At the base entrance.
Moria looked around as he made his way toward the meeting room.
As though something had occurred to him, he turned to the soldiers leading the way:
"Here in the Sabaody Archipelago..."
"Have you heard the name Absalom, Marines?"
"I'm looking for my companion."
The two soldiers leading him said nothing and simply continued walking in silence.
Moria clicked his tongue:
"You dare ignore me, you..."
After they rounded a corner.
The two soldiers ahead suddenly stopped:
"We're here."
With that, they stepped aside.
Moria looked up ahead:
"Hmm?"
At the entrance to the Conference Hall in the distance.
Sakazuki, the newly appointed Fleet Admiral, stood in the doorway holding something.
The other Shichibukai stood obediently a short distance away.
A bad feeling rose in Moria's heart, and he stopped rather than continuing forward.
He stirred his power slightly and was about to speak.
But Sakazuki casually tossed the thing in his hand toward him.
It was small, but it had been coated in Armament Haki, and its force was unmistakable as it flew toward him.
Moria narrowed his eyes, unable to fathom the new Fleet Admiral's intentions.
His hands were quick to respond, however. Black shadows wound around his arm, forming a protective film.
Smack!
He raised his hand slightly and caught it.
The impact of the Armament Haki made his body shudder, but did no real harm.
The little box Sakazuki had thrown, however, shattered from the impact.
A head with pink twin tails rolled onto the ground...
Moria stared at the head, his mind going blank.
His pupils contracted sharply, and his mouth opened in disbelief:
"Ah... ah..."
He couldn't form a complete sentence.
Schlk!
Something scorching seemed to pierce his body... Moria looked down.
"Hell Hound..."
Sakazuki had appeared before him without