Dr. Kureha's provocative joke made the usually stoic Dragon blush. He coughed awkwardly, immediately speaking up to dissuade her. "Please don't make such jokes, ma'am."
"Heehahahaha! What an unhumorous kid!"
Dr. Kureha threw her head back and burst into wild laughter, leaving Dragon completely speechless.
Soon, the laughter subsided. Dr. Kureha took another swig from her plum wine bottle, her demeanor switching back to a sharp, serious attitude as she addressed York's recruitment offer.
"Kid, I don't know why a monster with a 4.5 Billion Berry bounty would want to invite a fragile old woman like me onto his ship," Kureha smirked. "But I'm already 104 years old. I lost the adventurous spirit you pirates crave a long time ago. So please, go back."
York smiled, undeterred. "In my opinion, you don't look old at all right now. At the very least, living another thirty or forty years wouldn't be a problem for you. Are you absolutely sure you won't reconsider?"
"Go back, kid. Don't make me refuse you a second time!"
Dr. Kureha's attitude was ironclad. Seeing this, York no longer insisted. He gave her a polite nod, unhesitatingly turning around and leaving the snowy yard with Kaido and Dragon.
On the walk back to the town, Kaido couldn't help but complain, his massive boots crunching in the snow.
"That old hag is 104 years old! Even if she got on the ship, we'd probably just end up having to take care of her," Kaido grumbled. "Even if her medical skills are the best in the world, what use are they if she drops dead of old age tomorrow? York, I don't think you needed to make this trip at all."
York smirked. "Then how about we make a bet, Kaido? Let's bet that she'll still look the exact same thirty years from now!"
Kaido stopped walking. He looked down at York, his reptilian eyes turning serious.
"You're not kidding, are you? She's 104! In another thirty years, she'll be 134! The grass on her grave should be several meters high by then!"
York crossed his arms, his smile widening.
"Just tell me if you'll take the bet!"
Kaido hesitated. He stared at his Captain. He felt that York must have absolute confidence to make such a claim. So far, the things York had predicted or stated as fact had almost never been wrong. Since York was so firmly convinced that this old woman could live at least another three decades without aging a day, there must truly be some bizarre secret about her.
"I won't bet!" Kaido declared, his cunning instincts taking over as he flashed a sly grin.
"You're trying to trick me. I won't play such a foolish game with you!"
"Tsk!" York clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. "Didn't trick you, huh? You're quite clever today."
"Worororo! So that old woman really does have a secret!" Kaido's curiosity was completely piqued. "Speaking of which, what is it? Why can she live so long? It's my first time seeing an ordinary human live past a century."
"I actually don't know her specific secret," York shrugged. "But you don't need to worry about the limits of human lifespan. Because I know of something else in this world that can extend it. If nothing goes wrong, this item can extend our lives by at least four or five hundred years."
York glanced at them out of the corner of his eye. "And that's four or five hundred years in peak physical condition. It's just a bit troublesome to find."
As soon as those words left his mouth, Kaido and Dragon—who had originally just been joking around—both froze, their expressions turning deadly serious.
"York... you're not kidding, are you?" Dragon asked, his breath hitching. "Is there really such a miracle in this world?!"
"Have either of you ever heard of Pure Gold?" York asked casually. "I know exactly where to find it."
York didn't hide the lore. The giant, mythical Bonbori anglerfish that had swallowed the island containing the Pure Gold was notoriously difficult to track. Without luck and specific means, searching for it really was like looking for a needle in the ocean.
"Worororo! The legend of Pure Gold?! Is that thing actually real?!" Kaido still couldn't quite believe it.
"Don't underestimate legends," York chuckled, resuming his walk toward the castle. "Many of those myths are actually historical facts that were simply lost or distorted through word-of-mouth. Before we sailed up the Knock Up Stream, you all thought Skypiea didn't exist, right?"
Kaido and Dragon's eyes narrowed. They put aside their doubts, a massive surge of anticipation welling up within them.
'If the legendary Pure Gold really exists...'
Dragon thought, his fists clenching. 'A lifespan of four or five hundred years... perhaps the ideal world I want to build can truly be achieved in my lifetime!'
