Chapter 5
4th January 1522
Thriller Bark
Moria looked at the paper, its details etched clearly in his mind:
Coordinates: West Blue, Shadowmire Island, Duskport City, Latitude 18.1234, Longitude -73.5678 Date: 4th January 1522, 23:31
The Blessed Box was supposed to give him something he needed, but it had only given him that. Time to see what it was about, he thought.
"Shadow Swap".
The shadows around him began to swirl, enveloping him completely until he was absorbed into the darkness.
4th January 1522
West Blue, Shadowmire Island, Duskport City, Capone Bege's Manor.
Capone Bege cut into a thick, juicy steak, savoring each bite with deliberate enjoyment. His henchmen stood vigilantly around the room, their dark suits blending into the luxurious decor. Each man was armed and ready, their rifles subtly aimed at the guest across from their boss.
Seated opposite Bege was a stunning woman. Her long, white hair cascaded over her shoulders, gleaming in the candlelight. She wore a black party dress that clung to her curves, accentuating her voluptuous figure. A gold collar adorned her neck. Her skin was pale, almost ethereal, and her eyes, cold and calculating, hinted at a formidable intellect and inner strength. Her long, elegant fingers were tipped with perfectly manicured nails, and her lips, though curved into a slight smile, betrayed a hint of despair. Seastones cuffs bound her wrists.
Spoiler: Isabella - SFW
Capone looked up from his meal, fixing his gaze on her. "Why aren't you eating?" he asked, a hint of mockery in his voice. "It is your last meal, after all."
The woman laughed, a sound as cold and brittle as ice, though it didn't reach her eyes. She leaned forward slightly, the movement graceful despite her chains. "Why kill me, Bege? You'll be bored," she purred, her voice smooth and sultry, yet tinged with an edge of desperation.
Bege raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Bored? With the entire underworld of West Blue at my feet?"
She tilted her head, her eyes locked onto his with a fierce intensity. "I know you want to be the sole master of the Five Families of the West. You've already killed the other three bosses. With me, the head of the Lahmian Family, gone, you'll control everything. But won't you be bored, without any enemy? Being a king is a solitary endeavor…"
Bege leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "You're right," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But sometimes, a little boredom is a small price to pay for ultimate power. And, maybe I'll take to the sea if I get too bored."
The woman's smile widened, though it remained hollow. "The sea? You think you'll find excitement there? Or perhaps you're just running from the loneliness of power?"
Bege's eyes flashed with a dangerous light. "I'll find whatever I need to keep things interesting," he said, lifting his glass in a mock toast. "Starting with eliminating you."
She held his gaze, her defiance flickering despite the fear she tried to hide. "Then get on with it, Capone. But remember, there are monsters dwelling in the sea... and in the shadows of the underworld."
Bege chuckled, savoring the moment. "Let them come," he replied, his voice dripping with confidence. "I'll deal with them just like I'm dealing with you."
With a casual gesture, he signaled one of his men. The henchman stepped forward, drawing a pistol and pointing it at the woman's head. Her composure began to crack, desperation creeping into her eyes. She tried to stay seductive, her voice a husky whisper as she pleaded for her life. "Wait, Bege... We can make a deal. I can be useful to you."
Bege smirked, mocking her fear. "Pathetic," he said. "Execute her."
The henchman fired. However, before the bullet could reach her, something monstrous materialized between them. It was a horrifying creature, entirely made of shadows and standing about two and a half meters tall. It wore heavy armor, seemingly crafted from darkness itself, and wielded a massive sword that resembled a two-meter-long cleaver. With a swift, brutal motion, it bisected the henchman in two.
Panic erupted in the room. Bege's men reacted immediately, firing their weapons at the shadowy intruder. Bullets and shrapnel flew, but the creature seemed unfazed, not even acknowledging the onslaught.
"What is that? Which monstrosity is it?" one of the henchmen shouted, his voice shaking.
