Chapter 127 - Drum Kingdom 03.

[Chapter Size: 2129 Words.]

Third Person POV

Drum Island, First Half of Grandline.

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While the residents of Drum were recovering from the strange battle that unfolded above the city, Luffy soared into the snowy sky in search of the peak where the elderly woman lived. There were doctors in the town who could take care of her, but Luffy came to this island for a reason beyond making it his territory for the upcoming great war; he had to find a doctor who still resided in this country.

With Lami on his ship, Luffy believed that two doctors were always better than one. With this mindset, he cut through the falling snowflakes as he flew at high speed. It didn't take long for him to spot Kureha's castle.

Simultaneously, in an ancient castle blanketed by snow in a lonely atmosphere, a strange creature wearing a small cap walked through the corridors with a medicine container in its hand. With furry fur and vibrant shades of brown, the little reindeer displayed an adorable and curious expression. Its large and expressive eyes conveyed a mix of innocence and intelligence, while its small legs ended in delicate hooves, contrasting with its furry appearance. This creature's name was Tony Tony Chopper.

He walked through the silent castle corridors, quietly organizing supplies in Kureha's absence. Some time ago, Luffy had proclaimed with his resounding voice that the Kingdom of Drum now belonged to the Straw Hats. His shout echoed throughout the island, reaching Chopper's ears as he was in the castle with Kureha.

The doctor hurriedly went out to check what was happening, leaving Chopper alone in the castle. "I hope Kureha-san comes back soon; it's so lonely here. Now, she went to the town to see where all that noise came from," Chopper murmured to himself.

He headed to the room, organizing all the herbs and medicines. After that, he decided to spend time in the castle's library, trying to distract himself with books. It was where he used to spend most of his time, examining books and learning from Kureha. Upon entering, a wave of loneliness hit him stronger than ever. The books, experiments, and memories of times past weighed on his heart.

Sitting alone, Chopper began to reflect on his journey. He remembered when he consumed his Devil Fruit, the Hito Hito no Mi, becoming a human-reindeer. Despite his extraordinary abilities, the cost was high: rejection not only from his own kind but even from humans who treated him as a monster.

"The Devil Fruit gave me incredible powers, but it also isolated me from others. I wanted to become stronger, but now I feel like I've become a monster," Chopper whispered, hiding his reindeer face in his front paws.

Initially excited about his new human form, Chopper soon realized that the people in Drum Island didn't accept him. He became a solitary figure, a reindeer who wished to be human but was rejected by humans.

His sadness deepened when he met Dr. Hiluluk, an eccentric doctor who welcomed him. Hiluluk not only accepted Chopper but encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Under Hiluluk's guidance, Chopper studied medicine, becoming a skilled doctor.

However, his journey was not without loss. Hiluluk died many years ago, leaving Chopper alone once again. It was during this period of mourning that he met Dr. Kureha, an equally eccentric elderly doctor who became his new mentor.

Chopper continued to accompany Kureha, learning from her extensive medical experience. He developed a strong sense of duty to help others, especially after Hiluluk's death. Despite his medical training, he still felt incomplete and longed for a place where he could truly belong.

*BOOOM!*

Suddenly, Chopper heard a noise from outside. He lifted his head, wiping the invisible tears from his eyes, and rushed to see what was happening.

As he passed through the giant open doors of the castle, he saw the snow lifted as if something heavy had fallen in that place. "Hm?! I thought no one would greet me here, but it seems I was wrong. Hahahaha!" A voice echoed from within the frosty commotion, and Chopper saw a strange figure – humanoid, but with a very peculiar upper part.

"A MONSTER!" Chopper shouted in alarm when he saw it.

"Hahaha. I won't deny that, but it's too early for you to say that, little reindeer." The voice became visible and revealed a Luffy carrying Miss Kureha on his shoulder, hence the strange form in the shadow.

"Suspicion... Well, it's just a stranger with Kureha-san all injured on his shoulder..."

"WHAT!???? KUREHA-SAN!! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? DOCTOR, SOMEONE CALL A DOCTOR! URGENT! WE NEED A DOCTOR HERE!" Chopper began shouting in despair.

"Hm? There's no doctor around here...?" The stranger spoke, casting an amused glance at little Chopper shouting in despair.

"Hm?! Wait, there is a doctor! I-I am a doctor!" He had his moment of realization with this.

"Where do I put this lady?" Luffy asked.

"Come quickly, take her to one of the beds in the castle!" Chopper quickly began to show the way while Luffy followed behind.

"Put her on the bed; I'll check her condition." Luffy obeyed and laid her down on the bed, sitting beside her. While Chopper continued to care for Kureha, Luffy stood by, watching the scene with a mix of seriousness and nonchalance. It was after 10 minutes that he finished examining and bandaging the woman.

"Dislocated arm, some fractures in the legs, and even 2 broken ribs... What happened to her?" Chopper asked the man sitting there.

"We had a disagreement, and I hit her."

"I see... Hm? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HIT HER?! YOU DID THIS TO DR. KUREHA?!" Chopper made a comical face in a furious look. He was completely outraged at the idea that Luffy would have hurt his precious mentor.

"Calm down, calm down, it was in a fight, Chopper. I had no choice!" Luffy tried to explain, but Chopper's enraged expression didn't diminish.

"No choice?! You could have been more careful! She's an elderly woman, you know!" Chopper grumbled, continuing to tend to Kureha's wounds.

Luffy, on the other hand, just smiled with his typical carefree expression. He should be getting used to Chopper's exaggerated reactions, but he knew that, deep down, the reindeer cared deeply about everyone around him.

"So, you're a doctor; I've never seen a doctor like you?" Luffy asked, observing Chopper closely.

