"I don't care whether she's really the same person or not," Hogback said, panting heavily.
"As long as she can be revived, that's enough for me."
Does it really matter whether she's truly herself?
As long as that person can remain by his side, he would be satisfied.
Jin nodded slightly and said nothing more.
He could tell that this man named Hogback had already fallen deep into obsession.
Perhaps at the beginning, he really had joined Moria for the reasons he claimed—but after so much time had passed, it was impossible for his mindset not to have changed.
Just like now.
Even if his so-called fiancée had become a zombie, he didn't care.
Jin didn't understand it—
but he respected it.
"…Sorry," Hogback said, supporting himself on the table as he sat back down.
"I've embarrassed myself."
"It's fine. I understand," Nami said softly.
She knew all too well what it felt like to lose family.
Merry blinked, thought for a moment, and asked quietly,
"But… do the people who died really want to come back as zombies?"
The moment she said it, the room froze.
Yeah.
Would they really be willing?
To exist in the world again… in a state that was neither human nor dead.
Jin glanced at Merry in surprise.
He hadn't expected such a question from her.
"If you think about it carefully," Jin said,
"whether those zombies live or die is entirely up to Moria's mood."
Hogback took a deep breath.
"Yes. That's exactly why I can't leave this place."
"So… I'm sorry, Doctor Chopper."
Chopper pursed his lips, unsure what to say.
Helping Moria modify corpses was a direct violation of everything he believed in as a doctor.
But after hearing Hogback's explanation, he also understood that the man had his own suffering.
In the end, Chopper sighed.
"Jin… let's go."
Even if there was a reason, he still couldn't accept his idol doing something like this.
Better not to look anymore.
"Everyone—if you're willing to trust me," Hogback said,
"then please don't leave right now."
"Why?" Usopp asked.
"Because it's already night," Hogback replied.
"At night, large numbers of powerful zombies appear on this island."
"T-Then… could you have the zombies escort us to the shore?" Nami asked nervously.
"You should be able to command them, right?"
They'd already seen him. There was no need to stay longer.
After all, this was the enemy's stronghold.
"…I'm sorry. I can't."
"You can't?"
"Yes," Hogback explained.
"Their control belongs to Moria. I don't have the authority."
That part, at least, was true.
Most zombies obeyed Absalom—the one Moria personally appointed as commander.
At that moment, Cindry returned.
"The bathwater is ready," she said coldly.
"Ah yes, yes!" Hogback brightened immediately.
"Go take a hot bath first. After that, sleep well and leave early tomorrow."
"By morning, the zombies will have withdrawn."
Cindry, beautifully done.
No matter what—they had to stay tonight.
"Bathing… maybe not," Usopp muttered.
"No," Cindry said flatly.
"Why not?!"
"You're dirty," she replied.
"You'll stain the mattresses."
Usopp: "..."
He looked down at himself.
…She wasn't wrong.
They'd been chased by the Cerberus, climbed trees, rolled on the ground, then fought zombies.
They were filthy beyond saving.
"Well, the problem is—" Chopper began.
"We're bathing," Nami cut in firmly.
"Eh?!"
Chopper stared at her.
Now was the time to care about cleanliness?!
"Think about us girls, okay~" Nami said playfully, sticking out her tongue.
"Right, Jin?"
"…Yeah. That's fine."
"EH?!!"
Usopp and Chopper both stared at Jin in disbelief.
He agreed?!
"Hehe, Doctor Hogback said nights are dangerous, didn't he?" Jin smiled.
"Then resting here for a bit sounds reasonable."
"Exactly! Go ahead and wash up," Hogback said eagerly.
"It's down the hall. Need Cindry to guide you?"
"No need—we'll find it ourselves."
"Very well. Please make yourselves at home~"
Hogback stretched lazily.
"I'll go rest too. After you finish bathing, Cindry will take you to your rooms."
"Okay."
"W-Wait!" Usopp suddenly said.
"You're not going to report us to Moria?"
"Of course not," Hogback replied warmly.
"I like you all. I wouldn't put you in danger."
There's no need for Moria-sama himself to act anyway, he thought.
The zombies will be more than enough.
"I see… thanks."
With that, Hogback waddled away with a cheerful smile.
Once he was gone, all eyes turned to Jin.
"Jin…"
"Let's go," he said calmly.
"Aren't you bathing?"
Merry blinked.
We're really bathing?!
"Hehe, Jin, you're the best~"
Nami grabbed Merry's hand and hurried down the corridor.
They soon reached a massive bathhouse.
Nami peeked inside and smiled.
"Looks pretty good~"
She was about to enter when Jin stopped her.
"…Jin?"
"I'll check first."
Activating his Sharingan, Jin scanned the interior carefully.
After confirming nothing was wrong, he stepped back out.
"What's wrong?" Nami asked, puzzled.
Then a sudden thought struck her.
"Jin!" She put her hands on her hips.
"You didn't use a Transformation Jutsu in there, did you?!"
She remembered very clearly—
Jin could transform into anything.
Jin froze for a moment, then snapped back:
"Don't compare me to that perverted cook, okay?"
"Then what were you doing?"
"There's a transparent man on this island," Jin explained.
