Chapter 77
20th of April, 1522
Thriller Bark
Baby 5, Buffalo, Lao G, and Gladius tumbled through the dark tunnel, their landing softened only by the dank earth beneath them. They quickly gathered themselves, their expressions a mix of irritation and resolve. The corridor before them stretched endlessly, dimly lit by flickering electric torches casting long, eerie shadows on the stone walls.
Buffalo adjusted his hat and gave a lazy grin. "Well, at least we're moving forward. This must lead us to the center of the island."
Lao G stretched, his joints cracking loudly in the confined space. "Indeed, nothing to worry about. Pica, Señor Pink, and Dellinger will handle their end. We just need to focus on ours."
Gladius inspected his spiked attire, ensuring everything was in place. "Keep your guard up. This place might be creepy, but it's nothing we can't handle."
Baby 5, twirling a pistol absentmindedly, added, "Besides, we're the strongest. This island doesn't stand a chance."
Their initial confidence echoed through the corridor as they moved forward. However, the path soon began to twist and turn, the air growing colder with each step. Strange, eldritch inscriptions appeared on the walls, pulsating as if alive. Grotesque pictures followed, depicting half-formed creatures with too many eyes and limbs, frozen in poses of agony and ecstasy.
Buffalo's usual grin faltered. "What the hell are those things?"
Lao G, eyes narrowing, responded, "Keep moving. They're just pictures. They can't hurt us."
But the discomfort only grew. The walls now featured old, tattered plushies, their button eyes following their every move. Some twitched as if struggling against invisible restraints. Gladius, normally stoic, felt a shiver run down his spine.
"This place is wrong," Baby 5 whispered, her earlier bravado replaced by unease.
As they ventured deeper, they stumbled upon desiccated corpses hanging from the walls, mouths open in silent screams. The bodies were twisted and contorted into nightmarish sculptures, limbs rearranged in grotesque displays.
"What kind of sick place is this?" Buffalo muttered, his voice shaky.
Finally, they reached an expansive, gothic cave, its vaulted ceiling lost in shadow, supported by immense columns etched with cryptic runes. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the musty odor of decay, pressing down on them like a tangible force. At the center stood a grotesque altar, its surface slick with blood that defied gravity, flowing upward from the ground to a corpse impaled on a dagger. The blood hissed and bubbled as it moved. Statues of nightmarish creatures surrounded the altar, their grotesque forms holding torches that flickered with an eerie, greenish flame, casting dancing shadows that seemed to possess a life of their own.
The corpse on the altar was of a nun, yet nothing about her invoked sanctity. Her blindfolded eyes suggested dark rituals, her body encased in a tight, black latex corset that highlighted her voluptuous curves, pushing up her ample chest and leaving little to the imagination. The corset laced up the front with blood-red ribbons, the material gleaming seductively in the torchlight. A sheer black mesh covered her shoulders and upper arms, leading down to fingerless gloves that allowed for dexterous movement, each gesture causing the chains and buckles on her outfit to jingle softly. Her skirt was scandalously short, made of black latex, adorned with more chains and buckles that glinted with every subtle motion.
Thigh-high stockings, held up by garters, and knee-high stiletto boots completed her look, adding an industrial edge to her sultry appearance. The nun's habit was modified with a revealing cut, edged with provocative lace that framed her face, drawing attention to the macabre choker around her neck. A skull charm dangled from the choker, swaying slightly with each breath, while an array of provocative jewelry—rings, bracelets, and piercings—enhanced her unsettling allure.
Her skin was ghostly pale, almost glowing, contrasting starkly with the dark latex. Tattoos of twisted, erotic designs snaked across her body, depicting scenes of torment and ecstasy that seemed to move with a life of their own. The blood, boiling and unnatural, flowed in a continuous stream up her body, pooling around the dagger embedded in her chest. The blade, made of the blackest stone, absorbed the light around it, and the gem at its hilt pulsed with a malevolent energy.
As they watched in horror, the nun's body convulsed violently, as if manipulated by invisible strings. She rose from the altar, her movements initially stiff and mechanical, then disturbingly fluid and sensual. Her blindfold slipped slightly, revealing piercing blue eyes that were both captivating and chilling, sending shivers down their spines.
"Welcome, children," she giggled, her voice a chilling blend of innocence and malice. "You've come to play, haven't you?"
Her body moved with a disturbing elegance, the latex outfit creaking as she swayed. The chains clinked softly, and the tattoos pulsed in rhythm with her steps. Her exposed flesh, marked with intricate and macabre designs, glistened as the boiling blood flowed over it, adding to the grotesque allure of her appearance. The nun's habit and revealing attire were designed to mesmerize and unsettle, a nightmarish fusion of sanctity and depravity.
