Absalom / Moria's Fury

Absalom and Hogback were both partners he found in the West Blue, but Hogback's experience of joining the crew was completely different from Absalom's. Hogback was an important part of his revenge against Kaido and was also related to the implementation of his next plan.

Absalom, on the other hand, was different. This guy, relying on the power of the Clear-Clear Fruit, actually dared to steal from Gecko Moria. In the end, he was naturally won over by Absalom's personal charm and followed him onto the ship.

"Really? Then I want a lion's jaw, an elephant's skin, and the muscles of a bear and Masira, so no woman will look down on me!!!"

Absalom was somewhat excited upon hearing this and rattled off his demands. He had heard of Hogback's reputation as a world-renowned genius surgeon, and he had personally witnessed the man's miraculous medical skills. He had long felt inferior about his frail body.

In fact, this already shows that Moria has begun to go astray. There are many ways to become powerful, but it is definitely not by taking shortcuts or seeking external forces.

"Hehehehe, do whatever you want. Go tell Hogback that once we get to the Florian Triangle, we can begin my Zombie Army plan. I can also resurrect his Cindry then!"

"Also, how's that little girl we picked up a while ago doing?"

Above the Calm Belt.

Baby-5 turned its hands into a pair of telescopes and excitedly looked around.

Atlas maintained a normal flight altitude and speed, mainly considering the Baby-5's capacity. Theoretically, the Baby-5 could be transformed into an airplane, but unfortunately, both of them lacked knowledge in this area, so the idea had to be abandoned.

It seems that besides correcting her personality issues, I'll also need to instill more knowledge of weaponry in her...

Atlas was secretly making plans.

Baby-5, on the other hand, felt a chill for no apparent reason, but then burst into excited shouts the next moment.

"Hey! Vice Admiral, there's a huge island moving down there!"

P. S. Sorry everyone, I'll update the next chapter during the day. I didn't have much time today because I was visiting relatives, and I also had a little to drink tonight, so my head is a bit spinning. Goodnight.

Chapter 180 Absalom

The Thriller Bark?

Atlas, accompanied by Baby-5, slowly descended, carefully examining the ship that was touted as the world's largest.

The massive Island Ship sailed above the Calm Belt without being attacked by any Sea Kings. It was probably the only ship, besides naval warships using Seastone technology, that could safely pass through the Calm Belt.

There were no zombies everywhere as expected. The surrounding buildings had a dark style, and perhaps because of the sunlight, Atlas felt that the entire Island Ship exuded a mysterious and hazy feeling.

"Let's go, Baby-5, let's go inside and take a look."

Atlas didn't linger at the entrance. He wasn't there as a guest of Moria, so there was no need for such formalities; breaking down the door was the proper course of action.

"Um!"

Baby-5 is obedient, or rather, she is equally curious about the Thriller Bark. Having lived in the North Blue since childhood, she has only seen such island-sized ships in storybooks.

Bang!

The door was kicked open, and Atlas casually walked onto the great Pirates's ship.

The guards were lax, perhaps because it was daytime. There were no zombie guards, which were characteristic of Moria, or perhaps the number of shadows did not match the number of corpses Moria had obtained in Wano Country. Therefore, the Zombie Army that would appear more than ten years later did not appear at this time.

However, even with the most lax defenses, Atlas and Baby-5 were finally spotted by Absalom, who was in charge of routine defenses, when they reached a position near the center of the Thriller Bark.

Absalom is Devil Fruit User, and even without a strong physique, he is more than capable of patrolling Thriller Bark.

After all, the Moria Pirates' destination was only the first half of the Grand Line — Paradise, a place where even Haki is rare. Without Observation Haki, they basically wouldn't even see Absalom's shadow.

"Navy..."

Absalom's pupils contracted as he activated the Devil Fruit Ability. Although he was just a rookie Pirates, and previously only a petty thief who occasionally spied on women's bathhouses, he was no stranger to Pirates whose influence extended across the Four Seas.

"This rank... is even higher than Colonel, right?"

Upon seeing Atlas's shoulder insignia, Absalom felt somewhat uncertain. After all, the highest-ranking officer in the Four Seas branch was only Colonel, so it was normal for Absalom not to recognize him.

