Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Goodbyes are often tinged with a hint of sadness, yet they also bring with them the excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead on new adventures. Near the sled, Chopper, now in his four-legged reindeer form, turned to Luffy and Bai Ye. "Luffy, Bai Ye, come on, hop aboard quickly. I'll take you down the mountain," he said eagerly.
To the locals on the island, it appeared as if a witch was descending from the sky on a sleigh. But in reality, it was just Chopper, dashing along the chain with the sled. Luffy looked curiously at Chopper, now transformed, and then at the sled. After a moment, he turned to Bai Ye with a wide grin, brimming with excitement. "Let's fly down, Bai Ye!!"
Bai Ye, knowing Luffy well, teased, "I'm sure you're just looking for an excuse to have a snowball fight again…"
Luffy, unable to hide his enthusiasm, replied with a chuckle, "Heheheh, Yeah."
Chopper, having reverted to his adorable form, looked at the two of them curiously. "You guys flew up here before, how did you do that?" he asked, full of wonder.
Instead of answering right away, Bai Ye stepped forward and, to Chopper's surprise, gave him a big hug. Chopper, trying to maintain his composure, protested, "Bastard... Bai Ye, even if you hug me, I won't be happy." But Bai Ye wasn't fazed by Chopper's feigned annoyance and calmly prepared his technique while still holding Chopper.
Bai Ye spoke with a hint of mystery in his voice, "You should experience it for yourself."
Xun Gua – Glorious Phoenix
Bai Ye, Chopper, and Luffy soared into the sky.
Chopper couldn't contain his amazement, exclaiming, "Wow ah ah!" Even Luffy, who had experienced this before, was thrilled with the sensation and began to test the limits of Bai Ye's wind control technique with mid-air acrobatics.
Luffy's excitement was infectious, "Wow!!" To Bai Ye's surprise, Chopper, too, joined in the excitement, letting out a similar cry of delight as Luffy. He stopped struggling against Bai Ye's embrace and clutched Bai Ye's arm, peering down in awe. When he realized he was truly flying, his eyes sparkled with wonder and excitement, marveling, "Is this what it feels like to fly?"
In a moment that felt both thrilling and surreal, Chopper sensed Bai Ye, who was holding him, begin to move in a way that felt like he was gently squatting down. Bai Ye's voice, tinged with a hint of amusement, floated to him, "So, do you want to feel it for yourself?" He looked at Chopper, planning to slowly set him down on the cushion of wind beneath them.
Chopper's grip on Bai Ye's arm remained firm, a sign of his reluctance to let go immediately. With cautious curiosity, Chopper extended his little hoof downward, exploring the unfamiliar sensation beneath him. The snowflakes, mingling with the wind, provided a unique surface for him to test his footing.
He started by tentatively stomping his hoof down, then quickly pulling it back up. Then, he pressed down a bit harder, before retracting his hoof even faster. After repeating this process several times, Chopper finally mustered the courage to release his hold on Bai Ye and stood firmly on the air.
As he felt the sensation of standing mid-air, Chopper's exploration turned into a display of childlike wonder and novelty. It was as if he was experiencing the joy of playing with a new toy for the first time. Bai Ye watched this scene with a warm smile. In his eyes, it didn't matter whether Chopper was the ship's doctor or not; his endearing nature made him simply too cute to overlook.
In the midst of this moment, Luffy's voice suddenly called out, breaking into their airborne adventure. "Chopper!!" he shouted, drawing their attention.
As Chopper looked up, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a snow-white ball zooming towards him at an incredible speed. SPLAT! The snowball hit its mark, and Luffy's laughter echoed in the air. "Ha ha ha ha! Let's have a snowball fight together!!" he exclaimed with sheer joy.
Caught off guard by Luffy's sudden playful attack, Chopper's initial shyness and fear vanished. Embracing the moment, he transformed into his human-reindeer form, ready to take on Luffy in a spirited snowball fight. Bai Ye, observing the playful scene, cautioned them, "Luffy, Chopper, remember to not overdo the fight."
Luffy, caught up in the excitement, was about to respond when SPLAT! Another snowball hit Bai Ye, leaving his face covered in snow and a few wrinkles of annoyance on his forehead. "Looks like you haven't learned your lesson yet, you rascal Luffy!! And you, Chopper, brace yourself for the challenge, you little scamp!" With that, Bai Ye found himself drawn into the snowball battle.
There, in the sky above Drum Island, the three of them engaged in a spirited snowball fight, unknowingly starting a bizarre local legend about three flying snow monsters.
Eventually, the trio landed "safely" back on solid ground. Bai Ye, brushing snow off his Daoist robe, couldn't help but offer a word of caution. "Next time you want to play, be sure not to accidentally hurt others," he advised them gently. Looking at Luffy and Chopper, whose faces now resembled swollen pig heads, he added, "Otherwise, the consequences won't be pleasant, hehe."
In response, Luffy and Chopper, looking a bit sheepish, apologized in unison, "We are extremely sorry~~~" Bai Ye couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
-----
Upon their return to the small town, Bai Ye quickly noticed Nami and the rest of the group. However, as the trio approached them, it became apparent that something unusual had happened. Vivi, looking extremely worried, cried out, "Karoo!!!" The group had formed a tight circle around something at the center, their faces etched with concern.
In the midst of the group, they saw Karoo, the large duck, completely encased in solid ice, resembling an ice sculpture. The sight was both startling and bizarre.
Sanji, with a cigarette in hand, remarked casually, "Speaking of which, the taste of frozen duck might actually be quite good." His comment didn't sit well with Vivi. She immediately protested, "Karoo is not food, hey, someone do something about this!!"
Zoro, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, looked at Karoo and said, "Maybe it accidentally fell into the river, haha!" His attempt at humor, however, only succeeded in further upsetting Vivi. She retorted, clearly frustrated, "How about showing a little sympathy!!"
It seemed that Zoro's mocking words somehow reached Karoo. From within the icy enclosure, several muffled quacks could be heard. "Quack quack ~ quack ~" The sounds, though faint, indicated that Karoo was still very much alive inside his chilly prison.
As they stood around the frozen Karoo, a child's voice suddenly broke the silence, explaining the situation with Karoo. "When Karoo saw Zoro jump into the river to swim and then suddenly disappear, Karoo got really worried and jumped in to rescue him." This revelation brought a new understanding to the group.
Nami, upon hearing this, quickly stepped behind Zoro and delivered a sharp punch to the back of his head. "So it's your fault, you jerk. Apologize!" she demanded. However, she soon noticed something odd. Zoro, usually reactive to such hits, didn't clutch his head in pain but instead stared intently in another direction.
Following his gaze, Nami turned around and was surprised to see Chopper looking at them timidly. "Hello, I'm Tony Tony Chopper. It's..." Chopper began, but before he could finish, the group took a step back in shock.
Usopp exclaimed, "A yeti???" Nami added, "It can talk!!" And Zoro questioned, "A raccoon???" Chopper, taken aback by their reactions, corrected them, "I'm a reindeer, not a raccoon, you jerks!!"
After some explanation, the crew finally understood Chopper's identity. Zoro and Sanji couldn't help but glance at Bai Ye and Luffy, thinking incredulously, "Luffy's plan to have a ship's doctor and this snow creature join the crew has actually worked?!"
Nami and Vivi, on the other hand, were delighted with Chopper's arrival. To them, Chopper's cuteness was irresistible.
In the midst of this new excitement, everyone temporarily forgot about Karoo, still encased in ice. If Chopper hadn't heard its faint quacking for help, the poor duck might have really ended up on a dinner table.