The night passed without incident.
The chaos in the palace did not affect York and the core cadres, who had retreated into Stussy's Mirror World to rest in absolute comfort.
Early the next morning, doctors began to arrive in succession at the grand square in front of the Drum Rockies castle. To prevent them from freezing in the bitter winter wind, York had his men herd them all into the palace's grand reception hall.
Seeing the trashed state of the royal residence, and the hundreds of heavily armed, disheveled pirates occupying the halls, the doctors couldn't help but pale. But with the King's royal decree forcing them here, and the pirates' cutlasses blocking the exits, it was clear they had no choice but to comply.
Days passed.
The Marines from the nearby Grand Line branch had finally arrived in the offshore waters of the Drum Kingdom. However, seeing the massive, 360-meter flagship anchored in the harbor, the Rear Admiral commanding the support fleet immediately ordered his ships to drop anchor miles away.
"Rear Admiral! Are we really just... going to sit here?!" a young Marine lieutenant demanded, his face flushed with righteous anger. "We are Marines! How can we just stand by and watch pirates occupy an Allied Nation?!"
The Rear Admiral said nothing. He silently pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his coat and slapped it onto the lieutenant's chest.
It was York's new wanted poster.
"If you believe our three cruisers can apprehend a monster of this caliber, Lieutenant, I will immediately order the fleet to dock," the Rear Admiral said coldly.
The young lieutenant looked at the 4.5 Billion Berry bounty. He swallowed hard and silently closed his mouth.
The veteran soldiers on the deck breathed a collective sigh of relief. A pirate with a bounty that high was a walking natural disaster. Anyone with a clear head knew this was completely out of their jurisdiction. It was better to observe from a safe distance and wait for Marine Headquarters to send an Admiral.
Marineford.
Deep within the intensive care ward of Marine Headquarters.
After weeks of emergency treatment, Admiral Sengoku finally regained consciousness. However, the damage he sustained from shielding Garp and Tsuru from York's nuclear fusion blast was catastrophic. His entire body was covered in severe, agonizing burns. He could only lie face-down on a specialized medical bed, wrapped head-to-toe in bandages, unable to even shift his weight.
His trusted aide stood beside the bed, reporting the results of the latest high-level strategy meeting regarding the Drum Kingdom situation.
"Great Staff Officer Tsuru's official recommendation is to observe and not act rashly," the aide reported solemnly. "She stated that the combat power of the Crimson Harvest Pirates is no longer something a single Admiral can defeat. Fleet Admiral Kong approved her suggestion."
(Note: Kong, an Admiral during the God Valley Incident, was promoted to Fleet Admiral in the aftermath.)
Listening to the report, Sengoku let out a raspy, painful sigh.
"Regrets..." Sengoku murmured through the bandages. "If only I had..."
He remembered the day the Ceramic Kingdom fell. He remembered looking into the terrified, furious eyes of the young boy hiding in the cargo hold of his warship, and choosing to turn a blind eye.
If he had fully executed the Celestial Dragons' orders back then—if he had completely blockaded the island and slaughtered every single survivor without mercy—the monster known as Atlas D. York would not exist today.
However, regret was a useless emotion in a war.
"Tsuru's tactical assessment is correct," Sengoku rasped. "We cannot confront the Crimson Harvest Pirates head-on right now. York's Awakened ability is too terrifying. Military numbers mean absolutely nothing against him."
Sengoku slowly opened his eyes. A cold, ruthless glint flashed in the Admiral's gaze.
"To subdue the current York, we must find another way."
Although Sengoku hadn't personally participated in the God Valley War, he knew exactly what had transpired. Rocks D. Xebec, the invincible overlord who had always left Fleet Admiral Kong helpless, had ultimately been defeated because he was forced to fight to the death to protect his wife and child.
Intelligence reports indicated that York already maintained intimate relationships with at least three powerful women. Given his nature, the number of women around him would likely increase as his empire expanded. And in the foreseeable future, children would inevitably be born from those unions.
Sengoku despised using such underhanded, despicable tactics. He was a man of honor. But the annihilation of Water 7 had fundamentally shattered his worldview. It made him realize the apocalyptic consequences of not completely eradicating a threat.
Therefore, for 'Absolute Justice' to truly reign supreme, this enemy could not be given any more chances. Even if it meant targeting the unborn.
Back in the Drum Kingdom.
After several days of waiting, almost all the doctors in the nation had gathered in the palace hall. A rough headcount showed exactly 411 medical professionals.
York sat casually on the throne that originally belonged to the King, looking down at the massive group.
"My name is Atlas D. York, Captain of the Crimson Harvest Pirates!"