"Yes, it's me... My name is Tony Tony Chopper. Who are you?" Chopper replied, maintaining a cautious stance.

"Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy. This country belongs to my flag, as you can see, I'm a pirate."

"A pirate?!" Chopper was startled by this declaration.

"Don't be so scared; I'm nice most of the time." Luffy laughed.

"You hurt Kureha-San!"

Luffy sighed. "It wasn't my intention to hurt her so much. I just wanted to make sure she didn't cause trouble."

..." Chopper still maintained cautious behavior but remembered something.

"Wait, aren't you afraid of me?!" He finally recalled this fact because Luffy was sitting near him the whole time but showed no aversion to his presence.

"Why would I be? You're a pretty cute guy." Luffy smiled.

"Me cute?!" Chopper exclaimed, stunned.

"Besides, you're a quite competent doctor, as I could see." Luffy spoke, eliciting a reaction from Chopper.

He seemed to have mastered one of the six Kami-e styles, as his body bent, and his face turned red with it.

"I'M NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR PRAISE, IDIOT!" He said, but his tone and behavior said otherwise.

"Hey, Chopper, have you ever thought about leaving this island and seeing the world out there?" Luffy suddenly asked, trying to gauge the reindeer's interest in adventures.

Chopper stopped with the strange behavior and looked at Luffy suspiciously. "The world out there?!" He remembered the doctor telling some stories of adventures, and it always inspired him, but he could never leave this country; the only person who accepted him now was Kureha-San.

"Yes, a world full of adventures and challenges, flying islands, seas that defy the laws of physics, desert islands, comical islands, islands with flora different from anything you've seen, islands with different animals like dinosaurs, underwater islands, and even islands inhabited by giants! There's a vast ocean out there, Chopper, waiting to be explored!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes shining with the excitement of his own words.

Chopper, still with a mix of suspicion and curiosity, pondered over Luffy's words. The reindeer, who had always felt isolated and misunderstood, began to envision the possibility of a broader and more diverse world.

"Is there really a world like that out there?!" Chopper exclaimed.

"Yes, the sea is vast and full of secrets and adventures. That's why I'm a pirate, to venture through the sea with reliable and fun companions," Luffy said with his own charisma.

Chopper was genuinely enchanted but soon remembered his life experience. "But I'm not like you, Luffy. I'm a freak, a human-reindeer... People reject me," Chopper murmured, reflecting on his own condition.

Luffy, with a warm smile, placed a hand on Chopper's shoulder, who was surprised by the touch of this pirate. "Don't worry about that, Chopper. Me and my crew are a bunch of weird people, each with their own story. We accept each other, no matter how different we are."

Chopper looked into Luffy's determined eyes, feeling a spark of hope. For the first time, someone wasn't judging him based on his peculiar appearance. A wave of gratitude and surprise filled the reindeer's heart.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Chopper, how about joining the Straw Hats and sailing the sea with us? Let's explore the world together and face incredible adventures!" Luffy proposed, extending his hand in a friendly manner.

"Hm?! Why are you asking this kind of question?!" Chopper spoke comically again.

Chopper, perplexed by Luffy's proposal, scratched his head with his paw after calming down, expressing a mix of confusion and concern. He looked at Luffy's outstretched hand and then at the castle around him, which had always been his home.

"I appreciate the offer, Luffy, I really do. But my life is here with Dr. Kureha. She took me in when no one else did after my father died, and now it's my responsibility to take care of her." Chopper responded with a mix of gratitude and loyalty.

"Well, I'm rejecting your refusal!" Luffy spoke shamelessly.

"What kind of logic is that!" Chopper shouted at Luffy.

"It doesn't matter; I've already decided! I'll leave this country only after you accept my offer and join my crew as the second doctor!" Luffy said confidently.

Chopper, who was starting to like this human, who even after hitting Kureha-San, still treated him normally, began to feel fear from that gaze. He seemed obsessed with trying to take him to the sea, which scared the little reindeer.

Some time later, Kureha opened her eyes for the first time since her fight with Luffy.

"Ugh, I feel my bones starting to creak with age. Am I entering middle age at 138?" The woman pondered, displaying a tired smile.

"Doctor!" Chopper's animated voice echoed through the room.

"Chopper? I'm here then. I remember fighting with an arrogant brat and losing the fight. I didn't even stand a chance when he turned into that monster," Kureha commented, recalling the events.

"Monster? That man?" Chopper was stunned.

"That man? Is he here too?" Kureha asked, her expression becoming more serious.

"Yes, he brought you and is outside shirtless, doing some training." Chopper informed.

"That insolent brat." Kureha growled and looked at the small Chopper. "Hey, why do you have that face? Did something happen?"

Chopper hesitated before answering. "Hmm..."

"Did he do something to you?" Kureha questioned seriously.

"No, but he told me he'll only leave when I accept joining his pirate crew as one of his doctors..." Chopper explained.

"He wants you?" Surprise reflected on Kureha's face.

"And is he out there waiting for your answer?" She asked again, quickly.

"Yes, but I refused; however, he refused my refusal. How is that possible?" Chopper expressed his concern, not knowing how to deal with someone refusing another refusal.

"He's tricking you; that's not possible!" Kureha scoffed, but her eyes sparkled with interest. "So he'll stay until you accept, huh... interesting."

Soon, she sensed something through her Observation Haki, focusing on the man outside.

"It seems there are more visitors coming. Let's welcome them." Kureha declared, ignoring Chopper's protests.

"Doctor, you can't move!"

"Nonsense, this is nothing to me. I'm still in my youth!" She asserted, getting up from the bed and heading outside, with Chopper accompanying her. The ancient castle was about to welcome new visitors, and Dr. Kureha wasn't about to miss the opportunity to showcase her exuberance and hospitality.

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