webnovel

23

"Alright Red, we're done here. Fetch me some celery, and meet me in the General Zombie's resting place." I rubbed my bloodshot eyes in irritation.

"Yes sir, in the Chapel, got it. Before I go, I wanted to inform you that there's an abandoned island in sight. I know it was one of the things you've been searching for. I know you want to train even more sir, but I'm concerned over your health…I have to ask sir. It's been three days since you've come to the Freezer Block, are you sure you're getting enough sleep."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm busy with work, now stop lollygagging around and get me my snack." I interrupted Red, and gestured for him to leave.

Placing the Impel Down prisoner's shadows into the corpses was a tiring affair. However, it was an extremely rewarding task. First, I went through the entire catalogue of corpses we stored in the Freezer Block. There were well over 5,000 options to choose from, but…more than half of the corpses were of weaklings. People who had never seen a day of combat in their life, ordinary farmers, fisherman and the like. Essentially village people. That's 2,500 cannon fodder corpses right off the bat. Furthermore, maybe around 1,000 were weird things like that tree zombie, spider rats, or the zombies who lurk in the mansion walls. Utterly useless in an offensive war.

Thankfully, there were some decent options. For one, about 500 deadly looking animals were in good condition. There were even 30~ animal hybrid monsters as tall as me, similar in strength to the spider monkey. Around 200 of the humanoid zombies were marked by Hogback as having advanced muscles. They were hulks that stood on average at around 2.13m. Leaving the remaining 770 corpses to be human animal hybrids. Some had tusks, animal heads, or animal ears. There was an endless permutation for the types of hybrids available.

I went through each and every one of these corpses meticulously and precisely. I could've easily stuck any shadow on me into a corpse, and walked away with a brand new zombie army within an hour. Instead, I spent an entire three days carefully selecting which shadow to put into which body. Pairing the right shadow, with the best body possible was like finding the best armor set in a videogame for your class. Some bodies better fit aggressive personalities, or those shadows skilled with martial arts needed a body with hands, or powerful legs to work. This was all thanks to shadow reading, and a catalogue I had that had a picture of all the zombies and listed their traits.

Right when I was about to leave, I noticed a corpse I had set to the side earlier on in my task.

"Oh yeah, this guy seemed kinda special. What did the catalogue say, something about being a martial artist?" The corpse was a green fishman, with fins going down his back, and a tusk sticking out of his head. He had the number 4,021 printed on his arm. Looking at the number, I flipped through the catalogue like I'd done a thousand times in the past few days, and found a short description.

Number 4,021. Before death, he was a member of the Sun Pirates. With a bounty worth 103,513,000 his moniker was 'Green Piece' and famous for launching acid from the webbing between his fingers. -Special Note, by Dr. Hogback- 'I've returned his ability to produce acid, Fos Fos Fos!'

A 100 mil bounty eh? I rubbed my chin. I quickly checked over the shadows I'd collected from Impel Down's Level 5. "Swordsman, no that won't do. A sniper? That's a rare talent, but still not what I'm looking for. This guy's a martial artist, but from the Long-Arm Tribe the style's all wrong! This one's a boxer, I suppose it'll do." After muttering to myself for a bit, I had finally found which shadow I wanted to place within Green Piece. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a squirming shadow.

"Ki shi shi shi, you've been with me for more than three days already. Surely you can feel the draw towards your monarch!" The shadow squirmed with a renewed vigor to escape my grasp, and return home.

"In order of importance, I command you to obey me without question! You are forbidden to do damage to me or mine willingly, or unwillingly unless instructed otherwise. You are to act as my perfect servant to the best of your ability. Follow Absalom's, Perona's, Hogback's and any new officer's commands in order of seniority. Now. Accept your place as zombie number 4,021 code name 'Green Piece." Saying the same line for the umpteenth time, I tossed the shadow into the corpse, and got back to business.

"What are your orders master?" Green Piece saluted.

My sleep deprived brain told me to snap at this guy for interrupting me. Fortunately, my rational side reminded me that this guy was Zombie General material. The only one out of the thousands of corpses in the Freezer Block, excluding Oars Jr. but that was a can of worms for another day.

"…follow me Green Piece, you're a named individual, so of course, you belong with the Zombie General's."

