The moment the Strawhats turned around to finally face the giant ship island they were on, the world seemingly changed.
The Strawhats had to at first just face the creepy ocean filled with broken and floating ships, but now even the ground which they were standing on was a nightmare to look at. And if it wasn't enough to scare them, fog poured out from between those teeth, thick and cold, carrying the smell of damp earth and decay. The stone walls were curved upward on either side, tall enough to block out most of the darkened sky, leaving only a narrow strip of gray light overhead. And as if it was not less, vines and moss clung to the cracks, and every few steps, the ground crunched underfoot from what looked like broken bones scattered in the gravel.
Usopp whimpered with every step, his hands clutching his garlic necklace like a lifeline. "T-T-This place gives me the cree-creeps. Why couldn't we just sail aw-away?"
Chopper clung to Zoro's leg, his little hooves shaking. "I-I don't like this. It f-f-feels like we're walking into a m-monster's stomach."
Franky adjusted his cola grenades, his eyes darting around. "Stay SUPER alert, bros. This ain't no amusement park."
Even Sanji kept glancing back, his cigarette burning faster than usual. "If anything jumps out, I'm kicking it back to whatever grave it crawled out from."
Robin walked calmly, but her extra eyes sprouted on the walls, scanning ahead. Nami gripped her Clima-Tact so tight her knuckles turned white. "Luffy, are you sure about this? We could turn back now."
Luffy marched at the front, his strawhat tilted low, and cloak fluttering behind him, hiding Merry. "Nope! Brook's shadow is here somewhere. We gotta get it!"
Brook clacked along beside him. "I appreciate this more than words can say, Captain. But please, be cautious. Thriller Bark is full of traps."
The path they followed was a narrow rocky strip, about five meters wide, squeezed between the dark water on one side and a deep canyon on the other. The canyon circled the entire island-ship, a bottomless drop with fog swirling at the edges, hiding whatever lay below. The water lapped against the rocks, black and still, like it was waiting for someone to fall in.
Zoro glanced over the edge of the canyon. "It's too deep. Don't slip," he warned, especially to Luffy, who was hopping ahead.
As they walked further into the creepy, haunting island, Sanji tried to strike a conversation, especially about the guy Franky was carrying on his wide shoulders. "What are we gonna do with that pervert lion guy? We can't just take him with us." Sanji kicked a loose stone into the water.
Usopp nodded, still clutching his garlic necklace. "Yeah! But he could have useful info. Like, maps of this place or where the shadows are kept. We should interrogate him!"
Nami shuddered. "No way! Did you see what he tried to do to me? I don't want that creep anywhere near us. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl."
Chopper peeked out from behind Zoro. "He's scary... and gross. What if he turns invisible again?"
Franky crossed his arms. "I'm with Nami-san. This guy's a walking harassment charge. We don't need his kind of 'help.' SUPER no."
Brook tilted his head. "He is one of the Mysterious Four. He might know weaknesses in Moria's defenses."
Sanji blew out smoke. "Even if he does, I don't trust him not to try something slimy the second we untie him. Better to dump him."
Brook nodded his skull. "Absalom is dangerous, yes. But perhaps we could–"
Luffy stopped suddenly, head cocked. "Nah. Tie him up good and leave him in a barrel. We don't need him. We'll find Brook's shadow ourselves!"
Usopp sighed but didn't argue. "Fine. I saw a random barrel back near the gate. Big enough to stuff him in."
They backtracked a few steps to where a weathered wooden barrel sat half-buried in the gravel, probably washed up from some old wreck. Franky and Zoro hauled the still-unconscious Absalom over, ropes and all, and shoved him inside headfirst. Sanji nailed the lid shut with a few quick kicks.
"There," Nami said, dusting her hands. "Problem solved. Now let's get this over with before more weirdos show up."
They continued along the narrow path, the canyon yawning wider beside them. The fog grew thicker, muffling their footsteps. Then, a sound echoed up from the depths.
It started low, like a distant wind moaning through cracks. Then it built into howls, sharp and animalistic cries that bounced off the canyon walls, mixing with scratches and snarls. It sounded like a pack of wolves trapped in a graveyard, hungry and angry, their voices twisting into something not quite animal, not quite human.
Chopper froze, his fur standing on end. "W-what was that?!"
