Chapter 3: I Fight Only the Elite!
Hokage Moze scanned the endless darkness around them, his gaze finally settling on Pirate Moze's rugged, almost mirror-image face.
"So, what now? Need a ritual? Shake hands or something?"
Pirate Moze pointed to the glowing rat rune etched on the round table.
"Simple. Go touch that. Once you get the power, we'll see if we can squeeze some benefits out of this whole situation."
Without hesitation, Hokage Moze approached the massive table.
On its surface, the rat rune emitted a gentle yet distinct glow, as if quietly waiting.
He took a deep breath, stretched out a finger, and carefully made contact.
The sensation at his fingertip wasn't cold and stone-like—it was smooth and jade-like, with a subtle chill.
But in the next moment, that chill was suddenly replaced by a surging warmth!
Not burning hot, but full of vibrant energy—like spring snowmelt, forceful yet tender—rushing into his body along some strange path, straight to his core.
He felt a long-dormant part inside him awaken instantly.
At the same time, deep in his dark brown eyes, a delicate rat rune flashed briefly—so quick it could've been an illusion—but the lively, life-giving force it represented imprinted clearly on his senses.
The rat talisman's power, the divine force that transforms stillness into motion, had now taken residence inside Hokage Moze!
But that was just the beginning.
Almost as the rat rune's power fused into him, Hokage Moze sensed something new—a hidden, invisible bond linking him to Pirate Moze across from him.
It wasn't physical, but incredibly strong, binding the two tightly.
Then, a massive, warm energy flooded through that bond—like a breached dam releasing a torrent—rushing from Pirate Moze toward him!
This energy was overwhelmingly forceful yet nourishing, violently pouring into his body.
His body felt like a sponge thrown into a furnace, greedily—almost desperately—absorbing this life gift from another world.
He could clearly feel his once decent ninja physique undergoing drastic transformation.
Every muscle tightened and expanded, filled with unprecedented power—as if a gentle squeeze could crush stone.
His bones tingled with an itching sensation, followed by a sense of unbreakable heaviness.
Explosive energy filled every fiber and limb, compelling him to dash laps or perform an intense training routine.
He clenched his fists instinctively, feeling the near-overflowing power radiate from his palms; the joints cracked crisply, clearer than ever before.
"Tch..." Hokage Moze grinned, glancing at Pirate Moze's knowing smirk. Half amazed, half mocking, he muttered,
"So this is the base physique of the One Piece world? Ridiculous. Like monsters bred in some freak lab. Compared to you guys, ninja bodies are... delicate art pieces—break with a touch."
He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, a cascade of popping sounds like roasted beans echoing throughout his body—pure satisfaction, unprecedented relief!
The surge of vitality felt like a key unlocking the "water valve" of his chakra—no, more like smashing through a dam!
What was once a carefully rationed trickle of chakra barely enough to cast a few C-rank jutsus now exploded like a volcano triggered by explosives!
Chakra roared like a tsunami through his meridians, instantly breaking through old "channels," violently expanding capacity, then rapidly refilling—again and again!
It kept generating and increasing without pause!
How much exactly? Hokage Moze couldn't say yet, but he sensed the "stream" of chakra inside him had swollen into a true "lake."
He couldn't help but smile brightly, feeling overjoyed inside.
No exact scale yet, but comparing roughly... conservatively, he now had the equivalent chakra volume of five Kakashis—probably even more!
"Hahaha," Pirate Moze suddenly chuckled, a deep, delighted sound. He instinctively rubbed his chin, his eyes flickering oddly—as if sensing some invisible domain he'd never touched before.
"I thought I was just the one getting leeched, but turns out I got quite a haul myself."
"Nothing less than expected from me!" he laughed heartily.
Hokage Moze caught the subtle change.
"Huh? Something happening on your side too?"
Pirate Moze's smile deepened with meaning, excitement like discovering a new toy. He tapped his temple with a finger.
"Interesting. Really interesting. That thing that's been bothering me for so long—could never break through—just got shattered... snap, just like that."
He stretched his neck, sensing the extension of this invisible perception—everything around him, including the turbulent chakra flow inside Hokage Moze, was now inside his "vision."
"Observation Haki... so this is what it feels like," he clicked his tongue, impressed.
"Can 'hear' your heartbeat and mood swings, can 'see' your energy running wild like floodgates thrown open..."
"Still clumsy, but the feeling's good—very practical."
"But yeah, talisman powers definitely can't be shared." Pirate Moze leaned closer, tapping the rat rune on the table, clicking his tongue again.
"Such a shame."
The rat's divine power was way more fun to use than his own Ox power.
"Too early to call," Hokage Moze said, clearly pleased with today's gains.
"Who knows what the future holds?"
"Hahaha, right!" Pirate Moze smiled wide. Not the type to overthink, the talisman topic was just casual.
"Stop worrying so much—let's figure out what the hell this place really is first!"
No hesitation, Pirate Moze, like a landlord of this strange space, started explaining and demonstrating confidently.
"Look here—getting in and out is actually pretty easy."
No sooner had he said it, his figure flickered like bad reception and suddenly vanished.
Hokage Moze's eyes narrowed sharply, focusing to catch his whereabouts.
But less than a second later, Pirate Moze reappeared with a mischievous grin, spreading his hands like a magician.
"See? Come and go whenever you want. No barriers."
Hokage Moze raised a brow, intrigued.
"How do you do that?"
"Simple," Pirate Moze said, pointing up and then down.
"Just move your consciousness. Like... like dreaming. Want to wake up? You wake up. Want to go back? You go back."
