Chopper ran blindly, unaware of his destination. Unfamiliar with the island's vast, forested terrain, he could only flee recklessly from his pursuers.
In Beast Point, he sprinted with all his might. The forest echoed with thunderous footsteps—not his own.
Glancing back, he saw over thirty Tsunokui charging, their sheer momentum toppling trees in a chaotic, devastating wake. Their armored bodies were formidable, their powerful legs snapping trunks with ease. The collective destruction was staggering, their wide-ranging rampage unnatural.
Chopper's escape was damaging the island. The thought pained him, but abandoning the animals wasn't an option. Convincing himself this was the only way to protect them, he ran desperately. The white-rock mountain was far behind now, the scenery shifting.
When the forest gave way to open terrain, Chopper allowed himself a fleeting smile—no more trees would be harmed. But the relief was short-lived. Climbing a new rocky mountain, the lack of obstacles let the Tsunokui gain speed.
Their ferocious stomping grew louder. Unlike Chopper, who felt fatigue creeping in, they seemed tireless—an unnatural stamina. He wouldn't be caught immediately, but his limit was approaching. Without a plan, he'd lose his horn—and his life.
"I've gotta do something! Running's not enough—I have to stop them!" he gasped.
"Wait! Hand over the Royal Treasure!" Butler's voice rang out.
The three men, riding the Tsunokui, pursued him. Stopping the herd seemed impossible, or at least not easy. The quickest way to end this was to defeat Butler, Hotdog, and Heaby. But facing them meant risking being crushed by the Tsunokui. Knowing the solution but unable to act, Chopper could only charge forward.
He entered a rocky expanse littered with boulders of varying sizes. Nearing the mountain's peak, escape routes dwindled. He wanted to act, but being chased made it near impossible.
Then, he hit a dead end. Before reaching the summit, he faced a cliff and stopped in shock.
"Ah?!"
Halting just short of falling, he peered down. The drop wasn't high, but a raging river roared below—swift and shallow. For Chopper, a Devil Fruit user, water meant losing strength and risking death.
The earth-shaking footsteps ceased. Turning slowly, Chopper saw the Tsunokui halted, Butler smirking atop one. As expected, he was cornered.
"This is the end! Hand over the Royal Treasure—your horn!" Butler demanded.
"Ugh…" Chopper groaned.
"General Hotdog! President Heaby! Take his horn!" Butler ordered.
"Yes, sir!" they replied, leaping from the Tsunokui to confront Chopper.
Hotdog on the right, Heaby on the left—both formidable. Chopper scanned for an escape, but no good options appeared. Jumping off the cliff crossed his mind, but it meant certain death. With no plan, panic tightened his expression.
"I'll finish him," Heaby said. "Stay still, and I'll make it quick."
"No way I'm letting you kill me! My adventure's just started!" Chopper retorted.
"Pointless. I never let prey escape—not enemies, not women. Meeting me sealed your fate," Heaby sneered.
He drew a long, jointed sword that doubled as a whip, its blade snaking flexibly. A single swing sliced the air with a sharp whoosh, carving the hard rock effortlessly. Chopper shivered, intimidated.
He'd thought Heaby less threatening than the massive Hotdog, but this weapon's lethal power proved otherwise. Fear dulled his movements—not entirely bad, but for someone like Chopper, unseasoned in battle, it clouded his judgment, making him easier prey. Heaby, experienced, knew this.
Chopper's inexperience was obvious—his stance, gestures, and darting eyes betrayed him. Heaby approached slowly, a confident smile playing on his lips, sword swinging.
"Scared, huh? Natural, given the gap between us," Heaby taunted.
"Shut up! I'm not scared of you!" Chopper snapped.
"Your mouth says one thing, but your body doesn't. You're bad at bluffing," Heaby grinned, lunging suddenly.
Chopper instinctively shifted to Human Point. As Heaby's whip-like sword arced upward, a deafening roar shook the ground. The footing crumbled in an instant, shattered by an impact from below. Both felt weightless, falling.
"What the—?!" Heaby yelped.
Plummeting headfirst, he saw the river, hitting the shallow water face-first with no time to resist. The current was fast but only ankle-deep. Clutching his pained face, he stood, spotting another figure landing ahead.
Sanji, soaked and annoyed, muttered, "Damn, my cigarette's wet…" Tucking it away, he turned, glaring coldly at Heaby.
"Two things to settle with you. One: you tried to kill my crewmate," Sanji said.
"Crewmate? So you're with him," Heaby replied.
