Looking at the few people kneeling obediently in front of him, Jin crossed his arms and examined them carefully.
"You lot… are you really not zombies?"
"We're really not!" Aiko blurted out immediately.
This man was terrifying.
Earlier, he'd casually slaughtered zombies like weeds—if they'd knelt even a second later, that blade might already be at their necks.
"But why do you all look exactly like zombies…" Jin muttered.
He studied them closely.
Skin stretched tight over bone, severe malnutrition, pitch-dark eye circles, and an overall aura of lifeless decay.
Were these people actually alive?
If he hadn't seen their chests rising and falling, he would've cut them down on the spot.
"We can't help it…" Aiko said bitterly.
"After losing our shadows, surviving became extremely difficult. And since we can't see sunlight for years on end… we slowly turned into this."
The island was crawling with Moria's zombies.
Just staying alive already counted as a miracle—appearance no longer mattered.
"…Alright. Get up."
"Th-thank you…"
"Are you… one of the adventurers Moria tricked into coming here?" Aiko asked cautiously.
"Moria?" Jin frowned.
"One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea," Aiko explained.
"A Warlord, huh…" Jin narrowed his eyes.
So this time, their enemy was a Shichibukai.
The Straw Hats really did have a strange fate with the Seven Warlords.
They'd already taken down Crocodile in Alabasta—and now they'd run straight into Gecko Moria.
"…Interesting."
"We were indeed tricked here," Jin nodded.
"Then we're not enemies!" Aiko sighed in relief.
"We're on the same side!"
"That's not necessarily true."
Jin wasn't the type to trust strangers easily.
Who knew whether these people were truly allies—or just pretending?
The moment he said that, everyone tensed again, terrified he might suddenly draw his blade.
"Your name?" Jin asked.
"Just call me Buckteeth," the man said with an awkward grin.
Jin's mouth twitched.
…Very fitting.
"Alright. Look into my eyes."
Buckteeth subconsciously did as told.
His pupils briefly lost focus—then quickly returned to normal.
"I'll ask a few questions."
"Yes, sir."
"Did you see something not quite human fly over here earlier?" Jin asked.
"No."
"…No?"
"Please don't get angry—listen first!" Aiko hurriedly said.
"We really didn't see anyone like that."
"But we did find a huge crater, like something crashed into the ground."
"Buckteeth nodded quickly.
"We came out because of that vibration too."
"Take me there."
Without hesitation, they led Jin to the pit they'd discovered.
He crouched by the edge and examined the shattered ground.
There were traces—something like scorched, burnt tissue.
"Heh… looks like someone rescued him," Jin said as he stood.
"Zombies, maybe?"
"What are you looking for?" Aiko asked carefully.
"Someone was kicked here earlier. A man who could turn invisible. You know him?"
"We do!"
The moment that name came up, Aiko's eyes burned with fury.
"That bastard was the one who captured me back then! If not for him, I wouldn't have lost my shadow!"
They'd already escaped once—
Then that invisible monster appeared with a horde of zombies, knocked them all out, and dragged them back.
Losing their shadows had changed their lives forever.
"He's one of Gecko Moria's subordinates," Buckteeth explained.
"A user of the Clear-Clear Fruit. His body was specially modified and he's deeply trusted by Moria."
"Many zombies obey his commands."
"So he's an officer." Jin clicked his tongue.
"No wonder he was so hard to beat. What a waste."
He'd hoped to retrieve that man.
But zombies showing up was something he hadn't expected.
So that strange movement he'd seen earlier… wasn't a tree at all—it had been a zombie.
"He was probably carried away by the zombies here," Aiko said.
"Moria leaves them around as a surveillance method."
Jin nodded slowly.
"…I see."
That also explained why these people were still alive.
"Thanks for the information."
He released the hypnosis.
Buckteeth didn't notice anything—after all, everything he said had already been his genuine intention.
Seeing Jin turn to leave, Aiko quickly called out:
"W-where are you going?"
"To find my companions," Jin replied.
"They might not be in mortal danger yet—but losing one's shadow is still hell."
Living forever in darkness, never touching sunlight again—
That wasn't living at all.
"I have to reach them before that happens."
"P-please wait!" Aiko gathered his courage.
"What?"
"Moria has already targeted you. A clash is inevitable," Aiko said earnestly.
"Before you go… could you come with us once?"
Seeing Jin frown, Aiko hurriedly explained:
"There are many people at our base. We've been waiting for a chance to fight Moria."
"I know you're strong, but…"
"More people is better than fighting alone."
This might be their only chance.
Even if it meant risking death, he had to try.
"You?"
Jin swept his gaze over their skinny, trembling bodies.
"No offense—but in your current state, what help could you possibly be?"
The zombies in the forest could farm them for EXP.
And they wanted to fight a Warlord?
"…We're weak, but not completely useless," Aiko insisted.
Seeing the stubborn determination in their eyes, Jin sighed.
"Since you sincerely gave me information, I'll give you one piece of advice."
"Hide in the forest. Stay alive. Wait for your shadows to return."
"The Seven Warlords aren't opponents ordinary people can touch."
"Even the shockwaves of the battle could kill you."
Luffy had already decided to help Brook reclaim his shadow.
A clash with Moria was only a matter of time.
And pirate battles—
were always fights to the death.
Once Moria fell, their shadows would likely return as well.