Usopp's knees knocked together. "G-Ghost dogs? Z-Z-Z-Z-Zombie wolves? Werewolves!? We should r-run the other way!"
Nami clutched her staff. "That doesn't sound friendly. Luffy, let's go back!" Nami whined with tears streaming down her face like Chopper and Usopp's.
But Luffy's eyes lit up. "Cool! Sounds like an adventure down there!" He grinned wide and veered toward the canyon edge, peering down into the fog. "Let's check it out!"
Zoro groaned. "Of course he wants to follow the creepy howls."
Sanji stubbed out his cigarette. "Idiot captain. Fine, but if it's a trap, I'm blaming you."
Brook hesitated. "Those might be the Surprise Zombies... or worse."
Franky pumped his arms. "SUPER reluctant, but... can't let the little bro go alone."
Robin smiled faintly. "It seems we have no choice."
Chopper whimpered but followed. "W-wait for me!"
Usopp dragged his feet, muttering. "W-Why do I always end up in these situations..."
Nami sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping. "Because our captain's a magnet for trouble."
Luffy laughed and started climbing down the canyon wall, using rocks as handholds. The howls grew louder, calling them deeper into the unknown. The crew exchanged nervous glances but one by one, they followed their captain into the mist-shrouded drop, their hearts pounding but weapons ready.
The descent into the canyon was slow and tense. Luffy led the way, his gloved hands gripping rough rocks as he climbed down like it was just the mast of the Going Merry. The howls echoed louder with every meter they dropped, bouncing off the sheer stone walls and making the fog vibrate.
Zoro followed close behind, his swords ready at his side. Sanji lit another cigarette, his sharp eyes scanning what he could see and his Haki trying to sense the area. Nami clutched her Clima-Tact, muttering under her breath about how this was the worst idea ever. Usopp and Chopper huddled together, Usopp's garlic necklace swinging wildly. Franky scanned the walls with his built-in lights, and Robin sprouted extra hands to help steady everyone. Brook brought up the rear, his bony feet scraping against the stone.
"Luffy, slow down!" Nami called out, her voice echoing. "We don't even know what's making those sounds!"
Luffy glanced back, grinning wide. "That's why we're going! It sounds fun!"
Usopp whimpered. "Fu-Fun? Those howls sound like souls being tortured! What if it's a pack of ghost wolves? Or hellhounds? I vote we climb back up right now!"
Chopper nodded frantically, his little hooves slipping on a loose rock. "Yeah! I'm a doctor, not a monster hunter! What if whatever's down there bites us and we turn into zombies too?"
Zoro snorted. "If it's a fight, we'll handle it. Stop whining."
Sanji blew smoke toward Usopp. "Moss-head's right for once. But if anything touches Nami-san or Robin-chan, it's getting flambéed."
Franky flexed his arms. "SUPER! I'll blast it with a cola cannon if it gets too close."
Brook tilted his skull. "Those howls... they remind me of the wild Zombies. Be careful, everyone. They might not be friendly."
Robin smiled calmly. "Interesting. If they're zombies, we might learn something about how shadows are used here."
The group finally reached the bottom after what felt like forever. Their feet hit solid ground… or what passed for it. The canyon floor was uneven, covered in loose gravel and... bones. Lots of bones. Earlier, from up top, they had looked like random debris, but down here it was clear: human skulls stared up at them with empty sockets, ribcages cracked and scattered, femurs and arm bones piled in heaps. The fog made everything look gray and washed out, and the air smelled like old dirt and rot.
Usopp screamed first. "B-BONES! Hu-Human bones! We're in a g-g-gonna die! A giant, creepy, pit!"
Chopper hid behind Franky. "Those are real sk-sk-skeletons! People di-died here! Lots of people!"
Nami's face went pale. "T-T-This is worse than I thought. Luffy, we should find a way up. This place is giving me the chills."
Sanji kicked a skull away gently. "Disgusting. Who leaves bodies just lying around like this?"
Zoro stepped over a pile without flinching. "Probably victims of whatever runs this island. Stay sharp."
Franky shone his light around. "These look old. Like they've been here for years. What kind of monsters do this?"
Brook picked up a bone and examined it. "Ah, yes. Thriller Bark is known for its... residents. Many sailors never leave alive. Apparently, it's to die for! Yohoho!"
