Welcome Home

"Welcome home, my Master!"

In front of the castle.

Doctor Hogback, who easily made one suspect that Abrosam and Moria might share a bat ancestor, spread his arms wide.

He enthusiastically welcomed Moria's arrival.

"Well done."

Moria shifted his nearly 7-meter body, his feet causing even the pebbles to tremble.

His tone held a hint of surprise.

The castle before him had recovered considerably.

Look, it even had a complete frame. Hogback must have put in a lot of effort. It was rare that the guy wasn't still preoccupied with that woman's matters.

Moria remembered the sight of the castle and nearby buildings, a ruin of broken walls and collapsed buildings, after being destroyed by the Oars he controlled.

"This is what I should do."

Hogback's smile didn't reach his eyes.

It was normal for a mended face to be like this.

"A while ago, I found a very interesting corpse. You'll definitely be interested!"

"Oh?"

Upon hearing about a corpse, Moria finally stopped his stride towards his large bed.

The corner of his mouth split into a grin that reached his ears.

"Yes, it's on the second floor," Hogback beckoned enthusiastically.

Such a tone was uncommon for him.

As a renowned surgeon, people often sought him out.

However, when he thought of that scoundrel roughly tossing Sindri's head like a ball in his hands...

Hogback's heart twitched.

The castle's stairs seemed to have been built without any consideration for the castle master's body size changing to its current extent.

As Moria stepped on them, stones and sand drifted down like a shower.

"This time, I must create a zombie army that can conquer the world. Abrosam brought back many corpses from the battlefield."

"Well, I'll leave this important matter to you two."

Moria emphasized as he walked.

"But the world is still a bit dangerous right now..."

The second floor of the castle was empty, but it was one of the few places not affected by the previous battle.

Moria later stored the corpses of General John, Silver Axe, and others here.

However, in the center of the second floor now lay a lavishly decorated coffin.

"Could it be the corpse of another famous Great Pirate?" he thought excitedly, his mind already wondering what number to assign this Zombie.

The coffin lid was not thick; compared to Moria's size, it looked like a child's toy.

He pushed the lid aside, his eyes filled with anticipation as he saw...

A grinning Joker.

Wearing a purple suit, with blue hair, and bright red lipstick painted on the corner of his mouth.

His eyes were open, and he waved his hand, greeting:

"Good morning."

"Wha----"

Moria was suddenly startled by the scene.

That hand had somehow found its way onto his shoulder, shaking him.

But that wasn't what panicked him the most.

It was the face of the grinning Joker. He hadn't just seen it on the Big Screen at Marineford not long ago, but he had also seen it frequently on the widespread bounties issued by the World Government.

Why is he in my house?!

Hogback?!

Moria seemed to realize something and twisted his head, only to see Hogback putting something on Absalom, who then collapsed to the ground.

"Don't worry."

"It's just Seastone Handcuffs, a rare item from the Celestial Dragons' collection."

The Joker in the coffin kindly explained.

"You betrayed me, Hogback!"

This was what made Moria even angrier.

Although he was a shut-in, and a bit weak...

He had always treated his subordinates well!

Even though he currently only had three living cadres.

This was the first time he had encountered betrayal!

"Sindri..."

Hogback's smile was very strained.

Moria's treatment was indeed good, but the core of their cooperation was Sindri.

Reviving Sindri was the reason Hogback stayed in this pirate crew; he didn't aspire to conquer the world.

"Foolish!"

"He's just some Joker hiding behind a Screen, daring to look down on me like this?!"

"I'm a former Shichibukai, after all!"

Moria's Red Onion-shaped head, after a brief moment of shock, quickly turned a fiery red, like it had been scorched.

"Shadow of Moria!"

He roared, and the shadow beneath his feet suddenly writhed, then stood up as if it were solid.

The shadow was as black as ink and as tall as Moria himself. Its ferocious laughter made it look like a terrifying Devil.

Catch this Joker, and slap him hard!

Moria commanded in his heart.

He was a Paramecia-type Shadow-Shadow Fruit User, and he should have absolute control over his own shadow, like an extension of his arm.

But the shadow didn't move at all.

What was going on?!

Moria's heart skipped a beat, and he urged his power even more.

The edge of the ink-black shadow flickered, as if resisting.

How was this possible?

The product of his ability was resisting him, the User!

"What did you do!?"

Moria's voice was filled with uncontrollable astonishment.

"Put a smile on your face."

Buggy stood up and said leisurely.

The shadow's mouth split to its ears.

"From the moment we were born, we've been on a path of constant descent into the bizarre."

The shadow nodded in agreement.

As a product shaped by both the Four-Way Split-Split Fruit and the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, every second it survived was further extending the meaning of "bizarre."

"Split?!"

Moria suddenly remembered the other's ability, the Four-Way Split-Split Fruit.

"No, impossible."

"The fruit has awakened, your fruit ability has actually awakened!"

"You split my shadow away?!"

His tone was finally tinged with uncontrollable trembling, but he still tried to snatch the shadow back.

"You've finally gotten with the program."

Buggy praised him with a smile, remembering he seemed to have said something similar to someone else.

"But I still need to correct you slightly."

"I didn't split your shadow, I split you."

A small hand that had been clinging to Moria's shoulder waved at the opportune moment, making its presence known.

This was a development direction Buggy had thought of upon entering the Foggy Sea Area.

Why only split objects?

Could non-material things like the mind, or even emotions, also be split?

He had made his first attempt in the black shadow's dream.

Moria was the second.

Reality's feedback to him was: yes, it could.

"Damn it, how is this possible--"

Just as Moria let out a roar, he saw his own shadow suddenly raise a fist and smash down fiercely.

This was himself!

The force of the punch was all too familiar.

Bastard!

Moria unwillingly got to his feet and fumbled in the shadow behind him for a pair of large scissors.

These were used to cut shadows!

To use shadows against me, how laughable!

Moria thought bitterly, but as he looked up, he saw the shadow pull out a pair of Shadow Scissors with an identical outline.

The nightmare had truly descended!

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