Staring at the group of grotesque zombies, Meiser grinned, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Just how strong were these so-called former elites?
"Ninja boy, show us the power of a ninja!" John said while drawing a slender katana, his aura intensifying.
"Then let's see if you're worthy," Meiser replied with a smirk.
The moment he finished speaking, Meiser dashed forward at blinding speed, appearing before a zombie clad in blue armor.
"Super Strength Fist!"
"Boom!"
An overwhelmingly heavy punch slammed into the zombie's body, denting its armor inward.
"Whoosh—"
"KABOOM!!"
Like a cannonball, the zombie was sent flying, smashing through a massive boulder in the distance!
Yet the other zombies paid no attention to their comrade's fate, raising their weapons to strike at Meiser.
Meiser's eyes darted rapidly, his Sharingan precisely tracking their attack trajectories. With a swift backstep, he evaded the assault before lunging forward, his blade slicing through a blue-armored zombie.
"Schlick!"
"CRACK!"
The wind-attribute Chakra-infused slash cleaved through both flesh and armor.
"Ugh—" The blue-armored zombie groaned as it was sent flying, crashing into another zombie and sending both tumbling into a decorative rock garden, shattering it on impact.
John stared in disbelief. Even under their combined assault, this ninja could still pull off such feats?
Just how powerful was he?
"BOOM!!"
The previously launched zombie shoved aside the boulder pinning it down and glanced at its caved-in abdominal armor.
"Hah... If I were still alive, that would've killed me," Kevin remarked.
But unfortunately, as a zombie, his body no longer died so easily. As long as there was no critical damage, the Shadow could still animate his form.
"KABOOM!!"
"Damn it!!"
The zombie crushed beneath the blue-armored one roared in fury, hurling its mangled companion aside. The tossed zombie had lost half its body from the shoulder down—cleaved apart by Meiser's blade.
"What a terrifying slash..."
Though it felt no pain, the fallen zombie knew it could no longer fight.
Meanwhile, Meiser, the architect of this carnage, felt no joy—only disappointment.
"Truly... underwhelming..." Meiser muttered before retreating to create distance.
"What do you mean?"
"You're all too weak," Meiser stated. "I doubt you'd even measure up to Ryuma. Were you really elites of the past?"
Why was their performance so lackluster?
Rather than anger, John and the others met Meiser's words with melancholy.
"In the end... we're already dead..."
If they were truly their former living selves, working together, they would have long since killed this little ninja brat.
But the problem was—they were already dead!
Having been deceased for so many years, even if resurrected, they couldn't possibly retain their original formidable strength.
Techniques, domineering auras—everything that once showcased their power had vanished. Apart from a somewhat formidable physical body and fragmented memories, everything else was derived from their Shadows.
One could say that the Shadows were the key factor determining their strength.
Unfortunately, their Shadows weren't particularly strong, so naturally, they couldn't unleash greater power.
"Kid, if you had really faced me when I was alive, you'd be dead by now!"
"Exactly! Back in the day, I was practically invincible!"
"Hahahaha, as if any of us weren't!"
The Zombies roared with laughter, freely venting their emotions.
"Alright, brothers, let's take him down quickly!"
"Whoo!"
Led by the crimson-armored Zombie, the group swiftly charged toward Meiser, their momentum clearly intent on killing him.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Poof!
White smoke billowed as two figures appeared beside Meiser, silently observing the distant Zombie General army.
"Eh...?
Huh?!"
The General Zombies forcibly halted their charge, staring at Meiser in shock. "Clo... Clone Technique?!"
"It's real! A genuine Clone Technique!"
"A legendary ninja, huh? Impressive indeed."
"Hey, ninja kid, got any other Ninjutsu up your sleeve?"
Meiser: "..."
Watching these Zombies stop fighting and start chatting instead, Meiser was momentarily speechless.
A bunch of grotesque-faced Zombies acting like clowns—this feeling was truly bizarre.
"Not interested in playing with you anymore... Let me send you off properly!"
Without wasting words, the two clones beside Meiser stepped forward and simultaneously activated their Ninjutsu.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Combination Ninjutsu: Wind Guard Flame Burst Kill!"
BOOM!!
The already scorching flames, amplified by the Wind Release, became terrifyingly hotter!
In the blink of an eye, the flames turned white, surging toward the distant Zombie army. Along the way, everything on the ground was set ablaze—even steel let out a mournful screech!!
This sight left the General Zombies utterly dumbfounded.
"Th-this... these horrifying white flames?!"
The space before them was almost entirely filled with the terrifying inferno, leaving no gaps to charge through!!
If they rushed forward, they'd be incinerated instantly!
Without time to think, John and a few speed-focused fighters immediately retreated, leaping over the massive wall behind them to use it as a shield against the attack.
As for the slower ones—they took the full brunt of the assault!
BOOM!!
"ARGH!!"
