Jin didn't waste any time.
He immediately condensed two special spheres of water using chakra.
Luffy blinked, completely confused about why Jin had suddenly made two water balls—each only about the size of a fist.
"Stretch out your hands."
"Oh."
Even though he didn't understand what Jin was planning, Luffy obediently held his hands out.
The next second, his eyes went wide.
The two water spheres suddenly attached themselves to his fists!
As the flowing water gradually wrapped around both of his hands, Luffy's eyes burst with dazzling light.
"A—Amazing!!"
He shook his arms up and down, trying to fling the water off, but it wouldn't budge at all.
Instead, it clung firmly to his fists—without affecting his movement in the slightest.
"What is this, Jin?!"
"That fat guy is a Heat-Heat Fruit user," Jin said calmly.
"He can instantly melt metal into liquid. That means temperatures of at least 1,500 degrees."
"And I suspect that isn't even his maximum temperature. If you rush in blindly, you'll definitely get burned."
"But with these two water layers, it's different. They'll isolate most of the heat for you."
"Luffy—go fight without holding back. And remember—use your fists."
After saying that, Jin patted Luffy on the shoulder, looking exactly like someone saying: You've been strengthened, now get in there.
"Hahahaha! You think two balls of water are enough to defeat me?" Achino sneered.
"I'm a Heat-Heat Fruit user—my maximum temperature can reach ten thousand degrees!"
"If you want to beat me, you'd need the ocean itself!"
When she heard the word ocean, Arubelu's body trembled slightly.
She instinctively recalled the terrifying scene of that man controlling seawater.
If he really used the sea… her father's Devil Fruit ability would probably be nullified in an instant.
"You'd better watch what you say," Nami said, narrowing her eyes at Arubelu.
Arubelu lowered her head without replying.
"Fatso, if you think it's really that simple," Jin said flatly,
"then come and try."
"Then let's—"
"Gomu Gomu no—Pistol!"
Luffy didn't give Achino any chance to keep talking.
His fist shot forward without mercy!
Bang!
This time, Luffy didn't feel any burning at all.
Instead, his punch landed solidly on Achino's stomach.
"Guh—!"
Achino slid backward across the ice, pain twisting his face.
At the same time, confusion filled his mind.
Why hadn't his heat evaporated the water?
In that instant, he had raised his temperature high enough to melt steel.
"Damn it… I can't even remember the last time someone actually hit me…"
Clutching his abdomen, Achino glared at Jin.
"You brat—what did you do?!"
"I don't have a habit of explaining my abilities to enemies."
"Tch…!"
Achino was furious.
If his ability was being countered, his combat strength would drop drastically.
After all, his power relied almost entirely on his Devil Fruit.
"This is amazing!" Luffy shouted excitedly, staring at his fists.
"I can't feel the heat at all!"
"So this is what using ninjutsu feels like?!"
"This is awesome!!"
He never imagined he'd get to experience something like ninjutsu one day.
Jin was really being great to him.
"It's just water! I refuse to believe I can't break it!" Achino roared.
Activating his ability, he rushed straight at Luffy.
"Gomu Gomu no—Bazooka!"
"I dodge~!"
BOOM!
Luffy's twin fists smashed into the ice, blasting out a massive crater.
Meanwhile, Achino used steam propulsion to slide sharply to the side.
"It works!"
Excitement flashed through Achino's eyes.
As long as he could get close, he could evaporate that water completely!
"Jin, that's unfair!"
"Yeah, yeah—we want ninjutsu too!"
Usopp and the others immediately complained.
"We want to experience controlling ninjutsu too!"
"This isn't Luffy controlling ninjutsu," Jin said, spreading his hands.
"I'm the one maintaining it."
"You don't have chakra—there's really no way."
If he ever reached Six Paths–level strength, maybe he could share chakra.
But right now? Impossible.
"So… you're just teasing Luffy?"
"Not really. At least he gets to use the power of water, right?"
"Jin, what exactly do those water layers do?" Nami asked curiously.
"They prevent Luffy from getting burned," Jin replied.
"That guy clearly isn't good at hand-to-hand combat. Once his Devil Fruit advantage is neutralized, he doesn't have much left."
The water around Luffy's fists wasn't ordinary water—it was saturated with chakra.
Even if part of it evaporated, the chakra would instantly draw moisture from the air to replenish it.
With this, Luffy could punch that guy without taking any damage.
Usopp glanced at Achino and nodded seriously.
"Yeah… that makes sense."
He really didn't look like the physical-type.
Watching Luffy fight more and more enthusiastically, Jin said:
"This battle here is Luffy's now. It's time to go find Zoro."
The moment Zoro was mentioned, Nami's head started to hurt.
"How did that idiot manage to reach this place so fast?"
"Heh, that's because he's a master at getting lost," Sanji laughed.
"You guys go," Franky said.
"We can't leave this place completely unattended."
He still remembered that talk about the son-in-law—who knew if someone might try a sneak attack?
In the end, they split up.
Jin, Robin, Chopper, Usopp, Merry—and Lilu—headed off to find Zoro and collect what they were owed.
