Nami sat down across from Lawrence, her voice trembling slightly.
"You're not sick?"
Lawrence frowned, his tone sharp. "Then why come here?"
As he spoke, his eyes instinctively swept over her.
At this point in her life, Nami wasn't the confident, daring navigator he'd seen in stories. She was still young her figure not yet mature, her eyes shadowed with worry. She looked more like a girl weighed down by too many burdens than the bold woman she would become.
"I'm not sick," she stammered, "but someone in my village needs treatment."
"Oh?" Lawrence tilted his head slightly. "And what does that have to do with me?"
"I… I'd like to ask you to come to our village," Nami said after a long pause. Her courage flickered in her eyes, though fear wasn't far behind.
Everyone knew his reputation. Lawrence wasn't just a skilled doctor he was the Butcher with Blood-Stained Hands, the man who healed the dying one day and flayed a pirate alive the next.
Just minutes ago, she'd seen a hulking brute crawl out of his clinic drenched in his own blood. The image still haunted her.
She was terrified he might refuse and worse, throw her out.
"I'm not going," Lawrence said flatly, shaking his head. His refusal was immediate, cold.
He added, almost lazily, "I only treat patients who come to me. I don't make house calls."
He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "I sympathize with Cocoyasi Village, I do. But that's not my problem. I can barely look after myself out here in this dump of a sea. What makes you think I've got time to play traveling doctor?"
Nami's heart dropped. Her face went pale. In a desperate motion, she pulled out a bundle of crumpled banknotes from her pocket and laid them on the table with trembling hands.
"I'll pay you!" she blurted out.
It wasn't much, but it was everything she had money she'd risked her life stealing from the Arlong Pirates, saved bit by bit over the years.
Now, she was offering it all. For her village.
Lawrence's eyes flicked down at the pile of bills. His brow lifted slightly, a trace of curiosity in his expression.
This was surprising.
In every story, Nami was infamous for her love of money sharp, cunning, and unwilling to part with even a single Berry without reason.
For her to give this much, it had to mean something serious.
And of course, Lawrence knew the truth behind her desperation.
To her, Cocoyasi Village wasn't just home it was everything.
The reason she stole, lied, and risked her life was all for one dream: to free her village from Arlong's grip.
"How much are we talking?" he asked, giving her a chance to name her price.
"One… one million Berries!" Nami bit her lip so hard she almost drew blood. The words barely made it out.
It was a fortune. Enough to buy a small ship or feed a family for years. The decision had clearly cost her.
Lawrence didn't answer right away. Instead, he asked, "What exactly happened to your villagers?"
"They're dying," she whispered, voice cracking.
Her eyes glistened, and when she spoke again, the words trembled. "A few days ago, some villagers didn't greet Arlong properly when they passed him on the road. He took it as disrespect. They were beaten badly. At first, they were still breathing, but the wounds kept getting worse. Our local doctor, Dr. Nako, tried everything he could, but the injuries wouldn't heal. They're burning up, delirious, getting weaker by the hour. He says if nothing changes, they'll be gone in days."
Nami clenched her fists tightly, fighting the tears threatening to fall.
"When we heard there was a miracle doctor here… one who could cure anything… I came right away. I had to try."
Lawrence's gaze sharpened. "They're dying, you say?"
His voice grew serious. "Then tell me everything quickly."
Nami recounted the details, describing the injuries, the fever, and the strange way the wounds refused to close. As she spoke, Lawrence's mind raced.
By the time she finished, he already knew what he was going to do.
He had to go.
This wasn't just an opportunity it was fate handing him the key to the next level.
The next talisman.
Yes. The Rabbit Talisman.
Lawrence's goal in opening this clinic had never been to play doctor forever. He was collecting experience building a deeper bond with the powers he'd already awakened.
He'd learned early on that the way to awaken a new talisman was by mastering the one before it.
The Ox Talisman had strengthened his body beyond human limits. The Horse Talisman had granted him miraculous healing powers. But now, he needed something faster something that embodied agility, speed, and renewal.
The Rabbit Talisman.
And what better way to trigger it than by saving those on the brink of death?
The closer the patient was to the edge, the stronger the connection to life and the greater the chance of awakening a new power.
He'd already confirmed the pattern.
The Ox Talisman had awakened after weeks of brutal physical training: push-ups, sit-ups, squats, ten-kilometer runs every day until his body nearly collapsed.
Then, just as he'd reached his limit, the talisman had flared to life within him.
Later, by using the Horse Talisman to heal others, he'd strengthened its bond until it finally awakened fully.
Now, this was his next trial.
If he could bring someone back from the brink snatch life from death itself it could unlock the Rabbit Talisman's power.
"Lawrence… will you go?" Nami's voice quivered again, full of pleading hope. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
He smiled faintly. "Of course."
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
He stood and adjusted his coat. "I'll finish my appointments this morning. After that, we'll head to your village."
Nami froze for a second, then her face lit up in sheer joy.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The relief in her voice was overwhelming. To her, Lawrence's words were a promise a chance to save lives, to protect what she loved most.
She bowed deeply, over and over, tears finally spilling down her cheeks.
Then, afraid he might change his mind, she turned and dashed out the door.
Lawrence chuckled quietly and returned to his chair.
"Next!" he called.
A timid voice answered from the doorway. "Doctor Lawrence… it's me."
And so the day continued.
Hours slipped by like sand through his fingers. One patient after another. A dozen wounds healed, a few broken bones mended, a handful of greedy fools disciplined.
When the sun dipped past noon, he finally stretched and stepped outside.
"All right, everyone! That's it for today!" he announced, waving a hand. "Clinic's closed. No afternoon consultations!"
The crowd erupted into protest.
"What? I've been waiting ten hours!"
"You're complaining? I've been here since yesterday!"
"I traveled two days just to see you!"
Their voices rose like a chorus of frustration.
Lawrence's expression darkened. "What's that? You have a problem with my schedule?"
Silence.
The crowd scattered instantly. No one dared challenge him. They all knew better than to test the man who could crush a pirate with his bare hands.
As the street cleared, Nami hurried forward, her face bright with anticipation.
"Doctor Lawrence, are you ready?" she asked, breathless.
"Now," he said simply.
Her eyes sparkled with relief. "Really? You'll come right now?"
He nodded once. "The sooner we go, the better."
Without wasting another second, Nami turned toward the road that led out of town.
Lawrence grabbed his satchel, checked his tools, and followed her.
The wind carried the faint scent of salt and sea. Ahead lay Cocoyasi Village and perhaps, the awakening of his next power.
The Rabbit Talisman awaited.