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Do you want to become stronger? Do you want to return to your former glory?
Do you want to fight Kaido of the Beasts again—the man who once took everything from you?
These questions echoed in Moria's mind, leaving him dazed for a moment. Do I want that?
Just thinking about it made his eyes turn bloodshot with madness. How many years had it been?
He had never stopped thinking about returning to the New World, to battle Kaido again and reclaim all that he had lost—his cherished crewmates, his pride, and the bright, ambitious man he once was.
But the reality was cruel. That battle had dragged him into an abyss from which he never escaped.
Turning people into zombies meant he would never lose them because the dead cannot die again.
His lack of confidence had led him to endlessly second-guess himself, repeating the same tired line: "You do it."
"I really am pathetic," Moria muttered.
His eyes filled with tears without him noticing, yet strangely, he also felt a flicker of joy and excitement—as if waking from a decade-long dream. Yes, he had awakened. He could no longer go on living like this.
He wanted to return to the peak, to rediscover who he used to be, to face Kaido in the New World, and to fight with everything he had.
But Moria also knew all too well—on his own, it would be nearly impossible.
While he had spent more than ten years lost in a daze, Kaido had already reached the pinnacle of his power and become one of the Four Emperors who ruled the seas.
"I want to!" Moria suddenly roared, eyes wide.
"Tell me what I need to do!" Hearing that, Arashi smiled, slowly lifting his foot off Moria's face.
Only by utterly crushing the remnants of his pride could Moria be rebuilt anew—reborn into someone stronger and clearly, he had awakened.
"Want to know what to do?" Arashi said calmly.
"Starting today, follow me—stay at my side, and don't look back. Moria!" Moria's pupils contracted, but he didn't hesitate.
He nodded firmly. "Alright! If you can help me reclaim everything I've lost, I'll follow you wherever you go!"
Arashi shifted his gaze toward the trio standing nearby. "Take your captain aboard the ship and wait for me there."
"If you really want to take back what you've lost, then starting today, you'd better do everything I say."
Absalom and Hogback exchanged glances, about to respond—when a flash of lightning tore through the air, and Arashi vanished.
"What a strange guy," Perona muttered.
"Help me up," Moria gritted his teeth. "Do what he said!" His eyes sparkled with light.
The pride that had been shattered by humiliation was now being reforged by his own hands and in the not-so-distant future, it would be whole once more.
At that moment, Moria's heart surged with hope and wild dreams of what was to come.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Thriller Bark, the air grew tense. Despair and coldness hung thick in the atmosphere.
Bartholomew Kuma stared down at the green-haired swordsman blocking his path with three swords in hand, his eyes narrowing.
"Are you offering your life in exchange for your captain's?"
The swordsman's gaze was unwavering and grave as he gave a firm nod. "That's right."
"State your name, swordsman," Kuma suddenly asked in a deep voice. The man's spirit had earned his respect. "Roronoa Zoro!"
His voice rang out with clarity and strength. Suddenly, lightning crackled through the air, revealing a tall figure atop the ruined wall.
Zoro turned his head, eyes widening when he recognized the newcomer. His expression shifted.
"You're that Marine who taught me sword techniques?" he blurted.
Kuma looked puzzled, glancing toward Arashi, who stood on the wall.
"Hey, moss-head, don't go making stuff up," Arashi said with a shake of his head and a smile.
"I never taught you any swordsmanship, and I'm not your teacher."
"If anything, you should be worried about your current situation," Arashi continued, crossing his arms.
"I'm a Marine, and you're part of the opposite side." Zoro paused, his expression turning grim.
He had only spoken because their previous battle—which had felt hopeless—had ended up benefiting the entire Straw Hat crew.
From Arashi's Tempest Kick, Zoro had learned powerful slashing techniques.
Luffy had developed Second Gear from that fight's high-speed movements. Sanji had mastered Moonwalk and enhanced his kicks.
Privately, they had even nicknamed Arashi "that weird Marine teacher."
"He's offering his life to save the life of Straw Hat Luffy," Kuma said solemnly.
"Is that so?" Arashi smiled faintly.
