"Finally back on Drum Island!"
Shin gazed at the icy island before him with a sigh. He had spent many years on Drum Island. Aside from Konoha, where he was born and graduated from the Academy at the age of ten, this place felt more like his hometown in this life.
Though Drum Island was merely a small winter island with scarce resources and a sparse population, its status as a medical powerhouse made its port bustling and lively.
"It looks like things are going well," Charlotte Pudding remarked in surprise. "I didn't expect the country you were born in, Captain Shin, to be such a rare peaceful and prosperous place. It's unbelievable."
She had a point. Most pirates came from troubled backgrounds. If their homeland had been peaceful and stable, they likely wouldn't have ventured out to sea as pirates.
"It seems that Dalton has indeed proven to be a competent king." Shin smiled. "Despite Drum Island's harsh climate, its leadership in medical advancements allows it to generate significant revenue. That wealth has built the foundation for this prosperity."
The crew nodded in understanding. Even without considering Shin's abilities with the system and medical ninjutsu, he had undoubtedly been an exceptional doctor. Now, it was evident that his talent had been influenced by the environment he grew up in.
"However, Captain, you don't seem to be well-known here!" Violet observed as they disembarked from the Azure Dragon and stepped onto the pier.
"Of course. Back then, I was just a traveling doctor without a permanent clinic. Not many people truly knew me."
"And when I first set sail, I wasn't a pirate captain—I was just the ship doctor of the Spade Pirates. My reputation didn't start growing until much later, and by then, I was already in the New World."
"Let's go. I'll introduce you to our target this time—Chopper. He's quite adorable."
"The reindeer who you said ate the Human-Human Fruit? That's incredibly rare," Charlotte Pudding said with a smile. "Let's meet him."
In the original timeline, Chopper should have been residing in the castle on the mountaintop with Doctor Kureha. However, that castle now served as the royal residence of King Dalton. The previous king, Wapol, had never eaten the Munch-Munch Fruit in this timeline—Shin had eliminated him before that could happen.
Additionally, Blackbeard had never obtained the Dark-Dark Fruit and remained a loyal member of the Whitebeard Pirates, meaning he had never attacked Drum Island.
Because of these changes, Shin wasn't entirely sure where Chopper and Doctor Kureha had settled. Fortunately, with Violet's ability, finding them wouldn't be difficult. While her ability struggled with common people due to the overwhelming number of images she perceived, an anthropomorphic reindeer like Chopper was easy to spot.
In a quiet mountain village, Chopper was diligently preparing medicine.
"Mountain grass, mixed with Dewberry... Let me double-check..."
"Chopper, go buy me some wine," came Doctor Kureha's voice from the other room.
"Okay, Doctor Kureha!" Chopper responded, but as he turned his head, his arm brushed too close to the flame beneath the concoction pot.
"Hmm? What's that smell—AHH! FIRE!"
Chopper bolted from the wooden house like a tiny fireball, flailing in panic.
In his frantic escape, he tripped over his own hooves and tumbled down the snowy hillside.
Drum Island, being a winter island, was covered in thick snow. As Chopper rolled down the hill, the flames on his fur were extinguished, but he transformed into a snowball, barreling straight into a figure at the base of the slope.
With a soft thud, the snowball broke apart, revealing a charred, soot-covered Chopper sprawled on the ground.
"Huh? What is this? Were they roasting venison?" the person muttered before shaking their head. "I didn't expect Doctor Kureha to have such unusual tastes."
"I WASN'T BEING COOKED!" Chopper, still dazed, instinctively retorted. Then, as he looked up and recognized the speaker, his eyes widened in shock.
"Shin?! You're back!"
"As expected, Shin, your healing abilities are incredibly fast! That burn healed instantly!"
Doctor Kureha, who had now arrived at the scene, observed Chopper with some admiration. "It's truly remarkable."
"That's just my Devil Fruit ability—it has nothing to do with medical skill," Shin replied, waving off the praise.
Kureha chuckled, brewing a fresh pot of tea. "So, what brings a pirate captain with a billion-berry bounty back to my humble home? You're well beyond the need for medical lessons."
"Haha, I'm actually here for Chopper," Shin admitted. "I have a research project, and I'd like him to participate."
Chopper's face lit up with excitement, his entire body twisting in an awkward dance. "Oh, I'm not that great or anything" he said, before suddenly shifting to a serious expression, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Research? What kind of research? Are we developing new medical advancements?"
Shin smirked. "We'll be heading to Punk Hazard to study artificial Devil Fruits."
"Artificial Devil Fruits? What's that?" Chopper scratched his head. "I've never studied anything like that."
"Don't worry." Shin nodded. "All you have to do is lie down on the experimental table and take a nap."
"Oh, that's easy!" Chopper beamed. Then, after a moment, his expression froze. "Wait... THAT SOUNDS LIKE I'M THE EXPERIMENT! YOU'RE TRYING TO DISSECT ME!"
"Exactly. You're an extremely rare case—an animal that ate the Human-Human Fruit. You're a perfect research subject."
"NO WAY! I DON'T WANT TO BE DISSECTED!" Chopper screamed, hiding behind Charlotte Pudding . Unfortunately, in his panic, he only covered his head, leaving his entire body exposed.
Pudding, who had a rather mischievous streak, flashed a devilish grin. "Oh, did I forget to mention? I'm the lead researcher."
She hoisted Chopper up by his fur, inspecting him like a merchant appraising fresh produce. "Hmm, yes, very healthy. Looks like he'll last a long time."
"HELP!" Chopper wailed as the crew burst into laughter.
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