The Pirate Who Refused Red-Hair's Invitation

Luo's lips curved slightly. "I'm still studying more advanced medicine. Since you're the oldest doctor on Drum Island, you must know a great deal. Over the past two months, I've studied every medical book I could find in the towns here, but there are parts I don't understand. If you have time, could you teach me?"

"Hee-hee-hee-hee! Why should I teach you? My medical skills aren't for just anyone to learn. Out of my way, brat!" Kureha kept drinking as she walked straight past Luo toward the nearest town.

Luo frowned, watching Kureha's retreating figure.

Lin Mo could guess what Luo was thinking without much effort.

For the past two months, Luo had followed him almost everywhere. Luo knew better than to bother him with idle chatter, but Lin Mo was used to being alone. Having a shadow still grated on him.

Perfect.

Now he had a chance to shake Luo off.

Lin Mo knew Kureha's personality all too well.

She had a vicious tongue and seemed cold and unapproachable, like some nasty old woman.

But that was only how she appeared.

In truth, Kureha was softhearted beneath her sharp tongue. She had her own principles and knew right from wrong.

"Go," Lin Mo said evenly.

Luo paused and turned to him. "What did you say?"

"Her medical skills are worth learning," Lin Mo said. "This chance won't come again. You don't have time to hesitate."

"I can't stand that old hag Kureha, but her medical skills really are first-rate. Lin Mo's right," Boc, the innkeeper, chimed in. "Luo, if you want to learn medicine that's more advanced and useful, find Kureha while you're still on Drum Island."

Luo hesitated, wrestling with himself for a while. Then he clenched his fists and looked at Lin Mo. "Then I'm going?"

Lin Mo smiled faintly. "Where you go is up to you."

Luo nodded and hurried after Kureha.

"Then let's head back to Kokowitt Town," Boc said, sounding relieved.

Just then,

Hiriluk's voice came from the Pine Forest nearby.

"Huh? Has that old hag Kureha gone?"

Boc quickly reached for Lin Mo's hand, but Lin Mo dodged, leaving him grasping at air. Boc blinked, then said urgently, "That quack Hiriluk is back. Let's get out of here."

"Hey! Who are you calling a quack?" Hiriluk strode over, his face dark with annoyance.

Behind him followed Chopper, back in his little reindeer form.

Lin Mo watched Chopper with an amused look.

Sure enough, Hiriluk had won Chopper over.

When Chopper noticed Lin Mo watching him, he ducked behind Hiriluk. Once again, only half his head was hidden; the rest of his body stuck out.

Now that Hiriluk had arrived and Lin Mo showed no sign of leaving, Boc blurted out, "I'll go ahead!" Then he ran toward Kokowitt Town.

"That old bastard!" Hiriluk muttered. Then his gaze settled on Lin Mo.

Seeing Lin Mo looking behind him,

Hiriluk turned around. When he saw Chopper's whole body sticking out, he laughed helplessly. "Chopper, you're hiding the wrong way again..."

"!" Startled, Chopper slowly shuffled his body behind Hiriluk, leaving half his face exposed as he watched Lin Mo.

Hiriluk smiled and shook his head, then looked at Lin Mo. "I gave this little guy a name: Tony Tony Chopper. Pretty good, right?"

Lin Mo nodded slightly.

Hiriluk grinned. "See, Chopper? Plenty of people aren't afraid of you and won't hurt you. This young man looks like a good person. Come on out."

Chopper blinked and carefully edged out from behind Hiriluk.

A faint blush rose on his face. Happy but embarrassed, he said, "Um, about this morning... Thank you."

"It's nothing," Lin Mo replied.

Hiriluk's smile froze. He jumped aside in shock. "Huh? Chopper, you can talk? Why didn't you say anything before?"

The moment he asked, another question struck him. "You two know each other? Huh? I thought Chopper didn't know anyone. What's going on?"

Drum Island: Chopper Wanted to Grow Stronger

Hiriluk had never imagined that Chopper knew Lin Mo.

And he had gone ahead and named Chopper without asking... What if Chopper already had a name? Then he had done it for nothing.

Hiriluk's face flushed red. "Chopper, uh, little reindeer... do you have a name?"

Chopper blinked at Hiriluk, then gave him a sweet smile. "No. I really like the name Chopper. Thank you, Doctor Hiriluk."

Hiriluk froze, then said, deeply moved, "You're the first one who's ever thanked me. Aww, you little reindeer, you're too adorable..."

He wiped away tears with an almost comical flourish.

Chopper was innocent at heart. Seeing Hiriluk cry, he flailed in panic. "Ah! Doctor Hiriluk, are you okay? Please don't cry! Um, what should I do? Ahhh, I don't know what to do..."

"Hahaha!" Chopper's panic made Hiriluk laugh through his tears. "I'm fine, Chopper. I'm just so happy. You really are a kind little fellow."

Chopper paused, then scratched the back of his head and wriggled with delight. "You jerk! Praising me won't make me happy!"

"Hahaha..." Hiriluk burst out laughing.

The mood was cheerful.

Lin Mo was little more than part of the scenery beside Hiriluk and Chopper.

It seemed there was nothing left for him to do here.

Lin Mo enjoyed not being the center of attention. He was about to leave when

Chopper spotted him and scampered over, his footsteps pattering. His cheeks flushed as he looked up at Lin Mo. "You were the first person who didn't look down on me or fear me. You even saved me. Thank you, really. Um, what's your name? When I grow up and can do more, I'll repay you!"

