At that moment, a faint, flickering figure suddenly appeared in the air. In the blink of an eye, it lunged toward Kaguya with lightning speed.
"You're too careless! Did you really think you could defeat me so easily?!"
The voice belonged to none other than Absalom, the wielder of the Clear-Clear Fruit.
However, Kaguya didn't even turn her head. She simply raised a finger and snapped.
Snap!
"Wood Style: Cutting Sprigs Technique."
Splurt!
From what appeared to be empty air, blood gushed forth, staining the ground crimson.
A blood-soaked figure stumbled into view, his body riddled with wooden spikes.
Cough, cough…
Absalom collapsed to his knees, coughing violently as bright red blood spilled from his lips.
"A Clear-Clear Fruit user?" Kaguya glanced at him with disdain. "How pathetic. Did you really think I couldn't see you?"
Absalom's head shot up, his face filled with shock. "Y-You can see me?! That's impossible!"
"What's so impossible about it?" Kaguya sneered. "Maybe this trick works on others, but trying such petty illusions against me? You really underestimated me."
The Clear-Clear Fruit might seem powerful, but it wasn't as invincible as it appeared. While it could render a person invisible, it couldn't erase their presence entirely—the sound of footsteps, the rhythm of their heartbeat, all of it was still detectable. Anyone with Observation Haki could easily sense them.
Against Kaguya, who possessed superior ocular abilities, using this fruit was nothing short of a joke.
Absalom opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, the wooden spikes inside his body suddenly extended, transforming into vines that wrapped tightly around him.
Boom!
Like a crushed tomato, Absalom was obliterated in an instant.
Kaguya's voice was cold. "I didn't plan on killing you, but unfortunately, I despise abilities like yours. So, it's better that you die."
To Kaguya, Absalom posed no threat. However, to others—especially women—he was a serious menace. In the original story, he had used his Clear-Clear Fruit to spy on Nami while she was bathing, and he even groped her. Robin had also fallen victim to his perverse actions.
If there was anyone Kaguya truly despised, Absalom was certainly one of them.
At that moment, a pale white orb emerged from Absalom's corpse, floating toward the sky. But before it could ascend, Kaguya casually reached out and caught it.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. This was the essence of the Devil Fruit.
When a Devil Fruit user died, their power didn't vanish forever. Instead, the fruit would reappear somewhere in the world after a certain period.
It seemed her hypothesis was correct.
"Y-You killed him…" Moria stammered, still in shock.
"Oh?" Kaguya turned to him with an amused expression. "Would you like to be next?"
"N-No, that's not what I meant!" Moria waved his hands frantically. "I just wanted to ask—why are you here?!"
"And why shouldn't I be?" Kaguya turned toward him, a cold smirk playing on her lips. "Oh, mighty Warlord of the Sea, you've been up to quite the 'noble' deeds in your little castle, haven't you?"
Moria shuddered, quickly shaking his head in denial. "N-No! Inspector-sama, I swear, I haven't done anything!"
"Oh, really?"
Kaguya's sharp gaze sent a chill down Moria's spine.
Moria wasn't just afraid of Kaguya's strength—her position as an Inspector was another major concern.
Inspectors didn't hold direct authority, but they had the power to monitor and report the actions of government-affiliated personnel. If she reported anything suspicious to the World Government, it could spell disaster for him. And Moria was no saint—he had more than a few dirty secrets.
"Let's not waste time," Kaguya said, sitting comfortably on a nearby sofa. "Ten billion Berries and ten Devil Fruits. Pay up, and I'll overlook this."
"Ten billion Berries?!" Moria's jaw dropped. "Where the hell am I supposed to get that kind of money?! And Devil Fruits?! I don't have any!"
"Do you really think I believe that?" Kaguya shot him a sideways glance. "I'd advise you to hand them over willingly. Otherwise… I might have to report your little hobby of mutilating Marine officers to the World Government."
Moria's face drained of color. "H-How do you know about that?!"
After his crushing defeat at the hands of Kaido, Moria had become obsessed with creating an undead army. His zombies weren't just made from the bodies of fallen pirates—many innocent civilians and even Marine officers had been among his victims.
If exposed, even his status as a Warlord wouldn't protect him. He'd be stripped of his title, or worse—thrown into Impel Down.
That was exactly what terrified him.
"How do I know?" Kaguya smirked. "Did you really think everyone else was an idiot?"
She had the ultimate cheat—the knowledge of the entire storyline.
Moria clenched his teeth. "Fine! I'll give you the ten billion! But I really don't have any Devil Fruits!"
"No Devil Fruits?" Kaguya shrugged. "Then I suppose I'll just have to notify the World Government. Let's see… will they revoke your title, or toss you into Impel Down?"
For a pirate, Impel Down was a fate worse than death. Escape was nearly impossible—only a handful had ever managed to break out.
It was a blatant threat.
"You really think I'll just let you walk away after this?" Moria's face twisted in anger.
"Oh?" Kaguya tilted her head playfully. "You mean you're not scared?"
"That means… I can't let you leave!" Moria bared his sharp fangs, his expression turning vicious. "Your shadow will make an excellent addition to my zombie army!"
The moment he finished speaking, a dark shadow detached from his body and shot toward Kaguya like lightning.
"How utterly foolish," Kaguya scoffed, watching Moria's desperate attempt. "Do you really think someone like you stands a chance against me? Don't be so delusional."
One of life's greatest illusions: I can make a comeback.
But reality is cruel. Courage alone cannot bridge the gap between immense power disparities—especially when that gap is insurmountable.