Luffy, now giddy with excitement, was already moving ahead toward the source of the howls. His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Come on! The sounds are coming from over there!"
The howls were closer now, a mix of deep growls and high-pitched yips, like multiple voices arguing in one body. The crew hurried after him, some of them stepping carefully over the bones to avoid crunching them.
As they rounded a bend in the canyon, the fog parted just enough to reveal the creature. A massive, three-headed creature, with two of them belonging to dogs and the other one that of a fox, stitched together like a patchwork quilt. Its body was huge, almost of the size of a cannon, with fur in mismatched colors of blue and yellow. Each head had wild eyes, sharp teeth, and a number 82 stitched on it. Bandages wrapped around its legs and torso and one of the eyes, holding together what looked like different animal parts.
It was a Cerberus, or Thriller Bark's version of one, pacing back and forth and howling at the stone walls.
The crew froze.
Usopp pointed, voice a whisper-scream. "Th-Th-That's... that's a fucking Cerberus! A three-headed hellhound! We're doomed!"
Chopper's eyes went wide. "It's undead! Look at the stitches! It's like someone sewed three dogs together!"
Nami backed up. "No way are we going near that thing! We are lucky it hasn't seen us yet! Luffy, turn around right now!"
Sanji positioned himself in front of the ladies. "Yeah, captain. That mutt looks like it could eat us in one bite each."
Franky raised his cola grenades. "One wrong move, and boom! SUPER explosion!"
Zoro drew one sword. "If it attacks, I'll cut it down. But yeah, let's not poke it."
Robin observed quietly. "Fascinating. It's animated, but not naturally. Definitely a zombie animal."
Brook nodded. "Yes, one of the Wild Zombies. They're made from animal corpses. Very aggressive."
But Luffy's eyes were sparkling like stars. "Whoa, so cool! A three-headed dog! Hey, guys, watch this!"
He started backing up slowly, hands raised playfully, like he was teasing a puppy. The Cerberus instantly noticed him, all three heads turning with snarls.
The crew panicked.
"LUFFY, NO!" Nami yelled. "Don't provoke it!"
Usopp waved his arms. "Captain! Stop! That's not a pet!"
Chopper cried. "It'll eat you!"
Sanji rushed forward. "You idiot! Get back here!"
Zoro gripped his sword tighter. "Luffy! No!"
Franky aimed. "Say the word, and I'll fire!"
Brook clacked his jaw. "Young Captain, please! Wild Zombies don't make friends!"
But Luffy just laughed. "Shishishi! It's okay! Hey, big guy! Wanna play?"
The Cerberus lunged a step, growling from all three throats. But Luffy didn't run. He tilted his head, listening. His eyes flickered to golden, while he stood there patiently, extending his right hand. The Cerberus growled, it barked, yipped, before seemingly getting quiet.
The crew stared.
"What's happening?" Usopp whimpered, scared for Luffy, scared for himself.
"Luffy is talking to it.." Chopper uttered.
Robin smiled. "Remember, Luffy is the Sun God. He can understand animals. Even undead ones, it seems."
The Cerberus paused, its heads tilting in confusion. One head sniffed the air toward Luffy. Luffy smiled, playful and friendly. The middle head whined, then the left one yipped back. Luffy laughed.
It took only that for Cerberus's three yellow tails to start wagging. All three heads panted happily, and it bounded over to Luffy like an oversized puppy. Luffy reached up and patted the middle head, scratching behind its ears.
"See? He's friendly!" Luffy said. "He says he's bored down here and wants to play. His name's Cerby!"
Usopp's jaw dropped. "You named it?!"
Nami facepalmed. "Of course he did."
Chopper approached slowly. "It... it doesn't bite? Wow, you befriended it so fast Luffy!"
Cerby licked Luffy's face with one tongue, making him giggle. "Nope! He's a good boy. All three of him!"
Franky lowered his weapons. "SUPER weird, but okay. If the dude says so..."
Brook chuckled. "Yohohoho! Even the undead can't resist our captain's charm."
Sanji relit his cigarette. "Fine, but if it turns on us, it's dog-zombie stew."
Zoro shrugged. "Whatever. Let's keep moving."
