The voyage to Alabasta required crossing a special stretch of water known as the "Plague Sea."
This sea was shrouded in poisonous mist year-round. Its waters were an eerie purple, and rotting spores drifted through the air. It was said to be the site of a biochemical war hundreds of years ago, its toxins still lingering to this day.
"Everyone, put on your gas masks," Lin Yan ordered. "Chopper, get the antidotes ready."
"Yes!" Chopper had already prepared a special medicine in advance.
The Flame Emperor sailed into the poisonous mist, and visibility immediately dropped to less than ten meters. The corpses of all kinds of sea creatures floated on the surface, giving off a foul stench.
"This place... is like hell." Tashigi covered her nose and mouth.
Robin frowned. "Historical records say this was once the territory of an Ancient Kingdom. Because it researched forbidden biochemical weapons, the entire country was swallowed by toxins."
"Forbidden biochemical weapons..." Lin Yan looked thoughtful. "Could they have been a precursor to the Plague-Plague Fruit?"
In the original story, Doc Q's Plague-Plague Fruit could create viruses, but it did not seem capable of environmental contamination on such a massive scale.
Just then, a shout came from the lookout:
"Ship spotted ahead! It's... a Navy medical ship?"
"What would a medical ship be doing here?"
Everyone looked over. Sure enough, the outline of a white ship was faintly visible through the thick mist, with a red cross on its hull.
But what Lin Yan sensed with his Observation Haki was something entirely different.
There were no signs of life aboard that ship.
Only... death.
"Prepare for battle," Lin Yan said gravely. "That's no medical ship."
"What?" Ace froze.
"Everyone aboard is dead. Or... they're zombies."
The Flame Emperor approached the "medical ship." Only as the distance closed did everyone see the truth-
The hull was indeed painted white and bore a red cross, but dozens of corpses lay sprawled across the deck. They had not rotted, but their skin was purplish-black. They had clearly died from a potent poison.
Even stranger, as the Flame Emperor drew near, those corpses... moved.
They staggered to their feet, their eyes hollow, black liquid flowing from their mouths and noses as they let out low growls.
"Zombies?! Are you serious?!" Ace's eyes widened.
"They aren't zombies. They're puppets controlled by a virus," Robin analyzed. "These people contracted some kind of virus while they were alive. After they died, the virus took control of their bodies and turned them into walking corpses."
Chopper hid behind Lin Yan in fright. "V-viruses can do that?"
"Ordinary viruses can't. But if it's a virus created by a Devil Fruit User..." Lin Yan looked toward the cabin. "Come out, Doc Q. I know you're there."
The cabin door opened, and Doc Q walked out.
Compared to their last meeting, he was even more skeletal, his face as pale as paper, but his eyes were even more crazed.
"Flame Emperor... we meet again." Doc Q coughed twice and spat out black blood. "I still haven't repaid you for that 'gift' last time."
He raised his hand, holding a glass bottle filled with boiling black liquid.
"Plague-Plague Fruit Ultimate Art: Death Zone Descends."
He smashed the glass bottle.
The black liquid seeped into the deck, and then the entire medical ship began to melt! It was not physically melting-the virus was spreading! The hull turned into black slime that flowed into the sea, contaminating a vast stretch of water.
Immediately afterward, the toxins in the sea were activated. They condensed into black humanoid monsters that climbed aboard the Flame Emperor!
"Protect the ship!" Flames ignited on both of Ace's hands. "Fire Fist: Purification!"
The flames swept across them, charring the black monsters, but new ones immediately crawled out of the sea in an endless stream.
"It's useless." Doc Q stood atop the sea of black slime he had created, like a demon god. "All the toxins that have accumulated in these waters over three hundred years are under my control. You... will all die here."
More and more black monsters appeared, and the Flame Emperor began to rock.
Chopper suddenly stepped forward. "C-Captain! Let me do it!"
"Chopper?"
"I'm a doctor!" Chopper gritted his teeth. "A doctor... has to overcome disease!"
He took out a small bottle containing the "Purification Potion" he had developed over the past few days based on the properties of Plague Fire.
"But this medicine hasn't been tested yet..." Chopper hesitated.
"I believe in you." Lin Yan patted his head. "Go."
Chopper nodded, drank the potion, then jumped off the ship and landed on the sea of black slime.
"Rumble Ball: Purification Form!"
His body began to change. Rather than growing larger, his entire body emitted a gentle green light. Wherever the light reached, the black slime began to recede, and the viral monsters screamed as they dissolved into black smoke.
"Wh-what ability is this?" Doc Q was stunned.
"This is Doctor's Resolve!" Chopper shouted. "Viruses, toxins-whatever they are, I'll cure them all!"
The green light spread, and the entire stretch of sea began to be purified. The black faded, the purple seawater returned to blue, the poisonous mist dispersed, and sunlight once again shone upon these forgotten waters.
Doc Q went mad. "Impossible! My plague is invincible-"
"There is no invincible disease." Lin Yan appeared behind him. "Only healers who aren't strong enough."
He struck Doc Q's back with his palm.
Flame of Life flowed into him, not to purify, but to... resonate.
"Your Plague-Plague Fruit was originally a variant of the Medical-Medical Fruit," Lin Yan said. "But you took the wrong path. Now, I'll help you correct it."
Flames burned within Doc Q, not destroying him, but transforming him. The Plague-Plague Fruit's viral properties were stripped away, leaving only medical properties such as "pathogen analysis," "antibody production," and "rapid healing."
When the flames dispersed, Doc Q collapsed to the ground, but a healthy color had returned to his face, and his eyes had cleared.
"I... what have I done..." He looked at his clean hands, then at the purified sea, tears streaming down his face. "I actually... polluted such a beautiful sea..."
He had been healed-not his body, but his soul.
"From now on, use your ability to save people," Lin Yan said. "Not kill them."
"I... I will." Doc Q knelt. "Thank you... thank you for giving me a new life."
Lin Yan looked at Chopper. The little fellow had already returned to his original form and was slumped on the deck in exhaustion.
"Chopper, well done."
"R-really?" Chopper smiled shyly.
[Ding-] [Bond with Chopper increased to Lv. 3 (Trust)] [Ability unlocked: Panacea (Can formulate special medicines for any disease)] [Obtained: Plague-Plague Fruit (Medical Version) Template Fragment ×1] [Can be fused into: Life-Life Fruit (Incomplete)] [Fuse?]
"Fuse."
[Fusion successful] [Life-Life Fruit Template (Incomplete, 30%)] [Effects: Vitality +1000%, recovery +500%, can create "Seeds of Life" (grant vitality to plants and animals)]
Not bad. It's getting more and more like the Sun God's abilities.
Doc Q was left in the purified waters. He would spend the rest of his life atoning and healing the ecology of this sea.
The Flame Emperor continued sailing and finally left the Plague Sea.
Ahead, Alabasta's coastline was already visible.
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