Joseph and a palpitating heart

The sea wind howled, mingled with the sharp whistle of a blade cutting through the air.

The bounty hunter named Johnny let out a roar and brought his broad-bladed sword down viciously.

Yet the Straw Hat boy merely swayed, easily slipping aside.

"Whoa, that was dangerous."

"Crack—!"

Having missed its target, the blade continued onward and slammed heavily into the wooden railing behind him.

Amid a spray of splinters, the entire row of railings was sliced clean through, the cuts smooth as mirrors.

"Ah! Damn it!"

Luffy looked at the damaged ship, his brows immediately knotting as he shouted in distress,

"I don't really get what's going on! But I can't let you wreck my ship anymore!"

He suddenly stretched his right arm back, extending it like a fully drawn bow.

"Gum-Gum Pistol!"

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, Luffy's fist shot out like a cannonball and slammed squarely into Johnny's face.

Johnny did not even have time to scream before he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the deck with his eyes rolled back as he passed out.

"Nice one, Luffy!"

Usopp hid behind the mast, raising his slingshot as he shouted excitedly, "That's the spirit!"

At the same time, the cabin door opened, and everyone inside stepped out.

Victor narrowed his eyes at the bright sun overhead and stretched. "Ah, what nice weather."

Nami, standing beside him with a dark expression, snapped irritably,

"Is this really the time to say that? The fight's already over there!"

Zoro came out last. He gave a huge yawn, looking like he had not fully woken up yet.

He stumbled over to the edge of the deck, his gaze falling on the broken railing as he frowned slightly.

"Hm? Who wrecked the railing?"

Then his gaze shifted to the figure in a black-lettered short-sleeved shirt lying on the ground.

"What the... isn't that Johnny?"

Hearing that familiar and imposing voice, Johnny, who had been groaning on the ground and trying to get up, shuddered all over.

He abruptly twisted around.

When his eyes landed on the green-haired man with three swords at his waist, the fierceness on his face instantly turned into excitement.

"Z-Zoro, boss?!"

Johnny practically crawled and rolled to his knees, pressing his forehead tightly against the deck.

Luffy tilted his head and retracted his arm. "What? So he's someone you know."

"Boss! Why are you on a pirate ship?"

Johnny lifted his head, his face full of disbelief as he cried out in anguish, "Why?! You're supposed to hunt pirates..."

"Forget that." Zoro waved a hand, cutting off his wailing as his gaze swept around the area. "What happened? Are you alone? Isn't Joseph with you?"

At the mention of that name, Johnny's excited expression instantly collapsed, and tears burst forth like a fountain.

"Waaah! Boss... please come with me!"

A moment later, everyone's eyes were focused on Johnny's small fishing boat below.

Nami turned to Victor beside her and asked quietly, "What's going on? They know each other?"

"Yeah."

Victor folded his arms, watching Zoro lean over the rail and direct Luffy as he carried the injured man. Smiling, he said,

"Maybe they were comrades back when Zoro was still a pirate hunter. Come on, let's take a look too."

By then, the man named Joseph had been carried onto the deck of the Merry by Luffy and Zoro.

"He's sick?"

Zoro crouched down, frowning deeply as he looked at Joseph's deathly pale face.

"It looks serious," Victor said gravely after examining him carefully.

Joseph's eyes were tightly shut, his face an unhealthy bluish-purple. His breathing was weak and rapid.

Johnny knelt beside him, wiping away tears as he sobbed,

"Yes... boss.

"A few days ago, Joseph suddenly came down with some strange illness. First, his teeth started falling out for no reason.

"Even his old wounds split open again, and the bleeding wouldn't stop..."

At that point, Johnny clenched his fists and said bitterly,

"While I was taking him to recover behind that rocky mountain, a cannonball suddenly flew over from the direction of this ship..."

At the words "cannonball," Luffy and Usopp, who had been watching nearby, instantly went pale. Their jaws nearly dropped to the deck.

Wasn't that when they... were testing the cannon earlier...

The two stared stiffly at each other, cold sweat pouring down their faces.

