Dr. Kureha watched as White Ghost put everything away with complete satisfaction, then asked, "So, brat, what's your second reason for coming here?
"Spit it out. Let's settle everything at once. The longer a plague god like you stays here, the more uneasy this old lady feels."
White Ghost smiled and pointed at Chopper.
Dr. Kureha's face darkened.
So this bastard really had come for Chopper after all?
Chopper froze.
Why was he pointing at him?
Could it be that he really had taken a liking to him and wanted to bring him back as a pet?
Just as both the old woman and the reindeer were starting to look worse and worse, White Ghost finally spoke.
"The second thing I want is Chopper's Rumble Ball formula."
Dr. Kureha relaxed slightly when she realized he wasn't asking for Chopper himself.
But in the next instant, her expression changed sharply.
How does he know about Chopper's Rumble Ball?
That pill was never leaked to the outside. Chopper has been with me this whole time. So does that mean—
At that thought, Dr. Kureha's expression became even uglier.
It meant she had probably been watched.
And not for just a day or two.
Chopper was also stunned.
So he didn't want him?
He wanted the formula for the Rumble Ball instead?
For some reason, that realization made Chopper feel a little disappointed.
Dr. Kureha's face darkened as she asked, word by word, "How long have you been spying on me?"
Chopper jumped again, his face once more filling with the expression of You really are a bad guy after all.
White Ghost just smiled.
"A long time ago. Back then, I only had someone come here to take a few things.
"And while they were at it, they kept an eye on you too. After all, who wouldn't want the formula for a life-extending medicine?"
Dr. Kureha thought for a moment, then asked again, "The job on Wapol's side last time… that was your doing?"
White Ghost nodded, not bothering to hide it.
There was no point. These things were easy enough to trace.
Although Contena had covered his face back then, his teleportation ability was far too easy to identify.
Anyone with half a brain, once they learned it was a man with guns who could teleport instantly, would think of Contena at White Ghost's side.
Seeing White Ghost admit it so casually, Dr. Kureha showed a look of sudden understanding.
In the past, Wapol had always been incompetent and foolish.
But his temper had never been that bad before.
Now it all made sense—this man had probably taken some very important treasures from him.
Dr. Kureha glanced at Chopper and said, "Give it to him, Chopper. Once he gets what he wants, he'll leave, and then we can go back to living in peace."
Chopper gave an "oh," then quickly ran into his room.
A moment later, he came back with a sheet of paper and handed it to White Ghost.
White Ghost smiled and accepted it.
The instant he took the formula, Chopper darted right back behind Doctorine.
He absolutely did not want to be grabbed again.
White Ghost gave it a quick glance.
Naturally, he couldn't understand it either, so he simply put it away in his bracelet.
Then his gaze shifted once more to Chopper, who was once again hiding only half his head.
Dr. Kureha's face turned cold.
"Don't push your luck, brat. Do you really think this old lady has no tricks left?"
Chopper panicked inside.
His face was full of alarm, and his heart wailed miserably.
So he really does still want me?
Akin quietly prepared himself.
If the captain gave the order, he would kill that old hag first and then seize the "pet" the captain liked so much.
Kuro slowly finished the last sip of red wine in his glass.
For him, an opened bottle of wine that wasn't fully finished was deeply unpleasant.
Ignoring Dr. Kureha's ugly expression, White Ghost smiled at Chopper and said, "How about coming to my ship as our doctor? We're traveling the world right now. It's pretty exciting."
The moment those words left his mouth, Chopper froze.
His face was full of stunned disbelief.
He wasn't trying to take him away as a pet?
Dr. Kureha was stunned too.
She looked at White Ghost, then at Chopper, and silently thought:
He's serious?
He's not here to snatch him by force. He's inviting him.
If White Ghost just dragged Chopper away, then Chopper would only be a pet.
But if he invited him aboard…
then Chopper would be a companion.
Dr. Kureha looked at White Ghost with deep suspicion.
What exactly was this man playing at?
What had he seen in her foolish son?
After standing there in a daze for a long moment, Chopper finally pointed at White Ghost, then at himself, and asked in disbelief, "You're inviting me… to your ship… to be the ship's doctor?"
White Ghost nodded, still wearing that gentle smile.
"That's right. A doctor, not a pet. Think it over carefully."
Chopper struggled for a while before speaking hesitantly.
"But… I'm a monster. Have you ever seen a monster that can talk? Don't humans reject monsters?"
White Ghost smiled and shook his head.
"You're just a reindeer who ate a Devil Fruit. That's nothing unusual on this sea.
"There's a race called the Mink Tribe. A whole race of animal people. All kinds of animals. And all of them can talk."
"A whole country of animals… and they can all talk?"
Chopper's eyes sparkled, filled with longing.
White Ghost nodded, confirming it, then continued, "I've got three Minks on my ship already. One's a leopard.
"One's a canine Mink.
"And the last one is a squirrel Mink… and she's one of my women."
At the end, White Ghost smiled faintly.
Because the little squirrel really was his woman.
Chopper froze, his face full of astonishment.
"You found an animal to be your woman?"
White Ghost wagged a finger and explained patiently, "Chopper, to us they may look like animals. But to them, humans are just hairless monkeys.
"It's only a difference in race. Everyone is still an intelligent being.
"Sometimes, once you put down your arrogance, you realize there are countless things you never understood."
At the side, Dr. Kureha gave White Ghost an unexpected look.
Who would've thought this brute actually knew how to say something like that?
White Ghost could see the longing in Chopper's eyes growing stronger and stronger, so he delivered one final blow.
"There are even a few pretty deer girls among the Minks. I can introduce you to them when the time comes."
Chopper froze for a second, then his little face turned bright red.
"You idiot! I'm still a kid! What do you mean, introduce me to deer girls?!"
White Ghost burst out laughing at Chopper's embarrassed little expression.
Chopper got angry and immediately started bickering and roughhousing with him.
Dr. Kureha stood to one side and watched the big man and the little reindeer fooling around.
Then she thought again of what White Ghost had just said.
Sometimes, putting down your pride and trying to accept something new wasn't a bad thing.
A smile slowly curved onto Dr. Kureha's lips.
"Chopper, if you want to go, then go."
Chopper froze in the middle of messing around with White Ghost.
He turned around, disbelief written all over his face.
"Really, Doctorine? You really agree to let me go?"
White Ghost was surprised too.
Wasn't this old woman supposed to be one of those people?
So why was she agreeing?
Dr. Kureha looked at Chopper.
Though this foolish son of hers wore a reluctant expression, his eyes were filled with yearning.
She rubbed his head and smiled.
"Yes. I mean it. I'm not going to stop you.
"Besides, going out to sea and seeing the world… isn't that what you've always wanted?"
"Doctorine…"
Chopper's eyes immediately filled with tears, looking completely overwhelmed with emotion.
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