"Good."
"The toxins have been completely removed."
"Your Op-Op Fruit ability is being used much better than this old woman expected."
Luo looked down at his hands.
Those hands, once covered in white spots, are now clean.
Mr. Corazon.
I'm better now.
I'm really healed.
He remained silent for a long time, then turned around and bowed deeply to Kureha.
"Thank you, Dr. Kureha."
Kureha waved her hand, turned around, and said in a slightly hoarse voice:
Get out of here and stop getting in my way.
The old woman still wants to brew wine.
But Luo clearly saw that as she turned around, she quickly wiped the corner of her eye with her sleeve.
The departure date was set for the morning of the following day.
That night, Kureha unusually refrained from swearing.
She had Pea fetch several barrels of aged plum wine from the cellar, and then had Savi and Bar put the long tables in the hall together and set out a table full of dishes.
Consider this a farewell gift for you.
She held her wine glass, crossed her legs, and spoke casually, as if she were remarking on the nice weather.
Don't expect the old woman to say anything sentimental. Finish your food and get out of here.
But it was obvious to everyone that the old woman was in a very good mood today.
Yamato the first to raise her glass. "Grandma Kureha! I toast you! Your plum wine is the best in the world!"
Kureha scoffed, "How many kinds of alcohol have you even drunk? You're just spouting nonsense."
But she still drank the wine.
Pea also raised her cup, which was filled with juice. "Grandma, thank you for letting me plant flowers in the castle."
"Your flowers are growing quite well. Much better than this kid memorizing his lessons," Kureha said, pointing at Luo.
Luo's lips twitched, but he didn't say anything.
Savi and Bar both raised their glasses. "Thank you for your guidance, senior!"
"You two have good potential, but you're too straightforward. Think things through when you fight next time, don't just rely on brute force."
"Yes!"
Kazami also raised his cup, unusually speaking up, "Senior, you also have knowledge of swordsmanship?"
Kureha glanced at him:
The old woman didn't know swordsmanship, but many people had seen her practice.
The way you train is forcing yourself.
Pushing too hard can backfire.
Kazami was silent for a moment, then bowed slightly. "I've learned a lot."
Enel floated in mid-air, holding a wine glass, fidgeting and unsure of what to say.
Kureha looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "You've got pretty good Observation Haki, kid."
Enel's eyes lit up. "You also know about Observation Haki?"
"Nonsense."
"That old woman lived to be 141 years old, what hasn't she seen?"
Your Observation Haki and awareness have a wide range, but lack precision.
It can sense the enemy's location, but not their intentions.
Enel was stunned. He had never thought about this question before.
"Go back and practice hard. You're still far from achieving the pinnacle of Observation Haki."
It was Luo's turn last.
Kureha looked at him, unusually refraining from swearing.
She reached out and ruffled Luo's hair.
The hand was covered in wrinkles, but it was warm.
"Kid, your medical skills are good, but you're too calculating."
"Living isn't about paying off debts; it's about moving forward."
Luo lowered his head and gripped his wine glass tightly.
"Go. The world outside is vast. Don't always be so confined to your own world."
Luo nodded vigorously.
That night, Kureha drank a lot of alcohol.
She sat in front of the fireplace, gazing at the firelight, humming an old song no one had ever heard before.
Her voice was hoarse, and she was way off-key.
But for some reason, everyone listened quietly, and no one spoke.
The next morning.
The Ark Maxim landed on the snow outside the castle, the hatch opened, and the people boarded the ship one after another.
Luo walked last.
He was holding a medical book handwritten by Kureha in his arms, the cover of which was already frayed from repeated use. He walked to the cabin door, then suddenly stopped and turned around.
Kureha stood at the castle gate, holding the same bottle of plum wine she never drank before, leaning against the doorframe, her expression exactly the same as it had been a month ago.
"Doctor Kureha."
Kureha raised an eyebrow.
Luo opened his mouth, wanting to say a lot. But in the end, he just bowed again.
Kureha waved her hand. "Let's go, let's go, stop dawdling. Old women hate this kind of scene."
But she didn't turn around and go back into the house.
She leaned against the doorframe, watching the Ark Maxim slowly rise into the air, its golden hull cutting through the wind and snow, flying higher and higher, farther and farther away.
Behind us, the wind and snow continued.
On the castle windowsill, the sunflowers planted with Pea swayed gently in the cold wind.
The Ark Maxim broke through the clouds, Drum Island gradually shrank behind them, eventually becoming a small white dot on the sea.
Luo stood at the stern, watching the tiny dot recede into the distance, clutching the medical book tightly in his arms.
Yamato leaned closer. "Luo! What are you planning to do next?"
Luo thought for a moment, then opened the medical book to the first page. "I'll study all of Grandma's notes."
"Then what?"
"Use the Op-Op Fruit to heal more people."
"Finally, become stronger."
As for what he needed to do to become stronger, he didn't say, but everyone knew the reason.
Yamato grinned and put his arm around Law's shoulder. "Hehe! Leave the task of helping you become stronger to me!"
Luo turned his head with difficulty, looked at the grinning Yamato, and nodded weakly. "... Thank you."
Pea ran over, holding a pot of snow lotus flowers—she had brought them from Drum Island; the petals were as white as snow, shimmering faintly in the sunlight.
"Luo, this is for you. Grandma said that snow lotuses can bloom in the coldest places. I think... it's a lot like you."
Luo paused for a moment, took the potted plant, looked down at the white flower that still stood tall in the cold wind, and fell silent.
"Thanks."
The Pea smiled so hard her eyes curved into crescent moons.
Enel floated in mid-air, unusually quiet.
He was practicing what Kureha called "the precision of Observation Haki "—with his eyes closed, sensing the presence of everyone around him, not only their location but also their intentions.
Tesoro tried to sneakily poke him, but just as he raised his hand, Enel floated away.
"Trying to poke me? No way!"
Tesoro raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you've improved?"
"Of course! I am a genius!"
The two started bickering again.
Savi and Bar practiced on the deck, this time no longer resorting to brute force.
Savi began to try to control the rhythm of his punches, while Bar learned to look for opportunities to counterattack while defending.
The two fought back and forth, no longer relying on who was stronger to win.
Kazami remained seated cross-legged in the corner, but he did not draw his sword.
He closed his eyes, gently gesturing with his fingers on his knees while muttering incantations.
Roy withdrew his gaze and unfolded the nautical chart.
Fingers traced across the nautical chart— Drum Island, Alabasta, Jaya Island, Long Ring Long Land, Water 7, Sabaody Archipelago...
Luo's Amber Lead Disease has now been cured, and there's no need to rush his next trip.