Standing Quietly

Moke stood silently in place, his figure as Fudō as a statue, as if the fierce attack before him had nothing to do with him. Cabaji, who launched the attack, was considered one of the stronger pirates in the East Blue. Although his bounty had not yet been announced, this did not mean his abilities could be underestimated. In fact, his strength surpassed even Alvida's before she ate her Devil Fruit!

It's worth noting that Cabaji once fought against our powerful Roronoa Zoro! Although the outcome was ultimately close, being able to exchange a few blows with Roronoa Zoro is enough to prove his exceptional skills. On the other hand, Alvida was easily defeated instantly after encountering Luffy, completely unable to put up a fight. This clearly demonstrates that Cabaji possesses formidable abilities.

Cabaji charged forward like Inazuma, his speed astonishing. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Moke. The incredibly sharp longsword in his hand, carrying the force of a whirlwind, was aimed straight at Moke's heart.

With a muffled "thud," the longsword pierced Moke's heart without any resistance. Blood splattered everywhere, forming a shocking cloud of Bloody Mist Era in the air. Seeing this, Cabaji couldn't help but laugh triumphantly, making a series of "tsk tsk" sounds, seemingly very satisfied with his attack.

However, at this critical moment, Buggy, who had been calm and composed, suddenly widened his eyes as if he had witnessed something utterly terrifying. His face, which usually wore a sly smile, was now filled with terror. He opened his mouth and screamed in a hoarse voice, "Cabaji, back off!"

"What?" Cabaji looked bewildered and confused. He turned to look at Buggy, wondering to himself, "I've clearly already successfully dealt with the enemy, so why is the captain so anxiously telling me to retreat? Is there some potential danger?" He simply couldn't figure out what was going on.

However, just as Cabaji was filled with suspicion, a cold and threatening voice suddenly rang out. "Looks like you really want to experience what it's like to be kicked by light!" The voice sounded like it came from the deepest hell, sending chills down everyone's spines. Cabaji looked over and saw that the speaker was none other than their opponent— Moke.

"!!!" The moment Cabaji saw Moke, his previously calm eyes narrowed to pinpoints, his face contorted with disbelief. Just moments before, he had used every ounce of his strength to plunge his longsword into Moke's heart—a precise and ruthless strike. He was certain he had delivered a fatal blow. Yet, Moke was not only not down, but appeared completely unharmed. How could this be?

Filled with extreme shock and confusion, Cabaji involuntarily shifted his gaze slowly to Moke's chest. In an instant, his face turned deathly pale, and his eyes shifted from initial disbelief to deep horror. He discovered that not a single drop of blood had flowed from the spot where his sword had pierced through him. This bizarre scene caused Cabaji's heart to race, and an unprecedented sense of fear quickly surged into his heart, gradually taking over his entire mind.

"Bang..." A loud crash rang out, and in the next instant, Moke's leg swept out like Inazuma! The fierce attack was like a Zhou Yu, striking directly at Cabaji's abdomen. Accompanied by an incomparably powerful burst of energy, Cabaji didn't even have time to react before being violently blasted away by this terrifying force.

Cabaji's body flew through the air like a cannonball, tracing an arc before crashing heavily into a distant wall with a dull thud. Debris flew everywhere, dust billowed, and Cabaji was embedded deep into the wall, his fate unknown.

At that moment, Buggy the Clown stared wide-eyed at Moke, his mouth agape, speechless with shock. Just moments before, Moke had displayed an ability exactly the same as that of Marine Admiral Kizaru! That ability to Elementalization and turn it into light completely shattered Buggy's decades-long understanding of Devil Fruit.

After a long while, Buggy finally recovered from his extreme shock, muttering to himself, "Could it be... Kizaru is dead?" He couldn't imagine any other possibility that someone could possess the same abilities as Kizaru. Although the idea sounded absurd, upon closer inspection, it seemed to be the only explanation that made sense. After all, with Kizaru's Inazuma- fast speed, if he wanted to escape, probably no one in the world could stop him.

