Is

Upon arriving at the village, the group didn't linger. They immediately split up to buy supplies, as it would still take a few days to reach Alabasta.

Sanji said he was going to buy groceries, while Nami and Vivi went shopping, looking for the ermine furs unique to the Winter Island.

The remaining four, including Reiner, planned to head up the mountain. They had already bought many other supplies in Loguetown, so there wasn't much else to replenish. They just asked Sanji to pick up anything else needed when he went to the market.

"Here's the list. I'll trouble you with this, Sanji."

"No trouble at all."

Sanji took the notebook and offered Reiner a cigarette. "Alright then, we'll meet up directly on the ship when you get back."

"Sounds good. And pick up some Vitre wine too. Here's the shopping money; you can keep the change."

"Wait, Reiner, we want some too!" Nami, halfway through dragging Vivi away, immediately turned back upon hearing this.

"No way!"

Reiner retorted exasperatedly, "I just gave you millions of Beli worth of treasures yesterday. Don't be so greedy."

"Stingy," Nami grumbled, puffing out her cheeks as she left.

Reiner: "..."

Me, stingy? If you were in charge of the money, I'd definitely be starving right now.

"Alright, let's go." Reiner turned towards Luffy and the others.

Luffy was already getting restless. "Let's go, go, go!"

"Wait, wait, there's a problem. How are we going to climb such a high mountain?" Usopp suddenly asked anxiously.

Luffy: "Huh? We'll climb it."

Zoro: "What else?"

Reiner: "That's probably the only way."

Usopp: "..."

The most terrifying thing is sudden silence.

"Are you crazy?! If we fall from that height, we'll die!" Usopp yelled, baring his teeth.

Luffy: "Huh, will we?"

Zoro: "Isn't there snow to cushion the fall?"

Reiner: "We probably won't die."

Usopp: "..."

Silence: "Here I go again."

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

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

"Let's have a race to see who can climb the mountain first, hehehe."

"Oh? That sounds interesting."

"Can we use our Devil Fruit abilities?" Reiner couldn't help but ask.

"I guess so?"

"Wait, Luffy, he's planning to have the Blue Ogre and Red Ogre throw him up, isn't he?"

"What?! That's so underhanded, Reiner!" Luffy pointed at him, indignant.

Soon, the three of them started heading up the mountain. After leaving Big Horn Village and entering the forest, all they could see was a vast expanse of white. Without those cylindrical peaks, it would be easy to lose their sense of direction and get lost.

As for a certain someone who gets lost no matter what, Reiner had already tied a rope around his waist, holding one end himself.

Before long, the blizzard stopped. The previously gray sky finally showed a few rays of sunlight, glinting off the pristine white snow, which was almost dazzling.

Taking advantage of the rare sun, the animals in the forest came out to play. After walking for a short while, the three saw an enormous bear.

What was strange was that this bear stood perfectly upright! It wasn't just able to stand, but its posture was as straight as a human's, strolling leisurely, using a climbing pickaxe as a cane.

"This must be the Picnic Bear Dalton mentioned, right?"

Reiner looked at it strangely, recalling Dalton's advice before they parted ways: "When he comes, try bowing to him."

As the Picnic Bear walked past them, the three bowed, nodding in greeting.

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

This world truly is amazing, full of all sorts of oddities. Reiner couldn't help but smile. It was definitely the right decision to set sail. Who wants to stay home and be a couch potato these days?

"Wahahaha, this bear is so funny!"

Luffy was excited and turned to chase after the Picnic Bear. "I've decided! We'll invite him to join our crew!"

A dark cloud formed over Reiner's head as he immediately grabbed Luffy's outstretched hand.

Jiu~

Thump!

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

"Alright! Let's do this!" Luffy rubbed his hands together, looking up excitedly at the nearly vertical cliff face.

Zoro immediately stripped off his shirt, twisting it into a rope to tie his three swords behind his back.

"It's a bit cold, but we'll warm up once we start moving." Reiner also took off his heavy coat, tying it around his waist.

"Come on!"

"I'm ready!"

"Then let's start!"

Luffy and Reiner charged out first.

Only Zoro remained unhurried, scoffing, "Those two hotheads. Climbing is hard work."

However, Zoro would soon realize how foolish he had been.

Is he trying to conserve energy by maintaining a steady pace? Reiner glanced at Zoro below, understanding, and chuckled softly.

I wonder what's going through his head, to actually think two Zoan-type users would lack stamina.

However, Reiner would also soon discover how foolish he was.

An hour and a half later.

"Wahahaha! I won!"

Luffy successfully reached the summit, raising both fists and shouting at the sky. He then lay down at the edge of the cliff, watching the chase between the two below.

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

"It's so high! I'm practically dead!"

"Then just die, four-eyes!"

"Get up here, moss-head!"

Their eyes were bloodshot, and they climbed with all fours, veins bulging on their foreheads and arms. Zoro was a few lengths behind, but Reiner was clearly slower than Zoro.

Both were now almost at their limit.

Reiner looked at the finish line, so close, with Zoro hot on his heels. He didn't even have time to think of a dirty trick.

Gritting his teeth, he squeezed out every last bit of energy, desperately climbing upwards.

"Waaah~~, Ora ora ora!"

"Wahahaha, looks like Reiner got there first."

Ultimately, Reiner reached the finish line first. This was a victory for "Ora."

If the mountain had been just a few dozen meters taller, Zoro would have caught up. It was a shame about Zoro's initial miscalculation.

The two lay spread-eagled at the cliff edge, panting heavily as they stared at the sky.

This entire scene was observed by a figure 'hiding' beneath the wall of a nearby castle.

"What strange humans."

A small figure, hiding in reverse, curiously watched Reiner and the two others. It had a blue nose beneath round eyes and a red hat with an X on it.

Chopper carefully observed the strange, sudden visitors, muttering softly, "One with golden hair, one with green hair, and one... wait? Where's the other one?"

He didn't notice that the vanished figure had already appeared behind him, eyes bloodshot and drooling.

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

"Waaah!!! Help me!"

Hearing the scream, Reiner pushed himself up with his hands, looking over to see Chopper's legs moving incredibly fast, like fire wheels.

Luffy, who had been hotly pursuing from behind, suddenly froze, then his eyes widened, and his jaw dropped as he yelled:

"The meat talked!!!"

Reiner immediately summoned a few Undead to block Chopper's path. Luffy pounced from behind, seemingly about to grab him.

But the next moment, Chopper transformed into his tall human form, clasped his hands together, and swung them back at Luffy in mid-air, slamming him directly into the snow.

Boom!!!

However, normal attacks couldn't hurt Luffy. He pulled his head out of the snow, his eyes shining as he gasped at Chopper:

"He changed, he transformed!!!"

"Wahahaha, I've decided, I'm going to make him join our crew as a nakama!"

Reiner: "..."

He suddenly remembered how excited Luffy had been earlier, at the base of the mountain, shouting about wanting the Picnic Bear as a nakama.

Is he a genius?

"What's all this racket about?!"

Just then, a loud voice echoed from the castle entrance. Dr. Kureha stood there, a bottle of sake in her hand, staring disdainfully at the three. "Where did these three brats come from?"

"Waaah~~, help me, Doctorine." With his short legs flapping quickly, the pitiful Chopper scurried behind Dr. Kureha.