The moment the flames touched them, the General Zombies began screaming uncontrollably as their bodies ignited!
Not only that, even their armor twisted and warped before showing signs of melting!
BOOM!!
The flames continued their relentless advance, slamming violently into the enormous wall behind them!
CRASH!
The terrifying high temperatures scorched the incredibly thick walls red-hot, gradually showing signs of melting—until they were blasted apart with a deafening explosion!
"BOOM!!"
"What kind of monster is this?!!" Perona, who had been secretly observing the scene, was utterly petrified.
The Ninjutsu unleashed by the opponent was far more horrifying than before. The previous attacks hadn't reached such scorching temperatures! This time, even steel showed signs of melting—just how terrifyingly high must the heat have been?
"Not bad. Combined Ninjutsu packs a much greater punch than ordinary Fire Release," Meiser remarked with satisfaction, nodding at the destruction he had caused while dispelling his two clones.
A single strike had nearly cleared the battlefield.
"Honestly, your so-called Zombie Generals aren't much to speak of," Meiser said, glancing at a nearby structure. "They couldn't even withstand one hit from me."
Perona: "..."
The little ghost hiding nearby didn't dare utter a word, terrified of drawing the attention of that murderous star. To observe the battle, she had deliberately circled around and slipped through the walls from the side—only to witness that horrifying spectacle.
"If that attack had hit me... I'd definitely be dead..." she thought in fear.
A chilling illusion even crossed her mind—that even in her ghostly form, this man might still be capable of killing her.
"Cough... What a terrifying guy," John groaned weakly from where he lay on the ground. He was the sole Zombie survivor of the onslaught, though his condition left him teetering on the brink of death. Half his body had already been burned away, and the remaining parts were still aflame.
"Oh? One still alive?" Meiser approached, eyeing the struggling figure with mild surprise. "You're tenacious, I'll give you that—still hanging on despite this."
As he spoke, Meiser noticed the rocks nearby and immediately understood. The Zombie must have shielded himself behind them, avoiding the worst of the blast—though the ensuing explosion had still set him ablaze.
"To think the mighty Treasure King would be reduced to this..."
"Hm?" The word "treasure" instantly sharpened Meiser's interest. Leaning down with a grin, he prodded, "Go on, then. Where's your treasure? Tell me, and I might just spare you."
"No need... I can't move anymore. Even if Lord Moria intervenes, I doubt I'd survive this," John rasped. A body burned this severely was beyond even a Zombie's ability to restore. Besides, was this wretched state truly worth clinging to?
"Listen, kid!" John suddenly lifted his head with effort. "I may not remember where I hid my treasure, but I can give you a clue. Among my burial goods... there's a strange bracelet. On it—"
His words faltered as his fragmented memories tangled further. Even in this resurrected state, his mind remained incomplete.
"Keep talking."
"I... don't remember that part."
"Then why the hell did you say anything?" Meiser snapped irritably.
Seeing Meiser's expression, John suddenly grinned mischievously and said, "Though I didn't remember, you could figure it out yourself. I'll leave everything..."
Before John could finish his sentence, flames ignited his throat, silencing him forever.
Yet John wasn't angry—instead, his smile widened, as if he'd anticipated the young man's furious reaction. In the end, the notorious figure turned to ashes and vanished from this place.
"Why didn't you just say you found the One Piece?" Meiser grumbled. "Acting all dramatic like that damn Pirate King Roger... Messing with me right before death, huh?"
If not for the fact that this bastard had become a Zombie, rendering his Medical Ninja Technique useless, Meiser would've made sure he understood exactly why flowers were so red.
With a resigned expression, Meiser watched as the Shadow departed from the area.
"No idea whose shadow that guy came from. Acts like some sleazy old man."
Shaking his head, Meiser scanned the battlefield, confirming no stragglers remained, then turned and headed in the direction Nami and the others had gone.
"That monster..." Perona gulped. "No, I have to report this to Lord Moria immediately. If he keeps killing like this, who knows how many Zombies we'll have left?"
Oh, right—and the treasure on their ship absolutely couldn't be overlooked!
Hmm... Better let someone else handle that. Running into that guy would be bad.
With that thought, Perona recalled all her little ghosts, then her spectral form shot skyward, rushing toward Moria's mansion.
Meanwhile, inside the castle, Luffy and the others immediately arrived at the wrecked hall.
"So dark..."
"I'll light a fire!"
"Whoosh!"
The flames illuminated the room, revealing the chaotic scene within.
"What happened here?" Zoro wondered aloud. "Looks like a complete mess."
Burn marks, slash marks, and all this water on the ground... Had Meiser been here just now?
"Judging by the traces, Meiser must have fought here earlier," Nico Robin said.
The simultaneous presence of fire and water damage likely meant Meiser's Fire and Water Release Techniques.
"Were we too late...?" Zoro frowned.
"Not necessarily."
Franky, who had casually fashioned a torch, glanced around. "At least we were nearby when we heard the commotion. And those explosions earlier..."