The group started forward again through the foggy forest, the twisted trees casting long shadows even in the dim light. Luffy hopped up onto Cerberus's broad back, settling in comfortably between the three heads. The middle head turned and licked his hand, making him giggle. He held the bottled Merry close to his chest with one hand, the glass glowing faintly in the low light. Franky, seeing how much fun Luffy was having, grinned and climbed up behind him, his heavy frame making Cerberus dip a little before the zombie dog adjusted.
"Ha! This beats walking," Franky said, pumping a fist. "SUPER ride!"
Luffy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Cerby doesn't mind. He says it's like carrying puppies."
Usopp eyed the setup nervously from the ground. "Just don't fall off and crush us, okay?"
Nami walked beside them, still gripping her Clima-Tact. "This forest is endless. How big is this island anyway?"
Robin sprouted an extra eye on a tree ahead to scout. "It seems to stretch for quite a distance. We might find buildings soon."
As they pushed on, the ground crunching under feet and paws, Zoro glanced at Franky up on the dog. "Hey, robot. Watch your weight. You're gonna break the mutt's back."
Franky's head snapped around so fast his sunglasses almost flew off. "Robot? ROBOT?! I'm a cyborg, you directionless moss-head! Get it right! I rebuilt myself with my own hands! I am half man, half machine, best of both SUPER worlds!"
Zoro smirked, not even looking back. "Robot, cyborg, whatever. You're still clanking around like a tin can."
Franky stood up on Cerberus's back, pointing dramatically. "Tin can? I'll show you tin can! My body's a masterpiece of engineering! You wanna see what these arms can do?"
Sanji chuckled, blowing smoke. "Oi, calm down, shipwright. Moss-head's just jealous he can't shoot lasers from his eyes or whatever you do."
Zoro shot Sanji a glare. "Stay out of it, curly-brow. At least I don't need gadgets to fight."
Luffy laughed from his perch. "Shishishi! You guys are funny. Franky's not a robot, he's our shipwright! And Zoro's our swordsman. No fighting!"
Franky crossed his arms but sat back down, grumbling. "Yeah, well, next time he calls me that, I'm launching him into a tree."
Brook, walking a bit behind with his cane tapping the ground, watched the exchange with his empty sockets wide. "Yohohoho! This crew is so energetic! It's like being back with my old mates. Perhaps a song to lift our spirits?"
He pulled out his violin, balancing it carefully with his incomplete hand. The bow scraped across the strings, starting what should have been a lively tune. But without his two missing fingers, the notes came out off-key, wobbling and flat, like a ghost trying to whistle.
Brook stopped after a few bars, tilting his skull. "Ah... that doesn't sound right. My apologies. It seems two fingers make quite a difference in fingering the strings."
Usopp winced. "Yeah, that was... unique. Maybe wait till they grow back?"
Nami nodded quickly. "Please. My ears are still ringing from the howls."
Franky rubbed his chin, then paused. "Wait a sec. You just called us 'this crew.' Like I'm already part of it. Hold on, Strawhat even called me the shipwright! But I haven't agreed to anything yet!"
The group slowed a little, turning to look at him. Luffy blinked down from Cerberus. "Eh? But you're riding with me. And you helped with Merry. You're already nakama!"
Zoro snorted. "Too late to back out now, cyborg. Captain says you're in, you're in."
Sanji grinned around his cigarette. "Yeah. Luffy's like a black hole, once he pulls you in, no escaping."
Nami shrugged. "It's true. Look at me, I was just trying to steal your map at first. Now here I am, navigating for idiots."
Usopp nodded sagely. "And me! I was gonna stay in my village forever. But nope, Luffy dragged me along. But it's the best decision I ever made."
Chopper peeked out from where he was walking beside Robin. "Me too! I was in the Drum Island. Now I'm the doctor for the craziest- Best people ever."
Robin smiled softly. "It's inevitable. Our captain has a way of collecting people."
Brook chuckled. "Yohohoho! See? Even I, a humble skeleton, am already included."
Franky scratched his head, looking a bit flustered. "But... I got responsibilities! The Franky Family back in Water 7.. they depend on me. And Iceburg! He's like a brother. I can't just abandon everything this way."
