Drum Kingdom.
Uehara Naraku led them through the streets of the Drum Kingdom.
The streets weren't sparsely populated, and there was even an old woman walking with a reindeer wearing a red top hat and carrying a tool bag.
"Interesting."
Uehara Naraku's gaze slowly halted, looking at the reindeer, he chuckled, "How about we add it to the menu today?"
Hoshigaki Kisame grinned, nodding, "Lord Uehara wants to eat venison now? I wonder how these reindeer compare to those of the Nara Family..."
"About the same, right?"
Uehara Naraku spread his hands nonchalantly.
Nico Robin couldn't help but frown at the idea of eating the cute and handsome reindeer. Are their provisions on the ship not enough?
They didn't stay long in the town but headed straight for the King's Castle in Drum Kingdom, which was their main goal.
Originally, they thought it would be a troublesome fight, but unexpectedly, the people of this country were pathetically weak, and Hoshigaki Kisame easily dealt with them all.
In front of the King's Castle, which was covered in snow all year round, Kisame swung his Shark Skin, splattering a string of blood that stained the white land.
Uehara Naraku and Nico Robin stood before the castle, surrounded by fallen soldiers, including Wapol and his two guards.
Nico Robin tightened her clothes; she was just wearing shorts and a vest underneath, and only had a coat on top. This weather was still quite cold for her.
Uehara Naraku casually removed his coat and tossed it to Nico Robin, then slowly crouched before the King of Drum Island: "Let me think about how to deal with you... You seemed to have cursed at me when we met. What happened to the last person who did?"
"Wait..."
The Drum Kingdom's King Wapol hastily stretched out his palm.
Although he wielded the Munch-Munch Fruit power, he was no match for Hoshigaki Kisame and witnessed their ruthless force firsthand.
Fear showed on Wapol's ugly face, "I am the King of Drum Island; this is a World Government-affiliated nation. If you kill me, you'll surely be hunted by the Navy!"
"I am with Baroque Works, do you think I'm afraid of the Navy?"
Uehara Naraku waved his hand and nodded at Hoshigaki Kisame, "Kisame, take this king to the shore and sink him. Whether he survives will depend on his luck!"
"...Yes."
Hoshigaki Kisame nodded seriously.
Nico Robin looked at this scene speechless.
After Hoshigaki Kisame carried Wapol away, Uehara Naraku slowly turned his gaze to the others: "I recall this country being known for its medical expertise, and there seems to be a famous female doctor named Kureha..."
"...Yes."
Dalton, the former captain of the Drum Kingdom's guard and the Zoan-Type Ox-Ox Fruit ability user, nodded grimly.
"Take me to her!"
"May I ask..."
Dalton gritted his teeth and asked sternly, "Who exactly are you, sir? What do you intend with Drum Kingdom?"
"Heh, even if I wanted something with Drum Kingdom, what can you do?"
Uehara Naraku chuckled softly, spreading his palms, continuing calmly: "We are with Baroque Works, any member can destroy the entire Drum Kingdom. Do you wish to defy me?"
Uehara Naraku punched Dalton's stomach, speaking sternly by his ear, "As punishment for questioning me! When I meet Dr. Kureha, prepare a million Belly for me, any objections?"
"...No...none."
Dalton, somewhat embarrassed, lay kneeling on the ground, clutching his stomach tightly as sweat dripped from his forehead in the cold weather due to pain.
Fortunately, Uehara Naraku didn't ask for too much and could easily gather it.
However, Uehara Naraku gave him no time to rest.
Dalton could only endure his pain and lead the way on the sled.
Nico Robin looked puzzled, tightly wrapping herself in Uehara Naraku's coat, softly asking: "Does Dr. Kureha have anything worth visiting?"
"How should I know?"
Uehara Naraku responded casually, then continued, "But I do know one thing, spreading the hatred of Baroque Works in the world is never wrong..."
Robin: "..."
You're truly Baroque Works' employee of the month!
An hour later.
Uehara Naraku appeared at Dr. Kureha's home, rudely kicking open the door, playing with a gun in his hand and smiling playfully: "Is this Dr. Kureha's house? I'm a bit short, could I borrow some money?"
"..."
Inside, a woman with an aged face but a well-maintained figure raised her head, seeing Uehara Naraku at the door.
She was the witch, Dr. Kureha, the highest medical authority of the Drum Kingdom.
Coincidentally, she was the person they saw today in the Drum Kingdom's town.
Although she is over a hundred and thirty years old, she remains extremely healthy, which seems quite extraordinary in this world.
"Are you pirates?"
Looking at the gun in Uehara Naraku's hand, Dr. Kureha squinted and smiled, shaking her head calmly, "Boy, you've got the wrong person, I do have quite a bit of money, but it's all spent on buying wine!"
