"I'm going to kill you bastards!"
Still not fully recovered, Trafalgar Law realized he had been tricked. Staggering forward on unsteady legs, he tried to chase after Sherwin and the others who had played him…
Only to trip and fall flat on his face.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
Sherwin, Klee Meow, and the rest of the Heart Pirates burst into loud laughter. Bepo, who had been holding the "mirror," was rolling on the ground, laughing so hard he couldn't breathe.
Only Kuma held himself back, doing his best not to mock Law. Of course, it wasn't entirely out of kindness—he simply wasn't in the mood for laughter.
During the chase, Law body quickly adapted. From staggering at first, he soon recovered enough to run and jump normally.
Before long, he managed to pin Bepo and the others down, giving them a good beating. Clearly, even if he wasn't completely healed, he wasn't far from it.
That pirate physique, huh…
Just as Sherwin was about to pull out the "Supreme Fast Ladder" to start mocking again, Kuma tapped him on the shoulder.
Seeing Kuma blinking at him frantically, Sherwin finally remembered the real matter at hand.
"So? Have you decided? Are you coming with us alone, or are you bringing everyone along?"
Sherwin asked the still-fuming Trafalgar Law, making him a solemn promise.
"Kuma fruit ability is just as miraculous as your Ope Ope no Mi. Forget just your ten or so crewmates—even your ship can be sent over in one go. That way, you could start fresh in the South Blue together."
"No, it better if I go alone."
Ignoring the expectant looks from his crew, Law decisively chose to face this alone. It wasn't just payback for their earlier prank—he also wanted to be cautious.
Though Sherwin and the others had shown they weren't lying, Law still wouldn't give them his full trust.
With his Devil Fruit ability, if something unexpected happened, escaping would be much easier if he were alone.
But his decision left the crew extremely dissatisfied.
"That too much! I also want to know what it feels like to fly from the North Blue to the South Blue!"
"I heard there are lots of cute Felynes over there like Klee. Isn't it unfair if only the captain gets to see them?"
"Yeah, yeah! I wanted to meet that black Felyne who looks just like the captain!"
Their chatter made the veins on Law forehead bulge.
"Enough! I'm the captain! All of you, shut up!"
Using his captain authority to silence them, Law impatiently urged, "Didn't you say you wanted to cure your daughter? Let hurry up and go!"
The already anxious Kuma didn't hesitate. He raised his massive paw and slapped it onto Law body.
"The captain really disappeared!"
The Heart Pirates let out another round of cries, then quickly shouted their warnings—
"You'd better bring our captain back safe and sound!"
"That right! Otherwise, even if we have to chase you all the way to the South Blue, we won't let you off!"
Clearly, their wish to follow to the South Blue wasn't just about experiencing flight or meeting Felynes.
"Don't worry, I still plan on teaming up with you in the future to take down the Warlords,"
Sherwin said with a smile, waving at the group. "So, everyone, let meet again when we fight side by side."
"Goodbye, meow~ Big White Bear, Klee will come play with you again next time, meow~" The little plush Felyne hopped onto Sherwin shoulder, waving her tiny paw in sync.
"Please rest assured," Kuma added calmly, "once the surgery is over, I will return your captain to you safely."
With that, Kuma activated the power of the Paw-Paw Fruit again, sending himself, Sherwin, and Klee Meow back together.
…
Puff, puff, puff.
Three paw prints appeared one after another on the open ground before the small chapel.
Sherwin and the others had returned to the Sorbet Kingdom in the South Blue, bringing with them the final piece to heal Bonney—the man with the power of the Ope Ope no Mi, Trafalgar Law.
"Admiral, you're back, meow."
Huamei Meow pounced into Sherwin arms, rubbing against his chin before glancing at the little plush Felyne beside him. "So, Klee, was this trip fun, meow?"
"It was super fun!" Klee Meow answered without a hint of caution.
"Good. Then, even if I make you catch up on the training you missed these past few days, you shouldn't have any complaints, meow?"
"Meow—ah!" Klee Meow froze, then stammered in an attempt to backtrack. "A-actually… it wasn't that fun, meow…"
"Oh, you'll still have to make it up, meow." Huamei Meow replied mercilessly.
"Meow—wuuu!" The little plush Felyne immediately hugged Sherwin head, whining as she complained, "Sherwin-nii! Big sister Huamei is bullying Klee Meow!"
(=QAQ=)
But when facing the great Huamei of the Research Commission, even the Hunter had no choice but to yield.
"Sorry, Klee. When it comes to training, Huamei has the final say. I really can't help you."
"Hmph! Useless Hunter, meow!" Sanji Meow trotted over to Sherwin feet, giving his shin two habitual kicks before instantly switching to flattery mode.
Rubbing his paws together, he praised, "As expected of big sister Huamei—so dignified and awe-inspiring, it truly mesmerizing, meow~"
The other three Felynes gathered around Trafalgar Law.
"Are you also a swordsman, meow? If you have the time, would you spar with me, meow?" Seijuro Meow glanced at the Kikoku at Law waist, his fighting spirit burning as he asked.
(=ΦωΦ=)
Link Meow also drew the Master Sword and gave it a few swings, signaling that he wanted in too.
But the two battle-hungry cats were quickly pushed aside by Haibara Meow, who looked at them with open disdain.
"If you want to fight, wait until after Bonnie is cured, meow!"
After shoving the troublemakers out of the way, Haibara Meow tilted her head back, fixing Law with a sharp gaze before speaking.
"You're a Devil Fruit user of the Op-Op Fruit, right? Sherwin said you're also a really skilled doctor. Is that true, meow?"
With Klee Meow case as a warning, Law didn't dare underestimate these Felynes anymore. He crouched down and replied seriously, "I might not be the best, but I'm quite confident in my medical skills."
Haibara Meow nodded. She didn't bother to test Law abilities herself, because she knew Sherwin well.
Although that Hunter often acted scatterbrained and was a bit of an idiot, when it came to serious matters he could usually be relied on—and somehow, he always managed to dig up strange bits of intel.
"Then, do you need to rest, meow? If not, come with me to the medical room. I'll explain Bonnie Jade Scale disease to you, meow."
Aside from her scheming nature, Haibara Meow was also a lot like Huamei Meow in one regard—once she decided to handle something, she was swift and decisive.
And Law wasn't the type to dither either. He also deeply understood the despair that came with facing a terminal illness, so he shook his head without hesitation. "I don't need to rest. Let get started right away…"
Of course, given Law personality, even when he wanted to do the right thing, he wouldn't show it openly. So he added in a deliberately impatient tone, "My crew is still waiting for me. The sooner I finish things here, the sooner I can return to them."
But standing before Law was the most skilled tsundere Felyne of all—Haibara Meow. With a single glance, she saw straight through his words.
Still, out of tsundere solidarity, the little kitten only curled her lips in a pout and chose not to expose him.