Disclaimer: Godzilla and One Piece are the sole properties of Toho Co. LTD and Eiichiro Oda respectively. KP360 claims no ownership of anything save for any OCs, abilities, and locations.
Thriller Bark Opening: Dead or Lie by TRUSTRICK
Color Spread: Gian meditating back to back with his Full Transformation in the middle of a glass-like lake.
"Kishishishishi! Dance for me 'Straw Hat!' Just how long can you last?"
Luffy gritted his teeth as he twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the biting jaws of another swarm of shadow bats. To be fair his record against Shichibukai has been in his favor so far, those individuals didn't become warlords for no reason. Just Crocodile alone gave him a run for his money, and he and Gian together only barely scraped by a win. And despite all of Gecko Moria's bluster and outlandish claims, he wasn't lying about one part:
"GRRAAAAH!"
Gecko Moria really wasn't Crocodile.
Moria grinned again as Luffy was knocked aside once more by his shadow copy. The power of this fruit was truly unique, just being able to manipulate the very shade that inhabits alongside you means that what he can do with it is only limited to his imagination. Not that he needs much, of course, years of being a Shichibukai has shown to him that most people are easy to dispose of. Truth be told, he never did bother to further develop the fruit, not when its base abilities already proved more than a match for most people.
"Look at yourself, you're trying so hard to even land a hit on me! What do you hope to accomplish?"
Luffy growled; it was more than apparent now. He needs to get into a different mindset than when he fought Crocodile. The two Shichibukai could not be any more different. Crocodile was aggressive, Crocodile went for the kill, Crocodile showed no mercy, and expected none.
Gecko Moria, for all it seems, was taunting him.
They've been dueling for ages now, yet this whole time the shadow man has hardly raised a hand in his direction. Sending waves after waves of shadow apparitions to keep the Straw Hat boy busy, it's a wonder he even knew he was there to begin with! Granted, with the shadows at his beck and call, doing all the work for him, it was no wonder that he doesn't need to.
How cowardly!
However, it was something he needed to focus on. Those shadows may be taking his attention, but they are deadly, and Moria knew exactly what to do with them. Just the black shadow copy was enough to intercept him multiple times. It could hit harder than any normal man, and any time Luffy lashed at it with an attack it would dematerialize into countless shadow bats, before reforming and striking the preoccupied boy before he could react. Luffy growled; literally boxing with shadows here was not going to get him anywhere. If he wanted to hit past them, he'll need something hard.
And fast.
His Shichubukai opponent had a relaxed smile on his face, eyes closed and not taking him into consideration. Luffy grinned: in that state the warlord didn't even notice that his foes' body pulsed briefly as it began to steam.
And apparently, neither did the shadow.
He had become so accustomed to winning fights without touching his opponent, he had become used to battles ending without him even lifting a finger.
It had made him lazy.
And that decadence was going to be his downfall.
"Eh?! Where did he go?!" Moria gasped, Straw Hat just disappeared, the only thing that showed he was there was a drifting cloud of dust where he once stood? "How did he manage to-GAAAAH!"
"Gomu Gomu no Jet Pistol!"
Luffy grinned in satisfaction as he watched the stocky warlord topple out of his chair. One single punch from Gear Second, faster than his shadow can block, would hit hard even for a seasoned pirate like Moria. Added by the fact that the shadow Shichibukai has grown stale due to years of non-action, it was enough to even the odds a little bit.
The shadow lunged at him again, but Luffy was ready. Easily darting out of the way, he was gone before the doppelganger's hand even smashed into the ground. Moria growled, eyes darting to track the sped up boy. Footsteps behind him made him realize that his opponent already made it to late however, as the only thing he felt next was a kick to the backside.
"Gomu Gomu no Jet Stamp!"
Toppling to the floor, the Shichibukai groaned as he felt the aching of his body intensify. This time, he could hear Luffy swiftly approaching, he had to act fast.
"Damn it… maybe putting too much slack on maintaining my strength was a bad idea after all." The pirate thought bitterly. Recalling his shadow directly in front of him, Moria was just able to block a fast punch from the boy. He was still strong enough to avoid the worst of it, but after all this, he'll have to begin training again.
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed "Looks like I can hit you after all!"
"So it looks like you can actually back your words up, 'Straw Hat', but this isn't nearly enough!" Moria growled "Don't get too cocky just because you were able to land a few stray hits!"
"Shut up! Give me back my shadow already!" Luffy shouted "Or do I have to kick your ass even more?"
"You wish to see your shadow?" Moria sneered "What good will that do? I control it's every move, every action! It, and the zombie it inhabits, won't even lift a finger unless I tell it to! It's not coming back to you even if you force it back into your body!"
Rumbling was felt as the room began to shake. Luffy looked around, alarm growing as Moria's grin got bigger.
"That Oars, in the beginning he had the same annoying personality as you did. But soon enough, even that was purged as he fell under my control! All of them do, I hold complete dominion over all shadows on this island!"
Then something heavy landed, shaking the mansion to its roots. As Luffy stabilized himself, he gasped as the roof of the building was torn off with one sweep, the night sky was seen just briefly, before a monstrous face blotted it out once more.
"Well, since you wanted to see him so badly, here's Oars in the flesh!"
Luffy said nothing as he looked up at the red giant. The ogre like beast's one remaining eye was focused on the rubber boy, but it showed no emotion or thought. Just as Moria said, Oars was nothing more than a puppet, one that awaited an order that was soon given.
"Now, smash him to pieces Oars!"
"As you command, Moria-sama!"
Luffy's eyes only widened as Oar's giant arm came bludgeoning down. Diving to the side to avoid the swing, he braced himself as the giant's crashing blow tore a gaping wound into the mansion. Separated from a now cackling Moria, he looked up as the horned gargantuan reared his fist back once more.
"Gomu Gomu no…"
"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that since your shadow now inhabits Oars' body, he now knows every technique you've used. Enjoy tangling with him, you're no longer worthy of my time!"
"…PISTOL!"
Luffy yelped as he was forced to roll back again, the force of the mighty swing boring another hole into the mansion. He shook his head, reorienting himself, only to see Moria retreating from the scene.
"Hey! Get back here!" Luffy shouted as Moria darted off. The captain immediately gave chase, leaping over the chasm while Oars roared in frustration.
Still, he did not see the calculated grin that adorned Moria's face as they moved further away from the mansion…
Meanwhile:
"Atom Double Whirlwind!"
Down below in the lab, Gian's own quest to retrieve his own shadow was going his way more or less. Zombies being zombies, the four undead that attempted to prevent him from obtaining his shadow soon found themselves in a pickle. Lashing out with both his guandao and the borrowed powertool, they were met with a hurricane of metal. 2 of the zombies soon lost one of their limbs, not as much of a problem as it would normally be considering they're already dead. Still trying to fight despite the dismemberment, they were easily knocked around.
John however, was not that simple.
