The towering wave thundered toward them, plunging the world into darkness. The Marine warship rocked violently in the surging water, on the verge of capsizing.
Under the force of the impact, the warship's thick, towering mast creaked incessantly. It seemed bent to its limit; any more pressure and it would snap.
Terror filled the Marines' eyes. Trembling, they cried out:
"W-why is Edward Weevil, a Shichibukai, here?!"
"And why is he attacking us Marines? Is he trying to start a war?!"
A pirate ship ahead of the Marine warship had also noticed the terrifying sight. Surprise flashed in Gecko Moria's eyes, and he laughed strangely. "Heh heh heh! What an unexpected treat. Who dares challenge the Marines so openly?"
One of Gecko Moria's men peered through a telescope and spotted a tall, heavy figure aboard the Merchant Ship. He had a massive upper body and spindly legs.
A white crescent mustache curved upward from his face like Whitebeard's, though his was thinner and longer.
His hair reached his legs, with the locks at his temples braided on either side. Three gruesome scars marked his body.
"It's Edward Weevil, Lord Moria," the man reported. "One of the newly appointed Shichibukai!"
Edward Weevil?
Gecko Moria's pupils contracted. He had heard the name. He might prefer to stay in the shadows, but that did not mean he was ignorant of major news from the New World.
This pirate had appeared out of nowhere, defeated sixteen former captains under Whitebeard, and made a name for himself across the New World.
Whitebeard might be gone, but those men had once served as his captains. Defeating them proved just how formidable Weevil was!
"Whitebeard's son? Whitebeard the Second?" Mockery touched Gecko Moria's lips, but he had no interest in weighing in on that. He turned