In the castle's main hall,
Gecko Moria sat in the shadows, his massive, stomach-like body slumped in his seat.
He looked somewhat tense as he stared at the man before him.
Leno merely stood there casually, yet an overwhelming aura of intimidation radiated from him.
Cold sweat beaded on Moria's forehead.
For some reason, this newcomer gave him a sense of pressure even stronger than Kaido once had.
Still, he had once been a powerhouse himself.
At the very least, he didn't act overly timid.
"Hehshishishishi… Fallen One Leno, what brings you to my territory?"
Hearing this,
Leno didn't even look at him. Moria always reminded him of someone from his past.
He truly couldn't understand how someone's belly could grow that large.
His indifferent gaze swept across the twisted murals on the wall as he replied calmly:
"I'm waiting for someone."
Moria froze for a moment. Then the crushing psychological pressure he had been feeling instantly dissipated.
He let out a long breath of relief.
But at the same time, irritation flared at being so thoroughly ignored.
Still—
between someone worth 1.5 billion Berries and a 300-million-Berry small fry,
he knew exactly which one was safe to vent his anger on.
"I see! Hehshishishishi! Make yourself at home!"
He immediately barked at his subordinates, "Scram! Bunch of blind fools! Lord Leno, shall I show you around?"
He called it a tour, but in truth, he simply didn't feel at ease letting Leno wander alone.
Who in their right mind would feel safe with a monster like this in their own house?
Leno said nothing, which Moria took as consent.
Moria quickly took the lead.
At the same time, there was a hint of wanting to show off.
His shadows and zombie army had never been displayed before a true top-tier powerhouse.
Showing off a little wasn't so bad.
Thus, the group strolled through the gloomy castle alongside Leno.
Moria pointed things out enthusiastically.
Perona floated in the air, yawning in boredom.
No battle, and she had already seen this place a thousand times. What was there to look at?
The others were mildly curious, but not particularly interested.
After all, who genuinely liked creepy old castles?
It was mostly just passing curiosity.
Little Alice and Perona, however, seemed to be whispering about something, occasionally giggling.
Nico Robin's eyes swept over every corner.
It was the curiosity of an archaeologist at work.
Perhaps she might glimpse a Poneglyph.
Suddenly—
her steps paused almost imperceptibly.
Through the crack of an iron door, she saw a girl with short orange hair.
Having stayed with the Straw Hats for some time, she could hardly forget Nami.
She just hadn't expected to see her being carried off by several zombie maids.
Clearly not by choice.
Robin's expression stiffened.
But she didn't speak up. Instead, she subtly slowed her pace and fell to the back of the group.
At the same time, an extra ear quietly sprouted on one of the female zombies.
It wasn't that she didn't want to tell Leno.
It was that Leno wouldn't save an enemy.
Yet she couldn't simply ignore it either.
Repaying the Straw Hats a favor would also allow her to remain more at ease by Leno's side.
So while Moria was busy boasting loudly about his zombie army to Leno,
Robin quietly slipped away.
The moment she left, Leno's eyebrow twitched slightly.
An unreadable glint flashed in his eyes.
No one knew what he was thinking.
…
In a dark prison cell,
Nami was roughly thrown onto the cold floor.
Her clothes were torn in several places.
She paid no mind to the zombie maids, instead looking around in terror.
"Who's there?! Come out!"
Along the way, she had clearly heard a man's voice licking his lips nearby.
It was disgusting.
And terrifying.
A smug laugh echoed through the air.
"Beautiful Miss Nami, don't be afraid. I am the Invisible Man, Absalom—the man who will soon become your husband!"
Nami's face went pale. "The Clear-Clear Fruit? You shameless creep!"
"Go ahead, curse me! The more you scold me, the more I like it!"
Absalom revealed himself, rubbing his hands together as he greedily approached.
"I like women like you—weak and unable to resist!"
"Do you really think a bunch of hotheaded brats like the Straw Hats deserve a treasure like you? Only I—"
Bang!
The heavy prison door exploded inward, splinters flying everywhere!
Robin stood at the entrance with her arms crossed, her gaze icy.
"Let her go, Absalom."
Absalom jumped in fright. After recognizing her,
he deliberately glanced behind her.
Seeing no one else present, his lower instincts overpowered his brain.
A lewd grin spread across his face.
"Oh? Miss Robin? What a pleasant surprise! What is it? Did you come to accompany me too?"
Without Leno present, he had no fear of these women.
Robin didn't waste words. Instantly, countless arms sprouted around him.
"Thirty Fleur—Clutch!"
However—
Absalom turned transparent again in an instant, easily dodging the attack.
"Useless! I'm invisible! You can't catch me!" His voice echoed mockingly from all directions.
"Since you delivered yourself, I'll take you too! Weak little archaeologist!"
Arms grasped wildly through the air, missing every time.
Sweat formed on Robin's forehead. Without Observation Haki, an unseen enemy like this was extremely troublesome.
And it was her first time facing such an opponent.
"Robin! Run! Go get the others!" Nami shouted anxiously.
"The others? Those Straw Hat brats? Whether they come or not, neither of you are leaving!"
Absalom laughed arrogantly, his invisible arm lunging toward Robin's throat!
Robin's pupils shrank.
It was too sudden—she couldn't fully evade!
Just as the unseen hand was about to touch her—
an indescribable, soul-shaking aura
swept through the entire prison like a tsunami!
"Gahhh—!"
The invisible Absalom let out a miserable scream.
His transparency shattered, and he was violently forced back into visibility, collapsing to his knees with a heavy thud!
His body trembled uncontrollably.
Thud.
Thud.
All the surrounding zombies fell unconscious in waves.
Back near Leno, Moria felt that terrifying burst of Conqueror's Haki.
At that moment, he became completely certain—
this man was in no way weaker than Kaido.
But for Leno to suddenly unleash his Conqueror's Haki like this—
it was clearly a slap in his face.
He had already lowered his attitude so much.
Moria's expression darkened as he glared at Leno.
"Leno, what's the meaning of this?!"
Perona's little ghosts began to gather ominously as well.
But Leno paid them no mind.
He cast Moria a sideways glance.
"The meaning?"
"I gave you face. If your people want to die, no one can stop them."
Hearing this, Moria scanned the group and realized Robin was missing.
Then he thought of his subordinate.
His face instantly sank.
It was obvious.
He had guessed what had happened.
Led by Leno, the group headed toward Robin's location.
Soon enough,
Leno arrived first at Absalom's prison cell.
He didn't look at anyone else in the room.
His calm gaze fell only upon Absalom, who was kneeling on the ground, trembling like a sieve.
The entire space was deathly silent.
Tears and snot streamed down Absalom's face.
When Leno's gaze landed on him,
the terror intensified—
as if an invisible hand were gripping his heart, squeezing tighter and tighter, nearly suffocating him.
He didn't even have the courage to raise his head.
Finally, Leno spoke.
His voice was not loud.
"My people."
"You dare touch them?"
"Who gave you the courage?"
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