Chapter Text
Nami, Usopp, and Chopper were clustered together in the middle of the group, making a trembling trio filled with terror.
Nami was gripping her ClimaTact like it was the only thing keeping her from bolting back to the gate, her knuckles were white and her eyes were darting to every shadow daring to pass by. Usopp had his Kabuto slingshot at the ready, loaded with salt pellets, while his garlic necklace swung wildly with each shaky step of his. Chopper, in his small form, was wearing a cross and had his hooves raised in a defensive stance that looked more adorable than intimidating. He almost looked like a fluffy guard dog trying to scare off the zombies. While the actual guard dog remained outside, refusing to come in.
"Can't we not go inside the mansion..?" Usopp whimpered, his voice barely above a squeak.
Chopper nodded frantically, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. "Yeah! I-I don't like this path too!"
Nami shot them both a glare, though her own tears were welling up. "Quiet, you two! You're making it worse! But yeah.. We could find another way around, right? Which doesn't involve the creepy mansion at all!"
Luffy marched ahead, his red cloak fluttering behind him. His strawhat sat low, shading eyes that sparkled with unbridled excitement. "Nope! This is the way to the mansion Brook and Zombie-ossan talked about! Brook's shadow is probably in there. Come on, it's gonna be fun!"
Zoro walked beside him, one hand resting casually on Wado Ichimonji. "Fun for you, maybe."
Sanji lit another cigarette, the flame flickering uncertainly in the damp air. "If anything tries to grab Nami-san or Robin-chan, it's getting flambéed. This fog is ruining my suit, though."
Robin smiled faintly. "The architecture is fascinating. I wonder what secrets they hold."
Franky struck a pose, cola grenades jiggling on his belt. "Stay SUPER close, everyone. If things get hairy, I'll blast us a path!"
Brook clacked along at the rear, his violin case slung over one bony shoulder. "We must be cautious. The mansion is Dr. Hogback's domain. He's one of the Mysterious Four, a genius surgeon... but twisted."
Usopp whirled around, eyes wide. "A twisted surgeon?! Like, he stitches dead things together? That's even worse than zombies! What if he turns us into experiments?!"
Chopper gasped. "No! I don't want to be a zombie reindeer! Wait Hogback?-"
Nami swatted Usopp's arm. "Stop scaring Chopper! And yourself! We're pirates! We've faced worse than some creepy doctor."
The path widened slightly as they crested a small rise, and there it loomed, the Haunted Mansion. It rose from the fog like a decayed tooth, all crooked towers and shattered windows glowing with an unnatural green light. Vines choked the walls, and gargoyles perched on the eaves leered down at them with stone eyes that seemed to follow their every move. The double doors at the entrance were massive, carved with twisted faces that appeared to be frozen mid-scream.
Luffy grinned wider. "There it is! Looks spooky! Cool!"
The trio of cowards huddled even closer.
"Spooky is right," Franky muttered. "This place screams 'trap'."
Sanji stepped forward, ever the gentleman. "Allow me, ladies. I'll open it." He reached for the doorknob, polished brass resembling a skeletal skull.
But before his fingers could touch it, the doors swung inward with a groan that echoed like the wail of a thousand tortured souls. Dust billowed out, carrying the stench of mold and forgotten graves. The hinges screamed in protest, metal grinding on metal in a way that set teeth on edge.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Nami, Usopp, and Chopper shrieked in perfect unison, their voices piercing the fog like daggers.
The scaredy trio latched onto each other tighter. Nami's arms around Usopp's neck, Usopp's around Chopper's waist, Chopper's hooves digging into Nami's shirt. Tears streamed down their faces in rivers, soaking collars and fur alike.
"IT OPENED BY ITSELF!" Usopp wailed, knees buckling. "GHOST DOOR! DEFINITELY A GHOST DOOR!"
Chopper sobbed. "We're gonna die! We are gonna die! I don't wanna be a ghost reindeer!"
Nami's voice cracked. "Luffy, close it! Close it now!"
The rest of the crew tensed, their weapons drawn. Zoro's swords hissed out of their sheaths. Sanji's leg ignited with a red flame. Franky cocked his arms like cannons. Robin's hands bloomed across the doorway. Brook gripped his cane tighter, ready to draw his blade. Luffy just tilted his head, curious.