"I can see why Moria-sama wanted your shadow, it will be more than enough to empower his army indeed!" the undead drunk captain chortled, swinging both cutlasses down parallel to Gian's chainsaw attack. Sparks showered the rooms as steel met steel, both of them forcing against each other. Compared to the other underlings, John at the very least seemed adept at battle, seeing how his movements with the swords in his possession was enough to hold his own. Whoever the shadow he currently possesses belonged to before was, they must've been a capable warrior.
But in the end, he's still a zombie, and Gian was determined to use that fact against him. Flipping the chainsaw in one hand, he dashed at the silver haired zombie. Revving the chainsaw to life once more, he delivered one more sweeping motion as the power tool cut across. The undead captain held his sabers in an x-formation as more sparks screamed across the room, before leaping up to deliver a downward stab with both of them. Fortunately, Gian managed to flip to the side, watching as the two blades sank into the ground. Immediately lashing out into a kick, the Kaiju-Zoan user knocked one sword out of the zombie captain's hands, before immediately throwing an Atom Fist into his face. John groaned as he tumbled away, but then got up as if nothing had happened.
"Newsflash, dumbass! I'm a zombie! You can't hurt me no matter what you do!" the alcoholic zombie taunted.
"Then why does it feel right?" Gian scoffed. Though he knew that fact already, it seems the four zombies sent to stall him seemed to be knowledgable in their salt weakness. Even though Gian's knocked them around plenty already, actually getting an opportunity to put any salt into them was easier said than done. The three other zombies seemed to keep their distance, preferring to support their leader with arrows. Meanwhile, John seemed lithe on his feet, a fact shown despite the amount of alcohol intake he's committed to and the personality he took on, as a zombie he couldn't exactly get drunk.
"You're just wasting your time, during our battle the specimen has absorbed 5 more shadows." John sneered. Gian frowned before his gaze fell on the glass coffin. The entire interior was submerged in a thick dark substance, impossible to even gaze within. What he did see, however, is the tendril of shadow that stretched out of it before impaling a pig zombie, pulling out the captured shadow and into whatever swirling abyss laid within.
"Oop, make that 6."
"Just what the hell is that thing?" Gian growled "It's obviously important enough for your bosses to station you here to protect it, so what does it need my shadow for?"
"Hell if I know, only that the boss calls it 'Project Alpha'. All we're supposed to do is to keep you occupied until it wakes up." John snorted "I have no idea of its importance, but if the 4 commanders will it, then keep you here I shall!"
"Well I don't have time for that…" Gian grunted, taking a deep breath "So I think I will end it now." John gaped as he saw the azure waves of fire cascade over the Kaiju-Zoan user's body, enveloping him like a cloak. The zombie charged at him, but was immediately pushed back by a tidal wave of blue fire, courtesy of Gian slamming Atom Splitter into the ground.
"Sorry, as much fun as this zombie hunting adventure has been so far, I don't have time to indulge you anymore. My shadow's coming home with me, whether you like it or not." Power coursed through his views; He noted it the moment he stepped into the room and it was steadily growing. Maybe it really was due to whatever's lying within the casket, Gian could feel it resonating with his own heartbeat. As John scrambled up, hoisting up his swords in an attempt to charge at his foe again, Gian had already felt it.
"Atom Fist!" one radioactively charged punch, was enough to knock down the zombie, causing him to skid across the floor. The drunkard grunted with exertion; even as he felt no pain, he could feel his undead body beginning to unravel. Despite being functionally immortal, that was only as long as his body holds, and with the combined heat and trauma his opponent inflicted upon him, that was rapidly becoming undone.
But that was far from his biggest worry.
Because the coffin had begun to shake.
Gian looked up in alarm; he felt it too, clear as day. A wave of energy seeping out of the glass casket, one that sent a cold wave through his very being.
One that felt far too familiar…
"Shit, something's about to happen!" Gian barked in alarm, charging forwards as he reached out, his hand tipped with blue fire. All in an attempt to try something desperate.
And apparently, the feeling was not lost with John either.
"Wait a minute... This power…!" as both waves of Aura begin to mix, a seemingly stray thought graced the zombie's mind. A thought that had long lain dormant the moment the pirate passed on in real life, somehow John's mind was reawakened.
And his thoughts were filled with dread.
"It has to be…! This is the same feeling I felt that day! The day when captain unleashed-!"
But the thought had to be cut off cruelly as a shadow tendril latched into him, along with 3 more that struck the other zombies sent alongside him. John only had time to register what has happened, before whatever it was in the coffin violently wrenched their shadows out, and their minds blanked forever.
And as the now lifeless corpses crumpled to the floor, the reaction that was bound to happen finally unleashed itself. As Gian was within half a step from the coffin, close enough to touch it with just his fingertips, the energy that was building up finally got nowhere else to go.
And all Gian saw at the last moment was a bright flash of light.
Before the entire lab was rocked by tremors.
Flung back hard against the stone walls of the lab, Gian cried out in pain as his back slammed down. Gritting his teeth, he shook off his explosion addled mind as he staggered up, still clutching both weapons. As his vision adjusted, he finally saw the extent of what had transpired. The glass coffin had flung its lid wide open; most of it was completely cracked as thick opaque smoke leaked from the dark mass within, seemingly bottomless.
At least, that was the case until a pale hand reached out and grasped the edges.
Gian's breath hitched in his chest, the mounting feeling of something pressing down on his body grew by the second. As more and more of the entity within the casket emerged, he finally realized why.
Why he sensed that whatever was in the coffin felt so familiar.
And as the being's full body emerged from the black ink-like substance, there was no mistaking it.
His shadow was in whatever this new kind of undead is.
The form that finally rose out of the coffin stood up full, taller than even Gian himself by a foot as he- Gian noted that the body was notably masculine- silently examined himself. Even as the light flicked, it seemed that he could see the thing fully. A muscular form that seemed to exist on your average man in peak health condition, the fact that his greyish skin was unnaturally pale was the only sign this entity was not wholly alive. Aside from that however, there was nothing to suggest this thing is a zombie; there were no signs of any stitching or patchwork done to it, and every part of its body seemed to belong to the same body, no random animal found anywhere.
But then there was his eyes: pale, blank, no pupil. Just twin white orbs located in the middle of a rather chiseled, if not slightly weathered, face. Even the entity's long spiky black hair hung down to his shoulders belonged to that of a person in the prime of his life, but the one before him was clearly not completely alive…
"So… you must be shadow…" Gian whispered out "What kind of zombie are you supposed to be?"
"Zombie…?" the undead figure tilted his head. His voice was unmistakably that of a man's, yet it seemed to resonate with multiple other voices echoing at once "Why give me such an unfortunate title…"
"Yeah, well look around." Gian muttered, a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead "I guess I should be grateful Moria's underlings at least chose to give my undead self a rather good looking body."
"There are a multitude of thoughts within my head…" the figure rumbled "I feel my mind being pulled apart and stretched in multiple directions." The being mentioned as he gave himself a stretch. He was completely nude, save for his lower portions conveniently shrouded by wisps of shadows still clinging to him; Gian was somewhat relieved by that.
"Looks like Moria hasn't quite subjugated my shadow yet." Gian noted "Good, someone so easy on the eyes shouldn't be serving a maniac like him."
