The wind howled, growing fiercer by the moment.
It swept away the relentless snow, whipping it into a blizzard that carved a harsh, unforgiving world.
Through this maelstrom, a group of men trudged toward Drum Castle.
Robson scaled the sheer wall, standing triumphant before the castle's gates.
Clinging to his back, Wapol and Musshuru now gazed upon the fortress before them.
"Oh, my beloved castle! Drum Castle! As splendid as ever!" Wapol crowed, arms flung wide, standing atop the snow with unrestrained glee.
Returning to his long-abandoned home filled him with joy, his face alight with a carefree exuberance that stood in stark contrast to Musshuru's indifferent expression. Wapol's voice echoed unchecked across the frozen landscape.
"But what's that? That eyesore of a flag ruining the view! Where's the flag of my Drum Kingdom? Why's some filthy pirate flag flying up there?"
"Well, now, that's true," Musshuru mused. "Does that mean this is a pirate's kingdom—"
"Don't be ridiculous, brother!" Wapol snapped. "This is my kingdom—our kingdom! There's no king of Drum but me!"
Wapol's eyes locked onto the pirate flag fluttering atop the castle, his voice rising to a furious bellow.
Once, the proud flag of the Drum Kingdom had flown there. Now, an unfamiliar pirate banner danced in the wind—a provocation, a declaration of war.
Who could have done this?
Rage boiled in Wapol's chest, while beside him, Musshuru wore a carefree grin. Unlike his brother, Musshuru showed no anger, no attachment to the kingdom they'd long abandoned. His demeanor carried only a strange, unwavering affection for Wapol himself.
The commotion must have carried, for a figure emerged from the open castle door.
Wapol's glare sharpened, teeth grinding in frustration as he recognized the newcomer.
It was Dr. Kureha.
Dressed lightly, unburdened by heavy winter gear, she planted herself before them, hands on hips, exuding defiance. Wapol's fury only grew, but Kureha met his hostile stare with a fearless chuckle.
"Hee hee hee. Looking for something, you brats?"
"You old hag!" Wapol roared. "What are you doing in my castle?"
"It's my home now," Kureha shot back. "And I turned it into a tomb, too. For that fool who died here."
"What?" Wapol's voice cracked with disbelief.
"You haven't forgotten, have you? Dr. Hiluluk."
At the mention of that name, Wapol's eyes widened in shock.
"That quack's tomb? This castle? You dare defile my castle with the grave of that filthy rat?" he spat, voice dripping with venom.
"No choice," Kureha said with a shrug. "His son wouldn't budge about raising that flag."
"I don't give a damn! This castle is mine, and anyone who defiles it without my permission is the greatest criminal in Drum's history! You'll be executed on the spot!"
"Ugh, still as thick-headed as ever," Kureha sighed, her tone dripping with exasperation.
Wapol's rage exploded, his feet stomping the snow into a packed frenzy, like a child throwing a tantrum. Musshuru looked bored, while Robson remained aloof. Kureha's laughter rang out, met by Wapol's shrill cry.
"Stop laughing!"
"It's over, Wapol. This isn't the Drum Kingdom anymore. Your kingdom's gone."
"Ha ha ha! You hag! Gone? With me, the king, back in my rightful place, the Drum Kingdom will rise again—over and over, by my power!"
"You don't have that kind of power. When will you figure that out?"
"Shut up! Don't tell me what to do!"
His tantrum shook the snow beneath him, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
Then, from behind Kureha, new figures appeared.
Chopper sprinted into view, followed closely by Luffy. Chopper's face hardened as he took in the scene, while Luffy, clueless about the figures before him, stared blankly.
"Docturine!" Chopper called.
"Here's the son," Kureha said, nodding toward Chopper.
"Son? What's that monster?" Wapol sneered.
Chopper, in his beast-human form, stood small but upright, his appearance bizarre to the uninitiated. Wapol's brow furrowed in disgust, but Musshuru's eyes lit up with curiosity, delighted by the strange creature.