From the darkened interior, a slender, feminine silhouette emerged, with shoulder length blonde hair. She stepped into the dim light, her skin pale and stitched at the seams, her eyes hollow and unblinking.
She was Victoria Cindry, a zombie with plates in hand, which she hurled it straight at Sanji's blonde head without warning.
CRASH!
"Men are not allowed inside!" she intoned, her voice flat and mechanical, like a doll reciting lines. She threw another plate at Zoro.
SMASH!
"Men are scum! Leave this place!" she intoned again.
Plates came in an endless barrage, shattering against trees, lawn, and dodged bodies. Each one aimed at the male crew members with unerring accuracy.
Luffy ducked one that sailed over his hat. "Oi! What's with the plates?!"
Zoro sliced another in half mid-air. "Tch. Annoying."
Sanji leaped aside, hearts in his eyes despite the assault. "A lady throwing dishes? How passionate!"
Franky blocked one with his iron forearm. "Hey, watch the paint job!"
Usopp, still clinging to Nami and Chopper, yelped as a shard ricocheted past his nose. "She's trying to kill us! With dinnerware!"
The barrage continued. "Men are pigs! Men are liars! No entry!"
It wasn't long when a rotund figure waddled out from behind her, chuckling nervously. He was Dr. Hogback, the mad surgeon, with his wild black hair, stitched-up face, wearing a fishnet vest, purple leather pants, a thick black tie, and a pair of purple gloves, which covered his long, claw-like fingers. "Now, now, Cindry! That's no way to greet guests!" He turned towards the Strawhats. "Sorry that she surprised you. She's a bit... temperamental."
Cindry paused mid-throw, plate hovering. "Men... not allowed."
Hogback waved a hand dismissively as he turned to the crew, showing Cindry. "This woman hates plates ever since she tried to test the love of a wealthy man who proposed to her, and smashed his ten treasured plates. She was therefore rejected, so plates carry this tragic memory to her like a booger in the nose. She's my plate hating servant, Cindry-chan."
The crew stared.
"Well I've missed introducing myself! I am the world's famous doctor Hogback! Also known as a 'genius'! Fosfosfosfos!" Hogback introduced himself to the crew.
Usopp whispered, "Brook.. Is that the one you were talking about?"
Chopper's eyes were wide, with stars already twinkling brightly in them, he finally remembered where he heard his name before.
Luffy, who had been dodging plates with casual stretches, suddenly stilled. His eyes flickered gold, pupils narrowing as if peering into Hogback's very soul. The air around him warmed, a faint drumbeat echoing in the distance, inaudible to most, but it was there. His expression darkened, jaw tightening. Something in Hogback's words, in his aura, rang false. Twisted. Wrong.
But he didn't act. Not yet. He just watched, golden gaze piercing.
Sanji cracked his knuckles. "You 'brought her back'? Sounds like you broke her more."
Zoro smirked. "Creepy doctor in a creepy mansion. This'll be interesting."
Nami, still teary-eyed, pointed her staff. "We're not here for chit-chat! We're here for the shadows!"
Hogback's eyes gleamed with mad curiosity. "Shadows? Ah, you must mean Master Moria's collection. Fascinating. Do come in."
"Y-You're Dr. Hogback? The world-famous surgeon who vanished from the medical world years ago? I've read all your papers! Your work on human anatomy and rare diseases, it's legendary! I always dreamed of meeting you someday!" Chopper's voice was a mix of awe and excitement, his hooves clacking together as he bounced slightly despite the tension in the air.
It was as if everything that was bothering him before was forgotten–the stitched-up zombies, the unnatural pallor of Cindry's skin, the whole creepy vibe of the mansion. To Chopper, meeting Dr. Hogback was like stumbling upon Tony Tony Chopper's personal hero in the flesh.
The rest of the crew, however, exchanged uneasy glances. Zoro's hand tightened on his sword hilt, his eyes narrowing. Sanji's cigarette burned a little faster, smoke curling up like a warning signal. Nami and Usopp still clung to each other, their tears drying into wary suspicion. Franky adjusted his cola grenades with a low grunt, and Robin's extra eyes sprouted discreetly on the walls, scanning for threats. Even Brook shifted his weight, his bony fingers twitching toward his cane-sword. Luffy's golden gaze lingered on Hogback, but he stayed silent, letting Chopper have his moment… at least for now.
