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Chapter 44: The Resurrection of Line
I died...
Dead. Dead. Dead.
I died.
Burned to death by Akainu's magma...
Counting my past life, this was my second death. The world is vast, but I must be the first person in history to experience something like this. ...Not that I'm happy about it at all.
Right now, I'm probably in soul form... I guess? I was floating aimlessly in a place that looked like it was above the clouds... Was this heaven? I'd like to believe it wasn't hell, but hmmm... I wasn't really sure.
...Even so.
I really died...
How sad...
Compared to my past life, this life was filled with overwhelming regret. There were so many things left undone.
I wanted to save Dressrosa...
I wanted to save the Tontatta tribe...
I wanted to uncover the truth about Monet and Viola, and I wanted to repay my debts to Ray-san and Shakky. I couldn't just leave Esune alone, and I wanted to lose my virginity too...
My dream of becoming a huge man never came true...
Ah~... this sucks... I don't want to die... No, no, no. But now that I was dead, there was nothing I could do. What would happen to me now? Would I reincarnate again?
Just as I was pondering this...
"Master!"
Hm?
"Master! Can you hear me!?"
A girl's voice called out from nowhere. Who's that? Master... is she talking to me?
"Hey! Master! You're not dead yet!"
Not dead? Me...? No, no, I definitely died.
"You're just at the entrance to the Underworld! So you can still turn back! You can still return! So please! Come back! Don't die! Master!"
Even if you tell me not to die... what am I supposed to do? There's nothing I can do right now... hm? Uwoh!?
Suddenly, a swirling light poured down from the heavens. As if sucked in by that light, I began falling upwards into the sky, spinning round and round. W-What is this sensation!?
Oh!? Ooooh! Oooooooohhh!!?
Ah————
...
"H-Huh...?"
"Jiii!! Jiii!!"
When I opened my eyes, an angel was right in front of me. ...No, not an angel, it was Densuke. ...Densuke in an angel cosplay.
"What's with the outfit...?"
"Ji~~!"
She had a glowing halo floating above her head and pure white wings sprouting from the sides of her shell. Don't tell me... did Densuke die too? And she got reincarnated as an angel or something...?
"Mmm, I don't get it... Guh!? Ah! My head hurts so much..."
For now, I tried to sit up from my lying position... but the moment I did, a sharp pain pierced my head. It throbbed like a massive hangover.
"Ouch... ouch, ouch, ouch...! Huh?"
My body... wouldn't move? ...No, it moved. It wasn't that it couldn't move. But my entire body felt incredibly stiff and locked up.
"W-What is this?"
My bones creaked, my muscles ached, and my crotch was pitching a tent... well, that was just morning wood.
"What the hell is going on? Densuke, can you explain the current situation?"
"Jii, jii-jii!"
"Uh-huh."
"Jii. Jii~ji! Nin! Jijijii."
"I see... Hahaha, I have absolutely no idea what you're saying!"
"Jiiiigiiii!!"
I couldn't comprehend the situation at all. If someone could just tell me if this is heaven or hell... I'd appreciate at least that much... As I was thinking that—
"Hee-haw!! You finally woke up-tible!! Line Boy!!"
"You're alive!! Thank goodness! You've gotta be joooooking meee!!"
"Oh my♡ That's amazing♡"
"You dummy♡ You finally woke up♡"
"Ufufu♡ I'm so glad♡"
Right in front of my paralyzed body... Ivankov's massive face, a tear-and-snot-covered Bon Clay, and a huge army of okamas suddenly crowded in on me.
"Giyaaaaaaaaahhh!!? This really was hell after all!!!"
"Who are you calling hell!? Calm down! This isn't the afterlife-nable!!"
"Hea?"
"This is the Okama Headquarters, the Kamabakka Kingdom!! Hee-haw!!"
Kamabakka Kingdom? What's that? This isn't the afterlife? What does that mean? I definitely died when Akainu burned me with magma... so why am I in a country of okamas? It makes no sense.
