"Straw Hat Kid, you actually dared to turn my ship into such a mess!!!"
Standing before the Straw Hat Crew
was the man who had once clashed with one of the Four Emperors, Kaido, and narrowly lost.
"You were the one who obstructed my voyage, weren't you!!!"
King Luffy clenched his fists and stared fixedly at the black drumstick before him as steam began rising from his body.
Gear Second!!!
"I'm the man who'll become the King of Pirates!!!"
Around him, the crew stood ready for battle, prepared to face the Shichibukai, Moria.
Seeing this, Moria, who had originally wanted to lose his temper, could not help falling into a daze.
That spirit...
It really was similar.
He, too, had once had a group of inseparable companions and dreamed of becoming the King of Pirates.
But companions and dreams...
Before true monsters, they were nothing more than things that could be easily crushed and lost.
At that thought, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
It was as though he were mocking Luffy, or perhaps mocking himself.
"Shihihihihi~ Even if you continue sailing, with your strength, you're headed for death."
Moria's eyes turned bloodshot.
"The monsters of the New World are far more powerful than you can imagine. Even if you have many promising companions..."
"You'll still lose them all!!!"
"The renowned Shichibukai who rule entire regions, the Emperors of the Sea who reign over the New World, not to mention those terrifying figures from the Old Era..."
"So, I've figured out a way to never lose my companions. If my companions are dead zombies from the very beginning, then I can never lose them!!!"
"As long as I possess enough shadows, I can use them to advance toward the position of King of Pirates!!!"
As Moria spoke of his