Adventure in the Country with No Name

A color spread depicts Sanji, Luffy, and Nami riding in a large, ornate wooden sleigh shaped somewhat like a Viking ship, complete with a horned skull on the prow. They are traveling through a snowy, mountainous landscape. A massive, white, furry creature with large curled horns and sharp teeth is looking closely at them. Sanji sits on the back edge of the sleigh, casually drinking from a bottle. Luffy stands in the middle, holding up a piece of paper or a map, seemingly showing it to the giant creature. Nami sits comfortably in the front, smiling while holding a pink book or drawing pad. Snow is falling gently around them.

This page is identical to the previous color spread, showing Sanji, Luffy, and Nami in the wooden sleigh interacting with the large, white, horned creature in the snowy landscape. Sanji is drinking, Luffy is holding up a paper, and Nami is sitting with a book. The only difference is the absence of the chapter title text at the top.

A single panel shows Usopp standing in profile against a blank background. He has his arms crossed and looks proud, though he is shivering slightly. He is wearing a dark winter coat with light trim, spotted pants, and his signature goggles resting on his head.

On the deck of the Going Merry, Zoro is doing handstand push-ups. He says, "Good, all fixed up now! Now I can start training for real. I was getting tired of only lifting heavier and heavier weights." He claps his hands together between push-ups. Karoo the duck is huddled near a doorway, shivering violently and quacking. Zoro then decides to take his training further. He sits cross-legged in the freezing water next to the ship, shirtless, with his hands clasped in meditation. He thinks, "I might as well do some meditating, while swimming in the cold water." Karoo watches him from the deck, still shivering and looking distressed by the cold.

The group arrives at a snowy settlement. The stern man announces, "This is... our town." A caption box identifies the location: The Snowing Town, "Big Horn." The town consists of buildings with dome-shaped, snow-covered roofs. Townspeople bundled in winter gear are walking about. In the foreground, a large, black, ram-like animal with curled horns stands in the snow. Luffy points at it and says, "They got some weird animals walking around." Usopp yells excitedly, "Nami, it's a town! We're finally at a town full of people!" Sanji and Vivi are also visible walking with the group.

The stern man addresses the townspeople, "Those that aren't on guard-duty can now return to their normal jobs. Good work, everyone." A townsperson asks him, "You sure you can handle all of 'em yourself, Dalton? They are pirates." Dalton replies, "They should pose no harm. Or at least, that's what my reliable gut instinct tells me..." Vivi asks Dalton, "...This country doesn't have any professional soldiers, does it?" Dalton answers, "No, they're all normal civilians. For the time being, come to my house." A large, round woman approaches and asks, "Dalton, I heard there were pirates. Is everything alright?" Dalton reassures her, "Rest assured, everything is under control, madam." Nearby, Luffy and Usopp spot another bear and yell, "Ah! Look, Luffy! A hiking bear! Another one!?" Another townsperson tells Dalton, "Dalton! I'll be looking forward to the elections in two days. Everyone says they'll be voting for you." Dalton looks troubled and replies, "T-that's preposterous! I bear too many sins for such a position."

Inside a house, Dalton tells the group, "You can use the bed over there. I'll go heat up the room right now..." He then formally introduces himself, "My apologies for the belated introduction... My name is Dalton and it is my job to guard this island. Please forgive our hostile welcome." A caption box identifies him as: Drum Island Captain of the Civilian Militia, Dalton. Vivi looks at him closely and says, "I'd like to ask you one thing... I get the feeling, that I've seen you before somewhere..." Dalton looks surprised. Vivi quickly waves her hands, looking flustered, and says, "Y-you must be imagining things. I'm sure we've never met before... More importantly, could you please tell us more about this witch...?"

A fire crackles warmly in the fireplace. Nami is lying in bed, sweating profusely and breathing heavily, clearly in critical condition. Dalton looks concerned and asks, "A fever of... 42 degrees!?" Sanji yells in frustration, "Her fever's been rising steadily since 3 days ago..." Dalton explains the gravity of the situation, "If it rises any higher, she'll lose her life... Yes, but I'm afraid we don't know what the cause of her disease is, nor how to treat it..." Sanji angrily retorts, throwing his arms up, "It doesn't matter if this doctor's a witch or whatever as long as she can cure Nami! So just where the hell is she!?"

