Inside the Heart Pirates' submarine, Law meticulously filled a notebook with his observations. He was so engrossed in his task that he didn't hear Lami's knock. She entered and called out to Law.
"Brother, are you at it again?"
"Lami? I've told you to knock."
"I did. You just didn't hear me."
She shrugged and settled onto the edge of his bed.
Unfazed, Law continued writing. It was a routine he followed diligently, documenting everything he learned about the countries they visited, compiling information to share with their allies.
"This country has its merits, but… the king is atrocious."
"Indeed. So much could have been avoided if not for him."
They had visited several villages, each bearing similar scars. Houses burned and gnawed, tools bearing teeth marks.
The villagers unanimously blamed Wapol, the king of Drum, but the destruction seemed beyond human capabilities. If Dragon hadn't informed them about Wapol's Devil Fruit ability, Law would have found it hard to believe.
"Even a World Government affiliated nation, eligible to participate in the Reverie, is reduced to this. The world is a mess."
"Pirates are often better than kings," Lami remarked.
While pirates were technically enemies from the Revolutionary Army's perspective, Law and Lami held a different view, especially towards Twilight. They were their benefactors, after all, and no other organization, pirate or otherwise, contributed so significantly to the global economy. Calling them pirates felt strange.
Having finished his notes and reviewed them, Law heard a commotion in the corridor.
"Captain! Captaaain!"
"Bepo? That noisy furball."
Law opened the door, and Bepo rushed in.
"What is it? What's happened?"
"Straw Hat's back!"
"I see. Did he find what he was looking for?"
"No, apparently not, but… he brought back a blue-nosed reindeer and said, 'This is the doctor'."
"Huh?"
Law and Lami stared at Bepo, bewildered.
Following Bepo's suggestion to see for themselves, Law and Lami headed for the deck. The Straw Hats and Heart Pirates were assembled there. They seemed to be the last to arrive.
Penguin, noticing Law, cleared a path, revealing the "doctor" Luffy had brought back. Magnificent antlers, a beautiful brown coat, and… a blue nose. Aside from the unusual nose, it looked like an ordinary reindeer. Luffy, however, insisted it was a doctor.
"…It's a reindeer."
"I'm Chopper. Nice to meet you."
"It… it talked?!"
"I talk, so why is it strange for a reindeer to talk?"
"…I suppose you're right. So, another mink?"
"Nope, that isn't it," Bepo corrected.
Turning to Bepo, Law raised an eyebrow. Bepo, with a shrug, gestured towards Chopper.
The reindeer had transformed. It now stood on two legs, much shorter than before, its antlers and fur unchanged, but its body now more humanoid.
"…A raccoon?"
"I'm a reindeer!!"
"Maybe a Devil Fruit user? A reindeer Zoan?"
"Ah, I see."
Law nodded at Lami's suggestion, but Zepo shook his head.
"No. His original form is a reindeer."
"A reindeer? Then what Devil Fruit did he eat?"
"The Human-Human Fruit. He's a reindeer who gained human abilities. That's why he can talk and work as a doctor."
While the Human-Human Fruit likely had a specific model, they didn't know the details. The fact that Chopper's human form wasn't entirely human suggested it was a rare variant. They asked him to transform again, observing him closely. He didn't look human.
"More like a gorilla," Law muttered.
"Who are you calling a gorilla?! I'm a reindeer, dammit!!"
"Hey, Trafalgar! He's my nakama now! Don't insult him!"
"Hold on! He's your nakama now?! Explain yourselves!"
Usopp intervened and tried to get Luffy to explain, but realizing it was a lost cause, turned to Pedro.
Pedro nodded and recounted their encounter with Chopper and their subsequent alliance. Chopper was here to help them rescue Dr. Kureha, the last doctor in the Drum Kingdom, also known as Doctorine.
"I see… But why was she captured? She's evaded the Doctor Hunt for a long time. Is it finally catching up to her?"
"No. It's my fault she was captured."
"Your fault?"
Chopper recalled the events that led to their capture.
–Look, Doctorine! A new medical textbook!
–Don't be ridiculous. No one falls for such obvious traps.
–Whoa! A pitfall!
–I told you! What were you thinking, Chopper?!
"She was captured while saving me from a trap. I tried to help, but I was injured and barely escaped…"
Kureha had told him to run, and he had, despite his injuries. He had vowed to return for her within a few days, and was preparing for a rescue attempt when Luffy and his crew arrived.
"I see…"
"Do you know where the doctor is being held?"
"No. But I'm sure she's somewhere in the castle."
"Castle?"
"Yeah. That one."
Chopper pointed towards Drum Rock, a mountain towering over five thousand meters high. The path to the base was likely covered in deep snow. It wasn't a mountain for casual climbers.
"There's a castle on top of that mountain?! How are we supposed to get up there?!" Usopp exclaimed.
"The villagers said there's a ropeway connecting the mountain to several villages. That's how people travel up and down."
"A ropeway, huh? So we hijack it and ride up?" Zoro asked, already formulating a plan.
It was their only option. But hijacking the ropeway at the base would alert the castle. They would be walking into a trap. As expected, Vivi voiced her concerns.
"Wait! Stealing a ropeway and attacking the castle is too dangerous! Can't we negotiate?"
"Impossible," Law replied flatly.
"Impossible…? How can you be so sure?"
