Chapter 18


16th of February 1522
Thriller Bark
Warning : barely SFW

Perona entered the room with a sulky pout, her long pink hair swaying gently in twin tails as she walked. Unlike the other crew members, she had refused to wear the new uniform. All those sluts had eagerly donned their new outfits, conforming without a second thought. Not her. She was no bitch that just went along with the crowd. She was different, special. She didn't need to follow the same rules as everyone else.

Moria sat on his throne, his new form exuding an aristocratic air that was both imposing and undeniably handsome. Since he had started looking like this, Perona had found herself having... fantasies. She blushed slightly at the thought, trying to push it out of her mind. She snarled at the other crew members as she took her place. They all seemed so content, so obedient. Her irritation grew as she watched them, and it only intensified when Moria began distributing weapons.

Selena received a massive, spiky mace. Isabella was given a sleek, elegant rapier, its blade shimmering with deadly sharpness. Absalom and Nami each got versatile fighting staffs reinforced with seastone, and Bege accepted a finely crafted gun with seastone bullets. Hogback and Zoro received nothing, but they seemed unbothered, knowing their roles didn't require new weapons.

But Perona? She got nothing. It was so unjust!

"Why don't I get anything?" Perona's voice was petulant, her usual defiance surfacing. "It's unfair!"

Moria sighed, his patience clearly worn thin. "Enough, Perona," he said, his voice heavy with exasperation.

Before she could react, dark tendrils of shadow emerged from his form, moving with an elegant. In a few seconds, before she could even think about dodging, they wrapped around her ankles, their cool touch sending a shiver up her spine. She tried to move, but her efforts were futile; the shadows were unyielding, coiling tightly up her calves and thighs. As they encircled her waist, she felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. The tendrils slid up her torso, winding around her arms and chest, pinning her in place. They tightened around her hips and across her breasts, their touch both firm and insistent. Finally, a shadowy tendril wrapped around her mouth, silencing her protests, leaving her completely at their mercy.

Perona's eyes widened in shock, but beneath the fear, she felt a strange, unsettling thrill. It was as if one of her darkest fantasies had come to life. She was both terrified and aroused, a confusing mix of emotions that left her breathless and trembling. She looked up at Moria, her captor, her master, her Captain and felt a rush of something she couldn't quite name. His gaze was cold and commanding, and she knew she was entirely at his mercy.

"Mmh…MmHHH", she tried to say, but the tendril gagging her was very effective.

Moria made a subtle gesture with his hand, and the dark tendrils responded instantly, tightening their grip as they began to maneuver her closer to him. Perona's heart pounded in her chest as she felt herself being lifted, the shadowy coils supporting her weight effortlessly. She was drawn toward the towering, two-meter-high form of her Captain, her body swaying slightly as the tendrils guided her.

Her eyes widened further as she found herself mere centimeters away from Moria's cold gaze. She tried to fight back, struggling against the unyielding grip of the shadows, but it was futile. The tendrils held her firmly, their grip impossibly strong. She attempted to phase through them, but they resisted her power. Could he have imbued them with Haki? For her?

The realization sent a shiver down her spine, mingling fear with a strange, intoxicating arousal. She was now only five centimeters away from his face, close enough to feel the chill radiating from him. Moria smiled, a handsome but unnervingly cold smile that sent another shiver through her.

"Perona," he called her. She shivered, not entirely out of fear.

"You have been a naughty girl," he continued. "And you should be punished, or else you won't learn to behave."

Her face reddened, the heat of her blush contrasting sharply with the cool tendrils holding her. Was he going to...?

As if he could read her thoughts, Moria's smile deepened, his eyes glinting with dark amusement and something more sinister. Perona's breath quickened.

"You will learn to obey, Perona," he murmured. The tendrils tightened their grip, sending a wave of sensation through her body that left her trembling. She was acutely aware of every touch, every slight movement of the shadows that bound her.

Moria's eyes never left hers, his gaze piercing and unrelenting. He leaned in even closer, the distance between them now almost non-existent. "Do you understand?" he asked, his breath ghosting over her lips, the nearness of him both electrifying and terrifying. Perona's mind raced, her thoughts a chaotic swirl of fear, defiance, and an unsettling thrill that she couldn't deny. She tried to nod, the tendril gagging her muffling any sound she might have made. Moria's smile remained fixed, his expression one of dark satisfaction.

"Good," he whispered, his voice low and dangerously smooth. "Then you will learn your place."

With that, the tendrils began to shift, their movements deliberate and slow, exploring the contours of her body with an almost torturous precision. Each touch sent ripples of sensation through her, blurring the lines between pleasure and pain. Perona's breath hitched, her body reacting involuntarily.

Moria's hand reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against her cheek, the touch surprisingly gentle. "You will serve me, Perona," he said, his voice a seductive whisper. "And in time, you will come to understand the true meaning of loyalty."

The sensation was maddening and left her trembling. She found herself yearning for more, her mind consumed by a desperate need for his touch, for the shadows to continue their torturous caress. She needed him in her! Now!

But just as the longing became unbearable, the tendrils abruptly released her. She fell to the ground ungraciously, the impact jarring her back to reality. She looked up, dazed and breathless, only to see Moria standing over her, his cold, handsome smile now twisted with amusement.

