Chapter 7

AN : This chapter was uploaded a few minutes after the 6th, to check if you read chapter 6 before starting!

19th January 1522
Water Seven

Kaku laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling, the faint moonlight filtering through the window. Despite the late hour, sleep eluded him. A gnawing sense of unease kept him restless. Perhaps it was intuition, that sixth sense honed by years of navigating danger, warning him of something amiss. As he shifted slightly, trying to find a comfortable position, his eyes caught something strange. His shadow, cast long and dark by the moonlight, was moving. But he himself was perfectly still. A chill ran down his spine as he watched the shadow's unnatural dance, the inky form shifting and twisting against the wall. Kaku's breath caught in his throat. He forced himself to remain motionless, his heart pounding loudly in his ears. The shadow continued its eerie motion, detached from his own movements.

"Tekkai!" he whispered, his body hardening like iron just in time.

Not a tenth of a second later, a blade of shadows scratched against his throat, glancing off his fortified skin. Kaku reacted instantly, pulverizing the aggressor with a powerful Shigan. The blow landed with force, but to his horror, the shadowy figure began to regenerate almost immediately, its form reassembling itself as if nothing had happened. Another attack came, and he barely managed to reinforce his Tekkai in time to block it.

A slow, mocking clap filled the room. "Impressive," a voice said, smooth and sinister.

Kaku's eyes darted around until he saw the figure emerging from the wall, melting out of the shadows cast by his furniture. It was one of the clients he had met earlier that day, but now there was something far more menacing about him. His mind raced, trying to place the face with the reality before him. White skin, shadow-based powers…But he did not look like him at all…

"Moria," he growled, recognition dawning. "What are you doing here?"

Concentrated on the shadow and on Moria, Kaku barely had time to react as a solid blade swung towards him, nearly taking his arm. Another shadowy figure, this one resembling a samurai, had joined the attack. Kaku gritted his teeth, reinforcing his Tekkai once more to withstand the assault.

This was not going to be an easy fight.

[Kaku]

Class: Assassin
Job : CP9 agent
Dourikis: 2200
Potential: A
Fate: C

19th January 1522
Water Seven

Rob Lucci, one of the world's most feared assassins, felt a rare prickle of anxiety. It wasn't fear for his own safety that troubled him, but rather the potential jeopardy to his mission and cover. First, it had been Blueno, and now... He stood over the lifeless body of Khalifa, her once elegant form now horribly mangled. Her throat had been torn by what looked like a massive maw. Had... Could it be Jabra?

No, he shook his head, dispelling the thought. This was worrying. He needed to stay on his guard. And where was Kaku? He should have been here by now. The unsettling possibility gnawed at Lucci's mind. Had something happened to him too?

Moving faster than any human had a right to, Rob Lucci sped towards the dock where Kaku usually worked on boats. The shipyard was a maze of activity, but Lucci's sharp eyes cut through the chaos, searching for any sign of his fellow agent.

He arrived to a scene that made his blood run cold. Kaku lay exhausted on the ground, his body pierced by three shadowy swords wielded by men whose forms were more shadow than flesh. Their faces were obscured, their features shifting and amorphous.

"Kaku!" Lucci shouted, his voice a mix of fury and concern - more for their mission than his comrade.

Summoning all his speed, Lucci vanished from sight, using "Soru" to appear in the midst of the shadowy figures. His fists and feet became a blur of devastating blows, pulverizing the shadow men. But to his horror, their bodies began to regenerate almost immediately, the shadows knitting back together with eerie fluidity.

Kaku struggled to rise, his face pale and pained. "Lucci... be careful... they're not normal…And there's Mor..Mo…M…", he muttered before letting out his last breath.

Lucci snarled, frustration boiling over. The shadow men, now fully reformed, turned their eyeless faces towards him, their swords raised once more. He had never encountered an enemy like this, one that could withstand his deadly assaults and come back for more.

Well, he thought as he transformed into a Leopard-Man hybrid. He only had to destruct them until they could not come back.

19th January 1522
Water Seven

Moria crouched in the shadows. Rob Lucci was a whirlwind of power and precision, effortlessly overpowering the shadow soldiers. Even Ryuma had been destroyed more than four times. Moria could feel the strain of regenerating his soldiers, each time a little slower, a little weaker. He knew he wouldn't be able to sustain it much longer.

[Rob Lucci]

Class: Assassin
Job : CP9 agent
Devil Fruit : Neko Neko no Mi, Model: Leopard

Dourikis: 4000
Potential: S
Fate: B

Fear gripped him. Moria knew he was strong, as strong as the man before him, but it had been a decade since he had faced a real fight, one where his life was truly at risk. Not against a foe like Selena, whose challenges were mere child's play in comparison. This was different. This was life or death. And he was afraid.

Moria's eyes darted to Kaku, already dead. With a swift, silent motion, he absorbed Kaku's shadow, channeling the stolen energy to reinforce Ryuma. The zombie warrior shuddered, his form solidifying with renewed strength, but it wouldn't last long. He needed to act now.

[Ryuma]

Class: Named Shadow
Job : Samurai
Dourikis: 2 565
Rank : SS

Merge shadows to enhance

Moria's mind was a maelstrom of hesitation and internal conflict. He thought of Kaido, the monstrous pirate who had once shattered his spirit and dreams. The memory of that defeat still haunted him. But now, faced with Lucci, he knew he couldn't back down. He couldn't run. This was his moment to reclaim his lost pride, to fight with everything he had. Summoning his courage, Moria made his decision. He would confront his enemy, but on his terms. Moving silently, he melted into the shadows, his form blending with the darkness until he was nearly invisible. With a surge of determination, he launched himself at Lucci, ambushing him from the shadows with both blades drawn.

