I'm A Plunderer In The World Of One Piece.

Inside the cold castle, in a room filled with books, a massive operating table stood at the center.

Shirogai was stationed at the table, concocting antibiotics to treat Nami.

Nami glanced uneasily at a pile of clothes on the floor meant to ward off the cold. Her brows furrowed with worry as she asked, "Shirogai, is it really necessary for Luffy to jump off the mountain and climb back up again? It's freezing out there, and he's only in a vest and shorts!"

"Nami, you underestimate Luffy," Shirogai replied, shaking the liquid in his vial. He turned with a calm smile. "That guy's body isn't like a normal person's. This kind of cold may slow him down, but it won't break him."

---

Below Drum Mountain.

"Cold, cold, cold...!"

Luffy was shivering as he crawled up the snowy peak on all fours.

"Ah! I'm gonna fall!"

His left hand slipped, causing his body to slide down, but he bit onto a nearby icicle.

"So hard! This snowy mountain's impossible to climb!"

Still, he pressed on, thinking excitedly:

"But Shirogai said that if I make it to the top, he'll teach me how to form that giant weapon from his hand... That was so cool!"

---

Back in the castle, Nami had fallen into a deep, restful sleep after being injected with antibiotics.

Shirogai gently closed the door behind him, returned to the study, and picked up a book titled Kexidun Fever Theory. He quietly waited for the return of the castle's true master, Dr. Kureha.

---

"Wapol's Pirate Crew is at Big Horn! Oh no, Dalton and that curly-browed kid missed them!"

Panic spread among the residents of Big Horn.

"Vivi, let's run!" Usopp cried, tugging on her arm.

"Wait, Usopp!" Vivi called out, scanning the chaos. Her voice was firm but conflicted. "We can't leave."

Sweat poured down Usopp's face. "If we don't run now, it'll be too late! Wapol's crew is on the way! If they recognize us, we're dead!"

"But I can't just watch innocent people die."

"Wuwuwu, Mama, Papa, where are you?!"

Vivi rushed to a sobbing girl and helped her up, gently asking about her parents.

Usopp's hands trembled. He gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.

"If only Shirogai were here. He'd wipe the floor with these guys."

Sanji's words echoed in his mind: You need to protect the people here and Vivi's safety.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

Usopp suddenly began smacking himself.

Shirogai had once told him casually, If you can't calm down, smack yourself. Pain helps you focus.

"Ow! That really hurts!"

His nerves settled slightly, and a flicker of confidence appeared.

"Alright. I'm not running!"

Usopp pulled out a sleek, white bone slingshot from his backpack—crafted from the skull of a sea monster that Shirogai had slain. The slingshot had three frames, allowing him to fire multiple shots at once.

"Special move time."

He opened a pouch filled with glass marbles created by Shirogai.

"Special Attack: Shirogai's Explosive Bomb!"

Each marble contained explosive gas, extracted from Shirogai's [Bomb Fruit] ability. When they hit a target, they exploded with devastating force.

Usopp had once used five to blow up a giant octopus-like sea beast threatening the Going Merry.

He also clipped several black spheres to his belt.

"Special Attack: Shirogai's Grenade!"

These glass grenades carried Shirogai's blood—volatile, expanding rapidly on contact with air. He'd warned Usopp repeatedly: Don't mess around with these. One mistake and you'll regret it.

Usopp hadn't seen their full effect yet, but judging by Shirogai's caution, they were deadlier than the bombs.

"I can do this."

Usopp ran straight for the village entrance, where a few villagers had begun setting up a defense.

"Even if I'm not Shirogai, I can still try to smile like him. That confident smile."

He mimicked the way Shirogai looked when facing enemies—calm, fearless, condescending.

"I'm strong. I'm the sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates. I won't be afraid."

---

"Usopp... did he leave?"

Vivi had helped the crying girl find her parents. When she turned, Usopp was gone.

She felt disappointed, assuming he'd run away.

But then, in the crowd, she saw a lanky figure heading the opposite way.

"Usopp!"

His thin frame moved against the tide of fleeing people.

"You really are the bravest warrior of the sea."

Tears welled in Vivi's eyes.

Usopp, the cowardly braggart, was marching alone toward danger.

The bravest counter-current traveler.

The sniper of the Straw Hat Pirates.

---

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Light footsteps echoed in the chilly castle.

A small figure in a pink hat with antlers skipped down the hall.

Hehe, I came back early today! I can read more and learn more. Just like Dr. Hiluluk and Dr. Kureha...

I wonder if I can go to sea? Will there be people who don't think I'm a monster?

The doctor said there's something called cotton candy. What does it taste like?

He giggled as he reached the door to the library.

Pushing it open, he froze. Candlelight flickered inside.

A handsome man with short black hair sat in the chair, looking up with a soft smile.

"Yo, you're back? Chopper."

"Hmm."

Chopper nodded, then politely bowed and backed out.

"Sorry, wrong room."

The door clicked shut.

He stood in the hallway, blinking.

"Strange... Did Dr. Kureha and I come back to the wrong castle?"

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