Captain, her injuries are far too severe. On top of that, it looks like she's used some sort of life-consuming technique. With the current medical methods in this world, I doubt anyone could save her. At best, I can barely keep her alive for a short while.
Hogback had been the first to diagnose the Snow Woman's condition. His conclusion was grim—no doctor in the world could save her now. All he could do was employ special measures to prolong her life for a little while, keeping death temporarily at bay.
Looking at her shattered state, Buggy knew Hogback was right. The Snow Woman was beyond saving, destined to die. That Hogback could even preserve her life for a short time was already a testament to his skill.
Buggy gave him a slow nod.
Seeing the approval, Hogback immediately took action. He pulled several syringes from his medical kit and injected their contents into her frail body.
Within moments, color returned to her face, and under the crew's watchful eyes, she slowly opened her eyes.
"…Who are you? I used that move—shouldn't you all be dead? Are you Gott's people?"
The Snow Woman knew full well the price of her ultimate technique: her life. That she was still breathing confused her deeply.
"We're outsiders who just arrived on this island," Buggy explained. "We're not Gott's people. You're only alive temporarily—our doctor gave you special medicine, but you won't last long. We saved you because we need answers. We want to know how to escape this place… and everything about Gott."
Hearing this, the Snow Woman's expression eased a little. She knew Gott would never bother with such words. If it were him, he'd want her dead immediately. And these people… she had no recollection of them at all. They really did seem like outsiders.
After a moment of thought, she spoke in a solemn tone:
"I can tell you what you want to know—even the way out. But in return, I ask one thing: within your power, please look after the island's people."
She knew she was doomed. Her greatest fear was that after her death, Gott would turn on the islanders and slaughter them all. She wanted to secure even the faintest chance of survival for them before she passed.
She didn't know how strong Buggy's group truly was, but the fact that they'd rescued her from under Gott's nose spoke volumes. Perhaps they really could protect the people—at least some of them.
Buggy nodded firmly.
"Fine. If Gott dares lay a hand on the islanders, we'll deal with him."
Her final words had already proven her nature. She wasn't the monster from the tales, devouring humans. No—her heart was with the people.
And Gott… was clearly a villain. Buggy had no qualms about putting him down if it came to that. Besides, judging from their last encounter, Buggy was confident. Gott had been gravely wounded; if they clashed again, he was no match.
"…Thank you."
The Snow Woman realized she had underestimated these strangers. They were far stronger—and kinder—than she had imagined.
There was no time to waste. Her life was slipping away, so she began to speak quickly, giving them everything.
She revealed Gott's true purpose, the evil he had sown across the island, the path out of the fog, and the history of their bitter conflict.
Gott's goal was simple: escape the island, break through the shrouding mists, and return to the outside world.
His atrocities began after he seized control of the island. Using his abilities, he turned neutral pirates into expendable pawns to test possible escape routes. At last, he discovered a passage.
The route lay southwest of the island, three to four days by sea. From there, faint glimpses of the outside world could be seen—but the path was blocked by danger.
That sea was infested with Sea Kings. Dozens of them, including massive ones, prowled the waters. Any ship that approached was destroyed without mercy. Even Gott could not pass, and the beasts formed an impenetrable wall around the exit.
The feud between the Snow Woman and Gott began there. Someone—perhaps Gott himself, or one of his men—devised a cruel plan: use bait to distract the Sea Kings, luring them apart to defeat them one by one.
But there were no animals on the island to serve as prey. Fish, being common everywhere, would not suffice. And so, their twisted eyes turned to the islanders themselves.
The disappearances began. Villagers were sacrificed as bait. The rumors that followed twisted the truth, painting the Snow Woman as the monster behind it all.
Unable to stand by, she opposed Gott directly. She rescued villagers, ruined his plans, and for years stalled his conquest of the Sea Kings.
Yet strangely, the truth of Gott's actions never spread. The islanders remembered only the rumors—the "Snow Woman" legend—but not her sacrifices.
For over ten years, the two clashed. As she aged, her strength waned, and Gott gained the upper hand. More villagers vanished each year. Knowing she could no longer hold him back, she finally resolved to end it all in one last battle, taking him down with her.
That was the fight they had just witnessed.
She went on to describe Gott's power: he wielded both Armament and Observation Haki, and had also eaten a Devil Fruit.
She didn't know exactly which fruit it was, but after years of battle, she had a theory: a fruit connected to memory. He used it to tamper with opponents' minds mid-battle, throwing off their rhythm, then finished them with his Haki and raw physical strength.
The crew listened in silence, their eyes full of respect and sorrow.
She wasn't a monster. She was a protector who had given her life for strangers. A guardian who fought alone for a decade to shield innocents who didn't even remember her.
Even at the end, she showed no fear. Her lips could no longer form words, but her eyes shone with hope as she looked at them.
And then, beneath their gaze, the Snow Woman closed her eyes and drifted into eternal rest.