After their emotions finally settled, Nami and the others explained to Jin how they ended up here.
"So… that's the reason you came here?"
Jin's mouth twitched.
Chased halfway across the forest by something that looked like a Cerberus, finally escaping with their lives—yet instead of returning to find their companions, they climbed into a stranger's carriage just because of a doctor's reputation…
How were these people this easy to trick?!
Did they seriously not consider the possibility that the other party might be dangerous?
"Y-yes… that's how it happened…"
"No, seriously," Jin said flatly.
"Chopper and Merry are one thing, but Usopp and Nami—how did you two also lose your minds?"
"Aren't you worried about outsiders harming you?!"
These two weren't stupid.
So how did they fall for something this obvious?
Or… did they just use their brains in very strange directions?
Thinking about how sharp Nami became whenever money was involved, Jin fell into deep contemplation.
"…Sorry."
Jin: "..."
Their sincere apologies actually left him speechless.
"Jin, don't scold them," Merry said softly.
"At the time, we really didn't know what to do."
They'd been chased nonstop by terrifying creatures—surviving at all was already a miracle.
Who had the mental space to think calmly under those conditions?
"You still have the nerve to speak up for them?" Jin snorted.
"Did you forget what you can do?"
"Huh? What can I do?"
"Reverse Summoning Jutsu, you little dummy!"
She had only learned that technique not long ago—how did she completely forget about it?
If she had summoned him immediately, what Cerberus nonsense?
He'd have beaten it until it couldn't even bark.
"…Sorry, I forgot," Merry said, lowering her head.
"I was too scared. It didn't even cross my mind."
Usopp and Chopper exchanged glances, then spoke up as well.
"We're at fault too… we forgot about it."
They'd both been present when Merry learned the technique—but fear had wiped it clean from their minds.
"I'm not holding an apology competition here," Jin said.
"I'm saying this so you remember next time. Use Reverse Summoning earlier. Got it?"
"Got it!"
"Good. As long as you remember."
Some lessons can't be taught by words—
once is enough when experience does the teaching.
After this incident, Merry would definitely never forget that she could use Reverse Summoning.
"Wait—what's Reverse Summoning Jutsu?" Nami asked.
Why did Usopp and Chopper know about this, but she didn't?
"It's a special ninja technique Merry learned," Usopp explained.
"She can summon Jin from far away."
Nami: "???"
She froze on the spot.
"Then why didn't you say that sooner?!"
If they'd summoned Jin earlier, would they have been chased through the forest like lunatics?!
One fire attack and that monster would've been roasted into a dead dog!
Her chest heaved with anger.
"If Jin hadn't arrived in time, we might've been eaten by zombies, you three idiots!"
Bang!
"…Sorry."
Watching the three apologize again so sincerely, Nami pressed a hand to her forehead.
She really should've insisted that Jin go with them earlier.
"Um… Nami," Usopp raised a hand with a giant bump on his head.
"Why am I the only one who got hit?"
"Do you have a problem with that?"
"…No."
Seeing Usopp's miserable state, Jin nearly burst out laughing.
Nami snorted, then turned to him.
"Let's go, Jin. We should go find Luffy and the others."
With Jin around, getting back to the ship wouldn't be a problem at all.
"Um… Jin…"
Chopper suddenly looked up.
"Can we go see Doctor Hogback first?"
"He's my idol. I really want to meet him."
He glanced toward the castle nearby.
"We're already so close. If we go in, we might see him right away."
Compared to regrouping, Chopper desperately wanted to meet his idol.
And with Jin—the powerful ninja—there, it should be safe.
"You sure?" Jin raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
"Did you notice something?" Nami asked.
She sensed something off in his tone—
as if this so-called Doctor Hogback had a problem.
"Do you think it's reasonable," Jin said calmly,
"for a so-called 'world's greatest doctor' to live in a place crawling with zombies?"
"And think carefully—didn't those zombies have stitching marks on their bodies?"
Every zombie he'd encountered bore strange seams.
That was probably why they looked so grotesque.
And those marks…
They likely came from that doctor.
"I…" Nami hesitated.
"I was too scared earlier. I didn't notice."
Those zombies were practically in her face—how could she observe details?
"He's right," Usopp said.
"The human-faced lion I saw had even more stitching."
His face changed as a terrifying possibility surfaced.
"Could it be that he's…"
Chopper's expression stiffened.
"No… that's impossible," he shook his head.
"Doctor Hogback is a respected doctor. He wouldn't do something like that."
"This must be someone else's doing."
He refused to believe it.
"Is that so?" Jin smiled faintly.
"Then the only way to know is to see for ourselves."
"Hey!"
"Jin, you're really going?" Nami grabbed him.
"There are tons of dangerous zombies here!"
"Yeah!" Usopp added quickly.
"Chopper, let's regroup with Luffy first!"
"Chopper…"
Chopper didn't answer.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
He truly wanted to see his idol.
"Ordinary zombies aren't the real threat," Jin said.
"The real danger is the people here."
"What do you mean?"
"I already know whose territory this is—and how those zombies came to be."
Usopp and Nami looked at each other.
"Tell us."
"Do you know the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
The moment he said that, their bodies stiffened.
"You… you mean…" Chopper whispered.
"That's right," Jin said, looking toward the tallest building in the distance.
"This is the territory of one of the Seven Warlords—Gecko Moria."
