Blades clashed in a flash of cold light.
The sharp sword arc tore through the air and lunged straight for Moria. He barely had time to react, instinctively activating his ability.
"Shadow Warrior!"
In an instant, Moria swapped places with his shadow, vanishing like a teleport.
The sword pierced straight through the shadow he had left behind. But shadows had no fixed form. Like water, they scattered and reformed, completely unharmed.
Cold sweat ran down Moria's back.
"Are you insane?" he shouted, glaring at his opponent. "You were trying to kill me just now, Captain John!"
He had truly felt death breathing down his neck.
"Hahaha." The man across from him laughed loudly, lifting a wine flask and taking a relaxed sip. "That's probably the shadow's influence. The owner of this shadow was a ruthless swordsman. No mercy at all."
The identity was undeniable.
Captain John.
A dead overlord, now standing alive before him.
"Besides," John continued casually, "is that really all you've got, Moria?"
"My strength is limited right now. This shadow is too weak. I can only use swordsmanship at the level of a Sword Master. My Observation Haki and Armament Haki are pitiful, and I can't even touch Conqueror's Haki."
"Only this body remains close to what it was before death, and even then, it's weaker."
John's gaze sharpened.
"If this is all you can do, don't even think about coveting the position of an overlord."
His tone was merciless.
Even though Moria had resurrected him, Captain John retained the arrogance of a sea tyrant. Death had not dulled it in the slightest.
"Damn you…" Moria cursed under his breath.
He swapped positions with his shadow again, appearing to the side, eyes locked on John.
Even restrained by death, Captain John was terrifying.
Just standing there, he exuded immense pressure.
Swordsmanship alone was not a direct threat to Moria. He himself stood at the peak of the Sword Master realm. The shadow infused into John belonged to a ruthless swordsman of the same level, captured by Moria through trickery.
Yet when paired with Captain John's powerful body, it became monstrous.
Speed alone was enough to suppress Moria.
This was nothing like the Captain John of the original timeline.
That John had been dead far too long, his body dried into a mummy.
This one was different.
John had not been dead long when Moria stole his body and restored it through special means. His physique, though weakened, remained terrifying.
Even in this state, he could still stand firm in the New World.
"Shadow Horn Spear."
The shadow beneath Moria twisted violently, forming a sharp, elongated spear that shot forward in a deadly thrust.
John's lips curved into a smile. "Not bad. That attack is dangerous enough to threaten me."
He did not panic.
With a subtle twist of his body, John raised his long sword. Steel flashed. He evaded the spear with even greater speed and counterthrust toward Moria.
A cold sword light filled Moria's vision.
"Shadow Mage!"
Moria reacted instantly.
His shadow split, forming a shadow clone identical to his body. The clone ignored damage entirely, moving like a specter, capable of both offense and defense.
At the same time, Moria's main body dissolved into a swarm of shadowy bats that surged toward John. They could resist attacks, restrain enemies, and tear at flesh.
John remained unfazed.
His speed exploded.
He cut through the bats and appeared before Moria's true body in an instant, sword stabbing forward without hesitation.
Moria gripped his sword with both hands and swung.
His Observation Haki locked onto John's movements.
Clang!
A crisp metallic sound echoed through the hall.
They stood facing each other.
Moria's teeth clenched as his arms trembled. In pure strength, he was being suppressed by a dead man.
Moria's physique was no joke. His bloodline had once given him confidence even against Kaido, though it ultimately failed.
Yet against Captain John, there was still a clear gap.
The clashes continued.
Moria retreated step by step.
John's swordsmanship was at the peak of Sword Master level, but his experience was that of a Great Sword Master. Moria struggled to resist him with technique alone.
Suddenly, a dark figure emerged behind John.
Sharp claws reached for his back, hard and deadly, equal to the Shadow Horn Spear.
John sensed the danger and dodged immediately.
That instant was enough.
Moria exhaled sharply, a grim smile crossing his face as he pressed the attack.
The fight turned into a two-on-one.
Even so, it only placed mild pressure on John.
The gap in overall strength was simply too large.
John remained calm and composed. Speed, power, reaction, he surpassed Moria in every category.
Even outnumbered, he held the advantage.
Moria felt it clearly now.
This was overlord-level strength.
The gap was not insurmountable, but it was real.
If this were John at his peak, the fight would already be over.
Captain John at his prime had been no weaker than Kaido of the Beasts.