Sadly, I didn't have any legendary corpses to use this time. Green Piece was good, but he wasn't someone at the very top. With a bounty like 100mil, he was probably around a similar strength as Zoro or Luffy pre-time skip. Although bounty didn't always correlate with strength it was still a good indicator. Which was why I was on my way towards the Zombie General's resting place. I was going to replace my General's shadows with inmates from Level 5's shadows.

When I had been going through the Level 5 shadows, I had made some excellent discoveries. Even thinking about it now had me salivating. Any fugue I had because of a lack of sleep had instantly been broken.

"Ki shi shi shi, the inmates of Level 5 truly don't disappoint! Each and every one of them has a bounty over 100 million! Oh Sengoku, thank you! Thank you for this gift you've given me! If not for you, how would the Gorōsei ever allow me into Impel Down? Ki shi shi shi shi! Ki shi shi shi!" I punched the air a couple times in excitement. During my punching routine, a black sheen briefly appeared on my fist, splitting the air in two. My crew was going to be unstoppable!

'Why is he smiling like that? At least new boss never said I couldn't commit suicide.' Green Piece consoled himself as he followed to the side.

"Be glad Moria-sama granted your shadow back. Even if it's temporary, it's more than you deserve." Absalom carried a struggling Kenji by the scruff of his neck towards the gun range cum bootcamp.

"Let go of me! Or is it that you enjoy holding onto prepubescent boys. Virgin! Just like your obese bo-."

Hissing in revulsion, Absalom tossed Kenji onto the cobblestone path, and backhanded him across the face.

"Listen here boy, you may get away with that kind of sass when addressing me, worst I'll do is slap you around. But don't you ever. And I mean ever let me catch you disrespecting the Captain. Otherwise, you'll get more than a couple slaps upside the head. Understand me?"

Kenji sat on the ground, covered in dust. He wiped the blood off his lip, and stared murder at Absalom.

"I said, understand, boy?" Absalom narrowed his eyes, and crossed his arms.

"Tch." Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Kenji stood and bowed.

"Hmph. It'll do for now; you won't be so mutinous once Sergeant has been through with you. With his recent exploits, Moria-sama finally has a batch of soldier's worthy of being trained. You should treasure this experience. I know I will." Absalom smirked to himself.

"I am Gunnery Sergeant Omaida, and I will be your Senior Drill Instructor. From now on, you will only speak when spoken too. Your first and last words out of your mouth will be 'Sir!' Do you understand that!" A gravely voiced, lanky zombie paraded back and forth between a line of 50 incredibly well-defined zombies. The shortest of which was no less than 2 meters tall.

"That's your que. Captain said you can't even imagine earning your freedom until you've impressed me. Pass Sergeant's training, and I'll tell the big man upstairs about your performance. Now get!"

With a push to the back, Kenji was sent stumbling into the line of zombies.

"Why you!" One of the zombies Kenji had bumped into turned around, and pulled a dagger.

"Ah! A volunteer!" A lanky arm reached out, and judo tossed the zombie onto the ground.

"What's your name son." Sergeant helped the zombie up.

"I'm given the designation 3,222. But everyone just calls me Lumpy, on account of the lumps on my forehead." Lumpy answered with a smile.

"Whooo, Lumpy's gone an done it now!"

"Yeh yeh yeh, who would call themselves Lumpy?"

"Lumpy likes it hard!"

The lined-up zombies devolved into a rowdy crowd no better than a group of drunk frat boys. Hooting and hollering at his expense.

"Lumpy huh? Do you know your first mistake, Lumpy?" Quick as a whip, Sergeant's no-nonsense voice silenced everyone present.

"Uhh, nope?" Lumpy scratched his head in confusion.

"Your first mistake is that when talking to me, you failed to begin every sentence with 'Sir" Sergeant drew his sword, and smoothly decapitated Lumpy.

"And your second is that you didn't end it with 'Sir!" Sergeant flicked his sword, and sheathed the blade.

"If you survive my training, you will leave this island a weapon. Each and every one of you will be a precision tool, boring your way into the enemy. But until then, you're worth less than the shadow's animating you. You may think that because you're special zombies, you won't be expendable. As Lumpy has just demonstrated, you'll soon find out just how expendable all of you really are! Do you understand that?!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Bullshit! I can't hear you."