Dalton points towards the window and tells Sanji, "From the window... you should be able to see mountains..." Sanji looks out the window. Outside, Luffy and Usopp are playing in the snow. Luffy has built a giant, bizarre snow monster and yells, "Look at my Mr. Hyper-Snowman!" Usopp counters with a snow dragon, shouting, "And my Snow-zilla! That's it! I'm kicking both your asses!" Sanji, looking annoyed at their childish antics while Nami is sick, says, "Yeah, you mean those extremely tall-"

A wide shot reveals several towering, drum-shaped mountains in the distance. Dalton explains, "Those mountains are called the Drum Rockies. Perhaps you can see a castle at the top of the tallest mountain in the middle?" Sanji, looking out the window, confirms, "Yeah, I can see it alright..." Outside, Luffy and Usopp are now sitting peacefully by a fire, drinking tea. Luffy says, "Castle? Ahh, nice and warm..." Sanji asks Dalton, "So what about that castle...?" Dalton reveals the crucial information, "Presently... it's a castle with no king... Dr. Kureha, the lone doctor in this entire country whom the people call a witch, lives in that very castle situated on the mountaintop." Sanji and Vivi react with shock, exclaiming, "WHAT!?"

Sanji is exasperated by the news, "Of all the places she could be, she just has to be there... Well, we better go call her right away then! This is an emergency." Dalton replies grimly, "As much as I'd like to, there is no way to contact her." Sanji yells, "WHAT!? And she calls herself a doctor!? What's with this woman!?" Dalton continues, "Her skills as a doctor are undeniable, but she's a bit of a kook... and almost 140 years old at that, too." Sanji is shocked, "140!? And she's still alive!?" Dalton explains her eccentric methods, "Well, she comes down from the mountain whenever she feels like it, finds patients to treat, and afterwards... she takes anything she wants from their homes as payment." Luffy and Usopp, listening from outside, spit out their drinks in surprise. Luffy says, "That is one mean old hag." Usopp adds, "She's basically a pirate!" Dalton adds, "Other than that... ah, that's right. She happens to like pickled plums." Vivi asks, "Then what do the people of this country do when they're sick or injured!? How does this old granny even get down from the mountains...?"

Dalton explains the doctor's eerie mode of transport, "According to certain eyewitnesses, she supposedly rides down on a sleigh on moonlit nights... That is why the people call her a witch..." A silhouette depicts a witch-like figure riding a sleigh pulled by a creature across the moon, laughing "HEEEEE HEE HEE HEE HEE!" Dalton adds, "Others have reportedly seen a most bizarre creature travelling along with her.." Usopp panics completely, "GAHHH! I KNEW IT! I WARNED YOU GUYS! I TOLD YOU GUYS ABOUT THE SNOW MONSTERS! I JUST KNEW THERE HAD TO BE WITCHES AND YETIS LURKING AMONG THE SNOWY MOUNTAIN PEAKS! AHHHH! PLEASE, GOD! DON'T LET THEM FIND ME!" Dalton concludes, "Yes, although she's this country's only doctor, she's also someone who I'd prefer to have little to do with... In any case, I'm afraid the only thing you can do is wait until she comes down..." Vivi is distressed, "What in the world... That can't be... How the hell is it possible for there to be only one doctor in an entire country!?" Sanji smokes his cigarette, looking grim and thoughtful.

Luffy approaches Nami's bed and starts slapping her cheeks to wake her up, "Hey, Nami! Nami! Can you hear me?" Sanji and Vivi yell at him in shock, "AND JUST WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Nami slowly opens her eyes, murmuring, "Mnn... Ah, you're up!" Luffy smiles brightly and tells her his plan, "Listen, we can't get a doctor unless we go up a mountain, so we'll be hiking up." Nami looks surprised by this sudden declaration.