Capone Bege, the monstrous man of West Blue with a bounty of 14 million berries, stepped forward. His face twisted in fury and fear, and he activated his Devil Fruit power. A cannon emerged from his torso, and with a thunderous roar, he fired a cannonball directly at the creature.
The shadowy monster cleaved the cannonball in two with its enormous sword, the pieces exploding harmlessly to the sides. Then, it brought its sword down with a tremendous force, striking the ground. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, hurling everyone three meters back. Furniture shattered, and the air filled with dust and debris.
Bege struggled to his feet, his eyes wide with a mixture of rage and disbelief. "What in the hell are you?" he bellowed, his voice echoing in the chaotic aftermath. The shadowy figure remained silent, its form shifting slightly as it prepared for the next move, an unstoppable force of darkness in the heart of Bege's domain.
Amidst the chaos, a voice cut through the din, chilling and disdainful, "I had forgotten how weak people from West Blue are. Ah, it has been a long time since I set foot here."
All eyes turned to see the speaker. He was a man whiter than white itself, his skin almost glowing with an ethereal pallor. Standing at a towering three meters, he nearly touched the ceiling. His teeth were pointed and starkly white, adding to his inhuman appearance. He was dressed in a black gothic suit, impeccably tailored, the dark fabric contrasting sharply with his skin.
Half of the people in the room pissed themselves, the terror overwhelming them for various reasons. They were people from the blues : none of them had ever seen something as monstrous as the Shadow Monster or as inhuman as the person…monster in front of them. Some were paralyzed by the man's smile—a ghastly, wide grin that stretched unnaturally across his face. It was a smile devoid of warmth or kindness, filled instead with a sinister glee that promised pain and suffering. The edges of his mouth curled upwards in a way that seemed to defy human anatomy, giving him a grotesque and almost demonic appearance.
Others were petrified by the sight of the ten monstrous shadows that stood behind him. These creatures, similar to the one that had just wreaked havoc in the room, were terrifying in their silent, dark presence. They were armored behemoths, their forms shifting and pulsating as if barely contained within their shadowy shells. The sheer number of these monstrosities, combined with their imposing stature, made any thought of resistance seem utterly futile.
Bege, however, had a different reason for his terror. Recognition dawned on him, his heart pounding in his chest. A tall, white man with a creepy smile? Check. Coming from West Blue? Check. Possessing shadow-based powers? Check.
"Fucking Gecko Moria," he muttered under his breath, the realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. Moria was a warlord, a monster from myths and legends, whose very name struck fear into the hearts of pirates. His bounty, when he had one, was more than twenty times higher than Bege's own. What the fuck was he…it doing here? It was a worse situation than the worst situation he could have ever imagined!
In that moment of paralysis and disbelief, the woman with white hair saw her opportunity. With all the grace and desperation she could muster, she prostrated herself fully in front of the Warlord, having also deduced who he was.
"My lord Moria," she pleaded, her voice trembling but clear. "I recognize your mightiness. Please, grant me a chance to become one of your subordinates. I will serve you faithfully."
4th January 1522
West Blue, Shadowmire Island, Duskport City, Capone Bege's Manor.
As Gecko Moria observed the chaos and fear among those present, he understood why the Blessed Box had led him to this exact location and time. The pieces were falling into place, revealing the usefulness of this place. He smiled. Jackpot ! If he could make both of them his subordinates…They were extremely weak for the moment, but their potential…
[Capone Bege]
Class: Mafioso
Job : Godfather of the Bege Family
Fruit : Shiro Shiro no Mi
Dourikis: 323
Potential: A
Fate: B
[Isabella von Carstein]
Class: Vampire
Job : Godmother of the Lahmian Family
Fruit : Batto Batto no Mi, Model: Lahmian Vampire
Dourikis: 268
Potential: A
Fate: E
Most of the subordinates were beneath his notice, mere fodder unworthy of his attention. However, a few caught his eye. Despite being from the Blues, their potential was evident. With the right training, they could be molded into something far more formidable.
