"This is impossible!" Mr.3 screamed hysterically, as his Wax-Wax Fruit ability went out of control, forming ugly wax lumps around him. "How could they have slipped away right under our noses?!"
Miss Valentine crawled out of the bushes in a sorry state, her parasol already covered in tree sap and bird droppings. "Ahhh, how disgusting! That hateful Straw Hat, making us wait all night for nothing..."
"A feint!" Mr.3 gritted his teeth, his 3-shaped glasses reflecting a cold, angry glint. "Those bastards deliberately used the banquet to attract our attention, then took the opportunity to escape!"
The other agents woke up one after another, each looking dishevelled, with messy hair and panda eyes, gazing around blankly, completely unable to believe the facts before them.
"We... we watched all night..."
"And they had already run away?"
"Didn't even know when they left..."
An agent suddenly pointed at the sea: "Look! There are words there!"
Everyone looked in the direction, only to see a line of words spelled out with candles floating on the distant sea: "Still trying to ambush people, go to sleep, idiots — message from Chief Usopp."
"Ahhh!" Mr.3 trembled with rage, wax flowing down him like sweat. "This is blatant mockery!"
Miss Valentine's face was ashen. "Mr.0 won't forgive our failure..."
...
Meanwhile, on the Going Merry, dozens of nautical miles away, the sea breeze gently caressed them, and the morning sun cast golden light across the deck, as everyone enjoyed a relaxed morning moment.
"Hahaha!" Usopp laughed, rolling on the deck, waving his arms exaggeratedly. "You should have seen the expressions on those guys' faces! I deliberately left a message on the reef with special ink."
Zoro leaned against the ship's rail, wiping his sword, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "Those guys really lack perseverance. I hadn't even finished my drink when they all fell asleep. Their snoring was louder than that perverted cook's."
"Green Algae Head, what did you say! Want to fight?" Sanji was instantly enraged.
"Oh? Want to fight?" Zoro grinned. "My pleasure, but do you have new moves?"
"....Just you wait!"
Nami carefully examined the treasure map in her hand, sighing regretfully. "What a pity about the Little Garden's treasure... I'll just have to wait for another chance to dig it up." She carefully put the treasure map away.
Ron stood in front of the helm, turning to look at Nami, a gentle smile in his eyes:
"Don't be disheartened. As long as we keep getting stronger, the treasures of the entire ocean await us to unearth. With such a vast sea and countless islands, we'll never finish digging for treasure."
Nami's eyes instantly lit up, her orange short hair bouncing with joyful arcs in the sunlight. "Really?" She excitedly grabbed Ron's arm. "Then it's a promise! You have to take me to dig up all the treasures in the entire ocean!"
Ron smiled and rubbed her head, a familiar gesture that made Nami unconsciously blush. "It's a deal."
Luffy stretched out his arms and put them around their shoulders. "I want to go too! Adventures are the most fun!"
Sanji lit a cigarette and elegantly exhaled a smoke ring. "I'll prepare the best treasure-digging bento~"
Usopp jumped up, waving his slingshot. "My eight thousand subordinates will escort you!"
Zoro's three swords simultaneously returned to their sheaths, making a crisp "clink" sound. "Just right for practicing new moves."
Vivi stood by, looking at her vibrant companions, an unconscious look of envy in her eyes. Karoo duck quacked at her feet, seemingly also infected by the joyful atmosphere.
Ron adjusted the helm, and the Going Merry's sails billowed in the wind. "Attention everyone! Next stop — Drum Kingdom!"
"Oh!" Everyone responded in unison.
The sails fully unfurled in the morning breeze, and the Going Merry cut through the blue sea, heading at full speed in the direction indicated by the Log Pose. Under the sunlight, the sheep figurehead at the bow sparkled.
...
Drum Kingdom,
Here, it was perpetually covered in thick white snow, and bone-chilling winds whipped past, carrying ice crystals. The Going Merry slowly docked at the frozen port, its hull colliding with the ice floes, making crisp "crunching" sounds.
"Achoo!" Nami pulled her thick cotton coat tighter, her nose red from the cold. "It's too cold! If Ron hadn't prepared winter clothes in advance, we'd really freeze to death here!"
The white mist Zoro exhaled condensed in the air, and a thin layer of frost covered all three of his swords. "This cursed place is really cold..."
Sanji lit a cigarette, but found his lighter was too frozen to work well. "Damn it, I can't even enjoy a smoke in this weather."
