...
The battlefield.
Using the force transmitted through his opponent's iron fists, Moria leaped backward, widening the distance between them.
"Huff"
"That strength... damn, that really packs a punch!!!"
Exhaling a heavy breath, Moria's gaze toward Doflamingo burned with intensity.
Such overwhelming power... he wanted him as a crewmate!
As a member of the Oni race, standing at an imposing seven meters tall, Moria's physical prowess had always been his greatest asset, allowing him to rampage across the seas without challenge.
But today—
He, a natural-born powerhouse, was being suppressed by Doflamingo!
And to think, he was twice Doflamingo's height. In terms of sheer size and weight, he should've had the advantage.
Not to mention, his Shadow Fruit abilities—each casual strike was enough to cleave mountains and shatter stone. Yet, none of them could break through Doflamingo's defenses.
Every attack from his Shadow Fruit technique felt like his blade striking against Doflamingo's fists—blocked by that same black, thread-like layer.
"This is Haki, huh..."
In all his years sailing the Grand Line and beyond, he had encountered few who could wield Haki.
Those opponents had only ever managed to block his blade in critical moments—never had he seen someone use it like armor, defending from every angle.
"Oh? Is that all you've got, Moria? You're already at your limit? How disappointing."
Doflamingo spread his arms, his towering trapezius muscles shrugging with an air of mockery.
Seeing that contemptuous stance, Moria, who had just begun to regain his senses after taking a heavy hit, instantly lost his cool.
"Haki? Ha! How can that compare to my natural physique?!"
Moria lunged forward, his youthful body moving with incredible agility. His shadow stretched and fused into his long blade, transforming it into a weapon that devoured everything in its path.
Under the flashing lightning, the blade reflected a prismatic black sheen.
"Doflamingo! Witness the might of my invincible Shadow-Shadow Fruit! Shadow Warrior Blade!"
A jet-black slash tore through the battlefield in an instant, aiming straight for Doflamingo.
"Fufufufufu... You're not quite there yet, Moria. Silk Armed Body—Endless Warhammer."
Doflamingo's form swelled with power.
But this time—
From his back, underarms, and shoulders, additional arms composed entirely of string sprouted forth.
And at the end of each arm wasn't a hand or a fist, but massive, spiked war hammers.
The dark, gleaming hammers spun at high speed, catching fire from the friction, resembling enormous cannonballs.
Boom!
The black sword slash shattered instantly.
Endless fists followed, crashing down toward Moria, leaving him with no room to escape!
"How is he this strong?!"
Panic surged through Moria as he instinctively retreated. He had been following up behind his slash, preparing a second wave of attacks—but he hadn't anticipated this overwhelming counterstrike.
With no time to react, the relentless fists consumed every inch of his movement space.
"Moria, keep going!"
His towering figure was swallowed by an unending barrage of iron fists.
"Ora ora ora ora ora!!"
Like a dandelion caught in an autumn gust, Moria was battered mid-air, unable to even land.
Yet, instead of panicking, his crew members on the sidelines smirked knowingly, as if their plan had worked perfectly.
Enel, watching from a distance, let out an amused chuckle. His island-wide electro-sensing Observation Haki had picked up on something peculiar.
If he could sense it, then there was no doubt—Young Master's observational Haki had picked up on it as well.
And the one thing Young Master despised most—
Was retreat.
Moria's unscathed body suddenly appeared behind Doflamingo, his expression twisted with fierce determination.
His long blade swung down viciously!
Clang!
Doflamingo's string-formed arms twisted into unnatural angles, defying human anatomy.
Despite the immense force of Moria's attack, the arms absorbed the impact, severing one by one under the blow.
But they still managed to block it.
The sword edge barely grazed the artificial muscle layer on Doflamingo's back.
Realizing this, Moria quickly swapped positions with a shadow minion, reappearing at a distance.
A chilling thought crossed his mind.
He might actually lose today.
Yet, instead of fear, his Oni blood boiled hotter than ever, igniting his fighting spirit.
He threw his head back in crazed laughter, his bluish-green skin twisting into an even more devilish expression.
"Hehihihihihi... My beloved crewmates, lend me your shadows!!!"
"Boss! It's an honor to help you!"
"Take all the strength you need!"
...
One by one, his crew members' shadows poured out, slithering like black serpents into Moria's body.
His form expanded like an inflating balloon.
This technique came with a severe risk—those who lost their shadows would be burned to ash in sunlight.
But here, beneath the storm, shielded from the sun, his loyal subordinates would not perish.
Doflamingo simply stood there, watching the transformation unfold, the grin on his lips growing even brighter.
A reward for the brave.
Just moments ago, he had thought Moria would flee.
Instead, it was a tactical feint.
Now, seeing Moria in his enhanced state, Doflamingo was pleased.
He was delighted.
No wonder, a year later, Moria had the guts to challenge Kaido.
This was good.
And so, he too, would respond with his strongest form.
To utterly shatter someone, one must strike them at their most confident and powerful moment.
A thread of white spread from beneath Doflamingo's feet.
The very ground—once impervious even under lightning—began to soften, taking on the texture of woven fibers.
Moria's crew was the first to notice the shifting terrain.
"What the hell is this?!"
"This must be a Logia ability!"
"You idiot, the String-String Fruit is a Paramecia! This is Awakening!!!"
"What's Awakening?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! The Captain's signature move is coming!"
"No matter how many times I see it, it's just as terrifying!!!"
...
Moria had no time for his crew's chatter or admiration.
Controlling the power of 100 subordinates was already pushing him to his limit, consuming every ounce of his mental strength.
Unlike his sluggish, bloated state twenty years later, the current Moria—
His previously underdeveloped oni horns now curved skyward like drawn bows.
His once lanky frame had bulked up, his muscles swelling with explosive power.
Standing at a staggering 30 meters tall, he now resembled a hybrid of a giant and an oni.
Faced with the now-thread-infused landscape, Moria's pupils contracted.
His massive frame offered little comfort.
The chaotic, deafening voices in his mind clouded his reason.
The impending sense of doom from Doflamingo's presence surged in waves.
No more waiting!
Moria raised his now-enlarged blade high.
His colossal feet sank deep into the softened ground.
Then—
He lunged forward.
The short distance closed in the blink of an eye.
"Shadow Greatsword!!!"
A 40-meter blade.
Or rather—
A massive spear descending with unstoppable force.
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+255 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg