Chapter 62: Freedom is a word for eternal youth!
A few days later.
In the World Government's affiliated nation, Drum Kingdom.
This winter island, where all four seasons felt like winter, was the Grand Line's most famous "Medical Kingdom."
But ironically, as of today, this country, once renowned for its medicine, only had two doctors left.
"Aaaah! Aaaah!"
On the outskirts of Kestetown, inside the giant tree house.
Accompanied by panicked shouts, the blue-nosed reindeer with a pink hat was frantically running in circles inside the house!
"Hey, Chopper, you stupid raccoon-dog! What have you been making a fuss about since earlier?"
Inside the house, an old woman dressed quite fashionably, wearing sunglasses, was drinking from a bottle of plum wine.
"I'm not a raccoon-dog! I'm a reindeer!"
Chopper protested with wide eyes, but then immediately reacted.
"Dr. Kureha, my Rumble Balls, which I just finished perfecting, are all gone!"
He said anxiously.
"Oh, those little trinkets."
Dr. Kureha said indifferently, "Maybe the mice ate them?"
"How could that be? I clean the house every day, how could there be mice?! It must have been a thief... I-I know! It must have been that Wapol fellow! He knew I wanted to avenge Dr. Hiruluk, so he sent someone to steal them!"
Chopper said, huffing and puffing.
As he spoke, he seemed to recall Dr. Hiruluk, the quack doctor who died two years ago because of him, and couldn't help but start crying.
"What are you crying about? Don't be pathetic!"
Dr. Kureha shook her head, "How many more times do I have to tell you? That Hiruluk fellow just made his own choice—his death has nothing to do with you."
"As for Wapol..."
Speaking of this, even Dr. Kureha, who was usually so free-spirited and unconcerned with trivialities, couldn't help but feel a little somber.
Wapol—the tyrant who ruled this country.
It was precisely because he issued an edict prohibiting doctors from existing that this once-prosperous country fell to its current state.
"Forget it."
Thinking of this, and looking at Chopper, who was still sniffling, Dr. Kureha helplessly put down her wine bottle and said, "I'll help you look too. When the time comes, we'll go together to give that scoundrel Wapol some trouble."
She coaxed the little fellow.
But in her heart, she knew very well that this country was powerless to resist Wapol.
After all, although Wapol was a tyrant, he was also a legitimate King of a World Government affiliated nation, protected by the government.
Unless an outsider was willing to take responsibility—otherwise, the price the citizens would have to pay to overthrow him would be far too great.
"Mm!"
But Chopper clearly didn't know Dr. Kureha's thoughts; at this moment, he was simply happy because Dr. Kureha was willing to search with him.
So the master and disciple began rummaging through the house.
But just as they were searching—
"Rumble!"
A sudden, massive tremor nearly made them fall.
"It seemed to come from the direction of the main peak."
Chopper held his hat on his head, and his ears twitched.
He and Dr. Kureha exchanged a look, then quickly walked out of the tree house.
Then—
"Wha—?!"
Chopper's eyes suddenly widened, and his tongue sprang out like a spring.
Dr. Kureha also took off her sunglasses, her eyes similarly blazing with disbelief.
They saw at this moment that their gaze fell upon a giant snowy mountain.
That was 'Drum Mountain'—the center of the entire Drum Kingdom.
At the top of the mountain was a giant black castle; that was the castle where Wapol resided.
But at this moment, Chopper and Dr. Kureha could see—that castle was collapsing!
To be precise, the entire castle seemed as if it had been sliced apart by some colossal blade; the entire castle was cut into countless pieces, transforming into massive debris that plummeted downwards!
"Rumble!"
Even with a considerable distance, the dull, colossal sound and the trembling of the earth still told the person and the reindeer: the scene at this moment was real!
"The c-castle actually..."
Thus, Chopper was almost stunned.
But at this moment, Dr. Kureha's reaction was very fast: "Chopper—get the sled! Let's go take a look!"
Chopper nodded, instantly transforming into a sturdy reindeer and heading towards the back of the tree house.
Not long after, he came running back frantically, pulling a snow sled: "Let's go, Doc!"
"Idiot! We're doctors—what's the difference between a doctor going out without a medicine box and a warrior going out without a weapon?"
Dr. Kureha lectured, shaking her head.
But just as she turned around, ready to go back into the house to get the medicine box, her body suddenly froze.
"What's wrong, Dr. Kure... huh?!"
Chopper also turned his head in confusion, and then similarly froze all over.
Because at this moment, they all saw.
Without them knowing when, a person was already standing at the entrance of their tree house.
He was wearing a rat-faced mask, dressed in pitch-black, and was currently leaning against the doorframe, taking a pinch of snuff.
"Good day, you two."
From beneath the mask, a calm voice came.
"W-w-who are you?!"
Chopper instinctively hid behind Dr. Kureha, his words tumbling out.
"...You're hiding in the wrong way, you know."
Rat pointed at Chopper: "Your whole body is exposed."
Chopper: "Huh?!"
