"Thank you… thank you so much."
Ail wiped away his tears as he spoke.
"I never imagined we'd run into people as kind as you."
They hadn't been robbed.
They'd been treated for their injuries.
They were even being given food afterward.
This was the kind of mercy they hadn't felt in days.
These people didn't feel like pirates at all—
they felt more like kind-hearted adventurers.
"It's nothing," Chopper said with a smile. "Don't worry about it."
"Chopper, should I put this here?" Merry asked, holding a roll of bandages.
"Yeah, that's fine."
"Okay!"
After placing the bandages into the box, Merry sat down on a nearby stool, swinging her legs as she watched Chopper carefully tend to the patients' wounds.
Meanwhile, Jin leaned silently against the wall, his gaze never leaving the group.
"Uh… c-could you not stare at us like that?" Dobby swallowed nervously.
The chubby man in sunglasses was already sweating.
For some reason, Jin's eyes felt like a blade hanging over his head—
as if it could fall at any moment.
"I'm not intentionally putting pressure on you," Jin said calmly, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"So why do you feel uncomfortable?"
"Or is it… that you've got a guilty conscience?"
The moment those words fell, everyone's hearts skipped violently.
It felt like their deepest thoughts had been seen straight through.
This man's insight… was terrifying.
But admitting it was impossible.
If they did, death would surely follow.
"Hahaha, of course not!"
"We're already in this miserable state—how could we be hiding anything?"
"Yeah, you must be overthinking it."
"Is that so?" Jin nodded lightly. "Then maybe I really am."
He didn't press further.
The tension eased slightly.
"Strange," Merry said, standing up.
"You're sweating a lot."
She picked up a towel from the table and handed it to Dobby.
"Here, wipe your sweat."
Looking at the girl's pure, innocent eyes, Dobby felt his heart clench painfully.
She was so kind…
And they were lying to her.
"Th-thank you," he muttered, lowering his head.
He took the towel—but didn't use it, only clenched it tightly in his hand.
"Why aren't you wiping?" Merry asked curiously.
"Hahaha… I will, I will."
"You should," Chopper said without looking up.
"Otherwise the wounds might get infected."
Chopper paid no attention to their reactions.
With Jin here, even if they tried something, they'd never get the chance.
Everyone in the Straw Hat crew knew how terrifying that man truly was.
"All right. Next."
"Thank you," Ail said softly, moving to stand by the wall.
Soon, under Doctor Chopper's treatment, everyone except one child named Gino had their wounds stitched.
Knock knock.
The door was tapped.
Sanji appeared at the entrance.
"Finished yet? The food's ready."
"Oh, Sanji," Chopper said.
"I still have one patient left…"
"Then let the others come out first."
"Okay."
Jin picked up Merry and glanced at the people standing obediently by the wall.
"Don't just stand there. Come on," he said flatly.
"Let's eat first."
Without waiting for a response, he opened the door and walked out.
The others exchanged looks, then silently followed him into the dining hall of the Thousand Sunny.
When Ail saw the interior, his eyes widened.
"You… you even have such a huge aquarium?!"
Watching fish swim leisurely behind the glass filled him with envy.
If only this ship were theirs…
"Hahaha! Pretty awesome, right?" Franky said proudly.
"The ship I built is the best!"
Being able to enjoy an underwater view while eating—that was exactly the vibe he wanted.
"Then you must be an incredible shipwright."
"Nice eye, pal!" Franky gave a thumbs-up.
"Not the world's best—but definitely close!"
In his heart, only Tom would ever be number one.
"Merry, you can sit here," Jin said, placing her beside Robin.
"Mm!"
Merry stared at the food, unconsciously swallowing.
Ever since she gained the ability to eat, meals had become one of her favorite things in the world.
"All right, don't be shy," Sanji said, setting dishes on the table with a cigarette in his mouth.
"Let's eat."
"Yeah!"
"Merry-chan, your juice."
"Thank you, Sanji!"
She happily took it and sipped—
the sour-sweet flavor was perfect before a meal.
