The snow at the port was falling even heavier now.
"Muhahaha!"
Wapol casually tossed a cannonball into his mouth, crunching it loudly, "Chess, did I hear correctly? What did this guy just say? He wants to ask my doctors some questions?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Chess bowed slightly, "This outsider clearly doesn't know the rules of the Drum Kingdom. I'll make him..."
"Ah, no need!"
Wapol smacked his lips, looking up at the burly man, "You can fly in the sky, and so fast at that. You're a Devil Fruit Ability User too, aren't you? And quite strong at that!"
Was he considered strong?
Bear hesitated for a moment, thinking of the bounty that had just been placed on him not long ago...
296 million Berries.
In the first half of the Grand Line, that should qualify as a strong person, right?
So, he nodded.
"Muhahaha!" Wapol suddenly slapped his belly and laughed heartily, "I knew it! This is getting interesting!"
His metal jaw stretched wide, "Hey, big guy! You want to ask the doctors some questions, right? Fine! I can agree to that!"
Bear's eyes lit up slightly, and he was about to bow in gratitude.
"Don't thank me yet!"
Wapol shook his head, raising a finger, "There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. I have a condition too!"
His chubby finger pointed towards the distant towns where faint lights flickered:
"See those towns? They're all my land! And right now, there are two outsider Pirates causing trouble everywhere! If you can help me take care of them—"
Wapol spread his arms, offering a warm smile:
"I'll lend you the twenty most elite doctors under my command! They're the best in the entire Drum Kingdom, and you can ask them anything you want! How about that?!"
"Two Pirates?"
Bear frowned slightly, his gaze following Wapol's pointing finger.
In the snowstorm, the distant towns were all dimly lit, with wisps of smoke faintly visible.
Bear's Observation Haki quietly expanded, quickly detecting a few particularly unique auras.
Two of them were especially powerful.
One was sharp as a sword, its edge exposed, while the other was calm and quiet, as if hidden in the darkness.
If one didn't pay close attention, it would be easy to overlook them.
"Yes! Two extremely dangerous and vicious individuals!"
Wapol gnashed his teeth, "One's a black-haired brat, and the other's a woman with a hat!"
"Your Majesty."
Chess whispered into Wapol's ear, "Why don't you just tell him the black-haired kid's real name..."
"Shut up!"
Wapol slapped Chess away, lowering his voice with a sinister grin, "Do you think I'm stupid? That kind of infamous monster... if I just blurt it out, what if this big guy gets scared and runs away?"
He turned back to Bear, his face once again adorned with a friendly smile, "So, big guy? This deal is quite favorable, isn't it?"
Bear remained silent for a moment, feeling somewhat conflicted.
He could tell that this king before him, much like the King Bekori he had just repelled not long ago, was far from a benevolent figure.
If it were something else he was being asked to deal with, he would definitely refuse.
But...
Two Pirates who recklessly invaded another country seemed to be even more despicable beings and indeed deserved to be expelled and dealt with.
"I understand."
Bear finally spoke, his voice still gentle, "But I need to confirm one thing first."
"What?"
"If I deal with those two Pirates…" Bear looked directly into Wapol's eyes, "Will you truly fulfill your promise?"
"Of course!" Wapol thumped his chest in assurance, "This king always keeps his word!"
Bear gazed deeply at him for a moment, then nodded and turned to look in the direction of the town.
"Then, please wait here. I'll be back soon."
Snap! His figure instantly vanished from the spot, leaving only a ripple of air expanding outward.
"He… he disappeared?!"
Kurokoma was so shocked that his eyes widened, "He just left like that? Your Majesty, why didn't that big guy even ask us where those two are specifically?"
"Ignorant fool! Don't assume everyone is as stupid as you!"
Wapol sneered, "I'm a king who has attended the World Conference! Guys like him usually possess that kind of power… what's it called? Observation Haki! He'll quickly lock onto the target, no need for you to worry!"
"All soldiers, wait here for me!"
He issued this command and eagerly led his two ministers straight to the nearest hill.
Then, he snatched a monocular telescope from each of their hands and tossed them into his mouth.
Crunch crunch, the two telescopes were soon devoured.
And Wapol's eyeballs suddenly bulged out like telescope lenses, his vision instantly zooming in dozens of times, firmly locking onto the black figure soaring through the sky.
"Muhahaha! I see it, I see it!"
He shouted excitedly, his eyeballs spinning rapidly, "That guy is flying so fast. As long as we follow him, we'll find out where that big Pirate Xiano is now. This is going to be a good show!"
"Your Majesty?"