The blood from the altar continued its unnatural ascent, swirling around her in a macabre dance. The eldritch statues seemed to lean closer, their torchlight flickering with a life of its own, casting grotesque shadows that writhed on the walls. The nun's laughter grew louder, more frenzied, echoing through the cavern and filling the air with a sense of impending doom.
Buffalo, his voice barely a whisper, said, "What... what is she?"
20th of April, 1522
Marineford
As Whitebeard's final roar echoed across the battlefield, proclaiming the existence of the One Piece, a wave of despair swept over the pirates. Their screams filled the air, a chorus of anguish and hopelessness that marked the end of an era. Some of them deposited their arms in defeat.
Mihawk watched, his expression inscrutable, as the great Whitebeard's final declaration sent shockwaves through the hearts of all present. The legend had fallen, but his words ignited a fire that would not be easily extinguished - as it had been diffused to the whole world.
As Whitebeard's final roar echoed across the battlefield, proclaiming the existence of the One Piece, a wave of despair swept over the pirates. Their screams filled the air, a chorus of anguish and hopelessness that marked the end of an era. Some of them dropped their arms in defeat, overwhelmed by the magnitude of their loss.
Mihawk watched, his expression inscrutable, as Whitebeard's final declaration reverberated through Marineford. The legend had fallen, but his words ignited a fire that would not be easily extinguished, spreading hope and defiance across the world.
Suddenly, two figures rushed towards Whitebeard's lifeless body. One was predictable—Moria, his eyes gleaming with the prospect of raising the mighty pirate's shadow. Mihawk's curiosity was piqued. Could Moria actually do it? And would the Marines allow him to?
The second figure was unexpected. "Zehahahahaha!" Blackbeard's laughter echoed across the battlefield. In a surprising display of strength, his four crewmates swiftly dispatched all Marines and pirates near Whitebeard's body, clearing a path for their captain. Mihawk's eyes narrowed. "What? They were this strong?" he thought, astonished.
Moria and Blackbeard faced each other, soon joined by a very hurt and weakened Akainu. The three men stood in a tense standoff around Whitebeard's body. Around them, the pirates, their morale shattered, began to retreat in despair.
Akainu, bloodied but resolute, growled, "Move away from Whitebeard's body, both of you!"
[̸͝ͅM̷̧̈́à̶̜r̴̢̿s̸͂ͅh̶̲͋ǎ̸ͅl̷̟̾l̸͓̿ ̸̢̅D̸̨̉.̶̼͛ ̶͈̀Ṭ̸͋e̴̠̊á̵̬c̶̢͊h̵̻͊]̵̗̃
̷̰̚
C̷l̵a̷s̶s̷:̴ ̵[̸E̸r̴r̸o̴r̴!̷C̴a̵n̵n̷o̷t̵ ̷D̵I̷s̸p̷l̵a̶y̵X̶E̸B̶e̸c̸!̸3̶i̴!̸S̶a̸m̴e̸̵T̴i̵m̵s̷j̵n̸∏̶
̷J̵o̵b̶:̷[̵E̷r̴r̴o̶r̸!̷C̵a̴n̵n̵o̷t̶ ̸D̶I̵s̴p̶l̸a̷y̴I̵m̶u̸)̸P̷l̷u̸t̸on?R̴O̶ck̵k̸,̵z̸c̷!̴3̸i̵!̵S̸a̸m̷e̵̷T̸i̶m̸s̶j̸n̵∏̸
̴
F̶̦͒r̷̝͂u̶̯͗i̷̹̅t̵̩̃,̷̢̂ ̶̙̈s̴̫̔ḷ̴̎o̸͉͐ṱ̶̒ ̵̜̕1̸̖̓ ̸̬̀:̶̱̐ ̶̻̋I̶͉̅ṉ̶̀ǘ̶̪-̶̭̀Ĩ̴̖n̷̥̓u̴̥͝ ̸͗ͅN̸̙̏ó̶̦ ̷͖̈́M̵̗͘i̸̝̊,̵̎ͅ ̵̺͠M̷͉͝o̷̤̓d̵̡͒ẹ̴̃l̶͖͆:̴̘͋ ̵̱͂C̶̛̙ḙ̵̾r̷͙̈b̴̥̆ë̴̢r̸̻̓u̷̗̕s̶̻̈ ̴̭͂o̵̺̅f̶͎͛ ̸͍̾t̶̨̒h̴̬̎e̷̗̿ ̷̲̑Ă̵̤b̷͙̒y̸̭͊s̵̺̽s̷͕͘
̵̤̀F̶͗͜r̸̅ͅu̸̕ͅi̷̞͌t̸̩͗,̴̰͌ ̴̧͘s̷̖͝l̶̯̐o̶̠̎t̴̹̚ ̵̱͌3̶͉̆ ̸̝͝:̷̙̍ ̶̦̈́E̷͔̎m̶̠͗p̸͈͠t̶̛̻ÿ̶̙
̴͇̃
Douriki: 4,588/19,765/?