Seeing this situation, Dr. Kureha also sighed helplessly.
She didn't know where she pulled out a bottle of wine, bit open the cork with her mouth, and took two gulps, making "gulp gulp" sounds.
"This traveler from afar, you don't look like a patient. Is there something you need?"
"Indeed."
Rat nodded lightly: "I've come to buy something from Dr. Chopper."
"D-doctor?!"
And at this moment, Chopper's fur also bristled all over after hearing these words.
This was the first time someone had called him a 'doctor'.
"Y-you can't possibly think I'll be happy just because of that, you scoundrel~"
That's what he said, but from the way his mouth was wide open in a grin, his words clearly held no convincing power.
"Buy something?"
But Dr. Kureha, who was nearby, had no intention of joking around.
She just took another gulp of wine and subtly shielded Chopper behind her: "We are doctors, not merchants. We have nothing to sell you."
"No, you do."
But after hearing her words, Rat shook his head.
He extended his hand, and in his palm were a few yellow pills.
"Rumble Balls!"
Chopper's fur instantly bristled: "So it was you... Mmph! Mmph!"
He clearly wanted to say something, but Dr. Kureha at this moment covered his mouth with one hand.
The old woman's gaze turned to Rat: "You want them?"
"To be precise, it's their formula."
Rat nodded: "A drug that can control the transformation wavelength of Devil Fruits. A genius invention, very useful for our organization."
He spoke of it matter-of-factly, but his admiration was genuinely heartfelt.
Rumble Balls were indeed a genius invention—not only could they change the transformation of Zoan-type Devil Fruits, but even, from a later perspective, they could allow the Mink Tribe to enter their 'Sulong' form during the day.
"To receive your praise... that's truly an honor for this stupid kid of mine."
Chopper, who was nearby, was already excitedly doing his 'Don't flatter me, you scoundrel!' seaweed dance, but Dr. Kureha nodded gravely: "Then, what do you plan to exchange for it?"
She exhaled a puff of wine-scented air, and subtly moved Chopper, whom she had grabbed, to her side.
"Beli? Treasure? Or... our lives?"
In this position, she could throw Chopper out at any moment.
But after hearing her words, Rat chuckled: "Don't be so nervous, Dr. Kureha—although our reputation hasn't been great lately, we are not bad people."
Having said that, he didn't wait for Dr. Kureha's reply and, under her wary gaze, extended his hand.
"And compared to Beli or treasure, I think you'll like this more..."
As he spoke, he had already taken out an object.
It was a person's head.
His hair was dark purple, his mouth gaping, and his face still held the expression of wide, startled eyes, as if disbelieving his own death.
And very clearly, whether it was Dr. Kureha, whose pupils were contracted, or Chopper, who was making whimpering sounds, both recognized him.
That was Wapol, the tyrant of the Drum Kingdom!
"The castle was indeed by you..."
Dr. Kureha said in a low voice.
And Rat did not deny her words: "I know you two have a grudge against him, and I know the situation of this country."
He gestured with Wapol's head in his hand: "This is my trade item—the freedom of this country."
He spoke softly about the inevitable trade: "I will take this head with me, and make sure the whole world knows Wapol died by my hand. The World Government will not trouble you because of this; you are free to choose a new King."
"..."
Dr. Kureha fell silent.
She once again picked up her wine bottle, tilted her head back, and took a "gulp gulp" drink.
"This trade... I accept on behalf of Chopper."
She made a decisive choice.
"A wise choice."
Thus, a hint of a smile seemed to appear in Rat's words.
"Then, I'll come back for the formula in half an hour."
As soon as he finished speaking—
"Vwoom!"
He took a step forward, a phantom door appeared out of thin air, and then he vanished without a trace.
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Seeing this scene, Chopper, whose mouth was covered, widened his eyes even more.
"Don't be so surprised; of course, someone like him is an Ability User—aren't you too?"
Dr. Kureha helplessly let go of Chopper.
"Haha... Dr. Kureha, do you know him? He actually killed Wapol, and my Rumble Ball formula..."
Chopper's mouth poured out a continuous string of questions.
Then—
"Too many questions!"
Dr. Kureha landed a punch on his head.
Amidst Chopper's pained cries of "It hurts!" as he clutched his head, the doctor put her sunglasses back on.
"Don't ask so many questions—when it comes to dangerous individuals like that, the less you know, the better."
She said this.
Indeed—that iconic mask, and that overwhelming power and presence.
This was enough for her to guess that the man was from the organization that had recently risen to fame on the seas; he was the third member of that organization.
"If people were to know, the world would surely be shaken again, wouldn't it?"
Dr. Kureha mumbled in a low voice and once again raised her wine bottle.
But only then did she notice that the wine bottle was already empty.
"Forget it."
She shook her head.
Then, she turned around and looked at the distant Drum Mountain.
The shaking of the world... what did that have to do with her?
What was important was—this Kingdom no longer had any shadow.
"'Freedom,' huh..."
She smiled: "It sounds like a word for eternal youth."
(end of chapter)