Chess nervously leaned closer, "That big guy is strong, but he doesn't seem like a match for Xiano. Maybe we should…"
"Shut up! A show like this is a rare opportunity. Don't ruin my enjoyment!"
Wapol grinned, "We don't know the outcome yet. If the big guy wins, then I can return to my castle and continue being king. If he loses…"
"Anyway, all the supplies and personnel are ready, and we're so close to the port. We can just slip into the water and leave if needed. No rush!"
"Your Majesty is wise!"
"As expected of Lord Wapol!"
The two ministers immediately chimed in with flattery.
...
Amidst the swirling snow, the night grew darker.
Bear, holding a Bible, continuously flickered through the high sky, each teleportation covering hundreds of meters.
As he advanced, he observed the lights below and couldn't help but ponder—
This country didn't seem to show any signs of towns being damaged or people displaced.
Were those two Pirates really here to plunder this country, as the king had claimed?
...
In the treehouse.
Under the warm orange light, Xiano, wearing only shorts, lay face down on the bed.
"Be gentle, old lady! I didn't get taken down by the enemy, but I'm about to be sent off by you, the doctor!"
His face was buried in the pillow, his voice muffled. Kureha, sitting on his back, glanced at the bent needle in her hand, veins bulging on her forehead.
"Shut up, brat!"
She was furious and slapped Xiano on the back. "I've been practicing medicine for over a hundred years, and I've never seen anyone as outrageous as you! If it weren't for the fact that you successfully guided Chopper, I wouldn't have taken on such a difficult task!"
What on earth is this kid's body made of?
From the surface of his skin to his muscles and blood vessels, every inch defies medical logic. The strength of his muscle fibers has shattered her understanding of human physiology.
She had already failed several times in a row before. This time, she finally managed to force the needle into his skin.
But then, those muscle fibers, as if alive, contracted and wriggled on their own, squeezing the needle out with astonishing elasticity.
After all that effort, she still couldn't get into a blood vessel? For a doctor, this was utterly humiliating!
And this was even the result of Xiano trying his best to cooperate and relax his body.
At the foot of the bed, there were already four broken needles piled up. Chopper was frantically rummaging through the medical kit: "Doctoress! We've run out of reinforced syringes! There are none left!"
"Maybe we should just give up."
Xiano sighed, grabbed his pants, and prepared to get up. He never considered this toxin treatment as something absolutely necessary.
After all, this half-human, half-ghost state would only last for a little over two weeks at most.
At worst, when he returned to the ship, he could just spend those two weeks shuttling between the training room and his bedroom, avoiding everyone else.
"Lie back down!"
Kureha slammed her fist down, glaring fiercely. "I refuse to believe it today! I'll go all out if I have to!"
"Chopper!"
She suddenly turned her head. "Go! Go get that super-alloy syringe from the basement, the one we use for Sea Kings! I'm determined to give this brat that injection!"
"Yes, Doctoress!"
The little reindeer scrambled toward the basement.
A moment later, he came back panting, carrying a metal syringe thicker than his head. The needle gleamed coldly under the light.
"W-will this really be okay?"
Chopper handed over the syringe nervously. "Doctoress, Xiano is a good person. Please don't—"
"Relax~!" Kureha took a big swig of alcohol, cracked her knuckles, and grinned menacingly. "This kid is way tougher than a Sea King!"
...
Half a minute later.
"Ha! Finally done!"
Kureha yanked out the super-thick syringe with a flourish. The dark, glossy sheen covering the needle quickly faded away.
"You old hag..." Xiano grimaced as he propped himself up. "I feel like you were just taking revenge on me."
Just for an injection, she even used Armament Haki.
Also, isn't it more concerning that a doctor knows Haki? This old lady is definitely not simple!
"Enough whining!"
Kureha waved the empty syringe triumphantly. "The toxin has been neutralized. Just rest well tonight, and by tomorrow morning, the bluish-purple on your face will be completely gone. Now, pay up!"
"How much?" Xiano asked, feeling a bit annoyed. "I did save Chopper's life. Can't you give me a freebie this once?"
"Fine, I'll give you a discount—50 Berry off."
Kureha lit a cigarette and took a leisurely puff. "The original price is 100 million Berry. Now I'll only charge you 99,999,950. Fair enough, right?"
"You're way too greedy, you old hag!"
Xiano was furious. "It's just some residual toxins on the skin, not a life-threatening situation. A hundred million Berries? You might as well rob me!"
"Wuwu, Doctoress," Chopper tugged at Kureha's sleeve, looking pitiful. "Am I only worth 50 Berries?"
"Of course not."
Kureha glanced at Chopper and chuckled. "You're not even worth 50. You were a free gift from Hiriluk."
