Chapter 338: Perona Boards the Ship—Moria Returns!
"Snort!"
"I want to go to the New World too. Take with you!"
Perona hovered in midair with her arms crossed, pouting as she made her demand loud and clear. She didn’t give Zoro a chance to object—just barged in like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"You want to co to the New World!?" Zoro blinked, confused. "Weren’t you planning to stay behind? Why the sudden—?"
"Why do you care?" Perona snapped.
Wham!
Before Zoro could finish, Perona zipped to his side and smacked him upside the head.
And just like that, the two were at each other’s throats, bickering like an old married couple. Honestly, with her temper and stubborn streak, Perona’s tsundere act fit her title of Ghost Princess perfectly.
After their brief but chaotic exchange, Zoro, looking both tired and annoyed, approached Ryuunosuke with a dark expression on his face.
"Captain Ryuunosuke... can I—?"
"Sure, no problem," Ryuunosuke replied casually, cutting him off before he could finish.
"My ship’s huge, anyway."
Zoro blinked, then gave a slow nod. "...Thanks."
This voyage had been dragging on in terms of entertainnt. With these two codic firecrackers on board, things were bound to be more lively.
"Thank you, Captain Ryuunosuke!" Perona swooped in cheerfully. "I can cook! I won’t be a freeloader like that moss-headed sword guy over there."
She pointed dramatically at Zoro.
"Captain, please don’t kick Zoro off the ship," she added with exaggerated innocence.
Zoro’s face twitched as veins popped along his forehead. He looked seconds away from tossing her overboard.
"It’s fine," Ryuunosuke said, chuckling. "I was headed that way anyway. Consider it on the way."
Yeah, these two were a riot. Keeping them around wasn’t just tolerable—it was a good decision.
---
Later, the Dragon Hunter Pirates docked at the Sabaody Archipelago.
While Najenda was busy guiding Perona and Zoro to their quarters, Aka approached Ryuunosuke, her expression unreadable.
"Brother Ryuunosuke," she said quietly. "That girl, Perona... sothing feels off about her."
Ryuunosuke’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes sharpened.
"That aura on her body..." Aka continued. "It’s strange."
She wasn’t just being paranoid. Aka had been by Ryuunosuke’s side for a long ti, and her instincts rarely failed her.
"I sensed it too," Ryuunosuke replied calmly. "That aura... it’s familiar, but I can’t place its origin just yet."
"So we wait and watch?"
He nodded. "Exactly. No sudden moves until we know more."
Aka gave a short nod. If Ryuunosuke had picked up on it too, there was no need for panic. Still, her eyes didn’t leave Perona’s back as she walked away.
The mont Perona had arrived, Ryuunosuke had noticed it—that faint but familiar energy signature. At first, he’d thought it belonged to soone tied to the World Governnt. The resemblance was uncanny.
But seeing it ca from Perona, with her usual flamboyant behavior, threw him off. Why would she be carrying that kind of aura?
Regardless of her motives for joining the crew, now that she was aboard, she would be monitored closely.
If problems arose, well... strength could solve a lot of problems.
---
A few days passed. Perona settled into the rhythm of ship life surprisingly well. Zoro and Brook joined daily training sessions, while Perona—though mostly floating around and bickering—proved to be helpful in the kitchen.
Despite everyone being bottomless pits when it ca to food, supplies remained steady thanks to Ryuunosuke’s foresight.
Then, as the sea breeze carried them ever closer to their next stop, a familiar na cropped up.
"Captain, we’re approaching Jaya Island," Najenda reported. "We need to restock. With how much these guys eat—especially Zoro—our supplies are running low. And the wine’s nearly gone."
Ryuunosuke chuckled. "Let’s drop anchor there. I’ve been aning to check out sothing anyway."
The ntion of Jaya Island stirred a flicker of mory in him. Years ago, they’d passed through here on their way to Skypiea. Back then, Ryuunosuke had sensed sothing—a massive surge of life force—right in the center of the upwelling current.
If sothing alive was causing that monstrous current...
He had to know what it was.
---
"Captain Ryuunosuke..."
Perona drifted into his line of sight, her little ghosts bobbing behind her like eerie balloons.
"...Have you been watching ?"
"Yes."
No hesitation. No attempt to deflect.
"Why?" Perona asked, genuinely puzzled.
The truth was, Perona had been confused since the mont she joined. Ryuunosuke, the fierce and infamous captain of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, had been observing her with unsettling focus.
She’d racked her brain for a reason.
Her conclusion?
"...Because I’m too cute?"
Ryuunosuke smiled faintly. "No. Because there’s a familiar aura around you."
Before she could respond, a voice rang out from the crow’s nest.
"Captain! Pirate ship ahead!" Finks shouted. "Judging by the structure, it looks like the old Thriller Bark—the flagship of forr Warlord Gekko Moria!"
"...Moria!?" Ryuunosuke blinked.
"Moria!!" Perona cried out at the sa ti.
Her eyes widened, her breath hitched—and then tears welled up.
To Perona, Moria wasn’t just a captain. He was family. She’d long believed he was dead, lost sowhere in the dark corners of the sea.
She bolted to the railing, scanning the horizon with trembling hands.
And sure enough... rising from the fog was that unmistakable silhouette: the eerie, triple-mast horror ship of nightmares.
That familiar oppressive aura hit her chest like a cannonball.
She clapped a hand over her mouth—and burst into tears.
"Moria...!"
Ryuunosuke narrowed his eyes. "Why here? Why now?"
He knew Moria had survived. But the timing didn’t add up.
By all logic, Moria should’ve been deep in the New World, searching for his scattered crew. There was no way he could’ve known Perona was with the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
And yet...
His Observation Haki suddenly flared.
There was soone else on that ship.
A pulse of energy. A soul he had encountered once before.
"...Blackbeard?"
His brows furrowed. Yes—Blackbeard was aboard Moria’s ship. But the man Ryuunosuke sensed was no longer alive.
He was a zombie.
Back in Mary Geoise, Blackbeard had ambushed him. But due to Ryuunosuke’s contract with Ti Magic, the mont he activated it, Blackbeard had been obliterated—body, shadow, and all—leaving nothing behind.
So how was he here?
Want to know what happens next? You don’t have to wait....40 Chapters ahead are already live on Patreon 👉 /FanficLord03
And don’t forget: every 500 power stones = 4 bonus Chapters for everyone!
sdiscord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9
Reviews
All reviews (0)