"Well, I guess waking up in a place like this would make anyone panic..."
"!!"
In front of my completely bewildered self... a man with curly eyebrows appeared. Wait, he's one of Luffy's crewmates...
"I'm Sanji. Nice to meet you."
"Oh yeah, Sanji! The user of the Spin-Spin Fruit! Nice to meetcha!"
"I'm not an ability user."
Shooting back a quick retort, Sanji smoothly lit a cigarette. He was probably trying to look cool... but since he was being constantly swarmed and groped by a bunch of okamas, he didn't look cool at all. When I first saw him in Sabaody, I thought he was just a womanizing, blonde playboy, but...
"Sanji, you were actually into okamas, huh."
"I'll kill you, you bastard!!!"
He yelled at me. Apparently, he wasn't into okamas.
"You...! You think I'm on this island because I want to be!? I'm... I'm... Uuuuuuuuh..."
Sanji suddenly broke down into loud, messy tears. What's wrong, what's wrong? When I asked, he explained that the paw-pad slap Kuma-emon gave him in the Sabaody Archipelago... had sent him flying straight to this Okama Island.
...That's... well... you have my condolences... I guess I was really lucky to get sent to Amazon Lily with Luffy.
...
"Okay, I get why Sanji is on this island... but why am I here? This is your country, right?"
Turning my stiff neck with a crick, I threw a questioning glance at Ivankov.
"I still have no idea why I'm alive after being burned by Akainu's magma, and I want to know what happened to that massive war between Whitebeard, the Marines, the Warlords, and Darkrai."
"Who is Darkrai?"
At my questions, Ivankov shook his head with a sigh.
"Hah, I suppose it can't be helped. Since Line Boy is currently in a state of absolute panic-able, I'll explain it... I'll explain it..."
"Explain it...?"
"I'm not gonna explain it!!"
"""You're not gonna explain it!! You got us!!"""
The okamas cheered "Hee-haw!" at Ivankov's signature gag. ...It's so suffocating in here.
"Nfufufu, rather than me explaining it with words, if you want to know what happened-chable... it's probably faster if you see it for yourself."
"...See it for myself? What do you mean?"
"Like this. C'mon-nu! Densuke Girl!"
"Jii~!"
Ivankov snapped his fingers, and Densuke slithered forward. ...Girl? As I tilted my head in confusion...
"Jii~!"Flash!
Suddenly, a beam of light shot out from Densuke's eyes.
"Uwoh!? Densuke! You... you're shooting eye beams...!?"
"Ji~~"
No, it's not a beam! It's... a projection! The video recording, the sight of that massive war, was being projected from Densuke's eyes. Just like a projector.
"Nfufufu, Densuke Girl is a 'Visual' Transponder Snail, you see. She has the ability to record whatever she sees and project it outward."
"Jii~!"Smug.
Come to think of it, Densuke was a Surveillance Transponder Snail from Impel Down, wasn't she? So she could do this. I had no idea.
"Well, Densuke Girl is still a child, so projecting recordings is something she technically shouldn't be able to do yet-chable... but it seems she worked hard and managed to figure it out."
"Hmm~? I don't know much about Transponder Snail biology, but... Densuke was still a child?"
"About 15 years old in human terms, I'd say. But put that aside... Look! Watch! It's starting! Exclusive footage!"
"Oooh."
The footage Densuke projected... was the recording of the Impel Down Summit War. She must have been secretly recording everything from inside Ivankov's hair the entire time.
"Jii~~..."
Now, regarding the contents of the footage...
It showed me headbutting Moria, being saved by Whitebeard during the fight against Aokiji and Kizaru, and getting beaten down by Doflamingo... Hmm. I didn't look very cool.
"Kyaah! Warlords and Marine Admirals!?"
"And Whitebeard too~!"
"What is this! An all-star cast of celebrities!"
"Iyan, I'm scaared!"
The okamas were having a blast watching the high-impact, high-resolution footage.
