Dreams… such things seemed a bit too precious for a child who had lost loved ones and whose homeland lay in ruins.
"I... I..."
The boy bit his lip. The words he once wanted to shout to the world, filled with rage, simply wouldn't come out.
In the shattered first half of his life, a ray of dawn had appeared that he couldn't bear to let go of, no matter what.
"I want to live!"
Tears streamed uncontrollably from his eyes. The boy's voice was distorted by sobs, but he still roared out the desire in his heart.
The longing for life, and the care he had received these past few months, had ultimately changed his heart, pulling him out of the darkness.
"Hahahaha, that's it! That look in your eyes is how a living person should be!"
Sakura laughed heartily, slapping her leg, very satisfied with the boy's transformation.
"Then, you agree to treat this child?!"
Hearing the implication in Sakura's words, Corazon, who had been kneeling on the ground, shot up and shook her hand vigorously.
"Though I say that, I am still a pirate, after all. I charge a fee, you know~"
She raised her hand, pinching her thumb and forefinger pinched. A sly glint flashed in the girl's eyes.
"Yes! However much it costs, we will pay!"
"50 million Berry."
"So expensive!" x2
Corazon and Law's jaws dropped simultaneously, their eyes bulging.
Just then, dense footsteps sounded from outside the wellness spa. A group of people in biohazard suits burst in, holding flamethrowers.
"Confirming Amber Lead Syndrome's patients and contacts. Commencing disinfection procedures immediately!!!"
Amid the sound of firearms being cocked, clusters of flamethrowers with small flames at their nozzles were aimed at Sakura and the other two.
It seemed they intended to burn all three of them alive right then and there to prevent the spread of the infectious disease.
"Fir-"
The commanding officer was about to give the order when Sakura's voice cut him off.
"Hey, hey, people who crush others' hopes of survival are going to hell, you know!"
In just a brief instant, a sakura-pink flash intersected with the numerous soldiers in protective suits.
Many soldiers found their protective goggles frosting over. They reached up to wipe them, only to find their bodies becoming stiff.
The freezing air quickly swallowed their consciousness, turning them into ice sculptures that toppled to the ground.
"Gulp..."
Corazon, witnessing this scene, swallowed hard, "I've heard the current Marine Admiral Aokiji's ability is like this too..."
"Don't envy them. Your ability isn't bad either, it can block a significant portion of Observation Haki probing, at least."
Sakura retrieved her belongings from the locker outside the bath, pulled her clothes on, and patted Corazon on the shoulder.
When she first met this man, Sakura had noticed her Observation Haki couldn't sense him.
The Nagi Nagi no Mi, an ability that could eliminate sound, was practically a natural enemy for those whose Observation Haki wasn't refined enough. (T/N: Calm-Calm Fruit.)
"Huh? Really? No... wait, how do you know about my Devil Fruit's ability?!"
Corazon changed clothes for himself and Law and hurriedly chased after her.
However, Sakura didn't answer his question, just ran ahead and waved for the two to follow.
"Hurry up! Local government reinforcements will be here soon. And we still need to find a place to treat the kid."
Law, being carried at the waist, bared his shark-like teeth and roared at Sakura.
"Bastard! Who are you calling a kid?!"
"Whoever answers me is the kid~"
"Tch!"
"Hahahaha!"
The three of them caused a commotion as they fled Avignon Island. At the coast, Sakura took out her Leviathan speedboat and brought Law and Corazon out to sea.
Inside the speedboat's cabin, the space originally used by Sakura for sleeping was cleared out to serve as a temporary operating table.
The surrounding tables were covered with medicines, test tubes, and bottles. Sakura sat on a chair, preparing chelating agents.
The speedboat, which was designed for one person to sail, now felt somewhat crowded with two additional passengers.
"Hey, are you done yet? It's really cold like this!"
Stripped naked and lying on the operating table, Law's small face was scrunched up.
Though it was for treatment, being stripped like this and stared at by a girl still made the well-educated boy extremely uncomfortable from a young age.
Sakura glanced sideways and let out a laugh: "Heh, so small."
"I'm only ten! I'll still grow!!!"
Feeling his inviolable male dignity insulted, Law's face flushed red. He sat up, ready to argue with Sakura.
"Alright, Law, it's all for the treatment. Just bear with it!"
Corazon repeatedly soothed him, barely managing to press him back down.
Before long, Sakura brought a large basin of metal chelating agent to the bedside and patted Law's forehead.
"You, with your medical education, should know that Amber Lead Syndrome is essentially a heavy metal poisoning. So, listen carefully to what I say next."
Seeing Sakura's serious expression, Law and Corazon took a deep breath, waiting for her next words.
"Amber Lead Syndrome at your stage means these heavy metal particles are already tightly bound to your heart, brain, internal organs, and bone marrow."
"Although I can use my ability to extract these heavy metal particles, due to the toxicity of the agent itself, it will need to be divided into several treatment cycles. Each treatment will be extremely painful!"
Sakura brightened the lights in the cabin and used her ability to manipulate heat, artificially creating a small, low-temperature surgical environment.
Law gritted his teeth, his chest heaving rapidly, but his free hand was suddenly grabbed.
Looking up, he saw Corazon giving him an encouraging smile.
Instantly, his breathing steadied, and the cold sweat on his forehead gradually disappeared.
"Bring it on. I'm not afraid!"
"Good spirit!"
Sakura placed one hand on his chest and dipped the other into the metal chelating agent.
Yang Attribute Chakra extended from Sakura's palm into Law's body, spreading like tendrils. Combined with her Observation Haki, it locked those toxic heavy metal particles.
Then, she raised her hand and used a Chakra Scalpel to make a small incision in Law's chest.
Her other hand lifted the liquid adsorption by Chakra from the basin, and then, guided by the internal Yang Attribute Chakra, she injected it into Law's body.
[Delicate Illness Extraction Technique!]
Aided by Chakra, the metal chelating agent exerted its adsorption efficiency a thousandfold, chelating and separating the heavy metal particles originally tightly bound to flesh and bone.
However, the chelation process inevitably caused physical damage, resulting in organ pain.
"Gwah!!!"
After a scream, Law's widened pupils turned bloodshot. He instinctively twisted and struggled.
"Hold him down!"
At Sakura's order, Corazon firmly pinned down Law's left arm and leg.
Simultaneously, Yang Attribute Chakra followed Law's circulatory system, expelling the heavy metal particles through his pores. A liquid with a silvery-white glimmer soon soaked the operating table.
It hurts, it hurts so much. Maybe it would be better to just die.
Law's body convulsed. Pain nearly overwhelmed his brain, his consciousness sinking continuously into darkness.
Drip... drip...
'What is that?'
His blurred consciousness felt warm droplets falling on his face. In his daze, Law saw Corazon crying for him.
'Right, Cora-san, he's still waiting for me.'
'The Cora-san who pities me, fought doctors for me, and always protects me.'
'There are still people in this world who care about me. I can't let him down! I want to live, to live together with Cora-san… to live!'
"Gah-!"
Law's lungs became active again. He abruptly sat up, gasping for the cold air in large breaths.
"My body... feels so light!"
"Congratulations on making it through, kid."
Sakura collected the unused metal chelating agent for next time.
Then, she turned, grabbed a bottle of beer, and walked out, leaving the room to the two speechless individuals.
"Law..."
"Cora-san!"
They embraced tightly, filled with the joy of rebirth!