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"This old man probably thought we were here to rob him, so he let these sheep attack us!" Sabo remarked, glancing at the elderly man in a coat standing nearby with a grin.
As soon as the old man came into view, the sheep that had been attacking the Straw Hats stopped one by one, retreating as if on command.
Relieved to have the assault end, Sanji dusted himself off and turned to the old man. "Relax, old man. We're just here to restock food and water!" he said in a calm tone.
But the man, Zenny, pointed at the crew with a scowl. "Who'd believe a word out of a pirate's mouth? I'm telling you now—there's no treasure on this island! I'm broke!"
At the mention of the word "treasure," Nami's eyes sparkled with a glint unmistakably shaped like Berries. "Wait, did you say treasure? Is there treasure on this island?" she asked, her tone eager.
Zenny waved his hands in denial. "No! There's no treasure here!" he said, but his flustered tone betrayed him.
Ikki chuckled knowingly. "Ah, Mr. Zenny, it's the old 'no silver buried here' trick. Why mention treasure if there's none?"
Zenny froze, realization dawning on him. "You… how do you know me?!" he asked, turning his suspicious gaze toward Ikki.
The rest of the crew shared puzzled glances, also curious about how Ikki seemed to know this old man so well.
With a sly smile, Ikki explained, "I told you, I'm good at gathering intelligence. Zenny here was famous back in the day for lending money to pirates and making a profit off the interest!"
The revelation left the crew stunned as they looked at the frail old man in surprise.
"Lending money to pirates? Do they even pay it back?" Vivi asked curiously.
"Of course not!" Zenny huffed before Ikki could respond. "Pirates are all scoundrels! I had to risk my neck to collect every last Berry I was owed!" He glared at the crew. "I know better than anyone what kind of bastards pirates are! There's no treasure here, so do whatever you want—kill me or cut me into pieces, I don't care!"
Zenny folded his arms defiantly, his face a mix of fear and bravado. Sanji chuckled and stepped forward. "Oh? That so? Well, I'm a cook, so I know a thing or two about chopping and frying."
Zoro joined in, drawing one of his swords and flashing a mischievous grin. "I could use some practice too."
Zenny immediately panicked, waving his arms frantically. "Wait, wait, wait! I was joking! Just joking!" he stammered before turning to flee. But in his haste, he tripped and got tangled in a low tree branch. The more he struggled, the tighter the branch seemed to hold him.
Zoro, with an exasperated sigh, walked over. "Hold still." He raised his blade, and with a swift slash, the branches binding Zenny fell apart.
But the old man, overwhelmed by fear, fainted on the spot.
Chopper rushed over and pressed his ear to Zenny's chest. "H-his heartbeat stopped!" the little reindeer exclaimed in horror.
Everyone turned to Zoro, their eyes filled with shock and judgment.
"You didn't have to scare him to death, moss-head!" Sanji scolded.
"That's way too much!" Usopp added, pointing dramatically.
"Green algae for brains!" Nami snapped.
Zoro stood frozen, looking bewildered. He had merely drawn his sword, so why had the old man been scared to death?
Ikki, observing Zenny closely, noticed a faint twitch of the old man's eyelids. A sly grin spread across his face as realization struck: this "dead man" was just playing possum.
Zenny, a seasoned veteran of the pirate lending business, was no stranger to theatrics. While ruthless in collecting debts—often forcing pirates to repay with their lives—he had mastered survival tactics. When intimidation failed, he deployed his second-best trick: pretending to be dead.
Even Chopper, with his superb medical skills, was fooled by this well-honed act, showcasing just how refined Zenny's "playing dead" technique was. This was a man who had risked his life to lend money to pirates—he wouldn't faint just because Zoro unsheathed a blade. This was all part of his routine.
Zenny's plan was simple: if the Straw Hats believed he was dead, they might leave him behind. If they decided to help, perhaps he could even guilt-trip or blackmail them. It was a win-win in his book.
As Chopper prepared to guide the sheep back to Zenny's house, Ikki stepped forward. "Hold on," he said, stopping Chopper. "Let me take a closer look at Mr. Zenny."
Reaching into his pocket, Ikki pulled out a small box of jelly beans. He plucked one at random and inspected it. Each jelly bean carried a unique, often bizarre effect. This one, Ikki noted, could temporarily make a limb disappear for 15 minutes. Without hesitation, he popped it into Zenny's mouth.
Zenny immediately went stiff, realizing something was… missing. His "little Zenny" was gone. Though horrified, he stayed committed to his act, lying motionless as though truly dead.
Ikki observed Zenny carefully. "Hmm," he murmured to himself. "Still has all his limbs. Looks like something else is missing…" With a mischievous grin, Ikki retrieved another jelly bean. This one could cause a person's soul to leave their body temporarily. He gently slipped it into Zenny's mouth.
Seconds later, Zenny's soul floated free of his body. Unlike Brook's soul, visible to everyone, Zenny's spiritual form was invisible to most of the crew. Bewildered, Zenny looked down at what appeared to be his lifeless body.
"Am I… really dead?" he muttered, tears welling up in his spectral eyes.
Ikki, feigning sorrow, sighed dramatically. "Alas, it's too late to save him now… There's nothing more we can do."
Hearing this, Chopper rushed forward to check again. He inspected Zenny's pupils and gasped. "They've dilated! His bodily functions are shutting down!" Chopper cried in alarm.
Zoro, still standing nearby, looked utterly baffled. "I just drew my sword… How did it end up like this?"
Just as Zoro began to internally chastise himself, Kuina at his side trembled faintly. An unfamiliar sensation, something akin to spiritual power, coursed through him, clearing his mind. Suddenly, Zoro could see Zenny's soul floating above the ground, sobbing quietly.
"…What the hell?" Zoro muttered, his gaze snapping between Zenny's soul and his body.
Recalling Ikki's earlier actions, Zoro stepped up behind him and whispered, "This is your doing, isn't it? I can see the old man's soul."
Ikki, realizing Zoro had gained the ability to perceive spirits, chuckled softly. "Yup. Don't worry, it's harmless. His soul will return to his body in 15 minutes."
Satisfied with the explanation, Zoro gave a small nod. But before he could walk away, Ikki donned a mournful expression and declared loudly, "Oh, Zoro… I can't believe you've taken an innocent life!"
Zoro: "..."
Ignoring Zoro's speechless glare, Ikki continued, addressing the crew with exaggerated sorrow. "Since this tragedy was our fault, the least we can do is give him a proper funeral."
At that moment, the sheep, sensing their master's "death," began to bleat mournfully. "Baa… Baa…" Their cries added a dramatic air to the scene.
Ikki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Now, the question remains… Cremation or burial?"
"No, no, no!" Zenny's soul shouted, flailing in midair. "I'm not dead! I can still be saved! Why are you planning my funeral?!"