"...Also, why am I the main focus of this entire video?"
"That can't be helped. Densuke Girl was only looking at you the entire time."
"Jii~~"
As I continued watching the footage, the moment I was burned by Akainu's magma finally arrived.
» "Meigo!!"
"...!!! Go ba...!!!" «
Uwaa~, I got burned.Dozun! straight into the hand of magma. Looking at it objectively, it was a pretty gruesome scene.
» BUJIIIIII!!!!
"GWOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH!!??" «
Wait... uwoh!? While being burned by Akainu's magma, I ripped Akainu's arm off!? Me!? I was in such a frantic daze at the time I didn't even realize... I actually did that... That's insane.
» "..." «
However, it seemed I had completely exhausted my strength at that point, as I collapsed and stopped moving. Now, what happened next... How exactly was I saved?
» "Ga!? Go...!!! Y-You bastard!!! Invisible Phantom Thief!!!" «
Enraged after having his arm torn off, Akainu transformed his lower half into magma and swung his leg back, preparing to stomp on me. And then—
DOOOOOOM!!!!
» "Fushi Azami!!" «
Just as I was about to be crushed... Marco, the 1st Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, swooped in and saved me. Uwoh! Amazing!
» "Hah, hah...! You bastard...! Marco... you...!"
"I won't let you trample on Ace's savior-yoi!"
"The Invisible Phantom Thief is beyond saving. He was burned by my magma. You know that as well as I do."
"Shut up-yoi! If I don't get him out of here, it'll be a disgrace to the Whitebeard Pirates' name! Yoi!"
"Guh!?" «
Spraying blue flames, Marco launched a blinding attack at Akainu. Just like Frieza when hit by the Solar Flare, Akainu flinched for a split second. Using that opening, Marco snatched up my limp body, transformed into a bird, and flew straight to Whitebeard. So Marco was a bird ability user.
» "Pops! Everyone's on the ship-yoi! Once you and this Invisible Phantom Thief are on board, we're all set-yoi!"
"Gurarara...! Excellent work! We're pulling out!"
"Understood-yoi!" «
Gripping Whitebeard's shoulder with his talons, Marco flapped his wings and began to fly. He could actually fly while carrying Whitebeard's massive body... That was genuinely impressive. My Tail Copter could never do that.
» "I-It's Marco the Phoenix!"
"He's carrying Whitebeard and the Invisible Phantom Thief!"
"They're trying to escape! After them!"
"Don't let them get away! Shoot them down!!" «
Marco flew. But naturally, the Marines weren't just going to stand by and watch. They aimed a concentrated barrage of Haki-infused bullets and bazooka fire at Marco... but...
» "Nnnghhh!!!" «
At that moment, Whitebeard unleashed the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit—resulting in nearly 60% of Impel Down's first floor being blown to pieces. Ooooh... what terrifying destructive power.
» """Gyaaaaaaaaaahhh!!?""" «
Countless Marines were blown away by the sheer force and sent plummeting into the sea. The Marines who didn't fall were struggling desperately against the violently shaking ground, unable to even stand properly. Whitebeard's power... really is a cheat code...
» "Uwaaah!? Hiiii!!"
"I-Impel Down is collapsing!!"
"Internal flooding! Water is leaking in!"
"If we don't do something, Impel Down will sink!"
"F-Forget that, pull the men out of the sea first! Prioritize the ability users! They'll die!"
"Uwaaah!? Akainu-san fell into the sea too!"
"Hiiiii! Sea Kings!!" «
It was a pandemonium of absolute hell.
» "Gurararararara!!" «
The mastermind behind this hellscape, Whitebeard, laughed roaringly as Marco carried him back to his ship, the Moby Dick.
» "Boys!! We're pulling out!!"
"""Oooooooh!!""" «
Already on board the ship were... the members of the Whitebeard Pirates, Luffy & Ace, the okama army, and even Buggy's group... all safely aboard. And thus, the Impel Down Summit War came to a close with the Whitebeard faction securing a victorious escape.
