The snow at the harbor was falling even harder now.
"Mm-hahaha!"
Wapol casually tossed a cannonball into his mouth, crunching it with loud cracks. "Jess, did I hear that right? This guy just said... he wants to ask my doctors a few questions?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Jess bowed respectfully. "This outsider clearly doesn't know the rules of the Drum Kingdom. Allow me to—"
"Eh, no need!"
Wapol smacked his lips with satisfaction, then looked up at the burly man before him. "You can fly—and that fast too. You're a Devil Fruit user, right? And a strong one at that!"
Was he considered strong?
Kuma hesitated slightly, recalling the bounty just placed on him not long ago...
296 million Berries.
That should count as strong, at least in the first half of the Grand Line.
So, he nodded.
"Mm-hahaha!" Wapol suddenly burst into laughter, slapping his metal gut. "This is getting interesting!"
His metallic jaw opened in a wide grin. "Hey, big guy! You want to ask my doctors some questions? Fine! I'll allow it!"
Kuma's eyes lit up slightly and he was about to bow in thanks.
"Don't thank me yet!"
Wapol waved a finger, shaking his head. "There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. I've got a condition!"
He suddenly jabbed his fat finger toward the distant towns faintly glowing with scattered lights:
"See those towns? All part of my kingdom! And right now, two foreign pirates are causing a ruckus there! If you can deal with them—"
Wapol spread his arms wide and gave a welcoming smile.
"I'll lend you my twenty best doctors. The finest in all of Drum Kingdom! You can ask them anything, however you want! How's that for a deal?!"
"Two pirates?"
Kuma furrowed his brows and looked toward the towns Wapol had pointed to.
In the midst of snow and wind, the distant towns flickered with faint lights and curling smoke from chimneys.
Kuma's Observation Haki quietly spread out, quickly locking onto several unique presences.
Two of them stood out in particular.
One was as sharp as a sword, radiating an aggressive aura. The other was calm and subdued, hiding in darkness—easy to miss without focused attention.
"Yes! Two extremely dangerous criminals!"
Wapol growled, gnashing his teeth. "One's a black-haired brat, and the other's a woman in a hat!"
"Your Majesty."
Jess leaned in and whispered, "Why not just tell him the black-haired brat's real name—"
"Shut up!"
Wapol slapped Jess aside and sneered in a low voice, "You think I'm stupid? That monster has a terrifying reputation... What if this big guy runs away the moment he hears the name?"
He turned back to Kuma with a kind smile plastered on his face. "So, big guy? Sounds like a fair deal, doesn't it?"
Kuma was silent for a moment, clearly conflicted.
It was obvious this king, like the one he'd recently driven off—King Beccoli—was far from noble.
If it were anyone else asking him to take action, he would have refused.
But…
Two pirates intruding on a foreign kingdom and stirring up trouble did seem like something worth stopping.
"I understand."
Kuma finally spoke, his voice calm. "But I need to confirm something first."
"What is it?"
"If I eliminate those two pirates…" Kuma locked eyes with Wapol, "...will you really keep your promise?"
"Of course!" Wapol thumped his chest with pride. "I always keep my word!"
Kuma stared at him for a moment, then gave a small nod and turned toward the towns.
"In that case, please wait here. I'll be back shortly."
Whoosh! His figure vanished instantly, leaving only a shockwave in his wake.
"D-Disappeared?!"
Kromalimon's eyes bulged. "He just left like that? Your Majesty, that giant didn't even ask where those two are!"
"Idiot! Don't assume everyone's as dumb as you!"
Wapol scoffed. "I've been to the Reverie, you know! Guys like him usually have that special power... what's it called again? Observation Haki! He'll find them soon enough. You don't need to worry!"
"All soldiers, stay here and wait for me!"
Leaving that order behind, Wapol cheerfully dragged his two ministers toward the nearest hilltop.
He snatched a monocular from each of their hands and stuffed both into his mouth.
Crunch crunch. The two monoculars were soon swallowed.
And then, Wapol's eyes bulged like telescope lenses, zooming his vision dozens of times closer, locking onto the black figure zipping across the sky.
"Mm-hahaha! Got him!"
He shouted in excitement, his eyes spinning wildly. "That guy's fast! But as long as we follow him, we'll find where that pirate Shano is! Things are about to get fun!"
