20

A day had passed, and the world was waking up to the death and birth of an era. With the death of Whitebeard, and the destruction of Marineford being live broadcast to the Sabaody Archipelago by Captain Buggy, news swiftly spread across the globe about the change to come.

A Random Island in Paradise

"Newgate passed on Captain, sorry your plan didn't work out."

"Luffy made it out okay, didn't he?"

"Y-yes, I believe so!"

"Haah~ We lost a gem today men! Let's party for the living, and party honoring the dead!

"OOOOOOHHHHH!"

"But Captain, what about your, your w-wound?"

"What this ole thing across my forehead? Haha! You should've seen what I did to him, this is nothing! Now let's party, that's an order!"

Totto Land

"Nei, Onii-chan, who's this Blackbeard guy?"

Arms crossed; Charlotte Katakuri felt his blood boil in anticipation of a good fight. The only problem was, would his family remained unscarred from this new threat? He couldn't predict the future that far out, but one thing was certain. He needed sugar.

"Onii-chan!~"

Headquarters of the Revolutionary Army

"Hey, looks like your brothers made it out okay, Mr. Secretary."

"Heh heh, that's my bro's, we can take on the world when we're together. Ain't that right, pops?"

"…."

"Looks like you got the cold shoulder again Mr. Secretary, hee hee!"

"Shut it!"

Wano Country

"Looks like Whitebeard finally bit the dust boss!"

*glug glug glug*

"Har har har! That's one less contestant for the throne, boss will surely take number one!"

*glug glug glug*

"Baka! Boss is already number one, are you looking to die!"

"Ah haaa hah, my mistake boss, my mistake!"

*glug glug glug buuuurp~*

"Red Hair…"

Thriller Bark Island, East Blue

"Absalom-sama, Absalom-sama, read the newspaper, the newspaper! An early edition has been released! Master is a hero! He defeated Oars Jr. and one of Whitebeards Commanders!" Blue hurriedly woke Absalom up from his slumber, literally shaking him out of bed.

"Coffee!" Absalom commanded Blue. As an afterthought, he swiped the newspaper from Blue's hands.

"Here's your coffee sir! Moria-sama was so cool! Here's the picture of him caving in the giants skull, on page A-24!" Blue jubilantly praised Moria.

"Okay, okay, Moria-sama is very dashing in this picture. Let's see what the article has to say. 'Gecko Moria, one of the Royal Shichibukai goes on to defeat notorious pirate Oars Jr. yadda yadda.' Basically Moria-sama is okay, and kicked ass. Now what's in store for us on the front page." Absalom quickly scanned the small section about Moria, deeming it to be uninteresting, he turned the paper back to the front page.

"Pfft!" spitting coffee all over the floor, Absalom yelped.

"Ah, was the coffee too hot this time Absalom-sama?" Blue, hidden behind a pillar eyed Absalom in fear.

"Blue, you flea bitten fool! Why didn't you tell me MARINEFORD WAS DESTROYED! Tens of thousands dead, and what's this a new Yonko?! The World Government must be in a flurry to maintain damage control!" Absalom tore through the images, paragraphs and pages like a rampaging typhoon.

"This is the scoop of the century, and I missed it! Ah, I wish I could've been there to seen the world change, this is a land mark event signaling the start of a new era Blue!" Absalom raved.

"But if you were there sir, wouldn't you have sunk into the ocean like everyone else?"

"Why you!" Absalom glared at Blue, and made a motion to kick him.

"Eep! I m-mean, our scout zombies have found two more targets on the list you've handed us! Moria-sama will be sure to praise you when he gets back home!" Blue quickly cowered behind the stone pillar, closing his eyes for a kick that would never come.

"Great work Blue, what were the targets found this time?" Absalom approached Blue with a smile.

Opening his eyes, Blue saw the smile on Absalom's face, and let out a sigh of relief. "They're the mercenary Golas, and the pirate El Drago, our sources in the Underworld say they were found drunk in a bar here in East Blue!."

"Excellent work Blue. Make sure to update me on the shooting range in the west side, and the progress of the factory in the east side later." Absalom gave Blue's head a pat.

"You know me Absalom-sama, always happy to please!" Blue beamed.

"Wait, later?" Blue asked in confusion.

"Oh and Blue?" Absalom continued to stroke Blue's head with a warm tone of voice.

"Y-yes Absalom-sama?"

"The coffee was to hot!" With a punt, Blue was sent screaming off the Castle Maste.

"It's the simple things in life that make it worth living." With a whistle, Absalom went about his day. An island of nearly a thousand zombie workers didn't manage itself after all.

In the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, a heated debate had erupted among the Gorōsei. A.k.a. the Five Elders.

"We must immediately call a media blackout of this information. No one can know that the seat of the Marine's power was so callously destroyed!" The black hatted Elder exclaimed in a loud commanding voice.

