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Logan let go of Perona's twin tails and walked straight toward Gecko Moria.
Freed from her restraints, Perona rushed to Moria's side, crying even harder.
"Lord Moria, are you okay? Don't scare me like that…" Seeing Moria's torn-up, bloodied body made her whole frame tremble.
As if her sobs reached him, Moria forced his eyes open. He managed a crooked grin. "Perona… I'm fine."
The small movement tugged at his wounds, sending a jolt of pain through him.
"Don't talk, Lord Moria! Please don't talk!" Perona waved frantically, tears spilling nonstop.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed rhythmically behind her. Perona whirled around and threw her arms out to block him. "Y-You jerk! Don't hurt Lord Moria anymore!"
Logan ignored her completely, step by measured step closing in on Moria. "Moria… do you finally get it now?"
Moria gritted his teeth, his breath rasping through his nose.
"Look at yourself. Ten years ago, you were full of pride and ambition. Now you're nothing but an arrogant, broken shell hiding in the dark like a cornered rat."
"With the strength you have now, you don't even deserve to call yourself a Warlord of the Sea."
Logan's voice dropped, cold and sharp. In that instant, his demon blade, Thousand Edge, flashed from its sheath.
Clang.
The steel reflected Logan's stoic face, killing intent pouring off him.
"W-What are you going to do?!" Perona froze in terror, voice shaking.
"No, please! Please don't hurt Lord Moria anymore!"Her dam finally burst and she sobbed without restraint, appearance forgotten.
Even the girls watching from afar were moved—but none dared to step in.
Logan stepped right up to Moria, looking down at him, blade rising slowly.
"STOP!!!"
Perona screamed, throwing herself in front of Logan with her arms spread wide.
The little ghost princess—spoiled, pampered, always a bit bratty—now stood there with eyes brimming with tears, her beautiful face filled with desperation.
She stared up at Logan, voice trembling."Lord Logan, I'm begging you. Please… please don't kill Lord Moria."
"If you let him go, I'll agree to anything. I'll work for you, serve you, whatever you want. Please… I'm begging you… don't hurt him…"
She grabbed Logan's arm with both hands, trying to push him back.
Logan looked at her, expression complicated.He sighed.
He knew exactly what Moria meant to her.
Moria had taken her in when she was just a child and raised her himself— not her real father, but every bit a parent. He spoiled her endlessly, treating her like the most fragile treasure.
Even in the original story, when Perona learned Moria was still alive, she abandoned Kuraigana Island and crossed the seas just to find him.
Logan hadn't intended to threaten Perona like this.Moria had genuinely tried to kill him.
And Logan never went soft on enemies.
But now…he hesitated.
He didn't want to lose this twin-tailed little loli.
And most importantly, even with a slave seal, Perona would still remember everything happening now.That would be awkward for both of them later.
Sensing his hesitation, Perona shook his arm gently."Lord Logan, please… please don't kill Lord Moria!"
Logan let out a tired exhale. He sheathed Thousand Edge, glancing coldly at Moria.
"Moria… for Perona's sake, I won't kill you. But from this moment on, you belong to me. That's the only way you live."
"L-Logan, you—"
Before he could finish, Hogback—bleeding and barely conscious—stumbled over, slapped a hand over Moria's mouth, then dropped to his knees before Logan with a thud.
"Lord Logan! Lord Moria is willing to submit! We all are!"He smashed his forehead to the ground."If you're still angry… kill me instead. I'll gladly die in his place. Please, just spare Lord Moria and Lady Perona!"
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"Please!"
Logan fell silent.
A scene flashed through his mind—the moment in Sabaody when Zoro and Sanji offered their lives for Luffy.The similarity struck him hard.
Seeing both Perona and Hogback shielding him with their bodies, Moria finally broke down.Tears welled and slid down his face.
"Lord Moria… please, just agree. I'm begging you. Don't make me watch you die…" Perona choked out, kneeling and pleading desperately.
She knew his temperament.If he said "no," Logan really would kill him.
Moria looked at her for a long second, then slowly closed his eyes.
