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"Ahhhhh! Zyhark, Zyhark-sama, help!!!"
The silent, dark corridor echoed with a sharp, piercing cry for help.
A few minutes ago, Aqua was still as arrogant as ever, but now her face was filled with panic as she ran for her life like a maniac.
Behind her, a variety of bizarre shadow zombies were in hot pursuit.
Especially those who were terrified by her purification magic earlier, now seemed invigorated, displaying strength far beyond their usual capacity.
This feeling of sudden revenge was enough to drive them mad with excitement!
Although Aqua's physical skills weren't great, her running skills were quite remarkable. After a few turns, she miraculously managed to shake off the pursuing zombies and hid in a room filled with posters of female celebrities.
"Phew, that was close. Luckily, this goddess reacted in time."
Aqua collapsed on the ground, letting out a heavy sigh of relief, "Kanna, let's hide in here for a while until Zyhark takes care of them all… huh?"
As she spoke, Aqua's expression suddenly froze.
Her intelligent blue eyes glanced to her side, seeing only the outline of a small figure.
Kanna herself, however, had gotten lost in the chaos and was nowhere to be found!
"Those damn zombie bastards, this goddess will fight you to the death!"
Although her divine power hadn't fully recovered, Aqua, worried about Kanna, rolled up her sleeves, ready to rush out and battle the shadow zombies.
Only Kanna had this privilege of making the foolish goddess so desperate — although, as an ancient dragon with overwhelming power, Kanna didn't really need it.
"Hiss! Hiss! Little girl, this room is my private territory. You're not allowed in here."
A sinister laugh came from the doorway, where the obese, evil doctor Hogback appeared.
With him was the room's owner — the zombie soldier and dancing star Cindry.
"Plates must disappear from this world."
Cindry, with a cold expression, smashed the plate she was holding.
"Cindry, what are you doing? That was the plate I was going to use for my soup!" Hogback twitched.
"Plates shouldn't exist in this world. Just use your filthy hands to eat, you idiot doctor," Cindry retorted venomously.
Aqua, listening to their conversation, was utterly confused.
She began to walk forward, completely ignoring the two strange individuals who seemed mentally unsound.
Finding Kanna was still her top priority!
"Wait, little girl, don't be in such a hurry to leave."
Hogback blocked her way, a smug smile on his face. "Since you're here, why not appreciate my unique, perfect creation?"
"This is the immensely popular star, Victoria Cindry, hiss hiss!"
Immensely popular?
Aqua halted, her ears catching the words.
Seeing the zombie girl, a once-beloved celebrity, now a lifeless puppet, the water goddess frowned deeply.
Seeing Aqua's expression, Hogback felt a twisted satisfaction.
As a token of appreciation, he decided to show her something even more interesting.
"Cindry, my shoes are dirty. Kneel down and clean them for me."
Cindry, with lifeless eyes, obediently knelt and started licking Hogback's shoes in front of Aqua.
Although Cindry usually showed no respect to Hogback and often insulted him, she could never resist orders from Moria's subordinates.
No matter what personality they once had, shadow zombies were bound to unconditionally obey orders. It was their inescapable fate and the tragedy of their original selves.
Enjoying this perverse pleasure, Hogback laughed heartily, "Hahahaha! How about that? Even a high and mighty star can…"
Before he could finish, Aqua, filled with anger, swung a divine punch powered by her remaining divine energy.
The sacred fire punch instantly sent the weak Hogback flying, smashing through several pillars before crashing heavily to the ground.
The purifying light shone on Cindry, separating the shadow from her body and granting her release.
"Whether a deity or a human, those who are revered are not meant to serve scum like you!"
Bathed in divine light, Aqua rarely looked so serious, shouting at the unconscious Hogback in the rubble.
In Cindry's fading consciousness, Aqua appeared as a true goddess.
"There she is! That damn witch is here! She actually defeated one of the Three Weirdos, Hogback!"
The commotion attracted numerous zombie soldiers.
And so, Aqua, unable to maintain her impressive demeanor for more than a few seconds, reverted to her usual self, crying out for Zyhark as she resumed her frantic escape.
...
Meanwhile, on the path leading to the castle's main hall, several spider mice were carrying a cocoon wrapped in resilient spider silk, running swiftly.
These small creatures, adept at hiding and ambushing, were now chatting leisurely.
"Quick, let's get her to Lord Moria. We've done a great job this time!"
"Hehehe, it was my cleverness to use the web to trap this human girl amidst the chaos."
"Stop bragging! It wasn't cleverness; the girl was just standing there, and you happened to be nearby!"
"Sigh, such a delicate and cute girl. After stealing so many people, it's the first time I feel guilty."
"Hey, little mice, where's the cute human girl you're talking about?"
"What little mice? We're zombies! Wait, wait!"
Suddenly realizing something terrible, the spider mice stopped abruptly, sliding several meters before coming to a halt.
With disbelief, they slowly looked up at the cocoon on their shoulders.
Sure enough, there stood Kanna, calm and composed.
"How is this possible? This silk is unbreakable, how did you escape?!"
In response, Kanna sat cross-legged on the cocoon, silently reached out, and easily tore the web apart.
