you avenging with?"
"…They were weak."
A flicker of pain passed through Moria's eyes—
before being swallowed by rage.
"They dragged me down!"
"Death—you've angered me!"
"I'll take your shadow… and make you live in darkness forever!"
"…You?"
Ren Kuro's lips curved upward.
"If you can do it—go ahead and try."
"As you wish!"
Moria roared and swung his massive fist down toward Ren Kuro.
Even as the fist grew larger in his vision—
Ren Kuro didn't move.
"Too arrogant!" Moria roared, increasing the force behind his blow.
"…If I let you touch Captain Ren Kuro," Gin's voice cut in softly, "then I've failed as a subordinate."
In a flash—
he appeared in front of Ren Kuro.
His Zanpakutō slid free.
"Shoot to kill… Shinso."
A blinding flash burst from the short blade.
The next instant—
it extended like a streak of light.
Piercing forward.
The strike shot straight through Moria's palm—
and tore a massive, gruesome hole through his shoulder.
"AAARGH—! My hand!"
Blood poured from the wound as Moria howled in pain, his face twisted in agony.
"…Didn't kill him in one shot?" Gin muttered lightly. "What a shame."
"YOU BASTARD!"
Moria's rage exploded as he attacked again.
"Shadow Bats!"
With a furious roar—
his shadow split apart.
Hundreds of bats emerged from it, baring their fangs as they swarmed toward Gin.
Shrill cries filled the air as they surged forward—
the power of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit.
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