Hogback's stitched face split into a grin, his claw-like fingers flexing in those purple gloves. "Fosfosfosfos! A fan, eh? How delightful! It's rare to meet someone who appreciates true genius these days."
Cindry, still holding her hovering plate, tilted her head mechanically. "Guests... allowed inside. Follow." Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and shuffled into the mansion's gloomy interior, her stitched legs moving with an unnatural stiffness. The doors creaked wider, inviting them in.
"Wait, Cindry-chan! Prepare the dining hall for me!" Hogback yelled, letting the crew enter before himself.
At the start, the crew hesitated, but then stepped over the threshold, with Luffy and Chopper bounding in first, followed by a reluctant Nami-Usopp duo, then Zoro, Sanji, Robin, Franky, and Brook. The doors swung shut with a resounding BAM. Hogback, still outside, yelped as his nose smacked against the wood.
"Fosfos! Cindry! Open up!" he pounded on the door, his voice muffled. If Cindy doesn't come, he'll find another way inside.
.
Inside, the mansion's foyer was a cavernous hall of faded grandeur. Chandeliers draped in cobwebs, walls lined with portraits whose eyes seemed to follow them, and a grand staircase spiraling up into darkness. Candles flicker, barely lighting up the acursed darkness. Cindry led them wordlessly down a side corridor, her footsteps echoing like bones on stone.
"Uh, shouldn't we wait for the doc?" Usopp whispered, glancing back at the sealed doors. The faint muffled sounds of the weird doctor calling to be let in, sent shivers down his spine.
Nami also shivered. "As long as that plate-throwing zombie doesn't lock us in..."
Chopper looked around, still starry-eyed, as if he was seeing everything with rose-colored glasses. "This place is amazing! I bet Dr. Hogback has all kinds of medical equipment here."
Sanji lit another cigarette. "Something smells off."
They entered a vast dining room dominated by a long, ornate table set with flickering candles. Paintings covered the wall, so detailed one would have to look twice to identify them as anything other then alive. Even with that knowledge, you can't help but feel their stares. One could tell that whoever lies here loves to hunt, proven by the white bear rug and taxidermied pig head on the wall.
Cindry gestured stiffly towards the table. "Sit. Wait."
As the crew awkwardly took seats, with Luffy plopping down at the head like it was his own Merry, with Zoro leaning against a chair rather than sitting, and Brook perching delicately, Cindry shuffled out through a side door.
Moments later, Hogback burst in from another entrance, brushing dust off his fishnet vest. "Fosfosfos! Pesky doors, always sticky. Now, what brings a ragtag bunch like you to my humble abode?" His eyes scanned the group, lingering suspiciously on Brook. The skeleton's afro seemed to bristle under the gaze. They've met before, but not seeing the other attack, they silently agree to a truce for now.
Chopper jumped up, unable to contain himself. "Dr. Hogback! I'm Tony Tony Chopper, a doctor too! I've studied your work on regenerative tissues and exotic viruses. Can you tell me more about your discoveries? How did you disappear from the world? What have you been researching here?"
Hogback puffed up, his claw-fingers steepled. "A fellow physician, eh? Fosfos! Impressive for such a... unique specimen. My work has taken me to realms beyond conventional medicine."
Usopp, fidgeting with his garlic necklace, couldn't hold back. "Yeah, about that.. on our way here, we ran into some seriously weird creatures! Like, trees with faces that tried to eat us, and stitched-up animals howling in the fog! And don't get me started on the invisible pervert we stuffed in a barrel!"
Nami nodded vigorously, her tears from earlier replaced by indignation. "They were like... zombies! Actual walking dead things! This island is a nightmare!"
Hogback's grin didn't falter, but his eyes gleamed sharper. "Fosfosfos! Zombies, you say? Not surprised you escaped them, considering your infamy."
The crew tensed as one. Zoro's swords shifted slightly. Sanji's leg twitched with latent flame. Franky cracked his knuckles. Robin's arms bloomed subtly under the table. Luffy's eyes flickered red, a low drumbeat humming in his chest.
Hogback continued. "Word of your exploits at Enies Lobby has spread like wildfire, even to a recluse like me. Escaping a Buster Call? Impressive. Very impressive."