"Hmmm," The entity bemused at that comment, before looking down at a glass shard of the coffin splayed across the stone floor. He blinked when he saw his reflection "It does look like my body has been in good condition."
"Yeah, I suppose that's why my shadow's what they used it for." Gian grinned "We are sexy."
The revenant gave a half smile "We are sexy bitches…"
"Ok, this is ri-goddamn-diculous." Gian snapped "You're definiately my shadow, alright. Time to head home now, open up!" and with that he flicked a small salt pellet towards the undead's mouth, only for his counterpart to swat it away.
"Now why would I want to do that?" The revenant quipped "I'm having fun, and we don't want to go home!"
"What the hell are you even talking about?" Gian growled "You're my shadow, get back inside me!"
"So what you're saying, is that you want me inside you…?" Project Alpha mused.
"Yes!"
"But mister, wouldn't that make you g-"
"Ok, screw this! I'm not here to negotiate, you're coming back with me!" Gian, finally had enough of the banter, strode forwards to grab his counterpart. All that was halted, however, when the undead version of him gripped his arm before twisting it down.
"No," Then Project Alpha's features turned sinister "no I don't think I will…"
It was only then that Gian knew that the night had to continue.
Meanwhile:
"Yohohoho… not bad… you certainly know your way around the blade." Ryuma chuckled as Shusui clashed against Zoro's Wado Ichimonji. The two swordsmen have been standing off for ages, clashing multiple times and neither granting the other an advantage. Now, the two faced each other again, swords drawn and daring the other to make a first move.
"Heh, you're not bad for a dead guy either." Zoro remarked, the two rushing at each other again before locking blades once more.
"Incredible! Such skills with the sword!" Brook remarked in awe while he and Franky faced their own foes across the hall "I've never even come close to what Ryuma was capable of in 5 years, yet he's able to duel with him on equal footing!"
"Yeah, that's kind of his thing." Franky agreed "We kind of have a different problem though!"
Brook yelped as Jigoro swung one of his blades at his head, ducking before lashing out with his own sword in the process only for it to be parried by the other. Meanwhile, Franky was trying and failing to get the smaller penguin-dog in his grasp. The size difference between the two was almost comical, yet the little zombie could still hit with decent force, causing the cyborg to be on his guard. Meanwhile, Brook's warrior opponent was almost just as much of a swordsman as the other two, wielding twin sabers that easily matched his own techniques.
"Damn, this little pipsqueak is slippery!" Franky growled as the penguin zombie Inuppe leapt over his fist before running up the cyborg's arm. The Shipwright hardly had any time to react before the zombie delivered a spinning kick to his face, sending him staggering and stumbling.
"Franky-san! Are you alright?" Brook called out while still trying to avoid his opponent's swords. The cyborg shook his head to clear his mind, his expression more irritated than anything else.
"That little scamp's kicks aren't even that powerful, yet it clearly seems like it knows a lot of techniques...
"Perhaps it's due to the difference in strength levels between corpse and shadow." Brook deduced.
"Strength level?"
"For a zombie to be used to it's, the body and shadow must be of a similar level of power." Brook explained "I had to get this information out of that doctor 5 years ago, but it's the reason why Ryuma is able to use my moves so effectively, a strong body and a strong shadow will create a very powerful zombie. Conversely, if the body or shadow is weaker than the other, then it may not have the strength it once had in life. It seems your opponent has a strong shadow, but the body is not meant for combat."
"So essentially, I got lucky that Moria messed up and gave the shadow to a munchkin." Franky sniffed.
"Perhaps, though it seems I'm not so lucky; this zombie is a proficient swordsman." Brook grimaced as he was forced to parry another slash from Jigoro.
As the two dealt with their own problems, Zoro and Ryuma were still locked in fierce combat. Ebony clashed against Ivory as their respective blades sent sparks all around the hall. The samurai got a surprise Zoro unsheathed Sandai Kitetsu as well before charging at him, forcing two blades against his one. They pushed against each other for a moment before breaking apart, a gust picked up as it did so.
"I must say, this is most impressive." Ryuma remarked "You do not look like much, yet you're quite a formidable swordsman. I had all but forgotten the feeling of facing a worthy opponent, it seems you are able to almost make me feel that again."
"I did say I will take that blade from you, did I not?" Zoro replied "I intend to keep that promise."
"Still so confident, even in the face of death?"
"I don't intend to die here, and that's not just due to what this place looks like." Zoro sneered.
Ryuma shifted into another stance "If I may inquire, I've seen you duel me with 2 swords now, yet you carry 3. Why is that so?"
"To spare you the details, this remaining sword is now broken." Zoro replied "Normally I wield three."
"3 swords you say?" Ryuma observed "That's most peculiar, maybe even interesting." And Zoro almost instantly shifted to the side as Ryuma sent another screeching wind blade past his direction "A shame you'll never use it ever again."
"Don't be, it's more unfortunate that you won't get the opportunity to see it!" Zoro grinned as the two clashed again. Neither were willing to give the other any opportunity to let their guard down, as the dance of steel continued and blow after blow were rained down onto each other's weapons. Zoro is excited; an opponent like this is the perfect opportunity to grow stronger and one that doesn't hold anything back like Ryuma is even better. Meanwhile, while the samurai can't show any expression or feel anything, Ryuma would believe that the exhilaration he felt as of that moment would be akin to his blood pumping with anticipation, had he any blood left in him.
"Not bad… but can you take this one?" Ryuma reared his arm back before delivering a devastating thrust "Aubade Coup Droit!"
Zoro gritted his teeth as he felt the black katana bore into his own swords, slowly feeling his feet dig into the stone. Eventually, something had to give, and he had to duck away from the piercing attack as Ryuma blasted a hole clean through the stone chamber.
The backlash from the move was enough to shake the entire room, causing both Brook and Franky to stumble. Fortunately, their zombie opponents were also caught in the middle, so they weren't exactly caught off guard. Still, just witnessing the level of strength that was displayed by the undead samurai was enough to make their jaws fall to the floor. Even more impressive was how Zoro had caught the attack and merely shook it off.
"Don't tell me, that's one of your moves isn't it?" Franky drawled.
"Yes… though naturally I've never pulled something like that off before. Ryuma in life was an exemplary warrior in a nation known for them, he surpassed them all. Naturally his strength is higher than mine."
"Goddamn… that really is a whole other level…" Franky panted "We better-WHOA!"
The cyborg was immediately forced on the defensive as Inuppe gave a leaping kick to him, striking his raised arm.
"They're coming again!" Brook warned, blocking another strike with his cane sword as Jigoro attacked him again.
"Shit, these guys just don't have an off switch!" Franky barked "Alright you little pest, stand still so I can purify you! Weapons Left!"
But the little penguin dog merely danced around all of his bullets as Franky pelted the area where it stood, and it immediately went on the offensive again. This time Franky was too slow to block, not that he could do much as the little penguin dashed right under him.
"SHI-!"
"Anti-Manner Kick Course!"
However, a little body does have its limits, and Franky was left more confused as the two shared an awkward moment where the little zombie struck him with his short legs, a blow that, while it did leave him slightly winded, would've been more devastating on an actual abled body. Franky was ultimately more annoyed than anything else, and only growled as he punched downwards. The little penguin managed to roll away from the fist, leaving the cyborg back at square one.
