Chapter 3

3rd December 1521
Thriller Bark

Selena, Captain of the Whitefang Pirates, stood at the bow of her ship, her sharp eyes fixed on the distant silhouette of Thriller Bark. The notorious island-boat of Warlord Gecko Moria loomed ahead, its gothic spires piercing the sky. Known as the weakest of the Warlords, Moria was a tempting target for Selena. Eager to fight him and claim victory, she could already taste the glory and treasure that awaited her.

"Get ready to accost on the coast, you lazy bastards!" she screamed at her crew, her voice rough and commanding. "Move it, or I'll feed you to the sharks myself!"

Confident and cocky, Selena reveled in her undefeated record on the Grand Line. Less than six months had passed since she had set sail, and already she had a bounty of 170 million berries on her head. Defeating Moria would cement her fame, and the treasures of Thriller Bark would be the perfect prize.

As they approached the shore, Selena's imposing figure stood out. At nearly two meters tall, her only attire was a pair of tight-fitting pants and a sports bra, leaving her chiseled abs and muscular frame exposed to the wind. Every inch of her body was sculpted with lean, hard-earned muscle, rippling with every movement she made. Her skin was bronzed from the sun, a testament to the countless hours she spent training and battling under its relentless gaze. Barefoot her wild, untamed hair flowed freely in the wind, cascading down her back like a mane. Her eyes, sharp and predatory, glinted with an eager anticipation of the hunt. Selena's face, striking and beautiful, bore the hardened expression of a warrior who had seen countless battles and emerged victorious every time. The sharp lines of her jaw and the curve of her muscles exuded an undeniable, raw but intimidating.

"Time to get a lay of the land," Selena muttered, activating her devil fruit powers. Her form shifted, fur sprouting along her arms and legs, her nose elongating into a snout. As a Dire Wolf hybrid, her sense of smell was unparalleled. She sniffed the air, detecting the faintest scents. Satisfied, she reverted to her human form and bellowed to her crew, "It's clear! No humans nearby. Move your asses, you fuckers!"

The Whitefang Pirates disembarked and began their march towards the massive castle visible in the distance. The forest they entered was dark and foreboding, the trees twisted into grotesque shapes as if writhing in eternal agony. Gnarled branches reached out like skeletal hands, their bark cracked and scarred. The ground was littered with fallen leaves that crunched underfoot, adding to the silence that enveloped them. The shadows seemed to dance and flicker at the edge of their vision, moving with a life of their own, making the crewmates uneasy.

"Stop acting like scared little children!" Selena barked, her voice slicing through the oppressive atmosphere. "It's just a bunch of trees and shadows. Cowards, the lot of you!"

The forest was suffocating, the air thick with an unnatural chill that seemed to seep into their bones. The creaking of branches and the rustling of leaves sounded like whispers from unseen specters. Occasionally, a distant, mournful howl would echo through the trees, sending shivers down the spines of the crew. The pirates pressed on, their fear palpable, but Selena's relentless insults drove them forward.

"You pissants better toughen up or I'll feed you to the fucking shadows myself!" she shouted. "I've seen toddlers with more spine than you lot!"

The path through the forest wound deeper into the heart of darkness, each step feeling heavier than the last. The dense canopy above blocked out most of the moonlight, casting everything in a dim, ghostly glow. Their lanterns flickered, the light barely penetrating the inky blackness that surrounded them. Strange, bioluminescent fungi clung to the trees, casting a greenish light. They soon found themselves in a graveyard, the ancient tombstones jutting from the ground at odd angles like broken teeth. The air here was even colder, the silence more pronounced, as if the very earth held its breath. The crewmates' anxiety grew, and more than one claimed to see the shadows moving between the graves. The gravestones were covered in moss and lichen, their inscriptions worn away by time, leaving only the barest traces of names long forgotten.

"Shut your traps!" Selena growled, her voice a low snarl. "It's just a graveyard. If you're scared of a few bones, you're not worth the salt in your sweat!"

The graveyard was vast and unsettling, with cracked headstones and overgrown weeds obscuring the path. Weeping willows draped their long, ghostly tendrils over the graves, swaying gently in the breeze like mournful spirits. The moon cast long, haunting shadows across the ground, and the wind howled through the trees like a chorus of mournful wails. The occasional owl hooted, and they found entering a forest again.

"Keep moving, you useless sacks of shit!" Selena yelled. "I've seen corpses with more guts than you!"

As they continued through the forest, the ground beneath their feet turned uneven and treacherous, forcing them to tread carefully. The oppressive silence was broken only by the soft rustling of leaves and the distant croak of frogs. Every now and then, a bat would flutter past, its wings making a faint, leathery sound. In the distance stood the towering silhouette of Thriller Bark's. Its gargoyles, perched high on the parapets, seemed to watch them with malevolent eyes, their twisted forms frozen in eternal grimaces. The long, narrow windows of the castle were like dark, soulless eyes, their panes reflecting the faint moonlight. The spires reached towards the sky like fingers, their jagged edges cutting through the mist that clung to the structure like a shroud.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the night. One of her crewmates, wide-eyed with terror, pointed to the empty space behind him. "He was right there! I swear, a shadow took him!"

The crew turned to see only darkness where their comrade had been. Panic set in, and the man's voice quivered with fear. "It's a Warlord! We shouldn't have come here! We're all gonna die!"

"Ororororororororo"

Just then, a ghost emerged from the trees, its translucent form drifting silently towards them. The crew's collective gasp echoed through the graveyard, their fear palpable as they stared at the spectral figure gliding through the air.

