Chapter 207: Arrival East Blue

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Moria grew angrier the more he thought about it. Standing up in fury, he resolved to use his secret weapon—originally meant to take down Kaido—on the intruders. 

He would show the sea that Gecko Moria wouldn't be trifled with. 

However, before Moria could step outside, the door to his chamber suddenly collapsed with a resounding crash. 

Five figures stood in the doorway—Sonic, three others, and Absalom. Seeing the group, Moria's initial rage subsided halfway, replaced by surprise. 

"The Night Organization?" he muttered. 

Even though Moria resided deep within the Florian Triangle, he kept himself informed about the latest sea developments.

He had heard of the Night Organization's formidable strength. Judging by their hostile stance, Moria realized a fierce battle was inevitable. 

Absalom led the four members of the Night Organization to Moria, secretly relieved, thinking, "With the captain here, my life should be spared."

Moria's eyes darted to Absalom, who was covered in burns, and his shadow immediately extended toward him as a thin line, moving swiftly. 

Since his battle with Kaido, Moria had been short on capable subordinates and couldn't afford to lose Absalom. 

Yet, just as his shadow was about to connect with Absalom's, a foot clad in Armament Haki stomped down, pinning it in place.

Shocked, Moria looked up at the man wearing a white dove mask standing atop his shadow. 

Rob Lucci hoisted Absalom with one hand, smirking provocatively. "Now that we've found Moria, you're useless to us."

Absalom's eyes filled with terror, and he struggled frantically. 

But before he could break free, Lucci tightened his grip, snapping Absalom's neck right in front of Moria. 

Furious, Moria roared, "Night Organization, huh? Do you think I, Gecko Moria, fear you? How dare you kill my subordinate in front of me! None of you will leave the Florian Triangle alive today!"

Hearing Moria's threats, the four Night Organization members burst into laughter. 

To them, Moria was like a clueless fool who didn't realize the precariousness of his situation.

Without further ado, Lucci shifted into his hybrid form and disappeared, moving rapidly toward Moria. 

For Lucci, the mission had been monotonous so far, with no worthy opponents. 

Facing a slightly stronger adversary like Moria, he was eager to engage in battle. The same was true for the others. 

Enel transformed into a streak of lightning, closely following Lucci, shouting, "This big guy is mine! Don't you dare steal him from me!"

Sonic, the fastest of them all, appeared directly before Moria, his ninja blade gleaming ominously. With a chuckle, he said, "First come, first served!"

Moria, though uncertain about the situation, could sense the blatant disdain in their words. 

They acted as if defeating him were a foregone conclusion, much like Kaido had viewed him years ago—as nothing more than an ant. 

Enraged by their contempt, Moria's bloodshot eyes and bulging veins stood out starkly against his pale skin. "You're going too far!" he bellowed.

Just as Sonic, Lucci, and Enel moved to attack, Law, who had remained still, shook his head and said, "Within seven steps, you're faster. Beyond that, I'm faster."

"ROOM!"

In an instant, their target switched to the lifeless body of Absalom, while the enraged Moria suddenly appeared right in front of Law. 

Lucci, Sonic, and Enel cursed Law for his "underhanded" tactics as they unintentionally obliterated Absalom's corpse.

Law smirked, his training in Skypiea paying off. "Injection Shot!"

With precise swordsmanship, Law stabbed his blade, Kikoku, into Moria's chest, blood gushing from the wound. 

Moria howled in pain. Surrounded by four formidable opponents, he realized he was doomed if he didn't go all out.

"Shadow's Ascent!" Moria roared, summoning countless shadows that poured into his body. 

These shadows, stolen from others over the years, were his greatest resource. 

Moria's already towering frame grew larger as more shadows merged with him. 

His black suit tore apart as his muscles expanded, making him appear even more menacing.

But to Sonic and the others, it was all for show. Moria looked intimidating but lacked the substance to back it up. 

Lucci executed a "Shigan," appearing before Moria and unleashing a devastating "Six King Gun" into his bloated abdomen, halving its size. 

Shadows poured from Moria's mouth as he gasped in pain, desperately trying to recapture them.

Before he could make any progress, Enel's "Thunder Dragon" struck him, leaving Moria smoking and dazed. 

The air reeked of charred flesh. Seizing the opportunity, Sonic moved quickly, slashing Moria's enormous head clean with his ninja blade. 

Blood sprayed as Moria's massive body crashed to the ground, collapsing the floor beneath him and burying him in the rubble.

Despite their victory, the four were left unsatisfied. Enel sighed, "Mission complete. Let's go."

Lucci, recalling something, said, "Wait. Didn't Moria have a subordinate with the Ghost-Ghost Fruit?"

"Said Byakuya-sama, as long as Moria is dead, the rest doesn't matter. If she escaped, she's just lucky," Sonic replied nonchalantly. 

Lucci nodded in agreement. The four left swiftly, leaving no trace of their presence. 

The once-feared Gecko Moria, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, who had dared to challenge Kaido, had perished quietly on his ship without anyone noticing.

Moments after their departure, a young girl with a gothic appearance and a parasol emerged from the eerie forest, skipping cheerfully.

But as she approached the cemetery, she froze. Hundreds of graves had been desecrated, the ground littered with charred remains. 

