"No wonder the Marines' report said you and your pirate crew had collectively vanished. So in the end, you were hiding with the Straw Hat crew."
"How truly pitiful~"
"Once discarded by the tides of the era, you can only cling to others like a miserable parasite, struggling to survive."
High in the sky, after casually deflecting Moria's attack with a swing of her black blade, Mirabelagon's facial armor slid open automatically. A mocking expression was revealed as she sneered at Moria.
Although Moria had now fully recovered to his peak strength—perhaps even surpassing it thanks to the enhancement of Pokémon moves—
Facing Mirabelagon, whose power rivaled that of an Admiral, he could still only barely avoid being crushed outright. Even a direct confrontation was extremely difficult.
Hearing her ridicule, Moria bared his sharp fangs and roared angrily:
"What did you say, bastard!?"
"How could someone like you ever understand my ambitions!?"
Szz—
The shadow spear in his hand suddenly transformed into a massive boomerang, which he hurled fiercely toward Mirabelagon.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
The giant boomerang seemed to carry the entirety of Moria's boundless fury, arriving before Mirabelagon in the blink of an eye.
Yet seeing this impotent rage of an attack, the disdain in Mirabelagon's eyes deepened.
Compared to Trafalgar Law, whom Moria's shadow had rescued, she had not the slightest interest in this coward left over from a bygone era.
Flash—
A streak of black flickered. Mirabelagon effortlessly evaded the attack, even adjusting her position deliberately to avoid the boomerang's return strike.
But at that moment, a flash of excitement suddenly gleamed in Moria's eyes.
In the next instant, the shadow boomerang behind Mirabelagon abruptly transformed into Moria's shadow.
The only difference…
The shadow-Moria's hands became solid flesh and blood in an instant.
Shadow's Asgard · Partial Form!
And then—
"Confuse Ray!!!"
BOOM!!!
An invisible aura surged violently behind Mirabelagon.
Dark-type energy poured out from shadow-Moria like an unstoppable tide, converging into an eerie dark-purple beam in his palm.
The beam shot out instantly, striking Mirabelagon from behind.
Confuse Ray's effect was to induce confusion in the target.
Depending on the energy invested and the enemy's strength, the duration of confusion would vary.
But the current Moria was no longer the useless weakling from the original timeline whom anyone could trample over.
Struck by Confuse Ray, Mirabelagon's mind turned into chaos. Her body felt unresponsive. Her wings abruptly tightened, and she plummeted from the sky.
Seeing this, delight shone openly in Moria's eyes.
With a thought, shadow-Moria transformed into an arrow and followed her downward, plunging into the ground and pinning her shadow to the earth.
"Damn it!"
The impact from the fall cleared Mirabelagon's head slightly.
Yet just as she prepared to rise and take flight again, her body jerked backward as if pulled by an invisible thread, slamming her back onto the ground.
"It's useless."
Moria descended to the ground as well.
At Red's suggestion, he had practiced Moonwalk to some extent.
But he was not a pure physical combatant. Aerial battle was never his strong suit.
That was precisely why he had seized the opportunity to drag Mirabelagon down.
Looking at her struggling to tear apart the dark arrow pinning her shadow, Moria's lips curled upward.
"Give it up!"
"That's the Shadow's Stitching technique formed by my Shadow's Asgard!"
"Unless your shadow has also been strengthened by the Shadow-Shadow Fruit like mine, you'll never break free from its restraint!"
"Damn it! What kind of bizarre ability is this!?"
Unwilling to accept it, Mirabelagon slashed downward at the strange shadow arrow.
Boom—
The terrifying slash carved a smooth trench into the earth.
Yet the shadow arrow merely slipped into the trench along with the terrain, still preventing her from taking flight.
Moria smiled faintly and continued taunting:
"It's useless. Your body can no longer separate from your shadow."
"Though with this trench, you do have more shadow to work with. Should be enough for proper ground combat."
"Now then…"
Right in front of her, Moria slowly took out a Super Potion and drank it without hesitation, restoring his earlier consumption.
Immediately afterward, surging Pokémon energy burst from his body once more.
"Let me see the true form of one of the Five Elders!"
"..."
Mirabelagon fell silent. After struggling in vain to rise again, she could only abandon her aerial advantage.
But in the next instant, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
"Your methods are endless indeed!"
"But… if you think restricting my aerial mobility will close the gap between us…"
"Isn't that a bit laughable!?"
"Heh…"
"Who said I was trying to close the gap?"
Moria glanced up at the sky and murmured softly:
"If I've calculated right… it should be about time."
Bang bang bang bang—
Suddenly, a series of explosive airbursts like firecrackers echoed from the distant sky.
Both Moria and Mirabelagon raised their heads toward the sound.
From the clouds, a slender figure shot downward.
A pair of long, snow-white legs kicked off the air repeatedly, producing sharp detonations as she rapidly approached.
Tap tap tap—
In moments, the graceful figure descended and landed beside them.
After surveying the battlefield, she flipped her hair and spoke imperiously:
"Looks like I'm not too late."
"Boa Hancock!?"
Mirabelagon's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the peerless beauty.
