"It's definitely cold…"
"But it's also pretty unique."
Ain smiled softly.
"That's true."
"Oh right, weren't you supposed to investigate the Blackbeard Pirates?"
"Where are you planning to start?"
Karl rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm…"
"Let's check Wapol's castle first."
"Since Blackbeard came here searching for something, if he wasn't stupid, he definitely would've visited the castle."
"And if he did, there should be traces left behind."
"That makes sense."
"But this island is pretty huge."
"Do you know where Wapol's castle is?"
Karl turned toward the doctors nearby and loudly asked:
"Where's Wapol's castle?"
"It's on top of that tallest mountain over there."
"If you're heading there, the town ahead has a cable car that goes directly to the summit."
"Alright, thanks."
After Nelson finished giving instructions—
Karl prepared to leave with Ain.
But Ain suddenly shook her head.
"No."
"Let's not trouble Raven."
"Let's walk there instead."
"I want to stroll through the snow mountains with you."
"Can we?"
Karl froze briefly.
Then the corners of his mouth rose gently as he brushed the snowflakes from Ain's hair.
"Of course."
"Let's go."
After receiving Karl's answer—
a brilliant smile bloomed across Ain's face.
At that moment, her heart felt unbelievably sweet.
All she wanted now—
was to tightly cling to Karl's arm and quietly enjoy the warmth and affection between them.
East Blue — Loguetown, Base Commander's Office
"Report, sir!"
"A pirate ship has arrived at the western harbor."
"Should we move to capture them?"
Smoker flicked ash from his cigar and asked calmly:
"What's their bounty?"
"The bounty is…"
"Uh…"
"None!"
"They seem to be a rookie pirate crew with only a few members."
"The captain is a guy wearing a straw hat."
Smoker froze for a second before a smile slowly appeared on his face.
"Tch tch tch…"
"This group arrived pretty quickly."
"Sir, I'll immediately gather troops—"
Smoker waved him off.
"No need to make such a big fuss."
"Just keep an eye on them."
"Because I'm going to personally meet them."
"Yes, sir!"
Smoker stood up and pushed open the window, looking toward the distant harbor.
The smile on his face gradually disappeared.
"Even if you're Vice Admiral Garp's grandson…"
"I won't go easy on you, Straw Hat Luffy."
"Today…"
"Your pirate career ends here."
What Smoker didn't know—
was that two other pirate groups had also arrived today…
Years later—
this would probably become one of those stories Smoker proudly told his son.
Back in the day—
he had once chased two future Emperors of the Sea by himself!
Back to Drum Island
After trekking through the snow for an entire hour—
the two finally arrived at the base of Drum Peak.
According to Ain—
this counted as a winter outing.
A snowy mountain excursion.
"Now that we're close…"
"Why does this mountain look this tall?"
"How about we just take the cable car instead?"
Karl inhaled sharply.
The already freezing temperature somehow dropped even lower.
"Please no!"
"I don't want to walk through another half-day snowstorm!"
"Getting up there is easy anyway."
"Raven, Moonwalk, whatever."
"It'll just take a bit of effort."
Ain immediately narrowed her eyes.
"So that's it."
"You just don't want to walk with me, huh?"
Karl coughed awkwardly.
"Of course not."
"If you want to walk, I can walk beside you for the rest of my life."
"I'm just worried you'll freeze."
"Hmph."
"There's not a single truthful sentence coming out of your mouth."
"Then…"
"How about I carry you up?"
Only then did Ain smile again.
"Good."
"Now that's more like it."
"Let's go!"
Karl suddenly grabbed Ain and hoisted her over his shoulder.
BOOM!
The snow beneath his feet exploded apart, exposing the black earth underneath.
And in the next instant—
Karl and Ain vanished.
Drum Peak
Sniff sniff~
"Hm?"
"Someone's coming…"
"It's a scent I've never smelled before."
A blue-nosed reindeer wearing a strange hat and tiny shorts showed a very human-like expression of shock.
He quickly set down the medicine pills in his hands.
"Doctorine!"
"This is bad!"
"Someone's here!"
"Doctorine! Something bad—"
SWOOSH!
THUNK!
A sharp axe flew past Chopper's ear and embedded itself deeply into the wall.
Chopper instantly broke into cold sweat.
"You're so noisy, Chopper!"
"So what if someone's here?"
"What's so strange about that?"
Chopper looked aggrieved.
"But…"
"They're strangers…"
"I'm scared…"
"Tch."
"What strangers?"
"Wapol already ran away ages ago."
"Could it be someone trying to drive us out too?"
CREAK… CREAK…
Chopper suddenly looked toward the entrance.
That was the sound of the castle doors opening.
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
"They're here!!!"
Ain's hearing immediately picked up Chopper's scream.
She looked puzzled.
"There's screaming in this place?"
"Does someone actually live here?"
"I heard it too."
"Looks like someone really is here."
"Perfect."
"We can ask them some questions."
Karl knocked on the door.
"Hey!"
"Folks inside!"
"Open up!"
"We're Marines!"
Inside—
Kureha, who was in the middle of getting dressed, paused slightly.
"Marines?"
"What are Marines doing here?"
"That's pretty strange."
"Hey Chopper, did you hear that?"
"They're not bad people."
"You coward."
Chopper carefully peeked out from behind the wall—
though somehow his entire body was already exposed.
"Marines?"
"The kind that catch pirates?"
"Probably."
"I'm going outside to take a look."
"You coming?"
Chopper frantically shook his head.
"No!"
"I don't want to go out!"
Creak…
The door slowly opened—
revealing Karl's handsome smiling face.
"Sorry for disturbing you."
"AAAAAHHHHH!"
Chopper instantly hid his entire body behind the wall again while "secretly" peeking at Karl.
Karl brushed the snow off his clothes and smiled at the energetic old woman before him.
"Hello."
"I'm Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Karl."
"I came here to investigate the Blackbeard Pirates' attack on Drum Kingdom."
"I heard this is the former king's castle, correct?"
"Oh right."
"This is Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Ain."
"She came with me."
Ain revealed a professional smile while curiously glancing toward the side.
That looked like a horned raccoon dog.
Fluffy too.
Pretty cute.
As Kureha looked at Karl's face—
a sharp glint flashed through her eyes.
Wasn't this the Marine Hero Karl who had been dominating headlines lately?
Right—
he was in the newspaper yesterday too.
Apparently he defeated some little brat named Mihawk in the East Blue.
And today he was already in the Grand Line.
That speed…
Tsk tsk tsk.
"You want to know the secret to my eternal youth too?"
Pfft—
Ain suddenly burst out laughing.
Karl looked at her strangely.
Ain immediately waved apologetically.
"Cough cough…"
"Eternal youth?"
"There's no need for that."
"I just wanted to ask whether you remember anything about the Blackbeard Pirates who attacked Drum Kingdom."
"Tsk tsk tsk…"
"What a pity."
"Such a handsome face…"
Karl helplessly shook his head.
"And you are…?"
"Dr. Kureha."
"A doctor."
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