A Powerful Woman?

Dr. Kureha's words rekindled Brook's hope. A powerful woman with a monster's physique and strength to rival a Vice Admiral or Admiral...

Wasn't she basically telling him to go after Charlotte Linlin? A terrifying physique, astonishing fertility, and young Linlin had been quite beautiful!

Or perhaps Tsuru, the great staff officer? She had been a beauty in her youth, with strength comparable to an Admiral. She was just a little past her prime now.

But Pure Gold could preserve one's youth and even grant immortality. Thinking about it, his chances of a happy sex life didn't seem so hopeless after all.

There was also the legendary Ice Witch Tribe, who remained frozen in youth and never aged until death. He wondered whether they could withstand the low temperatures of his Underworld.

"I understand. Thank you for your conclusion, Dr. Kureha!"

At least there was still hope. With his hopes rekindled, Brook returned to his ice-cold composure and expression.

"That'll be five million Beli!"

"Why don't you just rob me?!"

"Hmm?" Dr. Kureha drew a scalpel and pointed it at Brook's crown jewels. She moved so fast that he nearly failed to react in time.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Brook's forehead. This old woman's strength was indeed unfathomable.

"How about joining my ship as its doctor, Dr. Kureha?"

Brook swallowed and still went ahead and invited her.

"Your little pirate crew couldn't hold a doctor like me. Do you know how much I've spent on all this medical equipment, precious medicine, and experimental materials? You actually expect me to abandon the valuable supplies I've spent decades accumulating?

"And besides, your lousy little ship couldn't fit all my things even if you had ten of them. You little punk, pay up and get out of here! And you still think you can recruit me?!"

Dr. Kureha tossed a sharp scalpel from one hand to the other. Terrified, Antonio immediately pulled out stack after stack of Beli and handed them to the fearsome witch of a doctor.

Dr. Kureha had a point. It had taken her fifty or sixty years living on Drum Island to achieve what she had today. There was no way she'd abandon her precious laboratory for some pirate crew. She was even researching longevity there.

Her castle clinic was worth at least three billion Beli, if not five billion. She'd have to be out of her mind to abandon all that and go to sea as a pirate!

Kicked out, Brook, his two crewmates, and the three pets had no choice but to look for their other crewmates. It seemed they'd have to keep searching for a doctor. They also needed to hurry up and enter the New World.

His first choice was Charlotte Linlin. He'd better not let someone else get to her first. Tsuru must have made Rear Admiral by now, right? She'd been in the same generation of elite Marines as Sengoku and Garp.

Doctors held a high status here, and famous ones could even make the newspapers and become known around the world. Take the genius surgeon Dr. Hogback, for instance. He was one of Chopper's favorite doctors.

Doctors in this medical powerhouse generally had no love for pirates. They only wanted to improve their medical skills. Many pirate ship doctors were self-taught amateurs, or people who'd gone to sea after some upheaval in their lives.

Otherwise, what doctor wouldn't prefer to treat patients and conduct research in a safe place, advancing their medical skills, rather than become a pirate just to treat a few pirates? It was hard to improve as a doctor that way.

Medical expertise came from constantly studying and reviewing a steady stream of cases to develop better treatments. Staying in a medical sanctuary meant all kinds of patients would come seeking help, enriching a doctor's experience.

At sea, they'd spend most of their time aboard a ship, not only being pursued by the Marines but also treating the same group of pirates every day. You couldn't learn medicine just by reading books; without practice, there was no truth.

Brook quietly revealed that he was a pirate to several genius doctors, and was promptly shown the door. It made him realize that looking for a doctor to join a pirate crew in a medical sanctuary really was a terrible idea.

Who would give up the lofty status, respect, and generous income of a doctor to become a pirate who had to brave the elements and evade the Marines? There couldn't be that many genius doctors oppressed by enemies or left homeless after their families were destroyed.

Besides, a ship doctor couldn't be forced into the job. If you got sick, you'd be putting your life in someone else's hands. And you couldn't devour their memories, either. A doctor without memories might as well be no doctor at all. Would he have to train them from scratch?

With no other choice, Brook had Antonio call his crewmates on the Den Den Mushi so they could leave.

"You've got to be kidding, Captain Brook! We've been ashore less than a day, and we're already leaving? Even the production team's donkeys don't get worked this hard!"

Shakky complained. They'd sailed for so many days before finally reaching a town, and she hadn't even had her fill of food, drink, and fun. Now they were setting off again?

Brook didn't answer. He didn't want to leave either, but they really did have to hurry and recruit enough crew members to enter the New World.

Silvers returned, carrying the past couple of days' newspapers and wanted posters, which he handed to Brook.

Brook, captain of the Hell Pirates, bounty: 200 million Beli.

Patrick Redfield, combatant of the Hell Pirates, bounty: 80 million Beli.

Silba Silba, sniper of the Hell Pirates, bounty: 20 million Beli.

Shakky, navigator of the Hell Pirates, bounty: 15 million Beli.

Antonio and Fish-Man Tom weren't wanted. It seemed that was because neither of them had fought the Marines. Shakky had defeated a Marine Commander, while Silba had wounded a Marine Captain with a shot.

Redfield had even held off one Captain and several Commanders. His bounty should have been over a hundred million. Drake had defected from the Marines as a newly promoted Rear Admiral and already had a bounty of over 200 million. Gasparde had deserted the Marines as a Commodore and had a bounty of 95 million Beli.

In other words, a bounty of over 100 million meant strength approaching that of a Marine Rear Admiral. Bounties between 100 million and 400 million generally indicated strength ranging from that of a Marine Branch Rear Admiral to an elite Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral.

Bounties over 500 million meant Vice Admiral-level strength. It took over a billion to reach Admiral Candidate level. Emperors and Admirals were in the same league, and their strength didn't differ by much. Some had unmatched offensive power, while others were walking tanks... In short, each had some ability that defied reason, and each stood at the pinnacle of a particular field.

"Wow, I have a bounty! I really am a genius young woman. Though 15 million Beli is a bit low. Next time, I'll take down a Marine Captain!"

Shakky took her wanted poster and carefully stroked it. It was anyone's guess where she'd gone to gather information; they'd had to rely on their sniper to buy these things.

In fact, Shakky had gone to sample the island's local cuisine and buy some distinctive clothes. She hadn't even had time to gather information.

Antonio looked a little envious of his crewmates with bounties. He felt like a bit of a weakling; he hadn't taken part in a single fight so far.

##END##