THE STRONGEST CREATURE OF THE BEAST PIRATES

Moria, lost in his madness and fury, screamed in rage, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"You bastard! You've destroyed my Oars! Then I'll take your body!"

In his desperation, Moria resorted to the Shadow-Shadow Fruit's most powerful technique.

"Shadow Gathering!"

The shadows of the fallen zombies began to rise from their bodies and surged towards Moria.

He absorbed them greedily, his already bloated body expanding even further as he took in more and more shadows. One hundred, two hundred, three hundred, four hundred... up to a thousand!

Moria's size grew, rivaling the massive Oars, his forehead bulging with blue veins as immense power gathered in his clenched fists.

"Feel the terror of nightmares, kid!" Moria shouted, his voice echoing with fury.

"What do you think I am? I am Moonlight Moria!"

With a roar, Moria unleashed a devastating punch, one far more powerful than anything Oars could deliver.

If Moria could maintain this form and use the power of the shadows efficiently, even Alastor would need to be cautious. However, Moria's mental strength was faltering. The intense pressure of maintaining the Qianying state was too much, and the veins on his forehead bulged in discomfort. It was clear that he could not sustain this form for long.

Alastor stood calmly, watching the chaos unfold. "The power of others always belongs to others. Moria, you've neglected your own strength."

Alastor spoke with disdain, his voice cold.

"Even with all this borrowed power, it's nothing compared to your own training."

Moria's rage intensified, but Alastor remained calm. Without hesitation, he threw a punch aimed at Moria's swollen abdomen.

"Eight Punches!"

The Bachong Fist, a technique originating from the Wano Country, was one of the finest physical techniques that Alastor had secretly learned. The shockwave from the punch sent a ripple through Moria's vast belly, making his flab shake like water.

Moria gasped, pain overwhelming him, and dozens of shadows erupted from his mouth.

"Bastard, go to hell!" he screamed, desperately trying to control the shadows and focusing all his energy into another punch aimed at Alastor.

[The host is seriously injured, defense +80]

In this state, Moria's power was immense. He had fought Kaido before, and it was no wonder that he was once a worthy opponent. If he weren't consumed by failure, he could have been a significant force in the New World, instead of the failed wreck he had become, leading to his removal from the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

Alastor, however, was unfazed by Moria's strength. His body was well accustomed to injuries, especially with Enel's Rumble Rumble abilities that allowed him to recover. He continued his relentless assault, landing lightning-fast punches on Moria's already injured abdomen.

Finally, Moria couldn't bear it anymore. His eyes rolled back in his head, and all the shadows broke free, scattering in every direction.

Moria's enormous body shrank back to its original size, and he staggered, struggling to stand, before collapsing onto the ground.

Alastor gazed down at him impassively, drawing the cursed sword, from his waist.

"Time waits for no one, Moria. If you want to keep your companions, you must either become strong enough or die. There is no second chance in hell."

With that, Alastor decisively swung the blade, severing Moria's head in a swift motion.

Moria's head rolled away, its expression frozen in a mix of anger, hatred, and disbelief. It came to rest in the underground cave where Oars had been kept before.

"Let's go," Alastor said, sheathing his sword as he turned to Onimaru and Sai.

Moria was dead, and Onimaru had already claimed the Black Sword Shusui, so there was no reason to stay any longer.

On the way back to the ship…

As they walked, they passed a half-buried skeleton, its remains exposed to the elements. Sai's heart went out to it. "I don't know how many people Moria has killed over the years."

He stepped forward to bury the remains, as it was the tradition of the Wano Kingdom to honor the dead.

But just as he was about to finish, the ground shifted, and a voice cried out from beneath the earth.

"Don't... don't step on it! You're going to suffocate me! Please, no!"

Sai jumped back in shock. "A ghost!"

Suddenly, a white bone hand shot out from the soil, followed by the entire skeleton crawling free from the earth, gasping for air.

"Fresh air... it feels so good... I almost suffocated! Yo-ho-ho-ho!" the skeleton laughed, its voice filled with relief.

Sai stood frozen, his jaw hanging open in utter confusion. "A skeleton... talking? How can a skeleton suffocate?!"

Alastor, amused by the situation, smiled and spoke.

"Ah, a person with the Revive-Revive Fruit, it seems. After death, the soul doesn't even reach Hell... How interesting."

Alastor turned to the newly resurrected skeleton. "You've been stuck here for decades. Want me to take you out?"

The skeleton—revealed to be Brook—looked up, his jaw hanging in shock as he recognized Alastor. "Y-You… You're the one who defeated Moria... I-I don't want to die again, so I guess I have no choice... yes, take me with you."

Brook trembled, his bones rattling in fear. He'd just witnessed Alastor's strength firsthand, and if this man could defeat Moria, he certainly didn't want to be on the wrong side.

"Alright," Alastor said with a smirk, pulling Brook along with them. "Let's go."

As they prepared to leave, Alastor sensed a powerful aura approaching fast. Batman, his subordinate, sent a warning.

"Lord Alastor, it's the Tyrant Bear, Bartholomew Kuma from the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

Alastor narrowed his eyes, knowing that only a few could challenge him. Ah, so it's Kuma. He doesn't hesitate to enter the Devil's Triangle Sea Area...

