Illness

"Who!" Bellemere asked alertly.

Although its perception wasn't very good, it immediately tensed up after detecting someone.

Nojiko was pouring water nearby, was startled and almost got scalded by the kettle. But just then, the kettle, which she hadn't been holding steady, suddenly "stopped" in mid-air.

Nojiko surprised and looked up to see that Sig had already taken the water bottle.

"Ah... Uncle Sig?" Nojiko startled at first, then immediately recognized Sig.

In terms of appearance alone, Sig has changed a lot in the past four years, but mainly in terms of physique. In his human form, his facial features have not changed so much, and Nojiko is more familiar with Sig's pure human appearance.

"What?" Bellemere exclaimed in surprise, sitting up abruptly.

"Don't get up yet," Sig said, pressing Bellemere back down. At the same time, his heart sank slightly, though he didn't show it.

Sig has discovered that Bellemere's condition is not so simple!

This is the disordered proliferation of flesh and blood—that is, cancer.

It doesn't seem too serious yet, but the problem is that it's being moved around so much...

The Oldest One symptom likely originated in the lungs, which is why it was initially thought to be a cold.

Because the physical constitution of people in this world is different, especially Bellemere, although she can't be considered a master, she was at least a sergeant in the Marine Headquarters before, so her basic physical fitness is not bad.

It's not that the cancer cells only start to metastasize throughout the body after reaching a late stage; rather, they are already metastasizing everywhere before the condition becomes too severe—without a guerrilla-style approach, cancer cells simply cannot survive in the body.

But now things are getting complicated!

Bellemere was silent for a moment, staring at Sig, her eyes shifting and revealing a variety of emotions. After a moment of silence, she said, "Nojiko, go call the police! There's a wanted criminal!"

Nojiko:...

"Then I'll head out first," Nojiko said, closing the door behind her.

"What if other naval forces come to arrest me or I get injured? Can't you, a retired sergeant, put in a little more effort?" Sig said deliberately, pausing before adding, "You've been neglecting your training, haven't you? Look... you get sick so easily."

While strong physical fitness can indeed help resist disease, there is never an absolute guarantee of physical fitness when it comes to illness...

Was Roger strong?

How skilled is Croccus in medicine?

In the end, all we could do was desperately drag it out for another year or two...

Sig didn't know what Roger's illness was, but Bellemere's illness...

Sig quickly weighed the options in his mind. With his surgical skills as a master surgeon, plus the power of the Paths of the Divine, he was afraid that... it was a 50/50 chance!

If it were on Sig, it would be easy to handle; there are countless ways to solve it. It would also be manageable if it were on Shanks or Lucky Roo, since they are resilient.

But Bellemere...

If there are too many areas requiring surgery, Sig can only use the Rose Bishop's abilities to help control her injuries and prevent them from worsening. However, the Rose Bishop are inherently less effective and safer when used on others, and Bellemere has cancer!

The 50% failure rate was not due to a mistake in Sig's surgical skills, but rather to the Rose Bishop's loss of control.

Cancer cells are prone to causing uncontrolled loss of blood and flesh, and with the Rose Bishop's abilities affecting them, Sig could not guarantee his safety.

After all, it's only Sequence 6. Even in the mysterious world native to the Paths of the Divine, Sequence 6 is far from being a "cure-all." Besides, the Rose Bishop isn't primarily in charge of healing, so in this aspect, she's inferior to the Moon Path or the Mother Pathway...

"What business is it of yours, a pirate like you..." Bellemere said, turning around and lying on her side.

But Sig could still tell that her eyes were red.

"But it's still very perky." Sig said seriously, looking at Bellemere who had her back to him.

As a result, he naturally got a pillow slap.

Although Bellemere's physical strength has declined, she doesn't have many symptoms of Affliction yet. Even if Sig doesn't return, she should be able to hold on for another two or three years, after all, she's not an ordinary person.

"Did you... go see your good brother?" Bellemere asked through gritted teeth.

It's as if it's saying, "You're no decent person either! That's why you have friends like Arlong!"

"I saw it, and I even saw my seed," Sig said smugly.

Although he had previously struggled with the fact that his son had been completely misled, Sig would not show it in front of Bellemere this time.

Well, thinking about it carefully, it must have been after Bellemere fell ill that Lucas quickly "fell into depravity." If Bellemere hadn't "braked" him before, Lucas would have been a troublemaker long ago, instead of waiting until now.

Although only three and a half years old, like Enkidu, Lucas looks like a five or six-year-old in both body and mind, and his destructive power should not be underestimated.

"Pah! Who said it's yours?" Bellemere blushed, stubbornly insisting on her claim.

"Don't worry, don't worry, I'll have Arlong teach him a lesson later." Sig sensed that Bellemere had been worried just now.

"Huh? Let that bastard educate us? And turn him into another pirate?" Bellemere said discontentedly.

Sig also sensed that Lucas possessed a similar power to the Paths of the Divine, similar to Enkidu's situation. Furthermore, they were both developing faster than other children of the same age!

In Lucas, Sig sensed the Tyrant's control over water, wind, and sea creatures, the Visionary's body, and the Hanged Man's power over corruption...

The combination of incomplete Pathway to authority allows Lucas to possess not only the standard powerful physique, but also authority over the sea and the realm of depravity.

He has a very strong affinity for the sea, but... as his power is further developed and the authority of the Hanged Man is incorporated, he will also have completely opposite applications, combining rage and gentleness, moisture and drought into one.

The Arlong Pirates all like Lucas, and besides the fact that they love Lucas so much, there's probably also an element of "mysticism" involved.

"Isn't he still here watching over him? Hahaha, if he's a pirate, he'll definitely be a Great Pirate!" Sig was still very proud of himself.

"I..." Bellemere's mind went blank.

Sig understood; she probably vaguely sensed that something was wrong with her physical condition.

However, Sig did not mention this matter. Instead, he planned to go to the North Sea later to find the child who had obtained the Op-Op Fruit back then. That was the ability to perform perfect surgery without harming the body in the slightest.

Furthermore, if Sig completes his advancement and reaches Sequence 5, he might be able to heal Bellemere with over 90% certainty.

Firstly, the promotion would give him greater control over matters of flesh and blood; secondly, after reaching Sequence 5, Sig would be confident in completely subduing the Thunder-Thunder Demon and obtaining the true power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit...

At first glance, it seems unrelated to treating illnesses, but radiation, X-rays, and the like are essentially all electromagnetic waves...