While chatting about legends, York and the other two casually wandered around the snowy island. They were purely trying their luck to see if they could stumble upon an unspawned Devil Fruit in the wilderness.
The result, naturally, was no harvest at all.
By the time they returned to the peak of the Drum Rockies and entered the palace, it was already dusk.
York walked into the grand reception hall where the doctors had been held. After an afternoon of heated debate with no pirate supervision, more than half of the doctors had seized the opportunity to flee.
Originally, there were 411 people. York's quick glance showed less than 100 remaining.
"Good. Quite a lot of people stayed," York nodded, stepping up to the throne. "There's not much time left until dark. You all can consider it a little longer. If you get on my ship, your treatment and wealth will be unparalleled. If you stay here under this King, you may not necessarily live the life you want."
Time passed minute by minute. York's persuasion did not have a particularly miraculous effect.
After all, for most ordinary citizens, the identity of a "Pirate" still represented evil, instability, and the constant threat of a violent death. If it weren't for this fear, the oppressed peasants in places like the Goa Kingdom's Gray Terminal would have all taken to the sea long ago!
Therefore, in the short window between dusk and nightfall, dozens more doctors quietly slipped out the open doors.
Finally, when it was completely dark, the heavy palace gates were slammed shut and locked by the pirates.
York counted the remaining doctors.
Exactly 49 were left.
"Good!" York nodded in profound satisfaction.
"A full 49 world-class doctors are willing to join my ranks! That's more than ten percent of the kingdom's elite. It seems my terms—and my personal charm—are still quite effective!"
York waved his hand. Dragon immediately led Ivankov over to compile the official roster.
At the same time, massive wooden chests of plundered Berries were brought out and cracked open on the spot.
"This is your settlement fee!" York announced, personally handing thick stacks of cash to the bewildered doctors. "One Million Berries per person!"
"You can choose to leave this money to your families on the island, or you can use it to bring them with you onto the ship. Once this money is in your hands, I will not take it back. You make your own decisions."
York turned toward the exit. "The day after tomorrow, at dawn, we will officially set sail. You have one day to deal with your family affairs and pack your bags."
The 49 remaining doctors, clutching the massive stacks of cash York had distributed on the spot, silently clenched their fists. Such financial respect, importance, and preferential treatment... they had never received anything close to this working under their own King!
One day passed quickly.
The morning after next, the harbor was bustling.
Before the Crimson Harvest flagship prepared to weigh anchor, 40 of the 49 doctors successfully brought their families onto the ship, eager to escape the bitter cold and the King's tyranny. Of the remaining 9, five were bachelors, and four had been broken up with by their girlfriends the night before.
In short, everyone who could bring their families aboard did so. This anchored their loyalty, making York even more satisfied.
"LADS!!" York roared from the bow. "SET SAIL!!!"
"WOOOOO!!!"
With a thunderous command, the massive sails caught Dragon's artificial winds. The Crimson Harvest Pirates, who had occupied the Drum Kingdom for nearly a week, finally pulled away from the docks.
High up on the mountain, the current King, his ministers, and the surviving nobles stood on the palace balconies, silently watching the terrifying behemoth depart into the distance.
This week had been an absolute nightmare. They had suffered greatly, their wealth had been plundered, and several noblewomen had been forcibly taken away by the pirate officers. But, miraculously, they had survived.
Just then, as the 360-meter pirate ship was literally about to disappear over the horizon, three Marine cruisers suddenly sailed into the harbor from the opposite side of the island.
The leading Rear Admiral stood heroically at the bow of his ship. He picked up a megaphone, puffing out his chest with a deeply righteous expression.
"WHERE ARE THE CRIMSON HARVEST PIRATES?!" the Rear Admiral shouted, his voice echoing across the empty docks.
"MARINE REINFORCEMENTS HAVE ARRIVED! SURRENDER AT ONCE!!"
Up in the castle, the King and the Drum nobles were collectively speechless. Their faces darkened into masks of absolute disgust.
But even so, as the Marines finally landed on the island to "secure" it, the nobles had to force polite smiles and shower them with praise.
'What a bunch of absolutely useless cowards!!' the King cursed internally.
.....
.....
.....
Support me and read advance chapters on patreon.com/ImmortalDaoWriter