But he also noticed something else was off.
"Wait a minute…" the cyborg narrowed his eyes "That last move, why did it seem so familiar?"
"I'm not exactly well versed in the history of fighting techniques Franky-san, so I don't think I will be much help," Brook said with some effort "And considering my current predicament, I can't exactly help either.
The shipwright looked up to see exactly what he meant: Brook was being pushed back step by step as Jigoro rained down slash after slash with his twin cutlasses. Inuppe clearly knew how to fight, if his kicks were anything to judge by, and it was only due to unfortunate circumstance that the shadow and body were so different from one another.
Jigoro did not have that limitation, and he's currently matching the skeleton blow for blow.
"You have been a thorn on Moria-sama's side for too long now." the undead warrior growled "Had it not been the fact that Ryuma-sama needs you to live, we would've disposed of you long ago."
"I'm done hiding from him! He's kept me from Laboon for too long!" Brook declared "I will get my shadow back whatever it takes!"
"You won't even take one more step." And it was then that Jigoro revealed another hidden trick, one that was ultimately more familiar to a few members of the party. Franky gawked at what the zombie did, and the gears in his brain finally rolled and put everything together.
"Oh you've gotta be kidding me!"
"Whoa, what kind of a stance is that?" Brook stammered. Even he didn't know what to do as Jigoro got into another stance.
After all, there aren't that many people out there capable of using 3 swords at once.
"Santoryu-"
"Well, we found one of our missing shadows…" Franky grimaced as he prepared for the incoming attack. With the way the stance was held, it seemed Jigoro wanted to hit both of them at once.
"-Tatsumaki!"
"Skeleton! Duck!"
Both of them had to hit the deck to avoid being diced up by the worst of the razor storm. The entire room was rocked by the attack. Brook had to immediately scramble once it ended, for Jigoro was on the attack once again, this time all 3 cutlasses out and screaming for blood.
The move did not go unnoticed by the other two combatants in the room. Ryuma's robes were merely ruffled, but Zoro took a bigger hit. After what he's witnessed, it didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on.
"That's one of my moves… that zombie has my shadow doesn't it?!"
"So you've noticed. Moria-sama chose a worthy vessel for your shadow to inhabit." Ryuma affirmed "While it means I cannot kill you lest that shadow be extinguished from life, you can at least see where your life from now on will be like."
"Yeah, that's not happening!" Zoro growled before rushing at the samurai again "That undead warrior may have my personality and know my techniques, yet there's not a chance he could use them like me!"
"Don't be so certain, in life Jigoro of the Wind was a formidable warrior who has slain over 7000 warriors in his military career. I have given them orders to merely incapacitate my former body, but your other comrade may lose his life tonight, unless Moria-sama wants his shadow as well."
"You look down on us too much," Zoro huffed, getting into another stance "Every shadow under that creep will be freed tonight when Luffy's done with him, but I'll handle you!"
"Yohohoho… shall we compare the strength of our attacks once again?" Ryuma raised his own sword to meet Zoro's charge, before rushing at him as well.
"Nitoryu: Nigiri Maguma!"
"Prelude: Aur Fer!"
The twin attacks sent a shockwave that cut itself deep into the ceiling itself, causing it to rupture and break apart. Ryuma immediately leapt through the hole, with Zoro following him close behind. The sound of swords clashing could still be heard as they ascended to the roof, leaving the two down below still in awe at the power.
"Franky-san, does this zombie really have Zoro-san's shadow?" Brook asked.
"After what he just did? I'm convinced." The cyborg grunted "There's only one person I've seen being able to pull off a 3 sword style like that, and he just left." Something flying through the air cause Franky to hold his arms out in another block, as Inuppe delivered a spinning kick down from above, avoiding the cyborg's massive fists once again as he did so.
"And if that's the case, looking at what this pipsqueak can do, I'm betting 1000 beri that this one must have the cook's shadow."
"From the looks of it, both of them are formidable fighters," Brook grimaced "Just how strong are those two in your crew? Aubade Coup Droit!"
Brook's attack, while being the original, was significantly weaker than what Ryuma delivered earlier, merely being a thrust. And while it was still fast, Jigoro was able to parry it easily. Flexing his dual cutlasses in his hands while the third remained in his mouth, the undead soldier spun around, the blades too much to evade, cutting into the skeleton.
"Brook!" Franky cried out "Are you ok?!"
"Ack…! Just getting hit by that made my blood run cold!" The skeleton shivered; fortunately none of the swords cut into his bones, though his suit was tattered in some places "Oh, but I don't have any blood, Yohoho-!"
"Now's not the time for that! Get serious!" The cyborg snapped, only to growl as Jigoro followed up with his previous assault and charged at him next. The shipwright popped his hand open to fire a rocket, but behind the taller zombie leapt out the smaller Innupe. With this close of a distance and no time to block, Franky caught the penguin-dog's foot clean in his face, the missile exploding harmlessly in the air above them.
"Veau Shot!"
This time, the kick was enough to cause Franky to fly into Brook, sending the two crashing into the ground in a groaning heap. Franky hissed at that; had the penguin zombie actually had Sanji's strength, his face would've been a lot more damaged.
"We've wasted enough time here, make sure they're both out cold." Innupe barked.
"Who says you can give me orders?" Jigoro growled, but nonetheless got into another stance, holding his swords out.
"Shit, something's coming!" Franky shouted.
"Nitoryu: Nanajuni Pound Ho!"
Spiraling air blades stuck into more of the ceiling, causing some remaining debris to rain down. Franky and Brook, caught directly under it, were too late to get out of the way. The two zombies watched as their targets were buried under wood and rubble.
"That should handle it, we must report back to Moria-sama now to-!"
"Would it kill you to give me a warning when you throw out an attack out of the blue?!" Inuppe suddenly snapped "You could've cut me up!"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" The taller zombie snarled "How could I hit you, you insufferable runt?!"
"What did you just call me?! I'll-!"
So engrossed in their bickering the two didn't even notice the rubble pile beginning to shift, even as Franky and Brook's heads emerged and were treated to the sight.
"T-They're arguing?" the skeleton gave a puzzled remark.
"It's like you said, the bodies inherit the personality of the shadow that it took in." Franky mumbled "And those two argue constantly…" his grimace turned serious "Then again, that would explain why they're together, and why their teamwork is so good."
"So what do we do? They're both rather powerful, even with their limitations."
"Powerful yes, but you mentioned limitations, and we're going to exploit that." Franky grinned "And seeing this in front of me? I think I might've just found a way."
The two zombies were still in the midst of arguing toe to toe when explosions peppered the ground around them. Their heads snapped up and both glared at the cyborg, left arm smoking and daring them to move.
"You haven't beaten us yet!" The cyborg taunted "I have a SUPER body that takes more than just falling rubble to bring me down!"
"It would seem that way." Jigoro noted "Your strength is evident, Moria-sama will have a powerful shadow once I am done here."
