Snow fell in relentless sheets, layering the already-buried mountain trail with fresh powder. The wind howled like a living beast, each gust clawing at their bodies and threatening to knock them off balance. Luffy trudged forward, each step a trial against the storm, the sled rope digging into his shoulders. His boots sank into the snow, demanding twice the effort to lift with every labored pace. Sanji limped behind, injured leg dragging, but never once slowing his determination. Their clothes clung heavily to them, stiff with ice, their breaths shallow and strained in the biting cold.
"I can see it," Luffy rasped, barely audible through the gale. His eyes narrowed against the swirling frost, pointing toward a dark silhouette barely visible through the snow—the castle.
Sanji squinted ahead, his breath ragged. "We're close. Just a little more," he said, more to will himself forward than to reassure his captain.
They pressed on. Luffy slipped, the sled pulling him sideways into a drift. He dropped to one knee but pushed forward again, gritting his teeth. Flashes of Nami's voice echoed in his mind—her confident commands, her laughter, her fury when they got reckless. She's more than our navigator. She's our compass, our heart. He wouldn't let her die.
Behind him, Sanji staggered and fell hard to his knee. Pain lanced through him, but he bit down on his lip and rose, tasting blood. "Damn it. I won't fall behind," he hissed, using the pain to stay focused.
The final slope loomed—steep and treacherous. Luffy unfastened the sled, tying the rope around his chest. "Stay here," he panted. "I'll take her the rest of the way."
Sanji leaned against a boulder and pulled out a knife. "Don't fall, idiot," he said, eyes scanning the blizzard behind them.
Luffy climbed, boots scraping on ice. He dug into crevices, dragging the sled inch by inch. The wind threatened to tear him off the mountain, but he clung on, fueled by desperation.
Below, Sanji heard it—footsteps crunching through snow. Shapes moved through the white, growing clearer. "Wapol's men," he muttered. He adjusted his stance, ready to fight if they caught up.
At the summit, Luffy collapsed at the base of Drum Castle's towering gate. The stone loomed above, ancient and rimmed with frost. Panting, he forced himself upright and shouted, "Help! We need help!"
Footsteps echoed inside the courtyard. A figure appeared atop the parapet, coat whipping in the wind. Dr. Kureha stood, arms crossed, sharp eyes behind her spectacles.
"Who are you?!" she barked.
"I have a sick friend!" Luffy cried, his voice cracking. "Please, she'll die!"
Kureha's gaze dropped to the sled, then lingered on Luffy's frostbitten face. Her eyes softened, ever so slightly, but her tone remained crisp.
Behind Luffy, Sanji appeared, dragging his leg. "They're close," he warned. "We've got no time!"
Luffy reached again for the sled, trying to pull it to safety. His limbs wouldn't respond. His vision blurred. He barely heard the groan of ancient chains loosening.
Kureha turned to the guards. "Open the gate," she said, voice low but firm. Her eyes lingered one last moment on the boy below.
"Before they all die out there."
To be continued...
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