As Moria's shadow lunged toward her at high speed, Kaguya's eyes gleamed with disdain. Smirking, she mocked, "Even after witnessing my strength, you still dare challenge me? I admire your courage, but if you think that alone is enough to face me… you're sorely mistaken."
"Arrogant fool! Die!" Moria roared, his face contorted with murderous intent.
"Shadow Lance!"
With that, his massive shadow twisted and morphed into a razor-sharp spear, shooting toward Kaguya at blinding speed.
This was Moria's most powerful attack—its piercing ability was unmatched. During the Paramount War, it had effortlessly impaled Little Oars Jr., proving its devastating strength.
Yet, just as the lance was about to skewer Kaguya, she tilted her head slightly, her smirk deepening. "What gave you the illusion that you could defeat me?"
Moria's heart skipped a beat. A sudden sense of dread crept over him.
Kaguya raised a slender finger and snapped.
"Shadow Imitation Technique."
In an instant, the Shadow Lance froze mid-air.
Moria's pupils contracted in horror.
He had… lost control over his own shadow.
No matter how much he tried to command it, his will seemed to vanish into the void, unable to affect his shadow in the slightest.
What the hell is going on?!
What Moria didn't realize was that Kaguya was using a technique similar to the Shadow Imitation Jutsu, a technique from Naruto used by Shikamaru. By overlapping her shadow with an opponent's, she could seize control of their movements.
However, Kaguya's version was slightly different—she couldn't control the opponent's body, but she could manipulate their shadow at will. A more accurate term for her ability would be Shadow Control Jutsu.
"Can't move? How pitiful," Kaguya strolled forward leisurely, sneering. "To think that a so-called Warlord of the Sea possesses such pathetic strength. No wonder the World Government wants you dead."
Moria, who had been sweating profusely trying to break free, froze in shock. "They… want to kill me?!"
"That's right." Kaguya shot him a sideways glance. "They've had enough of you. Even if you were to die now, it wouldn't surprise anyone."
"That's impossible!" Moria gritted his teeth and bellowed, "Why would they kill me?! I haven't committed any crimes!"
"Oh?" Kaguya scoffed. "Weakness is a crime. Especially in your position. You being eliminated is simply a matter of course."
"Where's your proof?!" Moria's face flushed red with anger.
"Proof?" Kaguya chuckled, shooting him an amused look. "Do I need proof to say something so obvious?"
Moria's breath hitched.
She was right. As an Inspector for the World Government, she had full insight into their operations. More importantly, she had no reason to lie—if she wanted to, she could simply kill him right now.
"In their eyes, you're already worthless," Kaguya said playfully. "No one wants to keep a guard dog that serves no purpose. Wouldn't you agree?"
"What did you just say?!" Moria gritted his teeth, clenching his fists tightly.
"It doesn't matter whether you accept it or not," Kaguya continued. "Sooner or later, they'll dispose of you. Whether it's by my hand or someone else's makes no difference."
Though Moria wanted to deny it, he knew deep down that Kaguya was right. If the World Government deemed him useless, they wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him. In their eyes, the Seven Warlords were nothing more than disposable tools.
"However," Kaguya smirked, "lucky for you, I find you somewhat useful. So… why don't you become my dog instead?"
Moria's face twisted in rage as if he had been gravely insulted. "Are you insane?! I would never be your lackey! I am destined to be the King of Pirates—"
Before he could finish, a shadow suddenly lashed out from the ground like a whip.
Crack!
The unexpected strike sent Moria crashing to the ground.
Splurt!
He coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Before he could even react, the same shadow coiled around him like a rope, binding him tightly like a helpless prisoner.
"Well?" Kaguya stepped forward and pressed her foot against his face, her voice cold. "I'll give you one last chance."
As she spoke, countless shadowy spikes emerged from the ground, surrounding Moria from all sides like an execution chamber.
"My patience is limited," Kaguya gazed down at him with a piercing stare. "But I suppose dying by your own shadow is a fitting end, wouldn't you say?"
Under Kaguya's razor-sharp gaze, Moria's face turned ghostly pale. A primal fear gripped his heart—one that he hadn't even felt when he fought Kaido.
He could tell she wasn't bluffing. If he refused, she would end him without hesitation.
...
Stepping off the massive ship disguised as an island, Kaguya smiled in satisfaction. Her haul was better than expected—over a billion Berries in wealth and five Devil Fruits.
Moria hadn't completely lied—he really didn't have many Devil Fruits, which had earned him a look of pure disdain from Kaguya. Instead of investing in real strength or proper subordinates, he wasted his time creating grotesque zombies. No wonder, over a decade later, Doflamingo would crush him. Though he survived by luck, his days as a pirate were effectively over.
If you have strength, use it. If you don't, use your brain. Moria had neither, yet somehow he had survived this long in the Grand Line. That, in itself, was an achievement.
...
"Hey! Hey! Slow down, will you?! Ugh, seriously, why do I have to be stuck with you?!" Behind Kaguya, a certain gothic lolita stomped her feet in frustration, kicking a pebble as she complained.
It was none other than Perona, the same girl Kaguya had scared into unconsciousness earlier.
"If it makes you feel better, I didn't ask for this either. But unfortunately for you, your dear Lord Moria already sold you to me. That means I'm your new master now," Kaguya glanced over her shoulder with a sly smirk. "So you'd better behave, or I might just sell you off to some remote village as a child bride."
"What?! How could you be so heartless?! Can't you see I'm grieving?!" Perona puffed her cheeks, twirling her parasol indignantly. "Shouldn't you be comforting me?! Maybe bring me a nice hot cocoa or something?!"
"...I think you're getting our roles mixed up here."
"Shut up and go get it already!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven