Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Bai Ye, noticing Chopper's adorable appearance, couldn't help but feel cheerful. Brushing off the snow, he introduced himself and his crew with a friendly smile. "We're the Straw Hat Pirates, and we're on the lookout for a ship's doctor. Plus, my captain here is eager to invite a legendary snow monster to join us," Bai Ye explained kindly, squatting down to Chopper's level.
"But, I've got to ask," Bai Ye continued with a gentle tone, "how can a legendary Yeti be so charming and cute?"
Chopper's mind buzzed with a flurry of thoughts – pirates, a ship's doctor, a Yeti, and being called cute? Bai Ye had perfectly played into Chopper's interests and insecurities. Chopper, deeply influenced by his mentor Dr. Hiriluk, had always harbored positive feelings towards pirates. The mention of joining as a ship doctor intrigued him, but being called cute brought a flush to his cheeks and sent him scurrying behind a nearby rock. Peeking out and twisting himself, he feigned annoyance, "Stop it, it's embarrassing! Compliments won't work on me!"
Luffy, witnessing Chopper's bashful dance and words, was instantly captivated. He couldn't resist bounding over and scooping Chopper into a hearty hug. "Join us, Chopper! Be part of our crew!" Luffy exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.
Chopper, initially startled, found himself reminded of Dr. Hiriluk's joyful enthusiasm. Luffy's infectious smile stirred a sense of adventure and belonging in him.
Luffy, still beaming, playfully added, "Plus, you'd make a great emergency food supply! Imagine a raccoon feast!"
When Bai Ye heard Luffy's playful comment about Chopper being a potential food source, he couldn't help but think to himself, "Is Luffy really this clueless?" His thoughts were interrupted as Chopper, initially panicking, swiftly broke free from Luffy's hug. In his desperation, Chopper transformed into a massive reindeer-human hybrid, standing over two meters tall. With a swift punch, he knocked Luffy to the ground, asserting firmly, "I am not food!"
Bai Ye looked on, amused, thinking, "Even in this form, Chopper's still pretty adorable."
Luffy, far from being discouraged by the punch, sat up with eyes sparkling with excitement at Chopper's transformation. But suddenly, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Both Luffy and Bai Ye instinctively dodged, narrowly avoiding two sharp, flying scalpels. They retreated a few meters, cautiously eyeing the castle gate.
Standing there was an old woman, her slender frame belying her advanced age. Her face, deeply etched with wrinkles, contrasted sharply with her youthful attire. She wore a navel-baring shirt, a purple blazer, and low-riding pants, along with small sunglasses perched on her forehead, even as she wore regular glasses. Her left hand was adorned with various bracelets and rings, completing her unique and somewhat eccentric ensemble.
Still holding a scalpel in her hand, Kureha, the renowned witch of Drum Island, eyed Luffy and Bai Ye with a smile. Her gaze was sharp, filled with the kind of wisdom only acquired through years of experience. "Did you do something to my assistant?" she asked, her voice carrying an air of authority.
Before Bai Ye could articulate a response, Luffy, ever the straightforward and impulsive captain, blurted out, "Ah! Are you the witch that the guy in town told us about?" He studied Kureha with a serious expression, then unexpectedly added, "Get on my boat, my new mother-in-law!!"
Kureha's expression shifted from inquisitive to blank as she processed Luffy's words. Then, without a word, she approached Luffy, her face stoic. Suddenly, she delivered a powerful kick to Luffy's head, causing him to reel from the impact. "Be careful what you say, bastard!!" she exclaimed. "I'm just a young girl in my 130s!!"
Bai Ye, trying hard to contain his amusement, couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth. Kureha's gaze swiftly turned to him, her eyes as sharp as the scalpel she wielded. It was clear she was ready to strike at the slightest provocation.
With a friendly smile, Bai Ye said, "Sister is very skilled, and by the way, do you know about us?" He was careful with his words, hoping to avoid the same fate as Luffy.
