Aboard Herman's Revenge, captain's quarters.
Dawn played with the Shadow-Shadow Fruit in his hand, a satisfied smile curling across his lips.
"This version of Moria... was still too strong. But fortunately, I won in the end."
On the surface, Dawn had completely dominated his earlier battle with Moria, cutting down the great pirate who had once roamed the New World with an unmatched display of strength.
But only he knew how perilous it had truly been, with victory and defeat separated by the narrowest margin.
Had he not relied on agility and battle instincts far beyond those of ordinary people to evade fatal blows at the last possible instant several times, he would likely have been the one to lose.
The physical defenses that allowed him to look down on the West Blue had been like paper before Moria's Armament Haki.
By the end of the battle, less than a tenth of Dawn's stamina and energy reserves remained, most of it having been spent healing his wounds. Had the fight dragged on any longer, the balance of victory would have surely tipped.
After his turbulent emotions settled, Dawn walked to a corner of the captain's quarters. A wooden rack stood there, neatly lined with specially made wooden boxes for storing Devil Fruits.
He took out an empty box, then gently yet steadily placed the Shadow-Shadow Fruit onto its soft padding before closing and locking the lid.
Darkness surged across his palm as he stored the wooden box in his inventory space.
Once that was done, the rumbling in his stomach and the emptiness in his body became increasingly apparent.
He pushed open the door and headed toward the dining hall with somewhat heavy steps. He needed food—lots of food—to replenish the staggering expenditure.
The sight in the dining hall was