"The World Government ordered you to eliminate the entire crew, didn't they?" Kuma went silent.
Zoro's expression changed sharply as he listened. If these two decided to make a move, they would stand no chance of survival.
"Heh… suit yourself. I couldn't care less about the World Government's orders or your decisions," Arashi said with a smirk.
He stood casually, like someone watching a play unfold. Kuma nodded slightly.
Then, with a palm strike, he extracted all of Luffy's exhaustion and pain from his body, forming it into a massive red bubble.
"What is that?" Zoro glanced at Arashi, then warily turned his gaze to Kuma.
"All of the fatigue and pain Luffy suffered in that battle—it's now contained in this bubble," Kuma explained.
"Luffy's pain?" Zoro's eyes narrowed. Arashi spoke up from the side. "Hey, moss-head."
"Don't underestimate that red bubble. The pain in there could kill a normal person instantly. With your current injuries, touching it is a death sentence. So far, I've only seen one man survive something like this."
Zoro's body trembled slightly. Head lowered, his face was hidden. "Is that so?" he muttered.
"I have no reason to lie to a rookie like you," Arashi said with a calm smile.
"But if you survive that pain, I might just teach you a move or two—free of charge." At those words, both Kuma and Zoro looked up in shock.
"That blade at your side… it looks like a fine sword," Zoro said, eyes fixed on Arashi's katana.
"You mean this one?" Arashi patted the weapon at his waist and grinned. "It's one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Blades. It has quite the legendary past."
Zoro nodded. "I thought so." Then, he suddenly took a deep breath, slowly raising his arms.
His eyes snapped open, and the next moment, he plunged both hands into the bubble of pain.
"Ugh!" A muffled groan escaped his lips. Lightning crackled around him.
Streams of blood burst from his body, scattering in all directions like crimson plum blossoms.
The unbearable pain pierced deep into his soul, leaving Zoro dazed and delirious.
In that haze, he thought he saw his long-lost loved ones waving at him. But the vision quickly vanished.
As his sight returned, he saw Kuma and Arashi standing before him.
"Did you die, Mosshead?" That familiar nickname immediately reminded Zoro of Curly-Brow.
With a crooked grin, he shouted, "Not yet!" Arashi leapt down from the wall, letting out a hearty laugh.
"Good!" he said.
"Then watch closely. This next technique—it's the world's strongest sword strike." Though his entire body was wracked with pain, Zoro's eyes widened as he focused intently.
He knew all too well that the man before him stood in a league far beyond their current reach. Even a glimpse of his skill could take a lifetime to master.
Arashi's smile faded as he placed his right hand on the hilt at his waist. Shing! The clear sound of the blade drawing echoed through the air.
A moment later, Zoro saw it—a pitch-black sword gleaming in Arashi's hand.
"You knew Kuina, didn't you?" Arashi suddenly asked.
"How do you know about her?!" Zoro's eyes widened.
"How do I know?" Arashi gave a faint smile as he slowly rotated the blade. An intense aura rose from him like a storm.
"She was the disciple I raised with my own hands." As the words fell, his blade slashed forward in an instant.
A dazzling light, like a dragon, lit up the space and transformed into a terrifyingly sharp slash that surged straight toward Zoro.
His pupils shrank. He could feel the scent of death in the air. There was no doubt in his mind—this attack could cut him in half.
But in the blink of an eye, the slash barely missed and soared far into the distance.
Time seemed to stand still. Zoro stared in shock at the deep, endless chasm carved into the earth, his expression frozen with disbelief.
"Does it have a name?" he asked softly. Arashi casually slid the blade back into its sheath and replied, "Of course. Its name, Divine Departure"
Zoro remained stunned, staring at the colossal scar on the ground. He couldn't even form a sound.
In his mind, the image of Arashi's strike replayed over and over—from the stance to the motion of each muscle, to the power, and even the spirit behind it.
Suddenly, realization dawned. "No... It's incomplete!" he whispered.
But before him, there was only the unconscious Luffy. Arashi had vanished without a trace.
Then the pain came, like a tsunami crashing through his body. Zoro groaned, barely able to stand.
Soon, Sanji arrived, stopping in his tracks at the sight of all the blood. His body trembled.