But...

After seeing the little girl Baby-5, Absalom had completely forgotten about the navy. As a lecherous man who frequented brothels, Absalom was really getting restless these days on Thriller Bark.

"Hehe, it doesn't matter if they're a little younger, I like them all anyway!"

Absalom licked his slightly chapped lips with a hint of excitement, his hands expertly kneading as he stealthily crept towards Atlas and his companion with a lewd smile on his face.

Of course, all of this is unknown to Baby-5, who is currently looking around.

"Oh..."

Atlas wore a mocking expression, a faint red light flickering in his eyes, as he quietly watched Absalom slowly approach.

"Hmm? Is it just my imagination?"

Absalom suddenly stopped and looked at Atlas with some surprise and uncertainty.

Can this navy officer see him?

Impossible, right? Although Moria could sometimes 'see' him, he never explained the thing called 'Observation Haki' to him in detail. He always thought it was a unique ability of Moria.

"It must be an illusion!"

Absalom shook his head from side to side, trying to shake the ridiculous idea out of his mind.

But the next moment, it was too late for him to regret it.

Because Atlas, who was originally in front of him, had somehow appeared behind him!

"Your name is Absalom, right?"

Although he had a smile on his face, his voice was completely devoid of emotion.

Creak~ Creak~

Absalom's face suddenly stiffened, and he slowly turned his neck, a bad premonition rising in his heart—no, not a premonition, but a fact that had already occurred!

This guy can see him!!

"You can... see me?!"

Absalom instinctively asked a question.

Bang!

Without any explanation, Atlas expressionlessly swept his leg out, creating a series of shrill sounds in the air. The immense force was poured into Absalom's waist and hips, instantly turning his entire lower body, including his three legs, into a cloud of blood mist!

"Ah!!!"

The intense pain nearly caused Absalom to faint, and he let out a shrill scream. Absalom was already weak-willed and physically frail, was suddenly gripped by panic. The shadow of death loomed over him, and it seemed that he would not be able to maintain his Devil Fruit Ability.

"What kind of monster is this...?"

Absalom, half-crippled, was horrified. The veins on his thin arms bulged as he tried to crawl to the navy man's side. Although Moria had told him to find Hogback to modify his body, the modification plan had not started due to insufficient materials. He remained thin and withered.

"Hmm? Where do you want to go?"

Seeing this, Atlas stepped forward, stomped his right foot forward, and pressed Absalom's back firmly to the ground!

I can't break free!

Absalom's face flushed red, feeling an immense force pressing down on his back. His Devil Fruit Ability could no longer be maintained, and he appeared before the two like a pitiful reptile.

"Hey! There's someone here!?"

Baby-5 was stunned by the scene Lightning Flash. Although it seemed like a long battle, it was only a matter of seconds. Baby-5 only felt a blur before her eyes, and Atlas appeared not far away, with a man whose body was torn apart under his feet, and blood splattered everywhere.

"I am Lord Moria's subordinate. If you kill me, Lord Moria will not let you off!"

Seeing that the difference in strength was too great, Absalom couldn't help but bring up Moria to threaten Atlas.

In his view, Moria was already a world-renowned hero of the West Blue, with a bounty of a terrifying 320 million Beli. These titles alone were enough to scare away the Marine who had suddenly barged in.

It must be said that the knowledge of a frog in a well will always be so narrow.

Bang!

Atlas stomped his foot, and Absalom's entire body was slammed into the ground. His muscles and bones shattered, and a large amount of blood flowed out from beneath him. His eyes bulged out, still showing disbelief.

"Ha, Moria, that's the one we've been looking for!"

Chapter 181 Moria's Wrath

"Huh? What's going on? It's Absalom's voice!"

Moria, the reclusive man slumped inside the castle, naturally heard Absalom's screams and instinctively jumped up from the ground, ready to investigate.

There are still too few shadows; it's really troublesome not having zombie guards patrolling...

Moria's desire to enter the Florian Triangle grew stronger, and he also considered the World Government's invitation.

"Marine Vice Admiral..."

