Seeing Zoro's indifferent expression, Dalton assumed he had been forgotten. To jog his memory, Dalton added, "Your companions, Luffy and Ikki, have already taken the sick girl to the doctor."
Zoro hadn't forgotten about Dalton—his mind was elsewhere, focused on how to stop Psyduck.
Back on the ship, Nami was usually the one who took care of Psyduck. More importantly, no one had ever seen the duck angry before… until now.
Zoro sighed and looked at Dalton. Shrugging, he said, "As you can see, I wasn't the one causing trouble. It's him!" He gestured toward the glowing-eyed duck. "I'm not even sure if I can stop him. I'll give it a shot, though…"
Dalton nodded solemnly. "Then I leave it to you. Please!"
Zoro approached Psyduck, whose eyes shone an intense blue, radiating telekinetic energy. Placing a hand on the duck's head, he asked softly, "Hey, Psyduck, can you stop now?"
As if responding to Zoro's touch, the light in Psyduck's eyes flickered and faded. The massive ship that had been hovering mid-air came crashing down into the snow with a deafening thud.
The moment the light left his eyes completely, Psyduck's body went limp, and he fainted.
Zoro quickly caught the unconscious duck before he hit the snow. Wrapping him in the cotton coat he had taken earlier, Zoro sighed in relief.
Dalton approached, his gaze lingering on Psyduck for a moment. Bowing slightly to Zoro, he said, "Thank you!"
Waving his hand dismissively, Zoro replied, "Don't thank me. Just take me somewhere warm to rest!"
By now, Zoro had given up on finding his own way back to the Going Merry. With Psyduck unconscious from overexerting himself, Zoro accepted that his navigational skills weren't up to the task. For the sake of his companions, he begrudgingly decided to rely on someone else for guidance.
Meanwhile, atop Drum Castle on Drum Rock…
The battle between Luffy and Chopper was nearing its conclusion.
Despite using the Rumble Ball to activate all seven transformations of his Human-Human Fruit, Chopper was still no match for Luffy's raw determination and strength.
Luffy, however, was more excited than ever. Watching Chopper's transformations only solidified his resolve to have the reindeer join his crew. No one could change his mind now.
As the fight raged on, Ikki, Kureha, Vivi, and Sanji stood nearby, observing the battle.
Kureha remained silent, her sharp gaze fixed on Luffy and the straw hat he wore.
Ikki, noticing her interest, grinned and spoke up. "So, what do you think, Dr. Kureha? My captain, Monkey D. Luffy, isn't too bad, huh? Sure, he's not the sharpest, but as a captain, he's the best in the world!"
Kureha's eyes narrowed at the mention of Luffy's name.
"D?" she murmured to herself.
Ikki had mentioned it deliberately. In the original tale, Kureha had reacted strongly upon seeing Luffy's bounty poster, exclaiming, "Monkey D… Is it still alive? The Will of D!"
From Kureha's reaction, it was clear she wasn't just any ordinary doctor. She knew much about the mysterious "D" lineage, a name carried by those destined to stir great storms across the seas.
With someone like Luffy, Chopper wouldn't go astray.
As Ikki had predicted, once Kureha learned Luffy's full name, she raised no objections to Chopper joining the Straw Hat crew.
Kureha, having lived for over a century, had an unmatched ability to read people. She had a good impression of both Luffy and Ikki, recognizing them as kind-hearted individuals who deeply cared for their companions.
Trusting Chopper to them didn't trouble her in the slightest.
Although Chopper lost his fight against Luffy, he still refused to join the Straw Hats outright.
While his words said no, his heart wavered. The idea of leaving, however, made him think of Doctor Kureha. He couldn't bear the thought of her being left alone.
Chopper had long dreamed of going to sea, a dream inspired by Dr. Hiriluk. But he intended to pursue it only after ensuring Kureha was safe and cared for.
The problem was, Kureha showed no signs of slowing down. Full of energy and vitality, she seemed ready to outlive him.
If Kureha knew what Chopper was thinking, she would have likely kicked him across the room and yelled, 'I'm a young, beautiful girl of just over 130 years! I'll be fine even if you leave!'
Luffy, however, had his own way of reading people. His instincts told him Chopper yearned for adventure, despite his hesitation.
"Shishishi! Chopper! If you don't come willingly, I'll tie you up and drag you aboard!" Luffy declared with his signature grin.
Just as the words left his mouth, a large hand grabbed the cliff edge of Drum Castle. With a powerful leap, someone vaulted onto the peak of Drum Rock.
The commotion immediately drew everyone's attention.
Ikki's pupils narrowed as he recognized the intruder.
At the same time, the man caught sight of Ikki.
"Uiihahaha! I finally found you, Birdman!"
The newcomer was none other than Jesus Burgess, the "Champion" of the Blackbeard Pirates, who had encountered Ikki earlier at the mountain's base.
After seeing Ikki fly toward Drum Rock, Burgess had decided to follow, curious about what lay atop.
By now, Burgess was wrapped in a thick cotton coat. Even with his formidable physique, the harsh cold of Drum Island had forced him to cover up.
"Eh? Ikki, do you know this guy?" Luffy asked curiously, pointing at Burgess.
"It's not 'knowing.' We've just crossed paths," Ikki replied evenly.
But Burgess wasn't interested in pleasantries. His sole purpose in climbing the mountain was to confront the birdman who had evaded him earlier.
Seeing Burgess ready for a fight, Ikki signaled for Usopp, Vivi, and Kureha to step back. Drawing Bokuto, he prepared for battle.
Luffy, who had initially planned to join the fight, saw Ikki's resolve and decided to step aside. He pulled Chopper with him to watch.
"Oh? So, you want to challenge me, the World Champion?" Burgess taunted, a menacing grin on his face. "I'd advise you to bring everyone here to fight me at once!"
Burgess's bravado extended to everyone present, whether it was the reindeer, the women, or the old doctor. He didn't care who he fought.
Ikki had to suppress the urge to quip, If you're so tough, go challenge the old lady instead of me, a young guy. But such words didn't fit the situation.
Truthfully, Ikki welcomed the fight. It was a chance to test his strength against a formidable opponent.
Burgess wasn't weak. Two years after the Paramount War, he had become one of Blackbeard's most trusted commanders. While he might not measure up to the first mates of the Four Emperors, he was a significant force in the first half of the Grand Line.
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