"Your Majesty?"
Jess leaned in nervously. "That big guy is strong, but… he doesn't seem like someone who could beat Shano. Shouldn't we—"
"Shut up. This kind of show doesn't come around often. Don't ruin it for me!"
Wapol grinned again. "Who knows what'll happen? If the big guy wins, I get to go back to my castle and be king again. If he loses…"
"Well, we've already packed everything and we're right next to the port. We can just sail off if it comes to that. Why panic?"
"Your Majesty is truly wise!"
"As expected of Lord Wapol!"
The two ministers quickly flattered him in unison.
…
The snowfall grew heavier, and night deepened.
Kuma, Bible in hand, blinked through the sky with rapid teleportation—each jump spanning over a hundred meters.
As he flew, he studied the lights below with growing thoughtfulness.
This country… didn't seem like it was under attack. There were no signs of damage or displaced civilians.
Were those two pirates really the villains Wapol claimed they were?
———
Inside the treehouse.
Warm orange light lit up the room.
Shano was lying face-down on the bed in just a pair of shorts.
"Go easy, old hag! I didn't get taken down by enemies, but I'm about to be killed by you!"
His voice was muffled as his face was buried in a pillow. Dr. Kureha was straddling his back, holding a bent needle in hand, her forehead twitching in annoyance.
"Shut up, brat!"
She smacked him hard on the back. "I've been a doctor for over a hundred years, and I've never met anyone as absurd as you! If you hadn't helped Chopper find his way, I wouldn't have touched this impossible case!"
What was this kid's body made of?
From his skin to his blood vessels, everything defied medical logic. His muscle fibers had strength beyond her understanding.
She'd already failed several times. This time, she'd finally forced the needle in—only for his muscle fibers to flex and squeeze it out like a living thing.
After all that effort, she still hadn't reached a vein. To a doctor, that was the ultimate humiliation!
Even with Shano doing his best to relax and cooperate.
Four broken needles were already piled at the foot of the bed, and Chopper was frantically digging through the med kit. "Doctor! We're out of reinforced needles!"
"Just forget it," Shano sighed, grabbing for his pants. He'd never taken the detox that seriously anyway.
This half-human, half-ghoul state would only last a couple weeks at most.
At worst, he could just stay holed up on the ship the whole time—in the training room or his bedroom. No big deal.
"Get back down!"
Kureha slammed her fist onto his back and growled, "I refuse to lose today! Time to bring out the big guns!"
"Chopper!"
She snapped her head around. "Go get the super alloy syringe from the basement—the one we use on Sea Kings! I'm giving this brat the shot no matter what!"
"Yes, Doctor!"
The little reindeer bolted for the basement and soon returned panting, holding a syringe thicker than his own head. The needle gleamed with a cold, metallic shine.
"I-Is this really okay?" Chopper trembled as he handed it over. "Doctor, Shano's a good guy… please don't…"
"Relax~!" Kureha took a swig of liquor and cracked her knuckles with a wicked grin. "This brat's tougher than a Sea King!"
…
Half a minute later.
"Ha! Got it!"
Kureha yanked the huge syringe out. The dull black sheen on the needle quickly faded.
"You old hag…" Shano grimaced and pushed himself up. "I swear this was revenge!"
Using Armament Haki just to give an injection?!
Also, should a doctor even have Haki? This old woman was definitely something else!
"Zip it!"
Kureha twirled the empty syringe smugly. "The toxin's been neutralized. Just rest well tonight, and by tomorrow morning, the bruising on your face will be completely gone. Now—pay the consultation fee!"
"How much?" Shano grumbled. "I saved Chopper's life. Can't I get one freebie?"
"Fine, I'll give you a discount. 50 Berries off."
Kureha lit a cigarette and puffed lazily. "Original price: 100 million Berries. After discount: 99,999,950. Fair deal, right?"
"You bloodsucking old hag!!"
Shano was furious. "It's just some leftover toxins on my skin! It's not like I'm asking you to save my life. A hundred million Berries? You might as well go rob someone!"
"Uuu... Doctorine..."
Chopper tugged at Kureha's clothes, looking pitiful. "Am I only worth 50 Berries?"
"Of course not."