Although Moria's Observation Haki wasn't particularly outstanding, he easily traversed less than a third of the Thriller Bark, but he couldn't identify Atlas.

Although Moria had heard that the Navy seemed to have a new young Admiral Candidate, he had only wanted to take revenge on Kaido after hastily fleeing Wano Country. He traveled across the Grand Line all the way to the West Blue and did not pay much attention to Atlas's information.

"Perfect timing! I haven't found a suitable match for the corpses I stole from Wano Country yet, and this Marine seems to be a Swordsman. What a convenient prey! Hehehehehe..."

Moria has been eyeing his Zombie Army, especially the corpse of Ryuma of Wano Country. Without the shadow of a powerful swordsman, he can't unleash the full power of his physical body.

"But... was Absalom killed?"

Suddenly, Moria's Observation Haki failed to detect Absalom's life force, and his gaze sharpened, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

This feeling... it feels so familiar!!!

Although Absalom hadn't been on board for very long, as someone who cherished his companions, he had recently lost a group of trusted crew members. The fact that the same thing was happening again before his eyes made him unable to suppress the murderous intent in his heart.

He was initially reluctant to deal with the intruders who had come aboard the ship, but there was simply no one available on his ship. The brilliant surgeon Hogback was merely a doctor and had no combat capabilities whatsoever, let alone the ability to intercept a Marine Vice Admiral.

On the other side, Atlas noticed that after Absalom breathed his last, the color of the pattern on the Snake Talisman in his mind deepened, and it was unknown what kind of change this would have on his abilities.

However, the immediate task is to deal with Moria first; we can study the Snake Talisman later.

Within Atlas's Observation Haki range, a massive life form was rapidly approaching him.

Soon, a large number of black bats appeared not far from Atlas, quickly converging into a huge, dark shadow.

"Shadow Warrior!"

A sharp sound rang out, and the giant shadow instantly transformed into Moria's appearance.

The entrance was impressive, but Atlas's Observation Haki clearly "saw" the operation: first, he turned the shadow into scattered bats, and then he swapped positions with the shadow.

It seems this guy doesn't recognize him...

Atlas narrowed his eyes. If it were a regular Pirates or marine, Moria's bizarre entrance would certainly create a sense of pressure, but in Atlas's eyes, it seemed somewhat ridiculous.

Showing off one's skills in front of Guan Yu?

"Moonlight Moria..."

Atlas looked at the muscular man before him. He wondered if Moria hadn't eaten well while mining with Kaido, because Moria appeared rather thin at this moment, unlike his later out-of-shape physique when he met Luffy.

"Navy!! You actually killed Absalom!!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Absalom's mangled corpse came into view, and the anger in his heart burned like oil in a raging fire.

Swish!

Atlas didn't bother wasting words with a defeated subordinate of Kaido. He simply pushed off with his feet and instantly appeared in front of Moria, delivering an uppercut straight at Moria's chin!

Null!!!

There was no tangible impact from the fist; Moria's figure simply vanished into thin air right in front of Atlas!

Atlas's gaze sharpened, but his body did not stop attacking. Armament Haki covered his feet, and he flipped in mid-air, slamming downwards like a battle axe!

Bang!!

A dark shadow on the ground was struck as if by lightning, and cracks appeared all over the ground.

This was only because Atlas had held back; after all, once he dealt with Moria, this Thriller Bark would be his flagship, and if he accidentally damaged it, who would he ask to repair it?

That's right, Atlas has his eye on this ship. After all, he's now Candidate Admiral in the Marine Headquarters, and how can he not have his own flagship? That would be a disgrace to the Navy.

"Puff!"

Just as Atlas was plotting to reform Thriller Bark, Moria, who had once again swapped positions with Shadow not far away, coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling as if all the bones in his body were about to fall apart.

Although a 'Shadow Warrior' can swap positions with his shadow at a speed similar to spatial displacement, his fatal flaw is that if his shadow is attacked by Armament Haki, his main body will suffer the same damage!

He originally intended to take advantage of Atlas's lack of understanding of his Devil Fruit Ability, thinking he could catch them off guard. However, he didn't expect that this Marine would recognize his method in an instant.