Summary:
On the stairs leading up to the mansion on Thriller Bark, Zoro says that it can be hard to find zombies with their shadows. Chopper says that Luffy’s zombie is huge, twice the size of normal giants, and that the Straw Hats might not be able to defeat it. However, Luffy says that he doesn’t need to look for his zombies, but Zoro says that they can’t step into the sun without their shadows. Luffy claims that since the old man they met in the graveyard said they might be able to defeat Gecko Moria, all they have to do is defeat him and get their shadows back. The rest of the crew is surprised and Sanji says that the man actually said that. Luffy points up the stairs to the mansion and says that he will defeat Moria and get their shadows back. Luffy then tells Sanji to go save Nami, causing him to burst into flames in anger, saying that he will defeat Absalom and prevent Nami from getting married. Usopp adds that Absalom took a long look at Nami in the shower, infuriating Sanji even more. Zoro tells Usopp not to excite him anymore as he is about to transform into something. Usopp says that it is his fault that Nami was captured before his eyes, and since he does not want to meet Moria, he decides to accompany Sanji. Worried about Brook, Franky decides to check on him and Zoro decides to go with him as he wants to see the legendary samurai that has Brook’s shadow. Nico Robin says the key is defeating Moria, and Chopper says that even though they talk about the adventure like it’s easy, they’re still fighting the sea warrior. Luffy says it’s the same as Crocodile, but Chopper says that Luffy almost died then and that he needs to take better care of himself because Luffy’s zombie is huge. Usopp then throws each of the Straw Hats a bag of salt that Zoro said Usopp used to make. Usopp says they have no sense of danger and tells the crew that even though the island is surrounded by a deep fog, there’s no guarantee the sun won’t shine through them, so dawn is their time limit. Luffy says that he hates not eating until dawn and says that it will make Gecko Moria regret fighting them. This will split the crew into their groups.
On the mast of the Thriller Bark, Oars looks at the island and is amazed that it is a ship. However, he sees nothing and decides to become a pirate king with the Thriller Bark as his ship. At the mansion, Moria asks Perona where the oars went, and she replies that he climbed the mast. Some zombies complain that they can’t let the oars roam the island because it’s too dangerous, but Moria simply replies that once they have the oars, they’ll be able to get the shadows of stronger people and create special zombies. Moria tells Hogback that he will have to make better bodies for the zombies and he says to leave it to him. Suddenly Hildon flies in saying there is a problem. Hildon states that the three people who lost their shadows (Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji) have all woken up and are approaching. Hogback says they shouldn’t be waking up so early, but Hildon says maybe their colleagues woke them up. Hildon continues and says that they seem to be connected to Brook and that they know how to purge zombies. This makes zombies scared and running. Hogback says that the surprise, savage, and military zombies are no match for the Straw Hats even without salt, and that they need to get the general zombies to fight. Hogback asks what Absalom is doing, but Hildon says that most of the general zombies are attending his wedding ceremony. Additionally, Hildon says that Absalom wants Hogback to dance at his reception in an hour, and although Hogback agrees at first because it’s a special occasion, he then says that he doesn’t have time to dance. Hogback tells Hildon to go get Absalom, but Hildon says he can’t in his current position. Perona laughs and says she doesn’t need to ask Absalom anything. He says they just need to weaken the Straw Hats with her ghosts so the zombie soldiers can take them out. Perona promises to get them and tells Hogback to go make bodies for the shadows they captured. Perona then leaves and Hogback says he’s glad they have her on their side. Hogback tells Moria that everything is fine, and Moria says it’s boring, though Hogback says he wouldn’t do anything anyway. Moria decides to stay and play with Oars for a while, and since Absalom is indisposed, Hogback asks for two zombies for himself.
On the stairs, Luffy fights his way through the hordes of zombies looking for his food, while Sanji kicks the zombies away and asks which one was looking for Nami. Usopp, Robin, and Chopper follow them and Usopp states that they don’t need the salt because they are full of anger, making Chopper wonder if they really care about their shadows. Zombie yells that five enemies (Luffy, Sanji, Usopp, Robin, and Chopper) are approaching the ballroom, as well as two below (Zoro and Franky), and that they can’t stop either group. As Zoro and Franky fight their way through, Zoro wonders how he was ever captured by the zombies, and Franky says that since he saved Zoro, his name should be Aniki, which Zoro counters. Meanwhile, at the top of the bridge, Robin is surprised to see Luffy and Sanji fall after being hit by spirits that turned all their thoughts negative. The zombies catch the two and Robin says that they don’t know how to reverse the effect of the ghosts. Usopp shoots salt into the zombies’ mouths and Chopper and Usopp carry Luffy and Sanji up the stairs. Suddenly, the oars jump from the mast onto the bridge, crushing both the top and bottom, sending Usopp and Sanji crashing into the bottom. Chopper, left with Robin and Luffy at the top, is shocked to see that Usopp, Sanji, and all the zombies have fallen, while at the bottom, Franky and Zoro wonder what the wall is like in front of them. Zoro stabs him and says it’s not a stone, and Franky shoots him. However, Usopp stops them, saying that the massive object is not actually a wall, but Luffy’s zombie.