One Piece: The Cryo Doctor on the Straw Hat Ship

Her gaze swept over Chopper, a subtle, complex emotion flickering deep within her eyes, but it was quickly masked by a hearty laugh.

With that, Kureha strode past Chopper and headed deeper into the castle, as if she were eager to check out her own residence.

However, just as she was about to enter the palace, Kureha suddenly stopped and said in a very soft voice:

"Go, Chopper!"

"Since that's what you're after, then go for it."

"Go see a wider world, go realize your own dreams!"

"We didn't need you here in the first place."

As soon as she finished speaking, Kureha walked straight into the castle, her figure disappearing into the shadows behind the castle gate.

"Doctor Kureha..." Chopper's eyes instantly welled up with tears, which streamed down his face like a burst dam.

"There's nothing to cry about, Chopper!"

V, with his warm prosthetic arm, gently patted Chopper's hat, covering his eyes with the brim.

"Instead of crying now, it's better to leave gracefully..."

"Then, present your wonderful experience of pursuing your dreams to your Physician Doriel and give her a perfect answer."

At V's words, Chopper slowly raised his head.

He glanced at V's friendly smile, then at his friends gathered around him.

Finally, his reluctant gaze gradually hardened.

"Yes, I definitely will!"

……

……

The wind and snow gradually subsided on the mountaintop of Cigu Island.

In the afternoon after the snow stopped, the sunlight sparsely shone on this white-covered land.

Chopper stood on the deck of the Going Merry, his hooves gripping the railing tightly, gazing at his homeland.

"Let's go! To Alabasta!"

Luffy, who was standing at the bow of the ship, suddenly shouted.

And Chopper's adventure officially begins from this moment!

Chapter 73 Upgrade - Demon Badge (Please continue reading!)

at the same time.

The familiar cold light, the familiar operating chair.

The prosthetic doctor V has entered his field.

On the operating chair in front of him was a fat, bloated steel body strapped to him—it was Wapol, who had agreed to all of V's demands and become one of his subordinates.

He was in a deep coma at the time, with dried blood still remaining at the corner of his mouth.

A faint smile played on V's lips.

The Straw Hat Pirates gained a great deal from their trip to Drum Island.

Not only did V welcome his destined partner Chopper, but he also successfully subdued Wapol, the user of the Gluttony Fruit.

Despite his incompetence and tyranny, this guy has a unique talent for developing fruit.

Just as the Nika Fruit chose Luffy, the Gluttony Fruit and Wapol are equally absurdly compatible.

Over the centuries, countless people have possessed the ability of the Gluttony Fruit, but very few have created a special alloy called "Wapol Metal" like Wapol.

It's important to know that this is a special material that even the world's top scientist, Vegapunk, paid attention to and tried to analyze its principles.

Now, this ability, along with its developer, has come under the control of the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Let me see your potential!"

The sharp scalpel sliced ​​through Wapol's tough skin, ruthlessly drawing straight lines across his body.

In no time at all, a beating dark red heart fell into V's hands.

"Convert!"

V, unable to wait any longer, immediately offered the heart in his hand to the [Black Market].

In an instant, a pleasant electronic voice rang in his ears:

[Conversion successful.]

[Obtained: Devil Badge (Gluttony Fruit)]

[Prosthetic Body: Devil Badge (Gluttony Fruit)]

[Rank: 7]

[Description: A demonic heart transformed from the heart of a Paramecia-type "Gluttony Fruit" user.]

After implantation, one can directly master the "Swallow Fruit" ability, possessing characteristics such as devouring, fusing, creating, and transforming. It can swallow any substance into its body and decompose, combine, or transform it into new substances.

It can also acquire corresponding functions or strengthen itself by absorbing weapons, machinery, etc.

This prosthetic body has been added to the prosthetic body shop, priced at 18.

"Hiss~! As expected of the Devil Fruit ability I value!"

"A level 7 Demon Badge was obtained directly!"

V's eyes flashed, and she gasped.

The Devil Badge, priced at 180,000, is 100,000 more expensive than the Smoke-Smoke Fruit (a Logia-type Devil Fruit) and 80,000 more expensive than the Blast-Blast Fruit (a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit)...

The price roughly doubles for each rank increase.

Without any hesitation, V casually pulled out a prosthetic heart and fitted it to Wapol, ensuring he wouldn't die without a heart...

He lay down on another operating chair and began commanding the robotic arms to perform the fitting surgery on him.

Less than ten minutes later, V stood up again, a strange blue light flashing in his eyes.

"So... this is the power of devouring!?"

Whoosh!

With a thought, a set of prosthetic arms that had been stored in the prosthetic warehouse fell into V's hands.

This was a prosthetic body he obtained back in the East Blue by exchanging it for one of Alvida's pirate crew.

Because it is a first-order prosthetic body, apart from being metallic and having some hardness, it is practically useless.

V has many more prosthetic bodies like this in his inventory.

He used to worry about what to do with these prosthetic bodies, but now...

"Swallow!"

As his thoughts shifted, V's mouth suddenly opened wide, his jaw joint made a slight clicking sound, and it seemed as if an invisible imaginary space was connected deep within his throat.

The moment the metal arms touched the lips and teeth, they seemed to be softened and twisted by some force, turning into a silver-gray fluid that silently slid into the throat.

V closes his mouth and his Adam's apple bobs.

Almost simultaneously, a strange force spread from his stomach to his arms, making his prosthetic arms even stronger.

Although these enhancements are so subtle that V himself wouldn't even be aware of them without the prompts from the brain-computer interface data.

But the enhancement effect is real.

"So... I no longer have to worry about my body malfunctioning due to a new prosthetic body!?"

"As long as I keep consuming prosthetics or precious metals, my body will undergo endless evolution!"

At that moment, V's smile stretched almost to the back of his ears.

If there were an audience to appreciate it, he would definitely put on a clown-like, maniacal laugh.

"Next, it's time to test the big ones!"

V raised one hand, and another special prosthetic object fell into his hand.

This is a badge with a waxy white heart symbol, its surface smooth like solidified wax, with a faint waxy texture along the edges.

That's right.

This is none other than the Demon Badge that grants the user the power of the Wax-Wax Fruit. Priced at the Prosthetic Shop: 5 Transaction Points.

Clearly, in the system's evaluation, the value of this fruit's ability is average.

V, who personally tested the Wax Wax Fruit's power, can also attest to this.

All I can say is that the Third Brother is truly amazing. He has mastered such an ordinary Devil Fruit, playing it at an unparalleled level and even dominating high-level matches.

V's intention in taking out this prosthetic body at this moment is self-evident.

He opened his mouth wide again and swallowed the prosthetic body, worth 5 trading points, without hesitation.

In an instant, an unprecedented force surged from his stomach and rushed straight toward V's prosthetic heart.

Under V's control, all those special energies eventually flowed into the Devil Badge (Smoke-Smoke Fruit).

Immediately afterwards, a special system notification appeared before V's eyes:

[Demon Badge (Smoke Fruit): Tier 6 → Tier 7]

"The Demon Badge...has been upgraded!!!"

V closed his eyes in delight, savoring the changes brought about by the badge upgrade.

Pale smoke billowed from his palm, sometimes transforming into Nami, sometimes into Vivi, depending on V's will.

His control over the Smoke-Smoke Fruit has undoubtedly improved significantly.

To put it more simply...

What used to take him a whole day to create that area of ​​thick smoke can now be done in just half a day.