Chapter 129: It Could Have Been Him! But by the Grace of God, it's The Tyrant

The mansion was as creepy as she had remembered it, only this time the halls were strewn with cut up and thoroughly decimated zombies. Nami and Suki had captured the risky brothers, Perona's zombie squirrels, and then thanks to the younger girls' "relaxation blue", the two squirrels had escorted them to the treasury. Yet, once they had arrived they had found it empty and more zombie animals running off carrying the former contents of the room. And so as a result, Nami had practically roasted the squirrels over a fire to get them to squeak the location of where the ghost girl had taken "my treasure".

So when they did squeal, and announce that "mistress Perona" was "terrified" and "wanting to flee onboard the straw hat ship", both navigator and artist saw red, and with all deliberate speed raced towards the bay head where the Sunny was still trapped in cobwebs. "Get away from our ship!" Nami yelled, glaring down from the harbour wall, towards the Ghost Princess and her accompanying animal minions, who were in varying stages of loading the Sunny with food, drink and all the treasure. Suki stood next to the navigator holding the squirming squirrel zombies. "We're sorry mistress", the risky brothers cried, "we tried to lead them astray but they were too good for us".

Perona's nose twitched as she stared at the two females above glaring at her, anger and disgust in their eyes. "Tch," she scoffed. "It's you, the uncute pirates. Mrs Monkey D and the child of Mariejois. You don't really think you can stop me, do you?" As if by mental command, two astral ghosts emerged from her hands and circled around her. "You're nothing against my Negative Hollows." Out of the corner of her eye Nami saw a look of fear flicker across Suki's face, before it was hurried away by her protectiveness towards their new floating home. But before Perona could throw out her ghosts, she suddenly became aware of heavy footfalls behind her as well as startled horrified noises from her cute animals.

"Mistress Perona! Look out!" They cried out trying to desperately intervene protecting their boss. "Where did he come from?" "Run!"

Looking up at the two girls above, Perona noticed the confused scared looks, before slowly turning around. And there he stood, a man who could rival Master Moria in height and strength. Her voice died in her throat, and all she could do was fall backwards to the ground completely frozen in fear. The man dressed pejoratively in black, the sole exception being a white crosshair on his jacket and a black-on-white polka dot hat strange bear ear decorations. Black gloves covered his hands, one of which held a bible next to his broad chest, and despite that object being the only thing about him that portrayed any sense of humanity, his square face was completely void of emotion.

"W-w-why are you here?" Perona stammered trying to desperately hide her fear, yet the beads of sweat on her forehead and the tears in her eyes were a dead huge gauge to he true state of mind. "Where is Gecko Moria?" The man stated coldly, looming over the ghost princess, and not even looking at her instead his eyes seemed fixed on Nami and Suki. "H-h-he's probably at the main castle fighting StrawHat... but I ain't going back there! I'm leaving this god forsaken place and going...home".

The mountain of a man, remained silent before finally looking down at the terrified girl before him, "I see," the man hummed, removing one of his gloves. "If you could take a vacation, where would you like to go?" Nami was stuck by the peculiarities of this persons questions but before she could pontificate any further. The ghost girl, Perona, suddenly let out an angry tirade. All the fear and horror, turned to anger and petulance. "Don't you dare!" Perona yelled. "Don't you dare pity me! I chose this life, I thought I could save my home country if I worked in piracy but all it got me was disdain and misery. And even though I enjoy a bit of misery, from time to time, this over does it!" Growling she pushed herself to her feet and straighten her clothes. "It doesn't matter anymore, I can never return home now", her voice suddenly cracking as tears slipped down her face as she wishfully stayed. "But if I could go on holiday, I would like to go to a dark and gloomy castle surrounded by dead trees!" Her gaze hardened once more, despite her still flowing tears, "Special Negative Hollow!" Thrusting both arms outwards in front of her, Perona prepared to launched her most powerful ghosts at the man before her.

Then suddenly, she was gone. No one could be acutely sure about how the man did it, but everyone was in agreement that the man was responsible for disappearing perona. "Mistress Perona!" the captain of Perona's animal zombies, Kumasi, cried in worry. The giant man looked over towards the captain and then, poof, he was gone as well. Remaining as neutral and emotionless as ever, even as he slipped his glove back on and as the zombie animals fled in terror abandoning the ship and running back into the forest.