Fin
"...Wait, it's not Fin..."
When the video ended, the okamas were all crying and clapping. There wasn't anything that moving about it, was there?
"Okay, I get it now... I understand how the war ended, but what about me? What happened to me after that? Was I treated?"
"Ah, about that. You died after this."
"I died!?"
So that's how it is... I guess surviving Akainu's magma really was impossible... So I died... Wait, I'm alive right now! Me! What do you mean I died!?
"To be more precise, you were 99% dead-chable."
"No, that makes even less sense. What the hell is 99%..."
There are no percentages when it comes to dying.
"Just listen. We boarded Whitebeard's ship and escaped Impel Down."
"Uh-huh."
"There were minor injuries, severe injuries... all sorts of wounded, but the one in the absolute worst condition was you, Line Boy, who took the full brunt of Akainu's magma."
"Hmm."
"The Whitebeard Pirates' doctors and I tried everything we could to treat you... but it was already too late..."
"Hm?"
"Shortly after, Line Boy. Your heart stopped."
My heart... stopped?
"So I really did die!"
"Yes. You died. Seeing your dead body, Straw Hat Boy and Ace Boy... everyone was crying... It was truly heartbreaking... Densuke Girl, can you play the footage from that time?"
"Jii~~"
With a flash, Densuke projected the recording from that moment.
» "Uwaaaah!! Line~!! Why did you have to die~!!"
"Line! I haven't even paid you back for saving me yet! Don't die!!"
"Line-chan! Don't die! You've gotta be joooooking meee~~!!" «
Everyone was sobbing uncontrollably over my unmoving, breathless body. Seeing a scene like that...
"Eh? Eh? Eh!? I seriously died? ...Then why am I alive right now? Me..."
This is getting kinda scary.
"As for why you're alive... to be perfectly honest, it's a complete mystery."
"A mystery!?"
"Your dead body was placed in the care of us, the Kamabakka group. After Whitebeard's ship dropped us off at the Kamabakka Kingdom... we prepared to bury you."
"You were going to bury me..."
"But you see, right after we dug the hole and were about to lower your body into the ground, we realized something."
"...Realized what?"
"That you were still alive!!"
"Haaaah!?"
Now it made absolutely zero sense.
"So in the end, was I alive!? Or was I dead!? Which is it!? Explain it more clearly!"
"You came back to life!! Suddenly, for some unknown reason!!"
"Eeeeeeeehhh!?"
That's ridiculous.
"You had stopped breathing, and your heart wasn't beating! You were definitely dead! Yet! The moment we tried to bury you, your heart suddenly started beating again-chable!"
"Haaah!? Does that kind of thing actually happen!?"
"Of course it doesn't!! That's exactly why we were in an absolute panic-chatchible-chable! Hee-haw!"
Scary!! Even in a world of fantasy, coming back from the dead was a bit too fantastical... Was there any clear reason why I came back to life?
"We don't know for sure. But... when you resuscitated, we noticed that the pendant on your chest was glowing gold."
"Pendant...?"
"Yes. Is it possible that the reason you came back to life... is because of that pendant-nable?"
"Eh...?"
Hearing her say that, I finally noticed. The pendant I always wore around my neck... was glowing with a faint golden light...
"..."
"What exactly is that pendant? While you were unconscious, Line Boy, it continuously glowed on your chest..."
"Umm, this is... something I received from a childhood friend of the Tontatta tribe when I left Dressrosa... Ah!!"
At that moment, it finally clicked. This golden light radiating from the pendant... was exactly the same as the light of Mansherry's Heal-Heal powers.
"C-Could it be... this pendant...?"
Was it healing my body? That had to be it. It was the only possible explanation.
"What does that mean-chable?"
"W-Well, the truth is...!"
I explained it to Ivankov. That my childhood friend from my homeland, Princess Mansherry, was a user of the Heal-Heal Fruit... an ability that could heal any living being's injuries. And that this pendant was a gift from her.