"What... happened here?" Zoro gritted his teeth and swallowed the pain. "Nothing happened at all."
On the Thunder, the dark mist cleared as sunlight spilt down. Moria rested against the side of the ship, his body wrapped in white bandages.
Though the wounds were only lightly treated, he looked more energetic. Bartholomew Kuma stood nearby, holding a book in his hands, though his gaze never left the man before him.
There was curiosity in his eyes, along with a hint of confusion. "That sword strike—did you take that swordsman as your disciple?" Kuma asked.
Arashi smiled. "Disciple? You're talking nonesense. He's a pirate, after all."
Kuma's eyes twitched in disbelief. Could his intentions be any clearer? And yet, Arashi's actions were impossible to decipher.
"So then, what about them? What will you do with them?" Kuma asked again, glancing at the heavily bandaged Moria.
"Not long ago, Moria decided to follow me," Arashi replied with a smile.
"He's one of us now." His gaze turned toward the resting Moria as well. In his mind, he already had a plan to make Moria stronger again.
But it would be a gruelling path. Kuma's eyes narrowed slightly. "One of us, huh?" That was unexpected.
The former Warlord Moria, joins forces with a Marine Admiral. Looking at Moria's brightened eyes, filled with hope, it was clear he had changed.
Kuma suspected there was more to this than met the eye—some sort of deal between them.
Meanwhile, the Straw Hat crew had recovered and regained their spirits. They had survived yet another brush with despair.
"What?! Mosshead, you saw Arashi again?" Sanji asked in disbelief.
He couldn't forget what he'd seen before—blood everywhere, and Zoro on the verge of death. Fortunately, the swordsman's tenacity pulled him through.
"Yeah... that man didn't get involved directly," Zoro said with a nod. He could still see that strike in his mind—the precision, the power, the sheer impact.
If he could comprehend it, it would push his swordsmanship to a whole new level. But one thing still puzzled him—what was Arashi's real goal?
"Is that guy really our enemy?" Usopp muttered.
"Hard to say. Arashi's a strange one," Nami added thoughtfully. Robin listened quietly to the group's conversation, a faint smile forming on her face.
Compared to the others, she felt she understood Arashi a bit more.
True justice. A sense of equality. He dared to act when faced with injustice, no matter who stood in his way.
Without a doubt, that man had a line in his heart—those who crossed into evil would face a merciless, terrifying, iron-blooded Marine.
But those who didn't often saw his kindness. Zoro sat silently, wrapped in layers of bandages.
"Kuina's teacher, huh..." he murmured.
A spark of excitement and anticipation flickered in his eyes. How strong had that old friend become?
He had come a long way himself, from East Blue to here, growing stronger each step of the way.
"Now... would you be my opponent, Kuina?" Zoro thought to himself. And for a moment, he found himself looking forward to that future battle.
"Hahahaha!" Luffy laughed.
"Arashi was Grandpa Garp's most prized student! Back when I was little, Grandpa always said he'd have Arashi train me himself. Thank goodness he didn't." Luffy burst out laughing.
"If that guy had trained you?" Usopp was stunned. Zoro, however, frowned with a black vein popping on his forehead and snapped, "Idiot!"
Only he knew how terrifying Arashi truly was. To be personally trained by someone of that level would mean rapid and overwhelming growth.
"That guy is insanely strong!" Luffy grinned.
"He even caught Roger! If he were to train me and find out I wanted to become Pirate King, I doubt he'd go easy on me!" Everyone fell silent, expressions speechless.
"But," Luffy's face suddenly turned serious, a rare trace of solemnity surfacing.
"I heard about him from Shanks too. Red-Haired Shanks?" Usopp gasped, stunned.
His father, Yasopp, sailed under Shanks.
"Yeah," Luffy nodded.
"Shanks said Arashi is a terrifying man. Even though he's a Marine, he's an even bigger threat to the World Government than any pirate alive."
"He might even bring harm to the entire world," Luffy added. "An unstable, extremely dangerous man with ambition."
Those words made everyone break into a cold sweat. "Even one of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired himself, said that?" Sanji's throat tightened.