"Watch your mouth. Chopper's one of us," Sanji snapped, his glare intensifying. "Second: you said you never let prey escape, including women."
"Of course. I've claimed countless women, never letting an enemy slip away—"
"Liar!" Sanji snarled, teeth gritted.
His anger seemed to burn hotter over the women than Chopper's safety. As Heaby frowned, Sanji's fury peaked.
"I'm way more charming than you!" Sanji declared.
"What?!" Heaby blinked.
Apparently, male pride had shifted the fight's stakes. They locked eyes, neither backing down.
Sanji's kick had shattered the cliff, sending Heaby into the river. Chopper, however, was safe—clinging to an outcropping, held by Zoro, who'd appeared from nowhere to save him. Tears welled in Chopper's eyes as he smiled gratefully.
"Sanji… Zoro!" he cried.
"Idiot. Men don't cry so easily," Zoro said with a surprisingly gentle grin.
He offered no explanation. Enemies stood before them, and he had the means to fight. That was enough—reasons could wait. Grabbing the pirate flag around Chopper's neck, Zoro tensed his arm.
"I'm tossing you, Chopper. Land well," he said.
"You're throwing me?!" Chopper yelped.
"Nnngh!"
"Waaah!"
Zoro hurled him, Chopper's light body arcing to a stable ledge. Zoro climbed up, entering Butler's view. Chopper, rubbing his bruised nose from the rough landing, complained, "Why'd you throw me?! We could've climbed together!"
"My hands were full," Zoro replied.
"Then let me go! I could've climbed myself!"
"Shut up. You're fine, so forget it."
Butler's face twisted in shock at their arrival. The cliff's collapse was baffling, and he couldn't grasp why it happened. But the Royal Treasure remained out of reach, fueling his anger.
Why was it taking so long when his prize was so close? Losing patience, Butler shouted, "Why are we being interrupted?! Hotdog!"
"Yes, sir!" Hotdog replied.
"Eliminate them! Don't let them live!"
"Got it!"
Zoro waved Chopper off, signaling him to flee. Hesitant to leave, Chopper trusted Zoro and moved aside. Hotdog's eyes locked on Zoro, ignoring Chopper. They faced off, hands on their weapons.
"You're unlucky," Hotdog boasted. "I'm General Hotdog, the world's strongest warrior!"
"World's strongest, huh? That's convenient," Zoro grinned, unfazed and eager.
As they squared off, Chopper started to retreat but caught Butler's eye. Unwilling to let him escape, Butler raised his violin, shouting, "Think you can slip away in the chaos?!"
"Wah, he saw me?!" Chopper gasped.
"Of course! I've got the Tsunokui—you're not escaping!"
Chopper flinched, realizing he was spotted. With his men occupied, Butler relied on his violin to control the Tsunokui, confident they were the island's ultimate predators. Retreat wasn't an option—just playing would finish Chopper.
Sneering, Butler prepared to play, while Chopper tensed, sensing the threat.
"Special Attack: Gunpowder Star!"
Before Butler could play, a bullet struck his face, exploding in a small blast. He tumbled off the Tsunokui, his violin rolling away. Chopper, stunned, couldn't process what happened. The Tsunokui, startled by the explosion, grew aggressive, chaos erupting.
Butler was down, that much was clear. Chopper scanned the area, seeking the source.
He spotted it instantly: Usopp, astride Karoo, slingshot ready, calling out, "Chopper! Over here! Run straight to me!"
"Usopp!" Chopper cried.
"Straight, got it?! Don't be scared, just run!"
Usopp aimed his slingshot at the Tsunokui herd. "Special Attack: Smoke Star!"
The bullet hit a Tsunokui's face, bursting into a wide smokescreen. This was what "run straight" meant—obscured vision would shield Chopper. With the herd ahead and enemies obscured, he steeled himself, charging into the smoke, dodging Tsunokui to run straight.
Fear gripped him. The confused Tsunokui were close, visible through the haze, and he braced for being trampled. But breaking through, his vision cleared, and he saw his crew.
Karoo sped toward him, Usopp reaching out. Chopper grabbed his hand, pulled onto Karoo's back. They bolted, the smoke buying time. Some Tsunokui, emerging from the haze, spotted them, their cries signaling pursuit as thunderous footsteps resumed.
Seated in front of Usopp, Chopper glanced back, terrified. These weren't like Karasuke's kind—the Tsunokui craved destruction. Hearing their intent, Chopper paled, prompting Usopp to shout, "Chopper, you okay?! What's going on?!"
"They want to kill us… They're desperate to kill someone," Chopper said.
