One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

Inside the ancient castle shrouded in night—

Gecko Moria slowly walked into a massive freezer.

"Shishishishi!"

He stared at the enormous frozen giant before him.

The giant stood 67 meters tall, with red hair, upward-curving bull horns, pale green skin, and massive fangs. Three skull symbols marked his body, and he wore a horned hat.

Even frozen solid, the creature radiated terrifying pressure.

"Damn Straw Hat brat…"

"I couldn't find the perfect shadow for you, but… this will do."

After a moment of silence, Moria waved his hand.

Hundreds of black shadows surged into the giant's body.

Moments later—

The giant's eyes opened.

With a violent motion, he shattered the ice.

"Master…" the giant rumbled.

Moria's expression shifted.

"Shishishishi… go stretch your limbs."

The giant leapt out of the freezer.

BOOM!

He crashed into the forest below, shaking the entire island.

This giant—

Was the Ancient Giant Oars.

As Oars began smashing everything around him—

A blue flash of lightning appeared high in the sky.

Electric arcs crackled and gathered together.

Gradually—

A hundred-meter lightning trident formed, spinning violently and stirring the wind.

"What…?!"

Moria stared through a hole in the castle wall.

For a moment, terror flashed across his eyes.

"Kaido…?!"

Then rage and hatred replaced it.

"Heaven's Punishment: Thunder Spear!"

The lightning trident fell at light speed, piercing down toward Oars.

BOOOOM!!

The ground within a hundred-meter radius exploded.

Oars roared wildly.

The attack that could shatter mountains seemed to do little—

But then—

The lightning spear pierced through his body, pinning him to the ground.

"Shishishishi! Straw Hat brat!"

Moria looked up at the figure descending from the sky.

Electric arcs danced around him.

Luffy hovered in the air.

Moria stood nearly seven meters tall, obese and pale, with grotesque stitches around his neck.

His onion-shaped head had small horns, and sharp fangs filled his mouth.

"Yo, Moria."

Before the words even finished—

The figure vanished.

The next instant—

A fist wrapped in dark-blue lightning slammed into Moria's massive stomach.

BOOM!

Massive Mach rings erupted in the air.

Moria's body blasted through the entire castle and flew into the distance.

"GAAAH!"

Pain surged through his nerves.

Even after surviving a battle against Kaido, the impact nearly knocked him unconscious.

But he forced himself awake.

The sky above roared with thunder.

"Armament — Gum-Gum Thunder Axe!"

Luffy's stretched leg, wrapped in dark lightning, descended from the heavens.

"Brick Bat!"

Moria instantly split into a swarm of bats, dodging the strike.

Luffy's thunderous kick slammed into the ground—

Carving a hundreds-meter-long trench across the island.

The swarm of bats rushed into the sky, trying to tear Luffy apart.

Suddenly—

Crimson lightning exploded outward.

Conqueror's Haki filled the entire space.

Bat after bat was violently torn apart, dissolving into black mist.

"Conqueror's Haki?!"

One surviving bat stared in shock.

Ever since his defeat by Kaido, Moria had plotted revenge for years.

Yet he had never encountered another Conqueror.

And the intensity of this one—

Was not far from Kaido's back then.

While he was distracted—

A fist filled his vision.

BOOM!

The bat was smashed straight into the ground.

Moria's body reformed in the crater—

Unconscious.

Luffy landed beside the crater, lightning fading around him.

"Too weak."

"No improvement at all."

After fighting Admiral Aokiji twice, Luffy had grown tremendously.

But now—

The gap was enormous.

Victory was satisfying…

But it barely gave him any experience.

"At this rate, among the Warlords…"

"Only Mihawk might still challenge me."

Luffy glanced at Oars, who was still struggling against the lightning spear.

He wasn't concerned.

"This guy is just an experience pack for the crew."

"But man… that skin is tough."

Even though the attack wasn't full power, it wasn't casual either.

