Thriller Bark.
At the top of the castle, Ryan looked up at the bizarre figure before him—Moria. His forehead bore two curved, slender horns, and a long vertical scar ran from the center of his face down to his neck. His ears were pointed, his teeth sharp like fangs.
His skin had a pale blue hue, his upper body relatively well-proportioned, while his lower half was stout and stubby. Combined with his wild, onion-like red hair, it was no wonder Luffy had blurted out "Big Onion Head" upon their first meeting.
Standing at nearly seven meters tall, Moria loomed over Ryan, making him seem almost diminutive in comparison—his shoulders barely reaching Moria's waist. It was like a rookie standing before a giant, an overwhelming presence exuding sheer intimidation.
"Gehihihihi..." Moria looked down at Ryan, his voice thick with pressure. "'Wanderer Ryan,' the man who defeated Crocodile and took his place among the Seven Warlords. You're quite the celebrity on the seas these days. What brings you to my Sea of Devils? Surely not just to pick a fight with me!"
Ryan studied Moria's arrogant demeanor, his fingers idly tracing the hilt of the Seven Star Sword. A faint smirk tugged at his lips as if recalling something. "The Straw Hat Kid, Luffy, attacked Enies Lobby and destroyed the government's symbol. The World Government is furious. I was personally invited to eliminate the Straw Hat Pirates."
At these words, Daz Bones and Rob Lucci exchanged brief glances but remained silent.
"The Straw Hat Kid?!" Moria suddenly chuckled low, his laughter dripping with mockery. "I never expected the newly appointed Warlord to obediently follow the World Government's orders."
The Seven Warlords were, after all, "legal pirates" who acted independently. Someone like Ryan, fresh off his victory over Crocodile and riding high on momentum, should have ignored the government's directives. Yet here he was, willingly playing their executioner—what a joke.
"Obedient? Not quite." Ryan neither denied nor took offense, merely lifting his gaze to meet Moria's. His tone was calm. "Let's just say the government's 'compensation' was substantial enough. A mutual exchange of interests."
"Mutual exchange?" Moria's grin widened, revealing his sharp fangs. "I've got my eyes on the Straw Hat Pirates—especially that rubber brat. If I turn them into Zombie Soldiers, they'll become my strongest assets."
"Gehihihihi!" Moria laughed, brimming with confidence. "Go tell those sheltered fools that the Straw Hat Pirates are mine to deal with. Moonlight Moria doesn't need your help."
"Fine by me. Saves me the effort." Ryan's hand left the hilt of his sword as he added, "But don't underestimate them. Wouldn't want you to become the next 'fallen Warlord.'"
"What did you say?!"
Moria took an aggressive step forward, his towering frame amplifying the oppressive aura around him. "You think I'm some weakling like Crocodile? Losing my title—and my life—to some brat? Don't make me laugh!"
"Who knows?" Ryan shrugged, his expression indifferent but his tone laced with amusement. "But don't worry. I'll be watching. If you really can't handle it, I'll step in. Wouldn't want the government accusing me of slacking off."
"Who the hell do you think you're talking to?!"
Moria's fury erupted, his presence turning sinister. His black cloak billowed unnaturally, as if he were moments away from lunging at Ryan to tear him apart.
Mikita instinctively took half a step back, gripping her skirt tightly. Daz Bones' fingers tightened around his blade, his gaze wary. Perona, hiding in the corner, covered her mouth in fear, barely daring to breathe.
"Nothing is certain in battle." Ryan remained unfazed, not even lifting an eyelid. "Before the Enies Lobby Incident, who would've thought Rob Lucci would lose to the Straw Hat Kid?"
At the sudden mention of his name, Rob Lucci's expression darkened. His hand clenched at his side, a flash of suppressed rage flickering in his eyes before vanishing just as quickly.
There was no rebuttal. That defeat was his own doing—a stain on CP9's name. No excuses could change that.
"Then watch!" Moria roared, his voice thick with fury. "I'll show you how the Straw Hat Pirates become my Zombie Soldiers! You'll see—Moonlight Moria is nothing like that failure Crocodile!"
With that, Moria turned sharply, his cloak whipping behind him as he stormed toward the staircase. Each heavy step made the floor tremble, his anger still palpable.
Ryan watched Moria's retreating figure, a smirk playing on his lips. He then turned toward the balcony, where the battlefield below was visible—the massive Oars swinging his fists wildly.
Daz Bones and Lucci remained silent, accustomed to Ryan's whims. They knew better than to question him, waiting only for orders.
"Captain!" Mikita, however, couldn't contain her curiosity, bouncing over to Ryan's side. "Didn't the World Government send us to deal with Moria? Why did you say we're here for the Straw Hats?"
"Isn't this more fun?" Ryan glanced at her, his tone teasing.
Originally, he had planned to confront Moria directly. But seeing the man's arrogance, Ryan changed his mind. Without their experiences fighting Crocodile and Enel, would the Straw Hats even stand a chance against Moria?
To his surprise, a few taunting words were all it took to provoke Moria into taking the bait, convinced of his own invincibility.
The arrogance of the Warlords—so easy to exploit.
"H-How could this be...?" A timid voice came from the corner. Perona peeked out from the shadows, her wide eyes filled with disbelief. "Moria-sama is a Warlord too! Why would the World Government send you after him?"
She had assumed Ryan was merely passing through the Sea of Devils. But if this was a government-sanctioned mission... The Seven Warlords were "legal pirates" appointed by the World Government. Even if conflicts arose between them, there had never been a precedent of the government ordering one Warlord to eliminate another.
This shattered everything she thought she knew about their status.
"Come here." Ryan eyed Perona's gothic lolita attire before beckoning her over, his tone calm but leaving no room for refusal.
"W-What do you want?" Perona wanted to refuse, but after having her Ghost-Ghost Fruit powers effortlessly suppressed by Ryan earlier, she bit her lip and shuffled forward reluctantly, head bowed.
"Now..." Ryan reached out, lifting one of her pink pigtails with a faint, inscrutable smile. "It's time for you to prove your worth."
Mikita, standing nearby, immediately understood her captain's intentions. She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and leaning against the railing without another word.
After following Ryan for so long, she was used to his capricious, manipulative nature. Asking questions was pointless—better to just watch the show unfold.
Perona blinked, confused by what "prove your worth" meant. But before she could ask, a sudden weight pressed down on her shoulders, forcing her knees to buckle. As she looked up, her pupils shrank in shock.
This guy... he couldn't possibly be planning to—