Reno released Perona's pigtails and walked directly towards Gekko Moria.
Freed from her restraint, Perona quickly ran to Moriah's side, crying even harder.
"Lord Moriah, are you alright? Don't scare me..." Looking at the lacerated Gekko Moria, Perona trembled with heartache.
Seemingly hearing Perona's cries, Moriah difficultly opened his eyes and grinned, "Perona, I'm fine."
The slight movement pulled at his wounds, making Moriah wince in pain.
"No, no, Master Moriah, please don't speak." Perona waved her hands repeatedly.
Thump, thump, thump.
Thump, thump, thump.
Rhythmic footsteps came from behind. Perona turned and stood in front of Moriah. "You… you bad guy, don't hurt Master Moriah anymore."
Reno ignored Perona and walked towards Moriah, step by step. "Moriah, do you recognize reality now?!"
Moriah gritted his teeth, heavy breaths escaping his nose.
"Moriah, you are no longer the spirited Moriah of ten years ago. Look at yourself now, arrogant and conceited, only hiding in dark corners, barely surviving like a rat."
"With your current strength, you are simply not worthy of the title of a Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
Reno's voice suddenly turned cold, and the magic blade thousand blades was unsheathed instantly!
Clang!
The blade reflected Reno's stern face, radiating killing intent!
"You… what do you want to do?!" Perona was startled, her voice trembling.
"No, please, don't hurt Master Moriah anymore." Perona completely broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, abandoning all pretense.
The girls in the distance were slightly moved.
But they dared not interfere.
Reno ignored Perona, walked in front of Moriah, looked down at him, and slowly raised the magic blade thousand blades.
"No!!!" Perona let out a piercing scream, spreading her arms to block Reno.
The little ghost princess, usually pampered and a bit headstrong, now had tears brimming in her eyes, and her delicate face was filled with pleading.
Perona stared intently at Reno, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Master Reno, please, please don't kill Master Moriah, okay?!"
"As long as you let Master Moriah go, I'll agree to any condition. I'll be your ox and horse. Please, I'm really begging you… don't hurt Master Moriah…"
Perona tightly gripped Reno's arm, trying to stop him from moving forward.
Reno looked at Perona with a complicated expression, sighing in his heart.
He knew how important Moriah was to Perona.
When Perona was very young, Moriah had picked her up and raised her. He was not her biological father, but better than one.
In daily life, Moriah doted on Perona in every possible way, afraid of melting her if held too gently, or dropping her if held too loosely.
This was also evident in the original work. When Perona learned that Moriah was still alive, she immediately left Kraigana Island and traveled thousands of miles to find him.
Reno didn't want to coerce Perona this way, but Moriah genuinely intended to attack him.
Reno was never soft on enemies.
But at this moment, he was truly wavering.
He didn't want to give up on this pigtail loli.
Most importantly, even if he used the Slave Mark on Perona, she would still remember what happened at the moment.
At that time, they would always feel uncomfortable.
Seemingly sensing Reno's hesitation, Perona gently shook his arm, "Master Reno, please, don't kill Master Moriah, okay?!"
With a helpless sigh, Reno put away the magic blade thousand blades, looked coldly at Moriah, and said in a chilling voice, "Moriah, for Perona's sake, I can spare your life, but from now on, you must submit to me. This is your only choice to live."
"Reno, you…"
Before Moriah could finish his sentence, the injured Hogback next to him endured the pain, scrambled to Moriah's side, and quickly covered his mouth.
Then he plopped down on his knees in front of Reno, bowing his head to the ground, his posture humble, "Master Reno, Master Moriah is willing to surrender, all of us are willing to surrender."
"If you are still not satisfied, then kill me. I am willing to die for Master Moriah, I only ask that you spare Master Moriah and Perona's lives."
Thump, thump, thump.
Thump, thump, thump.
"Please."
Reno was speechless.
In his mind, the scene of Zoro and Sanji sacrificing themselves for Luffy at Sabaody Archipelago instantly appeared.
How similar the two were.
Looking at Perona and Hogback blocking him, Moriah could no longer control himself and shed tears.
"Master Moriah, please agree to him, okay? Please, will you agree to Master Reno? Perona doesn't want to see you die." Perona choked, kneeling in front of Moriah, pleading bitterly.
She knew Moriah's nature, but if that "no" word really came out, Reno would truly kill him.
Moriah looked at Perona, and finally slowly closed his eyes.
Perona's eyes lit up, and she immediately turned to look at Reno, exclaiming in surprise, "Master Reno, Master Moriah has agreed."