Luffy, however, was full of energy, bouncing around on the deck. "Wow! It's snow! How fun!" He reached out to catch a falling snowflake, but because of his rubber body, the snowflake just stuck to his hand.
Usopp suddenly straightened his back, proudly patting his chest. "Hahaha! You weaklings!" He boastfully wore only a thin shirt. "Thanks to my strong physique, what is this little bit of cold!"
With that, he performed a graceful flip, jumping off the ship and landing steadily on the snow-covered dock. The snow made a "crunching" sound, reaching past his calves.
"The air is so fresh!" Usopp exaggeratedly took a deep breath, then turned and waved to the ship. "Hey! You guys hurry dow—"
His shout abruptly stopped.
With a whoosh, dozens of arrows suddenly shot out from the surrounding snowdrifts, embedding themselves deeply in the ice near Usopp's feet!
"Who's there?!" Usopp stumbled in fright, nearly falling into the snowdrift.
From the surrounding snow curtain, more than twenty heavily armed soldiers slowly emerged. They wore thick fur armor, holding long spears and bows and arrows. The bearded man at the front shouted sternly:
"Outsiders! Drum Kingdom does not welcome you! Leave immediately!"
The soldiers formed a circle, their sharp spear tips glinting coldly in the snow. Even more terrifying, several cannons were vaguely visible on the distant snowy slope, already aimed at the Going Merry!
Nami immediately hid behind Ron. "It's over, it's over. We just got off the ship and something like this happens..."
Zoro's three swords were already unsheathed, the frost on their blades beginning to melt. "Should we make a move?"
Luffy pressed down his Straw Hat, a rare serious expression on his face. "Don't act yet, we're just here to find a ship doctor..."
"Less talk!" the bearded soldier interrupted. "Since Captain Dalton issued the ban, no foreign ships are allowed to dock!" He raised his long spear. "Final warning, leave immediately! Otherwise—"
"Boom!"
Before he finished speaking, a loud bang suddenly came from afar. Everyone turned to look, only to see the spire of a castle on the highest peak of Drum Kingdom collapse with a roar, thick black smoke rising starkly against the snow-capped mountain.
"Oh no, something's happened!"
The soldiers immediately panicked. "This is bad! It's the castle where Doctor Kureha lives!"
Ron watched the black smoke rising in the distance with an unperturbed expression, and calmly spoke, "It seems we've arrived just in time." He turned to the soldiers who were already in disarray, his voice steady and strong: "Listen, we can help. It's likely Wapol has returned and is attacking that castle."
"What?!" The soldiers instantly exploded into a frenzy upon hearing this, their faces filled with terror and anger. They looked at each other, some trembling as they said, "Captain Dalton isn't here... Could something really have happened to the castle?"
Just then, a soldier covered in snow stumbled over from afar, panting as he shouted, "This is bad! Wapol... Wapol is back! That guy is destroying the castle! Captain Dalton... he's going to be killed!"
These words exploded like a bomb among the soldiers. The previously hesitant soldiers instantly turned red-eyed, and angry roars rose one after another:
"That bastard king!"
"He still has the nerve to come back!"
"Quick, save Captain Dalton!"
The bearded soldier leading them suddenly turned, no longer paying attention to Ron and his group, and raised his spear, shouting, "Brothers! Rescue Captain Dalton! Charge!"
"Charge!" The soldiers responded in unison, picking up their weapons and running wildly across the thick snow towards the mountain-top castle.
In the blink of an eye, only Ron and his group remained on the dock.
Nami looked at the departing soldiers, somewhat at a loss, and turned to Ron. "This... this is too sudden. What do we do now?"
A meaningful smile played on Ron's lips. "Let's go, follow them and see." He adjusted his collar, which was ruffled by the cold wind. "It's time to save our future ship doctor — the reindeer doctor Chopper."
"Awesome!" Luffy jumped up excitedly, snow from his Straw Hat scattering everywhere. "The adventure begins!"
Zoro's three swords were already ready. "Just right for a warm-up."
Usopp also said no problem!
Sanji lit a cigarette and looked at Vivi and Nami. "Nami, never mind. Beautiful Miss Vivi, do you need me to carry you up the mountain?"
"Less talk!" Nami grabbed Vivi's hand. "Let's hurry and catch up!"
Ron took the lead, his coat flapping in the wind and snow, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "Attention everyone, target the mountain-top castle! Let's go!"
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