Huh?
Chopper's eyes widened. At that moment, a loud "boom" suddenly echoed from outside.
The entire treehouse shook violently, and the medicine jars hanging on the wall rattled, nearly falling to the ground.
"Waaah!"
Chopper trembled in fear and was about to rush into Kureha's arms, but after a moment of hesitation, he quietly retreated behind Xiano.
"Finally here, huh?"
Xiano, however, grinned and rubbed Chopper's head, as if he had anticipated this all along.
He got up, put on his clothes, and pushed the door open to step outside. Robin followed him with a light laugh.
Outside the treehouse, a snowstorm raged.
A towering figure stood silently in the snow.
His bear-eared hat was covered in a thick layer of snow, and his gentle eyes peered through the swirling snowflakes, gazing at the warmly lit treehouse.
In his hand, he held a struggling, obese figure.
"Let me go, let me go..."
"Wapol?!" Kureha, who had just followed them out, saw this scene and couldn't help but widen her eyes. "That despicable king, how..."
"First time meeting."
The bear's gentle voice cut through the snowstorm as he politely bowed slightly. "Forgive the intrusion, Lord Xiano, Lady Kureha."
He casually tossed Wapol into the snow like garbage, and the latter immediately let out a pig-like scream:
"It hurts! You bastard, how dare you betray me! Didn't we agree you'd help me deal with..."
Thwack! With a light chop from the bear, Wapol's eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
"My apologies."
The bear bowed apologetically to Xiano. "I was deceived by this king. He claimed that two vicious Pirates were plundering his country, but as I traveled here, I found the towns completely unharmed. So I turned back immediately to question him and managed to extract information from his two ministers..."
"Only then did I learn that it was you, Lord Xiano, who had come to the island."
The bear sighed lightly. "And this king turned out to be an unbelievably vile character. At the slightest hint of trouble, he was so terrified that he planned to abandon his country, taking all the doctors and treasures with him, not even leaving a single physician for his people."
Wapol, huh. That figures.
Xiano glanced at the unconscious fatso on the ground and raised an eyebrow.
From any angle, this guy was a complete scumbag. But in the original timeline, thanks to his Devil Fruit ability, he ended up thriving and living the high life.
Tsk, when you think about it, I've essentially taken on the role that Blackbeard played in the original timeline.
Ever since he deliberately let those soldiers escape, he had been using his Observation Haki to keep an eye on the castle at the top of the mountain from time to time.
Naturally, he also knew that the king had fled toward the coast.
Originally, he had planned to head to the port to intercept them before treating the illness.
But then, a sudden change occurred. An extremely powerful presence appeared on the island, and Wapol and his men abruptly halted their escape.
He initially thought it might be some strong reinforcement Wapol had called for, but to his surprise, it turned out to be a bear.
—Bartholomew Kuma.
Xiano looked up. The bear before him had a warm and gentle smile, and he hadn't yet transformed into the silent wooden figure from his memories, clearly not having undergone any modifications.
He quickly sorted through the timeline in his mind.
If he remembered correctly.
At this time, Kuma had just been wanted for sinking a Navy warship. Fearing he would bring trouble to his hometown and Bonney, he had set out to sea and become a "Pirate."
While evading capture, he was also searching everywhere for a cure for the Sapphire Scale Disease.
As for his cooperation with the World Government and subsequent transformation, that wouldn't happen until next year, after Kuma met Dragon and was directed to Vegapunk's location.
Given this, it was only natural that Kuma would appear on Drum Island, a place once renowned as the "Medical Kingdom."
"From the way you speak, it seems you've known me for a long time?" he asked.
"Yes."
Kuma nodded, "I once belonged to a mysterious organization… Forgive me, but I can't disclose its name just yet."
"In any case, a few years ago, when you were still in the East Blue, your reputation had already reached us. My superior even planned to invite you to join our organization as soon as you came of age."
A superior in the Revolutionary Army… So, Dragon had also been concerned about me?
Xiano was momentarily speechless, "But who would have thought that the guy who cleared out the East Blue's notorious Pirates would, upon coming of age and setting sail, also become a Pirate?"
"It's an adventure crew, not Pirates."
Kuma shook his head, immediately correcting him, "The truth can't be hidden forever. You're still the same as you were back then, your true nature hasn't changed, has it?"
He smiled, "I was in Loguetown in the East Blue not long ago, and I heard the people there talking about you. Someone who dared to fight the Navy to protect the people of Loguetown couldn't possibly be the kind of ruthless, plundering Pirate this king claims you are, right?"
"Wow!!!"