"He can turn completely invisible. He already attacked us once on the ship."
Nami's face instantly turned pale.
Invisible…?!
That meant—
A super pervert?!
"So… you didn't catch him?" she asked tensely.
"No," Jin nodded.
"Sanji kicked him flying, but there's no guarantee he won't appear again."
Since Jin hadn't found him earlier, he couldn't be sure where he was now.
If that guy came peeping—
"I don't want to bathe anymore…"
"It's fine," Jin said.
"He's not inside. Just make sure the windows are secure."
He went back in, shut all the windows tightly, then returned.
"Are you sure?" Nami asked.
"Positive."
"…Okay."
She finally relaxed and pulled Merry inside.
Before closing the door, she said,
"Jin, Usopp, Chopper—please stand guard."
"As long as the door's fine, we'll be safe."
"Got it."
Outside, Usopp glanced at Jin.
"Hey… when Sanji found that invisible guy—how did he react?"
"I remember his dream was to eat the Clear-Clear Fruit."
"…Him?"
Jin twitched at the memory.
"He looked like a salted fish that lost its will to live."
Usopp thought about it seriously.
"…Yeah, that is bad."
"Jin…" Chopper suddenly looked up.
"If we defeat Moria… will Hogback's fiancée die too?"
"Yes."
"…Then isn't that…"
"…Cruel?"
Chopper didn't finish the sentence—he simply nodded.
Hogback did all of this for her.
And now… she would disappear again.
Jin sighed.
This little guy's kindness really went far beyond expectations.
Even now, he still hadn't fully let go of the "world's greatest doctor" filter.
"Before worrying about that," Jin said,
"let me ask you something."
"Do you think Hogback is trustworthy?"
"Eh?!"
"Isn't he?" both of them asked at once.
They were completely convinced already.
Jin covered his face.
"…I really don't know what to say."
"But the information I got earlier included him directing zombies," Jin said.
"That doesn't necessarily mean he wanted to," Chopper argued.
"Maybe Moria assigned zombies to guard him."
"For a normal human in such a dangerous place, bodyguards actually make sense."
"…That possibility exists," Jin admitted.
Usopp scratched his head awkwardly.
"And his story didn't sound fake…"
"It sounded real," Jin said.
"But truth can't be judged by appearances alone."
"Huh?"
"Because the most believable lies are mixed with truth."
"A few false pieces hidden among many real ones can completely change meaning."
"Sometimes," Jin continued,
"even rearranging the order of events can deceive people."
The story might contain truth—
but Hogback's earlier reactions were unnatural.
Unless he was extremely socially anxious.
But someone with social anxiety wouldn't warmly invite strangers into his private room.
"So… that's how it is…" Chopper murmured.
Usopp looked enlightened, as if new knowledge had entered his brain.
"And there's another thing you both ignored," Jin added.
"What?"
"He belongs to Moria's side."
"We know that."
"No—you don't truly take that seriously," Jin said firmly.
"Would he really oppose Moria for our sake?"
"…Wouldn't he?" Chopper asked innocently.
"He said he wouldn't report us."
"That's naïve," Jin sighed.
"To him, we're still strangers. One meeting doesn't change that."
"And don't forget—Moria controls his 'fiancée's' life."
"Hiding us alone would already count as betrayal."
Chopper fell silent.
Because he understood.
And that understanding hurt.
"So… he really was lying to us?" Usopp whispered.
"At the very least, I don't believe he'd willingly deceive Moria for us," Jin said calmly.
"And notice—his words kept trying to make us stay."
Night zombies, resting here—
all excuses.
This was the Florian Triangle.
A place without sunlight.
Day and night made little difference.
"That's why you didn't attack him?" Usopp asked quietly.
Jin smiled and looked at Chopper.
"If I attacked him right after his explanation… what would you have done?"
Chopper thought for a moment.
"I… would've stopped you."
Jin shrugged toward Usopp.
"There's your answer."
If he had acted, it would've been cruel to Chopper.
After all—
Hogback was still his idol.
"…You're surprisingly gentle," Usopp muttered.
"More importantly," Jin said softly,
"I don't like my partners trusting others so easily."
"There won't always be someone like us beside you."
He sighed.
These four…
Luffy might be an idiot too, but at least he had strength.
These four were weak and easy to deceive.
Troublesome.
Inside the bath, Nami and Merry sank into the water, leaving only their noses above the surface.
They exchanged embarrassed smiles.
"…Do you think you could be wrong?" Usopp asked.
"I haven't done anything yet," Jin replied.
"Out of respect for Chopper, I didn't even use hypnosis."
"I just laid out the possibilities."
"This is a Warlord's territory. We can't lower our guard."
He glanced toward the bathhouse door.
"You two suddenly went quiet."
"We're fine!" Nami replied quickly.
"Good."
Then Jin looked at Chopper.
"If my judgment turns out to be wrong… I'll apologize."
But that probability wasn't high.
Jin trusted his instincts.
"Jin…"
"Yeah?"
"If he really dares to deceive us…"
Chopper raised his head, eyes burning with resolve.
"I'll be the one to take him down myself."
If Hogback lied—
then he wasn't a doctor worth respecting.
Jin smiled.
"Alright."
"Doctor Chopper."
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