On the Grand Line stood a place known as Devil Island, home to the infamous Shuigu Town. The island had earned its name because of that town. It was said that once someone entered Shuigu Town, they would never return alive.
The Blackbeard Pirates arrived at the island under a sky shrouded in thick, unmoving clouds. Blackbeard had always treated the rumor with skepticism, yet his gambler's instinct drew him there regardless. If there was even a chance that something extraordinary lay hidden within, he would not ignore it.
As their ship approached the island, the atmosphere shifted. Even before they set foot on land, the sun disappeared behind layers of oppressive darkness. The sky resembled the perpetual gloom of the Florian Triangle, heavy and unnatural.
When they disembarked, a suffocating silence greeted them. The entire island felt abandoned. There were no townsfolk, no animals, not even the sound of insects. It was as if life itself had been erased.
A cold wind swept across the shore, causing Blackbeard to shiver slightly.
"This island really is strange," he muttered. "It is broad daylight, yet there is no sunlight at all."
glanced around calmly. "This is only the outskirts. The true horror lies within Shuigu Town. According to rumor, no one has ever walked out alive."
Nearby, Trebol forced a flattering smile. "Captain Teach, this place has always been like this. The sky is covered in thick clouds that never disperse. Day looks like night here."
Baby 5 tilted her head. "Captain Teach, why exactly did we come?"
Blackbeard's lips curled into a dark grin.
"There is a legend about this town," he said. "A legend about Vampires."
"Vampires?" Baby 5 repeated, curiosity replacing her unease.
Shiryu spoke evenly. "The story says that long ago, a Vampire appeared here. In a single night, every resident on the island was drained of blood. The once clear sky turned permanently overcast because a barrier was placed over Shuigu Town. Since then, sunlight has never touched this place."
He continued, voice steady.
"The World Government once attempted to investigate. However, the island's magnetic field is chaotic. Log Poses cannot guide ships here. Once inside Shuigu Town, even Den Den Mushi cannot connect to the outside world. Many have landed here over the years, but none ever returned. Eventually, the World Government declared it a forbidden zone."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Because of that, rumors spread. Ghosts, cursed Devil Fruits, hidden treasures. No one knows what is true."
Baby 5 frowned. "So no one has ever survived?"
"At least according to official records," Shiryu replied coldly.
Blackbeard burst into laughter.
"Zehahahahaha! Then this is perfect. An unexplored island, cut off from the world. Let us see what secrets it hides."
Trebol hesitated. "Captain Teach, we are going in too?"
Blackbeard's grin widened, ferocious and amused. "Of course. You are my crew."
Soon, dozens of Blackbeard Pirates stepped into Shuigu Town.
The moment they crossed into the town proper, the temperature dropped further. The air felt damp and heavy. The houses were dilapidated, with broken walls and shattered windows. Clear signs of battle marked the streets, though they were old, worn by time.
Ahead of them lay several headless corpses.
Blackbeard paused, mildly surprised.
The crew approached cautiously. Shiryu crouched to inspect the bodies.
"They have been dead for a long time," he concluded.
He noticed something else. The corpses had unnaturally long fingernails, sharp and curved. Their skin was pale, almost gray.
Baby 5 looked at the scene grimly. "These must have been people who entered Shuigu Town. But who cut off their heads?"
Shiryu stood upright. "Who knows. But this place is indeed unusual. Teach, should we continue?"
Blackbeard laughed loudly.
"Since we are already here, why would we turn back? If someone is behind this, I want to meet him."
Shiryu's lips curved faintly. "I thought you would say that."
They pressed forward.
Suddenly, sharp squeaking sounds echoed through the streets.
Figures began emerging from the darkened houses. Their eyes glowed red. Their skin was corpse pale. Fangs protruded from their mouths, and their nails were long and razor sharp. They looked like distorted humans, neither fully alive nor truly dead.
Jesus Burgess stared in shock. "What are these things? Are they humans or ghosts?"
Shiryu's gaze sharpened. "Living people should not exist here. Judging by their appearance, they match the old legends."
"Are there really Vampires in this world?" Burgess muttered.
Blackbeard's expression hardened with excitement.
"Zehahahahaha! I do not care what they are. Come!"
Darkness spread beneath his feet like liquid shadow.
"Release."
"All of you, come out."
From the swirling blackness, corpses rose. Zombies clawed their way into the open air, groaning as they charged toward the Vampires.
Blackbeard laughed wildly.
"This is my Undying Legion. Let us see whether zombies or Vampires are stronger."
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
The rest of the crew engaged as well. Steel clashed against claw, and gunfire echoed through the abandoned streets.
Shiryu cut down several Vampires with swift precision. "These creatures must be the people who died here long ago," he observed. "Someone turned them into this."
Blackbeard extended his hand.
"Darkness, Devour."
The power of the Dark Dark Fruit swallowed several Vampires into a vortex of blackness. Yet more poured out from the shadows of the buildings, their numbers seemingly endless.
Even Blackbeard raised an eyebrow at the tide of enemies.
If not for the army of zombies he had prepared, dealing with such numbers would have been troublesome.
Burgess smashed one aside with a powerful punch.
"No wonder this place is called a ghost town. Ordinary pirates would die the moment they stepped in."
As the fight continued, Shiryu noticed something critical. The Vampires' wounds regenerated rapidly. Slashes closed within seconds.
Without hesitation, he severed one cleanly at the neck. The body collapsed, finally motionless.
"Listen carefully," Shiryu called out. "They can only be stopped by cutting off their heads. Aim for the neck."
Burgess scowled. "That is easy for swordsmen to say."
The Vampires were not weak. In terms of strength, they rivaled pirates worth five to ten million Berries, and their regeneration made them even more troublesome.
Under the darkened sky of Shuigu Town, zombies and Vampires tore into each other, while the Blackbeard Pirates fought with savage determination.