"Not if I purify you first! Strong Right!"
Franky's right first fired, the chained appendage slamming into Jigoro's raised swords with a CLANG! As it pushed it back, the cyborg caught sight of Inuppe charging at him from the side.
"That move is slow! I'll beat you down and deliver you to Moria-sama myself! Concasse!"
Franky gritted his teeth as the penguin sank his foot into his side, bracing himself as best he could. Retracting his fist, he tried to grab the little zombie again, but this gave Jigoro the opportunity he needed.
"It seems like we cannot underestimate you any longer. I'll finish you right now." Franky's eyes widened as he saw the zombie warrior get into a familiar stance, crossing his arms with his swords to his sides.
"Oni Giri!"
Rolling to the side, Franky groaned as the backlash from the attack blown past him. The draft caused by the slashing move sent up a small gale that caused him to brace himself.
"OI! YOU ALMOST TOOK MY HEAD OFF, YOU DUMBASS!" and just as he hoped, Inuppe would be caught in the attack too. The diminutive zombie growled as he squared up to his taller compatriot, eyes full of fire as he challenged him.
"You, you are absolutely blind!" the dog barked "It's like your sense of direction translated to your skills too!"
"Shut your trap, you mongrel! You shouldn't have ended up in there in the first place!" Jigoro snapped back "How do you manage to always get in my way?"
"Grrr…!" Jigoro's eyes suddenly widened in shock as the smaller zombie kicked upwards towards him, forcing him to block. Rage flared in both their eyes, so much that they forgot the presence of the others still with them.
"You wanna go?! I'll kick your head off and make Hogback-sama reattach it to your ass!"
"Like you can do anything to do me, all you ever do is chase after girls! I'll cut you in half!"
And then words turned to blows as the two zombies began to scrap with one another, completely ignoring all others.
Franky grinned; they were acting exactly as he'd had hoped. Now, he just needed Brook to be in the right position and-!
"How in the hell did you even become a General Zombie?!"
"It's better than anything you'll ever be, mutt!"
"Wow, you're just gonna ignore me, huh?" Franky jeered "To be fair this is kind of hurtful!"
"Shut up! When I kick his ass, I'll handle you after!" the two zombies snapped in his direction.
"Unfortunately, you'll have to first return to your owners. It's time to go home shadows." So caught up in their bickering the two zombies didn't even notice that the fourth member of the group was missing until they heard the tapping of his feet as he walked past them. Slowly they dislodged themselves from one another, realizing too late what had transpired.
"Wait, Dead Bones?! But-!"
"You've been out long enough. Hanata Sancho: Yahazu Giri!"
And with the sheathing of his sword, the two zombies behind Brook instantly felt the blade sink into them. They scrambled with each other for a bit, unable to prevent the reaction about to happen as salt coursed through their bodies, courtesy of Brook mixing it to his blade prior. It all ended soon after, both zombies convulsed slightly, before drooping to the ground as twin dark shapes oozed out of their mouths.
Two shadows, purified, flitted around in the air before returning to their respective owners.
And just like that, Franky and Brook have won.
"Hoo!" the cyborg breathed out "So that's what squaring up against Zoro feels like."
"Had it not been their arguing, I doubt I would have a more ample moment to strike." Brook noted "How did you know they would be at each other's throats like that?"
"I was sort of surprised to see it too. Even in the crew, those two are one upping each other whenever they get the chance." Franky grinned lightly "Seems like that rivalry transcends the physical body."
"Yohohoho…! They must be good friends then." Brook chuckled "What now? Shall we go assist Zoro-san?"
"Nah, he'll be fine. He should be done with that samurai any minute now." Franky grinned confidently.
Indeed, the duel with Ryuma has reached the rooftops, where the two swordsman traded steel not relenting an inch. As Zoro flipped over a sweeping slash from Ryuma, his felt something enter his body as a cold feeling jolted down his spine. Upon landing he glanced down, a small grin forming on his face.
"Heh, looks like they did it." He stated as he saw the familiar shade of his shadow now once again reflected in the moonlight.
"So, it seems two more of our soldiers have met their defeat." Ryuma growled "Absalom-sama will be disappointed, we will have to replenish them later."
"Well, that's one thing I don't have to worry anymore." Zoro turned back towards Ryuma, spreading two of his swords out. The undead samurai caught his intent as he raised Shusui up as well. A moment later, they were trading blows yet again, running across the roof itself as their slashes sent shingles flying off their concrete plaster. Eventually however, Zoro took a particularly hard parry from Ryuma, causing him to stumble slightly before regaining his balance however. It was more than enough for the zombie to unleash a powerful retaliation however, and the green-haired swordsman found himself unable to hold fast enough with his next block, causing him to be knocked down to the room as he skidded down the side. Straining all of his muscles, Zoro only managed to slow down by digging the now broken Yubashiri into the roof.
"You are skilled, that I have no doubt. Despite it all, there is still a difference of power between us." Ryuma scoffed "Even with all your might, you are still mortal. Still bound by the limitations of your living body, still able to feel pain and fatigue."
Zoro gasped as Ryuma sent forth another wind blade, carving up more of the roof.
"I, however, have no such limitations."
"If there's a limitation to what I can do, you can bet that I'll surpass it." Zoro chuckled as he staggered up "And you're the perfect one to work on them."
Ryuma braced himself as Zoro leapt at him swinging Wado Ichimonji down hard in a hammer slice. The two struggled for a brief moment before the samurai forced his blade upwards, forcing Zoro to flip back in order to avoid the slicing gale he sent skyward. He hardly had any time to recover before Ryuma sliced outwards again, ducking under the strike as the resulting shockwave bisected the tower on the roof!
"That, is the power of the undead." Ryuma growled as Zoro hid his shock as best as he could."
"Yeah, yeah, that's all you can say." Zoro snapped "Doesn't matter how strong you are, you're still a puppet, borrowing the life of someone else!"
"Enough! You have been a pest for far too long." The samurai drew his blade once more as he charged "I will end this duel now."
"My thoughts exactly!" Zoro shouted as he met the charge yet again. But as the two locked blades once more, it seems that Zoro's strength was finally reaching his limit as he was steadily being pushed back. Finally, with a heavy wrench, Ryuma forced his foe to stagger backwards before flourishing Shusui in a familiar form.
"Sloppy, even you can only fight on for so long." The zombie taunted "I will make sure your shadow is recaptured now. Goodbye, Roronoa Zoro."
Zoro didn't say anything as Ryuma's sandals tapped on as the zombie walked past him, the zombie prepared to sheath his blade in the technique of his predecessor.
"With 3 steps, you have been defeated. Hanata Sancho: Yahazu-!"
Only for Zoro to block the slash right as it connected.
"What?!" even in his state of undeath, Ryuma could feel shock as he saw the green-haired swordsman parry the hit as he glared back at him "His speed… it was fast enough to even block that move?"
"You're right about one thing: You will be defeated!" Zoro shouted as he leapt into the air.
"Another aerial attack, but you seem to forget that it leaves you wide open!" Ryuma growled as he met the incoming leap with one of his own, blade stretched out to meet him.
