Bright sunlight spilled across the silver-white mountain peaks, reflecting a dazzling brilliance like molten gold.
Smoker stood at the castle gates, staring at the faint plume of smoke curling up in the distance.
After a full day of conversation yesterday, he had come to understand the true situation of this country.
He didn't want to admit it—but his heart had undeniably begun to waver.
If he had never seen these things with his own eyes, perhaps he wouldn't have felt much.
Yet after learning that the World Government's own Wapol regime had once committed such unforgivable atrocities in the Drum Kingdom, even Smoker himself began questioning the Marines he had always believed in…
Was this really justice?
…
…
Meanwhile—
Inside the castle, in a room that Kureha had converted into a pharmaceutical lab.
The century-and-a-half-old witch stared in astonishment at the Super Potion in Red's hand, then at the snow hare whose stab wound was rapidly closing. Interest flickered across her face.
"How intriguing~ Is this a healing medicine created from a Devil Fruit ability?"She eyed the brown glass bottle with curiosity.
Red paused for a moment, then gently shook his head.
"No, this isn't the power of a Devil Fruit."
He raised his head and explained:
"This is a special healing agent I obtained through another… channel."
"It can rapidly restore stamina and instantly mend wounds."
"But compared to the Heal-Heal Fruit, it's still somewhat weaker."
"This potion can only repair injuries and accelerate cellular regeneration. It cannot remove viruses, toxins, or other harmful pathogens within the body."
So although Red didn't reveal the full truth, he had chosen not to hide it from Kureha either.
Judging from various hints in the original story, Kureha must have had an extraordinary identity in her younger years.
Her medical skill was never described in detail, but the fact that she held such reputation in the Drum Kingdom—a world-renowned medical nation—proved well enough that she was no ordinary doctor.
This was also why Red had taken out the Super Potion in front of her.
He wanted to use Kureha's advanced medical expertise to determine…
Whether these "game-world items" were merely system constructs—or if they were real, functional medicines with physical effects.
If it was the former, then forget it.
But if it was the latter—
Red might genuinely be able to plant Berry Trees on the Going Merry in future "versions" of the game…
And use them to mass-produce all sorts of Pokémon world items!
"You even know about the Heal-Heal Fruit?"
Hearing Red's explanation, Kureha looked even more shocked.
After all, that was a Devil Fruit ability countless medical scholars would kill to possess.
Kureha was no exception.
When she was young, she had even sought it out for a time—
Though that had been over a hundred years ago.
"Of course!" Red answered calmly. "Didn't I tell you before, Doctor Kureha…"
"I really can see the future."
"Otherwise we wouldn't have been able to find you and Chopper~!"
"Oh, right—Chopper. Have you thought about it?"
Red suddenly set down the Super Potion and smiled at the reindeer shrinking in the corner, still stunned by the potion's effects.
"Ah!?"
Being called out so suddenly, Chopper froze.
Seeing Red walking toward him, he panicked and shuffled backward, wishing he could crawl into a crack in the floor.
It was obvious—Luffy chasing him around yesterday had dealt severe damage to his tiny, fragile heart.
"Don't be nervous, Chopper. I'm not an idiot like Luffy~"
Red forced a gentle, friendly smile as he approached.
Maybe his expression had a natural charm to it… or maybe the Super Potion's miracle-like effect held irresistible allure for Chopper.
Either way, his breathing slowly calmed down.
"Wh-what do you want?" he asked nervously.
His big round eyes kept shifting, darting over Red's face. Unconsciously, he recalled the face of his foster father, Doctor Hiriluk.
So this was what a pirate looked like?
Someone who could casually take out such miraculous medicine!?
Doctor Hiriluk… you were right!
The sea really is full of wonders!
And pirates… are really amazing!
Chopper's heart thumped rapidly, excitement swelling inside him. Light flickered in his eyes as he looked at Red with pure longing.
Pa—
Red's hand dropped onto Chopper's sakura-pink hat. He bent down and gently rubbed his head.
"Little Chopper, that Super Potion was pretty incredible, wasn't it?"
He grinned, taking advantage of the lingering emotional impact to shorten the distance between them.
"Eek!"
Chopper's body jolted at the sudden touch.
But after hearing Red's words, he timidly nodded.
"…Y-yeah. I've never seen medicine that powerful."
Just a few drops had healed a deep stab wound almost instantly…
He had never even heard of such medicine—not in any of Kureha's vast medical archives.
No doctor alive could resist something like this.
And Chopper's reaction was exactly what Red wanted.
After all, he never brought out the Super Potion for only one purpose.
As someone who could squeeze value even from his own crew, Red knew very well how to maximize his resources.
"So…"
A faintly devilish smile curved Red's lips.
He gazed straight at Chopper and whispered:
"Little Chopper… would you like to…"
"…visit the world where this medicine is made?"
…
…
"THE POKÉMON WORLD… REALLY EXISTS!?!"
In a flash of distorted light, Red and Chopper appeared in a lush green meadow.
The snowy castle vanished—replaced by sunshine, flowers, and warm breezes.
Chopper's eyes widened as he remembered everything Red had told him.
Thanks to Chopper's innocent nature, Red barely needed to explain anything before…
[Pokémon Registered: Tony Tony Chopper]
[Level: 26]
[Gender: ♂]
[Nature: Bashful (No Change)]
[Type: Grass / Ice]
[Ability: Pixilate (Normal-type moves become Fairy-type and gain increased power.)]
[Moves: None]
[EXP: 0 / 1883]
…
[HP: 186]
[Attack: 131]
[Defense: 131]
[Sp. Atk: 131]
[Sp. Def: 131]
[Speed: 128]
…
"Grass!"
"Ice!"
"Pixilate!"
"To think Chopper is actually a legendary multi-type Pokémon!"
Staring at the list of attributes, Red's eyes gleamed with excitement.
His thoughts raced, and he immediately opened the TM list.
Seeing Chopper still frozen in shock, Red chuckled.
"Chopper, ready for the next surprise?"
"Huh?"
Chopper hadn't even recovered yet.
But before he could react—
Red tapped the interface.
Memory surged into Chopper's mind as instinct, utterly ignoring whether he could handle it.
At the same time, Pokémon energy awakened inside him—
Green for Grass.Blue for Ice.Pink for Fairy.
The colors formed three gentle auras around him, flickering like a Digimon evolution sequence—mysterious and ethereal.
Then the lights vanished.
When Chopper opened his eyes again—
His move list had expanded to four brand-new Pokémon techniques:
Giga Drain, Headbutt, Tri Attack, and—
A move only little Merry had ever fully mastered—
Hyper Beam!
(End of Chapter)