In just a short while, before the crew even had time to process it, the Flying Nimbus had already come to a halt above Drum Island.
"Are we… here?" Usopp asked, still confused by the suddenness of it all.
"Yep!" Kai nodded, turning to face the group. "I'll be parking the ship on the coast of Drum Island. Once we land, you all will need to figure out how to reach the island on your own."
He pointed toward the towering snow-covered mountains. "After you get on the island, head for the tallest mountain in the center and find me there!"
With that, Kai crouched down in front of Nami and said, "Hop on. I'll carry you to the doctor."
"Oh, okay!" Nami agreed, climbing onto Kai's back. She only had a mild fever but was in good spirits.
"See you all soon!" Kai shouted as he leaped from the ship, Nami on his back, using Geppo to dash through the air toward the snow-covered mountains below.
"Damn it! Why can't I learn Geppo?" Sanji clenched his fists, frustration clear on his face. "If I could, I'd be the one carrying Miss Nami on my back!"
Next to him, Zoro scoffed, "Even if you knew Geppo, do you think Nami would let you carry her if Kai was there?"
Sanji was frozen in place as if Zoro's words had pierced his heart. After a moment, he sighed, lit a cigarette, and took a long puff. "Well, now that Miss Nami is with Kai, I guess I can relax. No need to worry anymore."
Turning his attention to Vivi, Sanji's expression softened. "Miss Vivi, now that you can take a break too, how about we have a meal to help you unwind?"
Vivi ignored his flattery, deep in thought. "What did Kai mean by 'you'll need to figure out how to get to the island'? Is it really that hard to land here?"
Just as Vivi voiced her question, the ship hit the water, stopping near the shore of Drum Island.
"Kai was probably just being dramatic," Usopp shrugged. "How hard could it be to get onto the island?"
"Speaking of… does anyone else feel colder?" Usopp asked, shivering slightly.
!!!
A short while later, everyone stood on deck, bundled up in thick winter clothing.
"Brrrr!" Luffy shivered, his teeth chattering as he rubbed his arms. "Why's it so cold all of a sudden?"
"This island is a winter island, so even the sea around it is freezing cold," Vivi explained.
"Well, this must be what Kai meant about it being difficult," Sanji muttered, still smiling faintly. "We should head up and meet them on the island."
"Bang!"
Before anyone could take another step, a gunshot rang out, and a voice shouted, "Hands up!"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the island...
Kai had already landed at the castle atop the snowy mountain. Even though they'd arrived, Nami remained resting on his back, her face pale from the fever. Kai didn't seem to notice, though, as he approached the castle's entrance, which was left ajar. Without hesitation, he stepped inside.
Using his Haki, Kai sensed a presence deeper in the castle. He couldn't be sure who it was—Chopper or Dr. Kureha—but he headed in that direction.
A minute later, he knocked gently on a door. It creaked open to reveal an elderly woman who, despite her age, seemed full of energy.
Kai flashed her a bright smile. "Hey, Sis. The girl on my back isn't feeling well. Think you could help her out?"
Dr. Kureha's sharp eyes narrowed as she sized him up. "This kid's gonna be trouble."
Kai sat by the bedside, watching Nami as she slept. He gently touched her forehead, feeling the lingering heat of the fever.
"The fever won't go away so quickly," Dr. Kureha remarked as she walked into the room, taking a seat and grabbing a bottle of wine from the table.
Kai looked at her with gratitude and pulled several barrels of wine out of his storage. "Thanks for helping me out, Sis. These are a little something to show my appreciation."
Dr. Kureha, pleased with the respectful gesture, smiled. "Why so formal? We're family here, no need to treat it like a business deal!"
Kai blinked in surprise at her words. Was she really treating him like family just because he called her 'sister'? He knew from the stories that Kureha was sensitive about her age and often liked to remind people she was "only 139." He had taken a gamble calling her 'sister,' and it seemed to have paid off.
Kai chuckled to himself. "Looks like being respectful goes a long way." Back in his old world, he often called anyone more than 20 years older than him 'sister,' so this was nothing new.
Dr. Kureha, now sipping her wine, asked, "By the way, how'd this girl get bitten by a Kestia? Those insects have been extinct for over a hundred years."
Kai scratched his head awkwardly. "Well, it's not like she was running around naked… but we did do a bit of a tour around Ancient Island."
Kureha's eyes widened in surprise. "You've got to be kidding! From the looks of her, she was only bitten a few hours ago. How did you manage to get here so fast? Since when was Ancient Island so close?"
Kai grinned sheepishly. "It might be a little farther than you think…"
Kureha gave him a long, suspicious look but eventually shrugged it off. "You're an odd one, but you don't seem like trouble."
At that moment, a voice called from outside.
"Doctorine, I'm back!"
Kai's grin widened. "Finally," he thought. It was time to meet the future pet, mount, and emergency food source for their ship—Chopper!
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Power Stones would be appreciated if you liked the story.