"Moriah." Reno's low voice sounded again.
Hogback nervously gulped, carefully removing his hand from Moriah's mouth.
Moriah slowly opened his eyes, speaking as if resigned to his fate, "Reno, I am willing to submit to you."
Hearing this, Reno's expression softened. He walked in front of Moriah.
"M-Master Reno, what are you doing?" Perona looked at Reno nervously, wanting to move but not daring to.
"I won't hurt him, Moriah, don't resist."
In Moriah's bewildered gaze, Reno directly imprinted the Slave Mark into his mind.
"Ah!" Due to his severe injuries, Moriah's body twitched violently, his face showed a moment of pain, but he quickly returned to normal.
"Mas…"
"Call me Captain from now on." Before Moriah could finish, Reno raised his hand to interrupt him.
The scene before them left Perona and Hogback utterly confused.
Immediately after, to their indescribable shock, Reno used the Healing Power, and in less than a minute, healed all of Moriah's injuries.
Moriah stared dumbfounded at the disappearing scars on his body, feeling as if he had dreamt it all.
Just as Reno subjugated Gekko Moria.
The battle between Tashigi and Ryuma had already entered a fierce stage.
"Sword of Judgment!" Tashigi's gaze was cold, and her stamina and Armament Haki continuously poured into the Wado Ichimonji.
A giant sword phantom, descending from above, cut towards Ryuma with unstoppable force!
Ryuma was not to be outdone, raising black blade shuusui high.
"Revolutionary Dance Music: Dash Attack!!!"
The same move, when performed by Ryuma, could unleash even greater power.
The two charged at each other simultaneously, their bodies intertwining.
Tashigi's eyes narrowed, and the Wado Ichimonji swept past Ryuma's chest.
Clang!
"You lost." Tashigi slowly exhaled a turbid breath.
The Wado Ichimonji was sheathed!
Ryuma fell to the ground.
Tashigi picked up the black blade shuusui that had fallen to the ground, caressing it with adoration.
This was her third sword.
At this point, all battles had ended.
All the zombie army was annihilated, and Ryuma died.
And at the moment of Ryuma's death, the shadow within him transformed into a stream of light and returned to Brook's body.
Looking at his shadow, which had reappeared on the ground after more than a decade, Brook laughed excitedly.
"Yohohohohoho! It's back, my shadow is back."
He had waited for this day for over ten years.
Now he could finally leave this dark and sunless place and live under the sun again.
"Master Reno, I am truly grateful to you." Brook took quick strides, rushing to Reno's front to express his gratitude.
If not for Reno's appearance, he would probably have spent his entire life in Florian Triangle.
Only living in solitude with the memories of the Rumbar Pirates and the longing for Laboon.
"This is what I promised Laboon. Since your shadow is back, I'll take you to see Laboon now." Reno waved his hand, signaling Brook not to worry.
"Eh?!"
"Master Reno, I wonder how you will make me…"
"Yohohohohoho!"
Reno grabbed Brook's shoulder and instantly teleported!
Twin Capes.
Outside the lighthouse cottage.
Crocus, as always, was wearing flip-flops, crossing his legs, sipping tea, and reading the news in the newspaper.
Suddenly.
"Yohohohoho!"
Accompanied by a strange laugh, Reno and Brook appeared simultaneously in front of Crocus.
Crocus was startled, leaning back and falling over.
"Crocus, I've brought Brook back to you. I'm leaving now."
Teleport, disappear!
Coming in a hurry, leaving in a hurry.
Roar!!!!
Not far away, an excited roar echoed through the sky.
Brook's body stiffened. He mechanically turned to look, and in an instant, tears streamed down his face.
"Laboon!"
"Roar!"
Thriller Bark.
Perona had not yet recovered.
Everything that happened today, and the abilities Reno displayed that were beyond her comprehension, would take her days to process.
"Still sad?!" Reno's voice suddenly drifted into her ears. Perona's delicate body trembled. After reacting, she quickly shook her head, "No, Master Reno."
Reno smiled slightly, saying nothing more.
"Moriah, Oars the Devil's body still doesn't have a shadow, right?!"
Moriah was startled for a moment, then nodded.
For so many years, he had been searching for a suitable shadow for Oars the Devil.
But none of them satisfied him.
Either the opponent was too weak, wasting Oars the Devil's body for nothing.
Or they were too strong, and he couldn't defeat them at all.
That's why it had dragged on until now.
