"Wait! Doctorine!"
Seeing Kureha actually walk out without saying a single word, Chopper instantly panicked.
Even though he longed for the sea…Even though he admired pirates…Even though he had already begun to like that magical, mysterious world of Pokémon…
But…
He really wasn't ready to leave this place!
Just as he leapt from the table, ready to jump down, a large hand suddenly clamped onto the scruff of his coat and lifted him right back onto the tabletop.
"Hehehe, this is great!"
"Please take care of us from now on, Chopper!"
Luffy bead with a radiant grin as he spoke.
Chopper craned his head back to stare at Luffy's huge face, his throat bobbing nervously.
"Y-You're all talking nonsense!"
He suddenly tore himself out of Luffy's grasp, tumbling off the table in a ssy heap.
"I-I'm a reindeer! How could I possibly go out to sea with you!?"
Chopper shouted hoarsely.
But Luffy simply pressed down on his straw hat, puzzled."Why can't a reindeer be one of our crewmates?"
"...Why? There's no reason why…"
Chopper shuffled backward, mumbling under his breath:"I'm not human…"
"I'm just… a monster."
Feeling inferior, he lowered the brim of his hat, hiding his wet eyes.
But right then, Red suddenly laughed:
"Monster? That's perfect!"
"Because on this ship, tell —who isn't a monster!?"
"Being called a monster is sothing to be proud of!"
"Anyone who can't even be called a monster has no right to board our ship!"
"Don't you agree, Colonel Smoker?"
"You bastard! Don't lump in with you lot!"
Though Smoker frowned in irritation at being called out like that, understanding Red's intention, he still cooperatively shifted into full elental form, transforming into a towering figure of swirling white smoke.
"Eek~!"
Chopper's whole body jolted in fright.
The next mont, the mature, elegant Robin let out a soft, bell-like laugh.
"Hehe… co to think of it, when I was young, everyone used to call a monster too."
As she spoke, Robin waved her arm gracefully.
At once, illusory petals drifted through the air as a chain of arms sprouted upward from the ground, reaching Chopper and flicking him lightly on the forehead.
Chopper's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Huh? So the 'monster' you an… refers to Devil Fruit powers?"
"Like this!?"
Suddenly enlightened, Luffy stretched his mouth wider than the table itself, as if he could gulp down the entire feast in one bite.
Then, a crackle of electricity burst beneath Red's feet, lifting him slowly into the air.
Under Chopper's stunned gaze, Red spread his arms wide and smiled:
"Welco to the Straw Hat Pirates… Welco to the Monster House, Chopper!"
…
…
"Doctorine!"
Inside a dark room of the castle…
Carrying a small pack on his back, Chopper pushed open the wooden door, letting light spill inside.
"Mm?"
Back facing him, Kureha slowly lifted her head, though she didn't turn around.She spoke in her usual cool tone:
"What is it?"
Chopper hesitated for a mont, then said, "Doctorine, I've decided… I'm going to set sail with them!"
"I see…"Kureha continued flipping through her dical text—though her eyes never truly looked at the pages."Wasn't that already decided?"
"Becoming a pirate has always been your dream, hasn't it?"
"You really are just like that fool Hiriluk."
"Doctor Hiriluk…"
At the ntion of his foster father, Chopper could almost see Hiriluk's familiar silhouette, hear his hearty laughter:
"Chopper, soday you must sail the seas, carrying your own pirate flag!"
The mory flashed by.Chopper raised his head slowly.Though reluctant, his eyes still burned with resolve.
"Yes! Going out to sea as a pirate has always been my dream!"
"And now—I have my own pirate flag!"
"Doctorine, thank you… for everything all these years!!!"
Chopper bowed deeply.Sunlight from the window stretched his shadow long across the floor… until it reached Kureha's feet.
"I know~"
Kureha waved dismissively, still never turning to look at him.
Creak—
The old wooden door closed again, plunging the room back into darkness.
