Chapter 42: Drum Island – Wapol's Defeat & Chopper's Choice
After the two finished washing up, Nami asked Sol to help destroy the evidence on the bedsheets and open the windows for ventilation. At that moment, Chopper walked in carrying a medical kit, following behind Kureha.
Chopper's blue nose twitched a few times: "Huh? Weird… why does it smell like stinking rhododendron in here?"
"Th-There's no such thing as stinking rhododendron!" Nami instantly leaped in front of the bed, waving her arms dramatically.
Kureha let out a meaningful "Ohhh" and suddenly pinched Nami's chin, then checked her over with a sly grin: "Youth sure is nice Just recovered from a fever and already playing so intensely?"
"We didn't do anything…" Nami's protest was cut off as Kureha waved her hand dismissively:
"This old lady's over 130 years old—what scene haven't I seen?"
Then she shouted at Sol: "Brat! Hurry up and make me breakfast. I won't hold the fact that you burned my bedsheets against you."
Sol frantically stomped out the last few sparks, then snapped to attention and saluted: "Yes ma'am! Right away!" As he left, he couldn't resist winking at Nami—only to be met with an angry pillow attack.
Sol hummed cheerfully in the kitchen, kitchen tools clanging rhythmically with the tune. He was meticulously preparing food, already planning to convince Chopper to join the ship that afternoon so he and Nami could set off for Alabasta together.
Meanwhile, Nami had the same idea. She walked over to Chopper, crouched down to his eye level, and met his gaze: "Chopper, do you want to come adventure at sea with us? Our ship is missing a doctor right now. And that guy Sol's healing ability doesn't work on himself at all—it's really troublesome."
Chopper took a nervous half-step back, his blue nose twitching slightly: "B-But… can a monster like me really do that? Walking on two legs, talking like a human and all…"
Nami couldn't help bursting into laughter. She counted on her fingers: "Monster? We already have an idiot rubber captain, a long-nosed explosion maniac, and a directionally challenged swordsman…" She paused to count again. "Oh right—plus a pervert cook and the Sol from earlier."
"So what do you have to be afraid of? And besides…" She suddenly reached out and ruffled Chopper's fluffy head. "You're obviously so cute!"
"B-Baka!" Chopper's entire face turned bright red. He flailed his hooves wildly: "Even if you call me cute or whatever… I'm not gonna be happy about it!" With that, he bolted out the door in a panic.
"Guhahahaha!" Kureha, who had been drinking nearby, suddenly burst into loud laughter, the liquid in her cup sloshing with her movements. "Little girl, trying to kidnap my kid right in front of me—you've got some guts."
Nami calmly straightened the sleeve Chopper had messed up and returned a sly smile: "What? Do I need the guardian's permission first?"
"Not necessary." Kureha downed the rest of her wine in one go. Her gaze suddenly deepened. "It's just that the kid… has wounds even a doctor can't heal." She slowly began recounting Chopper's past: "He was born with a blue nose. His parents abandoned him. His herd rejected him. Later he ate a Devil Fruit by mistake and was driven out by the deer as a monster…"
Nami unconsciously covered her mouth, brown pupils trembling slightly: "That's too cruel…"
"But this kid…" Kureha's voice lowered. "At the end of the day, he's just a child who longs for companions. He tried to enter the village as a human, but because he still had the blue nose and some reindeer traits, he was chased away again as a monster…" Kureha's fingers lightly tapped her wine glass. "He doesn't know who to hate, doesn't know what he did wrong. He's accepted by neither deer nor humans. So he's just… lived alone."
"Get out of here, Wapol! This is Dr. Hiriluk's grave—not your kingdom!" Chopper glared furiously at Wapol and his group, hooves clenched tight, voice trembling with rage.
"Shut your stupid mouth!" Wapol sneered viciously, planting a foot on the gravely injured Dalton's back. "You filthy peasants dared replace my Drum Kingdom flag with this ridiculous pirate flag? Just that alone is enough to execute all of you!" He spread his arms dramatically, laughing hysterically. "And you say this is that quack doctor's grave? Hahaha! That useless trash who couldn't even save himself deserves a grave?!"
Blood trickled from Dalton's mouth. He struggled to lift his head and roar at Chopper: "Run… Chopper! You're no match for them!"
"Shut up!" Wapol stomped down hard. Dalton groaned and fell silent.
At the same time, Chessmarimo stepped forward with a sinister grin, waving both hands: "Static Furball: Shotgun!" Countless electrified fur balls rained down on Chopper like a storm, instantly covering his entire body.
"Damn it… I can't move!" Chopper struggled desperately, but the static paralyzed him, slowing his movements.
Jessi sneered, drawing his longbow. Flames ignited at the arrowhead, aimed at the immobilized Chopper. "Burning Arrow!"
"Dodge—otherwise you'll be burned to charcoal in an instant!" Dalton shouted with his last strength, only to have his head crushed under Wapol's foot, silencing him.
Chopper watched helplessly as the flaming arrow streaked toward him. The shadow of death loomed—
(Whoosh!)
At the last possible moment, a hand shot out like lightning and caught the burning arrow firmly!
The flames died in the palm. The arrow was crushed to pieces.
"Hey, you trash…" A low, dangerous voice rang out. "Daring to raise a hand against our ship's doctor—you want to die?"
"Sol?! Why did you come out? Leave this to me…" Chopper anxiously tried to stop him, but before he finished, the figure had already shot forward like lightning!
Bang! Bang!
Two muffled thuds exploded almost simultaneously. Sol's fists slammed into Chessmarimo and Jessi's faces. The massive force caved in their features. They didn't even have time to scream before flying backward like rags, crashing heavily to the ground and passing out instantly!
"So fast…!" Chopper's eyes widened, words catching in his throat.
Then Sol's arm ignited with roaring flames. The blazing light illuminated the snow. He advanced toward Wapol, killing intent radiating.
"Nooooo—!" Chopper suddenly lunged forward and clung desperately to Sol's leg. His voice trembled but was firm: "Even someone like him… Dr. Hiriluk wanted to save him! So… please… don't kill him. Just drive him away!"
Sol paused for a moment. The flames slowly died. He looked down at Chopper and sighed: "…I understand."
The next second, his arm wrapped in howling wind: "Sky Dragon's Gale!"
BOOM—!
A precise giant tornado erupted instantly, sweeping up Wapol and his two men—carefully avoiding the gravely injured Dalton.
The violent blizzard carried them skyward. Wapol only had time to let out a terrified scream before the biting wind filled his mouth!
"Aaaahhh—What the hell is this?!"
The moment the tornado dissipated, the three plummeted from high altitude!
The battered Wapol barely stabilized himself mid-air. A vicious glint flashed in his eyes. He opened his massive mouth toward Sol: "Yosh! I'll just swallow you in one bite—!"
Sol looked up and took a deep breath.
"Sky Dragon's Roar!"
BOOM—!!
A violent shockwave erupted from his mouth, striking the falling trio precisely!
"Uwaaaaah—!"
Under Chopper's stunned gaze, Wapol and his crew streaked across the sky like meteors, turning into three twinkling stars that vanished beyond the horizon.
The snowy ground fell silent once more.
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