"Something's wrong! Something's wrong!"
"Lord Moria!"
Three little zombies rushed into the room in a panic. They stopped in front of Moria, crouched down, and panted heavily before looking up in alarm.
"Lord Absalom and the Zombie Generals he took with him... they've been completely wiped out!!!"
"And there's more! Their captain, Straw Hat Kid, is almost here!!"
"Those bastards!"
Moria's face twisted with anger, a flame seeming to burn in his eyes. "A bunch of brats who haven't even grown hair on their chins! They've cost me so many men—I'll never forgive them!"
"I told you, Moria. Did you think I came here to reminisce with you?"
A deep, weighty voice spoke from nearby, cold and utterly devoid of emotion.
"Shut up! They're nothing but a bunch of rookie brats!"
Moria glared at the towering figure before him and shouted, "A bounty doesn't mean everything! I'll show them with my own hands just how cruel this sea can be!"
The man wore a white hood with two bear ears sticking out of it, and a head of fluffy curls draped over his shoulders.
He wore gloves and held a book against his chest. Beneath his burly frame, he wore white pants printed with paw pads.
One of the Shichibukai—Bartholomew Kuma!!
"Quit pretending to be a good guy, Kuma."
Moria lowered his eyes, his face full of disdain. "Has the World Government become so useless that it needs to send two Shichibukai after a single pirate crew?"
"Don't misunderstand. The orders I received weren't to team up with you. The World Government doesn't want to see another Shichibukai defeated by the Straw Hat Crew. If you fail..."
Kuma spoke coldly, his face expressionless. "I'm only here to make sure the news doesn't get out."
"What the hell do you mean,