"It's good that you understand," Meiser nodded.
Having a kind heart isn't a bad thing, but showing mercy depends on the situation. If the other party is a zombie, it might only bring harm to yourself.
It was excellent that Chopper could grasp this now.
"And you three, now you know not to trust others so easily," Meiser said, glancing at the other three.
"Sorry..."
"No need to apologize to me," Meiser replied. "As long as this incident serves as a lesson for you."
The three nodded solemnly—this experience had truly taught them something.
Some people might appear friendly, but in reality, they were far from good.
"Then... it's time to deal with them," Meiser said, glancing at the terrified murals before raising his hands. "These guys are getting a bit too noisy."
"Fire Release: Phoenix Immortal Fire Technique!"
"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—"
A barrage of fireballs shot from Meiser's mouth, precisely striking the murals and setting them ablaze!
"AHHH—!"
Piercing screams erupted as the Mural Zombies writhed, desperately trying to break free from the walls to extinguish the flames. But their unique structure trapped them, leaving them no choice but to burn to ashes.
"How...?!"
Puwai Chuck stared in disbelief. That long-nosed guy using gunpowder to start fires was one thing, but how could this man conjure flames out of thin air?!
Just how did he do it?!
"Who... are you...?"
Ignoring him, Meiser turned to his companions. "Let's go. We need to find Luffy and the others."
"Right!"
"You bastard, don't ignore me!!" Puwai Chuck roared. "Did you forget I'm still here?!"
"I am Captain Puwai Chuck, leader of these Mural Zombies!"
The pig-headed man's face twisted with fury—how dare a captain-ranked figure like him be dismissed like this?!
Listening to Puwai Chuck's outburst, the Carpet Bear lying motionless on the ground didn't dare twitch, terrified of becoming the next casualty.
"Captain, stop talking nonsense!"
If that terrifying guy got angry and decided to set the whole house on fire, they'd all be doomed—himself included!
"Captain?" Meiser glanced at Puwai Chuck. "You?"
"What about me?!"
"Can you even move?"
Puwai Chuck: "..."
Stuck in the wall, Puwai Chuck fell silent—because he really couldn't move. Only his pig head and arms were embedded in the specimen frame.
Apart from wiggling his hands, he couldn't do a thing.
Seeing Puwai Chuck speechless, Meiser couldn't be bothered with him.
"Luffy and the others should be close by now," Meiser said. "Let's go find them."
"We'll handle the fighting after we regroup."
Nami and the other girl had taken quite a long bath—at least half an hour. By now, Luffy and the crew must have already landed.
He just wasn't sure if his clone had managed to locate them yet.
"Let's hurry then. The smell here is a bit too pungent," Nami said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
Set ablaze by Meiser's Fire Release Technique, the zombies emitted an indescribable stench that made Nami wonder if the fumes were toxic.
"Seems like I bathed for nothing..." Merry said, examining her arm.
Ash had settled on it, likely from the zombies' desperate thrashing earlier.
"You can wash again later."
Without hesitation, Nami brushed the ashes off for her.
"Let's go, we—"
Before Nami could finish, an eerily familiar laugh echoed through the air.
"Yohohohoho~"
"My, what a ruckus you've caused~"
"Who's there?!"
The group looked up to see a... zombie samurai emerging from the stairwell door?!
"Ah!"
"It's Ryuma!"
Puwai Chuck became ecstatic at Ryuma's appearance, as if seeing a savior.
"Ryuma!"
"These bastards burned all our comrades to ashes!" Puwai Chuck raged. "Don't let them escape!"
When had their Mural Army ever suffered such devastating losses?
Previous intruders would only scream upon seeing them—never fight back.
But this time...
"Yohohoho, leave it to me," Ryuma said.
"And who might you be?"
"Me?..." Ryuma replied. "Just an ordinary swordsman."
His modest demeanor surprised Meiser—this was completely unlike the arrogant zombies they'd encountered.
"Kehkehkeh, you're done for!" Puwai Chuck crossed his arms, sneering at Meiser. "Ryuma's a Sword Master from the Land of Wano who once slew a dragon with his own blade!"
"You stand no chance against him!"
Puwai Chuck's arrogance swelled, as if Ryuma's presence had granted him absolute confidence.
"Dragon slayer..." Usopp muttered in disbelief. "Hey now, that's gotta be fake, right?"
A swordsman who could kill dragons?
Wouldn't that make him stronger than Zoro?
"More importantly..." Nami gulped. "Why does his laugh sound just like Brook's... Unless..."
"He's Brook's shadow zombie!"
Nami voiced the possibility, her face lighting up.
If they defeated him, might they avoid confronting a Royal Seven Warlords-level threat?
"What... an amusing coincidence." Meiser grinned. "Never thought Brook's shadow would deliver itself to us."
Usopp had just been wondering if they'd find Brook's shadow—now here it was.
An unexpected windfall.
"Hey Meiser, take this guy out!" Usopp urged. "Then we won't have to face the Royal Seven Warlords!"
