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"Don't… don't… don't! I feel like I still have some time left! Why do we have to hold a funeral instead?!" Zenny's soul wailed desperately.
He tried to force his spirit back into his body, but no matter how hard he tried, his soul passed right through. Panic began to set in.
"Could it be… am I really stuck pretending to be dead forever?" he muttered, tears welling in his spectral eyes.
Just as Zenny was about to cry, he overheard Vivi speaking to Ikki. "Since this grandpa is part of the Grand Line and has lived on this island for so long, a proper burial on land might be best."
Usopp, ever curious, chimed in. "Why not a burial at sea?"
Ace nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I like the idea of a sea burial. Ikki said this old man was a big shot, right? Lending money to pirates takes guts. A burial at sea would honor his courage."
"But wait," Ikki interjected. "Does a sea burial mean just… throwing him in the sea to feed the fish?"
Robin adjusted her hat thoughtfully. "That's not entirely wrong, but it's more respectful to say the sea creatures provide a funeral. Traditions vary by region, though. Some places cremate the body first and scatter the ashes into the ocean."
Soon, the Straw Hats found themselves in a lively debate over how to handle Zenny's "funeral."
Some argued for burial on land, reasoning that he'd lived on the island for years and belonged to the soil. Others insisted on burial at sea, seeing the ocean as the ultimate resting place for anyone tied to the Grand Line.
Then there was Ikki, the sole advocate for cremation, who simply thought it was the most efficient.
Floating above them, Zenny was completely dumbfounded. "Seriously? Hasn't anyone considered the option of saving me?" His gaze landed on Chopper, the only one still actively thinking of ways to revive him.
Meanwhile, Zoro stared up at Zenny with a mischievous grin. "That's what you get for pretending to be dead…"
Standing up, Zoro decided to make his own contribution. "I scared the old man to death, so I should have the final say. Let's compromise."
The crew turned to him curiously.
"First, we cremate him. Then, we scatter half of his ashes into the sea and bury the other half in the ground. That way, everyone's happy," Zoro declared with a smirk.
Zenny, hovering above, pointed an accusing finger at him. "You b*****d! You scared me to death, and now you're proud of it?!" His spirit quaked with rage. "And what's this about crushing me to ashes?!"
But the crew, surprisingly, found Zoro's idea reasonable and agreed to proceed.
Preparations began immediately. As the crew gathered wood for the pyre, Ikki glanced at his watch. There were less than three minutes left before the 15-minute effect of the jelly bean ended.
Just as Ikki moved to place Zenny's body on the pyre, a group of Marines appeared from the base of the mountain.
The leader, a young officer, stepped forward and saluted. "Hello, private Marines. I'm Bob, Petty Officer Second Class, from the nearby Marine branch."
The Straw Hats exchanged looks. They had been aware of Marines landing on the island earlier but had avoided them, too busy "preparing" Zenny's funeral. It seemed the Marines had decided to seek them out instead.
Judging by Bob's polite demeanor, however, it was clear they weren't here to pick a fight.
"I am Ikki, the vice captain of the Straw Hats. May I ask what brings Petty Officer Second Class Bob here?" Ikki said with a polite smile.
Bob, who had been scanning the area, suddenly froze when his gaze landed on Zenny lying on a pile of firewood. Blinking in disbelief, he pointed at the scene and asked, "What… exactly are you doing?"
"Oh! This old man died suddenly," Ikki replied without missing a beat. "We couldn't just leave his body exposed in the wilderness, so we're preparing to cremate him."
Bob: "…"
Bob immediately recognized Zenny—the very man he had been searching for. However, he hadn't expected Zenny to… already be dead. Panic flashed through his mind. What about his treasure? Where can I find it now?
Quickly regaining his composure, Bob stepped forward and stopped Zoro, who was about to light the fire. "Dear private Marines… Well, this old man happens to be a wanted criminal we've been pursuing for years. Would you mind handing over his body to me?"
Ikki's eyes narrowed slightly as he realized Bob's true intent. It was obvious the Marine was after Zenny's treasure, hoping to inspect the body for clues. Another greedy Marine, Ikki thought. Time to deal with this corruption.
"Alright," Ikki said with a casual shrug. "Zoro, hold off on lighting the fire."
Bob looked relieved at how cooperative Ikki was. Nodding in approval, he moved toward Zenny's body, completely unaware that Ikki had activated his Sharingan and placed him under a subtle Genjutsu. The instant their eyes met, Bob's perception became skewed.
Under the Genjutsu, Bob searched Zenny's body with a greedy gleam in his eye. Meanwhile, Zenny's soul returned to his body, but he still didn't dare move, unsure of what was happening. To his shock, Bob's search turned up a treasure map hidden in Zenny's clothes.
"Hahaha! I knew it! Zenny's treasure wasn't a myth!" Bob cackled, waving the map in triumph. Feeling victorious, he turned to the Straw Hats. "Well, no point in taking him back now. Let's proceed with the cremation!"
Zenny, who had been hoping for salvation, was struck dumb. You're joking, right? You searched me, found your precious map, and now you still want to burn me?! His inner voice screamed in despair.
Meanwhile, Zoro, holding the torch, noticed that Zenny's soul had reentered his body. His original plan to scare the old man had worked better than expected, but now the Marine's actions left him confused. What the hell is this guy doing?
Treasure map in hand, Bob decided to leave immediately, eager to claim the prize. On the way back down the mountain, he carefully examined the map and froze in realization.
"This island… The treasure is here!" he exclaimed. "And it's not far from this spot!"
Petty Officer Third Class, trailing behind him, furrowed his brow. "What is Petty Officer Second Class looking at so intensely?"
Bob grinned, shaking the map triumphantly. "It's Zenny's treasure map, of course! Hahaha! The treasure will finally be mine!"
The Third Class officer and a few Marines exchanged skeptical glances. From their perspective, Bob appeared to be staring at his hands and laughing maniacally.
"...Is he okay?" one of the Marines whispered.
The Third Class officer sighed. "Honestly, I think he might have lost it. Seeing Zenny dead and realizing the treasure is out of reach must have driven him mad…"
Still, they followed Bob as he eagerly led them to the "treasure."
After a short trek, Bob came to a stop in front of a large pile of rocks. His eyes lit up. "Here it is! The treasure!" he declared with glee.
The Marines stared blankly. To them, it was nothing more than a random heap of stones.
"…Uh, sir?" one Marine ventured cautiously. "Are you sure this is the treasure?"
Bob nodded confidently. "Of course! Start gathering it up! We'll take it back to the ship!"
Petty Officer Third Class pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He's completely lost it. Turning to his fellow Marines, he muttered, "Alright, that's enough. Let's knock him out and take him back to base."
The others nodded in agreement. As Bob continued rambling about treasure, the Marines discreetly knocked him unconscious and hoisted him onto their shoulders.