Chapter 179

[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum] 

[Thank You For Your Support!]

====

The entire hall fell into a brief silence, punctuated only by the distant sounds of explosions. Moria's smile vanished, and he stared intently at the smiling Zyhark.

After a few moments of thought, he chuckled, "If you really fought Kaido, you wouldn't be standing here so arrogantly!"

Having been psychologically scarred by Kaido, Moria was certain of this. There weren't many people in this sea who could face Kaido and remain unscathed, especially a newcomer like Zyhark.

"I dared to kill a Celestial Dragon. Moria, do you really think that after seeing Kaido's power, I would cower in some dark sea like you, clinging to life?" Zyhark retorted, tearing open Moria's old wound.

"Not everyone is like you, possessing a powerful Devil Fruit ability yet pinning their hopes for revenge on a bunch of useless zombies!"

Moria predictably snapped, clenching his fists, veins popping on his peculiar onion-shaped head.

"Daring to preach like an old man, I am the Shichibukai recognized by the World Government, Gecko Moria!!"

In his rage, he no longer held back, drawing a long-handled sword from behind. Blackened with Haki, he swung it directly at Zyhark's face.

In this period, Moria hadn't yet completely fallen from grace and could freely use Haki. His weapon was not yet the oversized scissors but a blade that had made countless pirates tremble!

— Even the black sword Shusui from the body of the samurai Ryuma was left untouched. The quality of Moria's own blade was certainly not inferior.

"You just cling to your past glory and wait to be taken down by some newcomer from the East Blue, Moria!"

The sharp gust from Moria's swing struck Zyhark, whose eyes flashed red. Instead of retreating, he advanced, drawing his swords Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri, covering them with Haki, and clashing head-on with Moria's blackened blade.

Clang! Sparks flew as the blades scraped against each other.

The powerful impact shattered the stone floor beneath their feet, cracking it!

"Your power is even more laughable than your jokes!"

Moria roared, his arm muscles bulging as he poured more strength into his blade.

Boom! The sudden burst of brute strength sent Zyhark flying.

Pure physical strength was Zyhark's current weak point, and Moria, who had made a name for himself on the seas, certainly wasn't weak!

"Flying Bat Swarm!"

With a fierce glint in his eyes, Moria gave no respite, waving his hand as a swarm of shadow bats chased after Zyhark, their sharp fangs tearing at his body.

Zyhark stabbed his dual swords into the ground to steady himself. As for the bats clinging to him, he ignored them — such minor attacks couldn't even scratch his body, which had been strengthened by the Wishing Pool.

Moria's eyes narrowed, and in the next second, a cross slash enveloped in electricity shredded the bats, charging straight at him.

"I see, a tough body defense. Is that your reliance?"

Moria swung his long blade behind him, easily cutting through the cross slash with Haki.

The shattered arcs of electricity spread through the dark hall, replaced by rising heat and firelight.

As a Shichibukai whose power hadn't yet faded, Moria's Haki and combat reflexes were still commendable.

Seeing an opportunity, Zyhark decided to test his new technique.

He gripped his dual swords tightly, and molten lava flowed from his palms, covering the sharp blades. The ends of the swords glowed red-hot, making the Haki-covered Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri look like miniature versions of the Cliff Breaking Sword, exuding a dangerous aura.

Indeed, attaching magma to his dual swords to create powerful slashes was Zyhark's development of the Cliff Breaking Sword.

Having mastered the Cliff Breaking Sword, achieving this was not difficult for him.

"Hehehe! As expected of someone who can fight Admirals, brat, I suddenly admire you a bit!"

The scorching heat eroded Moria's pale face. Sensing the threat from Zyhark's blades, the blood that had lain dormant in Moria began to boil.

The last time he felt such intense battle intent was during his fight with Kaido in Wano!

"Bring it on!"

Shadows danced, transforming into a black mist filled with killing intent, wrapping around Moria's long blade.

The blade, already blackened with Haki, now appeared even darker and more profound.

