Vivi's legs wobbled as she carefully climbed down from Zoro's back.
Standing in the snow, she struggled to control her trembling limbs.
Even her strong heart, accustomed to storms and hardship, thumped wildly in her chest!
The blizzard howled around her, lashing snow in every direction.
After what felt like an eternity, Vivi, hands propped weakly on her knees, bent over from exhaustion, finally began to feel a little better.
Her blue ponytail swayed slightly as she lifted her head, her voice weak as she asked Zoro:
"Zo… Zoro! Are we… there yet!?"
Just moments ago!
At the instant the coin signaling the start fell, Vivi had felt the world shift violently beneath her feet.
It was as if she had suddenly been transported into another realm entirely.
The familiar flow of space and time dissolved into unimaginable chaos!
Zoro moved with inhuman speed, terrifyingly so, that Vivi's visual nerves couldn't even keep up with the information her eyes were receiving.
The rapid change of scenes scrambled her brain, leaving her feeling as if she had fallen asleep.
She had no strength left, collapsing onto Zoro's back.
Otherwise…
Had it not been for Vivi's timely reminder, they might never have reached this place.
"Why haven't they come up yet?"
After waiting a little while, Zoro, now somewhat impatient as Vivi regained her composure, muttered to himself.
Then he stepped to the cliff's edge to peer down below.
Behind the castle, aside from Zoro and Vivi, there was no sound of life.
Everything was hauntingly silent.
…
…
Vivi scanned the area, a thoughtful expression crossing her features as she spoke:
"Zoro…"
"I remember we started climbing from the front of the castle, right?"
Before reaching the foot of the mountain, while still some distance from the peak, the group had observed this unusually strange castle.
In Vivi's memory, the castle's front gate had faced them directly.
But now…
There was no trace of a gate.
Zoro, slightly irritated at not seeing anyone else, turned to reply, first answering Vivi:
"Yes, the front."
Then, a hint of exasperation creeping into his tone, he muttered:
"Really… what are they doing?
It's been so long!
Why aren't they coming up? Could they be lost?!"
"Hmm!? Hmm!? Hmm!?"
Three large question marks seemed to appear on Vivi's face.
She could not understand how Zoro had the courage to even say such a thing.
"Well… Zoro…"
"Seems like we're the ones who got lost…"
"Uh!?"
Zoro froze, suddenly recalling some past experiences.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down his forehead, slowly sliding down.
His mouth twitched nervously, his eyes filled with embarrassment and panic. With a trembling voice, he said:
"N-no… no way, right?"
"The fact is exactly that!"
Vivi ignored his feelings, delivering a ruthless blow:
"The path leading up the mountain allowed us to see the castle's front gate.
Now… there's only a solid wall.
Looks like we've ended up at the back of the castle!"
"W-what!?"
Zoro's face crumbled instantly at Vivi's logical explanation.
A tidal wave of despair washed over his green hair.
Thud…
His legs gave out, and he fell to his knees, hands braced on the ground, pupils constricting in disbelief as he quavered:
"I… I actually… lost…"
Seeing Zoro in such utter despair, Vivi understood that proud warriors struggled to face failure. She stepped forward to console him:
"It's alright, Zoro!
Winning and losing are part of life. No one walks the path of success forever.
It's only through failure that we come to cherish the taste of success, isn't that right?"
"I…"
Even kneeling, Zoro's eyes reflected hopelessness, making Vivi's heart ache.
The prouder the person, the harder it was to swallow failure.
Zoro's gaze remained on the snow ahead, lips trembling as he continued:
"I… lost…
I… have to do chores for an entire month!!!"
"Ah!!!!"
"!?…"
At the castle's front.
All prior quarrels instantly vanished.
Everyone's faces lit up with bright smiles.
They joyfully accepted this happy ending, tacitly agreeing to move past the earlier conflict.
As if the argument had never happened, everyone's faces brightened again, returning to their harmonious, cheerful family-like demeanor.
…
"Ah…"
The witch, Dr. Kureha, drained the last sip of rum from her bottle, turning her attention to Luffy and the others.
"Hehehehe…"
"Guests from afar, are you here to ask me the secret to maintaining youth?"
"Hehehehe!!"
At 140 years old, Dr. Kureha completely ignored the group's odd expressions, asserting her presence as the castle's owner with a hearty laugh of welcome.
Thud… thud… thud…
Luffy quickly brushed off the dust clinging to him from the climb.
Once presentable, he broke into a cheerful smile and addressed the distinguished elder before him:
"Sorry, but we're still in our prime, we don't need that yet…"
He extended a hand, exuding a "I'm a good guy" charm, and continued:
"Let me introduce myself: Warlord of the Sea, captain of the Starry Sky Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy!"
"Warlord of the Sea?"
Dr. Kureha froze for a moment before realization dawned.
"Ah, so today truly is an extraordinary day, hehehe…"
"I am Dr. Kureha, a physician!"
She extended her weathered hand to Luffy, gripping his armored hand firmly.
The two exchanged pleasantries at their first meeting.
"So… why has the famous Warlord of the Sea come to this humble little nation?"
"It's indeed very important!"
Luffy's expression turned serious as he spoke to Dr. Kureha:
"I heard that a highly skilled doctor resides in this inconspicuous country.
So I came, seeking him, hoping he might join our crew."
"A… pirate crew!?"
At the word "pirate," Chopper's focus snapped into place.
After all…
His adoptive father, Dr. Hiriluk, had always revered the spirit of pirates.
Influenced by Dr. Hiriluk, Chopper's simple-minded heart also longed for the legendary freedom of a pirate life.
Dr. Kureha laughed her distinctive laugh again, twirling her bottle in a fancy trick with one hand before replying proudly:
"Hehehe… you might be wasting your trip!
I have no intention of squandering my youth on the boring sea…"
"Oh no no no no!!"
"You may have misunderstood…"
Luffy suddenly grinned, his eyes sparkling past the confused Dr. Kureha, landing on Chopper, still seated in fear behind her:
"I'm here to find someone…
Tony Tony Chopper, the adoptive son of Dr. Hiriluk!!!"