"SIR, YES, SIR!"

"Lumpy, may his soul rest in peace has taught us all a valuable experience. First lesson worm food! Remember this saying, Light is Alright. As the undead, we can keep moving as long as we have our shadow's. Leg's and Arm's can be removed, and we can keep battling. Our spirit is kept in our torso, lose that, and you're dead! Our heads keep the spirit grounded to the earth, lose that, and you're dead! Do you understand that?!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"All we have to do is shout? All this zombie stuff doesn't really apply to me. Kuru kuru kuru, this will be easier than washing grandad's back in winter!" Kenji whispered to himself in glee at the easy pass.

"Who said that? Who the fuck said that?! Who's the slimy little revolutionary shit, cross eyed sister fucker who just signed his own death warrant?!" Sergeant raged at the group of stunned zombies.

"…."

"No talker's?"

"Was it you, you fishman smelling fuck?" Sergeant gripped a walrus tusked zombie.

"S-Sir, no, sir!" Walrus Tusk trembled in fear, the fish stink emanating from his body grew twice as thick.

"…Sir, I did it, sir!" After some hesitation, Kenji stepped forward, determination in his eye.

"Well, no shit! You look like a blade of grass, all these men here are no shorter than 2 meters. You don't even come up to their chest! What have we got here, a fucking momma's boy!? Private Virgin? I admire your honesty. Hell, I like you. You can come over to the Castle Mast, and fuck Perona."

"Sir, I take full responsi-" Kenji got halfway through his statement before he was sucker punched in the stomach. Falling to his knees, Kenji let out this morning's breakfast all over the floor.

"You little scumbag! I've got your name! I've got your ass! You will not laugh; you will not cry! You will learn by the numbers. I will teach you. Now get up! Get on your feet! You had best unfuck yourself, or I will never let you get a good night's sleep for the rest of your life! Do you understand that?!"

"Sir, yes SIR!" Kenji unsteadily got up off his knees, and shouted at Sergeant.

"Ooooo, that Omaida drives me crazy! If it wasn't on Moria-sama's order, I'd have given him a piece of my mind! How dare he treat Kenji that way!" During a break in her training, Perona observed Kenji with one of her hollow ghosts.

"It's for the best Perona-sama. The boy lacks discipline, he's only what, 16? You're 23 already, and you don't have the same problem. You're quite mature for your age." Kumashi the giant stuffed bear interjected.

"…."

"Come to think of it, it's kind of creepy that a grown woman like you is spying on a prepubescent boy during your free time, if you ask me-"

"Kumashi."

"Yes Perona-sama?"

"…." With her face shadowed over by long pink hair, Perona growled at Kumashi.

"Ah, I've said to much."

"KUMASHI!"

Soon after, the sound of explosions could be heard all throughout the forest.

"Ah, how come I have to watch over her training? Where's Red when you need him?" Yellow stood timidly to the side as Perona brought destruction and wrath to the landscape.

"Perona-sama, stop that this instant, master has summoned the officers to the throne room, he has something he wishes you to witness!" Flying in on the back of a zombie that had the face of a pig, and the body of an eagle, Red commanded Perona.

"Nyeh, I'll do what I want, you can't tell me what to do!" Perona stuck out her tongue, and pulled down her eyelid in protest.

"You know the chain of command. I'm just following Moria-sama's orders. Besides, I'll tell master you're slacking in training if you don't come with. Yellow will back me up, won't you Yellow?"

"Uhh. Uh, right!" Yellow nodded along.

"It's settled then!"

"Hmph! I'm only going with you cuz I feel like it. Let's go Kumashi!"

"Heh heh, thanks for the save Red." Kumashi waved, and ran after Perona.

"Ki shi shi shi, welcome Perona, we've long been waiting for your arrival. If you kept us waiting any longer, why I'd think you loved training so much, I was going to triple it! Isn't that right gentleman?" I wore a smirk as I eyed Absalom and Hogback.

"Fos fos fos, you're all skin and bones Perona, let me replace your muscle's and tendon's!" Hogback took out a tape measurer, and measured Perona's arm length much to her discomfort.

"She'd fit right in with her boytoy at bootcamp, that's what I'd say Moria-sama!" Absalom joined in on the fun.