All sound vanished.
Only after a long while did Kureha exhale softly and let out a self-mocking chuckle:
"Hmph… I must really be getting old. Who reads a book in a dark room?"
She closed the book—she had no idea what it even said—and tossed it onto the desk.
A burst of noisy laughter drifted from outside.
It was Luffy, celebrating the news that Chopper would be joining them.
Through the thin sliver of light from the window, Kureha watched Red lift Chopper onto his shoulders.
Then the Straw Hat crew, in their own absurd ways, leapt off the cliffs of Drum Mountain and headed toward the village below.
…
…
After Nami's ergency signal lit up the skies above Drum Island, the scattered Straw Hat crew regrouped in the village as fast as possible.
"What happened, Miss Nami!?"
Sanji—after finally dragging Zoro back—rushed forward to ask with deep concern.
Behind him, Zoro rubbed his chin, glancing backward.
He was certain they should've turned left at that fork.So how did they end up back here after listening to that dumb cook?
Magic!?
"It's about the Kingdom of Alabasta!"
Seeing that everyone except Red's group had arrived, Nami began explaining:
"The details… I'll let Vivi explain."
"For now, let's load the supplies onto the rry!"
"No problem!"
Sanji and the others imdiately began transporting everything.
Because certain winter-dwelling insects and plants needed special care, Usopp had cut several huge blocks of ice from Drum Island.Once back inside Laboon's body, he planned to use Ice Stones to build an environnt that perfectly mimicked a Winter Island.
Just as they were finishing up, Red's group hurried down the mountain as well.
Aside from the slightly dizzy Chopper—still recovering from his makeshift roller-coaster ride—everyone seed perfectly fine.
"Sigh~ We didn't even get to have a proper adventure before leaving. What a waste!"
Near Drum Island's harbor, Luffy pouted as they prepared to depart.
Red laughed and patted his shoulder."There's nothing to regret!"
"Once we've traveled around the whole world, we can co back!"
"It won't take long, right?"
"You're right!"
Luffy's grin imdiately returned.
"Good! It's decided!"
"Once I beco Pirate King—after I've circled the world—I'll co back here and have a proper adventure!!!"
"Well said!"
Red smiled.
Just three sentences, and the future Pirate King was bursting with excitent again.
I truly am a Trainer who understands Luffy!
…
…
Monts later, pumped full of adrenaline like a rooster on stimulants, Luffy stood on the rry's bow and shouted toward the sea:
"Everyone! Prepare to set sail!!!"
"And then…"
"To celebrate our new crewmate—Chopper!"
"We're having a feast!!!"
The ship, with no one touching the helm, slowly turned and drifted toward the open ocean.
anwhile—
Sowhere along the sea route between Drum Island and Alabasta…
A huge, crude wooden raft sliced across the waves.
At its center, atop a mast, flapped a pirate flag bearing three skulls.
Lafitte stepped out into the cold wind after ending a Den Den Mushi call, approaching Teach's side.
"Captain, reliable information says the Straw Hats were just at Drum Island causing chaos."
"If we head there now, we should run right into them."
"Zehahahahaha~!"
Teach's eyes glead with wicked delight.His wide, uneven grin stretched grotesquely across his face.
"Heh… even the heavens are helping us!"
"With Straw Hat Luffy—the brat who turned the East Blue upside down—in our hands, even the Marines will have to obediently cooperate with us!"
A terrifying pressure suddenly surged from his body, shaking the sea itself.
His smile faded, replaced by the ruthless ambition of a rising warlord.
"Watch closely!"
"It won't be long before I possess the strongest Logia… and the strongest Paracia!"
"When that ti cos—not even the World Governnt will resist !!!"
"Zehahahahahahahaha!!!"
His laugh rolled across the entire sea.
The roaring waves carried the ambitions of pirates—n driven by greed, hunger, and dreams—ever forward toward their goals.
(End of Chapter)
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