The man feverishly promoting his newly concocted "miracle cure" was none other than the so-called quack doctor, Hiriluk.
"Mr. Bock, this cure is guaranteed to work! Just give it a try. I won't even charge you!" Hiriluk exclaimed, chasing after Bock with unrestrained enthusiasm.
In contrast to Doctor Kureha, who was known for her exceptional medical skills and steep fees, Hiriluk's free treatments were more akin to a living nightmare for the people of Drum Island. His so-called miracle cures had a notorious reputation for worsening conditions rather than improving them.
Naturally, the people of Drum Island would rather suffer their ailments untreated than risk letting Hiriluk anywhere near them.
"Come on, don't run away!" Hiriluk continued his relentless pursuit of Bock, the two of them circling around Takumi, Law, and Kureha as if in a bizarre game of tag.
"What an idiot. Hehehehe…" Kureha chuckled, taking another swig from her bottle.
Both Takumi and Law watched the scene unfold with matching expressions of exasperation.
Meanwhile, hidden behind a nearby pine tree, a figure peered out cautiously. It was Chopper, in his humanoid form, torn between his desire to approach them and his fear of being seen.
Noticing the gaze directed at him, Takumi turned to look straight at Chopper. Startled, Chopper stumbled backward and fell to the ground. As he scrambled back to his feet and realized Takumi was still watching him, he panicked, spun around twice, and attempted to hide behind the tree again, all while sneaking another peek at Takumi.
Following Takumi's line of sight, Law's eyes landed on Chopper. A drop of sweat formed on his brow. "What's that guy doing? Why is he hiding behind a tree with only half his face covered, while the rest of him is out in the open?"
"Eh?!" Chopper yelped, hearing Law's comment. Flustered, he slowly tried to conceal his exposed body behind the tree, eventually peeking out with just half his face showing again.
Law sighed. "Seriously, what is he doing? We've already seen him, so why is he still trying to hide? Is this the guy you've been searching for?" Law asked, turning to Takumi.
Takumi simply smiled without saying a word.
At this point, Kureha and the others had also noticed Chopper. While Kureha and Hiriluk seemed unperturbed, the innkeeper Bock's face went pale, fear overtaking his features. "That... that's the snowman everyone's been talking about! Are we being targeted by this monster?"
The word "monster" caused a noticeable shift in Chopper's demeanor. His previously cautious and nervous expression was swiftly replaced by one of deep fear and anxiety.
Before Law could tell Bock to stop talking, Hiriluk had already stepped in, placing himself between Chopper and the others. "Stop it, Bock! Can't you see that kid is fragile right now? He's not a monster!"
Bock blinked in confusion.
Hiriluk turned toward Chopper, slowly approaching him. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you," he said gently.
Chopper stared at Hiriluk, stunned.
But then, Hiriluk tripped on seemingly nothing, landing flat on his face. His briefcase hit the ground, springing open and spilling its contents, including a tranquilizer gun.
The moment Chopper saw the gun, terror took hold of him. He bolted, sprinting into the forest as fast as his legs could carry him.
Hiriluk scrambled to his feet, abandoning his belongings as he ran after Chopper. "Wait! Don't run! It's just a tranquilizer! I'm not going to hurt you, I swear!"
"He's really chasing after the snowman... Hiriluk must be out of his mind!" Bock said, watching Hiriluk's retreating figure with a mix of fear and disbelief.
Kureha took another swig of her drink and laughed heartily. "Hehehehe, what a busybody of a quack."
"Uh, is it okay for that weird man to chase after him?" Law asked, glancing at Takumi. He had half-expected Takumi to join the chase.
Takumi chuckled lightly. "It's fine."
In his memory, Chopper and Hiriluk weren't supposed to meet for another year or two. But even if their encounter happened earlier than expected, it wouldn't change much.
Hiriluk might be considered a useless doctor and a nuisance by many, but he was one of the few in Drum Kingdom who harbored no racial prejudice and genuinely wanted to save the world and his country. Despite his flaws, he could teach Chopper valuable life lessons and guide him on the right path.
He might not be a great doctor, but he was undoubtedly a good mentor.
Law, puzzled by Takumi's calm reaction, didn't press the matter any further.
Kureha, too, observed Takumi with curiosity. Though he had only spoken a few words, she couldn't shake the feeling that this kid knew more about Hiriluk and the blue-nosed reindeer than he was letting on.
"So, kid, what's your name?" Kureha asked with a sly smile, her eyes fixed on Takumi.
"Takumi," he replied nonchalantly.
"Hehehehe," Kureha laughed, sipping her drink. "I've never seen you around before. Is this your first time on Drum Island?"
Takumi responded with a simple "Yes."
"So, do you know that idiot quack?" she pressed.
"No," Takumi answered, eyeing Kureha curiously. What was she getting at?
"That's odd," Kureha mused, taking another drink. "The way you talked and acted earlier, it was like you already knew that quack."
"Takumi's always been calm and not the chatty type," Law interjected. "We're not from Drum Kingdom, and I've been with him for the past two months. If he knew that strange man, I'd be the first to know."
"That's right," Bock chimed in. "I can vouch for that. They've both been staying at my inn for over two months now. They leave around the same time every day and come back one after the other. Kureha, you must be mistaken. Takumi's from another island. There's no way he knows Hiriluk. Oh, and in town, people do talk about Hiriluk sometimes, so maybe that's why Takumi recognized him."
Kureha raised an eyebrow, then burst into laughter. "Hehehehe, so that's it, huh? Looks like I misjudged you, kid. Hehehehe. So, let me ask you something—what do you think of Drum Kingdom?"
Takumi hesitated for a moment. Why was she asking this? "It's nothing special," he finally said.
"Hehehehe," Kureha chuckled, turning her gaze to Law. "And you? What do you think of Drum Kingdom?"
"Hmph, what's there to think? I agree with Takumi," Law said dismissively. "With a king like Wapol in charge, this country's doomed."
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