Which was exactly what Zoro wanted.
And Ryuma realized that too late as he tried in vain to launch his previous attack yet again. Now only wielding Wado, Zoro's stance relied on one strike and one strike only. At the last moment, Ryuma could've sworn he saw the outline of a dragon as the sword drew closer and closer…
"Ittoryu: Hiryu Kaen!"
The cut was instant, Ryuma felt his body break apart at the seams where the swordsman struck. Naturally, being unable to feel pain, it didn't bother him as much. He could simply ask Hogback to re-stitch the wound later. Indeed, upon landing, Ryuma still stood, while Zoro dropped to one knee in a hiss of pain; a vertical slash wound had marked his chest.
"A proficient attempt, except you seemed to forget something. My body no longer allows me to be affected by the distractions of being severed." Ryuma taunted "A single cut won't-!"
His thoughts were broken off once he promptly burst into flames.
"W-What? What is this?"
"An attack that specifically sets its victims ablaze." Zoro responded as he stood up "On my way here, I had to cut apart a few other of that army of yours. Naturally, that didn't kill them, though it did leave them incapacitated enough for me to move on. You might not feel any pain, but when you're missing your legs or a head it'll still be enough to get you to stop moving."
"However too truly release that shadow your body has to be destroyed. I could've used salt like some of the others, but frankly I ran out before I made it here." Ryuma said nothing as the embers spread across his body, he could feel it breaking every molecule of the samurai's corpse to ash, and he could do nothing to stop it.
"Besides, a warrior should meet an end in a more dignified manner, should they not?" Zoro finished.
"Yohohoho… so you say. Very well, this looks to be my defeat." Ryuma chuckled as the fire engulfed his entire being by now "Your skills are remarkable indeed, this sword would be honored to call you its master."
Zoro's face was emotionless as Ryuma raised his hand, the black katana clasped firmly within.
"The meito Shusui, once an heirloom of Wano Country, I no longer have any use for it, it would be far suited in your possession."
"It's a shame we met in such circumstances." Zoro finally uttered "Had you still been living, a duel would've been much more meaningful."
"Perhaps so, it was a good fight nonetheless." Ryuma breathed as the last of him became covered by the inferno "If only I have not allowed this samurai's body to fall in defeat, I did not wish to dishonor it…"
And then Ryuma dissipated with the last of the fire, crumpling into nothing more than a pile of burnt robes still aflame. Zoro watched as the shadow within floated out before seeking its owner, before he closed his eyes to send one last prayer to the undead samurai before picking up the sword at his feet. It was as if the blade called out to him the moment his fingers wrapped around its sheath, as if it actively begged him for another fight.
He smiled; this sword is perfect for him.
Franky and Brook were still wondering how to get to the roof when they saw Zoro finally drop down. Relief filled them before they saw the new addition.
"That's the samurai's blade! So you really did manage to-!" Brook gasped.
"Check your feet." Zoro pointed. Brook looked down and gasped in joy upon seeing-
"My shadow! It's returned! Thank you Zoro-san! You have my gratitude, for without it I truly cannot leave this place! Now I can-!"
"Yeah, I'm sure you're really excited to see Laboon by now, but we're not out of the woods yet so you'll have to wait." Franky interjected as he saw Brook's surprised expression "Don't worry, everyone knows."
"It's not over, Moria's still out there." Zoro reminded everyone "I'm sure Luffy's handling him the best he can, our job is to make sure that he doesn't have any interferences."
"Indeed, I must thank him as well. He's done so much for me even though we've just met, and-"
That was when the arm burst through.
As that was happening:
"Oh my, Absalom-sama is tearing up the entire church…!" the two zombie attendants dove in fear as the lion man fired another explosive palm strike at his chef opponent. Sanji hardly paid any mind to that comment however, as he was too busy leaping over another explosion, narrowly avoiding wooden shrapnel as Absalom's attack destroyed another bench. Seizing the opportunity, he immediately flipped before slamming his heel into the pervert's head, causing Absalom to slam into the ground.
"Damn you…" Absalom growled as he staggered up. Sanji's next charge against him was soon stopped when Absalom's body turned transparent, before going out of sight. The cook stood, concentrating on where his attacker was planning on striking next. Fortunately for him, Absalom's wild blasts from earlier had litter the church halls with cracked stone and wood, and the sound of an approaching invisible person from the right of him caused the cook to flip around, kicking upwards in a splits position right into the lion man's jaw.
"There you are! Don't think I won't be able to kick your ass just because I can't see you! Basse Cotes!"
"Damn it, there's too much debris on the ground! I can't sneak up on him!" Absalom thought in pain, but he didn't have much more time to think it over for Sanji had already followed up with multiple more kicks to his chest and stomach.
"Tendron!"
"Longe!"
The third hit was enough to force Absalom out of his invisibility, becoming visible again as he coughed up blood. He could only glare up as Sanji returned the stare hatefully; the cook was not finished yet.
"All that invisibility shit, you're the one that came onto our ship earlier, you're the one that violated Robin-chan and peeped on Nami-san in the shower!"
"Oh come on! 'Beast Warrior' already laid into me for that earlier, now I have to deal with-AUGH!"
"Flanchet!"
"Quasi!"
"Queue!"
"Cuisseau!"
"Jarret!"
Each kick sent Absalom further back towards the wall, a relentless assault that dealt blow after blow to the lion man.
"You're despicable… you're utterly unforgivable! I'm going to put you through so much pain it'll make you quake in fear whenever you ever turn invisible again!"
"Just how strong is this guy?! There wasn't even a bounty on him! How did-!"
"Veau Shot!"
The final flurry of rapid kicks soon forced him into the stone wall, where Absalom was forced to endure a full 10 seconds of feet slamming into his body. With one final kick, Sanji sent up a dust cloud as the impact cracked the walls of the church.
"Absalom-sama!" the zombie attendants cried out in concern.
"All that has left me enraged, and now, even after all this time, I'm this close to beating you to an inch of your life!"
His ranting was met with a bruised and bloody Absalom glared up before aiming his left hand at him. However, the chef had already anticipated such a move, and before Absalom can fire off another explosion, Sanji's foot already lashed out and struck the appendage, causing him to yowl in pain and for something else to clatter to the ground.
"So that's what's causing things to blow up earlier…" The chef muttered darkly upon seeing the now defunct rocket launcher that laid at his feet. Previously strapped to Absalom's arms, they revealed the truth of his explosion palms "Not only are you able to turn yourself invisible, objects and people you touch can also gain that effect."
Absalom flinched as Sanji's eyes flared with rage.
"Which brings us to the part where I'm most pissed off about you!"
"What the hell are you even talking about?!" The commander shouted.
"There's no doubt about it, the invisibility, you've eaten the Suke-Suke no Mi, haven't you?" Sanji snarled "You took everything from me!"
"Are you insane? We've only just met moments ago! I don't even know who you are!"
"But I know all about that fruit, and all its abilities. Imagine how I feel, when it's in the hands of an absolute waste of air like you!"
"THAT'S THE REASON HE'S PISSED?!" the zombies shouted.