"Sorry for being late Moria-sama, it won't happen again." Perona nodded in my direction.

"You get a free pass this time. In any case, on to why I summoned you all on such short notice. The new General Zombies were a riley bunch this time around. After learning about their bodies past legend, quite a few had thoughts of rebellion." I paused and glared at the Zombie General's gathered before me. Of the 40 or so General ZOmbie's I had replaced, Captain John, the silver knight, and the man with the fu manchu mustache were especially difficult to deal with. Resting within them were the absolute strongest shadows I had at my disposal.

Strong wills from the fifth level of Impel Down, combined with the corpses of legendary warriors was a combination made in heaven when it came to making undying warriors. However, even with my devil fruit, it was hard to suppress their overwhelming wills.

"In order to placate their revolutionary desires, I've decided to showcase my might before the masses." I explained before my crew.

"You damn zombie's can't see Moria-sama's greatness? Captain, you should just ditch these guys. They'll be worthless for the Thriller Bark Pirate's." Absalom complained.

"Word's are for the weak. Take my sword!" Fu Manchu rushed towards Absalom, his rhinoceros legs thundered at great speed, and the light shown a golden glow off the reflection of his bronze armor.

"Can't hit what you can't see!" Absalom jeered.

Absalom preceded to shoot at Fu Manchu with a handgun from all sorts of angels.

"Parlor tricks!" Fu Manchu swiped his giant sword to his left at great speed.

With my ability to feel the presence of all shadow's, and observation haki, I knew Absalom was about to be struck. In response to the oncoming danger, I quickly set-up a barrier.

Clang!

In between seemingly empty air and Fu Manchu's sword, I had erected a 5 meter thick wall of shadow. Fu Manchu sliced through it near seamlessly, but it was enough time for Absalom to dodge.

"Hmph" Fu Manchu snorted. Sheathing his blade, he gave me a look of disrespect and turned to look to the side.

"I would've had him Moria-sama, let me go one more round with him. I didn't use my haki properly. I'll get him this time!" Absalom rolled up his sleeves, prepared for round two.

"Enough Absalom."

"But Moria-sama!"

"Enough!" I glowered at Absalom until he looked down in submission. Satisfied with my act of dominance, I wore a smirk. It was time to earn this powerful group of zombies loyalty.

"So, how exactly are you going to 'demonstrate your might before the masses' oh great one?" Captain John wore a mocking smile as he took a swig of wine. Liquid spilling out of his exposed ribs.

"…" Silver Knight gripped his axe harder.

"There." I pointed outward towards the sea.

"Going to amaze us and make a big splash in the water?" John's tone of voice oozed sarcasm.

"Red, tell them."

"Yes, Moria-sama! Ahead of us is a mostly uninhabited island, known as Rock Fire Island. It's circumference is similar to that of our ship, coming in at around 23km~"

"So you're going to what, sink an island? Neat." John put his hands in his pockets and walked towards the railing.

"But Moria-sama, you're not going to use Shadow's Asgard are you? You worked to hard to get all these shadows! The zombies may be somewhat impressive, but it's not worth using up your stock just to impress some nobodies!" Absalom cautioned.

"I appreciate the concern Absalom. But. Ki shi shi shi, you'll be in for a surprise. Watch, as I demonstrate my might before the masses." At that, I gave a cheeky smirk towards John, and jumped out the window.

Within a minute, I'd flown myself above the island. Raising both of my hands in a theatrical fashion, I began to concentrate. If I was a Saiyan, I'd be shouting HAAAAAAAHHH to charge my attack. In reality, as a shape manipulator, I had to put my mental concentration to the maximum. Imagining the mental image, and making it a reality. For the task at hand, if there was any one thought I was thinking, it would be more.

Before me, a rectangle of shadow began to take shape. More. The rectangle underwent a quantitative change, and more than doubled in length, covering the circumference of the island.. More! The rectangle became thicker, and raised in height. MORE! The shadow grew and grew, until the entire island, and some of the surrounding sea was completely blocked off from the sun.

