When Absalom heard those words,
his trembling intensified.
He couldn't utter a single sentence—he couldn't even beg for mercy.
Especially as he felt the pressure bearing down on him growing heavier and heavier.
The bones in his body began to creak under the strain.
By the time Moria hurried over,
the sight that greeted him made his face turn ashen.
Absalom lay collapsed in a pool of blood, barely recognizable as human.
God knew how many bones had been broken. He was more out of breath than alive.
Even when Moria arrived, Absalom didn't have the strength to lift his eyelids.
Leno simply stood there, blood spreading beneath his feet.
Nami looked at him cautiously.
Robin stood behind him, completely unharmed.
Though even she had a trace of carefulness—and fear—on her face.
Seeing this scene, Moria's heart sank to the bottom.
That idiot!
He really had touched someone he shouldn't have!
"L-Lord Leno!" Moria forced out a smile uglier than crying.
"Th-this fool offended you? He deserves death!" His throat bobbed.
"But… but he has been loyal to me. Please spare his worthless life! I guarantee he'll never dare again!"
Leno didn't look at the half-dead trash on the ground. His gaze drifted lightly to Moria.
Light?
It felt like a mountain pressing down.
The pressure surged. Moria cursed inwardly.
"Begging for mercy?" Leno's tone was flat.
Cold sweat streamed down Moria's face as he nodded frantically. "Yes! Please be magnanimous!"
Very worthy of someone who had once been active in Wano—he was quite practiced at this.
Too bad that sort of routine didn't really work in this sea.
Leno's gaze slowly shifted past Moria—
and landed on the twin-tailed Ghost Princess behind him—Perona.
Perona had been staring in disgust at the blood on the floor.
Sensing Leno's gaze, she lifted her chin proudly. "Hmph!"
Leno spoke.
"Fine."
Moria had just exhaled half a breath of relief—
"Trade her."
The smile on Moria's face froze instantly.
He turned to look at Perona.
He had raised her like a daughter!
Absolutely not.
Turning back, he roared at Leno, "No! Impossible!"
His whole body trembled violently.
"Perona is out of the question! Absolutely not! Leno, I'll agree to any other condition!"
"Wealth, treasure, powerful zombie soldiers! Anything!"
Perona was stunned for a second, then stomped angrily.
"What kind of joke is this?! Who wants to go with this terrifying guy?! Lord Moria, make him leave!"
Leno ignored her shouting.
His eyes remained locked on Moria.
The surrounding air grew unbearably heavy. The atmosphere was even more dangerous than before.
Nami blinked as she looked at Leno—
curious, afraid, and angry all at once.
Crack!
The tiles beneath Moria's feet split with spiderweb fractures.
His body trembled violently—this time not from anger.
But from Conqueror's Haki crushing down on him.
Leno's voice was calm.
"I'm not threatening you. Say that again?"
Moria's teeth chattered.
This wasn't threatening?
Yet when his eyes fell on Perona, he still clenched his jaw stubbornly.
Leno's gaze shifted to Perona.
The moment their eyes met, her body stiffened.
All her arrogance vanished.
A chilling cold shot from her feet to her scalp.
Leno spoke to her, tone indifferent.
"You wouldn't want Moria to die, would you?"
Strange words—
but Perona's pupils shrank.
She looked at Moria—the man she regarded as a father.
At this moment, he was enduring unimaginable pressure, his face pale, on the verge of collapse.
Fear and fury surged through her.
Her fists clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms.
"Bastard!" Perona screamed, eyes reddening.
She glared at Leno—and he returned the gaze without flinching.
Just a puffed-up kitten.
After a long moment of eye contact, she forced the words out through clenched teeth.
"I agree! Let Lord Moria go!"
"Perona! No!" Moria roared.
"Shut up, Moria!" she shouted back, her voice breaking. "Do you want to die?!"
The terrifying pressure around Leno vanished.
Moria staggered, gasping for air.
Watching Perona walk toward Leno, the muscles in his face twitched uncontrollably.
"Leno… you…"
He was about to curse—
but when he saw Perona standing beside Leno, he clenched his fists tightly and ultimately forced out a twisted, ugly smile.
"…As long as you're satisfied…"
Inside, he was screaming and howling, wishing he could tear Leno apart.
But outwardly, he could only maintain this humble grin.
His life had been spared by Perona.
The old Moria might have fought desperately.
Now, his ambition was long gone.
Leno didn't spare him another glance.
He turned and walked deeper into the castle.
Perona bit her lip, casting one last tearful look at Moria.
Then, like a soul pulled from her body, she lowered her head and followed behind Leno.
Nami looked at Moria, then at Leno and Robin.
Quietly, she followed as well.
She didn't think she could escape anyway.
—
After a while,
deep in a dark corridor,
Leno commandeered an empty stone chamber.
He stopped.
That simple motion instantly made Perona tense up.
Trying to sound fierce, she shouted, "I'm telling you! Don't think I'll submit! I'm the Ghost Princess! Horo—"
Leno turned.
Without warning—
he grabbed her by the throat and slammed her hard against the cold stone wall!
"Ugh—!" Perona cried out.
She tried to summon her ghosts. "Negative Hol—"
Before the thought could finish, Leno tightened his grip!
Nearly crushing her throat.
The suffocating pressure stripped away all her ability.
Her legs kicked uselessly. Her hands clawed at his arm. Her face shifted from red to purple.
His cold, handsome face loomed larger in her vision.
"Behave in front of me," he said quietly.
"You're just a trophy. Know your place."
True fear flooded Perona's eyes.
This man didn't care who she was.
Didn't care about her looks.
Didn't care about her powers.
Leno loosened his grip slightly.
Perona coughed violently, gulping air.
"Of course," he added calmly, "if you perform well, you can become a real crewmate."
"Understood?"
Her body trembled.
Tears streamed down uncontrollably.
Fear drowned her completely.
She looked into those emotionless eyes and lowered her head.
"…Yes," she whispered, voice trembling.
Leno released her.
She slid to the ground, clutching her throat and coughing.
Leno looked down at her.
"If you think of acting out again, remember this feeling."
Ignoring her reaction, he turned his gaze to Robin.
"We're not done talking about your matter either."
—
Meanwhile,
massive explosions and furious shouts echoed from another side of the castle.
"Gomu Gomu no—Bazooka!"
"Three-Sword Style: 108 Pound Phoenix!"
"Nami-san! Where are you—?!"
Straw Hat Luffy and his crew
had finally broken through the zombie horde and stormed into the castle's core.
They had begun a frantic search for Nami.
After what happened once with Robin—
a second time, they absolutely would not allow it!
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