Luffy tilted his head, thinking for a second. Then his face brightened. "We can go back to Water 7 later! We still need a new ship anyway, right? Merry's in the bottle, but she's tiny now. We can visit your family and Iceburg. No problem!"
Franky blinked, his massive shoulders relaxing a bit. "Really? You'd... detour for that, strawhat?"
Luffy nodded firmly. "Of course! The crew comes first. Your family's important too."
Sanji puffed smoke. "See? Told you. Black hole."
Zoro grunted. "Just don't slow us down with your clanking."
Franky glared but didn't argue, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Fine. But only temporary. We'll see."
The group kept walking, the forest thinning a little as they went. Cerberus's steps were heavy but steady, the three heads occasionally sniffing the air or yipping at each other. Luffy chatted easily with the dog, while taking turns with Chopper translating for the crew.
"He says there's food up ahead," Luffy announced. "But it smells dead."
Usopp groaned. "Great. Zombie snacks."
Chopper, who had a thought bothering him, trotted up closer to Cerberus and looked up at Luffy. "Hey, Luffy? How are you feeling? I mean, after everything… the Aqua Laguna, the ice, turning giant, shrinking the ship... From what I've seen as your doctor, you should be exhausted. Like, really low on energy. But you're bouncing around like nothing happened."
The crew went quiet, glancing at their captain. Luffy paused, his grin fading for just a second. He stared at the bottled Merry in his hand, then looked at Chopper, a smile emerged on his face. "Huh? I feel fine! Shishishi! Maybe I'm just tough."
Chopper frowned, his little brow furrowing. "But... your blood tests before showed weird stuff. Like, your cells are different. I was thinking maybe I should take another sample, see how far along you are with... whatever's happening."
In his mind, Chopper pictured the results from the last check, Luffy's blood glowing golden, consisting mostly of gold color instead of red under the microscope, cells dividing faster than normal, almost like they were regenerating endlessly, luckily they were dying quickly too, his body was only rapidly replacing itself, he didn't want to deal with the thought of Luffy's body being made up of cancerous cells. But he shook his head. No, not now. They're in a creepy forest with zombies. It can wait till they're safe.
Luffy laughed it off, patting Cerberus's head. "Nah, I'm good! Don't worry, Chopper. If I feel weird, I'll tell you."
Chopper nodded slowly. "Okay... but promise?"
"Promise!" Luffy grinned.
Nami sighed. "You'd better. We can't have our captain collapsing in a place like this."
Sanji nodded. "Yeah. Eat more if you need to. I packed extra meat."
Brook tapped his cane. "Such concern! This crew really cares for each other. It's heartwarming,even though I have no heart! Yohohoho!"
Usopp groaned, but his gaze never left his surroundings. "Skeleton jokes, really? Save it for the zombies."
Franky chuckled. "Hey, at least he's got spirit. Pun intended."
Zoro grumbled. "If you start playing violin again without fingers, I'm plugging my ears."
Sanji took a long drag on his cigarette, the tip glowing orange in the dim forest light. He exhaled slowly, eyeing Luffy up on Cerberus's back. The teen–god, whatever he was–seemed too casual about everything, like shrinking a whole ship into a bottle was just another Tuesday. "Oi, Luffy. You've been pulling off some crazy stuff lately. Turning giant, talking to zombie dogs, making ice bubbles... What's your true ability, anyway? You are a God, right? But what are your exact powers?"
The crew's chatter died down once again as they walked, leaves and bones crunching underfoot. Zoro perked up slightly. Nami glanced over, curious. Usopp and Chopper leaned in, and even Franky turned his head from his spot behind Luffy. Brook clacked his jaw shut, waiting.
Luffy blinked down at Sanji and shrugged, his straw hat tipping back a little. "Dunno, really. I mean, my fruit makes me, well, me, but... this other stuff? It's just me again, I think."
Sanji's eyebrow twitched. "Just you? Come on, captain. You glowed like the sun back there. And that Nika thing you mentioned–"
"Yeah!" Usopp jumped in. "You turned all white-haired and godly! What's up with that?"
Chopper nodded frantically. "As your doctor, I need to know! For medical reasons!"
Luffy scratched his cheek, thinking hard. Cerberus let out a low yip from one head, as if agreeing with the question. "Well... I know I asked my Father for freedom. Not Dad, my other Father. The big one. So maybe it's something about that? Being free to do whatever, like stretching reality or something."