"What?! You understand them?!" Usopp exclaimed.
"Yeah, I'm an animal, so…"
Karoo, trembling but resolute, ran full tilt without looking back. As a super spot-billed duck, his speed and stamina were unmatched, especially when fleeing. The Tsunokui, fast as they were, couldn't catch him. Carrying two, Karoo refused to falter.
Outpacing the herd, Karoo aimed for the mountain's peak. On his back, Chopper and Usopp talked, the latter's curiosity prompting questions despite the chaos.
"Why'd you guys come? I didn't say anything," Chopper asked.
"Saw you being chased by those weirdos from afar. We got ahead of them," Usopp said.
"Sorry… I got you all in trouble," Chopper murmured.
"What're you saying? We're crewmates. Don't apologize for that," Usopp grinned.
Chopper's eyes watered, touched by "crewmates." They'd rushed to his aid without knowing why, working together to save him, never blaming or showing frustration. Helping was natural, and their attitude warmed his heart. Wiping tears roughly, he faced forward, resolute.
"No idea why, but they're after you, right? I've got a plan," Usopp said.
"What do I do?" Chopper asked.
"There's a gentler slope ahead. You escape alone from there."
"Alone?! I can't leave you and Karoo!"
"Idiot, I said we got ahead, right? We scouted this area and planned. We'll draw them off—you escape first."
"Okay…"
They neared the spot. Usopp readied his slingshot. "There—go! We'll keep going straight."
"Got it. Be careful, both of you!"
"Heh, you too," Usopp smirked.
Turning, he fired at the pursuing Tsunokui. "Smoke Star!"
The tiny bullet hit the ground, exploding into a smokescreen, obscuring vision briefly. Chopper leapt off Karoo, darting into a prearranged side path in Beast Point. Glancing back briefly, he didn't stop, vanishing into the forest.
Phase one was complete. Usopp nodded, satisfied.
The Tsunokui, bursting through the smoke, didn't notice Chopper's absence. Not the brightest, they fixated on Karoo and Usopp, perhaps angered by the attack. Their pursuit lacked finesse.
They entered a winding path—rock wall on the left, aligned boulders on the right, like a corridor. They'd reached the planned spot.
"Almost there, Karoo! Don't let them catch us!" Usopp urged.
"Quack!" Karoo replied, unrelenting.
Breathing hard, Karoo maintained full speed. Just a bit further to the goal. With a final burst, they led the Tsunokui through the narrow passage.
The destination came into view. "Usopp-san! Karoo!" Vivi called from the cliff above.
"Vivi! We're here!" Usopp shouted, passing her to press on.
Ahead was a dead end—large rocks formed a barrier, beyond which was a cliff. Perfect. Karoo's energy surged at the sight.
To aid Karoo and trap the enemy, Usopp turned, aiming his slingshot at the lead Tsunokui, just meters from the goal. "Special Attack: Gunpowder Star!"
The bullet struck a Tsunokui's forehead, the small explosion toppling it. The herd tripped over it or pushed past, their formation collapsing. Their strength became their downfall.
Karoo leapt, landing atop the rock barrier with powerful legs, finally stopping. Panting, he faced the Tsunokui.
Too late to stop, the lead Tsunokui crashed into the rocks, shaking them but failing to break through. The herd piled up, immobilized in a chaotic heap. Then, boulders rolled from the cliff, sealing their retreat.
Sanji had weakened the cliff earlier, making it prone to collapse. Vivi's unique weapon triggered the landslide, trapping the Tsunokui in the narrow passage. Packed tightly, they could only squirm, their cries pitiful, their power nullified perfectly.
Usopp and Karoo fist-pumped, Vivi sighing in relief. They'd won without injury.
Walking along the rock barrier, Karoo carried Usopp to where Vivi stood. Their victory brought genuine joy, and even Vivi, despite the lingering danger, smiled.
"Hell yeah! We won!" Usopp cheered.
"Quack!" Karoo echoed.
"Great job! You both okay?" Vivi asked.
Talking across the cliff, they moved to regroup, wary of the still-thrashing Tsunokui.
"Usopp-san, where's Tony-kun?" Vivi asked.
"He escaped as planned. No idea where he went, but he's probably fine. Zoro and Sanji are handling the enemies," Usopp replied.
"Let's find Tony-kun first, then," Vivi suggested.
"Yeah, we gotta track him down," Usopp agreed.
"Quack," Karoo nodded.
Their next goal set, they moved to join Vivi and search for Chopper in the forest.
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