The Going Merry glided over gentle waves under a clear sky, the pleasant breeze lifting spirits on a fine day.
At the ship's stern, Zoro trained relentlessly, swinging a heavy-weighted rod, pausing, then swinging again. Shirtless and drenched in sweat, he'd been at it for nearly an hour, surpassing two thousand reps. His intense gaze fixed on the sea, but his focus lay beyond—on a distant goal, a greater strength.
(Gotta get stronger. Strong enough to beat giants.)
Zoro reflected quietly. The duel with Dorry and Broggy didn't feel like a victory. If he'd been stronger, he could've faced them alone, cut them down in a true one-on-one. His dream was to become the world's greatest swordsman, and this was nowhere near enough. Self-criticism fueled his grueling regimen.
(Still too weak… gotta push harder.)
He trained in solitude, as always. The crew knew better than to interrupt, so they scattered across the deck, passing the time freely.
Luffy and Usopp raced around, brimming with excitement, arms slung over each other's shoulders, grinning. The memory of Dorry and Broggy's earth-shattering strike lingered, inspiring them to sing a makeshift song about the great warriors, their dreams swelling with every note.
"Alright, listen up!" Luffy shouted. "I'm definitely going to Elbaf someday—the warrior village!"
"Hell yeah, let's go!" Usopp cheered.
Their noisy, tireless antics filled the deck with energy. Near the mast, Shiruku watched with a fond smile.
Her gaze shifted, landing on Nami, leaning against the mast, unusually quiet. Though not one to make a fuss, it was early in the journey—too soon for fatigue, especially for someone as resilient as Nami. Concerned, Shiruku crouched beside her, peering at her face.
Nami's complexion was pale, her breathing labored. Shiruku's brow furrowed, worry deepening as their eyes met. "Nami, you okay? Feeling sick?" she asked gently.
"Hm? Oh… maybe a bit feverish," Nami said. "The last island was hot, and Sanji brought me a blanket, but I kicked it off in my sleep."
"A cold? Any chills?" Shiruku asked.
"No need to worry," Nami said with a weak smile. "I'll sleep it off."
Her dismissive tone didn't convince Shiruku. Nami had never looked this unwell before. She was likely downplaying her pain to avoid worrying the crew, but that only heightened Shiruku's concern. Leaning closer, she touched Nami's forehead. Nami tried to dodge but relented.
The heat was undeniable—her forehead burned under Shiruku's palm. "You're burning up," Shiruku said. "Don't lie and say you're fine."
"It's not a big deal," Nami insisted.
"No way," Shiruku said. "Pushing yourself is bad for you. Let's get you to bed. You need rest."
"Ugh, I can't win with you," Nami sighed. "Fine, I'll rest."
"You'll be better soon if you do," Shiruku said. "Come on."
"Wait a sec," Nami said.
Shiruku helped her up, but Nami paused, pulling out the Eternal Pose. As Vivi approached, worried, Nami handed it to her. "Vivi, can you give this to Kiri? He'll handle it."
"Sure," Vivi said. "Leave it to us. Rest up."
"Will do," Nami said. "Or Shiruku might get scary."
"You're the one being stubborn," Shiruku teased.
"Haha, true… I'll rest, don't worry—" Nami's voice cut off as she swayed.
Before she collapsed, Shiruku caught her. Nami had fainted. Their shocked cries echoed, alerting the crew.
"Nami?!" Shiruku gasped.
"Nami-san?!" Vivi called. "Everyone, come quick! Nami-san's down!"
"What happened?" Luffy asked, rushing over.
"Nami-saaan!" Sanji wailed, bursting from the ship's interior. "What's wrong?!"
Zoro jogged from the stern, Kiri and Igaram emerged from below, and Karoo waddled up, puzzled. They saw Nami in Shiruku's arms, frail, breathing heavily, her face pale.
The crew realized something was wrong. Sanji, frantic, lost his usual cool, shouting in panic, spurring Luffy and Usopp to yell too.
"Nami-san?!" Sanji cried. "What happened?!"
"She's got a fever," Shiruku said. "She just passed out."
"A fever that bad?" Usopp said.
"Is it serious? A disease?" Luffy asked, tilting his head.
Luffy's confusion showed his inexperience with illness, and the crew's panic outweighed calm heads. They'd never faced this before.
Nami's safety was paramount. Leaving her on the deck wasn't an option—she needed to be moved. Vivi, relatively composed, spoke up. With some nursing experience, though not medical expertise, she was better equipped for emergencies. Locking eyes with Shiruku, she decided to move Nami to a bed.
"Let's get Nami-san inside," Vivi said. "It's not safe here."
"Right," Shiruku agreed.
