The giant eagle soared, wings beating, as snow ceased and clouds parted, revealing Drum Castle ahead. Luffy grinned, hope rising. "We're here, Nami. Doctor's close."
No response came; her ragged breathing worried him. Relief mixed with urgency as the eagle spoke. "Tough for young folks, huh? Glad she'll make it."
"Thanks for the lift. You're weird but cool," Luffy said.
"My pleasure," the eagle replied, landing softly.
Luffy, carrying Nami, leapt off and stood atop the mountain. Drum Castle loomed, its beauty stark yet lonely, untouched by sound or life. Snow dusted its walls, amplifying its eerie solitude. "Pretty castle…" Luffy muttered, captivated, feeling its desolation like a forgotten memory.
The eagle folded its wings. "You good? No time for sightseeing."
Snapping back, Luffy nodded. "Thanks. Sorry for the rush."
"No biggie. Helping out's nice sometimes," the eagle said.
"Not coming?" Luffy asked.
"Nah, walking's not my thing. Too cold. Heading to another island."
"Got it."
"One tip," the eagle added, tone serious. "You seem trusting. Don't overdo it. Learn from that swirly-brow guy. Protect what matters."
"No worries. I'll guard everything. Won't lose a thing," Luffy said firmly.
The eagle chuckled. "Maybe you don't need my advice. Keep at it. I'm rooting for you."
"Thanks!"
"See ya, maybe." The eagle flew off.
Luffy glanced at the pirate flag atop the castle, then entered. Snow drifted through the open doors, piling inside the barren interior. "Oi, anyone here? Doctor!" he called, voice echoing.
The vast hall was silent, its high ceilings and many doors daunting. A staircase loomed at one end. Searching would take time.
A voice answered. "Who's making a racket in my castle?"
Luffy looked up. An old woman emerged from a second-floor door, slim, youthful despite wrinkles, her vibrant style defying age. She raised her sunglasses, eyeing them. "Odd guests. Happy, kids?"
"You the doctor?" Luffy asked. "My friend's dying. Help her."
"Mind your manners. I'm a spry 130-something," she teased.
"130? Total grandma!" Luffy said.
She sighed. "Kids don't get it."
Luffy, unbothered, bowed deeply. "Please. She's been suffering three days. She might die."
"Not inclined to help rude boys," she said coolly. "But maybe he'll feel differently."
She glanced back. A small figure approached—not human, but a reindeer, child-sized, with fur, a pink hat, and antlers. Clad only in pants, hooves bare, it peered nervously at Luffy from the railing, eyes wary yet curious.
Luffy stared, intrigued by the odd creature. Their gazes locked briefly.
"Fix her?" the woman asked it.
"…Yeah," it nodded, voice hesitant but human. "What's her condition?"
"Uh, super hot, can't eat meat," Luffy fumbled.
"Not great at this, huh?" the woman said. "You judge, Chopper."
"Yeah," the reindeer agreed, resolute. "Come up. I'll treat her."
"Really? Thanks!" Luffy beamed.
"Sure about this?" she asked.
"Can't ignore someone in need," Chopper said.
She smiled, adjusted her sunglasses, and walked off. Luffy, puzzled, shouted, "A tanuki talked?!"
"Slow! And I'm a reindeer! See the antlers?" Chopper snapped, then faltered, shy.
Luffy grinned. "What's your name?"
"Tony Tony Chopper," he replied.
"I'm Luffy. Gonna be Pirate King."
"Pirate?" Chopper's eyes widened, staring intently.
At the ropeway, Usopp grimaced. An elderly mechanic assisted, but his forgetfulness slowed repairs. "Remember anything, old man?" Usopp asked.
"Think it's like this…" the man mumbled.
"You a pro? How'd you fix it before?" Usopp pressed.
"No one's used it in ages. King's a mess, country's gone," he said.
"Rough place," Usopp muttered, tinkering.
The man nodded. "Since the old king died, it's been chaos. Wapol's reckless, pirates hit months ago, and the doctor hunt made it unlivable."
"Doctor hunt?" Usopp asked.
"Wapol's policy. Banished all doctors but his own, called them Isshi-20. Showed off his power," the man spat.
"Selfish jerk," Usopp said. "Sounds like a mess."
"Pirates made it worse," the man added. "Blackbeard Pirates, I think. Strong, wrecked villages, injured tons. Thought they'd save us from Wapol, but no."
"Blackbeard? Whitebeard knockoff?" Usopp mused.
A frantic voice interrupted. "Usopp-kun! Trouble!" Igaram ran up.
"What's up, old man?" Usopp asked.
"Dalton rushed off, blood in his eyes. We followed—found a destroyed village. He's down, injured, with tons of villagers… and Zoro and Silk!"
"What?!" Usopp's face paled. "Zoro and Silk lost? Who could beat them?"
"Come quick," Igaram urged. "They're at Dalton's. Doctors saved them."
"Old man, handle this?" Usopp asked.
"Go careful," the mechanic said.
