How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 443 Moria Joins the Fellowship

Britannias.

Moria awoke two days later.

The blinding sunlight streamed in through the window, shining on him, but it brought him no warmth whatsoever.

His memory was somewhat hazy, but he still remembered the moment when the Shadow Strike, which gathered all his strength, pierced Kaido's heart.

No one can withstand an attack that pierces the heart, not even Kaido of the Beasts.

he……

He must be dead, right?!
Definitely!

Moria felt inexplicably uneasy.

He looked around.

Only then did I realize that I was lying in a hospital room, next to a... raccoon dog wearing a white coat and a pink round hat?
No, it's a deer.

Moria recognized it; after all, no tanuki has horns on its head. Surely no one would get that wrong?

Faced with the presence of someone who had saved him, and who was also a seemingly harmless elk, Moria's unease gradually subsided:

"Where am I?! Did you save me, Dr. Deer?!"

"doctor?!"

The word "doctor" seemed to trigger a switch in Chopper; his little ears twitched, and his chin lifted slightly.

"That's right, I'm Dr. Chopper, and this is the mission the captain gave me."

"captain?!"

Moriah was slightly taken aback, then quickly came to his senses:

"Knight Gawain?"

This is Britannias. The only way to survive such injuries is through the intervention of Gawain and his gang.

Back when the World Government stripped Moria of his title as a Shichibukai and handed it over to Gawain, he had harbored resentment towards the man who had ripped away his last shred of dignity.

In particular, the World Government's unchanged bounty is practically rubbing Moria's dignity into the ground.

But with the passage of time, that hatred has long since faded, and Moria, who suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Straw Hats, even feels a bit more grateful to Gawain.

After all, if Gawain hadn't broken his comfort zone, he might have remained immersed in the dream of defeating Kaido with the power of zombies until his death, unwilling to wake up.

"By the way, how is Kaido?!"

Moria seemed to remember something and quickly pressed for news, unable to rest easy until he received word of Kaido's death.

"Even with that monster's vitality, such injuries would be..."

"He's not dead."

A slightly deep voice came from inside the ward, and the door was pushed open.

Moria was also seeing the man who was rumored to be the strongest in the world for the first time:

"Knight Gawain!"

It was late at night. Moonlight shone in from outside, falling on Gao Wen and illuminating his extremely heroic figure!

A form-fitting silver-white armor, neat short hair, and a handsome face...

Moria had seen these iconic features countless times in the newspapers.

But what truly terrified him was that he hadn't sensed even the slightest bit of the oppressive aura that a strong person should have from Gawain.

Instead, a sense of calm prevailed.

Yes, calm.

Just as when a person faces a high mountain or gazes at the sea, they feel awe but not fear.

This man was just standing there, and Moria had this feeling!

Transcendent and unparalleled in the world!
"Knight... Gawain!"

This was Moria's only thought at that moment, so he recited the man's name again, but his tone was completely different.

In his youth, he roamed the seas, risking his life to defeat powerful figures who had vanished into the river of time in his quest to become the sole king.

Even the strongest person Moria had ever seen was far inferior to the man before him.

He stood there quietly, yet he inspired in no one the slightest desire to fight him, as if it were an instinctive resistance to battle.

Moria was stunned for a long time before belatedly realizing what Gawain had said. His expression changed drastically, and his eyes were filled with resentment.
"You're saying... Kaido isn't dead?!"

"Impossible! I saw the Shadow Dagger pierce his chest with my own eyes. No one could survive such an injury, not even Kaido!"

Gawain shook his head and explained:

"Your attack did break through Kaido's defenses, piercing his dragon scales and penetrating deep into his flesh, but unfortunately it failed at the last moment, as you exhausted your strength."

"If you could have held on for just a moment longer, the outcome of this battle would have been different. Unfortunately, your luck wasn't as good as Kaido's."

Moria slumped against the wall:
"Even if I go to that extent, even if I risk the next few decades of my life, I still won't be able to completely kill that monster?!"

"hiss--!"

Moria took a deep breath, covered his face with his hands, and leaned against the hospital bed.

From Gawain's perspective, he couldn't see Moria's expression.

But what Gawain could see was Moria's fingernails digging deep into the skin on his face, and bright red blood was flowing down his fingers, a gruesome sight.

