Law wasn't one to mince words or back down from speaking his mind.
But his bluntness clearly unsettled the innkeeper, Bock.
"Shh!" Bock hushed, nervously glancing around before leaning in closer to Law and whispering, "Look, even though you gave Wapol a good thrashing, as long as he's still breathing and sitting on that throne, we subjects have no choice but to obey him. You and Takumi aren't from Drum Kingdom, so you'll leave eventually. But until then, it's best if you don't stir up any more trouble. Otherwise, it might spill over onto the rest of us."
Kureha chuckled, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Hehehehe, admit it, you're just scared they'll drag you down with them. This country is sick, but the people here are too broken down and bitter to do anything about it. No one dares to stand up and fight back. There's only one fool, a so-called doctor that you all despise and chase away like a plague. He's deluded himself into thinking he can cure this rotting kingdom with his half-baked experiments. You all label him a curse, the bane of Drum Kingdom. And yet, it's this very 'curse' who naively dreams of saving you cowardly fools. It's laughable."
Kureha took another swig of her drink, leaving Bock flustered and red-faced.
"That man? He can't even save himself, let alone anyone else!" Bock spat out, clenching his fists. "If he really wanted to help us, he'd stop making those damn potions that only make people sicker!"
"Hehehehe," Kureha laughed again, her tone almost pitying. "His medical skills are indeed pathetic, and he knows it too. But he keeps going, driven by this absurd belief that one day, he'll create a cure-all, a miracle drug that can heal anything. He fails over and over, yet he clings to this impossible dream, convinced that nothing is out of reach. In a way, he's just as hopeless as this kingdom."
Law, frowning slightly, broke his silence. "Even if he's a lousy doctor, he's still a doctor, isn't he? If there really was a medicine that could cure everything, doctors wouldn't be needed anymore. He should understand that better than anyone."
"Hmm…" Kureha's gaze settled on Law, her interest piqued. "That's why I said he's a hopeless quack. He knows full well that no such medicine exists, yet he still stubbornly chases after it. Finding another fool like him would be a rare feat. So, kid, it sounds like you've got some knowledge of medicine yourself?"
A small smile played on Law's lips as he replied, "I'm still in the process of mastering more advanced techniques. Since you're the oldest and most experienced doctor on Drum Island, you must have a wealth of medical knowledge. Over the past two months, I've gone through every medical book I could find in the local towns, but there are some things I still don't fully grasp. If you have the time, would you be willing to teach me?"
"Hehehehe, and why would I do that? My medical skills aren't something just anyone can learn. So, move along, kid!" Kureha shot back, draining her bottle and brushing past Law as she headed toward the nearest town.
Law watched her retreating figure, his brow furrowed in thought.
Takumi knew exactly what was going through Law's mind. Over the past two months, Law had stuck to him like a shadow, rarely speaking unless necessary. Even though Takumi had grown accustomed to solitude, the presence of a constant companion, however quiet, was still a bit irritating.
This was the perfect opportunity to shake him off.
Takumi knew Kureha's true nature all too well. Despite her sharp tongue and seemingly cold demeanor, she was anything but heartless. Beneath that tough exterior was a woman of principle, someone who could discern right from wrong with a firm sense of justice.
"Go ahead," Takumi said quietly.
Law blinked, turning to Takumi. "What did you say?"
"Her skills are worth learning," Takumi replied calmly. "Opportunities like this don't come around often. You don't have time to hesitate."
Bock chimed in, nodding in agreement. "I may not like that old hag, but her medical expertise is top-notch. Takumi's right, Law. If you're serious about learning more advanced and useful medical skills, you should take this chance and seek out Kureha before you leave Drum Island."
Law hesitated, battling his inner thoughts for a moment before clenching his fists and looking at Takumi. "I'm going, then."
Takumi chuckled softly. "Where you go is your choice."
With a determined nod, Law took off in the direction Kureha had gone.
"Guess we should head back to Cocoa Weed Town too," Bock said with a sigh of relief.
But just then, Hiriluk's voice echoed from the nearby pine forest.
"Hey! Has that old hag Kureha already left?"
Bock, panicking at the sight of Hiriluk's return, tried to grab Takumi's hand to make a quick getaway, but Takumi deftly avoided his grasp, leaving Bock momentarily stunned. "That crazy quack's back! We should get out of here, quick!" Bock urged.
"Hey, hey! Who are you calling a crazy quack?" Hiriluk growled as he marched over, clearly annoyed.
Trailing behind him was Chopper, now back in his small reindeer form.
Takumi's gaze softened as he watched Chopper.
So, in the end, Hiriluk had won Chopper over.
Noticing Takumi's stare, Chopper quickly hid behind Hiriluk, once again only managing to cover half of his head while leaving the rest of his body exposed.
Seeing that Takumi wasn't moving, Bock hastily excused himself, muttering, "I'm out of here," before bolting back toward Cocoa Weed Town.
"That old coward!" Hiriluk cursed under his breath before turning his attention to Takumi.
Noticing that Takumi was staring at something behind him, Hiriluk glanced over his shoulder and saw Chopper awkwardly trying to hide. He couldn't help but chuckle. "Chopper, you're doing it wrong again…"
"!" Chopper gasped in realization, quickly shifting his body to fully hide behind Hiriluk, with only half his face peeking out to watch Takumi.
Hiriluk shook his head with a smile before looking back at Takumi. "I gave this little guy a name—Tony Tony Chopper. Pretty good, right?"
Takumi gave a small nod of approval.
Hiriluk beamed. "Isn't that great, Chopper? See? There are still people who aren't afraid of you, who won't hurt you. This guy here seems like a good person, so there's no need to hide. Come on out."
Chopper blinked his big eyes, cautiously stepping out from behind Hiriluk. His face flushed slightly with a mix of happiness and embarrassment as he stammered, "Um, thanks... for what you did this morning."
"No problem," Takumi replied nonchalantly.
Hiriluk's grin froze for a moment, his eyes widening in surprise as he suddenly jumped back. "Wait, what?! Chopper, you can talk?! Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
But before Chopper could respond, another realization hit Hiriluk like a ton of bricks. "Hold on a second! You two already know each other? I thought Chopper didn't have any friends. What the heck is going on here?!"
******
Support me on Ko-fi at ko-fi.com/gered to read up to chapter 108!