"Oh god!" one of them whimpered. "Th-That's the Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma! One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea! He... He just killed Mistress Perona and captain Kumashi!" Ignoring the fleeing zombie animals, the now aforementioned Kuma vanished from his standing place, only to reappear standing right next or Nami and Suki. And with nothing shown on his face, the second warlord at the two straw hats, reflectively, before speaking. "Cat Burglar' Monkey D. Nami and 'Marked' Suki, painter, worth 80 million and 5000 Beris respectively. I've heard that Monkey D Luffy has an older brother, is this true?" The girls gasped and spun around, but the man was no longer facing them, instead looking out towards the massive dust cloud and he noise of battle. Slowly, Nami responded, "y-yeah, Ace..." Kuma, still facing away, continued with his monologue; "My current mission does not involve interacting with your crew, thus I am under no obligation to take you in. Therefore I can share this with your captain, I remember my promise". And with that Kuma was gone, vanished into the forest towards the fighting.

The last thing that Nami heard, before Kuma was gone, was him whispering to her; "you should be grateful that I'm the one the government sent here. He would have killed you already. Also, 'cat burglar' Nami, your soon to be father-in-law sends his regards". With wide eyes, Nami realised that Kuma had connections to the Revolutionary Army, and to Dragon, but what that meant exactly she didn't know.

So, grabbing Suki's hand, she fixated on the immediate path bow for them; running down to the Sunny and taking back ownership of their ship, throwing zombies into the waters; purifying them. "We need to hurry and warn the others about this second warlord", Suki spoke flinging "controlling blue" at the zombies and then making them jump into the sea. "Yeah", Nami responded, "we'll sail the ship close to where the others are fighting Moria and this number 900, and then blast the warlord with cannon fire". Jumping into action, the navigator and artist started untying the ships mooring lines before the raising the anchor with the inbuilt winch, "okay. We've got all the treasure; plus food and water courtesy of Perona," Nami scowled, still seeing the pink haired girl as a fiend rather than an unwilling coconspirator to the warlord. "Now let's go, help out shipmates!" Suki finished for the navigator, grinning ear to ear, her brown hair wiping I the wind as the Sunny broke through the waves towards the mansions sea coast.

From his armchair within Oars stomach Moria watched the fight with utter joy and raucous laughter, "Kiishishishishi! Oh this is too easy! Your so predictable straw hat, where is the power that defeated Crocodile!" His words only goaded the teenage captain on utilising his darkness to pull in rocks and trees, before turning them into projectiles. The other straw hats, most of them; Moria noticed that two were absent; weren't much better. Nothing they were doing was actually making Oars weaker, or close to capitulation. Yet... the Warlord did admit, that their teamwork was flawless but it would still amount to nothing as all their attacks were continuing to do "jack shit". Sure, they had got a few good hits in; the swordsman, sniper and former princess, but that just proved how small they were compared to the power of himself; a warlord of the sea, Gecko Moria.

He was interrupted from watching his 'play' by a medium baritone voice. "Gecko Moria."

"-GAH!" whirling around to face whomever dared to disturb him, Moria's displeasure immediately turned to a scowling line of disdain. "Oh its just you", he sighed turning back to enjoy the battle before him, "so what do I owe the pleasure of the company of the only Warlord that lowers himself to the position of a government dog?" To his credit, Kuma didn't bat an eyelid, or even seem to notice the attitude being directed at him. "The Five Elders have a message for you," Kuma answered, unfazed and indifferent. "They wish to inform you that the Straw Hat Pirates are a particularly dangerous group, and that having to replace another Warlord due to their actions, would be most unfortunate..." No sooner had those words been uttered, Moria was back on his feet and rounded on his fellow warlord; his face contorted with rage and fury.

"Are you implying that I could lose to these rookies?" the shadow-man screamed, pushing himself further into Kuma's face, before gesturing out the window. "Look at them down there, scurrying for their lives! I have them beat".

"I did not say you were unfit for the task", Kuma relied, "all I was told to inform you that a new Warlord has been chosen to replace Crocodile." The rage upon the shadow mans face disappeared replaced by a grin. "Ooh", Moria backed up, returning to his arch hair, "So they finally found a replacement for that arrogant Logia? So whose the new guy, and what's his power?" Kuma mused silently for about four minutes before answering; "Marshall D. Teach, though he prefers to be called Blackbeard." Again Moria scowled, this time with a scoff as well, "never heard of him. Well what did he do to get the position, and what is his power".

"He had no bounty previously," Kuma elaborated, "however, he was able to persuade the Government that his nomination would be worthwhile. Furthermore, the proof of his ability was seen and heard by his captive". Moria looked genuinely intrigued, as this was the first time a warlord had been named without either a high bounty or a infamous reputation. "Do tell", the shadow man asked impatiently, "who was caught captive and by what abilities?"

"In lieu of bounty, Marshal D Teach gave the government Whitebeard's Second Division Commander, 'Fire Fist' Portgus D. Ace. Utilising the ancient zoan - God of War devil fruit. And he was promoted to the position of warlord of the sea immediately upon receipt of 'Fire Fist'" Kuma answered. "And so as a result, all seven warlords are being urged to keep an ear to their navy alighted transponder snails".