Is He a Genius?

After arriving at the village, the group did not linger. They split up to buy supplies, since it would still take several days to reach Alabasta.

Sanji said he would buy ingredients, while Nami and Vivi went shopping to look at the mink coats unique to Winter Island.

The remaining four, Reiner included, planned to make a trip up the mountain. They had bought plenty of other supplies in Loguetown, so there was not much left to replenish. They would just have Sanji pick up anything else while he was at the market.

"Here's the list. I'll be counting on you this time, Sanji."

"No problem."

Sanji took the notebook and casually handed Reiner a cigarette. "Then when you get back, we'll meet up directly on the ship."

"Sure. Buy some Vitt Liquor too. Here's the shopping money—keep whatever's left."

"Wait, Reiner, we want some too!" Nami had already dragged Vivi halfway away, but immediately turned back when she heard that.

"Nope!"

Reiner said irritably, "I gave you treasure worth millions of Beli just yesterday. Don't be so greedy."

"Cheapskate." Nami stormed off in a huff.

Reiner: "..."

I'm the cheapskate? If I let you handle the money, I'd be drinking the northwest wind by now.

"Then let's go." Reiner turned toward Luffy and the others.

Luffy was already barely able to contain himself. "Charge!"

"Wait, wait, there's still a problem. This mountain is so high—how are we supposed to get up?" Usopp suddenly asked anxiously.

Luffy said, "Huh? Climb up, obviously."

Zoro said, "What else?"

Reiner said, "That's the only way, isn't it?"

Usopp: "..."

Nothing was more terrifying than a sudden silence.

"You lunatics! If we fall from that high up, we'll die!" Usopp bared his teeth and cursed.

Luffy said, "Huh? We will?"

Zoro said, "Won't the snow cushion the fall?"

Reiner said, "We probably won't die."

Usopp: "..."

The air: Here we go again.

"Sanji! Wait for me, I'll help you!" Usopp ran after Sanji and left.

Reiner chuckled. "Looks like it's just the three of us."

"Let's compete to see who can climb that mountain first! Shishishi!"

"Oh? That sounded pretty interesting."

"Can we use our Devil Fruit Abilities?" Reiner could not help asking.

"I guess so?"

"Wait, Luffy. Is he planning to have Blue Ogre and Red Ogre throw him up there?"

"What?! That's too underhanded, Reiner!" Luffy pointed at him indignantly.

The three soon headed up the mountain. After leaving Big Horn Village and entering the forest, all they could see was a vast expanse of white. Without those few cylindrical peaks, it would have been easy to lose their sense of direction and get lost.

As for someone who got lost no matter where he walked, Reiner had already tied a rope around his waist and held the other end in his hand.

Before long, the blizzard stopped. A few rays of sunlight finally broke through the gloomy sky, glittering off the snow and making it almost blinding.

Taking advantage of the rare sunshine, the animals in the forest came out to move about. Before they had walked far, the three spotted an enormous bear.

The strange thing was that the bear stood perfectly upright! Not merely standing on its hind legs—it strolled about like a person, holding an ice axe like a cane.

"Is that the Picnic Bear Dalton mentioned?"

Reiner looked at it oddly, recalling Dalton's advice before they parted. "It's here. Hurry up and try bowing to it."

When the Picnic Bear walked past them, the three bent at the waist and nodded in greeting.

To their surprise, the Picnic Bear made the exact same gesture, bowing back at them.

This world really was amazing. There were all kinds of weirdos. Reiner could not help curling his lips into a smile. Setting sail had definitely been the right choice. Who could stand staying home and being a newspaper king these days?

"Wahahaha, that bear is so interesting!"

Luffy was brimming with excitement and turned to chase after the Picnic Bear. "I've decided! I'm making him our companion and bringing him aboard!"

A dark line appeared across Reiner's forehead as he immediately grabbed Luffy's arm.

Swoosh~~

Thud!

After dragging Luffy back, the group walked for a while before finally reaching the foot of Drum Mountain.