"From a young age, ever since I found out about the Suke-Suke no Mi, I've wanted to get my hands on it. The thought of –GIRL'S BATH- No, I mean that I could- GIRL'S BATH- No, on how I can help so many-GIRL'S BATH-!"
"-HE JUST WANTS TO PEEP ON WOMEN IN BATHHOUSES WITH IT?!" The zombies cried out.
"SHUT UP! NOW I FIND THAT THAT DREAM OF MINE HAS BEEN CRUSHED BY THIS ASSHOLE?! NOT ONLY HAVE YOU PEEP ON SO MANY PEOPLE YOU ALSO HURT MY NAKAMA WITH IT!" Fire burned around Sanji as he raged again, striding towards Absalom.
"Are you kidding me right now… the only reason you have a problem with me is because I ate the fruit you wanted?!" Absalom facepalmed "And for such a vile reason too… THERE'S A LIMIT FOR HOW SHAMELESS SOMEONE CAN BE!"
"Exactly… you tell him, Absalom-sama." The zombies nodded.
"Just what kind of depraved person are you, you absolute pervert!"
"I DON'T WANT TO BE CALLED THAT BY YOU!" And Sanji lashed out with another enraged kick, sending Absalom flying across the room again.
"HE'S GOT A POINT AS WELL!"
"THEY'RE BOTH SO DEPRAVED!"
Even the help can't believe how much hypocrisy runs in this church. However, by now Absalom has had enough. Rearing up from the rubble, he growled at the chef, now more animalistic than human.
"Seems like we overlooked how powerful members of the Straw Hats are." the beast-man growled "But it matters not, I will break you for interfering with this wedding, and you'll wish you never showed your face to me!"
With a roar, the beast-man tore his suit from his body, revealing the cross-stitch of grotesque muscle and sinews underneath. Sanji gazed upon him with a grimace.
"What the hell are you?!"
"This is the work of combining the best of the animal kingdom into one body! The jaws of a lion, the muscles of a gorilla, the tendons of a bear! Every predator that's hunted on this world is now a part of me! This is true perfection!" with a roar, Absalom charged at Sanji with his arms out stretched, only to be kicked back again.
"All that, but you still peeped!" The cook shouted before attacking the beast-man himself. Even with the added mass of all those animal's his kicks were still more than enough when it comes to beating the ever loving tar out of the depraved commander.
It helps that he's much more agile than him too, with every strong punch that Absalom throws out, Sanji was able to outmaneuver him. And that became apparent with Absalom too, as he soon decided to retreat back to more familiar tactics.
"Still flaunting that power in front of me, is he?" Sanji growled as the beast-man turned invisible yet again. Focusing on where the assailant might appear next, the cook braced himself. But the gravelly laughter that surrounded him soon pointed him in a different direction. Sanji's eyes widened in anger as he saw Nami, still unconscious, being lifted up by an invisible force.
"You came here for her, didn't you?" Absalom laughed "Well let's see you try to find her once you can't see where she is anymore!"
"You bastard!" Leaping into action, Sanji sprinted over as much as his legs can carry him, diving to catch Nami as she began to turn transparent. Holding her in a bridal carry, his relief was cut short as he realized Absalom was no longer in the vicinity.
"Hehehe… I knew you'd go for her!" that is until a deep laughter came from behind him, causing him to whirl around
"I thought I told you not to get her caught in our fight?!"
"Why, that seems very hard to do." Sanji doubled over when an invisible fist smashed hard into his abdomen. Raising Nami into the air as best he could, it was all he could do as Absalom threw another unseen punch into the back of his head "If you're so keen on her not getting hurt, good luck to you for trying to keep it that way!"
"Damn it, I can't strike back!" Sanji hissed in his head, biting down on a grunt of pain as Absalom slammed his knee into him.
"You want to fight back, don't you?" Absalom taunted "All you have to do is drop her! But then you'll leave her wide open now, isn't that right?"
"Sorry, Nami-san…" Sanji muttered as he endured another punch "I really don't want to stain that beautiful dress of yours…"
"Still holding on? Well, let me give you a little encouragement!" And Sanji screamed in pain as the invisible beast-man slammed his hand into his left shoulder, causing his arm to buckle slightly. As Sanji used all his strength to keep it propped up, the powers embedding the weapon was unveiled, revealing a dagger now stabbed into his flesh.
"Don't worry Nami-san, I'll end this soon." Making a decision, the cook leapt away, faintly hearing the stomping of Absalom behind him before dropping her onto a church bench.
"I thought I told you, leave her out of this!" spinning around on his feet, his right leg ignited again as he swept it out "Diable Jambe: Flambage Shot!"
Absalom yowled in pain when the flaming foot slammed into his chest, causing him to tumble back. Sanji looked down with satisfaction as he watched the beast-man roll around trying to douse the flames that have spread over his body; flames that revealed the invisible man.
"I've decided, the Suke-Suke no mi? You can rot with it! I'll just find a way to peep on my own without it!"
"WHY IS THAT STILL ON YOUR MIND?!" Absalom, struggling to get up, howled one last phrase before the cook leapt into the air, igniting his legs as he kicked down towards the floor.
"Diable Jambe: Extra Hachis!"
Absalom's shouts of agony could barely be felt as each foot, hot as a meteorite upon reentry, rained down on his body. Sanji didn't let up, the barrage of fiery kicks impacting with each blow, until one final explosive kick impacted the entire church. When the dust cleared, there was only a man-shaped crater where Absalom was literally pressed into. Only a low gurgle of defeat sounded from the now beaten beast-man.
"As if I'd let her get married to someone like you…" Sanji scoffed as he dusted himself off, wincing as he brought his hand to the still bleeding knife wound on his shoulder. Hastily ripping off a pant leg before wrapping it up, he turned to the still comatose Nami and cradled her gently.
"Let's get out of here, they'll be sending reinforcements soon and-WHAT THE HELL!"
Unfortunately, he won't be getting far.
Because a massive foot just stomped down through the roof of the church…
Meanwhile:
"Alright… when they said 'why are you hitting yourself' back in the day, I guess this is what they meant…"
Gian rolled as the large object landed near him again. He's been dueling his undead counterpart for the last 10 minutes. From the start, it didn't seem like his shadow would be very cooperative returning to him, something he's accounted for considering what he's saw before. Still, with the bit of salt he has on him and his other gear, he figured getting it back wouldn't be that hard.
Unfortunately, Project Alpha did not seem to share that sentiment.
"I must say, being on my own has been the most exhilarating time I've had since I was born!" Project Alpha stated. The pale revenant raised another fist as Gian delivered an Atom Fist to meet it, the twin punches canceling each other out, their strength seemingly on par with one another.
"Yeah, well the field trip is over!" Gian growled dislodging the chainsaw before revving it up. As Project Alpha charged towards him, he met that charge, swinging the power tool horizontally in a wide arc. When the undead ducked under it, he soon brought it up and raised it in the air before bringing it down in a hammer slice.
Only for Project Alpha to promptly catch it between his palms.