After saying that, the woman waved the bottle in her hand and continued with a smile: "But do you want to know the secret to my eternal youth?"
"Not interested."
Naraku Uehara raised the gun in his hand, casually aiming it at a reindeer wearing a red hat in the room, and said with a helpless smile, "Since you have no money, then take your reindeer with you! It can be a nice addition to our dinner tonight..."
These words revealed his helplessness.
It looked like this guy really didn't want to leave empty-handed!
A drop of cold sweat appeared on the forehead of the red-hatted reindeer, and the next moment its expression gradually became sullen, a muffled snort coming from beneath its nose.
Just as the reindeer seemed ready to pounce at any moment, Uehara Naraku's shadow suddenly appeared beside the reindeer!
Uehara pressed one hand on the reindeer's neck, pinning it against the wall!
"Wait!"
Dr. Kureha suddenly extended her palm, the smile on her face unchanged: "That's not a meal; it's my idiot son... If you want to borrow money, you should at least name a figure, right?"
"One million Belly."
Uehara Naraku squeezed the meat on the reindeer, ruffled its fur, and continued slowly: "I'm going to take this reindeer away too. Its meat looks so chewy..."
"Little guy, this is getting a bit too much..."
Dr. Kureha's face still wore a smile, but her hand slowly lowered the bottle: "Seriously, is this how greedy young pirates are these days?"
"Who are you calling a young pirate!"
Uehara Naraku raised the gun in his hand, aiming it at Dr. Kureha, and said coldly, "I'm an intermediate agent of Baroque Works!"
"..."
Dr. Kureha frowned.
To be honest, she really disliked these reckless youngsters. Just as her hand was slowly clenching, a woman's voice came in.
"Uehara, take the Belly and go!"
"Yes."
Uehara Naraku waved his hand, pinching the reindeer in his grasp, and suddenly threw it to the ground, speaking in a deep voice: "Hey, Kureha, hurry up and get the money!"
Unexpectedly, the reindeer on the ground suddenly charged, pouncing toward Uehara Naraku. Uehara Naraku swiftly kicked the reindeer, sending it flying!
"Stop, Chopper!"
Dr. Kureha hurriedly stopped the reindeer.
Even if she hadn't stopped it, there was nothing it could do because the reindeer was hurting too much to even stand.
Dr. Kureha took out a money box, handed it to Uehara Naraku, and then asked, "Which organization did you say you were from again?"
"Baroque Works."
Uehara Naraku swiftly twisted the gun in his hand till it broke, and with a light smile threatened her: "If you're thinking of retaliating against us, then come and try it!"
"As long as I know your name, that's enough."
Dr. Kureha smiled, spreading her hands: "When I run into patients from your organization in the future, I'll get back everything I gave you today."
"Okay."
Uehara Naraku didn't care in the slightest. He just left with the money box because the most important reward in this country was already in his hands.
Side Mission: Defeat Tony Tony Chopper (1/1), mission accomplished, reward: 50 gold coins.
This is...
The minimum reward possible?
Even beating Hinata had a better reward than this!
Uehara Naraku couldn't help but rub his forehead, looking at the second reward.
Side Mission: Rubbed Chopper's little belly and head (1/1), mission accomplished, reward: 3000 Life Energy, 3000 Armament Haki, 3000 Observation Haki.
Is this a task meant for real men?
The rewards for these two different tasks were so vastly different!
After Uehara Naraku took the million Belly from Dr. Kureha and the million Belly prepared by Dalton, he left with Nico Robin.
Dr. Kureha squatted beside Chopper and gave it a vial of potion: "Hey, idiot Chopper, are you okay?"
"I'm fine... Dr. Dorell."
The reindeer responded, and its body began to shrink, turning into a child-sized form in a short while.
Chopper looked up at Dr. Kureha, with a big puzzled look in its eyes: "Were those people... pirates?"
"Perhaps?"
Dr. Kureha nodded, then glanced at the broken gun by Uehara Naraku, and slowly sat back down: "That little guy... is just a small player on the great sea, so if you want to be a pirate, it's not that simple!"
"I won't be that kind of pirate!"
Chopper swung his front hooves furiously, full of anger: "Bursting into someone's house to rob them, how could they possibly be pirates!"
"Hmm?"
Dr. Kureha took a swig from her bottle of wine and continued in a deep voice: "You're not wrong; that guy might not really be a pirate. He said he was with Baroque Works, which seems to be a criminal company from the first half of the Grand Line..."
"...Baroque Works?"
Chopper slowly nodded, remembering the name, and his eyes grew resolute: "Dr. Dorell, I'm going back to continue my experiments!"