The room went still. Nami's face paled. "Enies Lobby? How do you know about that? It just happened!"
Usopp's voice cracked. "Y-Yeah! News doesn't travel that fast!"
Luffy's expression darkened further, but Hogback waved his hands frantically. "Fosfos! No, no! I know little of such matters! No bad intentions here, I am just a humble scientist. The news travels fast in these seas, that's all. Rumors, whispers from passing ships. Nothing more!" He chuckled nervously, steering the conversation away. "But ah, the zombies! They're the reason I'm here, you see! Bringing the dead back to life! A medical marvel!"
Chopper's eyes lit up brighter than before, any suspicion overridden by curiosity. "Zombies? You mean... you've conquered death? That's incredible! As a doctor, I have to see your lab! Please, Dr. Hogback, show me your work!"
Hogback's face twisted, his genial mask cracking. His voice dropped to a threatening growl, claw-fingers curling like talons. "My lab? You'll never see my lab, little scoundrle. It's not for prying eyes like yours."
The hostility hit like a cold wave. Zoro fully drew his swords. "That's it."
Sanji's leg burst into flame. "Nobody threatens Chopper."
Franky aimed his arms. "SUPER strike incoming!"
Robin crossed her arms. "Clutch."
Usopp loaded his slingshot. "Special Attack: Garlic Star!"
Nami raised her Clima-Tact. "Thunderbolt Tempo!"
Brook drew his cane-sword. "Requiem la Banderole!"
Luffy stood slowly, golden eyes blazing, the air heating around him.
But before anyone could move, Cindry shuffled back in, balancing a tray of wobbling puddings. "Dessert...is served."
She placed them directly on the table—no plates, just blobs of jiggling custard in front of each crew member. The tension popped like a balloon, weapons lowering in confusion.
"Uh... thanks?" Sanji said, eyeing the pudding warily.
Chopper blinked, his confusion derailed. "Pudding? Without plates?"
Hogback straightened, forcing a laugh. "Fosfos! Yes, Cindry-chan despises plates, as I mentioned. Eat up! It's... hospitable."
The crew exchanged glances. Luffy, ever the opportunist, dove in face-first. "Mmm! Tasty!"
The others followed more hesitantly. Zoro poked it with a finger before scooping it up. Sanji and Brook ate elegantly, though the lack of utensils made it awkward, they ended up using their fingers like chopsticks. Usopp slurped his noisily, still glancing around suspiciously. Nami dabbed at hers daintily, trying not to get it on her clothes. Franky chugged his like a cola shot. Robin used an extra hand to feed herself gracefully. Chopper ate his up like a happy reindeer.
It was messy, sticky, and utterly ridiculous. Pudding smeared on faces, dripped on the table. Luffy finished his in seconds, already reaching for Zoro's. "Can I have yours if you don't want it?"
Zoro swatted his hand away. "Touch it and die."
Sanji sighed. "This is the weirdest dessert ever."
"Now, now, gentlemen and gentlewomen. You all should rest before continuing on," Hogback spoke, getting up from his seat, before motioning Cindry to the group.
Before any of the Strawhats could question or say anything, Hogback left the room, and Cindry taking the chance, led them upstairs to a wing of guest rooms. It was dusty but lavish, with four-poster beds and faded tapestries. "Sleep... here. Bathroom... there."
Nami sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose. "We all stink like sea salt and the dead. Everyone's showering now. But I'm first!"
No one argued. The bathroom was a cavernous chamber with a massive tub and multiple showers, fed by some mysterious hot spring. They set up a guarding system: Zoro and Sanji at the door, Robin's eyes everywhere, Franky on perimeter patrol, Usopp with his slingshot aimed at shadows, if anyone mentions that he was shaking, they're a liar, Brook humming a Merry tune coincidentally creeping Usopp out even further, and Luffy... eating leftover pudding scraps which no one knew the origin of.
Nami went first, emerging fresh. "Next!"
One by one, they cycled through without incident, with no jumpscares, no hidden zombies. Sanji came out smelling like roses (somehow). Zoro was quick and efficient. Usopp yelped at every creak but survived. Chopper turned into Heavy Point for his turn, just in case. Franky used his own built-in rinse. Robin was elegant as always. Brook elegantly went in and out. Luffy went last, splashing like a kid in a puddle.
