"Nice to meet you."
Kuma's gentle voice pierced through the wind and snow, as he politely bowed slightly, "Apologies for the interruption, Lord Shano, Lady Kureha."
He casually tossed Wapol into the snow like garbage, and the latter immediately let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered:
"That hurts so much! You bastard, how dare you betray me! Didn't we agree you would help me deal with..."
Smack! Kuma lightly delivered a hand chop, and Wapol's eyes rolled back as he passed out.
"Sorry."
Kuma apologized with a slight bow to Shano, "I was deceived by this king, who claimed that two vicious pirates were plundering his country. But on my journey here, I found the towns intact, so I quickly turned back to question him, and extracted information from his two ministers..."
"Only then did I realize that it was you, Lord Shano, who came to the island."
Kuma sighed softly, "As for this king, he is the one who is unbelievably despicable, getting scared out of his wits and planning to abandon the country, taking all the nation's doctors and treasures with him, unwilling to even leave a single doctor for his subjects."
Well, that's how Wapol is.
Shano glanced at the unconscious fat guy on the ground, raising an eyebrow.
No matter how you look at him, this guy is a complete scoundrel. Yet, in the original timeline, he prospered due to his Fruit Ability.
Tsk, in a way, I've played the role that Blackbeard did in the original timeline.
Ever since deliberately letting the soldiers escape, he would use Observation now and then to keep an eye on the happenings at the castle on the mountain peak.
He was naturally aware that their group had already attempted to flee towards the sea.
He had planned to intercept them at the port before treating the disease.
Unexpectedly, a strong presence suddenly emerged on the island, halting Wapol and his followers' escape.
He initially thought it was some powerful ally Wapol had summoned, but it turned out to be Kuma.
—Bartholomew Kuma.
Shano looked up at the Kuma before him, his smile warm and gentle. He hadn't yet transformed into the silent, robotic figure he remembered, obviously still unaltered.
He quickly pieced together the timeline in his mind.
If he remembered correctly.
At this time, Kuma had just been wanted for sinking a Navy warship, afraid of implicating his hometown and Bonney, so he had gone to sea to become a "pirate."
While evading capture, he was searching for a cure for Cyan Jade Scale Disease.
As for collaborating with the World Government and undergoing transformation, that would happen next year, during his encounter with Dragon, after Dragon pointed him towards Vegapunk.
This being the case, Kuma appearing on Drum Island, this once-renowned "Medical Power," was only natural.
"From your tone, it seems you've known me for quite some time?" he inquired.
"Yes."
Kuma nodded, "I was once part of a mysterious organization... I'm afraid I cannot disclose the name of that organization just yet."
"In any case, a few years ago, back when you were in the East Sea, your reputation had already reached us, and my superior was planning to invite you to join our organization as soon as you came of age."
Senior in the Revolutionary Army... Did Dragon also break a sweat for me?
Shano was taken aback, "To think, the one who cleared the East Sea of Great Pirates, upon coming of age and venturing to sea, became a pirate too?"
"It's an Adventurer's Guild, not pirates."
Kuma shook his head, promptly correcting, "The truth cannot remain hidden forever; you are still the same as back then, never having changed your true nature, right?"
He smiled and said, "I just went to Log Town in the East Sea and heard the people there talk about you, someone who dared to battle the Navy to protect the townsfolk of Log Town. How could you possibly be the vicious pirate this king describes, looting heartlessly?"
"Oh oh oh!!!"
Chopper's eyes sparkled as he peeked out from behind the door frame, "I knew it... Big Brother Shano, you really are an amazing person, having such experiences!"
"Amazing is overstated."
Shano chuckled as he patted its head and then turned to address Kuma:
"You're making me feel a bit shy with all the praise. Come in and let's talk; the wind and snow are intense outside, but it's warm inside. You already know Dr. Kureha's name, so it seems the doctors you encountered at the port have told you a lot about this country."
"I haven't agreed yet. Don't just act like you're the host, brat!" Kureha objected, tossing an empty wine bottle at him.
Smack, Shano caught it easily, "Don't mind her, this old lady may have a bit of a temper, but she's an incredibly skilled doctor. You came primarily to seek her out, right? Just talk to her directly if there's something you want to say."
"Thank you, Lord."
Kuma nodded to Shano and then sincerely bowed to Kureha and Chopper.
He then brushed off the snow on himself, carefully lowered his head, and stepped inside.
Kureha initially wanted to keep this big guy out, but in the face of such an attitude, she merely shrugged and chose to guard the door instead. After everyone had entered the house, she finally shut the door behind them.
Meanwhile, Chopper had already merrily brought over a cup of hot tea for Kuma.
Hehe, this was the first time someone had bowed to him. What's going on today, running into so many kind people in a row.
Big Brother Shano is a kind person, Sister Robin is a kind person, and this strange man with a Bear Ear Hat is too!