Chapter 48: Hina’s Shadow is Stolen

The eerie silence of Thriller Bark pressed down on the crew like a suffocating blanket as they ventured deeper into the haunted ship. The glow from their lanterns barely cut through the thick fog that seemed to curl and twist unnaturally around them, and each creak of the floorboards beneath their feet felt like a warning—a reminder that they were trespassing in a place where the dead walked.

"Hina doesn't like this," Hina muttered, her sharp eyes scanning the dark hallways as they moved forward. The oppressive air made her more cautious than usual, and even the Cage-Cage Marine couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

"We're not alone," Smoker growled, taking a deep drag from his cigarette before letting the smoke swirl around him. "This place is crawling with something… and it's not just zombies."

Vulcan, leading the way with his naginata in hand, kept his usual grin plastered on his face. He thrived in these tense situations, where danger lurked at every corner. But even he could sense that something was off. The deeper they went into Thriller Bark, the more they could feel the pull of something dark, something far more dangerous than simple zombies.

"We're getting closer to Moria's lair," Brook said from the back, his voice surprisingly serious. "If we're not careful, we might find ourselves losing more than just a fight. We could lose… our shadows."

As if on cue, a sudden gust of wind swept through the corridor, blowing out one of the recruits' lanterns. The fog seemed to thicken, twisting in strange patterns that made it hard to tell what was real and what wasn't.

"Everyone, stay together," Vulcan ordered, his voice steady. "Don't let the fog separate us."

They moved cautiously, but the tension was building. Every shadow seemed to writhe with life, and the flickering lights cast eerie shapes on the walls. Vulcan's eyes darted back and forth, watching for any sign of movement.

And then, without warning, it happened.

A massive figure lunged out of the darkness, its hand reaching toward Hina faster than anyone could react. It moved like a shadow itself, blending in with the fog until it was right on top of them. Before Hina could react, the figure's hand shot toward her, its fingers closing around her body.

"Hina!" Vulcan shouted, swinging his naginata toward the attacker.

But it was too late. The figure's hand passed through Hina's body—not physically, but through her shadow. In an instant, Hina's form flickered, and her shadow was ripped away from her, torn off the ground and pulled into the dark shape of the assailant.

Hina gasped, her body collapsing to the floor as her shadow was stolen. Her skin took on an ashen tone, and her eyes fluttered weakly. "My… shadow…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Hina!" Smoker shouted, rushing to her side.

But the figure that had stolen her shadow was already retreating into the darkness, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared.

Vulcan's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his weapon. "No way you're getting away that easily!"

Without hesitation, Vulcan sprinted after the figure, his Soru propelling him forward through the fog. The recruits called after him, but he didn't slow down. The figure was fast, slipping through the shadows like it belonged there, but Vulcan was faster.

He finally caught up as the figure reached a large, open room—a massive chamber deep within Thriller Bark. The figure, still cloaked in darkness, stood in the center of the room, holding Hina's stolen shadow in its hands. The shadow wriggled like a living thing, trying to escape, but the figure's grip was firm.

Vulcan's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. The shadow was being forced into a new host—a hulking zombie that stood nearby, its body limp and lifeless. As soon as the shadow entered the zombie, its eyes snapped open, glowing with an eerie light.

"Yohohoho!" Brook's voice called from behind as he and the rest of the crew caught up. "That's Moria's power! He steals shadows and puts them into zombies, bringing them to life with the stolen strength of his victims!"

Smoker growled, his fists clenched as he glared at the shadow-infused zombie. "So that's how he makes his undead army…"

Vulcan didn't wait. He charged toward the zombie, his naginata spinning in his hands. But as he swung, the zombie—powered by Hina's shadow—dodged with surprising speed and retaliated with a powerful kick, sending Vulcan skidding backward.

"Damn," Vulcan muttered, wiping blood from his mouth. "It's using Hina's abilities…"

The zombie's movements were sharp and precise, mimicking Hina's fighting style almost perfectly. Every time Vulcan or the recruits tried to approach, the zombie would counter, using techniques that mirrored Hina's own combat skills. It even attempted to use her Cage-Cage Fruit powers, though the iron bars it summoned were weaker than usual.

"We can't destroy it," Smoker said, his eyes narrowed. "If we do, we'll lose Hina's shadow for good."

Vulcan gritted his teeth, his mind racing. They needed to find a way to defeat the zombie without completely destroying it—but how? The shadow was the key. If they could somehow force the shadow out of the zombie's body, they might be able to retrieve it.

But how?

Brook, watching the fight unfold, suddenly clapped his hands together. "Ah, I've got it! Yohohoho! Shadows are vulnerable to sunlight! If we can expose the zombie to sunlight, the shadow will be forced out!"

"Sunlight?" Vulcan said, glancing around the dark chamber. "We're in the middle of a haunted ship with no windows!"

Brook shrugged. "Ah, yes, quite the problem. Yohohoho!"

Vulcan's eyes darted to the ceiling, where weak beams of moonlight trickled through small cracks. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"Smoker, Hina's shadow is stronger than a regular zombie, right? If we tire it out enough, it might weaken!" Vulcan said, already planning his next move.

"Let's hope you're right," Smoker said, his tone grim as he cracked his knuckles. "I'll keep it busy."

Smoker darted toward the zombie, his smoke powers swirling around it as he forced it to focus on him. The zombie lashed out with Hina's precision, but Smoker's smoke form made it difficult for it to land a hit.

Meanwhile, Vulcan moved into position beneath one of the cracks in the ceiling. He leaped up, using Soru to launch himself toward the weak spot. With one powerful punch, he cracked the ceiling open, letting more moonlight pour into the room.

The zombie, sensing the light, recoiled. The faint rays of moonlight seemed to weaken it, its movements slowing as it struggled against the light.

"Now's our chance!" Vulcan shouted, charging forward again.

With a well-timed swing of his naginata, Vulcan struck the zombie's legs, knocking it off balance and sending it crashing to the floor. The moonlight bathed the zombie's body, and the shadow inside it began to squirm, trying to escape.

"It's working!" one of the recruits yelled.

The zombie roared in frustration as the light forced the shadow to leave its body. The dark figure that had stolen Hina's shadow appeared again, trying to reclaim the shadow for itself, but Vulcan was ready. He charged at the figure, his naginata flashing as he cut through the darkness, severing its connection to the shadow.

With a final cry, the shadow was freed, flying through the air before returning to its rightful owner—Hina.

Hina gasped as her shadow re-entered her body, her strength slowly returning. Smoker helped her to her feet, his expression a mix of relief and concern.

"Hina… is fine now," she said weakly, though she still looked shaken. "Thank you."

Vulcan wiped the sweat from his brow, his grin returning. "No problem. Now let's get out of here before something else decides to steal our shadows."

The crew regrouped, the tension slowly fading as they realized they had survived another one of Moria's traps. But as they prepared to leave the chamber, Vulcan couldn't help but feel that they were only scratching the surface of the danger that lay ahead.