"and many more!"

Chopper tried to stop him, but Gawain held him back.

He turned to look at Gao Wen, and then got the answer from Gao Wen.

"This is the bitter pill that losers must swallow; sometimes, that's just how fate is."

"The difference between people is that some people give up on themselves after experiencing setbacks."

Gawain's gaze fell on Moria.

Although he coveted Moria's Shadow-Shadow Fruit and even saved him, he also harbored some doubt about whether he could accept it.

After all, the next opponent will be the World Government.

A colossal entity that dominated the world for eight hundred years, suppressing countless heroes and outstanding figures, and standing tall in the sea for eight hundred years without decaying.

This would have been almost impossible in Gawain's previous life.

As times progress, contradictions accumulate.

No matter how prosperous a dynasty is, it will inevitably decline. This process takes anywhere from a few decades to a maximum of three or four hundred years. There has never been a truly long-lasting era.

This is determined by objective laws and cannot be changed by individual will, but the existence of the World Government has extended this process to a full eight hundred years.

It is not hard to foresee that the depth of its accumulation will surely exceed imagination.

Therefore, Gao Wen needs to acquire as many usable combat forces as possible.

Moria's Shadow-Shadow Fruit is an anomaly even among the vast sea of ​​Devil Fruits.

The Shadow Gathering Grounds can increase their combat power without limit, which is outrageous no matter where they are placed.

It can be said that as long as there are enough shadows, and Moria's physique and will are improved, his combat power can easily reach the level of crushing Kaido.

But all of this depends on Moria's performance going forward.

A person who, after suffering a blow, retreats to a corner and lives a life of mediocrity, has no ability to suppress a massive number of shadows, let alone realize Gawain's vision.

Moria was able to suppress the shadows of thousands of prisoners not only because of his near-peak physique, but also because of his hatred for Kaido.

It is easy to see that to reach the upper limit of the Shadow Fruit, both physical strength and willpower are indispensable.

The former, under Gawain's command, naturally need not be worried; he can catch up simply through diligent training. The latter, however, depends entirely on Moria himself.

This is also one of Gao Wen's concerns.

"Kaido!"

Moria's voice was hoarse, suppressing anger and resentment.

He lost almost everything in that battle twenty years ago. He felt nothing but disdain for Kozuki Amatsu, who also bore the Kozuki surname.

Despite possessing overwhelming combat power and having the backing of Whitebeard and Roger, he acted like a fool, being played by Kaido and believing in the lies of Kaido and Orochi, being manipulated and toyed with.

Therefore, Moria decided to wield his sword against Kaido, but after a great battle, all that was left for him were mountains of corpses and a ship whose destination was unknown.

That night, countless comrades perished under Kaido's blade, yet they still pressed on, one after another, to open a bloody path for him to survive.

For the past twenty years, it has appeared in his dreams every day, like countless venomous snakes gnawing at his flesh!
revenge!

revenge!

In his turmoil, Moria's eyes turned bloodshot. He lowered his hand, revealing a狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious or hideous) face:

"A big shot like you is willing to save me, so you must want something from me. As long as you can give me the power of revenge, I will give you even my soul!"

Say it.

Moria looked up at the doorway, but saw only a cold expression on Gawain's face:
"Are you really willing to give it your all?"

"I can!"

"I want Perona and Absalom!"

Moriah's expression changed drastically:
"They can't."

Gawain remained calm and unyielding. Although Chopper didn't know what he was going to do, he didn't interrupt out of trust in Gawain, and only listened as Gawain continued:
"Their abilities are essential for what I need to do in the future. Sanji needs the Clear-Clear Fruit, while Perona's ability is perfect for another of my subordinates."

"They...can't do it!"

Moria shook his head, refusing to back down an inch.

After the battle with the Straw Hat, he re-examined everything about himself and naturally understood what was most important to him.

Seeking revenge against Kaido is only the second priority, after protecting one's comrades.

Faced with Gawain's request, Moria slowly sat up straight and looked directly into those calm, emotionless eyes.

Faced with the man who had almost overwhelmingly defeated Whitebeard, and with himself severely wounded, he was already resigned to death.

For a while.