"Whoa, what's that animal? Since when did this place get such weird critters?" Musshuru exclaimed.
"This isn't the time, brother! That's our castle!" Wapol snapped.
To an outsider, the brothers were an odd pair themselves—outlandish in dress and demeanor, eccentric enough to make anyone tilt their head. Musshuru, in particular, drew attention.
Luffy didn't know either of them, and while Chopper vaguely recalled Wapol, Musshuru was a stranger even to him. The entourage Wapol once commanded was gone; only his brother stood by his side.
Kureha, however, knew Musshuru.
The man who once brought the Drum Kingdom to the brink of ruin. A man permanently exiled. Wapol had brought him back, and Kureha understood why in an instant—likely the Blackbeard Pirates' attack had forced their return.
Chopper, trying to make sense of the situation, turned to Kureha. "Docturine, those guys…"
"Wapol and his brother, Musshuru," she replied. "I told you about the 'poison snow,' didn't I?"
"The poison spores that fell like snow across the kingdom… That was him?" Chopper asked, horrified.
"Trouble's been unleashed," Kureha said grimly. "Musshuru was a headache even for Wapol, but it seems Blackbeard's crew stirred things up. He's dangerous."
Behind them, Luffy peered forward, still puzzled. "Who're those guys? Friends?"
"The opposite," Kureha said. "The Drum Kingdom's greatest disgrace. Our enemies."
"Pirates?" Luffy asked.
"Yup. The worst kind."
"Hey, hag!" Wapol bellowed, cutting her off. "Don't talk nonsense! Sure, I played pirate while I was at sea, but that was just a game! I'm a king! Who'd willingly become some filthy pirate?"
"Then why play at it?" Kureha challenged.
"To hide my identity! A king's life is always at risk! Only scum choose to be pirates!"
"Too bad I don't have a mirror to show you your own face," Kureha quipped.
Luffy's face twisted in disgust. Clearly, he and Wapol wouldn't get along. Arms crossed, he huffed angrily. "I don't like that guy. Mocking pirates like that."
"That's how the world sees them," Kureha said. "It's rarer to find someone who thinks pirates are great."
"Not true! Pirates are awesome, right, Chopper?"
"I-I'm not a pirate…" Chopper mumbled, eyes dropping nervously.
Kureha's faint smile at their exchange seemed to enrage Wapol further. "Stop yapping, you hags! Anyone who defies the king's orders gets executed! All of you—executed!"
"Shut it, you idiot! You think you can beat us?" Luffy shot back.
"What'd you say, punk? State your name, hag!"
"Monkey D. Luffy. The man who'll become King of the Pirates."
"King of the… Pirates?"
Luffy's words stunned everyone—Kureha, Chopper, even Wapol. Though their reasons differed, all eyes were on him.
"King of the Pirates? Ha ha ha! You're no hag—you're delusional! Only the chosen can be kings. You? A pirate king? Never!" Wapol mocked.
"I will," Luffy said, unwavering.
"Hmph. No use talking to a hag like you." Wapol spread his arms wide, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
Luffy and Chopper tensed, sensing trouble.
"All of you will be executed by my hand!" Wapol roared, raising his voice to the heavens. "Baku Baku Shock: Wapol House!"
His body began to transform, the grotesque power of the Baku Baku Fruit at work. Flesh and bone shifted with eerie sounds, consumed objects merging into his being. Within moments, his form was unrecognizable—a monstrous house-like figure, a chimney sprouting from his head, his torso clad in tin, a door on his chest, and arms replaced by cannon barrels. Twice his former size, his robust frame was both absurd and terrifying.
Luffy, Chopper, and even Musshuru gaped in shock.
"What's consumed becomes blood and flesh… This is the true power of the Baku Baku!" Wapol declared.
Chopper gritted his teeth, his gaze hardening with hostility. Beside him, Luffy and Musshuru exclaimed in unison:
"That's insane! He turned into a house!" Luffy shouted.
