Neptune was so emotional he could barely control himself, his body trembling slightly. He had no time for anything else, turning frantically and swimming with all his might towards the Ryugu Kingdom.
For Shirahoshi, time seemed to stand still, every second stretching endlessly.
A moment later, King Neptune slowly returned, cradling a transparent crystal coffin.
The eyes of Shirahoshi and the three princes were instantly drawn to it, and when they saw the incredibly familiar face within the crystal coffin, their eyes couldn't help but redden, and sorrow surged through their hearts like a tide.
The Straw Hat Pirates also gathered around, curiously looking at this legendary female of Fish-Man Island.
The main reason was that they had heard Orochimaru could revive the dead, and they were all very curious.
After all, in the world of pirates, who doesn't have regrets? If necessary, they wouldn't be polite with Orochimaru.
However, they were more concerned about whether there were any side effects for Orochimaru, as reviving the living seemed like a forbidden technique no matter how you looked at it.
If too many people knew about this, Orochimaru's situation would undoubtedly be very dangerous.
Orochimaru looked at the group of people staring intently at him, feeling a bit awkward... He had no choice but to explain it all to them again.
"The Impure World Reincarnation Technique, you can understand it as a unique summoning technique."
"It requires a certain amount of the deceased's flesh or DNA."
"Using a living person as a vessel for the soul, the soul of the deceased is summoned from the Pure Land of the Underworld to the present world."
"It then attaches to the vessel."
"And the vessel's body is covered with dust, transforming it into the deceased's appearance from when they were alive."
"This is the initial Impure World Reincarnation Technique."
"The advantage of using a living person is that it can perfectly replicate the strength of the powerful individual when they were alive."
"However, the appearance might have some flaws."
"With this method, as long as I don't actively release the technique, even if I die, they will continue to live."
"The second method is much simpler."
"You can understand it by looking at Brook. Brook's soul can return from the Underworld, although that's due to his Devil Fruit."
"But he can exist by relying on lifeless Mukuro, continuing to live."
"Of course, besides Brook, there are other things you will encounter in the future."
"That is to say, in this world, souls can attach to any object and give it new life."
"So the second method is to attach the soul to a model through Edo Tensei, which can also achieve the same effect."
"Only the physical body is a bit different; the strength of the physical body depends on the quality of the model, but for top-tier Haki users, it shouldn't have too much impact."
Orochimaru patiently explained while drawing complex spell formations on the ground.
The group nodded, half-understanding; in any case, it was an incredible technique, and the resurrection condition required a body.
Orochimaru had Neptune place Queen Otohime's body within the circle he had drawn.
Then, he gently tossed the scroll containing the mud taken from the Sea Forest grave in front of the formation.
With everything ready, Orochimaru's expression was solemn. He quickly formed hand signs and uttered a low chant: "Impure World Reincarnation Technique!"
As Orochimaru's voice fell,
A faint blue glow emanated from around Queen Otohime's model. The halo was dreamlike and ethereal, exuding a mysterious aura.
Immediately after, a blue soul slowly drifted down from above, like a visitor from a distant shore, constantly hovering near the model.
Finally, the soul merged into Queen Otohime's model body.
The strange light grew stronger, and the model seemed to be infused with life force, beginning to show subtle movements.
First, its fingers trembled slightly a few times, then its entire body also began to shake gently, as if a sleeping person was about to awaken.
Neptune's family's eyes were fixed on the model, each person holding their breath, their hearts filled with anticipation for their loved one's impending "resurrection."
Their foreheads were already covered with fine beads of sweat, and their eyes didn't blink, afraid of missing any moment that was about to unfold.
Queen Otohime's body details gradually became clear; her hair seemed to regain its luster, and her skin recovered its elasticity.
Her fingers first trembled slightly, then her eyelids slowly opened. Her eyes revealed a complex expression, with confusion and bewilderment, but also a hint of imperceptible sadness.
Neptune couldn't help but take a step forward, his lips trembling, seemingly wanting to call her name, yet hesitating.
Queen Otohime's Observation Haki was deeply etched into her soul.
This unique Haki placed her at the center of an emotional vortex, allowing her to precisely and acutely perceive the emotional fluctuations of all living beings around her.
Whether it was joy or sorrow, none escaped her perception. Not only that, Queen Otohime was also able to deeply intertwine with these emotions, achieving resonance.
Queen Otohime slowly sat up and looked around. When her gaze fell upon Neptune and her children, understanding flashed in her eyes.
"Have I come back to life... My dear... And my angels, I've returned."
Hearing Queen Otohime's words, tinged with a hint of bewilderment yet full of deep affection, Neptune's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up. He took a few steps forward and tightly embraced Queen Otohime, his voice choked with emotion.
"Welcome back."
The children also gathered around, their eyes full of surprise and excitement.
Shirahoshi pressed her cheek against Queen Otohime, her voice tearful: "Mother, I missed you so much."
Queen Otohime gently placed her hand on Shirahoshi's cheek. Then, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping over the three princes in turn, her eyes full of loving kindness and pride.
"Shirahoshi has been working hard, and Sharkstar, Manta Raystar, and Royalstar, you have all grown into remarkable warriors, protecting your sister very well."
The surrounding Fishmen watched the revived Queen, all uncontrollably wiping away their continuously flowing tears.
The family of six clung tightly to each other, speaking and listening, their emotions running high.
After Shirahoshi finished recounting the entire sequence of events, Queen Otohime gently raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes. She then slowly moved to stand before the Straw Hat Pirates.
With a solemn and sincere expression, she bowed deeply, performing a very formal bow, and at the same time, her voice filled with gratitude, she said,
"Thank you all for your assistance in saving my country. We will engrave this great kindness and virtue in our hearts and are eternally grateful."
Queen Otohime gracefully and humbly walked up to Orochimaru. She gazed deeply into Orochimaru's eyes.
"A thousand words cannot express the gratitude in my heart. Thank you for allowing me to be reborn. This great kindness, I will engrave in my heart and never forget."
Orochimaru remained expressionless, merely nodding gently at Queen Otohime.
Seeing this, Queen Otohime softly said, "Forgive my rudeness."
Immediately after, she resolutely took a step forward and tightly embraced Orochimaru.
In that instant, her eyes turned red, and tears streamed down her cheeks like broken pearls.
"I'm sorry, I peered into your heart."
"It must be painful, not being understood by the world for so long. You've borne too much alone."
"However, now that I see you have Companions you can entrust yourself to,"
"It's truly wonderful."
"It's so wonderful that you can have people who love you wholeheartedly..."
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"