Moria laughed, a cruel sound that echoed through the chamber, cutting deeper than any physical wound. Perona's heart ached with the sting of his mockery, the pain of his rejection more excruciating than anything else he could have inflicted upon her.

"Rewards are for good girls, Perona," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, before he turned and walked away, leaving her alone in the throne room.

The silence that followed was deafening. Perona lay there, her body still trembling from the shadows' touch, her mind reeling from the sudden withdrawal. She felt exposed, vulnerable, and utterly defeated. Tears of frustration and humiliation welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She had to be stronger, to endure. Slowly, she pushed herself up, her body aching from the fall. And she would become a good girl!

But…

What…What did she have to do to be a good girl?


18th of February 1522
Thriller Bark

Capone Bege exhaled a plume of smoke, the cigar hanging loosely from his lips. He stood on the deck, gazing out over the expanse of the sea. The journey ahead with Isabella, Selena, and Moria promised to be something extraordinary. They were to leave in about an hour, and he was the first to arrive to the rendez-vous point. What exactly they were to accomplish, he did not know.

Since swearing loyalty to Moria, Bege had undergone a transformation he could scarcely believe. He had thought himself strong, a force to be reckoned with in the underworld. But under Moria's wing, he realized how naive he had been. He had been so...arrogant. The world was vast and dangerous, and his former strength now seemed pitifully inadequate. Yet, this revelation was a blessing in disguise - it made him grow a lot. Moria had seen potential in him, and for that, Bege was grateful. Under Moria's wing, so many things he had never dreamt of opened to him. He was expanding his network across the Four Blues and Paradise. His ability to store vast amounts of resources, even people, coupled with Moria's ability to teleport over great distances, would made them an unstoppable force.

He heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Isabella and Selena arriving. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. They both looked utterly exhausted. The training with the shadow of this "Lucci" guy had been grueling. Even Selena, fierce and unyielding, had been pushed to her limits, grunting in pain and trembling during the intense leg muscle training for something called Soru. Only Absalom remained stoic, his loyalty to Moria unwavering and his eagerness to accompany his Captain to the top almost frightening. He did not know who Lucci was when he was alive, but Bege had recognized the Cipher Pol agent's suit on the shadow, and the sight had sent a shiver down his spine. The Boss even went against agents? As a Warlord?

Bege's smile turned mocking as he took in Isabella's appearance. Normally so elegant and composed, she now had a haggard gaze and disheveled hair. The rigorous training was clearly taking its toll. At first, he had been disdainful of her. He had defeated her easily, and she had only been spared by Moria's intervention. Her attempts to seduce him had been pitiful and ineffective. But something had changed in her recently. As she tapped into the potential of her Devil Fruit, her personality seemed to evolve. She became more genuine, her nobility, seducing naturel and love of fighting no longer mere facades. She was transforming into a true vampire. She was no longer just a defeated opponent or a failed seductress. She was becoming a true ally, someone he could eventually grow to respect and trust—to a limit, of course, and only as long as they were under Moria. The realization was unexpected, but not unwelcome. They were all changing, evolving under Moria's guidance, becoming stronger, more capable.

As Isabella realized she had time to wash herself before leaving, Bege felt a surge of confidence.

They were on the path to greatness.

About an hour later, Moria arrived, dressed in a simple night-blue suit and a white shirt. He had taken on his smaller, more refined form. Without a word, he motioned for his three subordinates to gather around him. Isabella seized the opportunity to lean into him, her eyes fluttering closed as she inhaled his presence. Surprisingly, Selena did the same, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

Bege felt a pang of annoyance at their fawning but kept his thoughts to himself. Moria placed a hand on each of them and activated his shadow exchange. The world around them twisted and warped, and despite having experienced it before, Bege still wasn't used to the disorienting sensation.

They emerged in a lush jungle, the air thick with humidity and the scent of exotic flora. Towering trees with thick, twisted trunks and massive leaves cast deep shadows over the forest floor. Dinosaurs—gigantic, lumbering creatures—moved through the undergrowth, their sheer size a reminder of the dangers of the Grand Line. This had to be Little Garden - Bege had read about it.

Moria pulled out a map, studying it briefly before gesturing east. "We need to move quickly," he commanded. Without hesitation, they began to run, each stride carrying them deeper into the dense jungle. Bege struggled to keep pace, feeling the familiar sting of irritation at being the slowest. He hated lagging behind, but Moria's relentless pace left him little choice. After five grueling minutes, they arrived at their destination. According to the map, it was a "small source," but in reality, it was a roaring river, its waters churning with incredible force.

"Bege, the poison," his Captain ordered.

He nodded, focusing his powers. He reached into his own body, drawing out tens of hundreds of liters of potent poison. With a flick of his wrist, he poured the toxic liquid into the river, its dark hue blending with the rushing waters, before it lost its color. He followed instructions, not entirely sure of their purpose until he looked up and saw them: two giants, hundreds of meters tall, locked in combat. The ground shook with their every blow, the air vibrating with the force of their clash. Fuck. Fear, then relief washed over Bege. He was so glad to be under Moria's protection, and even more grateful than he had not attempted to navigate the Grand Line alone. He had heard about giants, but…Fuck. The scale of power here was unimaginable.

With the task complete, they returned to the shore. Bege reached into his body once more, this time producing a small caravelle. Moria summoned shadow sailors to man the vessel, their dark forms slipping silently into position. They set sail.