"What the—? My brother's a house now? And not even a cozy one!" Musshuru added.
"Brother, it's just the Baku Baku Fruit's power. No need to act so surprised," Wapol said, exasperated.
Wapol's cannons were no mere decoration, and Chopper braced for battle. His body shifted, growing taller and more human-like as the Hito Hito Fruit's power transformed him into his Human Form—a towering, muscular figure over two meters tall.
Luffy's jaw dropped. "Whoa! Chopper, you got huge! Were you always that big?"
"What're you talking about?" Kureha said, rolling her eyes. "Zoan-type users have three forms. This is his Human Form, the closest to a human."
"Oh, so he's a three-stage transforming cool reindeer!" Luffy grinned, clearly delighted.
Chopper ignored Luffy's excitement, his glare fixed on Wapol. "Get off this island," he growled.
"Huh?" Wapol sneered.
"I won't fight you. Just leave. Now."
"Another hag? What're you babbling about?" Wapol raised his left cannon, aiming at Chopper. It was no bluff—his weapon was part of him now, ready to fire at his whim.
Chopper stood his ground. "There's no place for you here. Leave quietly."
"That's my line! This is my kingdom, and I don't need you!" Wapol roared, redirecting his cannon upward. "And I definitely don't need that quack's flag looking down on me!"
"No—!" Chopper cried.
Too late. A cannonball roared through the air, striking the tower where Hiluluk's flag stood. A small explosion sent the flag fluttering to the ground. It hadn't been hit directly, but the tower's collapse was insult enough.
Luffy glanced at Chopper, who stared in stunned silence. "Chopper, that flag…"
No response. Chopper's eyes were locked on the empty space where the flag once flew.
Luffy's expression darkened.
"Ha ha ha! That feels better!" Wapol crowed. "Don't ever defile my castle again!"
"You… You shot at the Doctor's skull mark!" Chopper's voice trembled with rage.
"Tch, annoying pest," Wapol muttered.
Something snapped in Chopper. Still in Human Form, he charged at Wapol, fury driving him forward.
Wapol didn't move, but Musshuru stepped in, blocking Chopper's path. As Chopper raised his fist, Musshuru grabbed his shoulders, the two locked in a tense struggle.
"Hold it," Musshuru said, grinning like a child. "What're you planning to do to my brother with that fist?"
"The Doctor… He tried to save even you!" Chopper spat, his eyes burning into Wapol.
Wapol smirked, unfazed. "Save? That quack? Ha ha ha! As if! Getting treated by that hack would've shortened my life!"
Chopper's fists clenched tighter, his voice breaking. "You…!"
"Doctors are supposed to be like my Isshi-20. That hag and your so-called 'father' are trash! Don't call yourselves doctors, you hags!"
"Don't you dare insult the Doctor!" Chopper roared.
Chopper broke free, stepping back from Musshuru. In a blind rage, he swung again, aiming for Musshuru's face. But Musshuru dodged with a nimble lean, evading effortlessly. Chopper struck again and again, each punch slicing through empty air as Musshuru sidestepped with uncanny precision.
On the third miss, Musshuru countered. A casual kick sank into Chopper's stomach, doubling him over. Before he could recover, a palm strike hit his jaw, followed by a spinning kick that sent him crashing into the snow, sprawled and breathless.
Kureha's face tightened, and she moved to intervene, but Chopper's voice stopped her. "Docturine… They mocked the Doctor. My savior."
"I know," Kureha said softly. "But you don't have to die for it. Step back. I'll deal with these brats—"
"No," Chopper interrupted. "I have to do this. I swore to make the Doctor's dream come true."
Clenching his fists, Chopper bit down hard, pain fueling his resolve. Still sprawled in the snow, he shouted, "That flag will never fall! That skull is the Doctor's belief!"
"Shut it, monster!" Wapol snapped, aiming his cannon at Chopper.
"Shut your trap!" a voice boomed from above.