Selena snarled, her patience wearing thin. "You worthless fuckers, pull yourselves together! It's just a damn ghost!"

But the panic was spreading like wildfire. The tension snapped when one of the crew members suddenly found himself beheaded, his head rolling grotesquely across the ground. Blood sprayed in an arc, staining the fallen leaves and headstones. The sight was too much, and the crew broke into a desperate run, sprinting to escape the cursed graveyard and the horrors lurking within it.

They fled, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, the forest swallowing their terrified cries. The trees seemed to close in around them, their twisted branches like skeletal arms reaching out to ensnare them. Shadows flickered and danced at the edge of their vision, and the air was thick with an oppressive sense of doom.

Selena cursed loudly, pushing her men forward with a mix of insults and threats. "Move, you spineless bastards! If you fall behind, you're dead!"

The forest felt endless, each step through the underbrush a struggle against the oppressive darkness. The moonlight barely penetrated the thick canopy above, casting long, haunting shadows across their path. The rustling leaves and distant croaks of frogs seemed to mock their fear, as if the forest itself was alive and relishing their terror.

Finally, they stumbled out of the forest, emerging before the sprawling Castle Park of Thriller Bark. The oppressive darkness lifted slightly, replaced by the eerie, manicured perfection of the park. White and red roses adorned the neatly trimmed hedges, their beauty starkly contrasting with the foreboding atmosphere of the surrounding forest. The moonlight bathed the park in a cold, silvery glow.

Selena sneered at her crew, who were visibly shaken. "Grow a spine, you fuckers! We're going to take the head of a fucking Warlord! We'll be famous and rich beyond our wildest dreams!"

Her words seemed to ignite a flicker of courage in her crewmates. They straightened up, gripping their weapons with renewed determination. They marched forward through the park, the neatly kept path crunching under their feet. The air here was filled with the sweet, almost cloying scent of roses.

In the center of the park, about fifteen meters ahead, stood a strange duo. One was a samurai made entirely of shadows, his form shifting and fluid yet solid and imposing. The other was a beast-man, who leered at her.

Selena stopped her crew with a raised hand, her eyes narrowing as she called out, "Who the fuck are you? Lieutenants of that Warlord Moria?"

The shadowy samurai and the beast-man stood their ground, silent and unmoving. Selena's patience snapped. She began to transform, her body contorting and growing until she was a massive Dire Wolf, nearly two meters high on all fours. She snarled and howled, the sound reverberating through the park and invigorating her crewmates with a surge of courage.

Just as she was about to pounce on the strange duo, she was suddenly hurled into the air by an incredibly strong blow. She landed hard, skidding across the ground before coming to a stop. Dazed, she looked up to see a massive figure stepping into the moonlight.

"I am to be your enemy," a deep, mocking voice intoned.

Selena's eyes widened in shock. A…monster stood before them, a towering figure of pure menace. At seven meters tall, he was a blend of lean muscle and aristocratic grace. His skin was a pale blue, almost luminescent under the moonlight. Two sinister horns jutted from the sides of his forehead, and grotesque stitches ran vertically from the top of his face down his unnaturally long, thick neck. His pointed ears and razor-sharp teeth added to his devilish appearance, making him look like less like a man than a creature from a nightmare. In each hand, he held a gleaming sword, the blades catching the moonlight and reflecting it with a cold, deadly sheen.

Fucking Gecko Moria, she thought struggling to her feet. "What the hell? You're supposed to wait until your lieutenants are dead before you show up!"

He grinned, revealing sharp, pointed teeth. "You've made a grave mistake coming here," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

Selena growled. "We'll see about that, you creepy bastard."

4th December 1521
Thriller Bark

Moria hummed in appreciation. For a Paradise youngling, she was strong. The Prehistoric Zoan helped, of course, but she was also quick and powerful in her own right. He watched her with a critical eye, his satisfaction growing. He remained unscathed, while Selena bled profusely from a deep gash in her stomach. Even in her hybrid form, her strength was faltering. Her body, covered in a thick layer of dark fur, bristled with every movement. Powerful limbs ended in clawed hands that could tear through flesh with ease - though she had yet to touch him. Her muscular frame remained distinctly humanoid, showcasing her chiseled abs and the raw power that lay beneath. Quite the beauty, if a bit feral. He recognize her from the Bounty poster he had been looking at when he wanted to find a Shadow for Oz : she had a bounty of 170 millions berries

[Selena Whitefang]

Class: Warrior
Job : Captain of the Whitefang Pirates
Fruit : Inu Inu no Mi, Model: Dire Wolf

Dourikis: 1 965
Potential: A
Fate: E

Near them, Absalom was locked in combat with her first mate, clearly gaining the upper hand. Ryuma had already finished trashing her other subordinates, their broken forms strewn across the battlefield.

"You should abandon, or you will die," Moria said, his voice calm, almost amused.

Selena growled in defiance, her eyes blazing with determination. She knew she had lost, outclassed and overwhelmed. All her crewmates were defeated, and the Warlord in front of her was untouched, laughing at her futile resistance. She realized she would die, but she resolved not to go down without a fight.

Moria observed her, sensing her desperation and fierce spirit. To her surprise, he spoke again, this time with a different proposition. "Do you want to join me?" he asked, his voice smooth and enticing.

Selena's eyes widened in shock. "What?" she spat, disbelief coloring her voice.

"I need stronger subordinates, maybe to form a fleet…" Moria continued, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "You have potential. Join me, and you might survive this night. And your subordinates will be spared".

She growled, and he sighed, understanding that he had to make her a bit more desperate, before moving in a burst of speed to her and slashing with his sword directly at her arm.