"Let's go."
Chopper transformed into his reindeer form, carrying the two girls on his back as they hurried toward the Achino residence.
"Hm?"
Achino glanced sideways as they ran past.
"Lilu…"
He couldn't understand why his daughter was running toward the house with the enemy.
She didn't look coerced at all—more like she went willingly.
…Ah, he got it.
She must be planning to use her special plant ability to restrain them!
That had to be it!
A grin spread across Achino's face.
"As expected of my daughter."
Bam!
While he was distracted, Luffy's punch smashed straight into his face, sending him spinning like a top before crashing into a massive ice block.
BOOM!
The ice shattered instantly, melting into thick clouds of steam.
"Damn it, Straw Hat brat—I'm angry now!" Achino roared.
"I'll melt your rubber down to nothing!"
"If you can do it, then try!"
The two charged at each other again.
"Brrr… it's freezing…"
In the underground prison, Zoro hugged his arms, shivering.
Good thing he'd drunk earlier—otherwise, this would've been unbearable.
"Hope those idiots can find this place…"
He'd searched nonstop for a way out, but the walls were smooth and bare—nothing to climb.
The only way up was for someone above to lower a rope or ladder.
Just then, he faintly heard familiar voices.
"It's here. They usually lock prisoners in this place."
"Yeah, I can smell Zoro."
"Zoro! Are you there?!"
"Chopper!"
Zoro's face lit up instantly.
"Hey! I'm down here!"
"That's Zoro's voice!" Chopper shouted happily.
"Quick—how do we open this thing?!"
Without a word, Lilu walked over and pressed a button.
The dungeon lid slowly opened.
Seeing that Zoro was unharmed, everyone relaxed.
"You really are something else…" Usopp muttered.
Climbing up the ladder, Zoro grinned.
"Finally rescued."
"Zoro, why were you here?" Merry asked curiously.
"Obviously because I was looking for you guys," Zoro replied.
"I followed the icebergs all the way here and still couldn't find anyone."
Usopp: ???
"HEY!!"
Usopp shoved his face right up to Zoro's.
"You're the one who got lost, you idiot!!"
"How's that possible?"
"How is it not possible?! We wandered the ice sea forever and never saw you once!"
"That's because you were lost. Of course you couldn't find me."
Usopp: ...
Why was this guy so confident?
"Honestly, if Zoro someday finds the One Piece by accident, I'd believe it," Jin muttered.
"Mm. Not impossible," Robin agreed with a smile.
"Zoro is… surprisingly amazing," Merry said.
"He's just directionally challenged," Lilu sighed.
Without guidance, even leaving the Ice Sea was difficult—yet this swordsman had somehow walked straight into their main base alone.
That was absurd.
"And who are you?" Zoro asked, looking at Lilu.
"Me…?" She sighed.
"I'm just a miserable hostage."
"A hostage?"
"I'll explain later," Jin said.
"Let's move. There's one more place to go."
Zoro nodded and followed without question.
Under Lilu's guidance, they arrived at a room filled with flowers and greenery.
"A garden… in this environment?" Usopp stared.
"That's insane."
Keeping plants alive in an icy wasteland took serious resources.
"Eh?"
"That flower just moved!" Merry pointed.
Robin and Jin immediately looked at Lilu.
Lilu pressed her lips together, glanced at Merry, then sighed—choosing not to act.
"Let's go. The next room."
Inside the true treasury, Zoro finally understood what they were here for.
And honestly? He saw no problem with it.
They'd tried to kill them—taking interest was more than fair.
As Jin casually collected the Beli, Lilu spoke softly.
"You've taken the money… can you let us go?"
"Kid, I already told you," Jin said calmly.
"We have no interest in hurting children."
"As long as you behave, we won't make things difficult."
Lilu exhaled in relief.
"Wait—the Phoenix Pirates' flag!" Chopper suddenly said.
Robin shook her head gently.
"A pirate's spirit must be reclaimed by their own hands. Otherwise, it becomes charity—and that's shameful."
Chopper thought for a moment, then nodded.
At that moment, his nose twitched.
"…Gino, huh."
He smiled faintly.
BOOM!!
A massive explosion shook the ground outside.
"What was that?!" Zoro said.
"Probably Luffy's fight."
"Let's go check."
As they moved away, Lilu suddenly called out:
"Merry!!"
"Hm?"
"Will we… meet again?"
Tears shimmered in her eyes.
This was the first friend her age she'd ever had—and that friendship had saved her life.
Now they were parting.
She didn't want it to end.
Merry turned back and gave her a bright smile.
"Lilu, don't be sad!"
"Someday in the future… we might meet again on the sea!"
"The sea…"
"That's right!"
Lilu smiled—truly relaxed.
Yes. Friends would meet again someday.
Even if they fought again when that day came…
That wouldn't erase their friendship.
"I'll look forward to that day!"
"Yeah!"
As Merry disappeared, Lilu whispered:
"Goodbye… my friend."
She turned toward the fogged window, steam blurring everything.
She knew her father was fighting outside.
"Dad… please come back safely."
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