Perona's eyes lit up. She turned to Logan instantly."Lord Logan! Lord Moria agreed!"
"Moria." Logan's low voice echoed again.
Hogback gulped nervously and slowly took his hand off Moria's mouth.
Moria opened his eyes, defeated."…Logan, I submit."
Logan's expression eased as he walked toward him.
"L-Lord Logan, what are you—?" Perona asked anxiously, too scared to move.
"I'm not going to hurt him. Moria… don't resist."
Before the wounded man could react, Logan pressed the slave seal directly into Moria's mind.
"Argh!"Moria's whole body spasmed in pain, face twisting—but the discomfort faded quickly.
"M-Mas—"
"Call me Captain." Logan cut him off.
Perona and Hogback could only stare, utterly lost.
Then, to their disbelief, Logan placed a hand on Moria and channeled healing energy into him.In less than a minute, every wound vanished.
Moria stared at his restored body, completely stunned, as if he'd woken from a dream.
While Logan was taking Moria under his command—
Tashigi and Ryoma's duel had reached its peak.
"Judgment Sword!"Tashigi's eyes were sharp. Strength and Armament Haki surged into Wado Ichimonji.
A massive sword aura dropped from above like a falling star, cleaving toward Ryoma.
Ryoma refused to back down and raised Shusui high.
"Revolutionary Waltz: Piercing Strike!"
Under his hands, the same technique was far stronger.
Both charged. Their bodies crossed.
Tashigi's gaze tightened.Wado Ichimonji sliced past Ryoma's chest.
Clang.
"You lost." She let out a long breath, sheathing her blade.
Ryoma collapsed.
Tashigi picked up the fallen Shusui, running her hand lovingly along its surface.
Her third sword.
And with that, the battle was over.
The zombie army had been wiped out.Ryoma was dead.
The moment he died, the shadow inside him burst free and shot back into Brook's body.
Brook stared at the shadow that had been missing for over a decade and burst into joyful laughter.
"Yohohohoho! It's back! My shadow is finally back!"
He had waited over ten long years for this day.
Finally, he could leave this cursed, sunless place and feel the sunlight again.
"Lord Logan, I really don't know how to thank you!" Brook rushed over, bowing repeatedly.
If not for Logan, he would have lived out eternity trapped in the Devil's Triangle, clinging only to the memories of the Rumbar Pirates and the promise he made to Laboon.
"This is something I promised Laboon. Now that your shadow's back, I'll take you to see him." Logan waved dismissively.
"Eh?!!"
"Lord Logan… what did you want me t—"
"Yohohohoho!"
Logan grabbed Brook's shoulder and teleported on the spot.
Twin Cape.
Outside the lighthouse cottage.
Crocus sat there in his usual flip-flops, legs crossed, sipping tea while reading the newspaper.
Suddenly—
"Yohohohoho!"
With that strange laugh echoing through the air, Logan and Brook appeared right in front of him.
Crocus jolted so hard he tipped backwards and crashed onto the ground.
"Crocus, I brought Brook back for you. I'm off."
Another blink—gone.
Came fast, left even faster.
A thunderous roar exploded from the distance.
Brook froze. His neck creaked as he turned, and then tears instantly streamed down his face.
"Laboon!"
"Rooo!"
Thriller Bark.
Perona still hadn't recovered from the day's chaos.
Everything that had happened today—Logan's completely incomprehensible abilities—was way more than she could process in a single afternoon.
"Still sulking?" Logan's voice drifted over. Perona's shoulders trembled before she quickly shook her head. "N-No, Lord Logan!"
Logan smiled lightly and didn't press it.
"Moria, Oars still doesn't have a shadow, right?"
Moria blinked—then nodded.
He'd spent years looking for a suitable shadow for Oars… and failed every time.
If the opponent was too weak, it was a waste.If they were too strong, he couldn't beat them.
So it had dragged on until now.
"Captain, do you… have someone in mind?" Moria asked hopefully.
He knew Logan wouldn't ask something pointless. And with Logan's strength, he might really be able to find the perfect shadow—one that could turn Oars into the strongest zombie in history.
