Pudding's intimidation of Chopper ended with the poor reindeer passing out, foaming at the mouth.
After Chopper woke up, Shin reassured him, explaining that he had only been drawing some blood and conducting routine research. Even though Chopper believed Shin's words, he would still tremble with fright whenever he saw Pudding, instinctively hiding his head in whatever random place he could find.
Pudding, ever the mischievous troublemaker, took great pleasure in scaring Chopper. Moreover, with the fusion of the Mythical Vampire Fruit and the Shadow-Shadow Fruit in her possession, her abilities carried an eerie, supernatural quality that often sent the poor reindeer into a state of pure terror.
After some time had passed, Shin expected a call from Princess Vivi and her crew. However, to his surprise, the first person to contact him was once again Shimotsuki Ryuma.
"What's going on now?" Shin asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh… Captain Shin, you can bring people back to life, right?" Ryuma asked hesitantly, scratching the back of his head.
Shin rolled his eyes. "If I didn't, wouldn't you still be a zombie right now?"
As soon as he spoke, a loud thud echoed from the other side of the call. Teleporting quickly, he found a swordsman, clad in Wano-style attire and wearing glasses, suddenly dropped to his knees, bowing deeply before him.
"Captain Shin, please save my daughter!"
Shin immediately recognized the man—it was none other than Shimotsuki Koushirou, the master swordsman and mentor to the green-haired swordsman, Zoro.
As for the "daughter" he spoke of, memories stirred in Shin's mind. 'Oh, right… Kuina. The girl who died in a world where people survive getting punched through buildings. And yet, she supposedly perished from falling down the stairs.'
If this story had occurred later in the timeline, it would have been outright laughable. Considering how absurdly durable people in the One Piece world were, the idea that someone could die from a simple fall was practically a joke.
Not to mention, with the kind of chaos the Straw Hats endured daily, if Kuina had actually joined their crew, she'd probably have "died" at least once a day!
Now understanding the situation, Shin nodded. "A resurrection? That's no problem. Just bring me her body."
As he spoke, Shin swept his gaze across Shimotsuki Village with his Observation Haki. He didn't sense Zoro anywhere, which meant the swordsman had already gone to sea, likely continuing his usual routine of bounty hunting or, more accurately, getting lost.
Considering the timeline, Shin mused, "Luffy should be setting sail soon—if he hasn't already."
He decided to leave behind a Wood Clone before departing. "Might as well clean up some of the riffraff in the East Blue while I'm here."
With that decided, he turned his attention back to Koushirou and followed him to a secluded hillside behind the dojo. Without hesitation, Koushirou retrieved a blade and skillfully unearthed Kuina's grave, opening the coffin to reveal her remains.
However, no matter how beautiful someone was in life, years of burial inevitably left a gruesome sight.
Shin showed no reaction as he carefully collected a small sample of Kuina's body tissue. Using his abilities, he created a new clone from White Zetsu and then activated the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu.
A series of ashen, papery fragments coalesced around the clone, gradually forming Kuina's figure. Slowly, she opened her eyes, confusion flickering across her face.
"Father…? What's going on?"
"Kuina! You're finally awake!" Koushirou, usually calm and reserved, abandoned all restraint. Tears streamed down his face as he embraced his daughter, sobbing uncontrollably.
Kuina still seemed dazed. Her death had been sudden—one moment, she had slipped while fetching a whetstone, the next, she had lost consciousness. To her, it felt as though she had merely fallen asleep.
Her father's reaction puzzled her. "Why is he acting like I died or something?"
Then, as her awareness sharpened, Kuina noticed something strange. Her body felt… wrong. There was no sensation of warmth or cold. She couldn't feel her own breathing or even her heartbeat.
Realization struck like a lightning bolt.
"Wait… I died? And I've been dead for years?!"
"Zoro's already gone to sea?! And he took my Meito, Wado Ichimonji?!"
"The ancestor, Shimotsuki Ryuma, has been revived too?! And I'm only partially resurrected?!"
Her thoughts raced in rapid succession, her initial shock gradually giving way to a sense of calm acceptance.
"This… doesn't feel like a normal resurrection," she muttered.
"Of course not," Ryuma interjected. "You're currently in a state of Edo Tensei. If you want a complete resurrection, you'll have to rely on Captain Shin."
Kuina's gaze shifted to Shin, eyes filled with curiosity and disbelief. The very concept of resurrection seemed absurd, like something out of a fairy tale.
Born in the Shimotsuki family, she had been raised with discipline and strict training. However, Koushirou had never spoken much about the outside world. She barely even knew about Devil Fruits, let alone the miraculous abilities that existed beyond her village.
Even Koushirou himself had been skeptical at first. If not for the undeniable proof of Ryuma's return, he wouldn't have believed such a thing was possible. After all, while some Devil Fruits could grant resurrection abilities, the idea of bringing back others without limitation was nothing short of godlike.
Yet, the Edo Tensei technique had solidified his faith. Even if Kuina could only remain in this state, at least she was "alive" in some form. That alone brought immense comfort.
Now, with the possibility of a true resurrection within reach, Koushirou's heart swelled with hope.
Kuina, too, stared at Shin with anticipation. She had so many questions. What kind of person was this mysterious captain? What incredible power did he wield? And, most importantly—
Would she finally get a second chance at life?
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