Chapter 40: Yosaku and the Throbbing Heart
The sea breeze howled, mixed with the sharp sound of a blade cutting through the air.
The Bounty Hunter named Johnny roared as he swung his broadsword down fiercely.
However, the straw-hat boy in front of him simply swayed and easily dodged to the side.
"Whoa, whoa, how dangerous."
"Crack—!"
The blade, having lost its target, didn't slow down and struck the wooden railing behind heavily.
Accompanied by flying wood chips, the entire row of railings was sliced clean through, the cut as smooth as a mirror.
"Ah! Damn it!"
Luffy looked at the damaged hull, his eyebrows instantly knitting together as he shouted in distress:
"I don't quite understand what's going on! But I definitely won't let you damage my ship anymore!"
He suddenly pulled back his right arm, stretching it out like a fully drawn bow.
"Gomu Gomu no... Pistol!"
"Bang!"
With a dull thud, Luffy's fist shot out like a cannonball, landing squarely on Johnny's face.
Johnny didn't even have time to scream before he was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the deck and passing out with his eyes rolling back.
"Nice job, Luffy!"
Usopp, hiding behind the mast, raised his slingshot and shouted excitedly, "That's the spirit!"
At the same time, the cabin door was pushed open, and the people inside walked out.
Tatsuya squinted at the bright sun overhead and stretched: "Ah, the weather is really nice."
Standing beside him, Nami was exasperated and retorted crossly:
"Is now the time to be saying that? The fight over there is already finished!"
Zoro followed last, letting out a huge yawn, looking like he hadn't fully woken up yet.
He dizzily walked to the edge of the deck, his gaze falling on the broken railing, his brow furrowing slightly:
"Hmm? Who broke the railing?"
Then, his gaze shifted to the figure lying on the ground wearing a black-lettered short-sleeved shirt.
"What... isn't this Johnny?"
Hearing that familiar and authoritative voice, Johnny, who was still groaning on the ground trying to get up, shuddered.
He jerked his body around.
When his eyes met the green-haired man with three swords at his waist, the ferocity on his face instantly turned into excitement.
"Zo... Big Brother Zoro?!"
Johnny practically scrambled to his knees, his forehead pressed against the deck.
Luffy tilted his head and retracted his arm: "What, so he's an acquaintance."
"Big Brother! Why are you on a pirate ship?"
Johnny looked up, his face full of disbelief, and shouted in anguish, "Why! You're someone who hunts pirates..."
"Never mind that." Zoro waved his hand, interrupting his wailing, and scanned the surroundings,
"What's wrong? Is it just you? Is Yosaku not with you?"
At the mention of that name, Johnny's excited expression instantly collapsed, and tears gushed out like a fountain.
"Waaaaah! Big Brother... please come with me!"
...
A moment later, everyone's attention gathered near Johnny's small fishing boat below.
Nami turned to Tatsuya beside her and asked in a low voice: "What's going on? Do they know each other?"
"Yeah."
Tatsuya folded his arms, watching Zoro lean over the railing to direct Luffy in moving the injured person, and said with a smile:
"They might have been Zoro's companions from when he was still a Pirate Hunter. Come on, let's go take a look too."
By now, the man named Yosaku had been carried onto the deck of the going merry by the combined efforts of Luffy and Zoro.
"Is he sick?"
Zoro knelt down, looking at Yosaku's pale face, his brow furrowed.
"It looks quite serious," Tatsuya observed closely and said in a heavy tone.
Yosaku's eyes were tightly closed, his face showed an unnatural bluish-purple hue, and his breathing was weak and rapid.
Johnny knelt to one side, wiping away tears while sobbing:
"Yes... Big Brother.
"A few days ago, Yosaku caught some strange illness. First, his teeth started falling out for no reason.
"Then his old wounds reopened and wouldn't stop bleeding..."
At this point, Johnny clenched his fists and said with grief and indignation:
"Just as I was taking him to rest behind that rocky mountain, a cannonball suddenly flew from the direction of this ship..."
Hearing the word "cannonball," Luffy and Usopp, who were watching, turned pale instantly, their jaws nearly hitting the floor.
Wasn't that... when they were testing the cannon earlier...
The two of them exchanged a stiff glance, cold sweat pouring down.
