After leaving Rabbit-Well Prison, Roxing returned to the shogun's mansion.
He packed lightly, shared a long embrace with Yamato, and then set off with Zoro toward the Thriller Bark region.
Roxing didn't bring any other Beasts Pirates.
First reason: there was simply no need.
Moonlight Moria might be a Warlord of the Sea, but he was one of the weakest—
even the World Government and Doflamingo believed he no longer deserved the title.
Yet Moria once battled Kaido head-on, and although he lost decisively, his strength shouldn't have plummeted this much.
It could only mean that after Kaido wiped out all his subordinates, Moria fell into despair, let his body go, and weakened drastically.
Second reason: the Beasts Pirates were far too famous now.
The Three Disasters and Flying Six were all well-known to the Navy and hostile factions.
If Roxing brought them, it would be far too easy to track him.
Right now, only Roxing, Yamato, and a few newcomers like Zoro still had their real appearances hidden from the Navy.
The journey was smooth.
Under Roxing's deliberate concealment, no one realized that the "Walking Golden Bounty,"
the Fifth Emperor with a 50-billion live-capture bounty, had already slipped away from Wano and entered the triangle of fog.
"The sky here is really dark."
Zoro looked up at the oppressive clouds.
Roxing smiled.
"Because, in a sense, this is the true domain of wandering spirits."
Instead of fear, Zoro felt excitement burn in his chest.
"That so? Sounds like a place that'll get this beast fired up."
They continued forward.
Suddenly—
A slash of sword light shot toward them.
Zoro reacted instantly, drawing Wado Ichimonji.
"One-Sword Style — Makigiri!"
CLANG!
The blades struck, and a black figure was sent flying with a painful cry.
With a Dragon-Class Monster Cell and relentless training at 5× gravity, Zoro was no mere target for random attackers.
"Who goes there? Another attack—was that Moria?"
Zoro sharpened his gaze toward the shape—
and froze.
It was a skeleton.
"A moving skeleton? Are you human or ghost!?"
Zoro was genuinely rattled.
"Ow… ow ow ow… that hurt."
The skeleton rubbed his lower back—somehow—
"Mr. Green-Moss, you sure hit hard."
Zoro snapped, "Who are you supposed to be?"
"Yohohohoho!"
The skeleton rose, laughing ghoulishly.
"My name is Brook! User of the Revive-Revive Fruit!
A skeleton who lives without flesh!"
Zoro felt his worldview expand again—there were people like this?
Brook pointed at them.
"You two came looking for Moonlight Moria, right? I suggest leaving immediately."
"That man is the most frightening devil on earth!"
"He'll cut off your shadows and put them into zombies.
And from that moment on, like me—you'll never be able to step into sunlight again!"
A side effect of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit:
A person without a shadow burns instantly under sunlight.
Zoro sheathed his sword, confidence blazing.
"The strongest devil in the world? My blades thirst for the blood of devils."
But the moment he finished—
A white ghost passed right through him.
The confident Zoro collapsed to his knees, fists trembling on the ground.
"My whole existence is a mistake… I don't deserve good swords…"
Brook stiffened, panic in every bone.
"It's the Ghost Princess! Moria's ghost girl is here!"
Anyone hit by her Negative Hollows—even the strongest—would be crushed with overwhelming despair.
Brook turned to flee—
but a ghost slipped through him too.
He fell beside Zoro.
"I'm just a skeleton… I'm worse than a sardine… let me just disappear…"
A more haunting laugh than Brook's echoed through the air.
Roxing looked up, still calm.
A cute but eerie girl floated down—
pink twin-tails, big round eyes, red lips, frilly dress, and a parasol.
White ghosts swirled around her.
She giggled at Roxing.
"Why don't you fall down for me too?"
Oooo~
Several ghosts flew at Roxing.
Roxing examined the girl—
her twin-tails seemed… easy to grab.
He didn't have anyone with that hairstyle among his women yet.
Her appearance was lovely in a quirky, mischievous way.
To Roxing, every woman was like a unique flower.
And he loved collecting rare blossoms.
He stepped lightly, avoiding the ghosts without effort, and appeared before her with a gentle smile.
"You must be Moonlight Moria's subordinate—the Ghost Princess, Perona."
Perona flinched, floating backward rapidly.
"Who are you!? Why do you know me? What do you want with Lord Moria!?"
Roxing vanished in a flash—
appearing behind her.
He reached out, his hand passing through her ghost form.
"A non-corporeal state…
So your real body must be hidden somewhere else."
Perona's eyes went wide.
How does he know so much!?
"W-Who ARE you!?" she yelled.
Roxing released his Observation Haki, locating her true body instantly.
He started moving that way, casually replying:
"I'm a collector by hobby.
I enjoy gathering different kinds of blossoms."
Collector? Blossoms?
Perona was baffled.
Then panicked.
If her real body was found, she was finished.
"Go! Go, Negative Hollows!"
Seven or eight ghosts lunged at Roxing.
He didn't turn—
yet his movements were precise, slipping past all of them.
Perona was furious.
"Why aren't my ghosts working!?"
She gritted her teeth.
"If my Negative Hollows can't touch you—
then I'll just blow you to pieces!"
"Mini-Hollow — Ghost Bomb!"
Countless tiny ghosts shot from her hands—much faster than before—
and detonated around Roxing.
Perona cheered in the air, dancing in delight.
"Ha-la-ha-la! Got blown to pieces, didn't you—?"
But the next second—
her pupils shrank.
The man still walked casually, not a speck of dust on his coat.
Perona froze in disbelief.
Then stomped after him in anger.
"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU JERK!"
Minutes later, with Perona gone—
the Negative Hollow despair wore off.
Zoro jerked upright, face burning red with shame.
He snatched up Sandai Kitetsu, yelling:
"THAT GHOST GIRL—
I'M GOING TO CUT HER DOWN!"
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