One Piece: Rayquaza of the Beasts Pirates

"Hiruluk, I'm going back..."

Before Chopper could finish his excited words, the entire deer froze on the spot, his voice abruptly cut off.

The room was empty, and all the experimental equipment had been carefully organized and arranged in an orderly manner.

This is not Hiluluk's habit.

An ominous premonition instantly gripped Chopper's heart.

Just now.

Snapped!

The door was pushed open again.

A tall, elderly woman with gray hair, wearing a crop top despite the heavy snow, appeared before the crowd.

Chopper turned around at the sound and looked at the person who had come in with shock.

"Doctor Doriel?"

"Chopper?"

Dr. Kureha, known as Doctor Kureha, had no interest in Kane and his group of strangers at the moment.

Her sharp gaze swept quickly around the empty room, her brows furrowing tightly: "Where is Hiruluk?"

“He’s not here.” Chopper shook his head blankly.

"Oh no! That complete idiot!"

Kureha's expression changed, and she couldn't help but curse loudly.

Only then did she notice the wounds and bloodstains covering Chopper's body, and her expression turned even more grim: "Chopper, how did you get these injuries? Can you still walk?"

Chopper, who had a vague suspicion in his heart, immediately wiped the blood seeping from his forehead and answered loudly, "I can do it! Doctor Kureha, has something happened to Hiluluk?"

"That idiot has probably fallen for Wapol's trap and is now walking right into the royal city's snare!"

Kureha rebuked Hiruluk for his naiveté with a sense of disappointment.

Everyone on Drum Island knows what kind of person Wahlbo is.

All 20 doctors in the castle are sick. If they aren't treated soon, the entire Drum Kingdom will be without doctors...

This message, riddled with holes, was clearly a trap set by Wapol to lure her and Hiluluk.

Wapol was definitely planning to lure them into a trap and then capture them all at once.

In this way, the Drum Kingdom is left with only his so-called "Doctor 20".

From then on, the residents of Drum Island had no choice but to grovel at Wapol's feet in order to get medical treatment.

You idiot! You moron! You hopeless moron!

Kureha continued to curse in her mind.

"Doctor Doriel, please sit down."

Over here, Chopper had already transformed into his beast form without hesitation, bent down his forelegs, and beckoned Kureha to ride on his back.

(A little tidbit: Chopper's everyday form is actually his human-beast form.)

Kureha didn't waste any words, and with a swift movement, she flipped over and sat steadily on Chopper's back.

The next moment, the man and the deer shot off like arrows, their figures quickly disappearing into the vast snowstorm, leaving Kane and his group in the room looking at each other, completely bewildered.

Wow! Chopper can transform!

Yamato was the first to react; she pointed in the direction Chopper had disappeared, her eyes sparkling.

Kane's lips twitched slightly.

So, is that all you're interested in?

"It sounds like there's something interesting going on over there. Should we go check it out?"

Kane raised his eyebrows with interest and extended an invitation to his companions.

"Of course I'll go!"

Everyone responded in unison.

There's really nothing to do in this empty treehouse. Kureha, whom they were looking for, has already left. It would be great to go out and have some fun (gossip).

……

The City of Ceramic Drums.

Despite being called a royal city, it is actually a magnificent castle standing atop Cigu Peak.

In front of the castle gate, a group of soldiers were already standing ready, lined up in a row. In the center of the soldiers' ranks were twenty doctors, who were also fully armed.

At the very front of the procession, a man with a bloated, ball-like body, wearing a metal armor, dark purple hair, and a huge mouth with his chin modified into a metal cylinder, was riding on the back of a massive hippopotamus.

It is none other than Walpo, the current king of the Drum Kingdom.

On either side of Wahlbo stood Dalton on one side and his two trusted henchmen, Jess and Cromarimon, on the other.

Across from them stood a solitary figure dressed in a black overcoat and top hat.

He had an extremely exaggerated hairstyle, with a thick, long hair column protruding from the top and sides of his head.

Hiluluk, a man's name.

He came with the naive idea of ​​curing "Doctor 20", but the moment he saw the scene on the other side, he realized that he had fallen into Wapol's carefully laid trap.

But he wasn't angry about being deceived.

He came with the possibility that the news might be true.

"No one is sick, that's great. Nothing serious will happen to this country. Thankfully... it was just a prank to lure me out."

The man muttered to himself.

His tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and Hiruluk's body went limp. He involuntarily knelt on the cold snow, and warm tears uncontrollably soaked his eyes.

"Ha... Are you so scared that your legs go weak? Useless trash."

Wapol picked his nose dismissively, casually waving his free hand behind him.

wow——

With a series of synchronized mechanical sounds, all the soldiers simultaneously raised their muskets, the dark muzzles pointing directly at the man who was determined to heal the country.

Facing the imminent threat of death, Hiruluk seemed oblivious, simply sitting cross-legged and opening his briefcase.

Inside were some basic medical equipment and a bottle of wine that he had prepared beforehand.

He took out a wine bottle and a wine cup, and poured himself a full glass.

Then, without fear, he looked at the murderous soldiers and, with all his might, uttered a deafening declaration: "You cannot kill me!"

"When do you think a person dies? When their heart is shot through?"

"wrong!"

Is it the time when one has contracted an incurable disease?

"wrong!"

"It's when a person...is completely forgotten by the world!!"

As Hiruluk's thunderous declarations resounded across the snowfield, a subtle commotion began to emerge in the previously orderly ranks of soldiers and doctors, with many showing hesitation and wavering on their faces.

Hiluluk paid no attention to their reactions.

He raised his wine cup high, a genuine and joyful smile spreading across his face, as if he were at a grand feast.

"Even if I disappear, my dream will still come true! It will surely save the hearts of the people!"

"My life... is so wonderful!"

At that moment, his smile was pure and radiant, as if he were facing not the executioner who would take his life, but a dear friend who had come to see him off.

He wanted to use the last of his life to offer a final, powerful remedy to this ailing country.

I'm sorry, Chopper.

Please forgive me for driving you away in that way...

A deep sadness flashed across Hiruluk's eyes.

Without further hesitation, he brought the wine cup filled with liquid to his lips.

Snapped--

A crisp cracking sound suddenly rang out.

The wine cup in Hiruluk's hand seemed to be hit by an invisible bullet, instantly shattering into pieces. The wine inside splashed everywhere, landing on the white snow and spreading out in a dazzling wet patch.

"Oh dear, if you die, how am I supposed to explain this to Chopper?"

A slightly troubled male voice rang out leisurely: "That little guy is really hoping I can cure your terminal illness."

Chapter 138 Wapol

"Cairne the Cataclysm!"

Dalton gasped in surprise, his right hand instinctively gripping the massive shovel tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Is the thing I feared most about going to happen?

Wahlbo, standing to the side, had no idea what Dalton was thinking; he just found the man who had suddenly appeared opposite him particularly annoying.

Damn, how dare he be so handsome?

Wahlbo pointed at Kane nonchalantly and loudly ordered Dalton, "Dalton, go and kill this pretty boy who appeared out of nowhere!"

"Huh? Me?"

Upon hearing the order, Dalton looked at the king in disbelief.

"Nonsense! Who else could it be but you? You're the captain of the kingdom's guard!"

Wahlbo glanced at Dalton impatiently, his tone threatening, "Do you intend to disobey my orders? Remember, I am the king!"