A terrible thought crossed her mind, and she floated toward the ruined castle.

Stopping abruptly at the sight of the crumbled structure, she spotted a figure buried under the rubble. "Moria-sama!" she cried. 

Desperately using her Devil Fruit abilities to clear the debris, she uncovered Moria's headless corpse. 

The shocking sight overwhelmed her, and she fainted on the spot, unable to process the horrific reality.

At the same time, as he crossed Reverse Mountain and was about to reach Loguetown, Byakuya received a system message:

[Congratulations to the host for successfully altering the storyline: 'The Straw Hat Pirates vs. Gecko Moria' and 'Gecko Moria announces his withdrawal from the Warlords of the Sea.' Reward: 10,000 points of World Source Power.]

Byakuya's lips curled into a faint smile. Sonic and the others seemed efficient; they had already completed the task. 

Although the World Source Power gained from dealing with Gecko Moria was modest, the points earned from recruiting Boa Hancock far outweighed it.

[Congratulations to the host for successfully altering the storyline: 'Hancock falls in love with Luffy' and 'The Empress withdraws from the Warlords of the Sea.' Reward: 30,000 points of World Source Power.]

The World Source Power gained from recruiting Hancock was on par with rewriting a significant plot point in the original story. 

This highlighted Hancock's importance in the original narrative. Byakuya glanced at the system panel with a satisfied expression.

[World Source Power: 61,000]

Once the formal announcement of his appointment as a Marine Admiral was made, Byakuya would gain another substantial amount of World Source Power. 

At that point, the seemingly unattainable 100% fusion rate would no longer be out of reach.

In Loguetown, the Marine branch base had mobilized its entire force. Marines filled the streets and docks, attracting the attention of the town's residents.

"What's going on with the Marines? Why such a grand display? Is some big shot coming to town?" a passerby asked a more informed acquaintance.

"You got it right. A big shot is indeed arriving," the informed local replied smugly.

The passerby was skeptical. "What kind of big shot would come to the East Blue? You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

The East Blue, long considered the weakest of the four seas, rarely produced pirates with bounties exceeding 20 million berries. A "big shot" in this region seemed far-fetched.

"How about a Marine Admiral? Ever heard of one?"

"A Marine Admiral?!"

"That's right. The newly appointed fourth admiral, 'Sword God' Byakuya, is on his way to Loguetown. That's why the Marines here are rolling out the red carpet."

Hearing Byakuya's name, the passerby finally understood. 

The news spread like wildfire across all four seas since the Marines announced Byakuya's imminent appointment as the fourth admiral.

The East Blue, Byakuya's birthplace, was particularly ecstatic. Having one of their own become a Marine Admiral was a source of immense pride. 

It gave them a badge of honor they could flaunt to the other seas. Even if the East Blue was seen as the weakest, they now had Byakuya to boast about.

The news was like a nightmare for the pirates frequently active in Loguetown. 

They scrambled to flee the area, terrified of crossing paths with the formidable Marine Admiral. A single breath from someone of his caliber could obliterate them and their dreams.

"Admiral Byakuya, Loguetown is just ahead. Captain Pierce is already waiting for us at the dock," a Marine reported.

Byakuya nodded. "Understood. Prepare to dock."

"Yes, sir!"

Standing at the ship's bow, Byakuya gazed at the approaching Loguetown and muttered with a hint of exasperation, "What is it with Dragon and his preferences? Does Loguetown hold that much significance?"

Indeed, Byakuya's visit to the East Blue was to meet with Monkey D. Dragon, the Revolutionary Army leader. Byakuya planned to meet Dragon openly as a Marine.

While Byakuya initially hesitated to reveal his identity, his new status as a Marine Admiral meant every move he made was under scrutiny.

Gone were the days when he could move unnoticed across the world.

Since discretion was no longer an option, Byakuya used his real identity to meet Dragon. 

This would demonstrate his sincerity and facilitate negotiations. 

He also intended to persuade Dragon to have Bartholomew Kuma withdraw from the Warlords of the Sea.

As for the possibility of Dragon exposing his identity, Byakuya wasn't worried. No one would believe a report from the world's most wanted criminal about a Marine Admiral.

Byakuya's ship, The Ship, docked at Loguetown, and as he disembarked, both Marines and civilians erupted in cheers.

"Marine Admiral Byakuya!"

"Marine Admiral Byakuya!"

The crowd's enthusiastic chants filled the air.

For the East Blue residents, Byakuya's presence symbolized a rare period of peace. 

With a Marine Admiral in their midst, pirates would think twice before causing trouble.

Byakuya listened to their cheers, a sense of responsibility dawning on him. For these ordinary people, peace and safety were their most genuine desires. 

But with the advent of the Great Pirate Era, even these simple wishes had become a distant dream.

He realized the seas would remain calm if he remained in the East Blue. 

But once he left, the pirates would resurface, brandishing their weapons and threatening the lives of the common folk.

His Marine uniform wasn't just a tool to gain World Source Power; it also carried an undeniable responsibility.

While news of Admiral Byakuya's arrival spread, sending most pirates fleeing from Loguetown, a lone pirate crew sailed directly toward the town. 

Unlike others, they seemed determined to face the storm head-on, embodying the reckless spirit of charging into danger despite knowing its perils.

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