Clean and somewhat relaxed, they clustered in the largest room, a cavernous chamber with a four-poster bed big enough for Franky and creaky armchairs arranged around a cold fireplace. Luffy sprawled on the bed, his red cloak spread out like a picnic blanket, the bottle-Merry tucked safely inside. The others perched where they could, Zoro against the wall, swords within reach; Sanji lighting a cigarette by the window; Nami and Usopp on the edge of the bed, still twitchy; Chopper curled up in a blanket; Robin flipping through a dusty book from the nightstand; Franky tinkering with his cola grenades.
Usopp broke the silence first, his voice a whisper-shout. "Okay, can we talk about how creepy this all is? That Hogback guy, stitched-up face, claw hands, laughing like a hyena. And his 'servant' Cindry? She's throwing plates on us like we're target practice! This mansion screams zombie central. He's gotta be the one making them!"
Nami nodded vigorously, hugging her knees. "Right? Those things we fought on the way here, the tree zombies, the animal hybrids, they didn't just happen. Hogback's a surgeon, remember? A twisted one. He's probably stitching corpses together in his lab right now!"
Franky crossed his massive arms, his mechanical joints whirring. "SUPER suspicious. The doc locked himself out earlier like an amateur, but his eyes? They were sizing us up. And that threat to Chopper about the lab? Not cool."
Sanji exhaled a cloud of smoke, his brow furrowed. "Yeah, and he knew about Enies Lobby. News doesn't travel that fast unless you've got connections. Marine connections, maybe. And worse, he has ties to this Moria creep. We can't trust him."
Zoro grunted in agreement, his eyes sharp. "He's hiding something big. That hostility wasn't just doctor ego. Felt like he was one wrong question away from siccing more zombies on us."
Chopper, who had been quietly listening, his fur still damp and fluffed from the bath, shook his head emphatically. "No, no! You guys are wrong! Dr. Hogback is a genius! His papers revolutionized medicine. He made cures for rare diseases, breakthroughs in anatomy! He disappeared to focus on his work, that's all. He can't be involved with zombies... right? They're not even scientific!"
The little reindeer looked around pleadingly, his admiration clashing with the growing dread in the room. "Luffy? What do you think? Hogback's not bad, is he?"
All eyes turned to their captain. Luffy sat up, his strawhat tilting back, revealing eyes that flickered with a faint golden hue. He scratched his cheek thoughtfully, then grinned, but it wasn't his usual carefree shishishi. This one had an edge, as if the sunlight was cutting through storm clouds.
"Nah, he's an enemy," Luffy declared confidently, his voice steady and absolute. "Don't trust him. Something's rotten inside him like bad meat. He feels like lies and evil."
Chopper's starry eyes dimmed, his shoulders slumping. He deflated like a punctured balloon, hooves fidgeting with the blanket. "But... his work... I thought..." He trailed off, accepting the verdict with a heavy sigh. Luffy's instincts were proven right again and again, everyone knew this, so if the captain said Hogback was bad news, then he was. "Okay... if you say so, Luffy."
Nami patted Chopper's head gently. "It's alright, Chopper. You'll find better heroes out there."
Usopp leaned forward, trying to shake off the gloom. "So, what now? We can't just sit here waiting for zombie room service. We need info on the shadows… where Brook's is, how to get it back."
Brook nodded his skull, his afro bobbing. "Indeed. My shadow should be nearby. Thriller Bark isn't as vast as it seems; the main operations are centered around this mansion and the graveyard beyond. Hogback would know, Moria's 'collection' is his playground too."
Franky cracked his knuckles. "Then let's find the creep and squeeze some answers out of him. Politely, of course. Or not."
Sanji stubbed out his cigarette. "I'm with that. But quietly, no alerting the whole island."
Zoro stood, swords clinking. "Lead the way, skeleton."
Robin closed her book with a soft smile. "I'll keep watch from the shadows."
Luffy jumped off the bed, cloak swirling. "Yosh! Let's go interrogate the bad doctor!"
They slipped out of the room like ghosts themselves, the mansion's halls creaking under their footsteps. Candles in sconces flickered as they passed, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to whisper warnings. The air grew colder the deeper they went, the fog from outside seeping through cracked windows like probing fingers.