Yet Oars still moved, only parts of his skin burned black.

"No wonder they say you once dragged an entire country across the sea."

"If you were alive… I'd love to fight you."

Hogback's Courtyard

Meanwhile—

Brook walked calmly through the corridors, leaning on his cane.

Suddenly—

The decorative paintings on the walls began to move.

Grotesque creatures crawled out from the frames, dancing wildly and blocking the hallway.

Brook said nothing.

He placed his skeletal hand on the cane.

Then—

He drew his sword.

His body shot forward as sword flashes erupted in rapid succession.

After passing through the corridor, Brook slowly sheathed the blade.

"Humming Three-Step: Swallow Slash."

The moment the sword returned to its sheath—

Cracks appeared across every painting monster.

They shattered instantly.

Brook continued walking.

His gaze grew more determined.

Soon he entered a room glowing with faint green light.

Dr. Hogback's laboratory.

Clack… clack…

A skeleton wearing wooden sandals and a kimono stepped out of the shadows.

He carried a plain-looking sword.

"Yohohoho… you've returned again, my former master."

"I came to reclaim you."

"My shadow."

"No," the skeleton replied mockingly.

"You'll just beg again like before."

"'Please spare my afro! Please spare my afro!'"

"How pathetic."

The skeleton drew his sword.

A black blade.

Dark purple with red serrated patterns.

A chaotic temper line.

The legendary blade—

Shusui.

"That won't happen again!"

Brook drew his cane sword and tossed the scabbard aside.

He lunged forward.

His sword stabbed and slashed with incredible speed.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Ryuma and Brook exchanged rapid strikes.

Sparks flew with every collision.

"For five years…"

"I've grown stronger just to get this chance!"

Brook's sword slammed heavily against Shusui.

Ryuma tilted his blade slightly—

And sliced Brook's hat away.

Then he thrust forward—

Piercing straight through Brook's skeletal body.

"Even if you improved…"

"Do you think I stayed the same?"

"After all…"

"Our minds are the same."

Ryuma slashed again, cutting Brook's hair.

"No… don't!"

Brook blocked desperately, knocking Ryuma back.

Ryuma landed lightly.

"Yohohoho… you still care that much about your afro."

"That weakness will never leave you."

Ryuma charged again.

"Shut up!"

Brook raised his sword.

Steel collided again.

Sparks exploded.

Laboon… do you remember us?

Ryuma slashed Brook's bones.

We were too weak for the dangers of the Grand Line.

All my comrades died.

CRACK!

Shusui cut across Brook's skull.

He collapsed.

Even though I survived…

My face… my body… everything changed.

Even if we meet again… you wouldn't recognize me.

Brook slowly stood.

Sword in hand, he charged again.

I may have lost everything…

But this hairstyle…

The one my friends joked looked like Laboon…

Their blades clashed again.

Brook staggered back five steps—

Then rushed forward again.

"This memory…"

"I will protect it to the very end!"

Shusui pierced through him.

Brook fell.

I will find you…

Please wait for me…

At the sea where we made our promise.

Ryuma walked slowly toward him.

"Yohohoho… such boring emotions."

"If killing you didn't kill me as well…"

"You think you'd still be alive?"

Suddenly—

A dragon-like slash of sword energy blasted through the wall.

It shot straight at Ryuma.

Ryuma raised Shusui to block.

The impact still forced him to slide back dozens of meters.

Then—

He stomped the ground and swung his blade.

The slash was deflected and shot off into the distance.

Ryuma trembled.

Not from fear—

But excitement.

"A swordsman… at last."

Brook looked toward the newcomer with relief.

"Zoro!"

"…Finally found you."

Roronoa Zoro stepped forward, holding Yubashiri, sword energy raging around him.

He drew the other two blades.

Battle intent burned in his eyes.

"Alright."

"Let's switch opponents."

"Fight me instead."

"…Legendary dragon-slaying samurai—"

"Ryuma."

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