"Nami-saaan!" Sanji wailed.
"Sanji, calm down," Vivi said. "Can you get water, towels, and a thermometer?"
"Got it!" Sanji said, dashing off.
"I'll help!" Usopp added, running after him.
Vivi turned to Luffy. "Luffy-san, help us carry Nami-san."
"Okay," Luffy said.
"And Kiri-san, here," Vivi said, handing him the Eternal Pose. "Nami-san asked you to take this."
"Got it," Kiri said. "Handle Nami. I'll take care of the course."
Vivi passed the Eternal Pose to Kiri, whose serious expression betrayed rare worry. It felt out of place, but Luffy helped carry Nami to the women's quarters.
They laid Nami on a bed, covering her with a blanket. Her breathing was ragged, cheeks flushed, sweat pouring. Her pained appearance rattled Shiruku and Vivi.
Sanji and Usopp burst in, Sanji with a water basin, Usopp with a thermometer, their footsteps loud. Shiruku shushed them, and they froze, sheepishly offering the items. Shiruku and Vivi moved quickly.
"She's sweating so much," Shiruku said. "Can a cold really do this?"
"Shiruku-chwan, Nami-san won't… die, right?!" Sanji sobbed.
Vivi wanted to reassure him, but a bad feeling gnawed at her. As Shiruku took Nami's temperature and Vivi wiped her sweat, her condition looked grim.
"It's probably the climate," Vivi said. "Grand Line sailors face a wall—illness from extreme weather. Even tough pirates die from it. A small symptom can be deadly if ignored."
"Nami-saaan!" Sanji cried.
"But we've been fine so far," Shiruku said. "We've been in the Grand Line a while."
"True," Vivi said. "Locals might adapt over years, but we've been here less than a month. Even seasoned sailors face risks, so anything could happen."
"She was fine this morning," Shiruku said, staring at Nami. "This is so sudden."
Danger wasn't just in battle—they realized it now, too late, with Nami in critical condition. Their weakness was clear: no ship's doctor. They'd survived without medical knowledge by luck, underscoring the need for one.
"Anyone on this ship know any medicine?" Vivi asked, turning.
Sanji, wiping tears, locked eyes with Luffy and Usopp. They pointed at Nami—the only one with any medical know-how. Vivi groaned, head dropping. The situation was dire.
Vivi's first aid and nursing experience didn't extend to curing diseases. Shiruku was the same—able to care but not treat. Hope faded, and a heavy silence filled the room.
Then Shiruku's eyes lit up. "What about Kiri? He might know something about medicine."
"Yeah!" Luffy said, grinning. "Kiri'll fix it. I'll get him!"
Luffy bounded out, their last hope. If Kiri couldn't help, they'd need to find a doctor elsewhere.
Silence settled. Shiruku checked the thermometer, eyes widening. "Forty degrees?!" she gasped. "That's a high fever."
"Just a cold wouldn't do this so suddenly," Vivi said.
"I brought him!" Luffy announced, returning with Kiri.
Kiri approached the bed, joining Vivi and Shiruku. The tense air was palpable. "How's Nami?" he asked.
"Fever's at forty," Shiruku said. "She looks really bad."
"What's the cause?" Vivi asked. "Kiri-san, any medical knowledge?"
"I can handle injuries to some extent," Kiri said. "But illnesses? I never studied them. My old crew was tough, and our ship's doctor handled serious stuff. I just assisted."
"I see," Vivi said, head dropping further.
The last hope crumbled, the room's atmosphere heavier. Kiri wasn't to blame, but the letdown stung.
Shiruku placed a wet towel on Nami's forehead. She didn't stir, her pained expression heart-wrenching.
Kiri leaned in, studying her. Though not medically trained, his analytical skills were sharp. He weighed past experiences and recent events to decide their next move. The sudden fever was the key concern.
"It's so sudden," Kiri said. "Why only Nami?"
"Maybe the strain of the Grand Line," Vivi said. "Its weather wrecks sailors. It could be built-up fatigue."
"Nami's tough," Kiri said. "That feels off."
"Then why?" Shiruku asked.
"A forty-degree fever isn't normal," Kiri said. "And she was fine yesterday and this morning, right?"
"Yeah, totally normal," Shiruku confirmed.
Kiri fell into deep thought, the pause thickening the air. Luffy whispered to Usopp, "Is being sick that bad?"
"Dunno, never been sick," Usopp said.
"Me neither," Luffy admitted.
"What are you people?!" Vivi exclaimed. "Never once?!"
"They're not exactly normal," Shiruku said calmly. "Super healthy, right?"
