Chapter 230 » You're Definitely Not Human!

Yusuke stood there, scanning his surroundings. Despite his careful observation, he couldn't find a single trace of another person.

Could this mysterious voice belong to a ghost or spirit?

"Hurry up and move your stinking foot."

Yusuke's eyebrow twitched at the voice, irritation creeping in.

Bang!

The low ceiling of the cave caught him off guard, and his head slammed against the solid rock.

"Fuck... Listen." Yusuke declared firmly, narrowing his eyes at the unseen presence, "Show yourself. I've had enough of these games. I can find my own way out, and I won't waste another moment if you keep hiding."

As he lifted his foot to walk toward the cave entrance, he felt something beneath it.

Had he actually stepped on someone? But he was certain there hadn't been any creatures around moments ago.

Rubbing the bump on his head, Yusuke reassessed the situation. He was positive he was the only person here, yet something was speaking. What could it be?

Being in the Grand Line, he knew well that not every speaking entity had to be human.

He bent down and carefully searched the ground.

"I know exactly what's going on here." Yusuke declared with conviction, "You're not human — that much is clear. I've examined every corner of this cave, and while you speak our language, there's no doubt about it. You're something else entirely. Show yourself now. I want to see what manner of being I'm dealing with."

His voice carried a steady strength as he issued this challenge, knowing it would draw out whatever mysterious entity was present.

"You even figured that out. Looks like you're experienced in the Grand Line. Look carefully at your feet. I'm standing right under your foot. Pay close attention. Don't step on my body again. My delicate body can't handle your rough treatment."

A doll suddenly appeared under his foot.

It was a cute Barbie doll, its mouth moving up and down as it spoke.

Yusuke's eyes widened in shock. Despite all his experience and natural courage, the sight of a talking doll left him utterly dumbfounded.

"Why are you staring at me like that? You've seen me now. Is it strange that a toy can speak?" The doll said with its expressionless face.

Although the doll had consciousness and could speak, its face remained frozen, unable to show any expressions.

After all... it was still just a toy.

"You can dance too, little doll?" Yusuke asked directly, his eyes fixed on the mysterious object.

"You little brat, who do you think you're talking to?" The doll's tone made it clear it was pulling rank due to age.

"Your body isn't even as big as my palm, yet you dare call me a brat? You're too arrogant!" Yusuke glared at the unremarkable little toy.

In the Grand Line, a talking doll wasn't actually that surprising. Even so, he felt irritated. The doll had called him a brat, and from its tone, it seemed to consider itself older than him.

On this stormy night, in this dark and damp cave, a doll had suddenly started speaking.

"Did you eat some Devil Fruit? How can a doll talk?" Yusuke bent down, picked it up, and placed it in his palm.

Despite its small size, its voice was quite loud.

"What exactly are you? Why are you in this cave?" He examined the Barbie doll in his palm.

"Can't you see I'm a toy? Still asking what I am — are you stupid?" The doll mocked him, making his face darken with anger.

"I won't tolerate disrespect from a toy." Yusuke declared firmly, "Keep this attitude up, and I'll walk right out of this cave without you."

He added, knowing full well the impact of his words.

"Please don't! I finally found someone who could save me — someone who can take me away from this dark and damp cave. Please don't abandon me!" The doll immediately panicked.

"Ah, now we understand each other." Yusuke stated decisively, "Since your freedom depends on my help, let's be clear: I need to know exactly what you are and how you came to be here. No more games, no more posturing about age. Just the truth."

Now that he knew the doll could talk, there was nothing to be afraid of anymore.

"I'm not a 'what' — I'm human. My name is Katchu." The doll told him.

{T/N: Katchu (甲冑) is a Japanese word that refers to armor (甲) and helmet (冑).}

Yusuke looked at Katchu with suspicious eyes.

He stared for quite a while; this toy was truly interesting. If he brought it back, surely Nami and Nojiko would be delighted.

He had found such a pretty Barbie doll. Any young girl would love this toy.

"Perhaps you haven't heard of my famous name. It's not surprising that young people like you wouldn't know of me. But I'm certain your grandfather must have heard my name when he was young." Katchu said, watching his surprised expression.

"Let's be clear about this." Yusuke pressed firmly, "You keep mentioning my grandfather, but I need specifics. What's your actual age? You make bold claims about your identity and my grandfather knowing you — so tell me exactly who you are and how you ended up as a toy."

He fixed the doll with an unwavering gaze, determined to get straight answers.

"Don't underestimate me, I'm even older than your grandfather. When I was still human, I was a pirate. When I reincarnated for the second time, I changed careers — I didn't want to be a pirate anymore." Katchu said proudly.

But Yusuke didn't believe its words. Judging by the voice, it didn't sound like an elderly person at all. This voice clearly belonged to a young person — it even sounded like a three-year-old child.

Plus, this creature talked about reincarnating for the second time. Had it already lived one life? That seemed impossible. Everyone only lives once. Although this world had many Devil Fruits, there couldn't possibly be one for immortality.

And reincarnating for the second time — did that mean it had died once?

"I say, is your head broken or something? Are you mentally ill? You seem quite abnormal." Yusuke said, skeptical of the doll's claims.

"It's natural that you don't believe me. You're still young. Perhaps you can't understand. But I can tell you with certainty: your grandfather must have heard of me when he was young. I wasn't a nobody back then — I was a famous pirate."

"Stop trying to fool me. I don't believe any of this nonsense. If you're really who you say you are, then how old are you now?" Yusuke demanded.

How could it be possible? How could his grandfather have heard of this doll's name? Not only was it obviously making this up, but even if it were true, his grandfather couldn't possibly have heard of it.

Because his grandfather wasn't even from this world. Yusuke was actually someone who had crossed over from another world. This fellow was clearly exaggerating.

"Let me be absolutely clear. My grandfather has never heard of you — that's a fact, not a guess. While I can't verify your claims about being a famous pirate in your first life, that's beside the point right now. What really matters is your current age. So tell me straight, how old are you?"

He didn't care about what kind of person it was in its previous life. What Yusuke cared about most was how it had become a doll.

How did that happen?

"You claim my grandfather knows your name, but based on what? Unless you're suggesting you're someone like Gol D. Roger himself - which we both know isn't possible, given the Pirate King's execution twenty-two years ago. Or are you trying to tell me the great Pirate King has somehow been reborn as this tiny Barbie doll?"

He joked to Katchu.