Lin Mo looked at Chopper calmly. "My name doesn't matter, and I don't need you to repay me. Humans aren't as frightening as you think. Being called a monster isn't always an insult, either. You'll meet more kind people one day. Until then, just do what you need to do."

With that, Lin Mo walked around him and continued toward Kokowitt Town.

Chopper stared blankly after him.

Hiriluk came to Chopper's side and watched Lin Mo leave with him. Smiling, he said, "Chopper, you really met a good person."

Chopper asked innocently, "Doctor Hiriluk, what did he mean? I didn't understand..."

Hiriluk smiled. "Humans really aren't as frightening as you think. There are plenty of kind people. Just like that kid said, you'll meet more of them someday. Until then, don't give up on humans, Chopper."

Chopper nodded, only half understanding. "What does 'insult' mean?"

"It means something bad," Hiriluk said. After a moment's thought, he continued, "But 'monster' can mean different things. Sometimes it's bad, and sometimes it's praise. You're still young, so you might not understand even if I explain. When you grow up, you'll know what that kid meant."

Chopper nodded innocently and looked again toward Lin Mo, who was already far away. "I'm still too weak. Doctor Hiriluk, if I become more useful and stronger, will I be able to repay him?"

Hiriluk looked at Chopper, his heart aching. "Chopper, don't think like that. That kid didn't say he needed nothing from you because he thought you were weak."

"I know." Chopper beamed. "Even if it isn't to repay him, I still want to get stronger. Only then can I protect what matters to me. Doctor Hiriluk, teach me medicine."

Lin Mo had not gone far when

a system notification sounded in his head.

"Beep! You became Chopper's role model and earned the approval of the quack Hiriluk. Sign-in progress +20%. Current total: 90%. Reward: beginner-level Yin Healing Wound Destruction."

Yin Healing Wound Destruction?

Before Lin Mo could give it much thought, information about the technique appeared in his mind.

It was a Medical Ninjutsu technique from Naruto. By anticipating where an enemy would strike and healing that area before the blow landed, the user could minimize the damage.

To use it, one first needed to predict an opponent's attack accurately and make an instant judgment.

That was not difficult for Lin Mo, who had already mastered Observation Haki. It was a useful support skill.

Lin Mo had guessed Hiriluk might raise his progress, but he had not expected a twenty-percent jump.

All in all, he was satisfied.

Only ten percent remained. It probably would not take long.

Putting it out of his mind, Lin Mo continued toward Kokowitt Town.

When he reached town,

the townspeople recoiled as though they had seen something terrifying. They deliberately backed away, their faces wary.

Lin Mo could guess why without asking. It was probably because Wapol had sent guards into town looking for him that morning.

Whatever the reason, he did not care as long as they left him alone.

Ignoring their fearful, guarded stares, Lin Mo went straight back to Boc's inn.

As soon as he entered, Boc called him over, his expression grim. "Lin Mo, come here. I need to tell you something."

Lin Mo walked over.

Boc immediately lowered his voice. "The guards found Wapol badly injured. Doctors 20 treated him, and he's recovered."

Doctors 20 were the twenty doctors Wapol had kept solely to serve him.

"So what?" Lin Mo said, utterly unconcerned.

Seeing Lin Mo act as though none of it had anything to do with him, Boc nearly lost his mind with worry. "How can you not be worried? Wapol has ordered your arrest across the country. Anyone who shelters you will be executed. I know it's awful to ask you to leave now, but I have a family to look after. I can't drag them into this..."

"Oh. Then I'll leave," Lin Mo said indifferently.

Boc blinked. "You... don't resent me?"

Lin Mo shook his head. "It's fine."

Boc hurriedly took out the deposit Lin Mo had paid. "Here's your deposit..."

"Keep it," Lin Mo said. "Just give me another jar of your family's wine."

Boc quickly pulled two jars of wine from beneath the counter.

Lin Mo accepted them without ceremony, then carried both jars out of the inn.

Only minutes after he left,

a group of fully armed guards rushed over and surrounded him.

The townspeople hurried into hiding, afraid of getting caught up in it.

"Hahahaha! You little bastard, let's see where you run this time!"

An arrogant voice rang out.

The guards blocking Lin Mo's path immediately parted.

Wapol rode up on his hairy hippopotamus, Robson, flanked by twenty doctors wearing masks, gloves, and pale pink protective suits.

Drum Island: Luo's Newfound Luck

Lin Mo had kicked Wapol so hard that he had been seriously injured, but Doctors 20 had soon healed him.

Never before had he suffered such humiliation.

He held a bitter grudge against Lin Mo and Luo and wanted nothing more than to tear them apart.

So Wapol had ordered a search for both of them across the island. Anyone who dared shelter either one would be treated as an accomplice and killed without mercy.

Seeing Lin Mo holding a wine jar in each arm, Wapol gave an ugly laugh. "You little bastard, you're a drunk already? Hmph. Blame yourself for crossing the wrong man. This day next year will be the anniversary of your death! Bring the hostages over!"

Lin Mo: "..."

Hostages? Who?

Lin Mo stared at him, speechless.

Soon, two guards came around from behind Wapol, holding a mother and daughter captive.

Wapol smirked. "If you don't want them hurt, stand right there and don't move."

Lin Mo: "..."

Lin Mo looked at the mother and daughter, at a loss for words.