[Vito]
Class: Mafioso
Job : Member of the Bege Family
Dourikis: 112
Potential: C
Fate: D
The woman with white hair, now prostrating herself before him, captured his interest. Her desperation was palpable.
"My lord Moria," she pleaded, "I recognize your mightiness. Please, grant me a chance to become one of your subordinates. I will serve you faithfully."
She began explaining her powers, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and hope. "I have eaten a Devil Fruit, a bat zoan… It has made me superhumanly fast and beautiful, I can transform into a bat and I can hypnotize people to do my bidding... though it has also cursed me with a craving for blood."
Moria scoffed inwardly. She had barely scratched the surface of her fruit's potential. A mythical Zoan fruit, and she was using it for mere parlor tricks? The Blessed Box had indeed been generous.
"I may consider taking you as a subordinate," he said, a hint of amusement in his tone.
Her eyes widened at his words, hope and awe lighting up her features.
Her reaction was immediate and heartfelt. She bowed even lower, her voice trembling with joy and gratitude. "Thank you, my lord! Thank you! I will not disappoint you!"
Moria's smile widened, his pointed teeth gleaming in the dim light. Yes, this trip to West Blue was proving to be more fruitful than he had anticipated.
Turning his attention to Capone Bege, who stood trembling amidst the wreckage, Moria spoke with a voice dripping with authority and menace. "Capone Bege," he began, "you have a choice to make."
Bege's eyes widened, his heart pounding in his chest. The room fell silent, the tension palpable.
"You can choose to follow me," Moria continued, his gaze unyielding. "Become the second captain of my fleet. The other captain, Selena Whitefang, boasts a bounty of more than 170,000,000 berries—far more than your puny one. At this moment, you are nothing. But I will make you stronger, greater than you could have ever dreamed. I will even allow you to manage the families of the West Blue, and perhaps even more in the future. All you have to do is be a faithful dog."
Bege swallowed hard, his mind racing. The promise of power, of ruling the families of the West Blue, was tantalizing. But Moria's conditions were clear—absolute loyalty.
"Or?" Bege asked, his voice barely above a whisper, trying to maintain a semblance of composure.
"Or," Moria replied, his voice colder than the grave, "you can test your fate against the weakest of my soldiers." He pointed to one of the monstrous shadow creatures, its dark form looming behind him.
Bege's blood ran cold. He was a mafioso, well-versed in the art of survival and power plays. He knew when he was outmatched. There was no winning against the monstrosity that Moria commanded. The choice was clear, but it still grated against his pride.
Taking a deep breath, Bege bowed his head. "I swear fealty to you, Lord Moria," he said, his voice steady but subdued. "I will serve you faithfully, as your second captain."
Moria's smile widened further, satisfaction gleaming in his predatory eyes. "Excellent," he purred. "Welcome to my crew, Capone Bege, Isabella von Carstein"
Shadows enveloped the room.
AN added to the prologue to answer some of your questions : What to expect ? Ask your eventual questions below!
- A Villain MC. And it means there is violence.
- A Moria that remains fundamentally a grinning monster of a pirate who pillages, burns, laughs, and enjoys a good time. He won't be, physically or psychologically, a clone of Sung Jin-woo. Far from it
- Moria will have many living people in his crew, not only shadows.
- NSFW (sex) scenes starting from chapter 30s. NSFW (violence) scenes will begin soon.
- The System will be more present in the first chapters for mechanic explanation, with a lighter gamer focus in later chapters.
- Exploration and questioning of the origins and goals of the gamer system. Why these missions?
- The world of One Piece will retain its identity, with its strange characters and mechanisms, but it will be grittier. Imagine the world of Worm, but where all villains actually pillage, kill, and burn. Pirates truly are horrifying.
Furthermore, I added pictures, SFW and NSFW, for a lot of characters in a Questionable Questing Thread titled Solo Leveling. The thread is about 2 to 3 chapters further than ffnet for the moment.