However, just as Buggy was still lost in his thoughts, Moke suddenly blurred into a dazzling beam of light, rushing towards Buggy at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, Moke was already beside Buggy.

Only then did Buggy snap out of his daze and realize what was happening. But it was too late; Moke's movements were simply too fast, too fast for anyone to dodge. When Buggy turned to look at Moke in horror, the latter had already returned to human form.

This sudden turn of events terrified Buggy, causing his entire body to tremble uncontrollably. Then, in extreme fear, his body shattered into countless pieces, which scattered in different directions.

"Hiss..." With a gasp, Buggy involuntarily stopped in his tracks. In an instant, a surge of intense pain rushed towards his forehead, as if to tear it apart. He whirled around and saw Moke standing firmly on his foot, a playful and mocking smile on his face.

"Sir, I know I was wrong..." It has to be admitted that Buggy the Clown, was indeed flexible and decisive in admitting defeat at crucial moments! His face was full of obsequiousness, his posture extremely humble, practically begging for mercy. Not only that, he also very discreetly presented the incomparably precious Eternal Pose to Moke with both hands, hurriedly saying, "This is the Eternal Pose from Loguetown!"

Moke stood like a mountain, his towering figure radiating an invisible pressure that made Buggy below appear incredibly small. At this moment, Moke was gazing down at Buggy with his sharp, hawk-like eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips, a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction in his expression.

With a slight smile, Moke slowly extended a hand, a large and powerful palm that seemed capable of controlling everything in the world. Upon seeing this, Buggy hurriedly and respectfully handed over the Eternal Pose he was clutching. After receiving the Eternal Pose, Moke did not act immediately, but lowered his head, intently examining the direction the pointer indicated.

After careful confirmation, Moke suddenly moved. His body swayed violently, and in the next instant, he transformed into a dazzling and extremely brilliant beam of light! This beam of light, like Inazuma, streaked across the sky, hurtling towards the distant Loguetown at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, the light disappeared into the horizon.

"Hoo..." Only after seeing Moke completely leave did Buggy's tense nerves finally relax a little. He exhaled a deep breath, feeling as if all the strength in his body had been drained away with that breath. His whole body suddenly felt as if his spine had been removed, and he collapsed limply to the ground, unable to support himself any longer.

However, this state only lasted for a short while. Soon, Buggy seemed to suddenly remember something extremely important, and a look of panic and anxiety flashed in his eyes. Then, a powerful force surged from somewhere, and he suddenly leaped up from the ground, then hurriedly ran towards Cabaji not far away.

Because he was running so hurriedly and urgently, Buggy stumbled and fell all the way, but he didn't care about that at all. He only had one thought in his mind: to get to Cabaji's side as soon as possible! Finally, after a desperate run, Buggy arrived in front of Cabaji, panting heavily. But at that moment, the scene in front of him shocked him so much that he couldn't close his mouth, and his jaw almost dropped to the ground.

What Buggy saw was this: Cabaji lay stiffly on the ground, his eyes closed, his face as pale as paper, his limbs stiff as if he had lost all signs of life. His chest was not rising or falling, and his breathing had completely stopped. He looked as if his soul had been forcibly ripped out, and he had become a lifeless, cold corpse.

Buggy stared in disbelief, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. His pupils trembled uncontrollably from extreme shock, swaying like leaves in Gale. Only then did he realize, as if waking from a dream, that he had miraculously escaped from a cataclysmic crisis!

Every time he recalls that harrowing moment, he still feels a lingering fear, as if his heart is being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. Unconsciously, a layer of fine, hair-like beads of sweat appears on his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto the ground beneath his feet.

However, the trajectory of fate is always so unpredictable and elusive. Just a few days later, on a certain morning, as the dawn's light quietly tore through the veil of night and the first warm, gentle rays of sunlight softly shone upon the vast and boundless earth, a mysterious and dazzling beam of light, like a meteor burning with raging flames, streaked across the sky at an astonishing speed, carrying boundless power and awe, and finally landed steadily above the peaceful and tranquil Loguetown.