"And the reason he steals shadows is to create zombies."
"That's probably why Brook lost his shadow."
"KYAAAH!!"
The three screamed at once, then hurriedly covered their mouths as if afraid Moria might hear them.
They cautiously looked around—
only relaxing once they confirmed no one was nearby.
"W-W-Warlord…"
Usopp trembled so badly his teeth clattered.
The last time they encountered one was in Alabasta.
Luffy had nearly died.
And now… again?
"Let's—let's go!" Nami cried.
"Jin, take us away—now!"
Fighting someone of that level wasn't rational.
Avoid it if possible—that was common sense.
"I don't want to die here! I still have a beautiful future ahead of me!"
"Nami," Jin said calmly.
"I know you're scared. But fear won't change anything."
"The moment Luffy decided to make Brook our crewmate,
we were destined to clash with Moria."
"But he's a Warlord…"
"So what?" Jin replied.
"We stormed Enies Lobby. Even a Buster Call couldn't stop us!"
"Do you really think our captain would tuck his tail and run just because the enemy is a Warlord?!"
Nami opened her mouth—then fell silent.
Because she knew he was right.
She'd joined the crew earlier than Jin.
She knew Luffy better than anyone here.
He would never back down for that reason.
"But we could just find Brook's zombie!" Usopp suddenly said.
"You saw those black things fly out of the ashes earlier—that was the shadows, right?!"
"Good idea," Jin nodded.
"Now answer me this—how do we find the one holding Brook's shadow?"
"And do you really think Moria would let pirates who wandered into his territory just walk away?"
Pirates rampaging in another's domain—
That meant war.
Usopp fell silent.
He understood.
From the moment Jin started killing zombies, reconciliation was impossible.
"And don't forget how we even got here," Jin added.
"We may already be under surveillance."
"…By something like that so-called ghost."
"Please stop, Jin…"
Nami looked ready to cry.
Ghosts were even scarier than zombies.
Merry clutched his pant leg tightly, peeking around in fear.
"I'm not trying to scare you," Jin sighed.
"I'm just stating facts."
Then he softened.
"Relax. I'm here."
Nami really was timid—
even more so than Merry.
At least the kid hadn't shown fear at the mention of the Warlords.
Jin looked down at Chopper.
"So—Chopper. Do you still want to go?"
"…I do," Chopper said after a pause.
"You're not scared?"
"I am," Chopper admitted, clenching his teeth.
"But I want to know whether Doctor Hogback came here willingly—or was forced."
"If it's the latter, we can rescue him before the fighting starts."
"And if it's the former…"
"I won't forgive him."
He wouldn't allow his idol to trample medical ethics.
"Then let's go," Jin said.
He'd have another shadow clone inform Luffy anyway—that was always the plan.
"Chopper… Jin…"
"…Why is Merry going too?!"
Watching the three stride forward, Usopp and Nami were completely dumbfounded.
Did these people not know the meaning of fear?!
"You two, hurry up."
"B-but—"
"Pull yourselves together," Jin said.
"Our captain is aiming to become Pirate King.
If we're scared of a Warlord, what kind of crew are we?"
"We should still avoid direct conflict and regroup fir—"
Jin cut him off.
"I've fought Admirals head-on.
You think I'd avoid him?!"
That single sentence hit them like a stimulant.
That's right.
Jin had blocked a Buster Call.
He'd even exchanged blows with a Marine Admiral.
With him around, a Warlord might not be so terrifying after all.
"…Wait for us!!"
They hurried after him, terrified of being left behind.
With their strength, being alone in this forest was basically suicide.
"If you're really that scared," Jin said suddenly,
"I can send you back with a shadow clone."
Nami and Usopp exchanged glances.
Then both looked at Merry—
And imagined a certain scene.
(Luffy: Ahahaha! You two are even more cowardly than Merry?!)
"!!!"
"No! Absolutely not!!" ×2
"Alright then," Jin chuckled.
"Let's go."
The iron gate creaked open as Jin pushed it aside.
They stepped into the castle grounds.
Usopp swallowed hard.
"T-this place… doesn't have zombies inside, right?"
"Heh. Hard to say."
Usopp: "..."
"Jin, that really didn't need to be said."
"I'm helping you stay alert," Jin replied.
"Don't forget whose territory this is."
Not fearing the enemy was one thing—
lowering their guard was another.
Usopp immediately tensed up, scanning every corner.
"By the way," he whispered,
"if zombies are made from shadows… does that mean getting bitten won't turn us into zombies?"
"Don't say things like that!" Nami snapped.
Her goosebumps were exploding.
"I don't know~" Jin shrugged.
"No data on that."
"Why don't you test it?"
He flashed a mischievous grin.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
Usopp shoved his face inches away, yelling.
"What if I turn into a zombie?!"
Just imagining it made his skin crawl.
"Then try not to get bitten~" Jin said lightly.
Usopp opened his mouth… then closed it.
Finally, he looked at Jin with utmost sincerity.
"Please protect me with your life."
"I'll try~"
"What do you mean try?! Use your full strength, damn it!!"
"Hahahaha!"
With Usopp's antics, the oppressive fear slowly dissipated.
That had been Jin's intention all along.
Walking in constant terror wasn't going to help anyone.
"Alright," Jin said, facing the open hall ahead.
"We're here."
"Let's see whether this doctor…
is a man—"
"…or a demon."
"Yeah!"
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