"It's too late for that, take a look at today's newspaper! We need to focus on what to do with Blackbeard, and this rubbish about the boy being proclaimed Pirate King, this is a threat on our sovereignty." The baldy in a gi maintained a level tone, but those who knew him that this was bit the calm before the storm. With a look of consternation, he pushed his glasses fiercely against the bridge of his nose as he waited for the next Elder to speak.

"What about Impel Down, hundreds of inmates escaped, perhaps thousands. Worst of all, most of level six has been emptied out completely. We must replace Magellan immediately." The long haired elder harrumphed coldly at his mention of Magellan.

"We need to fight! Mobilize Cipher Pol to organize a disinformation campaign against the Marine's failures! The public mustn't know about Impel Down's breakouts, additionally, Sakazuki's death was not recorded by the den den mushi, Cipher Pol must tell the world he is in recovery. The balance of the world is at stake here! Tens of thousands of New World Marine's gone in an instant. Our replacement plan for Sengoku has gotten himself killed. Two of our Shichibukai have defected, and worst of all, one of them has replaced Whitebeard who we had finally killed after years of effort. The balance must be maintained!" The bald mustached elder all but shouted to the room of nobles.

"Agreed." At Bald's urging, all the Elders agreed with his plan.

"Good. Do not forget, we must maintain extra vigilance in the face of the Yonko and Revolutionary army's increasing levels of aggression. Kong will have much work ahead of him in the days to come." Black Hat authoritatively addressed his fellow Elders.

"And what of Sengoku?" The fifth and final Gorōsei, the Blonde Elder asked enquiringly.

"If only we had Z still with us. His conviction, and hatred of the pirates would make a fine replacement for Sengoku's lukewarm stance." Black Hat sighed with emotion.

"Don't forget, it's Z's convictions in the first place that saw him go rogue. He values honor above pragmatism, a skill Sengoku has in spades. His ability to follow orders has eroded with the death of his wife and child." Glasses rebuked Black Hat's idea.

"So, he stays? What of the lads, Kizaru and Aokiji?" Bald's boisterous voice brought the focus to him as he stroked his walrus mustache in contemplation.

"He remains. For now. Aokiji follows the same ways as Sengoku, and Kizaru has no desire to be Fleet Admiral. There's no viable replacement…for now." A gleam appeared in Long Hairs eye, none of the other Elders had a clue as to what he was planning.

"So he stays, what of Aokiji, we can turn him into the next hero of the Marine's. Turn this tragedy into something uplifting. We could use Whitebeard's defeat to recruit more manpower. Kami knows we need it after the debacle at Marineford." Blonde looked to his fellow Elders for confirmation.

"Agreed." They intoned together.

"That leaves us with one final topic of discussion, the Shichibukai." Black Hat centered the groups focus.

"I have two candidates in mind, I feel that you're going to like them." Long Hair clasped his hands and looked to Black Hat, explaining in detail the new members of the Shichibukai that he had in mind.

"Those two! You sure are ambitious today! HAHAHA!" Bald's voice had reached new levels in boisterousness.

"If it's those two…I cannot complain. The balance between powers will be maintained." Glasses retained his stern, stoic expression, but to the perceptive eye, one could notice a small weight lifted off his shoulder based on the change in his posture.

"Speaking of the Shichibukai, we have one waiting outside our doors, shall we let him in?" At Blonde's question, the rest of the group nodded in affirmation.

With a nod of his own, Blonde pulled a rope, sounding a gong. As the soundwave travelled, large creaking doors slowly swung open to reveal the figure of Gecko Moria.

A day had passed since the destruction of Marineford. Instead of heading straight for the East Blue, and Thriller Bark Island, I had booked a meeting with the rulers of the world. The Gorōsei. The night after the battle, I had bathed, ate, enjoyed a long shit, had my clothes laundered and sewn together, and slept my exhaustion off at a guest quarters in Mary Geoise. The bed was particularly soft, and food had never tasted so good. Hell, that was probably the best shit I'd ever had in my life. It was a mundane affair for sure, but it's true that it's the simple things in life that are the best. Battle affects everyone differently, and I was no different.

Upon waking up, my body, predictably, was sore all over, but I wasn't worried about appearing weak. My clothes covered the bruises, and I wore no bandages. On the surface, I looked no different than the day I became Moria. I had planned on this meeting ever since I accepted my new reality. However, in all of my calculations, I had never expected Marineford to disappear off the face of the map! Perhaps I can turn this development into my favor.

Sengoku's attempt to marry me closer to the government might just be the edge I need to complete my objective. If I played my cards right, I could win big, I simply need to pay these self-entitled Noble's the appropriate amount of respect, and it should be smooth sailing. The Gorōsei were a conservative bunch however, and despite my inflated confidence, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous to meet them.

They may've made the questionable decision of appointing Buggy as a Shichibukai, but that didn't offset their ruthlessness. They Buster Called Ohara, and countless other places, genociding countless people, nations, and cultures. Their commands are followed without question by Cipher Pol, and the Marines.

