At the coast of Drum Island, the Going Merry slowly came to a halt. The temperature had already dropped close to freezing.
"Wahaha! A snowy adventure!"
Luffy leapt off the ship, his feet plunging straight into the snow, throwing his arms up in excitement.
"Luffy, are you really okay dressed like that?" Vivi hugged herself tightly, shivering as she voiced her concern.
Everyone was bundled in thick down jackets—except Luffy, who wore nothing but a short-sleeve shirt, shorts, and his trusty sandals.
Well… not just him.
"Ssshh—yeah, it's a bit chilly."
"Then put on some clothes, you moss-headed idiot!" Sanji roared at Zoro, who was shirtless as usual.
"I'll try a winter swim instead!" Zoro grinned, then dove headfirst into the freezing water.
Just watching made Rainer wince. He considered himself serious about training, but compared to Zoro's self-destructive intensity, he truly felt outclassed.
He summoned his Chainsaw Demon and a squad of fishman undead—the Chainsaw Demon reduced now to little more than a "guard-the-ship" role.
Zoro swam for a bit before finally climbing ashore, shivering uncontrollably.
"I honestly thought you weren't human."
Rainer had an undead toss Zoro's clothes down from the Merry.
There was no visible road from the coast—maybe once there had been, but now the snow was piled deep, almost to their knees. Choosing a random direction, the crew set out.
But before they'd gone far, voices rose behind them, near the Merry.
"Pirates! Get out of our land!"
"Hey, we're talking to you! Can't you hear us?"
"Leave now or we won't hold back!"
A group of villagers had surrounded the Merry, rifles aimed at the "people" standing on deck. But no matter how much they shouted, the undead ignored them.
BANG!
One villager finally lost his nerve and fired.
BZZZZZ!
In that instant, the Chainsaw Demon exploded into motion, blitzing across the snow faster than lightning, landing right in front of the villagers.
"So fast!"
Dalton's eyes widened. He stepped in immediately, his massive halberd flashing to block the descending chainsaw.
CLANG!
"What terrifying strength!"
The impact rattled Dalton's arms, forcing him back dozens of meters, his boots carving trenches into the snow.
Realizing the monster before him wasn't human, Dalton didn't hesitate. His body bristled with black fur, bull horns sprouting from his temples in a heartbeat.
Zoan-type Devil Fruit: Ushi Ushi no Mi, Model: Bison.
Facing the rampaging Chainsaw Demon, Dalton charged head-on, sparks flying as his blade clashed with the chainsaw teeth.
"Even Captain Dalton can't overpower it?!"
"What kind of monster is this!?"
Before anyone could blink, the Sword Demon appeared at Dalton's flank, blade poised to strike.
"Rainer, wai—"
The Sword Demon's blade halted just at Dalton's chest, the cold steel glinting before his eyes. Dalton swallowed hard.
Before Luffy could even shout, Rainer had already stopped his undead.
The rest froze in place as well, motionless like puppets.
"Phew… that was close. What's wrong with you?" Luffy frowned at Rainer, confused. Since when would Rainer attack civilians?
"Sorry. My body feels… off."
Rainer closed his eyes tiredly, removing his glasses to rub his temples.
From their clothing, it was obvious these were ordinary villagers. If he hadn't reined himself in, his undead might have slaughtered them.
"My killing intent's been heavy lately. That's on me."
He crouched, scooped a handful of snow, and scrubbed it over his face.
Ever since claiming the Red Ogre and Blue Ogre templates on Little Garden, he'd felt something inside him growing restless, his emotions edging more violent by the day.
Nami laid a gentle hand on his head, tousling his blond hair with a smile. "As long as nothing happened, it's fine."
Looks like I'll need to train my will as much as my body, Rainer thought.
He put his glasses back on, his expression smoothing back into calm warmth.
"You're all right?" He stepped forward to help one of the fallen villagers to their feet.
"Th-thank you." The man still looked dazed.
Dalton finally exhaled, lowering his weapon. "You—who are you?"
"Shishishi! We're pirates!" Luffy laughed, pointing back at the Merry. "That's our ship."
"What?!"
The villagers, who had just begun to relax, immediately stiffened again and raised their guns.
"Put your weapons down." Dalton's steady voice carried authority. After a hesitant pause, the villagers obeyed, lowering their rifles.
Dalton knew full well—if these strangers had meant to kill, he would already be dead. His eyes flicked warily to the Sword Demon, still standing idle like a statue.
"I'm Rainer, support member of the Straw Hat Pirates."
Rainer smiled kindly. "We'd like to resupply in your village. We'll pay fairly, and we won't cause trouble."
"I see… I'm Dalton."
The bison-man nodded and turned, signaling for the villagers to follow. "Come with me."
"Shishishi, let's go!" Luffy pulled his straw hat down and jogged ahead excitedly.
The group followed Dalton into the village, chatting idly along the way.
"Vitte liquor?" Zoro perked up immediately at the mention of alcohol.
"Yes. It's a type of distilled spirit unique to winter islands—ours included," Dalton explained. "Made mostly from potatoes, distilled to over ninety-five percent, then diluted and infused with bark and roots to make it drinkable."
"Sounds interesting."
Rainer chuckled, jotting "Vitte liquor" into his little notebook. Above it were other notes: Crimson Salmon, Marten Furs—rare products of cold climates.
As they walked, Dalton shared more about Drum Island, including the recent attack by Blackbeard's crew.
The king, Wapol, had gathered his army but never fought. Instead, he fled, abandoning his kingdom.
"Funny you mention him," Zoro said suddenly.
"Where? When did you see him?!"
Dalton's expression darkened instantly. "So he's still preying on this country?"
"Uh, no. He's already fish food."
"…What?"
"We ran into him at sea. He tried to rob us. Or something like that." Sanji scratched his chin, not even sure himself.
"I… I see."
Dalton froze, conflicted, then sighed. If Wapol was gone, it was nothing but good for the people.
"So… without doctors left in this country, what happens when people get sick?"
"No, there's still one. People call her… the Witch."
"The Witch? Sounds cool!" Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"You've got strange tastes." Dalton eyed him oddly.
"In any case, we should pay her a visit," Rainer suggested. "Zoro, your wounds need proper treatment."
The scar from Mihawk's slash still stretched across Zoro's chest. They'd only been able to bandage it crudely.
With a skilled doctor nearby, it was best to seek help.
"Hah? This little scratch isn't—"
DUANG!
"Ow, damn it!"
Quit acting tough, idiot! Nami smacked him on the head, glaring.