Kureha's demeanor lightened at the word "sister." "You're pretty good at talking," she remarked, her mood visibly brightening. She looked up at Bai Ye and continued, "Besides, I'm not so outdated that I don't read newspapers. The most famous Supernova Pirates during this period, the Straw Hat Pirates, I definitely know about you."
Her gaze then drifted to Luffy, who was still recovering from her kick. Kureha seemed particularly intrigued by the straw hat-wearing young man. She thought to herself, "He is the boy who walked out of the ruins of Pirate King's execution platform." Having lived for 140 years, Kureha was well aware of Roger's legend and the significance of Luffy's actions.
Chopper, tucked away in his hiding spot, listened intently, a hint of surprise in his eyes. The words he overheard sparked a curiosity within him. "Are they really pirates? The kind of pirates Dr. Hiriluk spoke of?" He didn't realize it yet, but he was already intrigued by Luffy and Bai Ye.
Bai Ye, noticing Chopper's interest, gave him an encouraging smile. Meanwhile, Luffy, undeterred by the previous kick, approached Kureha again with his unique blend of enthusiasm and naivety. "Let's go on an adventure together, mother-in-law!!" he exclaimed cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to his earlier mistake.
Kureha, less than amused, responded with another swift kick, sending Luffy tumbling away once more. She then pulled out a wine bottle from her waist, took a swig, and muttered, "Really, don't young people nowadays respect their elders at all?"
Bai Ye, tactful as ever, produced a bottle of his special spirit wine and offered it to Kureha. "If Miss Kureha enjoys a good drink, perhaps you'd like to try this?" he suggested confidently.
The moment the lid was off, the rich aroma of the spirit wine tantalized Kureha's senses. As a seasoned doctor and connoisseur of alcohol, she immediately recognized the wine's exceptional quality and potential health benefits. "As expected of Priest Bai Ye, you really have some divine creations," she remarked, impressed. Accepting the bottle, she took a sip and began walking towards the castle, savoring the rejuvenating sensation that flowed through her with each gulp of the spirit wine.
Bai Ye, seizing the moment, gestured to Luffy to follow Kureha inside. As they passed Chopper's hiding place, Bai Ye reassured the little reindeer. "Don't worry, my captain is only joking. He won't really make you a food reserve. He deeply values his friends."
Luffy, hearing Bai Ye's words, simply grinned in agreement. Chopper, peeking out from behind the boulder, pondered over this new information. The idea of friendship was a novel one to him, especially considering how he'd always been viewed as a monster. "Friend?" he thought to himself, a mixture of hope and uncertainty in his heart. "Can someone like me really have friends?"
-----
Inside the grand castle, the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Kureha, Luffy, and Bai Ye sat comfortably around a sturdy table, the room echoing with the occasional chuckle from Kureha.
After another hearty sip of the spirit wine, Kureha turned her eyes to Bai Ye, her gaze curious and slightly impressed. "Did you concoct this delightful wine?" she inquired, her voice tinged with admiration.
Bai Ye responded with a humble nod, his demeanor calm and composed. "Yes, it's a little technique from my Daoist practices. Nothing too extraordinary," he replied modestly.
Kureha, still savoring the rejuvenating effects of the wine, couldn't help but probe further. "With such an exquisite brew, I assume you're not here to snatch away my secret to everlasting youth," she half-joked, a twinkle in her eye.
Bai Ye assured her, "Our visit here has a different purpose. As Luffy mentioned earlier, we're in search of a skilled ship's doctor for our crew."
Luffy, ever the enthusiastic one, leaned forward with bright eyes, full of hope and excitement. "Exactly! You should join my crew and sail the seas with us!"
Kureha, taking another leisurely sip of the wine, shook her head slightly with a chuckle. "A pirate? You must be joking. The sea holds no allure for me. However, if it's a ship doctor you're after, I might have someone in mind." Her smile grew wider, hinting at her confidence in her protégé. "He's learned all I know about medicine!"