Down the spiral staircase they crept, Nami and Usopp clutching their weapons, Chopper in Walk Point for stealth, Franky dimming his lights. Brook led, his bony feet silent on the carpet. "The dining hall," he murmured. "That's where he'd linger, plotting over with Cindry-chan, no doubt."
They reached the grand doors, ornate wood carved with skeletal motifs. Zoro pushed them open slowly, but no light spilled out. The hall was empty, pitch black, the candles snuffed as if by an unseen breath. Moonlight filtered weakly through high windows, illuminating dust motes swirling like lost souls.
"Where's he?" Usopp hissed, his voice echoing unnaturally.
Nami shivered. "This place gives me the creeps all over again."
Sanji's lighter flicked on, a tiny flame piercing the dark. "Spread out. Check the corners."
But as they stepped in, the doors slammed shut behind them with a thunderous bang and suddenly the candles burned alight before the weakling trio could shout.
The chandelier above flared to life with a dramatic flicker, casting jagged shadows across the dining hall like claws scraping the walls. The sudden illumination revealed a figure hanging upside down from the central fixture. He was a bat-like man with pale skin, sharp fangs peeking from a polite smile, and wings folded neatly against his back. His eyes gleamed red in the candlelight, and he swayed gently, like a pendulum in a haunted clock.
"KYAAAAAAAAA!" Nami, Usopp, and Chopper's screams erupted in perfect harmony, their bodies freezing in terror. Nami's hands flew to her mouth, Usopp's knees buckled so hard he nearly toppled into Chopper, and the little reindeer transformed into Heavy Point on instinct, hooves raised like a boxer facing a ghost. Tears welled up in their eyes again, streaming down in fresh rivers.
"V-V-VAMPIRE!" Usopp wailed, pointing a shaking finger. "He's hanging like a bat! He's gonna suck our blood! We're doomed!"
Chopper nodded frantically, his massive form trembling. "Vampire! Real vampire! He'll turn us into undead reindeer and humans and skeletons and cyborgs!"
Nami clutched her Clima-Tact like a lifeline. "Get away! I knew this mansion was bad news! Now we're vampire food!"
Sanji's cigarette nearly fell from his lips, his eyes twitching. Franky let out a low "SUPER not good," his arms whirring into position. Luffy tilted his head curiously, his red eyes narrowing slightly. Brook's jaw dropped (literally, he picked it up and clacked it back into place). But Zoro and Robin? They just sweat-dropped, exchanging a glance of mild exasperation, Zoro with a grunt, Robin with a faint chuckle behind her hand.
The hanging man flipped gracefully, landing on the table with a soft thud, his bat wings folding away. He adjusted his butler-like suit, complete with a bow tie, and bowed deeply.
"My deepest apologies for the fright! I am Hildon, humble servant of this mansion. But I assure you, I am no vampire, I am merely a... unique individual. Master Hogback and Cindry-chan have retired for the night. May I escort you back to your rooms? It's quite late, and the halls can be... tricky." His voice was smooth, almost too polite, with a faint hiss on the s's that set teeth on edge.
Luffy stepped forward, his small frame radiating quiet intensity. The air around him warmed subtly, like sunlight piercing clouds. "Nah. I know Hogback's a bad guy. Where is he? Tell us now."
Hildon's smile faltered for a split second–a twitch at the corner of his mouth, eyes widening imperceptibly–before he burst into laughter, a high-pitched chitter that echoed off the walls. "Hahaha! Bad guy? Oh, dear guest, you must be mistaken. Master Hogback is a genius surgeon and a.." he smirked, his arms spread wide as the paintings on the walls stirred. Eyes in the portraits blinked, mouths twisted into snarls. Canvas ripped as painted figures clawed their way out–knights in rusted armor, ladies with fangs, beasts with glowing eyes–lunging at the crew with unearthly howls.
"Surprise!" a voice cackled from the far wall. The taxidermied pig's head mounted on a plaque from earlier burst into laughter, its glassy eyes rolling. "Buhihi! I'm Buhichuck, leader of these Surprise Zombies! You intruders are done for!"
The rug beneath their feet rippled, rising up as Rug Bear, who was a massive bear pelt with stitched eyes and a gaping maw, roared to life, claws scraping the floorboards.
Chaos erupted.
"Z-Z-ZOMBIES AGAIN!" Usopp screamed, firing pellets wildly. One hit a painted knight, who staggered back.
