Chapter 185: Plummeting from Paradise – Moria's Oath
High above the clouds, Ross descended slowly, Sora cradled in one arm and Reiju in the other. By easing their fall, he ensured it wouldn't jar Reiju too much. Though young, she was sturdy enough for the ride—as long as he avoided any wild drops.
"Whoa! This is amazing!" Reiju squealed, her eyes wide with thrill as the wind rushed past. She couldn't get enough of soaring through the sky.
Sora's gaze, meanwhile, locked onto the ship below. Zephyr balanced it effortlessly on his Geppo, keeping their speed steady despite the massive hull's drag. What stunned her most was how he controlled the descent—slow and even, like it was child's play.
"Admirals like him are in a league of their own," Ross said, shaking his head. "They could brawl for days without breaking a sweat. Hauling something this heavy? Easy."
He'd pushed his body through hellish training himself, so he knew the milestones. Hitting S Class opened a whole new realm. Zephyr wasn't even the strongest in that tier, but crossing the threshold changed everything.
Sora let out a wry laugh. "Hard to believe we share the same seas with you monsters."
She'd witnessed plenty—from Ohara's ashes under Sakazuki's flames, to the void where Ross first emerged, the Red the Aloof's final stand, and Apayado's endless chasm. Those sights only amplified her awe. Next to these titans, she felt like dust. The divide was insurmountable.
"That's why the World Government carves up the world," Ross explained with a grin. "They herd the real threats to the New World. Otherwise, these beasts would carve out their own empires everywhere, turning the World Government into a joke."
"Exactly," Sora agreed. "That kind of raw power is a nightmare to contain—total chaos machines with no limits."
The World Government could clamp down, sure. But one slip, one escapee, and kingdoms crumbled. High mobility plus unmatched destruction? Unstoppable.
"In a world of Devil Fruits and Haki," Ross added, "ruling costs more than just wrecking things. Always has." He sighed. "Domination demands balance."
Their drop was leisurely—fifty meters a second tops. They'd be down in minutes, but Ross aimed precisely. He'd already signaled Spandam and Moria from Skypiea. Moria's ship lurked nearby, right in their path.
Sora glanced at him. "Any fixes for when we hit that level ourselves? We'll have our share of powerhouses, but control's the key."
Like in Alabasta—Red the Aloof could've ended Cobra in seconds if he'd wanted. Strong rulers weren't always the strongest fighters. Few balanced both.
Ross shrugged. "Not with our current setup. But if I ran the World Government? I'd choke off pirates' paths to the top. Hunt or recruit the potentials early. Starve the seas of new monsters."
"Aren't they doing that already?" Sora frowned.
"Sort of," Ross said. "But their game's all wrong. Member nations are just ATMs to them—keep 'em scared and coughing up tribute. I wouldn't let the chaos fester. I'd hit harder, smarter."
He wasn't like the World Government, content with scraps. Ross wanted the full canvas: shaping the world his way, refining it into something grand. Every soul, every berry mattered. Defiers? They got erased.
Sora nodded, nestling closer as the sea loomed below. "Different ambitions, different rules. Makes sense."
Their altitude dropped fast now—the blue expanse rushed up. "One minute out," Ross said, smirking. "Moria's waiting with a 'gift' from Spandam. Bet it's his usual sleaze."
Sora rolled her eyes. "Probably some poor woman. If it's not your type, hand it off to me."
Ross chuckled. "Generous as ever."
He didn't care about the details. Moria delivering Spandam's offering showed loyalty—the real prize. Moria's skills outshone any trinket Spandam could snag. You don't poach queens for a lackey's present.
"Nah," Sora replied. "It's yours. I don't sweat the help around here." She paused, her voice softening. "Though with your position... you could use more hands. Moira's a plant, and Stella's stretched thin."
Ross grinned but said nothing as the ship finally hit the waves. A thunderous splash erupted, waves rolling out from the impact. Zephyr had slowed it, but the sheer mass still churned the sea.
Moria's hulking vessel bobbed nearby, Thriller Bark's gloomy silhouette cutting the horizon. Moria stood at the prow, a sealed crate at his side. A tiny peephole let its occupant—Otohime—peer out.
He and the queen gaped upward, frozen in shock. Ross's crew had plummeted from ten thousand meters like it was a stroll. Zephyr juggling the ship mid-air? Insane. But Ross gliding down, arms full, with that effortless grace? Godlike.
Moria swallowed hard. He couldn't match that—not even close. His fruit let him "fly," but this was pure mastery. And the Conqueror's Haki rolling off Ross... it pressed like a storm, forcing Moria's eyes away. Kaido's presence never hit this hard.
He can avenge me. No doubts, no backing out.
Excitement surged through Moria. This alliance was gold. He'd bet right.
—
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