He figured Meiser had to be either inside this castle or somewhere close.
"Huh?"
"Where'd the curly-browed guy go?" Franky suddenly asked.
Hearing this, Zoro turned with a frown and called out, "Hey, cook! Where'd you run off to?"
But there was no response, and the group's expressions darkened. How could a grown man just vanish without a sound?
"Ehehe~"
"Who's laughing?!"
The sudden eerie chuckle immediately put everyone on edge.
"Huh?!"
"There's a pig head here!"
Luffy suddenly spotted Puwai Chuck cautiously moving in the corner and immediately ran over, shouting, "Hey guys, look! This thing can move!"
As he spoke, Luffy yanked Puwai Chuck up by the collar, showing him to the others.
"Well, I'll be..."
"Is this thing also a zombie?"
"Looks like it."
"This must be the guy who was snickering earlier. He might know something." Franky grabbed Puwai Chuck with a cold smirk. "Spill it, pig-head! Tell us everything you know!"
"Did you have anything to do with those disappearing people?"
"And what about the others? That ninja, for instance!"
"Hehe, I ain't telling you squat," Puwai Chuck chuckled. "You won't get any info out of me!"
"Oh yeah?"
Franky snorted and slammed him onto the ground, delivering a brutal beating that left Puwai Chuck whimpering.
"S-stop... stop hitting me..."
"Then talk!"
"I don't know how your friends vanished, but I do know where your other companions went," Puwai Chuck gasped. "That ninja guy."
The group exchanged glances before demanding, "Speak!"
"It's this tunnel behind me," Puwai Chuck said. "Go through it, and you'll find them."
"They left through here."
Franky eyed the mysterious tunnel before turning to Luffy. "What do you think, Luffy?"
"Let's check it out first," Luffy replied.
With no other leads, finding Sanji would be tough. Their best bet was to locate Meiser first.
Zoro scanned every corner of the room by torchlight, even checking the high spots, but found nothing unusual.
"Guess we've got no choice."
The group quickly descended the stairs into the tunnel. Franky handed the torch to Nico Robin and muttered, "So this is the place?"
Puwai Chuck, still dangling from Franky's grip, grinned. "Yep, right here."
Once inside, these fools would be ambushed by spider-rats, delivered one by one to Lord Moria. As for that ninja... Hmph! Once Lord Moria personally intervened, even a ninja would die!
"Your grin's looking pretty shady," Franky remarked before punching him. "Behave!"
Puwai Chuck: "..."
Seriously? The guy was already dangling midair, unable to use his hands or face to do anything—just because his smile was creepy, he had to take another hit?
"You got a problem?"
"N-no... I'll stop laughing," Puwai Chuck forced out awkwardly.
This guy was definitely a freak!
After glancing at Franky's outfit, Puwai Chuck became even more convinced.
"Let's hurry and find Meiser and the others," Zoro urged. "We heard explosions earlier—seems like the fighting's intense."
"Right!"
They sprinted ahead, but soon enough, another member vanished.
Noticing the change, the remaining three halted.
"Zoro... where'd he go?" Nico Robin frowned.
"Just like Curly Brow," Franky glanced around and said, "Disappeared without a sound. What the hell is going on here?"
Could the enemy be some extremely special Devil Fruit Ability User who can silently abduct people?
If that's the case, then this won't be easy to deal with.
Listening to their conversation, Puwai Chuck instinctively wanted to laugh, but after remembering he'd get beaten up, he forcibly held it in.
However, his expression still caught Franky's attention.
"Hey, pig-head! You definitely know what's going on, don't you?"
"I'd advise you not to play tricks," Franky raised his fist threateningly. "Or I won't mind beating you up again."
"I'm just an ordinary specimen, I really don't know anything," Puwai Chuck said with an exaggerated helpless expression.
As he spoke, his peripheral vision glanced upward—the three-sword style swordsman who'd just been taken was right there!
But unfortunately, these guys would never discover this secret.
Hehehe...
"Then where did they go?" Luffy wondered aloud. "Did they get silently strangled to death or something?"
Franky: "..."
Looking at Nico Robin's completely calm expression as she said this, Franky couldn't help but complain, "Could you not say such terrifying things?"
"You scheming woman!"
Not only did she say something so horrifying, she did it with that utterly composed expression. He was genuinely impressed.
In response, Nico Robin simply smiled without comment.
Scheming woman...? She'd take it as a compliment. Having survived twenty years in the underworld, if she hadn't been cunning, she would've been devoured long ago. How else could she have lived this long?
A 79 million Berries bounty... For most people, that was a fatally tempting prize!!
Seeing her reaction, Franky shook his head. She actually seemed proud of it—but he could understand. After all, this was a woman who'd lived in darkness for two decades.
Then he turned his attention to their surroundings, muttering:
"There's really an indescribable sense of eeriness about this place..."
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