"Huh?"
Chopper, standing nearby, couldn’t hide his surprise at those words. He hurriedly stepped forward, trying to intervene.
"No way! With injuries like those, you need to stay here and rest for at least two days!"
"Uh, well..."
Ace looked troubled, scratching his head, unsure how to respond. After all, the one speaking was the doctor treating him.
But in the next mont, sothing clicked in his mind. His eyes widened in shock as he shouted, "Wait a sec! This tanuki can talk?!"
Chopper froze for a split second before exploding in indignation. "What tanuki?! I’m a reindeer, you jerk!"
Ace chuckled, rubbing the back of his head with a carefree grin. "Haha, my bad, my bad! So you’re a reindeer? I got it wrong."
At that mont, Will, who had been sitting quietly nearby, spoke up to ease the tension. "Don’t worry too much about his injuries, Chopper.
"With a guy like him, his body’s probably strong enough to recover on its own in a few days. You’ve likely only dealt with regular people before, so you might not be used to folks with freakish constitutions like his."
"Huh? Is that so?" Chopper, who seed to trust Will, nodded thoughtfully.
Ace’s eyes lit up at the chance to escape. He jumped in eagerly. "Yeah, exactly! I’m tough as nails. A little fatal wound like this? I’ll be back to normal in no ti!"
Seeing Ace’s insistence, Chopper realized arguing further was pointless. He sighed and relented. "Fine, then."
Ace’s face broke into a wide grin at Chopper’s approval. He turned to leave, calling out, "Alright, I’m outta here!
"Next ti we et, you and I are gonna have a proper fight! And I won’t lose to you again!"
Will smirked at Ace’s bold declaration, then countered with a question. "Ace, do you even know why you lost so badly?"
"Hm?" Ace, about to walk away, paused mid-step and turned back, puzzled.
Will didn’t mince words. "Your punches aren’t fast enough. And they’re definitely not ruthless enough.
"During our fight, I could tell you didn’t have any real intent to kill . You were only riled up because of sothing I said, so you held back—whether you realized it or not."
His gaze locked onto Ace’s eyes, heavy with aning. "Ace, those hesitant flas of yours? They can’t kill anyone."
"..." Ace fell silent, his expression growing complex, a mix of realization and unease.
Will didn’t wait to see if his words sank in. He stood, scooped Chopper up under his arm, and headed toward the tavern’s exit.
At the door, he paused briefly, tossing one last piece of advice over his shoulder. "Get stronger while you still can, Ace. Your ti’s running out."
With that, Will pushed through the door, calling back to Nami and the others who looked confused. "You guys wait here. I’m taking Chopper to talk to that old hag about setting sail."
"Huh?" Chopper, still processing everything, looked startled but didn’t get a chance to protest.
Will leaped into the air, soaring toward the peak of Drum Island with Chopper in tow.
Ace, still quiet, stepped out of the tavern. His eyes followed Will’s fading figure in the sky, lost in thought, though what he was thinking remained unclear.
Amid the cool, swirling snow, Will carried Chopper through the air, quickly reaching the summit of Drum Island.
As he landed, he took a mont to survey the scenery with curiosity. The mountaintop looked unnaturally flat, as if soone had sliced off its peak. In the center stood a massive castle, towering proudly against the snowy backdrop.
Chopper, gathering his courage, finally spoke up, his voice trembling slightly. "Um... Will... why weren’t you scared when you saw ?"
"Scared?" Will blinked, then let out a chuckle, looking down at him. "That’s impossible.
"I’m the one who scares people. Nothing out there makes afraid."
Chopper’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and he pressed on. "But... I’m a reindeer who walks on two legs and talks like a human..."
His voice faltered, and a hint of self-doubt crept in. "And I’ve got this... weird blue nose. Don’t you think I’m so kind of... monster?"
"Monster?" Will’s expression turned incredulous. "Not at all. I actually think you’re pretty cute."
Before Chopper could squirm with embarrassnt, Will’s deanor shifted. A faint aura of intensity radiated from him, his tone growing serious.
"Listen up, Chopper. On these seas, the real monsters are the ones with terrifying strength.
"Those who judge others by their appearance and call them monsters? They have no idea what a true monster is."
Chopper felt the weight of Will’s presence, his fur standing on end as he froze in place. He understood the words, but hesitation lingered in his eyes. "But... I... I’m just..."
Will cut him off, his voice firm. "Enough. You’re the reindeer I’ve chosen. There’s no one else like you in this world.
"Are you doubting my judgnt?"
Chopper’s eyes widened at Will’s stern16:35 PM WIB on Wed, 06 Aug 2025 sharp gaze, and he quickly waved his hooves. "No, no! It’s just... I’m just a reindeer..."
"Quiet!" Will snapped, his tone unyielding. "I don’t care what you think. I care what I think.
"And I’m taking you with today. That old hag can’t stop . That’s final!"
"Huh?!" Chopper’s expression froze, his prepared excuses stuck in his throat, overwheld by Will’s commanding presence.
"You little brat, what are you yelling about at my doorstep?!"
Dr. Kureha’s voice bood as she strode out of the castle gates, hands on her hips. Behind her trailed twenty silent doctors, apparently already won over by her authority.
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