Chapter 4
4th December 1521
Thriller Bark
Selena grumbled under her breath as she sat at the long, ornate table in one of the castle's lavish dining rooms. She found herself surrounded by her enemies of yesterday, sharing a breakfast that seemed almost too extravagant to be real. The table was laden with an array of foods: fresh fruits, pastries, steaming platters of eggs and bacon, delicate cakes, and an assortment of exotic meats. Crystal decanters of juice and wine gleamed in the soft morning light filtering through the high, gothic windows. She took the piece of red, uncooked meat with her bare hands, and started munching on it.
Shadow maids and servants moved silently around the room. Selena eyed them warily, their presence unsettling her, and reminding her of the creepy samurai from yesterday. As her clothes were torn during yesterday's battle, she had to resort to wearing one of the small gothic skirts that a shadow maid had given her. The skirt was short and frilled, making her feel uncomfortably exposed. She also wore a bra that was a bit too small, straining to contain her muscular frame and leaving little to the imagination. Her attire did little to diminish her fierce presence, but it added to her irritation as she felt the fabric constrict against her body.
Seated at the table with her was Gecko Moria, the towering Warlord who had defeated her. His grotesque features reminded her of his terrifying power. Beside him sat the beast-man, Absalom, who could turn invisible at will. Two others completed the group: a strange punk gothic girl with pink hair, who had introduced herself as Perona, and a creepy, fat man whom she had learned was Doctor Hogback, apparently the court's resident scientist.
"Pass the fruit," Perona ordered, her tone dismissive as she pointed at a bowl of fresh berries.
Selena's eyes narrowed, a feral snarl escaping her lips. She wasn't about to take orders from anyone but Moria, her newly acknowledged alpha. Her growl was low and threatening, her muscles tensing as she glared at Perona.
Moria chuckled, clearly amused by the exchange. "Play nice, Selena," he said, his voice a mocking purr.
"We're all part of the same crew now."
Selena hesitated, her pride warring with the recognition of her new reality. She reluctantly passed the bowl of fruit to Perona, who accepted it with a smug smile.
Raising his glass, Moria stood, his grin widening. "A toast," he declared, his voice booming with authority. "To Selena, our new crewmember. May she bring strength and ferocity to our ranks."
The others raised their glasses in unison, the crystal goblets clinking together with a harmonious ring. Selena, still bristling from the earlier exchange, lifted her glass last, her eyes never leaving Moria's.
"To new beginnings," she said, her voice a growl.
Moria's grin widened, his sharp teeth gleaming. "To new beginnings," he echoed, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and honest joy.
4th December 1521
Thriller Bark
Moria leaned back in his personal salon, adjacent to his opulent bedroom. The room had deep crimson drapes cascading from the high windows, and antique furniture carved from dark, polished wood. An intricately designed chandelier hung from the ceiling. A grand fireplace crackled softly, adding a warmth that contrasted with the room's overall gothic ambiance.
For the first time in years, Moria had started sleeping in his personal quarters again, no longer fearing assassination attempts. He wasn't sure if this newfound sense of security came from constantly having a dozen shadow knights in his own shadow, or the increased willpower he had gained from absorbing the zombies. Regardless, he felt more powerful and confident than ever.
He had just completed his hidden quest.
[Hidden Class Quest - Fighting like a Pirate]
Stop hiding behind your zombies and start fighting again.
Objective: Fight Yourself, without the help of Zombies or Shadows, an opponent with more than 1,000 Dourikis.
Completed!
[Class Upgrade Quest]
To upgrade your Class from [Night Lord] to [Baron of Eventide]
Subquests:
1. Have a Fate of at least B: 1/1
2. Have a Potential of at least B: 1/1
3. Main Quest: The Preparation To Become Powerful - Daily training for 30 days: 32/30
4. Hidden Quest: Fight Yourself - 1/1
Your Class Upgrade Quest is completed!
He felt a sudden shift within himself, a surge of energy and power that was almost tangible.
Gecko Moria
Class: Baron of Eventide
Job: Warlord of the Seas
Fruit: Kage Kage no Mi
Dourikis: 4000/4000
Potential: A
Fate: B
Physique: 1,658
Will: 462
Soul: 1,898
Named Shadow: 1/4
Two new notifications appeared before him:
Your limit of Named Shadows increased by 2
You gained two new class skills
[Shadow Exchange]
The Player is able to switch places with any of his summons.
Cooldown time: 24 hours
[Shadow Manipulation - Own]
The Player is able to manipulate his own shadow. He can hide in the shadows.
Amazing ! And it was not even all!
New Class Upgrade Quest
[Class Upgrade Quest]
To upgrade your Class from [Baron of Eventide] to [Marquis of Dusk]
Subquests:
1. Have a Fate of at least A: 0/1
2. Have a Potential of at least A: 1/1
3. Main Quest: A Crew for the New World! : 1/5
4. Hidden Quest: ? - 0/1
Moria grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light of the salon, as he read his new main quest.
[A Crew for the New World]
You must have five crew members, besides yourself, with a Potential of A or higher
1/5
List : Selena Whitefang
Moria cackled, the sound echoing creepily through his personal salon. So many possibilities laid before him, but the most intriguing was the Shadow Exchange skill. It had no distance limit. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two papers, each bearing a set of coordinates.
Coordinates: West Blue, Shadowmire Island, Duskport City, Latitude 18.1234, Longitude -73.5678
Date: 4th January 1522, 23:31
Coordinates: East Blue, Yotsuba Island, Shells Town, Latitude 32.7890, Longitude -64.2345
Date: 3rd of February 1522, 12:45. Wait three days. Set sail. Syrup. Orange. Two days pause. Baratie. Conomi.