The clash was immediate and fierce. Moria's blades sang through the air, aiming for Lucci's vital points. Lucci, ever alert, twisted just in time to deflect the first strike, but the second blade grazed his side, drawing blood.

"You... I don't know who you are," Lucci spat, his voice a mix of pain and fury. "But you will talk, and then you will die."

Lucci lunged forward, using his enhanced speed and strength from the Rokushiki techniques. His movements were a blur, almost impossible to follow with the naked eye. "Soru!" he shouted, disappearing and reappearing behind Moria, his fist aimed at the back of Moria's head.

But Moria was ready. He spun around, his two blades flashing in the dim light, catching Lucci's fist and deflecting the blow. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, rattling the nearby structures.

"You're fast," Moria growled, his voice thick with determination. "But I'm not so easily beaten."

With a surge of strength, Moria pushed Lucci back and unleashed a flurry of slashes. His blades cut through the air with deadly precision, each strike aimed at vital points. Lucci dodged and countered with his own flurry of punches and kicks, utilizing his Tekkai to harden his body and withstand Moria's attacks.

The two combatants moved with superhuman speed, their forms blurring as they clashed. Shadows danced across the walls, cast by the flickering lights above. Ryuma, Moria's zombie warrior, joined the fray, his massive sword swinging with brutal force. Lucci sidestepped the attack, countering with a swift kick to Ryuma's midsection, sending the shadow warrior stumbling back.

Moria's heart pounded, a mixture of fear and exhilaration. For the first time in years, he felt truly alive, dancing on the edge of life and death. Moria's assassins and shadow warriors swarmed around Lucci, their dark forms merging with the shadows of the warehouse. They attacked from all angles, their blades and spells aiming to overwhelm him. The shadow mages, hidden in the corners, chanted incantations, their magic weaving through the air and enhancing the shadow warriors' strength and speed. Lucci was relentless. He used his Geppo to leap into the air, evading their strikes and countering with his Shigan, piercing through their forms.

Moria took advantage of the chaos, closing the distance and slashing at Lucci with both blades. Lucci blocked one blade with his arm, but the second blade cut a deep gash across his chest. He grunted in pain but didn't falter. Instead, he transformed into his leopard form, his muscles bulging and his speed increasing.

With a roar, Lucci charged at Moria, his claws extended and ready to tear through flesh. Moria met him head-on, their blades and claws clashing in a shower of sparks. The force of their collision shook the ground beneath them, sending ripples through the surrounding area.

"You think this will stop me?" Lucci snarled, his voice a deep growl in his hybrid form. "I've faced worse than you, pitiful excuse for a Warlord."

"Maybe," Moria replied, his voice cold and determined. "But I've got more up my sleeve."

He summoned more shadow warriors, their forms materializing out of the darkness. They lunged at Lucci, their blades slicing through the air. Lucci fought them off, his claws and fists tearing through their shadowy forms, but they kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless.

In the midst of the chaos, Moria saw his opportunity. He moved with lightning speed, his blades flashing as he closed in on Lucci. With a powerful strike, he drove one blade into Lucci's side, the other aimed at his throat. Lucci twisted at the last moment, the blade grazing his neck but not delivering a fatal blow.

"You'll have to do better than that," Lucci growled, blood dripping from his wounds.

He retaliated with a powerful Rokugan, his fist slamming into Moria's chest with the force of a cannonball. Moria was sent flying back, crashing into the wall with a sickening thud. He gasped for breath, his ribs feeling like they were on fire.

Unseen by the tired Lucci, a shadow warrior emerged from the darkness, his bow drawn. The arrow flew with deadly precision, striking Lucci in the shoulder and forcing a cry of pain from the assassin. He staggered, momentarily thrown off balance, giving Moria the opening he needed.

With a roar, Moria surged forward, his blades moving with blinding speed. He attacked relentlessly, each strike aimed to bring down his powerful foe. Lucci fought back with equal ferocity, but the combined assault of Moria and his shadow-enhanced warriors began to take its toll.

Summoning the last of his strength, Moria launched a final, desperate attack. He drove his blades deep into Lucci's sides, the shadow magic reinforcing his strength. Lucci roared in pain, his body buckling under the onslaught. With a mighty push, Moria sent him crashing to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Moria stood over his fallen opponent, blood dripping from his own wounds. He had won, but the victory came at a great cost. His body ached, and he knew he had been pushed to his absolute limit.

"You... fought well," Moria admitted, his voice a mix of respect and exhaustion. "But this is my victory."

Moria stood over Lucci's fallen form, breathing heavily. Blood dripped from his own wounds, and the warehouse echoed with the aftermath of their brutal battle. He had won, but victory came at a great cost. His body ached, his mind raced, but there was one more task to complete. A sinister smile crept across his face as he looked down at Lucci.

"Arise," he commanded.

Nothing happened. Lucci's body remained motionless. The smile faded from Moria's face, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty.

"Arise!" he repeated, his tone more insistent.

Still nothing. Moria's confidence wavered, a creeping sense of panic beginning to claw at his mind. He couldn't afford to fail now, not after everything.

"Arise!" he roared, pouring every ounce of his remaining strength into the command.

For a moment, it seemed like nothing would happen. Then, slowly, shadows began to pool around Lucci's body, seeping out from beneath him. They twisted and coalesced, forming a new shape beside the fallen assassin. A figure began to take form, emerging from Lucci's shadow itself. It stood tall and menacing, a dark warrior made entirely of shadow, its eyes glowing with an eerie, unnatural light.

Moria let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He had done it. He had called forth a new shadow warrior.

[Rob Lucci]

Class: Named Shadow
Job : Assassin
Dourikis: 3 000
Rank : S

Merge shadows to enhance