"A candidate?" Logan rubbed his chin, thinking.
There were too many.
Pretty much every major powerhouse in the world would make a perfect match for Oars.And since he planned to go to the New World and collect beautiful women, conflicts with those major figures were inevitable.
Garp.Big Mom.Akainu.All were on his list.
Whoever crossed him first would get unlucky.
With their shadows fused into Oars's ancient giant body, the result would be a zombie on admiral level—or even Yonko level.
But that wasn't something to rush.
"I'll handle Oars's shadow later. For now, take this." Logan handed him two manuals—Observation Haki and Armament Haki training guides.
"You did challenge Kaido back in the day. You've gotta know at least a little Haki, right?"
Moria scratched his head awkwardly. "…A little bit."
"That's enough. From now on, stay here and follow the manuals."
Logan's tone sharpened. "And once you learn it, burn the manuals. Clear?"
Moria nodded so hard his head nearly fell off. "Yes, Captain! I promise I won't disappoint you!"
With the slave seal in place, Logan wasn't worried about betrayal.
"There are two more things. First: if a kid called Straw Hat passes through here later, don't touch him. Just let him go."
Logan wasn't sure where Luffy was right now—maybe already in the New World, maybe stuck on some island.But he knew Luffy would eventually head to Sabaody. And when that happened—
Moria obediently nodded.
Didn't matter why. Captain said so, he'd do so.
Straw Hat… got it.
"Second thing: the World Government's already fed up with you. They're planning to get rid of you. Next time you see Doflamingo, watch your back."
With Absalom dead—killed by Logan himself—there'd be no one left to bail Moria out.
Moria stiffened. The World Government wanted to send Doflamingo… after him?
The captain wouldn't lie.
Those bastards!
"Don't worry, Captain! I won't let them take me down!" Moria thumped his chest in determination.
"Better not." Logan glanced around. Corpses of zombies were piled everywhere.
After that huge battle, only Moria, Hogback, Oars, and a handful of scattered zombies were still around.
"Go clean this place up with Hogback. I'm taking Perona."
Perona jerked her head up, the tear stains still on her cheeks. "Captain… can I maybe stay here a little lon—"
"Hm?"
"I'll pack! I'll go now!"
After giving Moria a few more instructions, Logan left the Devil's Triangle with all the girls—including Perona.
The atmosphere here irritated him. He didn't want to stay a minute longer.
After dinner.
All the girls quietly excused themselves to their rooms without lingering for even a second.
They'd been on this ship long enough to understand Logan's habits.
Tonight… was "new experience" night.
Perona stood awkwardly in the bright living room, fidgeting.
Everything that happened earlier still made her heart race. Facing Logan alone, she was honestly terrified.
Whenever she remembered him almost killing Moria, she felt like a frightened little rabbit.
"C-Captain… I-I think I'll go rest now. Is… is there a room for me?" Perona asked timidly, fingers twisting together.
"Perona, am I really that scary? Enough to shake you up like this?"
She lifted her head just a little—only to meet Logan's gaze and immediately look down again.
The fearless, mischievous Ghost Princess was gone.She really had been scared senseless.
Though to be fair, he'd only been targeting Moria.
"Come on. I'll take you to your room. I'll teach you something on the way."
Perona blinked nervously. "Captain… maybe we can do that tomorrow? It's really late…"
Logan leaned close and whispered two sentences into her ear.
Perona's entire face turned bright red, like someone had dunked her in paint. Her teeth caught her bottom lip.
"C-Captain, you…" She couldn't finish the sentence.
And now she finally understood why all those girls had given her that look during dinner…
A pirate crew with one man—the captain—and everyone else women.She really should've figured it out sooner.
She wasn't some innocent teenager anymore. She was twenty-three.She'd heard about it, never tried it, didn't know what it would feel like.
Stop it stop it stop it! What am I even thinking?!
Perona scuffed her toe against the floor and whispered, voice tiny, "Captain… just… don't be so mean to Lord Moria anymore. I… I'll listen to you. To everything."
"Everything?"
"…Mm."
"....."