Potential: EX
Fate: SSS
To everyone's surprise, including Sengoku's, Blackbeard lunged at Akainu with a ferocity unseen before. His attacks were ruthless and powerful, and within moments, he managed to knock the admiral out cold. His crewmates swiftly covered Whitebeard's body with a black cloth, their movements precise and efficient. Moria and Blackbeard faced each other, the tension between them palpable.
Blackbeard grinned. "I'll make you a deal, Moria. You take the shadow, and I keep the corpse."
Moria, his eyes narrowing with suspicion, nodded reluctantly.
"I'll take the Deal, Cerberus of the False Earth".
Blackbeard's expression changed instantly, as if he had drastically shifted personalities, and he looked at Moria intently. "We'll have a talk, Moria."
Blackbeard disappeared beneath the black cloth covering Whitebeard's body, causing confusion among the onlookers. Kizaru appeared, swiftly taking the unconscious Akainu away from the battlefield.
Moria didn't have time to ponder Blackbeard's intentions. He focused on absorbing Whitebeard's shadow, feeling a surge of dark power coursing through him. His grin widened as the shadow merged with his own.
[Gecko Moria]
Dourikis: 18,142 →22,968/32,000
"Kishishishi! What an amazing power-up!", Moria laughed. He could take on Kaido himself ! Now, he truly was invincible.
[You absorbed an Ex-ranked Shadow]
Reward : [Blessed Random Box]
Sengoku launched himself into the air and landed with a thunderous crash in front of Moria.
[Sengoku]
Class: Marine
Job: Fleet Admiral
Fruit: Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Daibutsu
Dourikis: 34 673
Potential: SSS
Fate: S
Or not.
Sengoku's body expanded, glowing with an ethereal golden light that radiated immense power and authority. His skin turned a shimmering gold, and his features took on a serene yet formidable expression. Towering above the battlefield, Sengoku's presence was like that of a deity descending to pass judgment. His massive hands, capable of crushing anything in their path, clenched into fists as he prepared to confront the new threat.
However, before he could pulverize Moria, Blackbeard emerged from under the cloth with a sinister grin, the ground beneath him already trembling from the residual power of Whitebeard's quake. To everyone's shock, he unleashed Whitebeard's devil fruit power. The ground split and cracked violently as he created a devastating quake, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Sengoku, caught off guard, was hit by the full force of the quake. His giant Buddha form staggered from the impact, the golden glow flickering as he struggled to maintain his balance.
The earth itself seemed to groan under the immense power, fissures spreading outwards from the epicenter of Blackbeard's attack. Marines and pirates alike were thrown off their feet, the sheer force of the quake creating a scene of utter devastation. Buildings crumbled, and the sea roared as if in agony. Blackbeard's maniacal laughter filled the air once more, a chilling sound that heralded the dawn of a new era of terror.
Sengoku's golden visage was etched with both determination and the strain of holding back such a formidable force. "This power... How did you—" Sengoku began, but his words were cut off as Blackbeard sent another shockwave through the ground, forcing the mighty Buddha to brace himself against the unrelenting assault.
A few brave Marines charged at Blackbeard, but he effortlessly knocked them out with a surge of his darkness power. Then, to everyone's shock, he unleashed Whitebeard's earthquake power. The ground split and cracked violently, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. "How is this possible?" a pirate cried out in disbelief. "No Devil Fruit user can have two powers at once!"
Marco shouted, "Blackbeard's body is abnormal. It must be able to withstand the effects of multiple Devil Fruits."
With a malevolent grin, Blackbeard declared, "This is my age now!" His voice echoed with chilling finality as the ground beneath Marineford began to crumble. The top of the fortress started to collapse, sending shockwaves of horror even to those on Sabaody Archipelago. The battlefield grew increasingly unstable, and the Blackbeard Pirates spread out, readying themselves for the chaos.
Blackbeard laughed maniacally. "How should I begin using my new powers? Ah, yes! I will sink Marineford to its core!"
Before he could act, Sengoku, in his colossal Buddha form, launched himself at Blackbeard with incredible force. "Marineford is the center of the world," Sengoku roared. "I will not let you sink it. We can rebuild our base, but I will protect this place!"
Blackbeard smirked, challenging Sengoku, "Try to stop me, then."
Suddenly, a commanding voice interrupted the chaos.
"Enough!"
Shanks, the Red-Haired Pirate, appeared, his presence immediately altering the atmosphere.
"What ?", Gecko Moria recoiled in surprise. How could he be there? And how could he…
[Saint Rocks D. "Týr" Shanks]
Class : Pirate Emperor, Celestial Dragon
Job : Captain of the Red-hair Pirates, Protector of the World's balance, Mind behind Nika, The One Who Gave Fenrir His Hand
Dourikis : 38 597*
Potential : SSS
Fate : SSS
What. The. Fuck.