Moria knew this better than anyone.
That battle against Kaido had started evenly, only to turn into a complete suppression once Kaido fully understood his abilities.
Moria had grown rapidly in recent years. In just three years, he reached quasi-Admiral level and stood on the edge of true overlord strength.
But facing the current Captain John, he was still clearly inferior.
Because this John remembered everything.
He had not been dead long. His memories were intact. His combat experience, his instincts, his past.
This was nothing like the mindless zombie John of the original story.
This realization made Moria keenly aware of the limits of his power.
Zombies were not invincible.
The corpse could not be dead for too long. The shadow's owner could not be weak. Otherwise, both strength and memory would collapse.
He had tested it before.
Strong corpses that had been dead too long produced laughably weak results. Incomplete memories. Broken abilities.
Captain John was different.
Though his heart no longer beat, his body still carried a trace of vitality. The infused shadow awakened his consciousness and gave his body activity.
Without it, the corpse would eventually dry up and decay, its power fading year by year.
That was only possible because John had been recently dead and possessed overwhelming vitality in life.
The outcome was clear.
Moria lost.
A thin sword mark cut across his face. A deeper wound slashed his shoulder.
He panted heavily as John calmly sheathed his blade.
"You still have a long way to go, Moria," John said with a smile.
Moria felt bitter.
Aside from Haki, where he held a slight edge, he was suppressed in every other aspect.
His Devil Fruit ability, once its patterns were understood, was only good for evasion and survival. It could not harm John.
"Let's stop here," John said lightly. "I still have drinks waiting for me. Hahaha."
He turned and walked deeper into the castle.
Then a heavy sound echoed behind him.
Thud.
John paused and glanced back.
Moria was kneeling.
His massive seven-meter-tall body was pressed flat against the floor.
"Please teach me," Moria said hoarsely. "Teach me how to become stronger, Captain John."
John raised an eyebrow. "You want me to teach you?"
"I want to surpass you. I want to become stronger."
Moria slammed his head against the ground.
Boom.
The floor trembled. Cracks spread outward from the impact.
"I don't take disciples," John said, shaking his head. "And I'm already dead."
"Don't you want revenge?" Moria looked up, unwilling to give up. "I'll help you get it."
"Heh." John chuckled softly. "I'm dead already. That no longer matters."
"I just want to see what kind of sea this era becomes."
Death had given him perspective.
Moria's expression dimmed.
Then John spoke again.
"I hate traitors most of all. I've never taught anyone before. If you can't endure it, you may die."
Moria froze.
It took him several seconds to react.
"You… you're agreeing?" His eyes widened.
"I still rely on your ability to exist," John said calmly. "You let me see the world again. Helping you isn't a bad deal."
He smiled faintly, then his expression turned cold.
"But first, you'll deal with three traitors for me."
John had never forgotten.
An overlord, killed by his own subordinates.
There had been four traitors, all top officers of the John Pirates, including a vice-captain he trusted deeply.
They betrayed him for his treasure.
One had already died after the crew's collapse, killed in a struggle over the loot.
Three remained.
Two had gone into seclusion, old and hiding somewhere in the New World.
The last was still active, leading a pirate crew of his own.
Each of them had bounties exceeding 600 million Berries.
None were easy targets.
"This is your test," John said coldly. "Seven days."
"Use this sword. Pierce their hearts. Cut off their heads. Bring them to me."
He drew his sword and thrust it into the ground before Moria.
The blade gleamed silver.
"Understood," Moria said, standing tall. "In seven days, I'll bring back their heads."
Time was tight.
Two of the targets were hiding. Finding them alone would be difficult.
He couldn't afford to search blindly.
He needed information.
In a corner of Gecko Island, a news bird circled quietly overhead, its gaze sweeping the ground below. It blended in perfectly, like any other seabird.
Click. Click.
Two photos were taken.
Suddenly, danger surged.
The bird flapped its wings to flee.
Too late.
Shadow bats emerged from nowhere, surrounding it completely.
On the seas, no one dared attack news birds. They were harmless. And many pirates even wanted to be photographed.
But this time was different.
A towering silhouette emerged from the shadows.
"Moria…" the bird trembled.
"You have your president's contact information," Moria said coldly. "Find a way to notify him."
"Otherwise, you know what happens."
The news bird nodded frantically.
And without hesitation, sold out its boss.