On Elegia Island, there had been Jinbe.
Now Moria.
And now the Pirate Empress, Hancock.
The Straw Hat Pirates had secretly gathered three former Seven Warlords of the Sea under the World Government's nose!?
What were the Marines even doing?
Thankfully, the Seven Warlords system had already been abolished—who knew what further disasters might have occurred otherwise?
"What a series of surprises."
Mirabelagon sighed.
Then she slowly raised her head and turned toward Moria.
"Looks like you were right."
"It's time to show you my true power!"
Shing—
A black flash flickered along the edge of her blade.
Her low murmur spread with overwhelming pressure, sweeping across the battlefield like a storm.
The invisible shockwave lifted Hancock's hair high into the air, making her realize—
This woman was even stronger than she had imagined!!!
Amid the surging aura, Mirabelagon's body swelled.
This was the first time she revealed her true power since receiving Lord Imu's blessing.
Her inky black wings expanded, as if to blot out the sky itself.
The dark armor covering her body was replaced by jet-black feathers, while her hands and feet transformed into enormous golden talons.
In the blink of an eye, a massive bipedal crow appeared before Moria and Hancock—its size rivaling the other Five Elders.
Mythical Zoan · Karasu Tengu Form.
Clearly, empowering subordinates was not Red's exclusive ability.
Under Imu's bestowed power, Mirabelagon's Karasu Tengu form had been greatly amplified.
Most striking of all—
Her golden eyes burned like miniature suns, and behind her blazed black flames—the hallmark of awakened Devil Fruit power.
At this moment, Mirabelagon seemed like a descending god-demon. A single glance was enough to shake the faint-hearted.
Whoosh—
Even the black blade in her hand grew massive, wreathed in blazing solar flames that radiated scorching heat.
"Heh… hehihihihi…"
"So this is the power of a Five Elder? What terrifying pressure!"
Feeling the strain from his shadow arrow being forced back, Moria's expression turned awkward.
He had expected her to grow stronger after transforming…
But this level of power was a bit excessive, wasn't it!?
"I heard that."
Hancock's voice suddenly rang out.
"You were the one who told her to use her full strength, weren't you?"
She frowned slightly, her eyes cautious.
Simply standing before Mirabelagon, she could clearly sense the gulf in power between them.
"Hoo…"
Hancock inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly.
"No matter what, until Red and the others return, we must stop these Five Elders here!"
"We absolutely cannot allow them to destroy another island."
"Don't drag me down, Onion Head."
"Bastard!"
Moria stomped hard against the ground, his now leaner and more muscular body surging forward.
"At least I restricted her flight!"
"Say that again after you actually contribute something!"
"I intend to!"
Determination flashed in Hancock's eyes as soft pink light shimmered around her.
In the next instant, both Hancock and Moria shouted in unison:
"Pokémon-ization… Activate!!!"
Whoosh—
Brilliant light erupted from both of them.
From Hancock's body radiated a sweet fragrance, spreading like blooming flowers.
From Moria's body emanated a strange, dim aura, as if the underworld itself connected through him to the living world.
Pop—
With a soft sound, the evolution light faded.
Two transformed figures stood facing Mirabelagon.
Their physiques had not changed drastically.
But around Hancock fluttered several delicate, rosy silk ribbons, making her appear like a celestial maiden descended from heaven.
Across her exposed skin appeared vivid serpent-like markings, adding an enchanting allure to her divine beauty.
As for Moria, his changes were subtler.
A shadow-like cloak now enveloped his upper body, shrouding him in mystery.
An eerie mist floated around him—as though his long years in the Florian Triangle had permanently infused his evolved form with its strange fog.
A heavenly maiden and an underworld demon now stood on the same side.
The scene was surreal.
...
...
Elsewhere—
The battle between the Five Elders and the Tailed Beasts was nearing its conclusion.
Though the Tailed Beasts had initially overwhelmed them in momentum, the vast disparity in strength soon became clear.
Aside from the initial surprise attack buying a bit of time…
The immortal Five Elders swiftly eliminated them.
The One-Tail frozen solid.
The Two-Tail torn into fragments.
The Three-Tail dragged underground and vanished…
Though possessing undead bodies and unable to truly die, the nine Tailed Beasts had lost all combat capability.
In just ten minutes, every single counterfeit Tailed Beast had been thoroughly dealt with.
"To think Moria's Devil Fruit can create monsters this powerful…"
"We truly underestimated him."
Even after cleaning them up, the Five Elders felt compelled to remark.
Only the strongest among them, Saint Nusjuro, remained unmoved. Once the zombie Tailed Beasts were neutralized, he sheathed his blade and said:
"Enough. The port has been sufficiently destroyed."
"Next, we move to our next target."
"Saint Mars, Mirabelagon seems entangled. You will transport us to the next island."
"Hold it!!!"
A deep voice suddenly thundered from above, drawing all the Five Elders' gazes skyward.
Two figures hovered in the sky, looking down at them.
"Who said you're allowed to leave?"
Zoro and Sanji floated midair, their voices solemn.
"This Pokémon Sea isn't somewhere you can come and go as you please~"
"Old geezers!"
(End of Chapter)