The air seemed to freeze. The dim yellow light in the room and the cold moonlight outside the window divided Gawain into two completely different worlds.

Time seemed to pass in a few breaths, yet also in several hours.

At one point, Moria felt a sense of relief wash over him.

The imposing aura that had been pressing down on his shoulders like a mountain suddenly dissipated, and he realized that his wounds had reopened without him noticing.

Blood seeped out, turning his entire body a scarlet color.

Moria, however, paid no heed to any of this, his gaze still fixed on Gawain, who had turned and walked away in the distance, while Gawain's faint voice reached his ears at that moment.

"Report to Crow's place tomorrow."

Moria paused for a moment, then suddenly realized something. He turned to look at Chopper, who was changing his bandages, and heard the latter mutter:

"The captain still has such a wicked sense of humor~"

"Sanji's need for invisibility can be achieved with Germa 66's raid suit. As for the ability Kalifa wants, it's not the Ghost-Ghost Fruit."

"Is this so..."

Moria understood something, looked at Gawain gradually disappearing into the moonlight outside the door, and chuckled:

"What a man with a perverse sense of humor!"

"but."

"A captain who puts his comrades first..."

Moriah suddenly realized.

He recalled those companions who risked their lives to block Kaido in order to buy him time to escape.

My feelings were complicated at that moment.

This moment is just like that moment.

……

Half an hour later.

The Great Route, the Devil's Triangle.

Perona and her two companions boarded a small boat, detached themselves from the Terror Tribe's sailboat, and headed towards the New World.

The news that Moria had joined Britannias and become a member of Gawain's ranks was not kept from them.

Let them make their own choices.

Should they remain in the Devil's Triangle, living a quiet life in a remote corner, or join Gawain's forces alongside Moria?

"Hey Hey hey……"

Absalom covered his head with his hands, his face filled with panic:

"That's Britannias, the strongest man in the world, under his command!"

"You all saw it, didn't you?!"

"The Knights of the Round Table under that man's command alone already possess combat power comparable to the Four Emperors. That place... is simply a den of dragons and tigers!"

"Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to go there without any preparation?"

Moria's sudden announcement that he had joined Gawain's ranks was undoubtedly a shocking piece of news for them.

After all, just before leaving Thriller Bark to participate in the World Martial Arts Tournament, Moria had said that he would lead them to defeat Kaido, seize One Piece, and realize their dream.

However, after being defeated by Kaido, he announced that he would join Gawain's crew.

There's something wrong with it no matter how you look at it!
The three of them weren't stupid; they could naturally see through it.

Perona puffed out her chubby cheeks:

"Lord Moria is seriously injured. Every second we delay will increase his danger!"

"Perhaps this call isn't a notification, but a request for help!"

Absalom was taken aback, but quickly regained his composure and took a deep breath:

"I see."

"I never said we wouldn't go to rescue Lord Moria, but we can't just rush in like this!"

"Perona, your ability is incredibly effective. If used properly, it can even subdue monsters like those from Britannias!"

"This is our last trump card!"

"If things go wrong, you can step in and control those monsters while I take Lord Moria and we escape invisibly."

Perona, holding the umbrella with both hands, couldn't help but swallow hard. Although she was somewhat hesitant, she still mustered her courage and spoke:

"I understand."

During their tactical discussion, Hoguba, who had been silent all along, slowly spoke:

"I think that if Lord Moria could join Knight Gawain's ranks, perhaps... it wouldn't be a bad thing."

"You're already thinking about betraying Lord Moria?!"

Absalom and the other man glared at each other.

Hogback wiped his forehead and explained:
"After all, Knight Gawain is now practically the uncrowned king of the seas, and Britannias's status is almost equal to that of the World Government."

"If there is any place that is the safest, apart from Mary Geoise, it is Britannias."

Perona was taken aback, and subconsciously said:

"Mary Geoise was almost blown to smithereens by the Neo Navy, and Britannias was attacked by ancient weapons..."

The three people on the small boat immediately fell silent. Hogubak struggled to get off the boat, but was held down firmly by Absalom beside him!
"I want to get off the ship! I want to go back!"

"Hehehehehe~~"

A silvery laugh echoed across the sea, yet the small boat steadfastly sailed toward the new world.

(End of this chapter)