"Even if we defeat him, we'll still face them eventually." Meiser didn't bother turning around. "Best abandon that hope."
"Remember Hogback? You really think... Chopper would let that bastard go?"
"Never!"
Chopper's eyes burned with anger as he said, "I'll never let that guy get away with this!"
Usopp::
At this point, it seemed inevitable that they'd have to fight the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Recalling Luffy's words from the beginning, Usopp sighed deeply.
"Yohohoho, how... sharp-tongued indeed." Ryuma didn't seem angered by their words. Instead, he chuckled as he descended the stairs step by step, carrying an air of unexpected elegance.
"You've really picked up all of Brook's mannerisms."
"Yohohoho, that Afro-wearing fellow?" Ryuma laughed. "Perhaps we do share some similarities."
Ryuma's response made Meiser narrow his eyes in suspicion. 'Why does it feel like this guy doesn't know Brook that well?'
His Shadow clearly came from Brook, yet his knowledge of Brook seems...
Could it be that Shadows gradually forget their past after separating from their owners?
This was information even Lola's group hadn't managed to obtain.
Click
As Ryuma reached the floor, he looked up at Meiser and asked, "Are you also from the Land of Wano?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Ninjas are unique to the Land of Wano."
"Eh?!" Puchak stared at Meiser in shock. "You're from the Land of Wano too?"
Did that mean this man was as powerful as Ryuma?
The thought made cold sweat break out on Puchak's forehead.
Ignoring Puchak, Meiser kept his gaze on Ryuma. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not a ninja from the Land of Wano."
"Rather... since you're from there, could you tell me about it?"
With so many people mentioning the Land of Wano, he'd grown genuinely curious about the place.
"So you're not..."
Ryuma suddenly fell into deep thought, as if Meiser's words had caused some confusion in his mind.
In his understanding, only the Land of Wano had ninjas.
After a long pause, Ryuma finally spoke slowly. "What a pity then..."
"Not going to talk about it...?"
"No, it's not that I refuse to speak of the Land of Wano. I simply don't know much." Ryuma explained.
"But you said you're from the Land of Wano," Usopp questioned, puzzled.
"Yohohoho, I was indeed the Dragon-Slaying Swordsman from the Land of Wano, but I'm already dead." Ryuma laughed. "The me now... you could say is him, yet also not him."
The memories preserved in his mind weren't as complete as one might expect.
But Ryuma didn't dwell on it too much, merely expressing some melancholy.
Shaking his head, Ryuma placed his hand on Autumn Water at his waist. "Enough idle chatter now."
"Please come with me!"
As he spoke, Ryuma instantly vanished from sight.
Seeing this, Nami's pupils contracted sharply.
'He disappeared?!'
Clang!
A clear metallic ring sounded from in front of Meiser as two weapons locked in fierce opposition.
"Yohohohoho, truly a formidable ninja indeed."
"Not bad yourself, Dragon-Slaying Swordsman." Meiser grinned. "Surprisingly strong..."
"Nami, take them to find Luffy."
"Got it!"
Snapping back to reality, Nami nodded. She knew staying here would only cause trouble for Meiser, so without hesitation, she picked up Merry and dashed toward the door.
Usopp and Chopper immediately followed suit, terrified of being even a step too slow and getting killed by Ryuma.
A swordsman who could vanish in an instant was simply beyond their ability to contend with.
Ryuma made no move to stop them. Once he dealt with the enemy before him, the rest would be mere trivialities.
"How thrilling it is to cross blades with a ninja~" Ryuma remarked. "Though as a mummy, I suppose I don't actually have blood~"
"Yohohoho~"
"That's a textbook-level bad joke."
Glancing at the weapon in Ryuma's hand, Meiser said, "That sword of yours looks pretty impressive."
"Oh? Taken a liking to my weapon?"
"Yeah, my buddy's missing a good blade, and yours seems perfect." Meiser grinned. "How about handing it over quietly?"
"Afraid that won't do~" Ryuma replied. "This Great Grade Blade - 21 Craftsmen, the famous sword Autumn Water, was my weapon in life."
"I currently have no intention of parting with it."
Even though his resurrection hadn't restored his original self, he still had no reason to surrender his weapon without cause.
Unless his opponent could kill him!
"Then I'll just have to take it myself!"
Meiser threw a swift left punch, but Ryuma noticed instantly and retreated, dodging the strike.
After locking eyes for a moment, the two clashed again, exchanging furious slashes.
Thanks to the Sharingan's keen perception, Meiser flawlessly blocked every one of Ryuma's attacks!
"So this is the strength of a Sword Master—definitely packs a punch!"
Excitement radiated from Meiser's face, clearly marking him as a battle enthusiast.
"Yohohoho, it seems my performance has disappointed you~" Ryuma said. "Then allow me to try this!"
"Cask Dance Suite: Retreat!"
Ryuma thrust Autumn Water with blinding speed, creating the illusion of multiple simultaneous strikes.