Finally, given their scars, and the balls they had to stand in front of Shanks completely unguarded, I wouldn't put it pat them to have some broken fighting prowess. This is a world that values strength, it honestly wouldn't surprise me if physical capabilities were a prerequisite for sitting on this council. These five seem much more intelligent, ruthless, and down to earth than any of the other World Noble's. The time for underestimating people was at an end.

As the large doors creaked open, an aged voice, laced with authority came from inside the room.

"You may enter."

When I entered the room, I took note of each Elder to see what their opinion of me might be. A Blonde Elder openly wore a scowl, and a Long Haired Elder was frowning. Otherwise the rest wore default, stern expressions, neither unhappy, or happy to see me.

"Gecko Moria, at you service." Placing my right hand above my heart, I gave a small formal bow to show my sincerity, and give the appropriate amount of face.

"Speak. Why have you requested this audience Moria. While We are always happy to see Our loyal subject, current events have left Our patience wearing thin."

I could finally put a face to the authoritative voice. An Elder in a black hat motioned for me to speak. Showtime!

"Honorable Gorōsei, since time is short, I'll keep my request simple. Given the recent breakouts of Impel Down, we now know that the impregnable fortress can be breached. I have a fool proof plan which will make any future breakouts an impossibility. In short, my plan will resurrect Impel Down's former aura of invincibility." Pausing to take a breath, I glanced at the Elders to see their reaction. Black Hat and Glasses nodded at one another, while Long Hair's frown deepened further.

"And what is this plan, Moria. Do not keep Us in any further suspense. How will you help renew Our faith in Impel Down?" A bald boisterous Elder scrutinized me with squinted eyes.

Fearful that I'd draw the ire of the most powerful people on the planet, I was quick to respond.

"My plan is simple. Among the abilities granted to me by my devil fruit, the kage-kage no mi allows me to take the shadows of others. Should a person with no shadow step into the sunlight, they'll turn into ash. Since Impel Down is underground, and has no natural sunlight, my devil fruit will be an extra security measure against all future breakouts!" I excitedly laid out my plan. Sengoku, you schemed to tie me further to the government, fine! Who said I didn't already plan to do so in the first place! Most isekai'd people would do all they could to distance themselves from a corrupt military dictatorship. But they're my ticket to surviving in this cruel chaotic world. I refuse to be hunted down by every pirate, Marine, adventurer and bounty hunter because of something like morals. The law of the jungle is, that survival supersedes all morals! With an endless supply of high tier pirates and criminals' shadows, my dream of a powerful zombie army can be realized. At the same time, I'll become an indispensable defense for the World Government. This is what's called having your cake, and eating it too!

"And what if the inmates escape during the night?" The blonde Elder who had been scowling at me since the beginning of the meeting posed a question.

Prepared for this question, I replied immediately. "If the inmates somehow breakout, and its daytime, they'll be forced to hunker in place as Marine reinforcements arrive! And if by some miracle of Kami they escape at night, they'll be cursed to live a life indoors during daylight, or face utter disintegration. Even if they've escaped Impel Down, they'll still be prisoners for twelve hours of the day! The strongest fighters could be hunkering in their ships, fearing the daylight. To end this menace, even someone as weak as a Marine Lieutenant could blast a hole in the side of the pirate ship, flooding the interior with sunlight. Someone like Straw Hat Luffy, or Firefist Ace would never experience true freedom again. Ki shi shi."

Looking around, I saw slight nods from all of the Elders, even Blonde. A wide grin broke out on my face at their reaction. 'Straw Hat' and 'Firefist' sure were the magic words to rile up this old bunch. I'm sure the idea of restricting the freedom of others got these guys' panties in a twist too.

"And that's my plan, honorable Elders." I wiped the grin off my face, and tried to match their stoicism in attempt to make my plan appear more attractive.

Glancing at one another, it seems they had made a consensus.

"We shall take your request into consideration Moria, if only all of Our subjects were as loyal as you." Glasses paid me lip service, praising my 'loyalty.' Even though everyone in the room knew that a Shichibukai's loyalty was flimsy at best, and intrinsically tied to the strength of the World Government. The second the World Government lost the power to assist and protect the Shichibukai, is the second the Shichibukai rebelled.

"We will have a response to your inquiry in the days to come." Black Hat ended the meeting.

Knowing a dismissal when I heard one, I bowed once again, left. As the doors closed, I heard the tail end of a conversation.

"…-ever again…Fist won't…-appen…-gan"

"…-awn of…devil…"

"Plan…-viable…"

I didn't manage to hear much before the door was completely shut, and I was escorted back to my quarters. Laying down in my giant-sized bed, I began to think about yesterday. I was still sour over all the corpses lost along with the sinking of Marineford. Thousands of perfectly good New World pirate corpses, gone! However, if this plan works, heh heh, I'll never have a shortage of powerful shadows. A small bitter sweet smile wormed its way onto my face. I've overcome Marineford, now onto bigger and better things.

AN: Who do you think the two new Shichibukai will be?