"I just pulled it apart with a bit of force," Kanna said softly, shaking the silk in her hand.
Hogback's modified spider silk was indeed extraordinarily tough, capable of restraining even powerful pirates with bounties.
But that only applied to ordinary humans. In the face of the absolute strength of the ancient dragon Kanna, even the toughest silk was as fragile as paper!
"You said you're zombies, right? If so, it's okay to eliminate you, right?"
Kanna clapped her hands and stood up, stepping down from the broken cocoon.
Her innocent dragon-like pupils had a sharp glint.
The spider mice, still pondering how the small girl could destroy them, were suddenly swept away by a burst of lightning from Kanna's hands.
In an instant, the contemptuous spider mice were obliterated, leaving only their wavering shadows!
"Ahhh!"
Those not caught in the blast immediately fled in different directions, terrified.
The poor zombie soldiers, scared first by Aqua and now by Kanna, couldn't tell who was scarier…
Just as Kanna prepared to chase them, a distinct laugh echoed from above.
"Biri biri biri, making such a fuss, I thought it was that weird woman immune to my negative ghosts."
A massively enlarged, ethereal Perona floated through the ceiling, appearing before Kanna.
Around her, four negative ghosts with grinning faces floated about.
Upon closer inspection, one ghost had intelligent blue eyes.
Kanna looked up at the giant girl surrounded by ghosts.
"Kanna wants to dig a hole and hide in the ground right now."
The painful memory resurfaced.
Recalling how this girl had made her say such humiliating things, Kanna's gaze burned with rage.
Perona clearly sensed the little girl's anger but remained unafraid.
In her astral form, as long as her body wasn't exposed, no attack could… hurt… her?
Watching Kanna's hands gather terrifying energy, even disrupting the air currents in the castle, Perona felt a foreboding.
It wasn't about her ethereal form; the destructive aura alone from the gathering lightning made Perona, who rarely left Thriller Bark, instinctively fearful!
Buzzing filled the air as the lightning reached its peak.
Recalling the name Zyhark had given this move, Kanna murmured, "Jet White Light!"
With a gentle push, the compressed lightning exploded, piercing through multiple layers of the castle and into the sky!
Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the violent energy erupted above Thriller Bark, even breaking a circular hole in the dense fog over the sea! A beam of sunlight shone down through the breaches, illuminating Kanna's harmlessly cute face.
Along with the falling debris came Perona's real body, hidden in an upper room.
— Perhaps Kanna's sharp senses had detected it, or maybe Perona was just lucky. The lightning beam had only broken her hiding room, sparing her from complete destruction.
Seeing this shocking scene, Perona burst into tears, quickly returning to her buried body, her face wet with tears and snot.
Kanna retracted her hand and began walking towards Perona's body, her small frame exuding an unmatched oppressive aura.
"I-I'm sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me!" Perona pleaded, backing away in fear.
Kanna paused, staring at Perona with a cold, emotionless gaze.
After a few seconds, she smiled brightly, "Okay, I forgive you!"
Perona, stunned, cautiously retracted her snot bubble.
"So cute!!"
After a moment of dazed silence, a heartfelt exclamation escaped Perona.
Thus, following the arrogant foolish goddess, another person fell for Kanna's irresistible cuteness.
"Um, though it may be impolite, can I touch your face?" Perona tentatively asked.
In response, Kanna crossed her arms, saying, "Nope!"
...
In the luxurious main hall at the castle's center.
"It's quite noisy outside."
Hearing the occasional commotion from various parts of the castle, Moria scratched his ear and looked disdainfully at Zyhark, "Sorry, I didn't catch that. What did you say you wanted?"
"Be my subordinate." Zyhark smiled, showing no respect for Moria.
This arrogance was undoubtedly a blatant provocation to Moria, who had always been proud.
Enraged, Moria's eyes gleamed with killing intent, "Arrogant brat, you're a hundred years too early to recruit me!"
However, Zyhark's next words stunned him.
"If I said, by joining the Sea Restaurant, I could help you take revenge on Kaido?"
Moria's defeat by Kaido in Wano Country years ago was an unerasable pain, almost an obsession, a nightmare.
Revenge on Kaido? Moria constantly thought about it; it was why he hid in these forsaken seas!
But…
"Hehehe! That's why I say you're an ignorant brat! Do you think just having Rayleigh means you can defeat that monster Kaido?!" Moria laughed angrily.
Though ordinary people might not discern the details, as a Shichibukai aware of all forces, he could easily see the truth from the news.
The Sea Restaurant's escape from the Admirals' siege was due to Garp and Sengoku's leniency and Rayleigh's legendary pirate influence.
Believing that this twenty-something newcomer could rival Garp and Sengoku's strength and Haki was sheer madness!
Moria's judgment wasn't far off, showing his shrewdness as a Shichibukai.
The only pity was that he seemed unaware of his own situation.
Anticipating Moria's thoughts, Zyhark remained calm, his expression unchanging.
Electric arcs danced across his body, and under Moria's widened eyes, he spoke lightly: "Sorry, I've already fought Kaido once."
(End of Chapter)