After reading Hogback's memory, Kahn made his way toward Gekko Moria.
As he walked, Kahn shook his head slightly, disappointed.
Despite the Grandine not passing through the main gate and rising directly into the sky, the use of telekinesis ensured that it landed quietly without causing a major disturbance. Yet, Gekko Moria, who was inside the castle, didn't even notice that one of his top subordinates had been killed and another knocked unconscious. Instead, he was still sleeping in the castle's living room.
It was clear that Gekko Moria had been broken by Kaido's defeat, losing not just his Haki but also his spirit. Instead of relying on his own strength, Gekko Moria had chosen to hide away and focus on building his zombie army.
Gekko Moria, who had lost his Haki and desire to fight for dominance, was no longer the fearsome pirate he once was at the beginning of the Great Pirate Era.
Once, he had captured the attention of the entire world.
Even the World Government didn't mind his defeat and the loss of his entire crew, still sending him an invitation to join the Seven Warlords of the Sea as a hero from West Blue.
But now, Gekko Moria was a shadow of his former self, a lost dog.
Fortunately, there were still ten years before the main plot began, and Gekko Moria hadn't yet fallen into the grotesque shape he would become.
In Kahn's eyes, this was a situation that could be salvaged.
Gekko Moria could be reformed.
*Boom!*
Kahn used telekinesis to push open the door to the living room and walked in.
"Hey hey… what's going on? Why doesn't my body want to move?"
At the same time, in a princess-themed room filled with ghostly paintings, a thirteen-year-old Perona suddenly screamed in panic.
She was covered in a blue light film, a manifestation of Kahn's telekinetic power.
Perona, unable to control her body, floated into the air and was pulled toward the door that opened by itself.
Though she had lost control of her body, Perona could still speak.
After her initial panic, she seemed to realize something and shouted angrily, "Absalom, are you messing with me? If you dare to sneak into my room, I'll make you pay!"
Unfortunately, no matter how much Perona yelled, she couldn't move. She floated through the corridor, turning corners until she reached the castle's living room.
"Lord Moria…"
The sight before her was unbelievable.
The Gekko Moria, who had adopted her and whom she had always seen as incredibly powerful, was now lying on the ground, covered in the same blue light as herself.
In addition, there was another person in the room, also enveloped in this blue light.
This person was sitting casually on the couch opposite Gekko Moria, a handsome young man in a white suit with a blue tie, his legs elegantly crossed.
"Kid, if you have any guts, release me and fight me properly!"
Gekko Moria looked utterly humiliated.
He was lying on the ground, forced there by Kahn's fruit ability the moment he entered the room. He could only glare up at Kahn, who was seated across from him, taunting him with sharp words.
"You've disappointed me, Gekko Moria," Kahn said, shaking his head in disappointment.
With a slight movement of his fingers, Kahn deprived Perona of her ability to speak, using telekinesis to guide her to land beside him gently.
Placing his hand on Perona's delicate shoulders, still in her princess dress, Kahn looked down at Gekko Moria, who could only lie on the ground, glaring up at him. Kahn spoke lightly, "All it would take is a bit of Haki, and you could easily break free from my telekinesis. But now, why can't you even use Haki?"
"Could it be that Kaido not only drove you out of the New World but also shattered your spirit?"
"Cross Kahn—"
Gekko Moria, feeling the sting of Kahn's words, suddenly widened his eyes and shouted in a rage, "Either let me go and fight me fairly, or kill me! What's the point of humiliating me!!"
"Oh? You still have the courage not to fear death. It seems there's still something left to save," Kahn responded, his tone shifting from disappointment to one of appreciation. "In that case, you and your 'Moonlight Pirates' might just be qualified to become my subordinate crew."
"You're spouting nonsense!"
Gekko Moria, whose hatred for Kahn was at its peak, sneered and retorted, "Even if I die, I won't become your subordinate!"
Kahn's next words, however, struck a chord. "Before you die, don't you want to get revenge on Kaido?"
These words were like a cold splash of water, bringing Gekko Moria back to his senses instantly. As if afraid he might have misunderstood, Gekko Moria asked in a daze, "What… what do you mean?"
Seeing that Gekko Moria had calmed down, Kahn, who had asserted his dominance with overwhelming power, slowly released the telekinetic force holding Gekko Moria down.
As he regained control of his body, Gekko Moria didn't attack Kahn or even stand up. Instead, he continued lying on the ground, staring intently at Kahn.
Kaido was Gekko Moria's nightmare, a name that could change his mood drastically just by being mentioned. At the same time, it was the name of the person he most wanted to take revenge on.
But as a pirate who had been driven out of the New World by Kaido, Gekko Moria knew Kaido's strength better than anyone else. If someone else had asked him about revenge, Gekko Moria would have scoffed and mocked them.
But this was Kahn, and that made all the difference.
Kahn was the one who had once dealt Kaido a significant blow, cutting off one of his metaphorical "arms" and exposing the second Mythical Zoan user within the "Cross Family," a revelation that had caused a worldwide sensation.
When Gekko Moria saw that news, he had been among those who laughed the loudest.
The "Cross Family" was recognized as a pseudo-hegemonic force in the New World. All it needed was for its captain to prove his strength, and that "pseudo" label would be removed in an instant.
Could it be that Cross Kahn was about to challenge the highest mountain in the world officially?
Was Kaido and his "Beasts Pirates" Kahn's target to reach the top of the world?
Kahn's next words confirmed Gekko Moria's thoughts and made him ecstatic.
"Just as you think."
Kahn's mouth curled into a slight smile as he continued, "The 'Cross Family' is ready to go to war with the 'Beasts Pirates.' Do you want to be my ally?"
"Good!"
This time, Gekko Moria didn't hesitate in the slightest as he responded, "I am willing to be your subordinate, and my 'Moonlight Pirates' are also willing to be your affiliated crew."
"I don't care if the World Government finds out and strips me of the title of Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
"As long as you take me with you when the battle starts, my life is yours!"
As he spoke the last sentence, Gekko Moria slowly stood up, a firm expression on his face.
At that moment, the courage that had been shattered by Kaido began to mend.
The power known as Haki gradually returned.
Gekko Moria had lost his Haki because he realized that the gap between him and Kaido was growing ever wider, leaving him with no hope of revenge. Despair had led him to a life of depravity, hiding in the Devil's Triangle to deceive himself.
But now, Kaido wasn't yet the "World's Strongest Creature" or the "Strongest in One-on-One Combat."
If Gekko Moria became Kahn's subordinate, and the Moonlight Pirates became affiliated with the "Cross Family," he could justifiably join this war and seek revenge for his fallen comrades.
With the hope of vengeance stronger than ever, Gekko Moria's lost Haki naturally returned.
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