Naruto: Fire-Release system

Chapter 226: Doctor Kureha, Is This What Pirates Are Like?

"You offended Baroque Works at Whisky Peak."

"You better be careful from now on."

For some reason, before leaving, Robin couldn't help but give them a warning.

After leaving behind the Log Pose to Alabasta, she disappeared into the distance, leaving behind a lonely silhouette.

"Yi, is she pitiful?"

Once Robin was gone, Nojiko curiously asked.

After spending so much time with Yi, she had a grasp of his personality.

He wasn't someone who showed kindness to strangers—

Unless they genuinely interested him.

And now—

This dark-skinned woman had his attention.

Did Yi… like dark-skinned women?

A thought suddenly popped into Nojiko's mind.

She glanced down at her own skin—

It was a little tan too, wasn't it?

Would Yi…

The more she thought about it, the more her face burned with embarrassment.

The mind of a woman was something no man could truly understand.

A simple, meaningless action—

Could be interpreted in a thousand different ways.

If Yi knew what Nojiko was thinking…

He would probably be speechless.

"Yeah, she's pitiful."

"Her life has been even crueler than yours."

"When she was a child—"

"She witnessed the Buster Call annihilate her home."

"Not just destroyed—"

"Erased."

"And as a seven-year-old girl, she was given the title of 'Demon Child' by the World Government."

"A bounty was placed on her head—"

"Ever since then, her life has been filled with lies, betrayal, and isolation."

"She doesn't trust anyone anymore."

Yi sighed, giving Nojiko a brief summary of Robin's life.

And just like that—

Nojiko felt an ache in her heart.

Because she understood.

She knew what it felt like—

To be weak.

To lose everything.

"Yi… can't we help her?"

For the first time, Nojiko pleaded.

She wanted Robin to escape her pain.

To have the chance to live a better life—

Like her.

"It's not that I don't want to help."

"But you saw it yourself."

"She refused."

Yi shrugged.

He wasn't the type to force kindness on others.

Even Luffy, the so-called king of friendship, didn't force Robin to stay.

Nojiko fell silent.

Even if she wanted to help, if Robin didn't accept it—

What could she do?

It left a bitter, helpless feeling in her chest.

"Don't be so upset."

Yi said.

"The more we travel, the more you'll see."

"Robin's suffering is nothing compared to what's out there."

"The sea is ruled by pirates."

"And their cruelty knows no limits."

"The more you see, the more numb you'll become."

His words—

Were neither comforting nor kind.

They were simply—

Reality.

The truth of the world.

And Nojiko—

Understood.

For the first time, she realized—

How small her world had been.

"Alright."

She took a deep breath, trying to push the emotions away.

With the mission at Drum Island complete, Yi and his crew set sail once more.

Drum Island—

Was now under his silent control.

No one knew it yet, but this island belonged to him now.

And as their ship disappeared—

Two figures emerged from hiding.

A tall, elderly woman—

And a small, blue-nosed reindeer.

"Doctor Kureha… is that what pirates are like?"

Chopper whispered.

His voice trembled.

The woman he had just seen—

The one who single-handedly took down all of Dalton's troops—

She was terrifying.

Dr. Kureha took a long swig from her bottle.

"Idiot son, not all pirates are the same!"

She smacked Chopper over the head.

"Are you scared of something this small?"

"Tch, pathetic!"

"B-But—"

Chopper started—

Only to get cut off again.

"Enough."

"Those people aren't the ones for you."

She waved a hand dismissively.

"We have patients to treat."

"If we don't help them now, they'll be crippled for life."

Kureha motioned toward the unconscious soldiers.

Because Nojiko wasn't used to her power yet—

She couldn't control her strength.

Dalton and the others—

Had been beaten so badly they might never walk again.

The old doctor let out a long sigh.

In her eyes—

Yi and his crew were nothing but violent criminals.

And she refused to let Chopper join monsters like them.

She knew the young reindeer dreamed of being a pirate.

But to him, pirates were adventurers.

Heroes, like the ones from books.

That… was a lie.

And she would make sure he never fell into that trap.

---

On the Grand Line—

The definition of 'pirate' was warped.

To some—

A pirate was a butcher, a tyrant, a criminal.

To others—

A pirate was a hero, a dreamer, an adventurer.

People like Chopper's father-figure, Doctor Hiriluk,

Had confused these ideas.

To him, pirates were something to admire.

Something to become.

And because of that—

Chopper had inherited the same idea.

But—

He was still too naive.

Too innocent to understand.

In the real world, pirates were monsters.

Yi knew that.

And Kureha knew that.

The only one who didn't—

Was Chopper.

But one day—

He would learn.

---

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