A few days later.
In the corridor outside the intensive care ward on the top floor of Drum First Hospital.
Even the well-traveled Straw Hat Crew, after their initial anxious wait, found themselves deeply shaken by the system that kept this hospital—and indeed the entire island—running.
"It's almost impossible to believe..."
Nami held several brochures about Drum Island's healthcare system, astonishment shining in her beautiful eyes.
"As long as you're a citizen of the World Government, treatment here really is completely free! Every medical expense, even critical surgeries costing tens of millions of Belly, is covered by the World Government's treasury... That's an astronomical sum!"
As a navigator who watched every penny, Nami understood all too well how much that meant.
"And that's not all."
Usopp, who had just returned from buying food outside, came over with an equally amazed expression, gesturing as he spoke.
"I just took a walk through town. Guess what? This island actually has more than a dozen large medical schools!"
"I looked at their notices. It's nothing like the untrained doctors back in the East Blue, who can set up a practice just because they know a little bandaging and recognize a few medicinal herbs."
"Here, you have to undergo at least four years of full-time, residential professional training at a medical school before you can get a license to practice!"
He had known all of this before; he was simply sharing it now.
Kuro, who had remained almost invisible at their side, adjusted his glasses and took the opportunity to explain.
"Even that was a compromise. There are far too few doctors on the seas today, so the World Government made concessions to meet the ever-growing demand for medical care."
"Under the standards the Holy Land originally drafted, that training period should normally have