Chapter 127 – Drum Kingdom 03.

Chapter 127 – Drum Kingdom 03.

[Chapter Size: 2129 Words.]

Third Person POV

Drum Island, First Half of Grandline.

...

...

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.

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raccoon here:

"Stone Stone!"

I appreciate your early support in following this exciting journey! I hope each chapter has provided incredible moments.

If you enjoy my work and would like to support the continuation of this fanfic, consider becoming a patron. As a token of gratitude, I offer access to up to 90 extra chapters with 4 active fanfics at the same time, and this number will soon increase to 110, along with other exclusive benefits on my profile, such as images and significant decisions for the stories:

DazeRaccoon | Patreon

/dazeraccoon

Extra Content Already Available:

One Piece - I Am A Different Luffy!: 30 extra chapters!

Danmachi - Infinite Mana System!: 30 extra chapters!

Game of Thrones: The Legend of Jon Arctic!: 10 extra chapters. (Planning to Maintain 20 Chapters)

Naruto - Minato Namikaze SI!: 30 extra chapters!

Besides the extra chapters, daily chapters are posted and 17/18 chapters per week!

Your support is very important and makes all the difference in keeping these stories alive. Thank you very much for being part of this journey!

I hope you continue to enjoy the story, and may it bring even more joy to your life!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------