The crew exchanged confused looks. Nami frowned. "Your... other Father? You mean the sea or–"
"I meant my creator," Luffy added casually, like he was talking about the weather, ignoring Nami's question completely. "And my other powers are my brother's, um, Halad's powers. He was the sky god who died and passed his powers to me.. I don't really get it myself. Shishishi! But it's fun!"
Franky's eyes narrowed. "Halad? Who's that?"
Robin tilted her head, her voice thoughtful. "In ancient myths, Halad was a sky deity, brother to the other biolentas. He fell in a great war."
Franky whistled low. "Whoa, so you're like a combo god? Sun, sky, freedom? That's SUPER heavy."
Brook's sockets widened. "The sky god Halad... I once heard tales from my crew. He controlled winds and storms, and could bend the heavens. If that's part of you, Captain..."
Sanji stubbed out his cigarette on a tree trunk, lighting another immediately. "Hold up. You 'asked' for freedom? From some big Father? This ain't making sense. Spill it, Luffy, what really happened? Why would you need to ask for freedom?"
Luffy opened his mouth to answer, but then he paused, sniffing the air. The forest had grown quieter, the trees sparser. Fog rolled in thicker, carrying a chill that made Chopper shiver. Usopp's garlic necklace swung as he stopped dead.
"Guys... where are we?" Usopp whispered.
They all looked around. The path had led them out of the dense woods into an open area, but it wasn't welcoming. Rows of crooked gravestones stretched out before them, half-sunken into the earth, covered in moss and cracks. Tombstones leaned at odd angles, some topped with stone skulls or broken crosses. The ground was uneven, dotted with fresh dirt mounds like recent burials. A few withered flowers lay scattered, and in the distance, a mausoleum loomed, its doors hanging off hinges. The howls from earlier echoed faintly, but now they sounded like they were coming from underground.
Nami's face paled. "A graveyard? We walked right into a freaking graveyard!"
Chopper yelped and hid behind Zoro's leg. "Zombies! This is where they come from! We're gonna get grabbed by the undead from hell!"
Franky scanned the area, his eyes lighting up blue. "SUPER bad vibes. Graves everywhere, looks like hundreds. Some look dug up recently."
Zoro drew one sword halfway. "Great. More undead crap. Stay alert."
Sanji cursed under his breath. "Of all places. Luffy, you led us here?"
Luffy hopped off Cerberus, landing lightly. The zombie dog sniffed a gravestone and growled low. "Shishishi! Cool! Maybe there are treasure zombies or something."
Usopp waved his arms. "No! Not cool! This is the opposite of cool! Let's turn back before something pops out!"
Brook stepped forward, his cane tapping a tombstone. "Ah, the Graveyard of Thriller Bark. This is where many shadows end up... or start. We must be close to the mansion now."
Robin sprouted extra eyes on a few graves, reading inscriptions. "These markers are old. Sailors, pirates, civilians... all lost to the island."
Cerberus pawed at the ground near a fresh mound, whining from all three heads. Luffy patted him. "It's okay, Cerby. No digging up friends."
Nami's fingers were still knotted in the back of Luffy's red cloak, yanking hard enough to choke a normal person. "We are NOT staying in this graveyard for one more second! Find another path, now!"
Before Luffy could answer, the ground responded for him.
A low, wet groan rolled under their feet. Dirt cracked. Pale, stitched hands burst up through the soil like grotesque flowers, fingers clawing at the air. One after another, zombies hauled themselves out of their graves, some missing jaws, some dragging broken legs, all wearing tattered pirate coats and tricorn hats long rotted to rags and seemingly stitched together.
Usopp, Chopper, and Nami screamed in perfect, terrified harmony.
"ZOMBIE PIRATES!" Usopp wailed, his garlic necklace flying.
"THEY'RE REAL! THEY'RE REAL!" Chopper shrieked, diving behind Franky.
"LUFFY I SWEAR IF WE DIE HERE I'M HAUNTING YOU!" Nami howled.
Luffy's eyes sparkled. "Whoa, cool!"
He bounded forward, completely ignoring the chaos, and reached the nearest zombie, whose head and single arm were sticking out of the dirt. The thing snarled, teeth clacking.