Chopper's eyes sparkled as he peeked out from behind the doorframe, "I knew it… Big Brother Xiano, you're really a great person! I had no idea you had such a past!"
"I wouldn't call myself a great person."
Xiano chuckled, patting Chopper's head, then turned back to Kuma:
"You're making me blush with all this praise. Come on in, it's too cold outside. It's warm inside. You already know Dr. Kureha's name, so it seems the doctors you met at the port told you a lot about this country."
"I haven't agreed yet, don't act like you're the host here, kid!" Kureha grumbled, tossing an empty bottle his way.
With a casual motion, Xiano caught it, "Don't mind her. The old lady's temper might be a bit fiery, but her medical skills are top-notch. You're mainly here to see her, right? If you have something to say, just talk to her directly."
"Thank you, sir."
Kuma nodded to Xiano, then bowed respectfully to Kureha and Chopper.
Only then did he brush off the snow from his body, carefully bent down, and stepped inside.
Kureha initially wanted to keep this big guy outside, but faced with his attitude, she eventually shrugged and took the initiative to stand guard at the door. She waited until everyone had entered the room before closing the door behind them.
By then, Chopper had already eagerly brought a cup of hot tea for the bear.
Hehe, this was the first time someone had bowed to him. What was going on today? He had actually encountered so many good people in a row.
Big brother Xiano was a good person, big sister Robin was a good person, and even this strange uncle wearing a bear-eared hat was a good person!
...
In the warm treehouse, the aroma of tea wafted through the air.
The bear held the hot tea, remained silent for a moment, and finally spoke:
"Dr. Kureha, actually, I came to Drum Island this time because I have a request. The doctors I met at the port told me that you are the most skilled doctor on this island. If there's something they can't solve, only you might have the answer."
"Oh?"
Kureha took a big gulp of wine, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Those guys who willingly became Wapol's slaves actually have such awareness... What is it?"
"My daughter, Bonney."
Kuma's voice was low and gentle, a flicker of pain flashing in his eyes. "She has a rare disease, Jade Scale Disease."
"Jade Scale?"
Kureha frowned, putting down her bottle of alcohol. "That disease is quite uncommon. Tell me more about the symptoms."
Kuma nodded and carefully took out a photo from his pocket, handing it to Kureha.
The photo showed a pink-haired little girl with a radiant smile, snuggled tightly against Kuma. It was clear that the father and daughter shared a deep bond. On the girl's exposed skin, faint jade-like scales could be seen.
"At first, it was just blue spots on her skin, but then it gradually spread, forming these jade-like scales. When it flares up, she experiences severe pain, high fever, and she can't be exposed to sunlight all year round..."
Kuma's voice trembled slightly. "I've consulted many doctors, but none could help. One even declared..."
"Your daughter wouldn't live past ten years old?"
Kureha said calmly.
"Yes!"
Kuma suddenly straightened up, his spirits lifting. He had only mentioned it briefly, yet she had accurately deduced Bonney's life expectancy. It was clear she had some understanding of this condition.
It seemed he had come to the right place. The oldest and most experienced doctor in the Drum Kingdom truly lived up to her reputation!
Kureha took the photo and examined it carefully for a while. Then she stood up, pulled a few thick medical books from the shelf, and began flipping through them quickly.
The room fell silent, save for the rustling of pages.
Chopper stood nervously to the side, his small hooves fidgeting uneasily. Xiano and Robin exchanged a glance, silently agreeing not to disturb the process.
Xiano pondered quietly.
In his memory, Chopper didn't know Kuma, which meant that without the butterfly effect of his own influence, Kuma likely hadn't come to Kureha for help when seeking treatment on Drum Island.
But... could Kureha really have a solution?
Kuma had traveled the entire world for Bonney. Perhaps, on this vast sea, only that unparalleled genius Vegapunk, who had mastered technology beyond five hundred years, could truly find a solution through scientific means.
As expected, it turned out as he had thought.
After a long while, Kureha closed the last medical book and finally sighed.
"I'm sorry," she said, looking directly into Kuma's eyes. "I can't cure this disease."
Kuma's body stiffened slightly, the light in his eyes dimming.
"Even you can't help…" he murmured in a low voice, his broad shoulders seeming to slump all at once.
"The cause of Jade Scale Disease remains unknown. It seems to have been born into this world due to some kind of bloodline experiment. The existing treatments only alleviate the symptoms."
Kureha shook her head. "Although I've lived for over a hundred years, this disease is truly beyond my capabilities."
She paused, seeing Kuma's despondent expression, and added, "However, I do know of a place that might be able to help you."
Kuma's head snapped up, hope reigniting in his eyes. "Where?"
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