The next second, Luffy and Usopp bowed ninety degrees in perfect unison toward Johnny and shouted,

"W-We're sorry!!"

But Johnny ignored them. He had already fallen into despair, clutching Zoro's pant leg as he wept bitterly.

"Waaah! Joseph! Boss! Is he going to die?! Am I going to lose my brother?!"

Zoro froze, completely at a loss.

He was good at cutting people down, but treating illnesses and saving lives was entirely outside his knowledge.

He abruptly turned to Victor, his eyes full of pleading.

"Hey, Victor! You must have a way, right?!"

Victor was just about to speak when an orange-haired figure shoved past him first.

"Honestly, are all you men idiots?"

Nami sighed helplessly and crouched beside Joseph.

She stretched out a finger, skillfully pried open Joseph's mouth to inspect his gums, then tugged at his tongue to check its color.

After confirming the symptoms, she stood with her hands on her hips and pointed at the bewildered Luffy and Usopp.

"Hey, you two! Go to the kitchen and bring me those oranges! Hurry!"

"O-Okay!" The two troublemakers, as if granted a pardon, immediately turned and rushed back into the cabin.

Seeing this, Victor nodded thoughtfully and murmured,

"I see... scurvy?"

This was one of the fatal diseases sailors were most likely to contract while traveling at sea, and it had claimed countless sailors' lives.

The main cause was a severe vitamin C deficiency brought on by long periods at sea without enough vegetables and fruit.

Nami glanced at Victor and nodded.

"That's right. As long as it hasn't been delayed too long, he'll be fine in a few days after getting enough nutrition."

"Really, big sis?!"

Hearing that, Johnny immediately turned and dropped to his knees before Nami, hope blazing in his eyes once more.

"He'll really be better in a few days?"

"Don't call me big sis!"

Nami pushed him away with some disgust. Looking at the men who seemed to know nothing but fighting, she sighed.

"You people really dared to sail out to sea without knowing anything at all."

Just then, Luffy and Usopp came running back with a huge pile of oranges.

"Hehehe, drink more, drink more! This stuff tastes great!"

Luffy grabbed several oranges. Without any juicing tools, he simply crushed them in his bare hands, sending juice splattering everywhere.

"Ah! Luffy, you got it all over his face! It went into his eyes too!"

Usopp shouted, "Let me do it, let me do it!"

"Ah, no, this is too troublesome!"

Luffy simply grabbed a handful of oranges and, without a second thought, shoved them straight into Joseph's open mouth. "Mm, this is faster!"

"Luffy! He's going to choke to death!" Usopp shouted, his face dark.

"Mmghhh—!" Joseph groaned painfully in his unconscious state.

Luffy wiped the juice from his hands, turned to Nami, and flashed a bright smile.

"Nami, thanks to you! Otherwise, this guy would've been dead for sure!"

Nami looked at the chaotic scene, her face dark as she helplessly rubbed her forehead.

"If you don't even know this much common sense, you'll lose your lives right away on these seas.

"Hey, Victor, you..."

After saying that, she seemed to remember something, and her expression stiffened slightly.

She turned her head and gave Victor, standing nearby, a complicated look. Then she pressed her lips together and quickly headed into the cabin without another word.

Luffy scratched his head, looking puzzled as he watched Nami leave.

"Victor, did I say something wrong?"

"Idiot, obviously you did." Usopp grinned smugly beside him. "You're way too rough."

"Pfft—!"

At that moment, Joseph suddenly sat up, spat out the oranges crammed into his mouth, and began coughing loudly.

"Cough, cough, cough! Sour, so sour! Who's trying to murder me?!"

"Ah! He's awake!" Luffy shouted delightedly.

"Joseph!" Johnny immediately scrambled over. "That's great!"

The deck became noisy and cheerful once more.

But Victor did not join in their celebration.

He stood quietly where he was, his gaze passing through the crowd and settling on the cabin door where Nami had just disappeared.

Was it because of what Clay said earlier... or because of that fish-man Arlong...?

Remembering the complicated look in Nami's eyes, Victor faintly formed a few guesses.

He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stepped forward and followed her.