Wapol looked up, startled. Atop the castle, Luffy stood, the fallen pirate flag raised once more, tied to his jacket. Shirtless in the freezing cold, his fierce gaze locked onto Wapol.
Chopper staggered to his feet, staring at Luffy in awe.
"Who's that straw hat punk?" Wapol growled. "How dare you raise that flag again in my castle!"
"You played at being a pirate with half-baked resolve, never risking your life," Luffy said coldly. "You don't understand what this flag means."
A shiver ran down Chopper's spine, his eyes glued to Luffy.
"What's it mean? Some stupid pirate decoration?" Wapol scoffed.
"That's why you're a coward," Luffy shot back.
"What?!"
"This isn't a flag you can wave as a joke."
"Don't mess with me! I'll break that pathetic flag again and again!"
Wapol's cannon swung toward Luffy. Chopper shouted, "Dodge! It's dangerous!"
But Luffy didn't move, his eyes fixed on Wapol. "You can't break it. The skull mark—"
"Die with your flag!" Wapol bellowed, firing.
The cannonball screamed through the air, striking Luffy dead-on. An explosion erupted, flames swallowing him and the flag.
Chopper froze, fearing the worst. But as the smoke cleared, Luffy stood unscathed, flag in hand, blood trickling down his arm.
"See?" Luffy said simply. "It doesn't break."
Wapol staggered back, a chill gripping him. Chopper, meanwhile, felt a surge of awe.
"I don't know the guy who made this flag," Luffy continued, "but it's a flag sworn on lives. It's not here for laughs."
Wapol trembled, but Chopper was captivated, unable to look away.
"You don't get to mock it!" Luffy roared.
Wapol flinched, fear overtaking him. Chopper shuddered, overwhelmed by emotion. Kureha smirked calmly, while Musshuru grinned with predatory excitement. No one could deny Luffy's presence as a true pirate.
Chopper, gazing up at him, recalled Hiluluk's words: Pirates are great. Someday, go out to sea.
"Chopper!" Luffy called.
"Huh…?"
"I'm gonna take these guys down. What about you?"
"I… I…"
Luffy planted the flag atop the broken tower, twirling his arms in preparation. His eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity, nothing like the carefree boy Chopper first met. Now, he was a true pirate—strong, unyielding.
What about you?
The answer was already in Chopper's heart, but hesitation held his tongue. Then Musshuru stepped forward, his grin dangerous, eyes fixed on Luffy.
"I'll protect the Doctor's flag," Chopper declared. "Even alone, as long as that flag stands, I—"
"You're not alone anymore," Luffy said softly.
Chopper turned, catching Luffy's grin as he leaped from the tower, landing with a crash that sent snow flying. Unfazed, he adjusted his hat and stood tall.
"I'm your friend!" Luffy declared.
Chopper approached, concern mixing with relief. "You okay?"
"Yup, no worries. I'm rubber," Luffy said with a grin.
"Pirates are pretty amazing, huh?" Chopper said, a smile breaking through.
"You bet. Pirates are awesome."
Wapol, regaining his composure, cowered behind Musshuru, who remained unfazed, eyeing Luffy as a worthy foe.
"Brother!" Wapol whined.
"Don't worry, little brother," Musshuru said smoothly. "I'll take care of him for scaring you."
"He defied me, the king!" Wapol cried.
"That's a crime he'll pay for," Musshuru replied.
Musshuru stepped forward, Wapol trailing behind. Luffy and Chopper stood side by side, ready to face them. The air crackled with the promise of battle.
"Let's go," Luffy said. "You ready?"
"Yeah," Chopper nodded.
"Handle the loudmouth. I'll stop the other one."
Chopper glanced at Luffy's determined profile, a strange warmth filling him.
Friend…
Hiluluk was family, Kureha his mentor. But a friend? This was a first.
His heart pounded, but now wasn't the time for reflection. With Luffy by his side, Chopper faced their enemies, ready to fight for the flag and the dream it carried.
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