Chopper transformed back to Brain Point, dodging a lady zombie's swipe. "Not more undead!"
Nami swung her Clima-Tact. "Thunderbolt Tempo!" Lightning crackled, zapping two portraits mid-leap.
Sanji ignited his leg. "Diable Jambe! Concassé!" He shattered a beast zombie's canvas body with a flaming kick.
Zoro drew his swords in a blur. "Onigiri!" Three slashes cleaved through a trio of knights, sending scraps fluttering.
Franky fired his Weapons Left. "Strong Right!" A punch demolished Rug Bear's advance, resulting in its fur to get singed by a nearby candle.
Brook unsheathed his cane-sword. "Hanauta Sanchou: Yahazu Giri!" A swift cut and purified a fanged lady, her form crumbling.
But the zombies kept coming, swarming from every frame and fixture. Luffy stretched his arms, grabbing two and slamming them together. "They're weak! Let's finish 'em!"
Robin crossed her arms calmly. "Cien Fleur: Clutch!" Extra limbs bloomed from the floor and walls, grabbing zombies mid-air and holding them down in a tangle of arms and legs. The Surprise Zombies struggled, Buhichuck's pig head squealing from his plaque. "Buhihi! Get off, you flowery freak!"
"Now!" Luffy shouted, his eyes flashing gold. The crew attacked as one–Sanji's flames, Zoro's blades, Franky's beams, Usopp's stars, Nami's gusts, Chopper's chops, Brook's requiems–all piling on the immobilized undead.
Luffy leaped into the fray, his fists glowing. "Gomu Gomu no... Pistol!" But instead of rubber, his punch vaporized a downed knight in a burst of steam and ash. He followed with more, each strike turning zombies to dust with purifying light. "Take that! And that!"
The hall filled with screams and sizzles, the air heating like an oven. In seconds, the zombies were gone, reduced to smoldering scraps and empty frames.
Buhichuck's eyes bulged from his plaque. "Buhihi?! What the–! How did you–! Impossible! Master Moria will hear of this!"
Hildon, who had been hovering near the chandelier, flared his wings and bolted for a high window. "Time to report!"
Luffy's arm stretched like lightning. "Oh no you don't!" He snagged Hildon's leg, yanking him back down with a thud. The bat-man crashed onto the table, dazed but intact, his shadow still firmly attached, flickering in the light.
"Gotcha!" Luffy grinned, pinning him with one hand. "Now, tell us where Hogback is. And the shadows. No lies!"
Hildon squirmed, his polite facade cracking. "I-I don't know! Please, I'm just a servant–"
Luffy's eyes narrowed, gold intensifying. The drumbeat in his chest thrummed louder. "Liar. I can tell." Without thinking, he punched… maybe a bit too hard. Hildon's head snapped back, eyes rolling up as he went limp, out cold.
The hall went silent for a second, until it was shattered by Nami's explosion. "LUFFY! You idiot captain! You knocked him out! He was our only lead to Hogback! How are we supposed to find anything now?!"
She stormed over, staff raised threateningly, tears of frustration mixing with anger. Usopp and Chopper nodded vigorously behind her, still panting from the fight.
Luffy scratched his head sheepishly, giggling. "Shishishi! Oops. Sorry! He was lying anyway. I got carried away."
Zoro sheathed his swords with a sigh. "Typical."
Sanji lit a new cigarette. "Great. Now we're blind in zombie central."
Franky snapped his fingers. "Wait a sec! Pig-head's still here!" He marched over to Buhichuck's plaque, grabbing the edges. "You! Buhichuck, right? Spill it! Where's Hogback? Where are the shadows?"
The pig zombie's eyes darted. "Buhihi! Like I'd tell you intruders! Master Moria–"
Brook interrupted, his voice thoughtful. "No need to waste time on him. If we're to purify these souls and retrieve my shadow, we need the secret item. It's in the kitchen.. salt. Pure salt purifies zombies and frees the shadows."
Nami blinked. "Salt? Like... table salt?"
Usopp grins and strikes a heroic pose, while holding a small pouch "I knew it! That's why I brought salt in the first place!
Brook nodded. "Yohohoho! Precisely. The kitchen should be nearby. Let's stock up and press on."
Luffy pumped his fist. "Yosh! To the kitchen! Adventure continues!"