Kuma's powers, from the Paw-Paw Fruit, made him a formidable foe, able to travel anywhere with ease.

"Just the bears now, or the ones from before?" Alastor mused as he prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

He nodded to his crew to continue sailing but remained in place, awaiting the arrival of the Tyrant Bear. Against Kuma, numbers alone would not be enough.

What's more, there are Golden Ball and Enel, both of whom are very important to Alastor, and he can't afford to have them taken away by Kuma.

It didn't take long for the Tyrant Bear, Bartholomew Kuma, to arrive.

Holding a book in his hand, he scanned the surroundings before his gaze finally settled on Alastor. Calmly, he asked, "Where's Moria?"

Contrary to his title of "Tyrant," Kuma's tone was surprisingly peaceful, even gentle.

Alastor responded without hesitation, "He's dead."

"You killed him?"

"Yes."

Kuma nodded, seemingly unbothered by the news, and turned to leave. It was clear he had no intention of engaging in a battle with Alastor.

This made sense when you considered Kuma's position. As a high-ranking officer in the Revolutionary Army, he retained his free will and was under no obligation to serve the Marines' interests. His mission, assigned by Sengoku, was simply to check on Moria's situation, not to capture anyone.

However, Alastor's next words made Kuma pause.

"Bartholomew Kuma, I don't know what you've been through, but if you abandon all your allies and your own humanity just because of someone's false promises, I can only say you're being foolish!"

Kuma's choice reminded Alastor of Kozuki Oden, who had once trusted Orochi's lies and sacrificed everything for them. Similarly, Kuma trusted Dr. Vegapunk but paid a steep price—abandoning his emotions, becoming a slave to the Celestial Dragons, and losing his humanity. It was a tragic choice, and Alastor could not overlook it.

And Vegapunk, the man who had orchestrated Kuma's transformation, was nothing short of despicable.

Kuma stood still, clearly surprised that Alastor had such insight into his situation. He was silent for a long moment before finally responding, "You seem to know something about me, but... sorry, I have nothing to say."

Alastor stopped speaking, his face hardening as he turned and walked away.

Kuma stood there, deep in thought, a small hint of regret crossing his face, but it was too late for regrets.

A few moments later…

A voice rang out from nearby, calling, "Kumasi, my cute little bear, if you don't stop, I'll tear you apart!"

Kuma looked up to see a girl with twin tails chasing a zombie bear.

The zombie bear, Kumasi, was fleeing in a panic. As soon as he saw Kuma, he skidded to a stop, covered in cold sweat, stammering, "T-Tyrant... Tyrant..."

The ghostly girl, Perona, was too focused on her pursuit to notice the change, and before she could stop, she collided with Kumasi.

"Hahaha, got you, little bear!" she laughed, but when she looked up, she was no longer holding the small zombie bear, but the giant Tyrant Bear.

Kuma spoke gently, "Where do you want to travel?"

Perona stepped back, her eyes wide in fear. "T-Tyrant Bear, what are you doing here? Are you here to cause trouble for Lord Moria? Damn it, I won't let you succeed!"

With a calm gesture, Kuma activated his Nikyu Nikyu no Mi powers, sending Perona flying with a gentle push of his paw. "Moria is dead. You should relax and take a vacation."

Perona was sent flying, her body tumbling away.

Kuma then turned his gaze to Kumasi, the zombie bear. With Moria's death, Kumasi had lost his shadow and his sense of self. Kuma, seeing the empty shell of the bear, suddenly thought of his daughter, Bonney, who was about the same age as Perona. He sighed, walking over to the zombie bear and gently shoving him away.

The Devil's Triangle area had changed over time. On one hand, it was due to Moria's long-standing presence, and on the other, it was the strange weather patterns that plagued the region. The area was constantly shrouded in black mist, the magnetic field was disrupted, and the record pointers didn't work. The direction was impossible to discern.

The ships of the Hundred Beasts had to simply sail in one direction, hoping they would eventually escape the area.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the mist began to clear, and the sun emerged, marking the ship's escape from the treacherous waters.

"Yo-ho-ho-ho! Is this the outside world?" Brook's voice echoed in the air. "I haven't seen the sun in decades! Is that the sun up there? What a wonderful heat! Ah, it's so bright, my eyes are going to burn out! If only I had eyes, yo-ho-ho-ho..."

Sai stared at Brook, his expression flat. This magical talking skeleton seemed more startled than anyone, always making odd jokes.

This situation was almost too absurd. After decades of loneliness and darkness, Brook must have gone insane without his ability to entertain himself.

Alastor's voice came from beside them, cutting through the awkward moment. "Brook, you're a musician. Go play something for us."

Brook, recovering from his shock, nodded eagerly. He had come to understand the kind of person Alastor was through his interactions with the Hundred Beasts crew. Though still a little fearful, Brook was now free from the darkness, his shadow restored, and could finally play music again. He was content with the life he had now—something he had never dared to imagine before.

Soon, the strains of Binks' Sake filled the air, a song of adventure and nostalgia, drifting on the wind as the ship sailed into the open seas.

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