Moria pondered for a moment, his mind racing with plans. Then, he retrieved two small flasks from his desk. Summoning two shadow soldiers, he carefully placed each one into a flask and sealed them. With a satisfied nod, he sent a shadow to call for Absalom.
Two minutes later, Absalom entered, performing a courtly bow. "You summoned me, Captain Moria?"
"Yes, Absalom," Moria said, holding up the flasks and papers. "I need you to expedite these two flasks to the coordinates on these papers."
Absalom took the papers, his brow furrowing as he read the coordinates. "What's in the flasks, Captain?" he asked, his curiosity evident.
Moria's grin widened, revealing his sharp teeth. "Shadow soldiers," he replied. "I have an experiment in mind. Ensure they are delivered on time. Before, even."
"As you command, Captain. I'll make sure they reach their destinations." Absalom bowed again, though his puzzled expression remained.
"Good…Now, go." Moria said with a dismissive wave.
After Absalom left, Moria found himself alone once more. His curiosity about the Shadow Manipulation skill still gnawed at him. Was it akin to the old powers of his devil fruit? He decided to experiment. Concentrating, he managed to extend tentacles from his shadow. It worked, but he realized he couldn't yet make his shadow solid as before. He no longer had an autonomous double to fight in his stead.
A new idea sparked in his mind. Could he manipulate his own body through shadows like before? He focused intently, willing his shadow to shrink. As it did, he felt himself shorten. Moria cackled again, this time with genuine glee. This would allow him to travel to the Blues without being recognized.
"Perfect," he murmured to himself…
In a few weeks, he'll make a small trip. But before…He had to perfect his new form.
16th December 1521
Thriller Bark
Selena marched into Thriller Bark Castle, three grown, tied men slung over her shoulder like sacks of flour. Behind her, a dozen of her crewmates followed, each dragging two captured pirates with them. Moria had given clear orders: kidnap the strongest pirates they could find. After two weeks of scouring the seas and the mists of the Florian Triangle, they returned with about forty prisoners.
Entering the grand hall, Selena nodded to Ryuma, the creepy samurai. He had become a familiar face during her training on Thriller Bark - she frequently spared with him, Absalom and their Captain. She respected him for his skill and unflinching loyalty. Her situation here was quite favorable, and she could tell that something significant was brewing under Moria's command. She started to appreciate her decision to join this crew.
Passing by four imposing Shadow Knights, Selena and her crewmates made their way to the throne room. Moria was waiting for them. As she stepped into the vast, dark room, she did a double take, her senses on high alert.
"Captain Moria?" she called out, uncertainty lacing her voice.
The man on the throne was unmistakably Moria—she could smell his odor—but he looked drastically different. He was now a tall, very white-skinned figure, exuding an aura of inhuman beauty and aristocratic elegance. His long black hair cascaded down his back, framing a face that was both handsome and unnervingly feral. His red eyes glowed with a predatory intensity, giving him an almost supernatural appearance. He looked like a regal predator, poised and dangerous.
"Welcome back, Selena," he said, his voice deeper and more resonant than before.
She shrugged off her initial surprise. It was still her alpha, regardless of his transformation. Without a second thought, she hurled the three tied men onto the ground in front of her. The thud of their bodies echoed through the throne room.
Selena didn't flinch as two Shadow Knights stepped forward, their dark forms looming over the captured pirates. With swift, precise movements, the knights began beheading the prisoners, their actions efficient and devoid of mercy.
The captured pirates' screams soon faded, leaving only the chilling cackle of Moria. Selena nodded, a sense of pride swelling in her chest. She had proven her worth once again, and she was ready to continue proving it as they moved forward with Moria's grand plans, whatever they may be. She would be a member of the crew of the Pirate King!
16th December 1521
Thriller Bark
Moria's red eyes gleamed as he surveyed the line of headless corpses before him. He raised his arms, his deep voice echoing through the vast throne room.
"Arise," he commanded.
The room grew colder, and the shadows on the ground began to swirl and coalesce around the bodies. Tendrils of darkness seeped from the floor, wrapping around the fallen pirates, drawing their essences into a new form. He had long desired to create new shadows to raise Sailors, Mages, and Archers, and with the shadows of these pirates, ranging between two and nine hundred Dourikis, he could finally raise two dozen sailors, but only one mage and two archers. Moria watched with a predatory smile, eager to see his new creations.
First, two dozen sailors rose from the ground. They were clad in shadowy uniforms, their forms more solid than the usual shadow minions. These Sailors were robust and sturdy, their features sharp and determined. Their eyes glowed with a faint blue light, indicating their loyalty and readiness to serve.
[Shadow Sailor]
Class: Seaman
Dourikis: 12
[Shadow Sailor]
Class: Seaman
Dourikis: 16
Next, the shadows coalesced into a single figure, distinct from the rest. This was the Mage. The figure was tall and slender, draped in flowing robes made of swirling shadows. Its eyes shone a deep purple.
[Shadow Mage]
Class: Support
Dourikis: 121
Special Skill: Buff (10%)
Finally, two Archers emerged from the shadows. They were lean and lithe, their bodies perfectly balanced for agility and precision. Each Archer was equipped with a bow made of pure darkness. Their eyes glowed a piercing green, scanning their surroundings with keen perception.
[Shadow Archer]
Class: Distance
Dourikis: 452
Moria looked over his new minions with a calm, almost detached interest. "Excellent work, Selena," he said, his red eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "These new shadows will serve us well."