Luffy's cluelessness stemmed from never being ill, and Usopp and Sanji shared the trait. Vivi was stunned, but Shiruku took it in stride—they were an odd bunch.
Kiri, silent until now, looked at Luffy's carefree demeanor and spoke. "Simply put, you lose the energy to eat meat—or even want to."
"What?!" Luffy gasped, face darkening. "Nami, you don't want meat?!"
"That's your benchmark?" Usopp muttered.
"Not wrong, but not the point," Sanji sighed.
Luffy's sudden worry left Usopp and Sanji dumbfounded. Shiruku turned to Kiri, trusting his judgment over Luffy's earnest but clueless response. "What do we do?" she asked, anxiety creeping into her voice.
"It's serious," Kiri said. "One possibility is Little Garden. Its prehistoric ecosystem might have pathogens we don't know. A doctor might not even be able to treat it."
"No way!" Sanji cried. "Nami-san's gonna be okay, right?!"
"Is Nami gonna die?!" Luffy yelled.
"Disaster!" Usopp wailed.
"Everyone, calm down!" Shiruku shouted. "We don't know she won't make it!"
The trio's panic escalated, and Shiruku's voice rose to quiet them. Vivi, deep in thought, met Kiri's gaze. Matching his volume over the chaos, she spoke. "We'll find a doctor to save Nami!"
"Wait," Usopp said. "Even a doctor might not cure it! What about the masters? They lived there forever—they might know something!"
"Nami-san, don't die!" Sanji sobbed.
"Calm down!" Shiruku snapped. "Stop yelling or get out!"
"Drum…" Vivi murmured. "Drum Kingdom might save her…"
"Right," Kiri said. "It's our best shot."
Vivi's words silenced the room. Hope sparked, and they leaned in. "Drum Kingdom has the Grand Line's best medical tech," Kiri said. "Their doctors could cure a forty-degree fever or unknown pathogen. Probably."
"That 'probably' worries me," Sanji said. "But Nami-san will be okay?"
"We can save her," Kiri said. "The Eternal Pose is a miracle. It's our last hope."
"Alright!" Luffy roared.
"To Drum Kingdom!" Usopp shouted. "We'll save Nami!"
"Quiet!" Shiruku hissed. "Nami's sleeping!"
The trio's excitement flared again, and Shiruku's ability sent them tumbling across the room, finally quieting them. She sighed, sitting down. The three returned, subdued.
With calm restored, they clarified their goal: get Nami to a doctor in Drum Kingdom to cure her. But Kiri voiced a concern, his tone uneasy. "The Eternal Pose ensures we'll reach Drum," he said. "The problem is the journey. Knowing the destination doesn't guarantee smooth sailing."
"Nami's our navigator," Vivi said.
"Exactly," Kiri said. "She's handled everything so far. Without her, we're at a disadvantage. Honestly, I'm not skilled enough."
"We've got no choice," Usopp said. "You're the best we've got."
Kiri looked at the Eternal Pose, gaze heavy. He hadn't studied navigation formally. He'd sailed alone before, but only to survive, uncaring of his own life. Now, he bore the weight of his crew's safety. A mistake could endanger them all.
Still, he had to act. Exhaling, he met their eyes. "No choice," he said. "We don't know how much time Nami has. If her strength gives out, it's over."
"We'll reach Drum before that," Luffy said.
"Find a doctor to save Nami-san," Vivi added.
"Maybe recruit a ship's doctor," Kiri said. "Drum's medical expertise would be a game-changer. This is our moment, everyone."
"Right!" Luffy shouted.
The crew nodded firmly, united to save Nami and press forward without losing anyone. "Shiruku and Vivi, handle nursing," Kiri said. "Ask for help if you need it. Use anyone."
"Got it," Shiruku said.
"Leave it to us," Vivi added.
"Everyone else, move the ship," Kiri said. "Full speed to Drum."
"Let's do this!" Luffy yelled.
"On it!" Usopp said.
"Wait for us, Nami-san," Sanji vowed. "I'll save you!"
The four left the women's quarters with determined strides. Shiruku and Vivi watched Nami's pained face, the tension unprecedented. They'd faced enemies before, but a disease was intangible, leaving them helpless without a doctor. Watching her suffer felt worse than being sick themselves.
With limited options, they poured their focus into nursing Nami carefully. Meanwhile, the men manned the ship, pushing for speed. Reaching Drum meant saving Nami. With a clear goal, their morale surged, and they hustled across the deck.
"Full speed to the doctor!" Luffy shouted. "Save Nami!"
"Move it, you bastards!" Sanji yelled. "Every second counts for Nami-san!"
Without knowing the illness's severity, urgency was critical. The Merry raced across the sea, aiming for the unseen medical haven of Drum Island.
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