"They can't help, but you can. Don't worry, we just want you to treat a patient."
"Treat? I don't know anything about treatment. You should look for a doctor."
"Alright, no need to pretend. I already said I have no ill intent."
Seeing Law still pretending, Ian spoke helplessly. "We really are here for medical treatment. Also, you owe me a favor. Think of this as paying me back."
Law: "...?"
Who owes you a favor?
I don't even know who the hell you are.
Law's mouth twitched, but before he could speak, he heard something, and his pupils shrank.
"Vergo has been killed by me."
Ian smiled as he looked into Law's wide eyes. "Relax, I have no connection with the Donquixote Family. I really came to find you for treatment."
"You!"
Law narrowed his eyes dangerously. "How do you know about that?"
"You don't need to worry. Can you help us now?"
"Who needs treatment?"
Although he didn't receive an answer, Law already got what he wanted and stopped hiding.
After a moment of silence, he said, "What illness? I can't guarantee I can handle everything."
"I know. If even the Op-Op Fruit user can't treat it, then there's nothing that can be done."
After saying that, Ian turned toward the huge man who was barely managing to stay calm. "Kuma, bring Bonney out."
"... Yes."
Kuma, no longer able to hide his excitement, closed the door and hurriedly set down the crate he'd been carrying.
The Op-Op Fruit is said to be capable of curing any illness.
Unexpectedly, Ian even knew where to find the Devil Fruit user?!
Bonney... She could finally be cured. If even the Op-Op Fruit couldn't cure her… honestly, he would have no choice but to suspect it was truly an incurable disease.
Crack.
The wooden crate opened, and a tiny figure climbed out. Her small face carried a bright smile.
"Eh? There are so many people! Daddy, where is this? Can I play here?"
"You can. After the treatment, you can play anywhere you want."
Under everyone's gaze, Kuma gently patted Bonney's head, then looked at Ian.
After Ian nodded, Kuma took a deep breath and asked Law nervously: "C-can you treat her?"
But Law frowned while staring at the crystals on Bonney's face. "What kind of illness grows crystals inside the body?"
Hearing that, Kuma's hopeful heart sank, and he spoke bitterly: "It's... the Sapphire Scales Disease. You—"
"Daddy, it's fine."
Seeing Kuma suddenly so heartbroken, Bonney hugged his leg with a bright smile. "Even if I can't be cured, it's fine. I just want to stay with you, daddy."
"Bonney, don't—"
"Stop, stop, stop."
Seeing the sudden emotional meltdown between father and daughter, Law's face darkened. "Who said I can't treat her?"
Kuma: "...?"
"Although I don't know what this disease is, as long as I remove the virus from her body, it should be fine."
Under their stares, Law snorted. "But if you want me to treat her, you will have to help me with something."
Hearing that he could cure her, Kuma could no longer control himself; tears gushed down his face, and without hesitation, he said, "What is it? No matter what it is, I'll do it. Even if you want my life, it's fine. Please, cure Bonney!"
"Daddy!"
"No one wants your life."
Law became irritated. "I just need you to—"
But while speaking, as he looked at the father and daughter in front of him, for some reason, a certain figure flashed in his mind.
He fell silent, and his eyes turned complicated while looking at the scene before him.
"Forget it. We'll talk after I finish treating her. If you want to kneel, kneel then."
This guy... to cure his daughter, he had been desperately searching everywhere for treatment.
Trafalgar Law was not someone who dragged things out. Once he decided to treat her, he didn't hesitate and had them enter the simple operating room he had prepared.
It was actually just a simple room, probably even Law's own room. But hearing Law's words, Kuma didn't hesitate and quickly brought Bonney inside.
After so many years, he finally heard someone say they could treat Bonney, so no matter what difficulties there were, he would never give up.
After calming the somewhat nervous Bonney, Kuma, under Law's impatient urging, took his heavy steps out of the room.
He knew he couldn't stay in the operating room at this moment, but as a father, how could he not be nervous?
After the door to the room closed, Kuma didn't leave. He still stood outside while clenching his fists nervously.
As for Ian... He had already done everything he could. Now it was all up to Law.
If it didn't work out, then they could only go find Vegapunk. Because of that, he wasn't very nervous and didn't bother comforting Kuma.
As a father, Ian understood that meaningless comforting wouldn't help at all.
It was better to let Kuma stand there quietly and wait.
Only Wolf offered a bit of comfort to Kuma, saying that since Law agreed to treat her, there must be a high chance he could cure Kuma's daughter.
But just as Ian expected, Kuma only responded with a smile, though he was still clearly nervous.
At that moment, the temporary operating room grew silent. It seemed as though an invisible membrane covered the entire room, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.
Even Bonney's previously noisy voice disappeared, making Kuma's expression change instantly, though he quickly forced himself to stay calm.
But from the way Kuma kept rubbing his hands together, one could see how uneasy and even more nervous he had become.
Ian understood that it was Law's Devil Fruit ability.
After glancing at Kuma, he stopped paying attention. All that was left was to wait patiently for the result.
It was impossible that the user of the Op-Op Fruit would fail so badly that instead of treating the illness, he killed the patient, right?
Next... since they were already here, and there happened to be a scientist he lacked standing right before them, how could he let the opportunity slip away?
After his daughter was born, Ian felt that his mentality had changed. It felt like when he had first arrived in this world, except he no longer had that kind of crazed impulse of wanting to stir up the whole sea.
Now he could accept the chaos that might come, but he had also become steadier.
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