The sinister shadows and the blazing firelight clashed.

As Zyhark and Moria vanished from their spots, lava flared, shadows spread, and their contrasting energies collided violently!

Boom! The resulting shockwave shattered the stone floor, which had already reached its limit.

The entire ground collapsed, and the shadow zombies below fled in terror, not daring to step into the battlefield of flashing blades.

Zyhark didn't use his Rumble-Rumble Fruit abilities but instead maximized his natural speed to engage in a dazzling swordfight with the heated Moria!

This battle not only refreshed Moria's "weakling shut-in" image but also allowed Zyhark to gain valuable combat experience!

As time passed, both Zyhark and Moria inevitably sustained injuries in the intense fight, their bodies bleeding and showing various wounds.

However, Moria, who didn't excel in speed, suffered more. For every hit he landed on Zyhark, he received two or three in return.

What frustrated Moria even more was that Zyhark's resilient body defense nullified most of the damage!

Under such circumstances, the outcome was clear.

Sizzle!

In a flash of electricity, their three blades collided again.

This time, with the explosive power of the Cliff Breaking Sword, Zyhark withstood Moria's monstrous strength.

"Brat, you're not just fighting me alone!"

Moria, with a bleeding grin, remained unfazed despite being at a disadvantage.

His eyes gleamed as he sneered, "I clearly see your weakness, Shadow's Asylum!"

The shadows on the cracked floor transformed into a swarm of bats, reforming into a black figure wielding a long blade behind Zyhark.

The shadow Moria, wearing a creepy grin, raised its blade and slashed at Zyhark's exposed back!

Zyhark's eyes flashed red, and anticipating the shadow's attack trajectory, he partially turned his body to an elemental state.

Whoosh.

Electric arcs danced as the seemingly fatal shadow blade struck empty air, leaving a deep gash in the ground.

"Where did you see a weakness?" Zyhark chuckled.

For some reason, Moria's confident tone reminded him of a certain Marine Vice Admiral with the Flaw-Flaw Fruit.

"A Logia's intangibility? What kind of Devil Fruit did you eat?!"

Moria exclaimed, frowning.

He knew the Sea Restaurant's owner could control lightning, but if it was a Logia like the Glint-Glint or Flame-Flame, then what was with the magma on the sword blades?

Even for a seasoned pirate like Moria, this was perplexing.

"Whatever your ability, watch as I smash you to pieces!"

Moria, with heightened battle intent, retracted his blade and clenched his fist, covering it with Haki.

Zyhark matched his move, sheathing Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri with a flourish, his right fist crackling with lightning and Haki.

"Shadow Asylum: Dual Heavy Punch!"

"80 Million Volts: Black Thunder Flash!"

Boom! The differently sized and colored fists clashed in mid-air, releasing a wild surge of energy.

This time, not only the floor but even the castle walls couldn't withstand the force and collapsed!

Thunder roared as a streak of lightning weaved through the falling debris, appearing above Moria's head in an instant. "100 Million Volts: Black Thunder Dragon!!"

Using the speed advantage of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Zyhark swiftly followed up.

A black thunder dragon infused with Haki roared down from the sky!

"Cliff Breaking Sword!"

Simultaneously, a fiery eruption burst from beneath Moria, as molten stone columns exploded like a volcano! The powerful thunder dragon and the fiery pillar collided in the air, with Moria caught in the middle!

Boom!!!

The resulting explosion created a small mushroom cloud, destroying everything in its path.

Shadow zombies hiding nearby were either struck by lightning or consumed by the heatwave, vaporizing instantly into shadows drifting away.

Weak sunlight filtered down onto the battlefield, as the castle's roof and parts of the outer walls were obliterated by the blast!

With the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's full power unleashed, Moria was no match for Zyhark.

"Zyhark-sama!"

"Zyhark!"

Through the breached walls, the fleeing Aqua and the exhausted Kanna spotted Zyhark.

Their faces lit up with joy as they rushed to his side.