"I'm eating!"
"It's delicious… really delicious…"
"I've never eaten food this good before."
Tears streamed down their faces as they ate.
This was the first proper meal they'd had in days.
The satisfaction flooding their senses was overwhelming.
"Glad you like it," Sanji said with a gentle smile.
For a cook, nothing brought more joy than seeing people enjoy his food.
"Hey," someone asked,
"do you know about Fish-Man Island?"
"Fish-Man Island?"
Their bodies stiffened instantly.
"You're… heading for the New World?"
"Yeah," Luffy answered cheerfully.
"That's…"
Ail and the others exchanged uneasy glances.
"Did something happen to you guys in the New World?" Franky asked.
"Hahaha, no way," one of them forced a laugh.
"How could people like us ever make it there?"
"Yeah, we just heard some rumors…"
Kuku glanced at the food in his hands, then at the freshly stitched wounds on his arm.
"I've heard the New World is terrifying. I really suggest you don't go."
Franky frowned.
"You haven't even been there. That's not convincing at all," Zoro said flatly.
"I'm going to the New World no matter what," Luffy grinned.
"Even if you might die?"
"Even if I die chasing my dream—I won't regret it."
Kuku fell silent.
Those words reminded him of his captain.
Back then, that man had been just as confident, leading them into the New World.
And the result?
They were crushed.
Utterly.
A meteor falling from the sky—
a power they couldn't even begin to resist.
Their captain lay gravely wounded.
The vice-captain stayed behind to cover their escape… and died there.
That was the reality of their journey into the New World.
If not for sheer luck, none of them would have made it back alive.
Because of that, Kuku truly didn't want these kind people to go there—
especially not with such an adorable little girl among them.
He glanced at Merry.
She was blinking at him curiously, clearly interested in what he was saying.
The same innocent look she'd worn while helping treat his wounds earlier.
His heart twisted in agony.
"…I wish you luck," he finally said.
Robin gently placed a shrimp onto Merry's plate, then glanced toward Jin.
Her eyes asked silently:
What's really going on with them?
"You'll know soon," Jin replied calmly.
Robin didn't press further—but she had already guessed part of the truth.
Soon, all the food was gone—
except for Chopper's portion and the child's.
Most of it, naturally, had disappeared into Luffy's bottomless stomach.
Yet something felt off.
After eating, Kuku and the others grew visibly restless.
"You can talk now," Robin said quietly.
Jin nodded, then called toward the door.
"Come in."
Creaaak.
The dining room door opened.
A man with drill-shaped hair walked in.
"Stansen?!" Kuku stared in shock.
"Why are you only showing up now?!"
Dobby and Ail exchanged glances.
Quietly, Dobby slipped a small bottle from his clothes and clenched it in his palm.
"Go on," Jin said coldly.
"Explain everything."
"What do you mean?" Luffy asked blankly.
The smarter ones had already realized something—and their expressions changed.
"You controlled him?" Sanji asked.
"Yeah."
"These people aren't what they pretended to be," Jin said calmly.
Then he glanced at them again.
"You should thank Sanji and Chopper."
"Otherwise, you wouldn't have lived long enough to finish that meal."
"What do you mean?" Usopp asked.
"Listen to him and you'll understand."
Stansen took a breath.
"What he said is true. Everything we showed you… was an act."
The moment he spoke, Ail and the others went pale.
Kayil shot to his feet, fury flashing in his eyes.
"Stansen, you bastard—!"
"Sit. Down."
Jin's gaze turned icy.
The killing intent within it was unmistakable.
A chill shot from Kayil's scalp to his spine.
All the anger drained from him instantly as he collapsed back into his seat, drenched in cold sweat.
He knew it instinctively—
If he made one wrong move now, he would die on the spot.
"…What does that mean?" Luffy asked, still confused.
"Meaning," Usopp snapped,
"these guys were lying to us, you idiot!"
"What?!"
Luffy instantly exploded.
"I treated them to food, and they lied to me?!"
"Why would you lie?!"
"…I'm sorry."
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