Usopp and Igaram raced to Dalton's house, spotting a strange group—twenty men in surgical gear, hands raised uniformly, sunglasses glinting. Suspicious, but Igaram waved it off. "They saved everyone. Just in time."
"Who are they?" Usopp whispered.
"Complicated," Igaram said. A man stepped forward, removing his sunglasses.
"We're Isshi-20, Wapol's former soldiers, surviving doctors of Drum. Escaped the doctor hunt," he said.
"Weird name, but doctors, right?" Usopp said.
"They saved lives," Igaram added.
Inside, Sanji and Vivi stood by Dalton, bandaged and asleep, with Zoro and Silk on blankets, unmarked but unconscious. Usopp sighed in relief. "What happened? They look fine, just sleeping."
"Not quite," Sanji said. "Poison got 'em. Nasty guy."
"Poison?!" Usopp gasped. "They okay?"
Vivi nodded. "Treated already. A drug from years ago worked. Left untreated, they'd be dead by tomorrow."
"Wapol and his brother are ability users," Sanji said. "Brother's poison mushroom spores knocked them out. These guys told us."
"Poison mushrooms? That's a thing?" Usopp gaped.
Isshi-1 spoke. "We were under Wapol's thumb. Defy him, die. Couldn't stop him."
"You're his men?" Usopp asked.
"Not by choice," Isshi-1 said. "We're rebelling now. If he finds out, we're dead."
"Wapol's that bad, huh?" Usopp said.
"He's back for the castle," Vivi added.
Usopp froze. "The castle? Where Luffy and Nami went?!"
"Yeah," Sanji said. "They don't care about hurting civilians. Luffy's tough, but Nami's vulnerable."
"We gotta warn them!" Usopp urged.
"Tried. Luffy's not answering the Den Den Mushi," Sanji growled. "Forgot it exists, probably."
"Should've gone myself," Sanji muttered.
Snow resumed outside, a bad sign. "No choice," Sanji said. "Gotta go to the castle. Might make it to back them up."
"Now?" Usopp asked. "How?"
"Ropeway's not ready," Sanji said. "Kiri's our shot."
Usopp hesitated. "Kiri's weak to water. Snow's wet. He could fall mid-flight."
"Snow's stopped for now," Sanji countered. "Less risky."
"Less? He could still drop!" Usopp argued.
"For Nami," Sanji snapped. "Man up."
"Me?!" Usopp yelped.
Vivi stepped in. "I'll go. I'm lighter, less strain on Kiri."
"No way, Vivi-chan," Sanji said. "Too dangerous. Luffy and Kiri can handle most, but a blizzard could drop them."
"And me?!" Usopp protested. "I'd die too!"
"Figure it out," Sanji said.
"You're so casual about me!" Usopp wailed.
Sanji stayed calm. "You've got a reason to go. The poison guy's famous here. Weak to fire."
"Fire?" Usopp asked.
Isshi-1 nodded. "Noko Noko spores burn easily. Fire weakens him, drops his combat power. He was exiled to Kilauea, a fire country, for that."
"Got a plan then," Usopp said. "You're the only one with fire weapons. Kiri can help."
"True," Usopp admitted.
"But don't underestimate them," Isshi-1 warned. "Musshuru, the brother, was a prince, exiled for a poison attack twenty years ago. His 'Spore Bomb Fatal Bomb'—a single shot of stored venom—nearly destroyed Drum. He's a human weapon."
"A country, by one guy?" Usopp gaped.
"At 13, he tested his power, killed masses," Isshi-1 said. "Not for defense, just curiosity."
"That's why?!" Vivi shouted, furious. "People died for his whim? A prince?!"
Her anger, rooted in love for her own nation, silenced the room. Sanji, Usopp, and Igaram fell quiet.
Isshi-1 continued. "We can't stop you. Your choice, but Wapol and Musshuru are strong. The poison's lethal—two days at low doses, instant death at high."
"Poison… they'll be okay, right?" Usopp asked.
"I'll pick up your bones," Sanji teased.
"Don't jinx me! Say it's fine!" Usopp begged.
"It's fine," Sanji said.
"Like I believe you!" Usopp snapped.
"Shut up," Sanji said. "You're freaking out more than me."
Vivi and Igaram spoke up. "Usopp-san, save Luffy and Nami."
"We'd help, but this is the only way," Igaram said.
"No need to worry," Sanji added. "We trust you."
"I'm the one worrying!" Usopp cried. "Fine, I'll do it or die trying!"
Fists clenched, he steeled himself, glancing at Sanji. "I'm heading to Kiri. Call him first."
"Got it," Sanji said.
"Borrowing a horse, old man!" Usopp shouted, sprinting off.
His friends watched him go, faces heavy. Sanji glanced at the gray sky, snow falling again. A bad omen, but Kiri would decide. Sanji resolved to protect Zoro and Silk, heading back to the Merry with them.
-------------------------------------------
"Hi everyone! 👋
If you enjoy what I'm doing and want to support me so I can keep going, join me on Patreon 💖. You'll get access to special content just for members, and together we can build a fun little community ✨.
👉 Join here: [patreon.com/Greyhounds]"