As the dazzling light gradually faded, a tall and imposing figure came into clear view. Upon closer inspection, it was none other than Moke, the elusive and unfathomable being! He possessed a majestic presence and an imposing air, his piercing eyes radiating unwavering determination, seemingly capable of piercing through all things. He strode with steady, powerful steps, each step exuding composure, as if he possessed a complete understanding of his surroundings. Clearly, this mysterious Moke had already set his sights on a steadfast and crucial goal.

Without hesitation, Moke weaved through the streets and quickly found a passerby to ask for the exact location of the weapon shop. Then, he strode headed in that direction without hesitation. Along the way, he pondered the purpose of his visit and the situations he might encounter.

Finally, Moke arrived at the weapon shop. Just as he was about to step inside, he suddenly caught sight of a petite woman wearing glasses gracefully walking into the shop. Moke was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself, "Isn't that Tashigi?" He was very familiar with the name, as Tashigi had once been considered the most likely person to become Roronoa Zoro's love interest after Kuina.

Even more coincidentally, they met at the weapon shop, a scene straight out of Tashigi and Roronoa Zoro's first encounter. Moke couldn't help but marvel at the strange twist of fate, never expecting to witness such a dramatic moment firsthand. However, he wasn't the type to be easily swayed by beautiful women. After a brief moment of surprise, he quickly composed himself, regaining his usual calm and composure. Then, he leisurely followed Tashigi into the weapon shop.

As soon as Moke entered the shop, he spotted the weapons shop owner standing behind the counter. The owner had a rather peculiar appearance: a shiny bald head and a round, red nose, making him look utterly comical. Without a doubt, this man was the owner of the weapons shop.

Moke's lips involuntarily curled up slightly, a barely perceptible smile quietly appearing. Then, his sharp, hawk-like gaze began to rapidly scan the shop. However, when his eyes swept over the knife racks displaying exquisite knives, he showed no intention of lingering, as if these beautiful blades held no interest whatsoever.

Finally, his gaze settled steadily on the knife sheath displaying the cheapest knives on one side of the shop. If his memory served him right, the legendary Sandai Kitetsu was hidden here, and its price was unbelievably low—only 50,000 Beli!

Just then, Tashigi quickly walked up to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper smiled and nodded, indicating that everything was correct, before gently handing Tashigi a sword named Shigure, saying, "Your Shigure has been carefully polished, but there's a 5000- Beli polishing fee." Tashigi didn't immediately take out her wallet to pay; instead, she unhesitatingly and slowly drew Shigure from its sheath, then intently examined the sword.

As everyone knows, Tashigi is a complete knife fanatic, possessing an almost obsessive fascination with all sorts of expensive and rare swords. The shop owner was clearly aware of this, so instead of rushing Tashigi to pay, he naturally turned his attention to Moke, who had just entered the shop. His face still beaming with that enthusiastic smile, he asked, "Esteemed customer, what kind of knife would you like to choose? I have everything here, no matter the grade or price, we can meet your needs." Moke, however, seemed oblivious to the owner's question, walking straight towards the knife box filled with inexpensive knives. He touched each one with his hand...

Just as Moke's fingertips lightly touched the unique knife, a strange sensation instantly spread throughout his body. A small strip of white cloth was wrapped around the hilt and scabbard, making it particularly eye-catching. And the instant he made contact, Moke immediately felt a sinister and domineering force surge towards him like a tidal wave.

"Ghost Aura! Such a strong Ghost Aura!" Moke was secretly shocked. Without a doubt, the sword in front of him, exuding a terrifying aura, was the legendary Sandai Kitetsu. Without hesitation, he reached out and grasped the hilt, then pulled hard, taking the entire sword off the rack.

With a sharp "whoosh," a cold light suddenly flashed, as if to tear through the space. At the same time, an even more powerful and domineering Ghost Aura rushed towards him like Gale, causing the unsuspecting Moke to tremble violently. This intense impact made him involuntarily take two steps back.