Kureha glanced at Chopper, then chuckled. "You're not even worth 50. You were a free gift from Hiriluk."
"Huh?"
Chopper's eyes widened, but just then, a loud boom came from outside the house.
The whole treehouse shook violently, and the medicine jars hanging on the walls rattled like crazy, nearly falling to the ground.
"Wahhh!"
Chopper trembled with fear. He was about to dive into Kureha's arms but hesitated and quietly slipped behind Shano instead.
"They're finally here?"
Shano grinned and rubbed Chopper's head, as if he had expected this all along.
He stood up and put on his coat, then pushed the door open and stepped outside. Robin also chuckled softly and followed him out immediately.
Outside the treehouse, the wind and snow were raging.
A towering figure stood silently in the snow.
Thick snow had piled on top of his bear-eared hat. Through the swirling snow, his gentle eyes stared toward the warmly lit treehouse.
In his hand, he was holding a fat, struggling figure.
"Let me go! Let me go—!"
"Wapol?!"
Kureha had just stepped outside and saw this scene, her eyes going wide. "That bastard king, how is he—?"
"A pleasure to meet you."
A warm voice passed through the wind and snow. The bear gave a polite bow.
"Pardon my sudden visit, Lord Shano, Miss Kureha."
He casually tossed Wapol into the snow like throwing out trash. The latter immediately screamed like a pig being slaughtered:
"Ow! That hurts, you bastard! How dare you betray your king! Didn't you promise to help me deal with—"
Smack!
A light chop from the bear's hand, and Wapol's eyes rolled back as he passed out.
"Apologies."
The bear bowed slightly to Shano. "I was deceived by this so-called king. He claimed two vicious pirates were plundering his country. But along the way, I saw the towns were untouched, so I immediately returned to question him. From his ministers, I pried out the truth…"
"That's how I learned the person who came to this island was actually you, Lord Shano."
The bear sighed. "And this king… is a despicable man beyond belief. Just a bit of rumor scared him so much he tried to flee the country with all its doctors and treasures, leaving not even a doctor for his people."
That sounds like Wapol, alright.
Shano glanced at the unconscious fat guy on the ground, raising an eyebrow.
No matter how you looked at him, this guy was scum through and through. But in the original timeline, thanks to his Devil Fruit powers, he actually managed to rise again and live quite comfortably.
Tch… looks like I've taken over Blackbeard's role from the original timeline.
Ever since deliberately letting those soldiers go, Shano had been checking the castle atop the mountain every now and then with Observation Haki.
Naturally, he had already noticed Wapol and the others fleeing toward the shore.
Originally, he planned to intercept them at the port before healing Chopper.
But unexpectedly, something changed—the sudden appearance of a powerful aura on the island made Wapol's group stop escaping.
He thought Wapol had called in reinforcements… only to find it was the bear.
—Bartholomew Kuma.
Shano looked up. The bear before him was smiling warmly, not yet the silent, expressionless man from his memory. Clearly, he hadn't undergone transformation yet.
Shano quickly reviewed the timeline in his mind.
If he remembered correctly…
At this point, Kuma had just been declared a wanted man for sinking a Navy ship. To avoid bringing trouble to his homeland and Bonney, he had set out to sea, acting as a "pirate."
While fleeing, he was also searching for a cure for Amber Jade Scale Disease.
As for working with the World Government and being modified, that wouldn't happen until next year—after meeting Dragon and being directed to Vegapunk.
So it made perfect sense that Kuma would appear on Drum Island, once known as the "medical kingdom."
"You talk like you've known me for a long time?" Shano asked.
"Yes."
Kuma nodded. "I once belonged to a secret organization… forgive me, I can't reveal its name just yet."
"In short, back when you were still in East Blue, your name already reached us. My superior even planned to invite you to join us as soon as you came of age."
A superior in the Revolutionary Army… wait, even Dragon was keeping tabs on me?
Shano gave a dry laugh. "But I bet you didn't expect that the guy who cleaned out all the East Blue pirates would become a pirate himself the moment he set sail?"
"It's an adventuring crew, not pirates."
Kuma shook his head, correcting him immediately. "The truth cannot be hidden forever. You're still the same as you were back then—your heart has never changed, right?"