The pursuing zombie soldiers, though cursing, retreated upon seeing the man bathed in lightning.

Even they could tell that this man was not to be trifled with!

"Damn it, it hurts! I haven't been this beaten up in ages!" Moria, bloodied, pushed off the rubble and stood with difficulty.

"Oars! Stop fooling around and get back here!"

Moria shouted into the distance.

Within seconds, the ground shook with the giant's footsteps, and the disjointed Oars appeared at the castle's perimeter, his menacing face just meters away from Zyhark and the others.

Following the giant footprints into the forest, they saw a weary Meowth, hands on the ground, panting heavily.

In his Nightmare state, Meowth could overpower Oars. However, as an undead zombie without pain and the ability to persist indefinitely, Oars was most skilled at endurance battles. Once the seventy-plus shadows forcibly crammed into Meowth's body departed, Meowth naturally couldn't match up.

Zyhark only glanced at the imposing Oars before turning his attention back to Aqua. "Aqua, do you have enough power left to use purification?"

As he spoke, he reached out with his hand, now turned into electricity, to gently pat Kanna's head, sending a steady flow of electricity to recharge her.

"Of course! I am the omnipotent water goddess! Purification of this level is a piece of cake…"

"I saw you being chased by a bunch of weak zombies, crying and screaming."

"Shut up, shut up! I can only manage one more shot!!"

Aqua, her pretense exposed, stomped her foot in anger.

Across from them, Moria, reveling in Oars's return, seemed oblivious to their conversation, smugly declaring: "Hehehe, behold Zyhark, this is my true trump card, the ultimate weapon to fight Kaido, the indestructible giant zombie!"

"Experience what true hell is like!"

Just as Moria finished speaking, a sacred blue magic circle formed above Oars's head.

The dazzling light blinded Oars momentarily, and then he collapsed on the spot~ Boom! The giant fell, crushing countless trees.

And, by the way, he also flattened a certain perverted transparent man who had just woken up under the castle.

Moria stared blankly at his most prized creation, now gone, his smile freezing on his face.

"Well, well, Aqua, what was that onion head saying just now?" Zyhark asked with a bright grin.

Understanding Zyhark's intention instantly, Aqua smirked mischievously, "I don't know, something about a trump card, ultimate weapon… probably some local joke?"

"You're the expert in this, is this what hell feels like?"

"No, no, even hell doesn't have jokes this lowly, hahaha."

Next to them, Kanna blinked innocently, "Zyhark, why doesn't this joke sound funny at all?"

Moria: "…"

"Damn, damn, damn! How dare you, how dare you!"

Furious, Moria ignored the shock of Aqua's abilities and roared, "All shadows on the island, come to me!"

"Shadow's Asylum!!"

Thud, thud.

All the zombie soldiers in the castle, the intelligence zombies, and even the general zombies preparing for a second attack on the Endless Dream, froze and then collapsed, twitching.

Shadows from all directions converged, pouring into the manically grinning Moria.

His already robust body swelled visibly, his skin darkening further.

With his growing size, Moria's aura turned increasingly ferocious.

"Remember this moment well, Moria, it will be unforgettable," Zyhark said calmly, standing still without any intention of interrupting Moria.

To subdue such an unruly individual, sheer strength wasn't enough. What was needed was a profound shock to his core.

Otherwise, Moria would have long become Kaido's subordinate instead of hiding in the Devil's Sea, seeking revenge!

"The unforgettable one will be you, arrogant brat!!"

Now significantly larger and a full-fledged monster, Moria roared.

He raised his powerful fist, aiming to smash Zyhark and his companions into pulp.

Aqua instantly cowered, hiding behind Zyhark.

Having recharged Kanna, Zyhark retracted his hand and calmly closed his eyes.

Around them, the mysterious power of time began to flow.

As the giant fist descended, Zyhark's eyes snapped open.

"Za Warudo-, cough, I mean, Time Rewind!!!"

(End of Chapter)