"Ok… that is actually pretty badass." Gian whistled, before wheezing as the revenant slammed a kick into his stomach. Pushing on the chainsaw, he tried to impale the spinning edges down, but never got the chance to as Project Alpha pushed it to the side, before raising a hand and delivered a chop downwards.
Sparks flew, but the result made Gian horrified. As he released the tool, its pieces then clattered uselessly to the floor; the entire blade turned to scrap by a single palm.
"Hey! I have to return that-!" he was silenced when Project Alpha slammed his fist into his face, knocking him back.
"Right now something pulls at my inner being, perhaps it's this Moria you spoke of before. What is your relation to him?"
"My relation? He's the whole reason for us being separated in the first place!" Gian snapped, rubbing his cheek "we'll handle him later, first you're going back into my body!"
Project Alpha sneered again "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."
"Wait, is this what some people feel like when they talk to me?"
"You are so exhausting, your time is limited to begin with! Once Luffy's done beating him up you'd be returned to me anyway."
Leaping up, a blue fireball formed in his hands, before he bunched it up and threw it "Atom Fireball!" Impacting against his target's torso, Gian paused, waiting to see what his counterpart will do next.
"Those flames… why do they feel so… familiar?" Project Alpha narrowed his eyes as he emerged from the smoke completely unscathed.
"It's because you're my shadow, duh!" Gian snapped "You want another refresher course? Well here it is!"
Project Alpha swept out with a sweeping kick, only for Gian to leap over and knee him in the face. He then delivered two more rapid punches, both causing the revenant's head to snap in either direction, though they seemed to do little otherwise. One last punch caused the revenant to stumble back, all the opportunity for Gian to finally draw out Atom Splitter and spin it around like a bladed saw.
"I still don't know exactly what body you have, but it's the last time you'll see it shadow! Now be purified!"
Project Alpha could only blink as the blade of the Guandao sank into his shoulder in a wide arc, cutting into the flesh before stopping due to resistance. He stumbled around as he dealt with the impact, as Gian watched for the effect about to take place. He had laced Atom Splitter's blade with salt prior to the crew's departing for their plan, and already plenty of zombies have met their end to it. Now, with both a seastone weapon and salt, surely the shadow will be purified now.
"No… that's not quite it…" those hopes were dashed as Project Alpha straightened himself up, regarding the weapon with some irritation. It was then that Gian realized something was wrong; Zombies were already corpses, they had no more bodily fluids within them. But that was not the case here as the wound where Atom Splitter was still embedded within seemed to be giving off a smoke like substance.
And Project Alpha promptly ripped it out before tossing it at him. Gian gasped as he dove to the side, his weapon impacting heavily with the walls of the lab, blowing a hole into it.
"How did that not work?!" he shouted "I managed to get salt into your system! Why is my shadow still with you?!"
Project Alpha simply sneered again, before rushing at him. This time, Gian couldn't brace himself quick enough as the revenant reached out and clutch him by the throat with his right hand.
"I don't pretend to understand, but I am starting to get an idea of what my belonging is right now." The undead stated "Those last attacks regarding that strange flame have reminded me of something. I revile when seeing it yet there's a sense of familiarity. I now know fully that I cannot go back to you."
Gian's eyes widened as Project Alpha raised his left fist, the palm darkening as if absorbing the very darkness around them. He had his suspicions earlier, but he's sure of it now.
Project Alpha was no mere zombie.
"And now, let me show you something you'll find familiar too."
"Just what are you…?" Gian croaked out. Project Alpha only had one thing to reply to that. Right before he threw the punch.
"Atom Fist."
A/N: Ok, since there's only one day left of this year, this is no doubt the last chapter of the year! I've been pretty busy for the last month, with deadlines and finals taking up all of my time. Then, a few days before Christmas, my mom broke her ankle and I've been taking care of her since. Thus, I didn't have as much time to write this chapter as much as I thought.
G: Also we've been busy trying to help Zagreus escape the Underworld.
That too, and I swear I will complete a full run of that in the coming days.
But now here we are! We've had a good year for this project, we've completed one of the best arcs of the series! Writing the climax of Enies Lobby is easily the highlight of this whole story, and I've got big shoes to fill. In the coming year, I wish introduce even more Kaiju elements and try to adapt it even more so that, while it's still a One Piece Story, you'll definitely see another direction of it going soon. With One Piece reaching 1000 chapters now, there's gonna be lots of room to work! Thank you all for sticking with us for this long!
G: You've also completely neglected our little logbook side project for this story.
One of these days I'll return to that.
In the meantime, try to enjoy this last chapter of 2020. We have the first of the Thriller Bark fights happening, with of bit of Gian's conflicts sprinkled in. The coming chapters will show the rest of the battles cumulating with the battle against Oars, and the revelation of who Project Alpha was. As I mentioned before, the final act of the story won't quite be the same as it was in canon, for better or for worse, so be prepared about that.
With that we'll leave you to have a happy new year!
Responses to Reviews:
To Chance Green G King:
If you've read one of the previous chapter's I technically foreshadowed it there. Then again, people tend not to pay attention to details as well as I thought.
G: That's because it's obscure as shit.
Come on, I'm sure some people remember right? Right?
To Raidentensho:
Wano is still so far away man.
G: With how that arc is going so far, he's trying really hard to fully adapt our plan for it.
To Matt:
Stan culture is dangerous
G: I still got to meet her though
To Solana Leonhart:
G: He's in Gacha hell, it's another reason why he hasn't shown up here.
Shut it! I need my 5 stars.
But thank you! You should see who Project Alpha is by the next chapter!
To Guest:
Believe me, I have ideas about that. Gian's shadow isn't quite a prisoner yet!
To Guest55:
Love does things to you.
G: I simp no matter what the circumstances are.
To Emyat:
Yeah, I honestly did.
G: pfft
But yeah, that chapter, I once again have to say, is not my best moment. What's done is done though, I can only move forwards. Still, again, I have to stress that Gian DIDN'T INTENSIVELY TRAIN WITH TRITON. All he did was show him a few self-defense moves and the basics of the Kaiju-Zoan transformations. It slipped my mind about mention it, but he's mostly self-taught and sort of got the rest of the transformation down on his own on Solgell Island. As you will later find, that's enough to get by early on in the Grand Line, but there are Kaiju-Zoan users far more attuned to their powers than he did by the time we reach the timeskip. He'll have to learn it the hard way.
To Jaffa3:
I haven't quite thought of it yet, I don't think I'll change the bounties of the Supernovas but I'll try to work with them more.
G: We really are taking 'doing it as it comes' very literally.
To lumenaquas:
Now I can understand how people watch all the anime episodes in 1 day.
G: Wait, people like that exist?
Probably, weeb strength knows know bounds.
Thanks for your support! I'll get more chapters out soon.
To turbokid96:
G: making me act up, I swear.
Go to horny jail *bonk
To shitabrick:
I have indeed kept tabs on Iron Sheik's twitter and seriously that man is a riot.
G: We don't even watch WWE that much but some of the personalities we're familiar with.
Oh yeah, happy belated holidays!
And that's all for now, we'll see you next time!
Leave a review and I can finally beat Hades and complete a run!
G: Seriously, Hades has taken over our lives. This is too important.