York's voice echoed through the grand hall. "I won't elaborate on my specific deeds. I believe anyone who reads the newspaper knows exactly who I am. I've come to the Drum Kingdom for one reason: to recruit ship doctors."
York paused, observing the terrified reactions below. Most of the doctors were trembling, clearly worried they would be slaughtered if they refused.
"Relax. I am not a mindless butcher," York smiled. "This is a formal employment offer!"
"I will not force you to board my ship at sword-point. Any doctor willing to join my crew will receive a minimum monthly salary of One Million Berries!"
A gasp rippled through the crowd. That was an astronomical sum for a standard doctor.
"If your medical skills are exceptional, your salary will increase exponentially! Furthermore, if you are willing to participate in combat and achieve military merit, you will receive shares of the plunder."
York leaned forward. "Those willing to accept this employment, remain where you are. Those unwilling to join my crew... the doors are open. You may leave."
"I am a pragmatic man," York added reasonably. "I may get sick in the future. Slaughtering the world's best doctors because they refused a job offer would not benefit me in the long run."
With a loud rumble, the heavy oak doors of the palace hall were thrown open by the pirates. There was no one blocking the exit.
However, even with the doors wide open, not a single doctor moved. They were too terrified it was a trick.
Seeing their hesitation, York stood up.
"These doors will remain open until sunset today," York declared coldly. "After dark, the doors will close. At that time, if you are still inside this hall and unwilling to join, I will forcibly tie you to the mast. Cherish this time to consider!"
With that, York turned and left the throne room, leaving the doctors to nervously chatter and debate the greatest, most terrifying job offer of their lives.
York didn't care about the doctors' arguments. Leaving the palace, he called Kaido and Dragon. The trio headed directly toward a small, snow-covered village called Coco Weed.
"Is there anything special about this specific village?" Kaido asked, exhaling a cloud of frozen breath.
"No. But there's a doctor living nearby who is very likely the number one medical mind in the world right now," York replied.
Both Kaido and Dragon perked up. The world's number one doctor?
As they walked through the snowy streets, York casually grabbed the shoulder of a passing villager. A microscopic tendril of white Holy Light brushed against the man's skin. The villager's eyes instantly glazed over in a hazy, blissful daze.
"Excuse me," York asked politely. "Where does Dr. Kureha live?"
Immersed in absolute pleasure, the villager happily pointed toward the woods. "Dr. Kureha lives at the junction of the frozen lake and the forest just outside of town."
"Thank you," York smiled, withdrawing the light.
The villager violently shivered as reality crashed back in. He instantly bent over, desperately wanting to cover his crotch with both hands, but feeling too embarrassed to do so in public. Face beet red, he pulled his winter hat down and awkwardly waddled away as fast as he could.
Following the directions, the trio successfully arrived at a strange, independent cabin built near the frozen lake.
"Hello, Dr. Kureha," York called out. "I wonder if we could have a chat."
The door swung open.
Standing in the doorway was a woman who completely defied logic. She was 104 years old this year. Her face was lined with the deep wrinkles of a century, but her figure was inexplicably flawless. She wore tight, youthful clothing that showed off a slender waist and prominent curves. If one only looked at her from behind, they would assume she was a supermodel in her twenties.
Dr. Kureha had just seen off a patient. Taking a swig from a bottle of plum wine, she looked at the three massive, imposing figures standing in her snowy yard. Having lived for over a century, she immediately recognized the terrifying aura they radiated.
"Pirates, huh?" Dr. Kureha smirked, leaning against the doorframe. "It's no problem for me to treat you boys... but my fees are astronomical!"
York smiled faintly. "We're not here for treatment. We're here to invite you to join our crew as Chief Medical Officer."
"Heehahahahaha!!"
Dr. Kureha threw her head back and burst into wild laughter.
"Invite me?!" Kureha wiped a tear from her eye. "You little brats, do you know how old I am this year?!"
"I'm exactly 104 years old!"
"Inviting a fragile old woman like me onto a pirate ship... are you out of your damn minds?!"
Hearing the number '104', Kaido and Dragon—who had initially been completely nonchalant—were visibly startled.
They began to scrutinize Dr. Kureha up and down. This woman, who possessed the physique of an Olympic athlete, was over a century old?!
Dragon, in particular, couldn't help but let his gaze linger on Kureha's impossible waistline for a fraction of a second too long. To maintain that level of vitality at 104... he was starting to believe York's claim about her being the best doctor in the world.
"Oh my, oh my~!"
Dragon's scrutinizing gaze did not escape Dr. Kureha's sharp eyes.
She immediately smiled, striking a provocative pose and winking at the young revolutionary.
"What's wrong, boy? Are you perhaps curious about the secret to my youth? Or do you just want to spend an unforgettable night with a 104-year-old woman?"
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