"...So you're saying... the power of your childhood friend's healing... was stored inside this pendant-ble?"
"Yeah. Probably."
"...An item separated from its ability user maintaining its effect for years... It's an incredibly far-fetched idea..."
"Muu..."
"But! I don't hate it! That idea!"
"!!"
Ivankov threw both hands up in a mysterious pose.
"Miracles only descend upon those who never give up!! That's why the brilliance radiating from that pendant... is the miracle you all created!! Hee-haw!!!"
A radiant light seemed to shine behind Ivankov's massive face. I see... Yeah. Fuhehe...
It wasn't even a jewel to begin with, just a pretty rock. Leo found it, and Mansherry made it into a necklace for me... a pendant full of memories...
» "I know very well that once you make up your mind, Line, you cannot be stopped. So please, at least take this with you. I would be so happy if looking at it reminded you that no matter how far apart we are, we Tontattas will always be your friends." «
Ah, I remember now. My friends from the Tontatta tribe. Even though we were so far apart... they had been protecting me all along...
"Fuhehehehe! I feel incredibly motivated to return home and save Dressrosa now! I got a second chance at life! This is no time to be lying around!"
"If you've found a positive mindset, that's wonderful."
"Line-chan! Fight~!"
"Line-chan! Do your best~!"
"Line-chan! Feveeeer~!"
"Line-chan! You've gotta be joooooking meee~!"
The okama army showered me with cheers of support. Sanji offered a small plate of food and placed it in front of me. Densuke rubbed her head affectionately against me.
Thank you! You guys are great! Wiping my overflowing tears with my arm, I thanked them over and over. Thank you! Thank you!
As I was getting all teary-eyed and emotional, Ivankov lightly tapped my shoulder.
"Line Boy."
"What is it? Ivankov."
"By the way, do you have any idea how many days have passed since that war...?"
Since the war?
"Eh...? Isn't it... the next day?"
"It's been a little over ten months."
"Ten months!? That's almost a whole year!!"
It's been that long!?
"Yes. Almost a year. You were asleep this entire time. It might be more accurate to say you were in a vegetative state."
"A vegetative state..."
That finally explained why my muscles and joints were creaking and completely stiff... I was definitely going to need rehab... Ten months, huh... I felt a bit like Urashima Taro. I wonder how Esune is doing...
"The one who diligently took care of you every single day while you were in a coma... was Densuke Girl. You should thank her."
"Densuke did? For me?"
"Jii~~"
"Is that so? Thank you so much, Densuke! Good girl, good girl, good girl!"
"Nii~~♡"
When I patted her head, Densuke smiled with a nihe~. Her wings fluttered slightly, and the halo above her head spun around.
"...Come to think of it, I've been wondering for a while now, but what exactly are these wings and this ring growing out of Densuke?"
"Ji...!?"Twitch.
At first, I thought it was just cosplay... but when I touched them, they felt real.
"Hmm? Nfufuffu♪ Why don't you ask her yourself~?"
"Ask her... Densuke can't talk, can she?"
"Ara? Is that so? Densuke Girl. You can't talk?"
"..."
"Aren't you going to show Line Boy your new form~?"
"..."
Densuke abruptly turned her face away. ...Eh? What's with this reaction?
"What's wrong, Densuke? Why are you fidgeting?"
"..."
"Densuke~?"
"..."
Something was definitely off. As I tilted my head in confusion, Densuke's entire body suddenly began to emit a blinding light.
"Hah!?"
What, what!? It was too bright to look at. I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut. When the light faded and I opened my eyes, standing there was—
"Master... please don't be mad... Densuke became a Devil Fruit ability user..."
There stood a girl, roughly one meter tall, carrying a large shell on her back. An angel.
"Who the heeeeeeeell is thaaaaaaaaaaat!!?"
"Jiii... Master... It's me, Densuke..."
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhh!!???"
The biggest shock of the day was right here. Densuke turned into a girl!?
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