The Fruit's Restlessness

The Going Merry slowly pulled into the harbor at Drum Island, where the temperature was already nearing freezing.

"Wahahaha, a snow country adventure!"

Luffy jumped off the ship, his feet sinking straight into the snow, and cheered excitedly with his arms raised.

"Luffy, are you really okay dressed so lightly?" Vivi wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly as she asked with concern.

Everyone else was bundled up in thick down jackets, but Luffy was in short sleeves and shorts, topped off with a pair of oversized flip-flops.

No, there was another oddball.

"Hmph, it's a bit cold."

"Then put on some clothes, you idiot moss-head!" Sanji couldn't help but curse when he saw Zoro's bare torso.

"Let's train with a winter swim!" Zoro grinned and then promptly plunged into the sea with a loud splash.

Just watching it hurts~

Reiner couldn't help but click his tongue. He considered himself quite dedicated to training, but compared to Zoro, he truly felt inferior. Zoro trained as if his life depended on it.

He summoned the Saw Devil and a dozen or so Fish-man Undead. The Saw Devil had now been relegated to ship-guarding duty.

After swimming for a while, Zoro couldn't help but get out of the water, shivering.

"I really thought you weren't human," Reiner said, controlling an Undead to drop Zoro's clothes to him from the ship.

There was no road at the harbor entrance, or perhaps there once was, but it was now completely covered. The snow was already past their calves, so the group simply picked a direction and started walking.

Not long after they set off, shouts echoed from the direction of the Going Merry behind them.

"Pirates, get out of here!"

"Hey, we're talking to you! Can you hear us?!"

"If you don't leave, we won't be so polite!"

A group of villagers on the shore surrounded the Going Merry, aiming their guns at the 'people' on the ship. But no matter how much they shouted, the others didn't respond.

Bang—!

The villagers thought negotiations had failed, and someone couldn't resist firing a shot at the deck.

"Zzzzt—Zzzzt—!"

At that very moment, the Saw Devil suddenly surged forward, darting out like an arrow. Quick as lightning, it appeared before the villagers in the blink of an eye.

"So fast!"

Dalton was startled, his feet shifting abruptly as he appeared in front of the villagers. He pulled out the large oval sword from his back and parried the incoming chainsaw.

Clang—!

"What incredible strength!"

Feeling the immense force transmitted to his hand, Dalton was secretly alarmed. The next moment, he was sent flying back over ten meters, his feet carving two deep furrows in the snow.

Dalton's face hardened. Without hesitation, he transformed. Short black fur continuously sprouted, covering his body in an instant, and two bull horns grew from his temples.

Zoan-type: Ox-Ox Fruit, Bison Form!

Facing the Chainsaw Devil that was closing in, Dalton charged forward directly. The clash of sword and chainsaw sparked.

"Even Captain Dalton's transformation can't stand against it?!"

"What kind of monster is this?!"

As the two were locked in a stalemate, the Sword Devil instantly appeared beside Dalton, its long blade glinting menacingly, ready to strike.

"Reiner, wait—"

The tip of the Sword Devil's blade stopped at Dalton's chest. Looking at the cold gleam before him, he couldn't help but swallow.

Before Luffy could speak, Reiner had already commanded the Undead to stop.

The other Undead also halted their actions, standing motionless in place.

"Phew~~, that was close. What's wrong with you?" Luffy looked at Reiner, a hint of confusion in his heart. When did Reiner start attacking civilians?

"Ah, sorry, my body feels a bit strange." Reiner closed his eyes wearily, taking off his glasses to rub his temples.

From their attire, it wasn't hard to tell they were a group of ordinary villagers. If he hadn't stopped in time, he almost would have slaughtered them.

"My murderous intent is a bit strong. My bad." Reiner crouched down, scooped up some snow, and splashed it on his face, rubbing it in.

Ever since he took in the Blue Ogre and Red Ogre at Little Garden, he'd felt a subtle unrest in his power, which also made him feel a bit more irritable.

Nami reached out and pressed her hand on his head, ruffling his golden hair, and smiled reassuringly, "It's good that nothing happened."

It seems I need to train my mind as well, Reiner thought to himself.

Standing up and putting his glasses back on, Reiner's expression returned to its usual gentle demeanor.

"Are you all alright?" The others walked forward, and Reiner helped a villager to his feet.

"Th-thank you." The villager still looked bewildered.

Dalton finally reacted, "We're fine. Who are you people?"

"Hehehe, we're pirates." Luffy chuckled, pointing at the Going Merry. "That's our ship."

"What?!"

The villagers, who had just relaxed, tensed up again at his words, immediately aiming their guns at the group.

"Put your guns down," Dalton's calm voice rang out. The villagers looked at each other in confusion for a moment, then lowered their weapons.

Dalton knew that if the other party had wanted to harm them, he'd have been run through the heart just now. Thinking this, he couldn't help but glance at the Sword Devil, who remained motionless.

"My name is Reiner, and I'm the Straw Hat Crew's quartermaster," Reiner said with a smile, stepping forward. "We're hoping to resupply in your village. Of course, we'll pay, and we won't do anything strange."

"I understand. My name is Dalton."

Dalton looked at the gentle-mannered man before him, then turned and motioned for the villagers to return. "Follow me, please."

"Hehehe, let's go!" Luffy pressed down on his straw hat and eagerly ran forward.

Reiner and his group followed Dalton towards the village, chatting intermittently along the way.

"Vitt Liquor?" Zoro naturally wouldn't pass up a place that clearly had strong alcohol.

"Ah, that's a type of shochu unique to winter islands. Drum Island is no exception."

According to Dalton's explanation, the main ingredient for this shochu was potatoes. It was continuously distilled to over ninety-five proof. Since the winter island environment wasn't suitable for most plants, the liquor was diluted and then mixed with various herbs and tree bark.

"Sounds interesting."

Reiner smiled slightly and jotted down 'Vitt Liquor' in his small notebook.

Above it were other products unique to cold regions, like 'Scarlet Salmon' and 'Mink Fabric'.

Along the way, Dalton also shared some information about Drum Island, even recounting how Blackbeard had attacked the country a few months ago.

However, King Wapol had gathered his army but hadn't confronted them, instead abandoning the country and fleeing.

"Speaking of which, we actually ran into that Wapol guy," Zoro suddenly interjected.

"Where?! When was this?!"

Dalton looked at Zoro in astonishment, his face darkening as he gritted his teeth. "So he still wasn't going to let this country go, huh?"

"Uh, he's already fish food in the ocean."

"Huh???"

"We met him at sea. He tried to rob us, I think?" Sanji mused, stroking his chin uncertainly.

"Is that... so?"

Dalton was momentarily stunned, his emotions complex.

However, since it was beneficial and harmless, he stopped dwelling on it.

"By the way, doesn't your country have any doctors now? What happens if someone gets sick?"

"No, there's still one doctor in this country, known as... the Witch."

"The Witch? Sounds pretty cool."

"You have quite strange interests," Dalton said, looking at Luffy with an odd expression.

"Speaking of which, let's go visit that doctor," Reiner offered. "Zoro, your wound needs to be treated again."

Zoro's chest had been slashed badly by Hawkeye in their previous fight. None of them knew medicine, so they could only do a simple bandage.

Now that there was a highly skilled doctor available, it was definitely better to have them take a look.

"Huh? This minor injury isn't..."

Thwack!

"Ow, you idiot!"

"Stop acting tough, moron!" Nami, the ship's tyrant, punched Zoro.