"I never expected this Ghost Aura to possess such a captivating power!" Moke mused to himself. The astonishing scene of Roronoa Zoro wielding the Sandai Kitetsu, a master swordsman from the original story, flashed through his mind. Perhaps, the chilling demonic Ghost Aura emanating from Roronoa Zoro originated from this.

Just as Moke was immersed in marveling at the mysterious sword, his actions had already attracted the attention of the shop owner. The owner, who had been busy attending to other customers, inadvertently caught sight of Moke attempting to touch the Sandai Kitetsu. His expression changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm, "Stop...!"

The sudden shout startled Moke, and even drew the attention of Tashigi, who was carefully examining another Meito called "Shigure" in her hand. Her beautiful eyes looked in Moke's direction with confusion, trying to figure out what had happened.

In that fleeting glance, her previously dim eyes suddenly shone brightly, like stars in the night sky! Then, like an arrow released from a bow, she rushed straight toward Moke, who was standing not far away, and stared intently at the Sandai Kitetsu in Moke's hand, which gleamed with a cold light, with the ferocity of a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

Almost simultaneously, she swiftly reached into her robes and pulled out a seemingly ancient sword manual. The pages were yellowed, but the densely packed information about various swords was still clearly visible. She rapidly flipped through the pages, her eyes eagerly searching for descriptions of the Sandai Kitetsu between the lines. Before long, she successfully found detailed records about the Sandai Kitetsu.

According to the sword manual, the hilt of this Sandai Kitetsu lacks a pierced eye and a megaki (eye-shaped hook), instead featuring an exquisite koi-guchi (carp-mouth) design. A small strip of snow-white cloth is wrapped around the hilt and scabbard. The blade is approximately 88 centimeters long and only 1.7 centimeters wide. The edge is not only quite long but also has a significant curve, and there is no blood groove on the blade. The hamon (blade pattern) is a typical flame-patterned steel pattern, clearly indicating that it was forged through repeated folding and hammering.

After confirming that it was indeed the Sandai Kitetsu, she was overjoyed and murmured to herself, "That's right, this is the legendary Sandai Kitetsu!" However, Moke, standing to the side, seemed completely oblivious to her actions. At this moment, all his attention was focused on the Sandai Kitetsu in his hand. He slowly extended his right hand and gently stroked the blade of the Sandai Kitetsu, as if feeling the endless power it contained.

In the next instant, a shocking scene unfolded! Moke's hand, which had been stroking the sword, underwent a dramatic transformation in the blink of an eye—his entire palm gradually materialized into the shape of an incredibly sharp blade, emanating a sinister Ghost Aura identical to that of the Sandai Kitetsu. At this moment, Moke was enveloped in a chilling aura, as if he had transformed into a powerful ability user wielding terrifying slashing power and surrounded by a chilling Ghost Aura.

Just then, the shocking scene unfolding before their eyes was fully witnessed by the boss and Tashigi. They both exclaimed in unison, "Devil Fruit User?!" Their voices were filled with disbelief and astonishment.

Upon hearing the exclamation, Moke slowly turned his head, his gaze calm and composed as he looked at his boss, a faint smile playing on his lips. Then, in an undeniable tone, he said, "This Sandai Kitetsu, I'm taking it. Tell me, how many Beli will it cost to acquire it?"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face. After a moment's thought, he decided to kindly advise this seemingly confident customer, "Sir, if you know the origins of this sword, you should know that it is the infamous Sandai Kitetsu! Throughout history, all those who have become the wielder of this Cursed Sword have met with tragic ends. Therefore, I suggest you reconsider..." However, before the shopkeeper could finish speaking, Moke interrupted him rudely, shouting decisively, "Stop talking nonsense! Just tell me the price!"

Before the boss could finish speaking, Moke rudely interrupted him. He opened and closed his mouth, and words poured out like a machine gun, giving the boss no chance to continue.

"Uh..." The boss was clearly taken aback by the sudden situation, a look of surprise on his face. But he quickly came to his senses, his eyes flickering as if he were weighing something in his mind.