Sanji argues vehemently with Luffy, "ARE YOU CRAZY!? JUST WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO PUT NAMI THROUGH!?" Luffy replies casually, "It's fine, I'll be carrying her." Vivi interjects, "Even so, you're still going to exacerbate her condition!" Luffy insists, "What's the big deal. We gotta get her to a doctor as quickly as possible, don't we?" Sanji points out the window at the towering peaks, "Yes but it's impossible as it is right now! Just look how tall that mountain is!" Luffy confidently states, "I can climb it." Sanji retorts, "Maybe you can, but it's still too much of a burden on Nami! Well... even if she falls, there's only nice and comfy snow below..." Vivi yells, "A normal person would die instantly if they fell from a mountain of that height! And you're not even dealing with a normal, healthy person here! She has a temperature 6 degrees above normal! Do you understand how serious her situation is!?" Sanji anxiously calls out, "Nami! Nami...!" Nami, sweating profusely but smiling weakly, says, "...Haha. I have to... get well quick... I'll leave it to you then, Luffy."

Luffy grins widely and gives Nami a high-five, "Great! Just leave it to me!" Usopp watches from outside and comments, "Oh lord, our navigator's just as crazy as our captain!" Nami weakly asks, "Do you understand just how sick you are, Nami!? Nami, are you really fine with this!? It may take over several hours to climb up. Mister, gimme some meat! Meat...?" Sanji steps forward, looking determined, "Alright, I'll be coming along too! Letting Nami fall even once could mean the end for her! Got it!?" Luffy looks shocked and yells, "What!? Even once!?"

Sanji helps tie Nami securely to Luffy's back. "Hold on... stand still! I have to tie her tightly around you... That should do." Vivi says, "I'll stay behind here. I'd only drag you down if I came along." Usopp yells from outside, "ME TOO!" Sanji tells Nami, "Alright! Hang on tight, Nami!" Dalton warns them of the dangers ahead, "If you're serious about this, I won't stop you but you should at least climb up from the other side... The route to the top from here is full of Lapins...! They're extremely violent and carnivorous rabbits... If you come across a pack of them, there'll be no escaping alive!" Luffy asks, "Rabbits? But we're in a hurry... I'm sure it'll be fine." Sanji adds confidently, "Yeah. I'll kick any that get in our way."

Luffy starts running through the snow with Nami strapped to his back, shouting, "Then let's go, Sanji! Before Nami dies!" Sanji runs after him, yelling angrily, "DON'T SAY THAT, YOU IDIOT!" Dalton watches them depart and says, "I wonder if they'll really be fine... Well, there's no need to worry about those 2 but... The problem is whether or not Nami can hold out long enough... I just hope they can all get to the top safe and sound..." The wind howls as Vivi and Dalton stand outside the house. Dalton says to Vivi, "What's wrong? You should come inside already, it's quite cold outside..."

Vivi, shivering and rubbing her mittened hands together, says, "It's fine... I... I want to stay outside for now...!" Usopp, also shivering violently next to her, adds, "ME TOO!" Dalton looks at them and says, "I see... Why don't I join you then..." He sits down in the snow with them. He begins to explain the country's dark past, "It used not to be like this long ago... The doctors, I mean. There's a reason why all of them save for one disappeared..."

Dalton continues his story, sitting in the snow with Vivi and Usopp. "Only a few months ago, this country was... utterly destroyed at the hands of pirates...!" Vivi is shocked, "Wha- The entire country!?" Usopp asks, "So that's why you were so hostile to us... Yes... everyone is still uneasy at merely hearing the word, 'pirate'..." Dalton reveals the culprits, "It was a pirate crew of only 5 people... Their captain called himself, 'Blackbeard'... With overwhelming strength, they destroyed our entire country in the blink of an eye." Usopp is in disbelief, "O-only five pirates!? That's crazy!" Vivi repeats the name, looking concerned, "Blackbeard...?"

Dalton continues, "Be that as it may... there are some who say it was a good thing that our country was destroyed... What!? There's no way it'd be a good thing for one's country to be destroyed!" Usopp agrees, "Yeah, that's ridiculous! How could that be!?" Dalton explains the reasoning, "That's because up until that point, the king and his tyrannical rule brought much suffering to the people....The name of this country was formerly 'Drum Kingdom' and the ruler of this kingdom was a man named 'Wapol!' He was truly a most despicable king...!" Vivi suddenly remembers, her eyes widening in shock, "Ah! That man...! Now I remember! WAPOL!?"

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