Luffy patted its muddy skull like it was a puppy. "Shishishi! Go back to sleep, old man." Then he pushed.
The zombie disappeared back into the hole with a startled "BWUH—?!" and a splash of dirt.
Everyone froze.
The zombie popped up again two seconds later, spitting soil and glaring with its one good eye. "What the hell's wrong with you, brat?!"
That was the signal for the zombies to rush towards the crew. Zoro's swords flashed. Sanji's legs ignited. Franky's fists whirred. Robin crossed her arms.
In thirty seconds, the graveyard looked like a blender had gone through it, with heads rolling, limbs flying, torsos kicked into trees. Cerberus happily chomped a zombie in half and spat the legs out like chew toys.
Then the impossible happened.
A severed arm crawled across the ground, found its torso, and screwed itself back on. A head rolled over, picked itself up by its own hair, and plopped back onto its neck.
Usopp's scream hit a new octave. "THEY'RE REASSSEMBLING!"
Chopper waved his cross like a baton. "Stay back! Stay back!"
Even Zoro looked annoyed. "Tch. Persistent bastards."
Luffy tilted his head. "Oi, oi. Why are you guys attacking us? What do you want?"
The lead zombie, a tall one with a captain's coat and half a face, snarled. "None of your business! This is our turf!"
Luffy's smile dropped. "Not answering, huh?"
He tugged off his right glove. Golden light flared around his bare hand in the dark ship, warm and blinding. The zombies flinched.
Luffy walked up to the captain-zombie, grabbed its wrist, and squeezed, just a little.
The arm turned to ash from the fingertips up, crumbling away like burnt paper. The zombie stared at the empty sleeve, then at Luffy, then at the glowing hand.
"IT BURNS! IT BUUUURNS!" The captain zombie howled.
Every single zombie dropped to their knees (or whatever was left of their knees) and threw their remaining arms up.
"WE SURRENDER! WE SURRENDER!"
"TAKE ANYTHING! JUST DON'T TOUCH US AGAIN!"
Luffy blinked, confused. "Eh? I just wanted to ask a question…"
Another one, missing both legs but still crawling, hissed, "MASTER MORIA'S ORDERS! Fresh meat walks in, we drag it to the mansion!"
Nami's eyes turned into beri signs. She stepped forward, Clima-Tact resting on her shoulder like a royal scepter. "Perfect. Hand over all your gold, treasures, and anything shiny. Now. Or the walking sun turns the rest of you into campfire ash."
The zombies started begging, since there were no more tears for them to cry after so many years.
"We're broke!" the captain wailed. "Moria takes everything! We haven't seen a single beri in fifty years!"
Another one sobbed, "We gamble with teeth and buttons! That's all we got!"
A third held up a single rusty coin. "This is literally everything. Take it, just leave us our limbs!"
Nami's dreams were shattered on the spot. She sagged, hair drooping comically. "...You're telling me I threatened an army of undead pirates… for nothing?"
Usopp patted her back. "There, there. At least we're not dead?"
Chopper peeked out. "And nobody got turned into a zombie!"
Sanji lit a new cigarette off the glowing remains of a zombie finger. "Let's move before they remember they outnumber us."
Luffy pulled his glove back on, pouting. "Aww, I still wanted to ask where Brook's shadow is."
Brook tapped a surrendered zombie with his cane. "Actually, they're only graveyard guards. The real treasure and shadows are deeper in, near the mansion."
Franky laughed. "Looks like we're going zombie-hunting the old-fashioned way!"
Zoro sheathed his swords, smirking. "Good. More cutting."
Robin smiled serenely. "I do believe the path continues that way." She pointed past the crying, limbless zombies toward a set of broken iron gates shrouded in thicker fog.
Luffy hopped back onto Cerberus, bottle-Merry raised triumphantly. "Alright! Next stop, shadow stealing mansion!"
The zombies waved tiny surrender flags made of grave moss as the Strawhats marched past, Cerberus proudly carrying the captain, cyborg, and bottled ship into the heart of Thriller Bark.
Behind them, one zombie whispered to another, "Did you see that kid's hand…?"