But Meiser's Sharingan saw through the technique effortlessly, and he forcefully parried the blade.
"Clang!"
"Yohohoho, so you saw through it..." Ryuma stared at Meiser. "Is it because of those eyes?"
He'd noticed—this man's eyes were unlike any ordinary person's. They were blood-red with peculiar patterns.
He'd never seen such eyes before.
A Devil Fruit Ability User? Or... some unique bloodline?
"Under these eyes, no secret remains hidden."
With that, Meiser abruptly disengaged to create distance and shouted, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"BOOM!!"
A massive fireball hurtled toward Ryuma, instantly paling the zombie's face.
Without hesitation, he lunged sideways, narrowly evading the attack.
"BOOM!!"
"AAAH!!"
While Ryuma escaped unscathed, the Carpet Bear feigning death on the ground wasn't so lucky—engulfed by the flames, it was reduced to ashes in seconds.
"Huh?"
Meiser blinked in surprise. That thing on the ground was alive too?
"Carpet Bear..."
Puwai Chuck nearly burst into tears. The only one left in the room besides him was Carpet Bear, and now even his companion was dead.
No... wait. The room was already ablaze, and it wouldn't be long before the flames reached him up high. At this rate, he wouldn't survive either!
"To think it's a legendary Release Technique..." Ryuma muttered in astonishment. "This truly exceeds my expectations."
"However... using Fire Release at such close range—aren't you afraid of burning yourself?"
Meiser didn't answer. Instead, he unleashed another Ninjutsu.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
"BOOM!!"
Water surged around Meiser, coalescing into the form of a roaring Water Dragon that charged straight at Ryuma!
"ROAR!"
"This...!" Puwai Chuck stared in disbelief.
First fire, and now water... Was this the power of a Ninja?!
This was terrifying!!
If the opponent could summon seawater, wouldn't that make them a natural counter to Zombies like them?
"So you possess Water Release as well," Ryuma said gravely. "You continue to surprise me."
He realized this Ninja was different from those in his homeland. After all, Ninjas from the Land of Wano couldn't summon Water Dragons out of thin air, nor could they wield Fire Release!
"Nocturne: True Thrust!"
"THUD!"
A Flying Slash shot forth, piercing straight through the Water Dragon's head and leaving a gaping hole.
But to Ryuma's surprise, the attack failed to completely destroy the Water Dragon—something he hadn't anticipated.
"BOOM!!"
The massive Water Dragon slammed into Ryuma, pinning him against the wall with such force that the entire castle trembled.
At the same time, the Water Release extinguished all the flames in the room, plunging the space into darkness.
But this wasn't a problem for Meiser—his Sharingan granted him night vision!
"Yohohoho~"
"That was... quite the powerful strike."
"It seems simple blunt force isn't enough to kill Zombies like you," Meiser mused, narrowing his eyes.
He recalled the intel Lola had given him—salt could suppress Zombies, as it originated from the sea, and fire could burn them to death.
But Fire Release wasn't fast enough to reliably hit speed-based opponents like this.
In that case...
"Let's try this move!"
"Lightning Release: Ear—"
Before Meiser could finish, his expression suddenly shifted, and his body vanished in a puff of white smoke.
"POP~"
"Hm?"
"He... left?"
Ryuma blinked in confusion at Meiser's abrupt disappearance. This defied all logic.
He had never seen anyone vanish into thin air like that.
This wasn't just speed—it was true instantaneous disappearance.
"Yohohoho~"
"Though I don't understand how... Ninjas truly are fascinating."
It seemed his mission this time would remain incomplete.
Shaking his head, Ryuma turned and left, leaving behind a stunned Puwai Chuck.
This time, it felt like he had witnessed gods clashing.
"What was that tremor just now?"
Outside the castle, Luffy and the others looked toward the castle in confusion—the tremors were unmistakably loud.
"Could Meiser have already clashed with them?" Sanji's expression darkened. "Quick, we need to find them!"
Though they didn't know whose territory this was... if anyone dared to mess with their crew, they'd beat them to a pulp!
"Let's go," Luffy said. "Hurry and find Meiser and the others!"
The area was in complete disarray, clearly the aftermath of a battle. It seemed they needed to catch up fast.
"Right!"
Meanwhile, on the other side, Lola and her group—who had been led by Meiser to search for Luffy—stood silently by the shore, staring at the sea.
"So... where's our ship?!"
Where the hell had those guys taken it? If they were coming ashore, they should've at least docked properly, damn it!
Those idiots... Had they landed somewhere else entirely? If so, they might've completely missed each other.
Just thinking about it gave Meiser a headache.
"Ninja bro, let's check the other side," Echo suggested. "Near the entrance—there's a huge spiderweb there. They might be around that area."
Their pirate ship had originally been caught there, giving Moria's zombies the perfect chance to ambush them. Otherwise, they could've just smashed through the walls and escaped!
"Guess we have no choice," Meiser said, glancing back toward the castle. "Let's just hope those guys didn't run off too fast."
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