"Hah, hah." Panting from the mental excursion, I began to direct the massive shadow I had willed into creation over the last five minutes. Not a second after I had regained my bearings, it had begun. Falling upon Rock Fire Island was a rainstorm of shadow. At first, it was large blobs moving at incredible speeds, tearing the earth asunder. Then, smaller, skinnier javelins moved at even faster speeds, piercing deep into the earth's crust.

"Not so impressive." Fu Manchu crossed his arms.

"Ja ja ja, you don't know what's what mustache man." John placed his hands behind the back of his head, keeping up a mocking smile.

"…." Silver Knight gripped his axe even harder.

"With this, no one can doubt the power of the Thriller Bark Pirates. You guys. You'll defiantly be avenged!" Absalom beamed in joy as a tear slid down his cheek.

"Master is strong. You know he dotes on you Perona, you-" Kumashi patted Perona on the shoulder, only to be interrupted.

"I'll support him in my own way!" Perona clenched her fists in renewed determination.

All across Thriller Bark Island, zombies stopped what they were doing to see the far off destruction.

"Hazzah to the future Pirate King!"

"Moria-sama number one!"

"No, Ryuma number one!" A zombie whipped out a foam finger in protest, starting a brawl with the surrounding zombies.

Cold sweat fell down Kenji's back at the sight of Moria's overwhelming power. "I wanted to fight that, that monster, and save grandpa and everyone else? Grandad, Priest...Kami, what do I do!?"

"Well kiss my lily white ass goodbye! Did I say you lot were expendable? After this, the chief will think you're twice as expendable! You'll have to work twice as hard if you don't want to end up as the first wave of canon fodder upon the beaches. Move it, move it! Double time you shit lickers!" Sergeant ran in tandem with his new recruits.

Within five minutes, the entire island was left a smoldering ruin. Surprisingly, I could get a general sense of how the island was…feeling? Due to shadow reading? Like a terminally ill 90 year old, the island was crying out, gasping for its final, last desperate breaths. For a moment, I felt bad, but then I looked back at my base, and thought about that Fu Manchu mustache bastard.

"Fuck it, it's just an island. Time for the grand finale!"

Less than a quarter of my rectangle remained, like a near empty magazine of a gun, the rectangle had spent most of its energy. In fact, the shape could best be described as a gelatinous blob. However, it would be enough to suit my purposes. Raising my arms high into the sky once more, I began to direct my shadow. Sluggishly at first, the blob began to condense until it became the size of a carnival cruise ship.

"Let's try this then, it's a classic." With a smirk, the blob took the shape of an incredibly large javelin. My shadows already moved at impossible speeds, now to add the rotation. Less then a minute later, my cruise shaped javelin was spinning so fast, it put every man made centrifuge to shame. Barely able to control the spinning weapon of mass destruction, I set it loose upon the center of the island.

A second later, the entire island cracked, and crumbled to pieces. It was as if an island never existed there to begin with.

"Ja ja ja, I don't know about you, mustache, but I'm going to start calling him Moria-sama from now on." John put his hands back into his pockets and walked away.

"Hn." Silver Knight nodded, and walked out after John.

"Tch." Fu Manchu spit to the side, nodded, and followed after them.

The Holy Land, Mary Geoise

"Elders, Elder's!" A breathless Rear-Admiral holding a report burst into the office of the Gorōsei.

"What is it this time Admiral." Black Hat demanded.

"Hah, hah. Here is the report, honorable Elder's!" The Marine bowed, and handed over the report, before bowing and leaving the room.

"Trouble in Paradise?" Glasses questioned, ruffling his gi in the process.

"It appears a menace from the past has once again brought trouble to the Blue's." Black Hat said solemnly, passing the document over.

"So it's his old enemy. This will be a perfect debut." Long Hair stroked his mustache.

"Don't be so hasty, this man threatens the whole world. We should plan an ambush on him. For all his power, he never was all that bright." Bald's boisterous voice shouted out.

"Agreed." Four of the elders came to a consensus much to Long Hair's consternation.

"Hm. Regardless of the outcome, the World shall once more know pain." Long Hair wore a stern expression as he stared aimlessly at a globe of the planet.

AN: Thanks for reading. Go on google maps, and right click to measure distance from your house, and then go out to measure 23 kilometers to get a true perspective of how large Thriller Bark Island is. That's 14~ miles in circumference. I chose this size, because it's roughly the size of my city.