Chapter 168: Shh! We Are Cyborgs!
Dr. Kureha and Chopper had no idea that their current patient was a transmigrator, his body modified by the system.
But this kind of "modification" and the "experimental subject modification" Dr. Kureha mentioned did indeed seem very similar in outcome.
Both involved gaining strength far beyond ordinary people in a short period, both involved unnatural, leap-like increases in physical resilience.
No wonder Dr. Kureha would think that way.
"Th-then, he..."
Chopper's voice began to tremble,
"He must be..."
"Quite pitiful, right?"
Dr. Kureha sighed,
"Who knows how many inhuman experiments he endured to become like this."
"Waaaaah..."
Chopper started sobbing.
"Stop crying. Go bring him the medicine."
Dr. Kureha's voice returned to its usual coldness, "There's no specific cure for Jurassic Flu; it can only be fought off by one's own immunity. The medicine I prepared can only suppress the virus's reproduction, buying him time to recover. Whether he fully recovers or not depends on himself."
"Y-yes..."
Footsteps approached.
Ralph quickly lay back down, closed his eyes, and pretended to still be unconscious.
The door opened.
Chopper walked in, carrying a bowl of steaming, pungent-smelling medicinal soup.
He placed the bowl on the bedside table, then... stood by the bed, motionless.
Ralph could feel those big eyes fixed on him.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Finally, Chopper spoke, his voice thick with tears:
"Drink all the medicine, you jerk!"
Ralph: "...?"
"Poor thing, you'll definitely get better!"
Chopper's tears pattered onto the blanket, "Doctorine said that as long as the virus's reproduction is suppressed, you'll slowly recover. Don't give up, okay? You have to live strong, understand?"
After saying this, he let out a loud wail, turned, and rushed out of the room.
Ralph opened his eyes, looked at the bowl of dark medicinal soup on the bedside table, then at the doorway where Chopper had disappeared, utterly bewildered.
This kid... did he imagine something strange?
Just then—
[Ding! Established "Friend" relationship with Tony Tony Chopper!]
[Detected target possesses Devil Fruit ability, meeting the "Fruit Reincarnation Method" condition. Choose to kill and obtain "Hito Hito no Mi, Human Form"?]
Ralph rolled his eyes inwardly:
"Ignore."
Sure enough, the reward for befriending Chopper was still "the opportunity to obtain the fruit through the Fruit Reincarnation Method."
But just like with Sanji and Usopp, since they were people who might become companions in the future, this reward couldn't be claimed for now.
The system had hinted before:
Target is a key plot character; favorability can continue to increase. When favorability reaches the next stage, rewards may refresh.
Meaning, after Chopper joined the crew and became a true companion, continuing to raise favorability might change this reward into something else.
He sat up and picked up the bowl of medicinal soup.
The smell was strong, but Ralph drank it all in one go without changing his expression.
As the soup went down, a warm current spread from his stomach to his limbs.
The feeling of weakness lessened somewhat, and his mind cleared up a bit.
"Not bad..."
Ralph put down the bowl, threw off the blanket, and got out of bed.
He needed to find Lufia and Sanji.
Who knew where those two had run off to—they better not have gotten lost or run into danger on the snowy mountain.
Just as he reached the door, it was pushed open with a bang.
Chopper rushed in, blocking the way with a serious expression:
"No! Doctorine said your illness is very rare. If it worsens, no one knows what unexpected situations might arise!"
"Decreased immunity, fatigue, abnormal taste and smell... all are possible!"
"So you need to conserve your strength, rest well. You can only move normally after seven days, and you must be observed for another seven days before you can leave!"
Fourteen days?!
Ralph frowned.
He hadn't overheard that part.
Earlier, Dr. Kureha only said recovery time was needed, but didn't specify how long the rest period should be.
And fourteen days?
The situation in Alabasta brooked no delay.
Every extra day wasted could mean thousands more people dying.
Although Vivi didn't say it out loud, Ralph could see the anxiety in her eyes.
He couldn't wait fourteen days.
"Chopper," Ralph crouched down, bringing himself eye-level with Chopper, "I understand my condition very well. There's no specific medicine for this illness; it relies on the body's own immunity. As long as I get proper nutrition and sufficient rest, I'll recover quickly."
"But..."
"And besides, we have urgent matters."
Ralph's expression turned serious, "Vivi... one of my companions, her country is at war. People are dying every minute, every second. We must hurry over to stop it as soon as possible."
Chopper froze.
He blinked his big eyes, seemingly digesting this information.
"But... but Doctorine said that those who can walk out of her castle are either fully recovered patients or dead people."
Chopper whispered, "She won't let you leave."
Ralph certainly knew Dr. Kureha's rules.
This Witch Doctor was very stubborn; to persuade her, he'd have to find another way.
He looked at Chopper and suddenly remembered something:
"By the way, what about the two companions who brought me here? Didn't they follow?"
Mentioning this, Chopper's expression turned a bit strange.
"....."
He hesitated for a moment but still spoke up, "Are your two companions also modified humans?"
Ralph: "..."
Good question.
Lufia was a Gomu Gomu no Mi user, which from a certain perspective could indeed be considered "modified."
What about Sanji?
In the original story, he was also a product of genetic modification.
Ralph beckoned, signaling Chopper to come closer.
Chopper hesitated briefly but leaned in anyway.
Ralph covered his mouth with his hand and lowered his voice, "Let me tell you a secret, don't tell anyone else."
Chopper immediately pricked up his ears, nodding his little head like a pecking chicken.
"The girl with the straw hat is Lufia. She's a Devil Fruit user—the kind who eats a Devil Fruit and gains superpowers."
Chopper gasped sharply, seemingly forgetting that he himself was a Devil Fruit user!
"The guy with blond hair and curly eyebrows is Sanji."
Ralph continued spinning his tale, "He and I are both modified humans. It's just that... he doesn't know his true identity himself."
Chopper's eyes widened into saucers.
"Don't ever tell him."
Ralph's expression turned "grave," "I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to accept it."
Chopper covered his mouth tightly, nodding vigorously, "I understand! I understand! I'll definitely keep the secret!"
Ralph gave himself a mental pat on the back.
One day, I'll become the best liar in the Straw Hat Pirates!
"So, where are they now?"
Ralph finally asked.
"They..."
Chopper forced a smile.
"They said they were going to catch Lapahns to nourish you, and I thought they were just boasting... But now it seems, if they're Devil Fruit users and cyborgs, they should be quite powerful. Catching rabbits shouldn't be a problem..."
Before he could finish speaking—
Boom, rumble, rumble!!
A deafening roar echoed from afar, like muffled thunder rolling across the sky.
Ralph and Chopper both looked out the window.
The sky was clear, without a single dark cloud.
That wasn't thunder.
It was... an avalanche?
Chopper's face instantly turned pale.
He mechanically turned his head toward Ralph, his voice trembling:
"I... I forgot to mention... Lapahns are social creatures, and when faced with a strong enemy, they jump collectively, causing the snow-covered mountains to tremble and trigger an avalanche..."
He swallowed hard and cautiously asked:
"Can your companions... breathe under the snow?"
Ralph's expression also changed.
In the original story, Luffy and Sanji, carrying the sick Nami, did manage to escape an avalanche.
Lufia and Sanji were much stronger than their counterparts in the original story at this point.
Logically, it shouldn't be a problem... right?
Hopefully, there won't be any unexpected twists!