The next second, Luffy and Usopp bowed ninety degrees toward Johnny in unison and shouted loudly:
"So... Sorry!!"
Johnny ignored them; he was already in despair, clutching Zoro's pant leg and crying bitterly:
"Waaaah! Yosaku! Big Brother! Is he going to die! I'm going to lose my brother!"
Zoro's body stiffened, and he was at a loss.
He was good at cutting people down, but healing and saving lives was completely outside his area of expertise.
He suddenly turned to Tatsuya, his eyes filled with a plea for help:
"Hey, Tatsuya! You must have a way, right!"
Tatsuya was about to speak, but an orange figure pushed him aside first.
"Good grief, are you men all idiots?"
Nami sighed helplessly and knelt beside Yosaku.
She reached out, skillfully prying open Yosaku's mouth to check his gums, then pulled at his tongue to observe the color.
After confirming the symptoms, she stood up, hands on her hips, and ordered the bewildered Luffy and Usopp:
"Hey, you two! Go to the kitchen and get me those limes! Hurry!"
"Okay, okay!" The two troublemakers, feeling as if they had been granted a reprieve, immediately turned and rushed back into the cabin.
Seeing this, Tatsuya nodded thoughtfully and said softly:
"I see... is it Scurvy?"
This was one of the most common terminal illnesses for crew members sailing the seas, having claimed the lives of countless sailors.
The main cause was drifting at sea for long periods, leading to an extreme lack of Vitamin C due to the absence of vegetables and fruits.
Nami glanced at Tatsuya and nodded:
"That's right. If it's not delayed, he'll be fine in a few days as long as he gets enough nutrition."
"Really? Big Sis!"
Hearing this, Johnny immediately turned and knelt before Nami, hope reigniting in his eyes,
"Will he really be better in a few days?"
"Don't call me Big Sis!"
Nami pushed him away with some disdain, looking at this group of men who knew nothing but fighting, and sighed,
"Honestly, you guys dare to set out to sea without knowing anything."
Just then, Luffy and Usopp ran back carrying a large pile of limes.
"Hee hee hee, drink up, drink up, this tastes great!"
Luffy grabbed a few limes and, without any juicing tools, directly crushed them with his bare hands, juice splashing everywhere.
"Ah! Luffy, you're getting it all over his face! It's getting in his eyes!"
Usopp shouted, "Let me do it, let me do it!"
"Ah, no, that's too much trouble!"
Luffy simply grabbed a handful of limes and, regardless of everything, shoved them directly into Yosaku's open mouth, "Mm, this is faster!"
"Luffy! He's going to choke to death!" Usopp shouted with a face full of dark lines.
"Mmmph—!" The unconscious Yosaku let out a painful muffled groan.
Luffy wiped the juice from his hands, turned to Nami, and gave a bright smile:
"Nami, thanks to you! Otherwise, this guy would be a goner!"
Nami looked at the chaotic scene, her face full of dark lines, and helplessly leaned her head on her hand:
"If you don't even know this bit of common sense, you'll lose your lives in no time on this sea.
"Hey, Tatsuya, you should..."
After saying that, she seemed to remember something, and the expression on her face froze slightly.
She turned her head, gave Tatsuya a complex look, then pursed her lips and walked quickly toward the cabin without saying a word.
Luffy scratched his head, looking at Nami's departing back, somewhat confused:
"Tatsuya, did I say something wrong?"
"Idiot, definitely." Usopp chuckled mischievously from the side, "You were way too rough."
"Pfft—!"
Just then, Yosaku on the ground suddenly sat up, spat out the limes stuffed in his mouth, and coughed loudly:
"Cough, cough, cough! So... so sour! Who's trying to murder me?!"
"Ah! He's awake!" Luffy shouted in surprise.
"Yosaku!" Johnny immediately scrambled over. "That's great!"
The deck returned to its noisy and festive state once again.
Tatsuya, however, did not join their celebration.
He stood quietly in place, his gaze passing through the crowd and falling on the cabin door where Nami had just disappeared.
Was it because of what Clay said earlier... or because of that Fishman...?"
Tatsuya recalled Nami's complex look from just now, and a few guesses faintly formed in his heart.
He hesitated for a moment but finally took a step and followed her.