Chopper's wide eyes remained fixed on the top of the castle.
There, fluttering in the wind, was the pirate flag—a flag that symbolized his beloved doctor's dreams and ideals. The explosion had nearly torn it apart, but it still soared, tattered yet proud, against the snowy sky.
Then—out of nowhere—an elastic arm stretched high and caught the flag before it could fall.
Luffy appeared in a flash, standing exactly where the flag had flown moments ago. He tied it securely using his scarf and raised it once again, as if replanting the ideals it stood for.
"Heh," Luffy said with a grin. "I don't know why, but my gut tells me…"
Gripping the flagpole tightly with one hand, he stared down at Wapol with contempt. "This flag can't be destroyed by a coward like you."
Wapol's face twisted in rage. "What… did you say?!"
He shook with fury, veins bulging from his forehead. "You damn pirates! I already told you—this is my kingdom!!"
"How dare you mock me and raise that flag again! I'll destroy every last scrap of it!"
Wapol had seen Luffy earlier, but he hadn't taken him seriously. As far as he was concerned, as long as that terrifying guy Leo didn't show up, he had nothing to fear.
BOOM!
Another cannon roared.
A massive shell launched through the air, heading straight for Luffy.
CLANG!
BOOM!
Before the shell could reach its target, it exploded mid-air.
Zoro descended calmly from above, sword still drawn. His expression was ice cold.
"A king, huh?" Zoro muttered, eyeing Wapol. "Trash like you doesn't even deserve a single swing."
The message was clear—someone like Wapol wasn't even worth a fight. One strike was all it took.
Wapol's eyes burned with hatred as he watched Zoro land gracefully in the snow. "How dare you be so disrespectful to your king!"
At that moment, Leo appeared beside Chopper and gently helped him to his feet.
"Chopper," Leo said with a calm, confident smile, "go save your country. Go beat that guy."
He placed a hand on Chopper's antlers—antlers engraved with luminous magic patterns. "We're right behind you. Use what I gave you."
Chopper met Leo's eyes, then nodded firmly.
"Mm!"
He clenched his small hooves, turned, and sprinted toward Wapol. As he ran, his body shifted into his beast form—but this transformation was different.
Very different.
His antlers had become streamlined and graceful, glowing with a green aura. A gentle life force radiated from them, enveloping him in an ethereal brilliance.
Wherever his hooves landed, fresh green grass sprouted—defying the icy ground beneath him.
It was like watching a divine deer from legend.
The winter air around him shifted, warming into a soft spring breeze. A sweet, healing fragrance spread gently across the battlefield.
Only Leo knew the true reason behind this transformation.
BANG!
Without stopping, Chopper burst forward at top speed. Like a flash of emerald light, he crashed into Wapol with the momentum of a falling star.
A powerful boom echoed across the mountain.
Wapol had no time to react.
The body he had strengthened through his Munch-Munch Fruit was folded in half on impact, and he was hurled through the air like a ragdoll. He vanished into the distance, leaving behind a crater in the snow.
"Transformation… What a funny raccoon cat!!" Luffy laughed, jumping down from the castle.
Chopper, now back in his smaller hybrid form, looked adorably fierce.
Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So cool! You can transform!"
"I'm a reindeer!!" Chopper shouted, puffing out his chest. "Look at my horns!"
But the villagers—led by Dalton—were still uneasy.
Startled by Chopper's sudden transformation, they instinctively reached for their guns.
Dalton quickly stepped forward to explain, but Chopper panicked and bolted into the snow.
Luffy, of course, chased after him with a big grin.
Meanwhile, Leo calmly approached Vivi and the others, explaining everything about Chopper's true identity and his bond with the Straw Hat Crew. With that done, he turned back into the castle and handed a key to the eccentric but ultimately kind-hearted Dr. Kureha.
By the time Leo had packed everything and brought Nami outside, the sun had begun to set.
A golden glow washed over the mountain, and a calm silence settled in.
Dalton and the other villagers had been called away by Dr. Kureha earlier, likely to give Chopper and her some time alone.
As for Chopper, Leo guessed he was probably saying goodbye to his surrogate mother.
"Hey, shouldn't we go say goodbye too?" Luffy asked, balancing on a giant snowball. Nami stood nearby, looking much healthier.
"With that doctor and the big uncle Dalton…"
"Idiot," Nami cut him off. "Let Chopper handle it alone."
She wore a thick winter coat and cozy gloves, looking both warm and confident.
"They'll cry and hug each other like crazy," she said with a smile. "Dr. Kureha has always treated Chopper like her own child."
Usopp clapped his hands, brushing snow off his gloves after finishing a snowman. "So… are we leaving now?"
"Of course," Nami replied. "We came here looking for a doctor. Now that we've found one, it's time to head straight to Alabasta."
She turned to Vivi and added, "Right? We've already been delayed for two days."
Vivi nodded, smiling brightly. "Yeah, and with a doctor on board, we're more ready than ever."
---
Meanwhile…
Whoosh!
A kitchen knife embedded itself into the wall right beside Chopper.
He gulped and turned slowly, breaking into a cold sweat.
"Doctor Doriel… please calm down…"
"How dare you! You call yourself a man? You little brat!!" Dr. Kureha yelled, grabbing more knives and tossing them expertly—none of them aimed to actually hit him.
"WAHHH!!" Chopper screamed, eyes wide. He turned and fled, hooves scrambling across the wooden floor.
Villagers nearby, who were still moving artillery from earlier, were caught in the chaos and ran for cover as Kureha continued her rampage.
Holding a huge mace now, she chased after Chopper with full fury.
"What the hell can you even do out at sea, huh?! You think you'll survive with dreams and fairy tales like that quack?!"
"I'm sorry, Doctor Doriel!" Chopper yelled as he sprinted ahead, transforming into his divine deer form again and pulling a wooden sled behind him.
"But the doctor's dream wasn't a fantasy! His research is complete! I saw it with my own eyes!"
The sled whipped through the snow, and Chopper shouted, "Everyone, jump on! We're heading down the mountain!"
"Ahhhh!" Luffy and the others, seeing Chopper zooming past, leaped onto the sled one by one.
As they sped down the mountain under the light of a full moon, a strange calm fell upon the snowy peaks.
Then, from the summit of Drum Peak, a miracle began to unfold.
Cherry blossom-like pink snowflakes began to fall from the sky, glowing softly as they danced in the wind.
Chopper brought the sled to a halt.
He looked up, stunned.
The cold wind was now mixed with warm air currents, and pink petals swirled around them like magic.
Somewhere in the distance, he could hear his beloved doctor's voice whispering through the air.
"Doctor… Doctor Doriel…"
Tears welled up in Chopper's eyes. His small body trembled as sobs overtook him.
"Waaaaahhhh…"
A boy who had never dared to step outside his home.
A creature called a monster all his life.
A reindeer who had never had friends.
Now, he had a crew.
Now, he had a family.
Now, he had a future.
In that moment, with pink snow drifting all around him and the doctor's memory lingering in his heart, Tony Tony Chopper cried tears of joy and sorrow all at once.
And far above, lit by starlight and illuminated by the glow of blooming sakura snow, the voice of Dr. Kureha echoed faintly in the wind—
"Go on, you silly son… go and see the world."
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