Hokage Moze nodded thoughtfully. Dreaming—a fitting analogy in some ways.
"Wanna try? It's easy." Pirate Moze encouraged.
Moze concentrated, attempting to "leave." He pictured his home, the familiar scent of tea, the books lined on the shelves...
Sure enough, with that thought, the scene instantly shifted.
No longer the empty white void—replaced by a familiar tatami room.
Sunlight filtered through the shoji doors, carrying a faint aroma of tea and sweets.
An open scroll lay on the table next to a half-finished cup of tea.
Everything exactly as he'd left it, as if time had frozen.
The next moment, he was back in the mysterious space, facing Pirate Moze once more.
The transition was smooth and natural—like breathing.
The moment the space shifted, there was no discomfort—smooth and natural, like breathing.
"Convenient, indeed." Hokage Moze nodded, his opinion of this strange space rising another notch.
"Convenient, yes, but…" Pirate Moze's tone shifted, a look of "there's a catch here" crossing his face as he tapped his empty waist.
"Trying to bring some local goods in, or take some 'souvenirs' out? Forget it—no way."
He rubbed his chin, suddenly recalling something, his eyes turning oddly distant.
"The first time I came here, I remember being completely naked."
"Naked?" Hokage Moze blinked, then caught on.
"You mean… items can't pass in or out of this space?"
He glanced down at his own clothes, then at Pirate Moze's light attire, pondering.
"Exactly. That's weird." Pirate Moze shrugged.
"Maybe this place's function evolved? Like, now that we're both here, maybe we unlocked the 'wearing clothes' permission?"
He chuckled.
"If a few more 'me's show up later, maybe we'll unlock other stuff?"
"You better grab more Devil Fruits then," Hokage Moze said with a spark of anticipation in his eyes.
The hallmark of the One Piece world, of course, was the Devil Fruits—countless varieties, endless powers, not to mention the tech for artificial fruits—priceless treasures.
"Will do, will do." Pirate Moze grinned broadly, flashing white teeth with a hint of that typical pirate defiance.
"Once I'm out, I'll start collecting Devil Fruits—lots of them. You keep an eye out for martial arts stuff on your end, especially the Eight Gates and Lightning Release Armors—that stuff sounds awesome."
Martial arts in the pirate world were mostly about the Navy's Six Styles. Other than that, Pirate Moze saw most techniques as sword tricks relying on brute force backed by haki.
By contrast, the ninja world's martial arts system was obviously more refined, with much greater potential—especially the Eight Gates technique that nearly sealed Might Guy's final fight.
"I'll do my best to find a way," Hokage Moze promised.
The knowledge Pirate Moze wanted could theoretically be brought into this peculiar mental space, but it wouldn't be easy.
Whether the Eight Gates or Lightning Release secrets, they were treasured legacies of the ninja villages—no quick wins here. This would take time and careful planning.
After a brief discussion, the two sealed their initial cooperation plan. With a thought, they logged off simultaneously, their consciousnesses returning to their own worlds.
---
One Piece World, Early Grand Line, Somewhere at Sea
The moment his consciousness returned, a thick mix of salty sea air and the musty dampness of rotting wood flooded Pirate Moze's nose.
Around him, relentless waves slapped against the ship's hull with a steady roar, while the creaking of stressed timbers echoed—a stark contrast to the eerie silence of that strange space.
Moze snapped his eyes open, pupils sharpening as he quickly reacquainted himself with his body.
He was sitting in a worn captain's cabin, the chair beneath him not only battered but missing a leg, rocking precariously.
Shaking off the lingering sensation of the otherworldly space, he stood.
He clearly felt that familiar, raw power inside him had grown more focused—and, even stranger, an invisible sense extended outward, like gaining extra eyes to detect subtle changes around him.
Pushing open the creaking door, he strode onto the deck.
The afternoon sun was harsh, making him squint. The deck beneath his feet was greasy and stained with unknown grime, slippery in spots.
This was a secondhand pirate ship he'd just recently seized—old-fashioned in design, the main sail patched roughly with crooked, crude stitches, looking shabby and worn-out.
Scattered across the deck stood a dozen or so dejected pirates—crooked and ragged, their faces sullen. They looked less like pirates and more like refugees who'd just been robbed.
Pirate Moze gave them a quick once-over, barely furrowing his brow. No satisfaction with these ragtag subordinates.
But there was no choice for now—they'd have to do.
After all, these guys and the ship beneath his feet were just expendables—monthly throwaway tools.
"Get it together, all of you! Turn the ship around!"
His sudden command stunned the pirates momentarily. Then a sharp-faced, somewhat clever-looking henchman nearly ran over, pale and trembling, voice cracking:
"C-Captain! We can't turn around! The Navy warship chasing us—rumor has it there's a Rear Admiral aboard! A Rear Admiral from headquarters!"
Before the henchman finished, Moze didn't even look back. Impatient, he kicked out hard behind him.
"Bang!"
The unlucky pirate didn't even get a scream out before he flew like a broken sack over the railing—splash!—plunging into the churning sea below.
A few waves splashed, then settled, the ocean calm again as if the man had never existed.
The deck fell into silence, save for the flapping sails and distant crashing waves.
The surrounding pirates shuddered simultaneously, eyes full of fear as they stared at Moze.
The closest instinctively stepped back half a pace, afraid they'd be next.
"A Rear Admiral? Hmph, so what?"
"I only fight the elite!"
"What are you standing there for?" His cold eyes swept the terrified crowd.
"Don't understand human speech? I said, turn the ship around! Target the Navy warship! Ram it—right into it!"