"Captain, do you have a suitable candidate?!" Moriah's tone carried a hint of expectation.
He knew that Reno's question was not that simple.
With his strength, he might really be able to find a suitable shadow for Oars and create the most powerful zombie.
"A candidate?!" Reno stroked his chin, lost in thought.
Too many.
All the leaders of major powers were suitable for Oars the Devil.
Moreover, he would have to go to the New World later to conquer beauties, and conflicts with them would be inevitable.
Garp, Big Mom, and Akainu were all on his list.
It would depend on who was unlucky then.
No matter who it was, with their shadows, plus the body of the ancient Giant Oars the Devil, the resulting zombie would also be Admiral-level, or even Yonko-level.
But this matter couldn't be rushed.
"I'll take care of Oars the Devil's shadow; you take this first." Reno handed the Observation Haki and Armament Haki cultivation manuals to Moriah.
"After all, he was a man who challenged Kaido back then; he must still know a little bit of the Two Types of Haki, right?!"
Moriah awkwardly scratched his head and said, "Just a little bit."
Reno nodded, "A little bit is enough. From now on, you'll stay here and cultivate according to the methods in this manual."
"Once you've learned it, destroy it immediately, understood?!"
Moriah nodded vigorously, "Captain, don't worry, I promise to cultivate diligently and will definitely not disappoint you."
With the Slave Mark in place, Reno wasn't afraid of him playing tricks.
"There are two more things. In a while, if a guy named Straw Hat passes through here, don't mind him, just let him pass."
Reno wasn't sure if Luffy had reached the New World yet, or if he was staying on a certain island in the New World.
But he could be sure that Luffy would definitely go to the Sabaody Archipelago, and then...
Moriah nodded obediently.
Whatever the reason, he would do whatever the Captain said.
Straw Hat, got it.
"Second thing, the World Government is already very dissatisfied with you and plans to find an opportunity to eliminate you. Next time you see Doflamingo, be more wary of him."
Absalom the invisible man had already been killed by him, so no one would be there to save Moriah then.
Moriah was startled. The World Government was going to send Doflamingo to kill him?!
The Captain couldn't possibly lie to him.
These bastards!
"Don't worry, Captain, I won't let these guys succeed." Moriah patted his chest and vowed confidently.
"That's for the best." Reno glanced around again, seeing dense piles of zombie corpses.
After a major battle, the entire Florian Triangle was left with only Gekko Moria and two others, Oars the Devil, and some scattered zombies.
"You and Hogback clean up; I want Perona to leave."
Perona looked up abruptly, tears still on her face, and said with some difficulty, "Captain, can I stay here a little longer..."
"Hmm?!"
"I'll pack up and leave immediately!"
After giving Moriah a final instruction, Reno took all The girls, including Perona, and left Florian Triangle.
The environment here made him very uncomfortable; he didn't want to stay for another minute.
After dinner.
All The girls tacitly left, returning to their respective rooms without a moment's delay.
Having been on the ship for a long time, they were well aware of Reno's rules.
Today was another day for new experiences.
Perona stood in the bright living room, fidgeting nervously.
What happened during the day still made her uneasy; facing Reno alone, she was still a little scared.
Recalling the scene of Reno trying to kill Moriah, Perona was like a startled little rabbit.
"Captain, I... I want to rest. Is there a room for me here?!" Perona clasped her hands in front of her, asking cautiously.
"Perona, am I that scary?! To scare you like this?!" Perona slowly looked up, meeting Reno's gaze, then quickly lowered her head, avoiding his stare.
The fearless, mischievous Ghost Princess seemed truly frightened.
However, he was only targeting Moriah.
"Let's go, I'll take you to your room and teach you something along the way."
Perona looked up in confusion, "Captain, how about tomorrow? It's too late now."
Reno leaned close to Perona's ear and whispered two sentences.
Perona's little face instantly turned as red as an apple, and her lower lip tightened.
"Captain, you..." Perona stammered, her face flushed, unable to speak.
She finally understood why the beauties on the ship had looked at her with strange eyes during dinner.
In a Pirate Crew, only the Captain was male, and all the crew members were female; she should have realized it sooner.
After all, she was no longer a naive seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl; she was already twenty-three.
She had heard of it, but had never tried it, and didn't know what it felt like.
Pah, pah, pah, what was she thinking?
Perona casually kicked the ground with her right foot, her voice as faint as a mosquito's, "Captain, please don't be so fierce to Lord Moriah in the future. I... I'll listen to everything you say."
"You'll really listen to everything I say?!"
"Mm."
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