.
Far outside, near the outer wall where the Going Merry had once docked, a weathered barrel rocked violently on the gravel as muffled curses echoed from inside.
"Damn those pirates! That orange-haired witch and her rubber-brained captain! How dare they stuff the great Absalom into a barrel like common trash!" The lid rattled as the invisible lion-man thrashed, his voice a mix of rage and indignity. "I'll make them pay, especially that woman. The nerve of her, beating me like that…"
He paused, his breath hitching. Then his tone shifted to dreamy and lovesick.
"But… what a wife she'd make. So strong, so fiery… beating me with such passion. Yes… Nami-san would be the perfect bride. I can already see it.. our wedding in the graveyard, her in white, me carrying her over the threshold invisibly… Finally, I could also get away from that mad hog of a woman."
The barrel rocked again, this time with a sigh.
From the shadows of a crumbling tower, a single Hollow-Hollow watched. The translucent ghost hovered silently, its empty eyes fixed on the lovesick rant for a long moment. Then, without a sound, it drifted upward, joining a swirling flock of its kind, dozens of pale, moaning spirits streaming through cracked windows and open doors, all converging on the mansion's highest tower.
They poured into a dimly lit bedroom, pink and frilly despite the island's decay. A young girl lay on her massive bed, pale pink hair spread like a halo, eyes closed in sleep. Perona, the Ghost Princess, lay motionless as the Hollows circled her once, twice, then dove straight into her body. She inhaled sharply, eyes snapping open, glowing faintly as the negative energy replenished her. A small, satisfied smile curved her lips before she drifted back into slumber.
Down the hall, heavy footsteps echoed through a corridor lined with ancient armor. A lone figure strode. It was a zombie samurai in tattered white robes and a sword at his hip. He was Ryuma, the legendary warrior reanimated, who paused before a row of animated paintings that whispered and gibbered.
"The pests have entered the mansion," one painting hissed, a portrait of a snarling knight.
"They fight well," another added, a lady with bleeding eyes.
Ryuma's stitched mouth twitched into a faint smirk. "I'll round them up myself. A dragon does not suffer from rats in its lair."
Then, to the paintings' surprise, he threw his head back and laughed. It was Brook's unmistakable, theatrical laugh ringing through the hall. "YOHOHOHO!"
Elsewhere, deep in the bowels of Thriller Bark, three small figures scampered through shadowed passages. Gyoro, Nin, and Bao–the pint-sized zombie trio–dashed on stubby legs, their stitched bodies bouncing with urgency.
"Boss! Boss! Wake up!" Gyoro squeaked, the ninja zombie leading the charge.
They burst into a vast throne room, dimly lit by flickering torches. Massive shadows stretched across the floor, and at the far end loomed a colossal figure cast entirely in darkness, his body unrecognizable, a mountain of silhouette with only sharp teeth and glowing eyes visible.
Gecko Moria lounged on his throne, unmoving as the three zombies skidded to a halt before him.
"The Strawhats are here, Boss!" Nin blurted, the dog-like zombie panting. "They beat Absalom and stuffed him in a barrel! And they're in the mansion now, fighting the Surprise Zombies!"
Bao nodded frantically, the little penguin zombie flapping stubby arms. "They've got the skeleton with them, Brook! And their captain… he's weird! Glowy and strong, he can dust us with a single touch!"
Moria stirred at last. A low, rumbling chuckle escaped him, deep and sinister, shaking dust from the rafters. "Kishishishi… Strawhat Luffy. Finally."
He leaned forward slightly, still shrouded in shadow, his voice a velvet drawl laced with ambition.
"I will be the King of the Pirates. Not those Roger's brats, not Whitebeard, not anyone. But me. And to do that… I'll need the strongest shadows." His mouth curled into a crooked grin and his massive hand flexed in the dark, claws glinting.
"These Straw Hats will make perfect puppets. Their strength, their will, stolen and bent to my command. An army of the living dead, powered by the living's fire." Then his grin widened, teeth flashing like a crescent moon in the gloom. "And for my greatest creation yet, I've found the perfect shadow."
His eyes burned brighter. "The Red Maniac Cyra now known as Monkey D. Luffy. The brat's light will be trapped in my darkness and his shadow shall bring my victory. Kishishishi…"