Ace

"Hello. Is Ace here? Portgas D. Ace," Rono asked warmly.

A shirtless man wearing a straw hat decorated with a skull stood up and turned to look at Rono. "That's me. Who are you, and what do you want? I don't think we've met."

Sairona nodded. The target was confirmed. "Of course we want something. Come with us, Gol D. Ace!" Rono activated his Scarlet Armament in an instant, and the next moment he was behind Ace.

"!" Ace broke out in a cold sweat, but then remembered he had a Logia Devil Fruit and relaxed. "Black—Heavy Cannon!" Rono murmured the name of his attack. Schlk! Three black claws stabbed through Ace's back and emerged from his chest.

"Captain!" The members of the Spade Pirates, who had been sitting nearby tending to their wounds, stood up and aimed their weapons at Rono.

"Sairona." Rono called out without looking at them, then headed straight back to the Red Devil. Bang, bang, bang—six shots rang out in succession. The members of the Spade Pirates were wiped out.

"No!" Ace watched, eyes wide, blood streaming from his eye sockets. "Ugh!" He spat out a mouthful of blood, which landed on the deck of the Red Devil. Brook said nothing. As a pirate, he had seen plenty of people die. He barely knew Ace—they had met only once—so Ace wasn't worth dying to save.

Rono retracted his bone claws, and Sairona clamped the Seastone Handcuffs she'd prepared onto Ace's wrists. Since everyone in Rono's family had a Devil Fruit Ability, the handcuffs had been specially wrapped in a layer of rubber. They could be touched from the outside without any effect, while the Seastone's power still worked within.

"He shouldn't die, right?" Sairona examined the blood flowing from Ace's chest.

"He won't. There's some medicine on board, isn't there? Just apply it to him. Better if he's half-dead." Rono's tone was flat.

"True. By the way, the deck's dirty again. Rono, shouldn't you do something about it?" Sairona said, narrowing her eyes at the blood-soaked deck.

"Of course. Everyone calls me Wolf Rono, Sanitation Soldier." Rono shamelessly sang his own praises.

Sairona ignored him and took out a Den Den Mushi, dialing a number. "Buru buru. Kua Jiang!" "Moshi moshi, this is Moria. Which bastard is calling while I'm working on an experiment? Believe me, I'll turn you into a zombie!" a shrill voice came through the Den Den Mushi. Watching it transform into something like a bat, Sairona's lips curled up. "I don't believe you. Go ahead and try."

"! Sairona? Uh... I was just kidding, haha! What are you calling for?" Moria immediately changed his tune and bowed to the powerful.

Sairona remained composed. "We're visiting you, and we have something to take care of. We're nearby right now." "What? Is Rono with you? And that Little Treant?" Moria lowered his voice, afraid someone might overhear.

"Moria, I had no idea you missed me so much! Don't worry, Gelu and I are both here. Hee hee." Rono, who was cleaning the deck, leaned his face toward the Den Den Mushi.

"Gelu Gelu!" Gelu greeted Moria, too. On the other end, Moria set the Den Den Mushi down on the table and covered his head, groaning. Why did he have to run his mouth like that? If Rono came by a few more times, the whole Terror Triangle Sail would be gone.

Having visited several times before, Rono and the others made their way to the Terror Triangle Sail without trouble. Moria had changed clothes and was waiting for them. "Gelu!" Gelu cried excitedly and latched onto Moria's huge belly with a smack, rubbing his little head against it. That was why Moria hated Gelu. But he didn't dare pull Gelu off. The time before last, he'd slapped away Gelu, who'd pounced on his belly even though they'd just met. Then Rono had brought Sairona along and beaten him soundly. Later, they'd come straight to the Terror Triangle Sail and beaten Moria, who'd thought he had the home-field advantage and was second only to the greatest in the world, even worse. They'd punched a hole right through the Terror Triangle Sail, and it had only just been repaired. Ever since then, he'd trembled whenever he saw Rono.

"No, I have to make a zombie. That'll get the kid off my back. How can I, a Shichibukai, let some kid keep pouncing on my belly?" Moria made up his mind. Ignoring Gelu rubbing against his stomach, he asked Rono, "What do you want this time? I don't remember doing anything to offend you."

Brook looked completely dumbfounded, despite not having a face. Was this really the same arrogant Moria? How had he gotten so timid?

"Oh! Right, I came to ask you for something." Rono didn't notice Moria's twitching mouth and continued, "That skeleton next to me is practically my underling now. Give me his shadow." He put a hand on Brook's bony shoulder, then took it away. Damn, it was painfully hard.

"Phew... So it's just a little thing like that. I'll go look for it." Moria sighed with relief. As long as Rono wasn't here to beat him up, it was fine. The soul of a Swordsman was no big deal, as long as Ryuma's corpse stayed put.

"Go on, go on. Don't be too long." Rono waved and pried Gelu off Moria's belly. Sairona brushed some imaginary dust off her clothes, then turned to Brook. "Where are you planning to go now?"

Brook still looked completely dumbfounded. Huh? He'd gotten his shadow back that easily? It took Sairona asking twice before he snapped out of it. "I'm terribly sorry. I was so surprised that I didn't hear what you said, Mr. Sairona." Brook was curious about who Rono and the others were. What kind of people could make one of the Shichibukai, Gecko Moria, so afraid?

Sairona repeated the question. Brook pondered for a moment, then looked up and said resolutely, "I'm going to Twin Capes. Laboon is still waiting for me there."

Sairona smiled. "Then I wish you good luck in advance."

Inside Ghost Castle, Moria gritted his teeth. "Wolf Rono, just you wait! Once I turn Little Oars' corpse into a zombie, you'll see how I deal with you." But his body still obediently went to free Brook's shadow.

Brook watched as a mass of darkness flew toward him from afar and entered his body. Then a shadow appeared beneath his feet. "This is... my shadow." Brook's feelings were complicated. He couldn't believe things had gone so smoothly. He was overjoyed to have his shadow back, and grateful to Rono and the others.

"Then let's head back. Ace is still on board. Would you like to come along? We can give you a ride." Sairona patted Brook on the shoulder.

"Really, I can't thank you enough." Brook dabbed at the tears in the corners of his eyes and straightened up. "Please allow me to perform a song for everyone." He took out his violin and played a lilting tune. "Yohohoho... Yohohoho, Binks Sake..."