Inside the towering, snow-covered castle, the air was quiet except for the occasional crackle of firewood in the hearth.
Nami lay on her bed, attentively listening to Dr. Kureha recount the past.
"So, in the end, that guy was just talking big and dreaming unrealistically," Kureha said, taking a deep swig from her wine bottle.
She let out a snort and added, "He blew himself up right outside this very castle. Can you believe it? The fool couldn't even save himself, yet he still wanted to save this rotten country."
By this point, Nami fully understood Chopper's tragic and inspiring backstory. Her decision had already been made—Chopper was coming aboard the Going Merry. It wasn't often you came across someone so pure, passionate, and skilled.
"No, I think Dr. Hiriluk was amazing," Nami replied with a soft smile. "That's probably the reason Chopper chose to become a doctor."
Kureha paused, her expression softening slightly. "He was a brave fool. And as his adopted son, Chopper will probably follow the same foolish road."
She shrugged and added with a smirk, "But whatever. If you guys can convince him, then it's his choice."
Kureha stood, towering over Nami. "But right now, you should lie down and rest. Your fever's gone down, but it'll still take at least three days for you to fully recover."
The old doctor hesitated for a brief second, then turned on her heel and walked toward the door. She casually threatened Nami with a scalpel to remind her not to move around unnecessarily.
The bottle of rare wine Leo had given her earlier sat untouched on a shelf. As much as she wanted to indulge, she couldn't bring herself to open it just yet.
"Too expensive to waste on a casual drink," she muttered to herself. "Let's save it for a real celebration."
Nami, now tucked under the covers, watched her leave and sighed. She was anxious to rejoin the others, but she knew Kureha was right—rest came first.
Sometime later, Leo entered Nami's room, walking in quietly so as not to disturb her. He smiled when he saw her peacefully asleep.
He knelt beside her and gently placed the back of his hand on her forehead.
No fever.
The biting cold wind outside still howled, but in this moment, Leo felt completely at ease.
Chopper had finally agreed to join them.
Whether it was the allure of the marshmallows or the desire to see the vast ocean, Leo didn't care. The important thing was that Chopper had made his choice.
The true victory, however, lay in something deeper. Leo had already engraved a magical seal—the Straw Hat Crew's symbol—onto Chopper's spirit using life magic. Now, even if Chopper changed his mind, he wouldn't be able to escape his fate.
As a reindeer, Chopper's compatibility with life magic was surprisingly high. Leo had even managed to enhance his antlers with extra enchantments—things Chopper would only understand later.
Now, all that was left was for Nami to heal.
Once she was well, they would set sail for Alabasta.
Leo stood and glanced out the frost-lined window. "I wonder what Luffy and the others are doing right now…"
As far as he knew, Wapol was frozen solid—there shouldn't be any trouble.
Meanwhile, at the foot of the mountain…
A large crowd of villagers had gathered, forming a wide circle around a wooden platform. In the center of the platform stood the frozen body of Wapol, his grotesque expression locked in ice.
Several villagers held torches, their eyes gleaming with hatred and long-awaited revenge. Others were working to escort Luffy, Vivi, and Wilton to the top of the mountain via the repaired cable car.
Wapol had been dragged from his makeshift prison and brought before the people for judgment.
"Burn him!" someone shouted. "Wapol doesn't deserve to be called king!"
"That tyrant abandoned us! He left us to die in the snow while he fled!"
More and more villagers joined the chorus, their torches raised high.
"But… should we really do this without Wilton's approval?" one villager asked hesitantly.
His voice was drowned out by the crowd.
"What are you afraid of? He's just a frozen lump. We'll set him on fire and be done with it."
"Yeah! He can't fight back now."
"Even if Wilton were here, he'd agree with us!"
Ignoring the few who urged caution, several villagers stepped forward and threw their torches onto the firewood surrounding Wapol's icy body.
Flames erupted with a whoosh, rising high into the night sky. The fire illuminated the villagers' faces—faces twisted with long-suppressed rage.
The villagers watched as the fire climbed higher, licking at Wapol's feet. The ice began to crack and melt, revealing scorched patches of skin.
It looked like justice was finally being served.
"See? I told you nothing would go wrong."
BOOM!
Before the words left the man's mouth, a cannonball exploded nearby, sending him flying backward.
Smoke and fire filled the air.
"Hahahaha! You pitiful fools!"
The voice was unmistakable.
From within the flames emerged Wapol, burnt, battered, and furious—but very much alive.
"I, King Wapol, have returned to reclaim my kingdom!" he bellowed.
He stood tall despite the damage to his body and clothing. His expression was arrogant and wild.
"Everything in this country belongs to me! Every house, every scrap of food, every villager—you're all mine!"
"Damn it! I knew this would happen!" someone cried.
The villagers, still in shock, scrambled for weapons and charged at Wapol.
But it was too late.
Using the power of his Munch-Munch Fruit, Wapol devoured nearby weapons and debris, fusing them with his body. A twisted amalgamation of metal and flesh took shape, and with a single attack, he knocked dozens of villagers to the ground.
The remaining villagers, terrified, were forced to send him back up the cable car, hoping someone at the castle could stop him.
At the castle gates…
Chopper paced nervously just outside. His mind was in turmoil.
He wanted to go with Leo and the Straw Hats. He wanted to see the world. But leaving Dr. Kureha, the woman who raised him… That wasn't easy.
Just then, the loud rattle of the cable car caught his attention.
Chopper's instincts kicked in, and he ducked behind a column.
From the cable car stepped Wilton, followed by Luffy and the rest of the crew.
"Wow, it's so high!" Luffy grinned, stepping dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.
Wilton laughed. "Come with me. Dr. Kureha is waiting inside the castle."
Chopper peeked out from his hiding spot, eyes wide. So these were Leo's companions? They looked a bit odd, but they gave off a warm and friendly vibe.
Then—
"Hmm?" Chopper's nose twitched. "That scent… Wapol?!"
BOOM!
The sound of a cannon echoed from behind the castle.
In the blink of an eye, Luffy and his crew spun around and bolted out the door.
Outside, a strange creature—part civet cat, part reindeer—stood firmly in Wapol's path.
"How dare some mutated rodent block my way?!" Wapol snarled. "I'll burn that ridiculous flag you hung!"
He glared at the Sakura-themed pirate flag flying atop the castle. The symbol filled him with fury.
"And you—who do you think you are?! You think you can protect this place?!"
Wapol unleashed a cannonball straight toward the flag.
BOOM!
"No!!" Chopper screamed.
The explosion sent flames bursting into the sky. The pirate flag, with its sakura blossom emblem, was torn from its mast and flung into the air.
As it fluttered down amidst the smoke and fire, a new battle was about to begin.
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