"Yeah," the captain zombie whimpered, cradling its half-melted arm. "I am never angering that brat. He seems to have the same effects as the sun…"
The Strawhats pressed on, their boots crunching over the graveyard's uneven ground as they moved beyond the surrendered zombies. The fog thickened with each step, curling around the broken tombstones like ghostly fingers.
Suddenly, Luffy's head tilted. His strawhat shifted slightly, and he frowned. "Guys.. someone's coming."
Usopp stiffened, his senses prickling. "Yeah, I feel it too. Fast."
Sanji narrowed his eyes, cigarette pausing mid-drag. "Same here. Behind us."
The crew turned as one. Out of the fog shuffled a lone figure–a zombie, but different from the others. He was short and hunched, with a weathered face stitched together from mismatched skin tones. His left eye was a milky white, and his right arm hung limp, patched with burlap. He raised a shaky hand, his voice raspy but gentle.
"Hold there, strangers. I ain't one o' them fightin' types. Just an old man, name's Gramps Tom. Been stuck here since Moria took my shadow fifty years back."
Luffy slid off Cerberus, landing with a bounce. "Old man zombie? Cool! Why're you following us?"
Gramps Tom coughed, leaning on a crooked stick. "Heard the commotion back there. Saw what you did to the guards. Figured you ain't ordinary folk. Thought I'd warn ya 'bout the big threat here, about Gecko Moria. He's the Warlord runnin' this hellhole. Steals shadows with his Devil Fruit, the Kage Kage no Mi. Sticks 'em in corpses to make zombies like me. If you lose your shadow and step in sunlight, poof, you disintegrate. That's why we hide durin' the day."
The crew exchanged glances. Brook's jaw clacked shut, his empty sockets seeming harrowingly hollow. "That's something I am already well aware of."
Usopp gulped. "Disintegrate? Like, what happened with Brook? That's awful!"
Chopper whimpered. "I don't wanna lose my shadow!"
Nami tightened her grip on her staff. "So that's why Brook vaporised. We need to get his shadow back fast."
Gramps Tom's good eye fixed on Luffy. "Speakin' o' vaporisin'… how'd you vaporize that zombie's arm back there, boy? Ain't never seen nothin' like it. Sunlight can only do that to us."
The crew's faces turned blank, as if they'd rehearsed it. Zoro crossed his arms, poker-faced. "Dunno."
Sanji took a drag, exhaling smoke with a shrug. "No idea."
Robin smiled faintly. "A mystery, I suppose."
Franky adjusted his sunglasses. "SUPER weird, huh?"
Usopp nodded too quickly. "Yeah, totally random!"
Chopper hid behind Franky. "Uh… medical anomaly?"
Nami waved a hand. "Just a lucky coincidence, I guess."
Luffy, however, looked guilty as sin. His strawhat dipped low, hiding his eyes, and he scuffed his shoe in the dirt. "Uh… sorry?"
Gramps Tom squinted, clearly unconvinced. "Hmm. Y'all actin' mighty strange. I'll keep my distance, then." He shuffled a few steps back, his stick tapping the ground. "But I'll guide ya where ya need to go. Follow me, castle's ahead. That's where Moria stays."
The crew resumed walking, Gramps Tom leading with a cautious gap between them. Cerberus sniffed the air, growling softly, but Luffy patted him to calm down. The forest thinned further, and the fog parted to reveal shadows moving in the distance, with other figures trailing them, silent and unseen. The crew didn't notice at first, too focused on keeping up with the old zombie.
After a while, a massive structure loomed into view. The castle of Thriller Bark rose like a decaying giant, its spires jagged and broken, windows glowing with an eerie purple light. The walls were patched with ship planks and bones, giving it a patchwork look. A gigantic flag fluttered atop the highest tower, bearing Moria's symbol, a skull with bat wings, big enough to be seen from miles away.
Gramps Tom stopped, gesturing with his stick. "There she is, the castle. Moria's lair. That big flag's 'cause this whole island's a ship, y'see. Used to be a galleon 'fore he turned it into this. Shadows get stored inside, 'specially in the throne room."
Luffy, still astride Cerberus, waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, I know it's a ship. Told you guys that already!"
Robin's extra eyes scanned the castle. "Fascinating architecture. An island converted into a ship… and a graveyard."
Brook nodded. "Indeed. My shadow is likely within those walls."