"Hard to believe we've met that guy twice... and made it out unharmed!" Chopper trembled.
"Speaking of Arashi," Franky suddenly shouted, "I just remembered! Tom-sensei's disappearance might have something to do with him!" The group fell silent.
Zoro's expression shifted—he remembered Kuina's connection to that man as well.
"Hahahaha! He is one mysterious guy," Luffy laughed.
"Sometimes I wonder if he's even a Marine." The Straw Hats' brief discussion on Arashi revealed how bizarre and chilling the man was, but no one dwelled on it too long.
Soon, everyone moved on to their tasks.
A day later, the Thunder entered the Calm Belt. At the ship's bow, Arashi stood gazing at a distant, growing island on the horizon.
His face held a trace of nostalgia. The girl from the past... now a world-renowned Empress. Behind him, Bartholomew Kuma also looked ahead.
Moria was now able to stand, slightly taller than Kuma, though still wrapped in bandages, giving him a rather comical appearance.
Perona floated lazily beside Arashi, peering forward. "I heard the only female among the Warlords of the Sea, Boa Hancock, is the most beautiful woman in the world."
"No one can resist her charm!" Perona added. Arashi turned to glance at her with a smile.
"She is indeed beautiful." Back when she was just a girl, she already had the makings of a beauty. Now, after all these years, she was even more captivating.
"You've met her?" Perona asked in surprise.
"Of course," Arashi nodded.
"Waaah! Tell me, just how pretty is she?"
"Compared to me, who's better looking?" Perona floated side to side, clearly impatient. Arashi chuckled. "Boa Hancock is beautiful, but you…"
"What about me?" Perona leaned in, eager.
"You're... cute," Arashi said. Perona huffed at that, clearly dissatisfied with his answer.
....
Soon, the Marine ship approached Amazon Lily, naturally alerting the island. At the harbour, a large ship with twin serpent heads gently pulled away.
"Hancock, Marines are here!" Gloriosa grumbled with concern.
"Could it be because you refused to attend the recent Warlord meeting?" her younger sister Sandersonia asked.
"The Marines aren't that petty," Hancock said, frowning. "Besides... that ship looks familiar."
Its form reminded her of one from long ago—but something about the details seemed different.
"Could it be... him?" A shiver ran down Hancock's spine, her heart skipping a beat. But that man hadn't appeared for over a decade.
As the two ships approached, the figure standing at the bow came into full view.
"Sister!!"
"It's him!!"
"It's Admiral Arashi!!" Sandersonia and Marigold shouted with joy. The moment they saw him, they recognized him instantly.
"Who?" Gloriosa blinked in confusion, turning toward the Empress—only to find Hancock's expression completely out of character.
Her usually cold and elegant face was now flushed red, a clear blush blooming on her cheeks.
The normally aloof Empress looked like a shy young girl. "Hey hey hey! What's with that look?!" Gloriosa shouted.
But Hancock was lost in her world, recalling a promise made long ago. "To marry Admiral Arashi…" That thought made her face burn even more.
Meanwhile, on the Ship, Arashi smiled faintly. He, too, had spotted Hancock and her sisters.
He noticed her flustered expression as well. Beside him, Perona stared with wide eyes, glancing back and forth between the Empress and him.
"You two look like long-lost lovers reunited! What's going on?!" she cried.
Arashi immediately frowned and tapped her on the head. "Don't say nonsense."
Perona yelped, holding her head, but her eyes sparkled mischievously. "There's definitely something between them!"
....
At the same time, in Marineford. Garp's dog-headed battleship had just docked when he was hit with shocking news.
"Fire Fist Ace has been captured and is being sent to Impel Down, Level 6—Infinite Hell."
The sudden revelation made the veteran Vice Admiral freeze in place. He didn't even pause to speak to his men and bolted straight to the headquarters' prison.
Soon after, he arrived to find Sengoku overseeing the transport, with Ace restrained by Seastone shackles.
"Garp!" Sengoku said gravely. "He's being sent to Impel Down. Next, we will announce to the world—Fire Fist Ace is to be executed."
Those heavy words made Garp tremble, his fists clenched tight.
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