After checking out their new bounties and the latest news, the crew got back to their usual grind: training.
Mikita (Miss Valentine), currently weighing a solid 1,000 kilograms, was being passed around like a very heavy, very unhappy hot potato – from Zoro (arm day) to Sanji (leg day), and then over to Luffy, who was currently balancing her on his head while doing sit-ups.
Gem (Mr. 5) was still Usopp's personal bomb factory/material supplier.
To make sure he kept producing, Gem wasn't allowed to bathe and got scrubbed daily with a steel brush.
Utterly pitiable.
Even though Valentine and Mr. 5 seemed to be getting along okay with the crew now, Ray definitely didn't see them as allies.
If they weren't so useful for training, their past attempt to kill Vivi would've gotten them tossed overboard long ago.
Just then, Vivi came into Nami's room to take over watching her from Ray.
As Ray stepped out, he sensed something big approaching underwater, about 100 meters away.
A quick mental search brought up the memory: Wapol, the ex-king of Drum Kingdom, user of the Munch-Munch Fruit.
And if Ray remembered correctly, Wapol had 20 doctors with him.
'Hmm, maybe they can help Nami.'
So, Ray decided to wait on deck.
…
Three minutes later, the whole ship jolted violently.
A massive submarine, easily 100 meters long, surfaced right next to the Merry.
Then, the sub transformed into a colossal ship with a hippo figurehead – the Bliking Pirates' ship.
The deck was packed with soldiers, and standing at the front was Wapol himself.
Before Luffy could even finish freaking out (in a good way) about the cool transforming ship, Wapol and his soldiers charged towards the Merry.
As Wapol leaped onto the Merry's railing, mouth wide open ready to literally take a bite out of the ship, Ray moved.
SWISH!
A massive sword slash zipped across the water, slicing the 100-meter Bliking ship cleanly in half.
A moment later, it split perfectly down the middle and sank.
Ignoring the completely stunned Wapol frozen on the railing, Ray gracefully flew up, hovering over the wreckage.
He quickly spotted the 20 doctors in their pink gowns.
With a flick of his energy whip, he snatched them all up – medical kits included – and gently placed them on the Merry's deck.
It all happened in maybe five seconds.
The crew (except Luffy) was totally stunned.
Ray hadn't really done much fighting since Loguetown.
Seeing him casually kidnap 20 doctors? They instantly got the picture.
Luffy, ignoring the still-catatonic Wapol, started dancing around the bewildered doctors.
"Doctors! Doctors! Nami's saved!"
Sanji immediately rushed to the kitchen to get them drinks.
'Gotta be polite when asking for favors, right?'
Only Zoro reacted differently.
He just smirked coldly at the dazed Wapol and slashed him, leaving him critically wounded and unconscious on the deck.
His crew, meanwhile, were splashing around in the freezing water.
Wapol couldn't figure out how his simple plan to eat a ship had gone so horribly wrong before passing out again.
…
Later, after waking up (and being tied to the same training pole as Mikita), Wapol started ranting.
"You metal-glutton bastard!" Vivi yelled, having heard his plan. "You wanted to eat the Merry?!"
"I'm the king of Drum Kingdom!" Wapol snarled back. "Eating your puny ship is my right! Treating me like this is defying the World Government! Release me!"
Hearing "king," Zoro and Sanji tensed up; Usopp looked scared.
Messing with royalty affiliated with the World Government was bad news.
Killing one could bring serious heat from the Marines.
Vivi just frowned, remembering Wapol being a jerk to her when she was a kid.
Luffy, only caring about Nami, ignored Wapol's threats and just punched him unconscious.
Again.
Then he bowed deeply to the doctors.
"Please cure my navigator!" he pleaded earnestly. "I'll give you all my meat!!"
He was immediately tackled and beaten by the rest of the crew.
"What kind of nonsense is that?!"
Vivi stepped in and calmly, clearly explained Nami's symptoms.
Everyone nodded along – she really was good at this princess stuff.
Even Ray approved.
(Way better than if he tried to explain, or worse, if Chouchou did.)
But the doctors just looked conflicted and didn't move.
Sanji got angry.
"Shouldn't doctors save people right away?!"
They still hesitated.
Ray thought for a second and guessed the reason.
"Don't worry," he told the doctors softly. "Wapol will definitely die."
Instantly, the doctors stood up.
The oldest one led the others straight into Nami's room.
Vivi was stunned, then it clicked.
"Is it because... their families are being threatened by that trash king?"
Ray nodded.
He remembered Wapol was a tyrant who controlled these doctors through fear.
As long as he was alive, their families were hostages.
Ray promising to kill him meant they were safe, free to actually be doctors again.
'Family first, patients second,' Ray thought. 'Understandable.'
"Now," Ray said, "we wait."
…
Luffy and Sanji paced the deck like nervous dads in a waiting room.
"Nami-san will be fine, right?" Sanji kept muttering.
"She'll definitely pull through!" Luffy bounced around. "No problem! Nami's strong!"
Half an hour later, the oldest doctor came out... and sighed heavily.
Luffy and Sanji immediately went pale, looking like they were about to faint.
Ray almost facepalmed.
'Seriously, guys?'
Zoro looked at Sanji with disdain, but then asked the doctor worriedly, "What's Nami's situation?"
"The young lady," the doctor said slowly, "is infected with an ancient disease. The medicine we have can only slow it down... maybe give her a week instead of three days. To truly cure her, you'll have to return to Drum Island. There's a witch there... I remember she has the specific antibiotic needed."
Everyone let out a huge sigh of relief. Nami wasn't in immediate danger!
"Alright!" Luffy shouted.
"Everyone, full speed ahead to Bum Island!"
"It's DRUM Island, you idiot!"
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