"Alright! Let's begin!" Luffy rubbed his fists together and looked excitedly up at the nearly vertical cliff face.

Zoro directly took off his shirt, twisted it into a rope, and tied the three swords at his waist to his back.

"Though it's a little cold, we should warm up once we start moving." Reiner also removed his heavy coat, tied it around his waist, and knotted it.

"Come on!"

"I'm ready!"

"Then let's start!"

Luffy and Reiner charged out first.

Only Zoro remained unhurried. He snickered. "Those two idiots. Climbing mountains is all about stamina."

However, Zoro would soon learn just how stupid he had been.

"Trying to keep a steady rhythm and conserve energy?" Reiner glanced down at Zoro below, immediately understanding. He chuckled.

"I don't know what he was thinking, believing that two Zoan users would lack stamina."

However, Reiner would soon discover just how stupid he had been as well.

An hour and a half later.

"Wahahaha! I won!"

Luffy successfully reached the summit, raised both fists to the sky, and shouted. Then he lay down at the edge of the cliff and watched the chase between the other two below.

"Bastard! How do you still have strength?!"

"It's so high! I'm about to die from exhaustion!"

"Then hurry up and die, Four-Eyes!"

"Marimo, climb your ass up here!"

The two climbed upward with all four limbs, their eyes bloodshot and veins bulging across their foreheads and arms. Zoro was several positions behind, but Reiner was clearly slower than Zoro.

Both of them were nearing the limit of their strength.

Reiner looked at the finish line within reach, then at Zoro relentlessly pursuing him from behind. He did not even have time to think up any dirty tricks.

Gritting his teeth, he squeezed out the last shred of his strength and desperately climbed upward.

"Uwah~~, ora ora ora!"

"Wahahaha, looks like Reiner got here first."

In the end, Reiner reached the finish line first. This was Ora's victory.

If the mountain had been another dozen meters taller, Zoro would have overtaken him. Too bad Zoro had made the wrong decision at the start.

The two lay sprawled out on the cliff's edge, breathing heavily as they stared at the sky.

Every bit of this had been witnessed by a figure "hiding" beneath the nearby castle wall.

"What strange humans."

A small figure hiding in the complete opposite direction watched Reiner and the other two curiously. Beneath his round eyes was a blue nose, and he wore a red hat with an X on it.

Chopper carefully examined the strange humans who had suddenly appeared and murmured softly, "One has golden hair, one has green hair, and one... huh? Where's the other one?"

He did not notice that the vanished figure had already appeared behind him, eyes bloodshot and drool streaming from his mouth.

"Hehehe~~, don't run, my meat!"

"Waaah!!! Help!"

Hearing the scream, Reiner propped himself up with both hands and struggled into a sitting position. Looking toward the sound, he saw Chopper's legs moving so fast that they were like spinning wheels.

Luffy, who was charging after him, suddenly froze. The next moment, his eyes bulged out and his jaw dropped to the ground as he shouted:

"Meat can talk!!!"

Reiner directly summoned several undead to block Chopper's path. Luffy lunged from behind, looking like he was about to succeed.

But in the next moment, Chopper transformed into a tall humanoid form. He clasped his hands together, turned around, and smashed down hard at Luffy in midair, driving him straight into the snow.

Boom!!!

However, ordinary blows could not hurt Luffy. He yanked his head out of the snow, stared at Chopper with shining eyes, and exclaimed:

"Trans-trans-transforming!!!

"Wahahaha, I've decided! I'm making him our companion and bringing him aboard!"

Reiner: "..."

He suddenly remembered how Luffy had excitedly shouted at the foot of the mountain that he wanted the Picnic Bear as a companion.

Could he be a genius?

"What are you making all that noise for!?"

At that moment, a loud voice rang out from the castle entrance. Doctorine held a bottle of liquor and looked at the three with disgust. "Where did these three little brats come from?"

"Uwah~~, save me, Doctorine!" His little legs paddling frantically, the pitiful Chopper darted behind Doctorine.