Consider it payment for the intelligence.
The group exchanged glances.
Then Aiko asked carefully, "May I ask… are you a pirate?"
"…Yeah."
"Then your crew is—?"
"Straw Hat Pirates."
"The crew whose captain has a 100 million bounty?!"
Jin stared at him in disbelief.
"How outdated is your intel? Luffy's bounty is over four hundred million now."
That news bird practically flew everywhere—
or was this place too terrifying for it to approach?
"We don't have information sources…"
"Only scraps from victims… or newspapers stolen from Moria."
"That explains it."
"Four hundred million…" Buckteeth's eyes lit up.
"Then maybe you really can defeat Moria!"
Gecko Moria—former bounty: 320 million.
Though frozen due to his Shichibukai status, that didn't mean he was unbeatable.
"If that's the case, you should definitely come with us!" Aiko urged.
"I already said no." Jin turned away.
"I'm going to my companions."
"They're safe for now," Aiko said seriously.
"At least until their shadows are taken."
"That's only the ideal scenario," Jin replied coldly.
"I don't gamble with my companions' lives."
What if the enemy lost patience and killed them outright?
He wouldn't allow that.
Just as he was about to leave—
"We have a way to strengthen your combat power!" Aiko shouted.
Jin halted.
"…Strengthen combat power?"
He turned back slowly.
"You have an ability user?"
"Ah—no," Buckteeth said awkwardly.
Jin's expression darkened.
"…You playing with me?"
"P-please don't get angry!" Buckteeth said quickly.
"We don't have an ability user—but we do have a method."
"For example…"
Aiko grinned nervously and raised one finger.
"Stuffing shadows into a person's body."
"That can greatly increase their strength."
"I think… you'd be interested."
Jin's eyes narrowed.
Using shadows to boost strength?
Then that meant—
Moria himself could do the same.
That was important intelligence.
"…Alright," Jin said.
"I'll send a clone with you."
"A clone?"
They hadn't even processed the words yet—
"Poof!"
White smoke burst out.
An identical Jin appeared beside him.
Everyone's eyes bulged.
Noses ran.
Tongues hung out.
"W-WHAT?!"
"A… A CLONE?!"
"Yep." Jin smiled.
"I'm a ninja. Didn't I mention that earlier?"
"YOU DID NOT!!!"
"Oh. Then you know now."
Aiko nearly collapsed.
This was a ninja.
A real, legendary ninja.
The kind said to be capable of anything.
"I-I can't believe I'm seeing a living ninja…"
"This is too emotional…"
With a ninja and a 400-million-berry captain—
this time, they might truly defeat Gecko Moria.
"My clone will go with you," Jin said.
"Lead the way."
"Y-yes! Right away!"
Aiko rushed to the front eagerly, practically acting as a scout.
The return trip went surprisingly smoothly.
Not a single zombie appeared.
Soon, under their guidance, Jin arrived at a crude temporary camp.
"Captain Lola! We're back!" Aiko shouted excitedly.
"And we brought back a powerful warrior!"
"Powerful warrior?"
A group rushed out.
Under the dim lantern light, they finally saw Jin clearly.
"…He's… so handsome!!"
Even Aiko and the others froze.
In the dark forest, all they'd seen were those blood-red eyes.
Now, under the light—
he was absurdly good-looking.
Jin subconsciously touched his chin.
Well… with Uchiha blood, that was normal.
"Captain, look! A handsome guy!"
"I see him," Lola said.
She coughed lightly and stepped forward with a serious expression.
Jin straightened instinctively.
Then—
"Hello. Please marry me."
Jin: "???"
"…Huh?"
"HUUUH?!"
He stared at Lola in utter disbelief.
Was something wrong with her brain?!
Who proposes marriage the moment they meet?!
"I refuse!!"
"Why…" Lola drooped sadly.
"It's so rare to meet someone this handsome…"
"HAHAHAHA! Captain's 4444th proposal failure!!"
Jin: "..."
F-four thousand?!
He slowly turned to Aiko.
"…You're sure she's your captain?"
"Uh… her style is a bit unique," Aiko said awkwardly.
"But she's actually very reliable!"
Jin was silent.
This didn't look reliable at all.
"Captain," Aiko hurriedly said,
"this is the strong warrior we found! He's a ninja!"
"Eh?! A ninja?!"
Everyone gasped.
"A real ninja?!"
"Too cool!!"
"Can you use Fire Style?"
"Water Style too?!"
"What about clones?!"
The camp exploded in excitement.
Jin rubbed his ear.
"Later. Focus."
"Aiko, don't forget why you brought me here."
"Right!" Aiko nodded eagerly.
"Captain, please show him what we discovered. His enemy is Moria too!"
"This time… we might really reclaim our shadows!"
"…Alright."
Lola nodded, then suddenly asked,
"By the way, what's your name?"
"Jin."
"…Jin."
She paused, then stubbornly asked again:
"Are you really sure you don't want to marry me?"
"If you say that one more time, I'm leaving."
"W-wait!" Aiko grabbed him in panic.
"Ninja big brother, please don't go!"
Lola sighed, looking heartbroken.
"…Fine. Follow me."
Jin glanced at her, then at the pleading faces around him.
After a moment, he sighed.
"…Alright. Let's go."
Even if she was a little strange—
since he was already here, he might as well see it through.
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