He smiled. "I just visited Loguetown recently. The people there told me about you—how you stood up to the Navy to protect them. How could someone like that be the kind of savage, plundering pirate that king described?"
"Woooah!!"
Chopper's eyes sparkled as he peeked out from behind the doorframe. "I knew it… Big bro Shano, you really are a super good guy! You've been through so much!"
"I wouldn't go that far."
Shano laughed and patted his head, then turned to Kuma.
"You're making me blush here. Come on inside—too much wind and snow out here. It's warm inside. Since you even know Doctor Kureha's name, I'm guessing the doctors at the port told you a lot about this country?"
"I didn't say I agreed to anything yet!" Kureha threw an empty bottle at him. "Stop acting like the host, brat!"
Clack. Shano caught it casually. "Don't mind her. This old lady's got a temper, but her skills are top notch. You came for her, right? Just speak your piece."
"Thank you."
Kuma nodded to Shano, then gave a deep, respectful bow to Kureha and Chopper.
Only then did he brush the snow off his clothes and carefully duck into the treehouse.
Kureha originally wanted to keep the big guy outside, but seeing his attitude, she just shrugged and stood by the door, waiting until everyone was in before closing it behind her.
By then, Chopper had already rushed over with a cup of hot tea for Kuma.
Hehe, this was the first time anyone had ever bowed to him. What was going on today? So many good people showing up.
Big bro Shano was a good guy, big sis Robin was a good person, and this bear-eared weird uncle—also good!
...
Inside the warm treehouse, the scent of tea lingered.
Kuma held his tea in silence for a moment, then finally spoke:
"Doctor Kureha, I came to Drum Kingdom this time because I have a favor to ask. The doctors at the port said you were the most skilled physician on the island. Things they couldn't treat—they said only you might have a way."
"Oh?"
Kureha took a deep swig of wine, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise. "So those pathetic slaves of Wapol still have some backbone left in them… what is it?"
"My daughter. Bonney."
Kuma's voice was low and gentle, with a flicker of pain in his eyes. "She has a rare disease—Amber Jade Scale Disease."
"Amber Jade Scales?"
Kureha frowned and set down her bottle. "That one's not common. Tell me the symptoms."
Kuma nodded and carefully pulled out a photo from his coat, handing it to her.
It showed a little pink-haired girl with a bright smile, clinging to Kuma. They clearly had a close bond. On the exposed skin of the girl, faint jade-like scales were visible.
"It started with blue-green spots on the skin. Then they spread and formed these gemstone-like scales. When it flares up, she suffers intense pain, has a constant high fever, and can't be exposed to light all year…"
Kuma's voice trembled slightly. "I've searched for many doctors, but none could help. One even predicted…"
"She wouldn't live past ten?" Kureha said calmly.
"Yes!"
Kuma suddenly sat up straight, full of hope. She had nailed it just from a brief description—clearly, she knew about the disease.
Looks like he'd come to the right place. The oldest doctor on Drum Island—her reputation was well-earned.
Kureha took the photo, examined it for a while, then got up and pulled several heavy medical books from her shelf, flipping through them quickly.
The room fell silent, except for the soft sound of pages turning.
Chopper stood nervously to the side, hooves rubbing together anxiously. Shano and Robin exchanged a glance, but both stayed quiet.
Shano thought to himself.
In his memory, Chopper didn't know Kuma. Which meant, if not for his own butterfly effect, Kuma likely never came to Kureha for help in the original timeline.
Still… could Kureha really have a way?
Kuma had traveled the entire world for Bonney. Maybe only that genius five-hundred-years-ahead-of-his-time scientist Vegapunk could solve it with technology.
As expected.
After a long time, Kureha closed the final book and sighed.
"Sorry," she said, looking Kuma in the eyes. "This disease is beyond me."
Kuma's body stiffened slightly. The light in his eyes dimmed.
"Not even you…" he murmured. His broad shoulders seemed to slump.
"The cause of Amber Jade Scale Disease is still unknown. It might have been created through some kind of bloodline experiment. All known treatments only relieve symptoms."
Kureha shook her head. "I've lived over a hundred years, but this disease… is beyond what I can handle."
She paused, noticing Kuma's disheartened look, and added:
"However, I do know of a place. One that might be able to help."
Kuma's head snapped up, hope reigniting in his eyes. "Where?"