Law ignored Vivi's glare, calmly stated the facts. Expecting rational negotiations with a tyrant who orchestrated a Doctor Hunt was foolish. If he had any conscience, he wouldn't have resorted to such drastic measures in the first place. Moreover,
"You didn't enter the village, did you?"
"No. But what does that have to do with anything?"
"Long Nose did. Did you see any burned houses in the village?"
"Yeah, I thought there was a fire or something…"
"The king did that."
A hush fell over the group. While the Heart Pirates were aware of Wapol's actions, the Straw Hats were not. This difference in understanding explained Vivi's naive belief in negotiation. But reality was often harsh.
"Why would the king burn down houses?! What's the point…?"
"He eats them."
"Eats them?! He eats houses?!"
"Yes, literally. Didn't you find the way those houses collapsed strange?"
"Now that you mention it… there were teeth marks…"
"Even if he does eat houses, how big is this king? Is he a giant?"
Usopp and Sanji, exchanging glances, recalled the unusual damage they had seen. But eating houses…? And the teeth marks were unusually large.
"Why would anyone eat houses? Even for an omnivore, that's extreme," Sanji remarked, bewildered.
"I don't know. But I asked the villagers, and they all said the same thing. That's his Devil Fruit ability."
"Devil Fruit users are all freaks of nature…"
Wapol's destructive tendencies were well-known in every village. The villagers lived in constant fear, knowing they would have to beg the king for help if they fell ill due to the lack of doctors. Resentment simmered beneath the surface.
Law, turning to Vivi, asked,
"Do you still believe negotiation is possible, given these circumstances?"
"Well…"
Vivi looked shocked by the extent of Wapol's cruelty and fell silent with her gaze fixed on the ground.
There was no way to resolve this without force. The only reason the citizens hadn't revolted was either because they had become accustomed to oppression, or because they knew they were no match for the king's power.
If they could limit their actions to targeting the king and his men, sparing the citizens, it wouldn't be a problem for Law.
"Wapol has three close associates. Chess, the 'Evil Strategist'; Kuromarimo, the 'Evil Magistrate'; and Dalton, the 'Captain of the Guard.' They're said to be quite powerful."
"You're awfully helpful. What's your angle?"
"Just accept my kindness. I have my own reasons for disliking this king."
While the ideal approach would be to coordinate with his Revolutionary Army comrades, the urgency of the situation demanded immediate action. He despised rulers who exploited their people for personal gain. If their objective was to rescue the captured doctor, he and Luffy could cooperate.
"I'm willing to join forces, on the condition that we only target the king. And no harming civilians. If you can't agree to that, the alliance is off. What do you say, Straw Hat?"
"…"
"Is that a no?"
"No, I think he just doesn't understand,"
Usopp interjected. Luffy had his arms crossed and his lips tightly pressed together. Usopp was beginning to recognize this expression. It meant Luffy was completely lost. Though their journey together had been short, they had forged a bond, and Usopp's understanding of his captain was growing.
Law sighed at Usopp's words, then, simplifying his proposal, asked, "I'm asking if you're willing to form an alliance."
"So, you'll help us?"
"On the condition that we remove the king from power, and you don't harm any civilians. If you can't agree to that, there's no deal."
"You're awfully concerned about civilians for a pirate," Sanji remarked, surprised. Most pirates wouldn't hesitate to plunder the citizens.
"I'm not interested in plunder," Law replied. "My home island was destroyed by a similar tyrant. I can't stand the sight of them."
"So, it's personal, huh?"
Sanji understood Law's motivations, so he didn't press the issue further. Everyone had their reasons, their personal vendettas. Besides, having an ally against an entire nation was a welcome advantage.
"So, Mugiwara-ya, what do you say?"
"Sure. Let's do it."
"Luffy! You can't just agree to an alliance so easily!"
"But he's going to help us, right?"
"Luffy, betrayal is common in pirate alliances. Are you sure you can trust him?"
"What, are you saying you're going to betray us?"
"No."
"See? It's fine."
"Luffy!"
Zoro and Pedro's warnings fell on deaf ears. Luffy, having received Law's assurance, saw no reason to doubt him. He failed to grasp their concerns about potential betrayal, the worst-case scenario being a stab in the back. Entrusting Nami's safety to a potential enemy was a considerable risk. They needed someone to stay with her.
Sensing Pedro's thoughts, Zepo spoke up.
"I'll stay. Don't worry about your navigator, Vivi, and Karoo. I'll look after them."
"Thanks, Zepo."
He was the best choice, both in terms of combat ability and his limited medical knowledge. They could rely on him. The Heart Pirates, eager for action, began preparing their weapons, but Law silenced them.
"Only Lami and I are going."
"What?! Captain! We can help!"
"That's outrageous, Captain!"
"I'm leaving you in charge while we're gone. We can't stay in this country for long, whether we succeed or fail."
Besides, Luffy and his crew would be the main fighting force. Law and Lami would participate, but they weren't interested in fighting the rank and file.
"We're going after the king. We'll handle the officers, but you'll deal with the rest."
"We'll crush any number of small fries! We need a doctor for Nami-san!"
"We're ready. What about you?"
"We're ready too. Shall we go?"
"Alright, go get 'em!"
"You're going too, idiot."
Amidst the cheerful banter, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Pedro, Law, Lami, and Chopper disembarked, heading towards the village with the ropeway.
Zepo placed a reassuring hand on Vivi's shoulder as she anxiously watched them leave. "Don't worry."
But despite his comforting words, a sense of unease lingered.