Chapter 32: Treatment
( 3rd POV )
Not long after witnessing the chaos below, Rosinante couldn't hold on any longer, and he passed out. The severe beating from Vergo, multiple gunshot wounds, and the shock from the hellish scene below overwhelmed his body.
Law, also injured and weak, looked at him in panic before seeking help from those around him. "Cora-san! Hey, white-haired man, please help him!"
Vanze and the others turned their heads, spotting the unconscious Rosinante. Vanze directed his crew to assist.
"Azel, take him to one of the rooms in the cabin. Robin, you've read a medical book, right? Could you please help him? Yamato, bring the kids back inside."
"Right away, Vanze-san."
"Reading and implementing on an injured person is different, but I'll try."
Before they headed inside to save Rosinante, a pink girl beside them also offered her help.
"As a poison master, I also have a bit of knowledge of medical skills. If it's okay, I can help," she said.
"Nice, Reiju. It's fine; please follow them back," Vanze said to Reiju. She nodded and followed Azel, Robin, and Law inside. Yamato had already brought back the kids. Only Hancock remained beside Vanze.
"So it's them?" She said slowly while still watching the massacre below.
"My compass only points to that rude kid. The other two are just a plus; I don't even know if I will invite them to join us," Vanze said, clarifying his intention to go to the Minion island.
"Not the Ope - Ope no Mi?" She asked with a surprised look on her face. The intelligence they've got from the underworld is that this island is supposed to be where the marines buy the super expensive devil fruit from a crew of pirates.
"It's just a normal devil fruit in my eyes, and that kid probably already ate it."
"He ate it!? That is a billions of belly devil fruit and a powerful one at that."
"Didn't you notice? He has pale skin and a weak body, symptoms of disease, but he can still hold out his injury despite that. He has an amber lead disease if I guess right."
"But, legends say it is the ultimate devil fruit and can bring immortality?"
"Bullshit, every fruit is just a concept of power for me; it depends on the user to develop it. Lastly, the immortality skill on that fruit is one of the trash immortality skills out there; even pure gold is better," Vanze said, trying to make Hancock understand.
For him, the Ope - Ope no Mi is just a perfect fruit to raise a capable doctor; the immortality part is just trash. Compared to the immortality skills in the multiverse out there, it really feels cheap and pathetic.
Hancock just stared at him with a blank expression. She realized for him, it really doesn't matter much, especially with his power. He even has something to lift the devil fruit curse, so it does make sense that Ope - Ope no Mi immortality skill can't even catch his eye. Maybe he has something better than that.
"Well, just do what you want then, babe~," Hancock said while flirting with him when nobody is around. She even hugged one of his arms and put it on her Mt. Tai before squeezing it.
Vanze sensed his left arm being trapped in a squeezy pillow, feels the rising tide and didn't even want to move now. His face is definitely red, but he is not a beta mc, so he tilted his head and approached Hancock's ear before whispering something slowly.
"Oh, so this is what the future snake empress does when there is no one around huh? You are playing with fire, Hancock~," he said slowly before letting out his breath into her ear, tickling her.
Sensing the hot breath on her ear so suddenly made her body shiver, especially the last word that Vanze said. Her face is also red now, and a blush is apparent on her cheeks; at least she knows that he is really attracted to her.
"Aahh~ it tickles, Vanze... And you are not wrong by saying that. You are indeed like fire, warm and shining so brightly like a sun, always lighting up and guiding us from our darkest moment. So, I don't mind embracing that fire if it is you."
Hearing her words made Vanze speechless; he knows that Hancock is the most girl who is very much like showing her love towards him, but he didn't ever expect that sweet words come out from her. Robin always has a way with words, but not Hancock.
But before Vanze could ever respond to her feelings, Hancock did something that even made him very surprised.
"Don't need to think too much, babe~ I'll wait... No, we'll wait. I'll go back to Yamato and the kids first, bye~."
Mwahh~~~
She kissed him on the cheeks before running back to the cabin, holding out both of her blushing cheeks with her hands while giggling. He froze on his spot while staring blankly at where she went. Hancock made his brain shut down by her surprise attack. He just stood there with one of his hands on his cheek where the vixen kissed him.
.....
( Vanze POV )
I'm still staring blankly into the air, recalling the moment when I was attacked. It was truly a surprise attack, but a welcome one.
I feel weird right now, don't misunderstand. I enjoyed the kiss, not gonna lie, but it should be the man who does that first to the girl, not the other way around, right?
[ Congrats on your very first kiss, brother. You look like a virgin girl who just got confessed to by her handsome senpai, haha. ]
'You little shit, you enjoy your brother's daily life drama huh!? And what's the meaning of "I look like a virgin girl"?' I snapped out of my reverie after hearing Seele teasing me.
[ Aren't you really a virgin? And you really freeze like that, I'm just stating a fact. I told you back then you need to buy a book on how to flirt with a girl and how to get a harem, but you just refused, saying a chad doesn't need that kind of bullshit knowledge and you will prove it by your action. But look at it now? Did it work for you? ]
'Ugh... I know, I know.' I mean, she's not wrong. I'm a virgin in both of my lives, and it's my first romantic experience. I was too arrogant, thinking Seele was just joking when we talked about that. Now I realize I'm still a rookie in this area. I will definitely teach that little vixen a lesson in the future.
'I'll buy it and read it later, damn it...'
Let's think about that later. For now, I bring out the thing I just got from Vergo's corpse and examine it. There are a few things like Den Den Mushi, a letter, and a piece of paper moving slightly. I don't know about the Den Den Mushi—is it for contacting the Marines or Doflamingo?—so I just focus on the last two.
I read the letter first, and it contained a lot of Doflamingo's planning to overtake Dressrosa. The pink guy already collected a lot of resources and is ready to get the Shichibukai position by raiding the ship full of offerings for those pigs wearing a fish tank. As expected from the pink guy. Let's see the other one.
The other one is a piece of paper moving slightly toward Doflamingo's direction; it should be a vivre card. Holding this piece of paper while staring down at the chasing game below, a plan suddenly formed through my mind. If it is successful, it can benefit us and convince Law to stay with us.
Hehe, I like this pink guy...
Without noticing that time has passed while I'm still contemplating my plan and holding the vivre card, Reiju came back to me and pulled me out of my reverie.
"Vanze, we need your help with their injuries. Robin said your Devil Fruit power could at least help."
"Even you can't save him?"
"Didn't I say before I am a poison master, not a doctor..."
"Sigh, fine. Let's go then; I can only slow down his wound."
Realizing the grim situation, we both head back toward the ward inside the cabin. As we entered, I can see the three people lying on the beds unconscious. Maybe because Law is injured after being beaten by Vergo and exhausted his strength, he and the brown-haired guy are sleeping on the beds in the corner of the room.
"This is why we need a doctor, sigh..."
"About time you arrive; if not, we can say goodbye to this clown guy," Robin said.
Looking at the dying man in front of me, I really realize that most of us are only good at fighting. I can buy healing items for Corazon at the mall or give him Senzu beans, but he is not my crew.
I honestly didn't even expect to see him back then; Law is my only target for recruitment after all. He is a marine spy, so it'll be complicated to even recruit Law or him. Anyway, let's try to save him first.
"Robin, I want you to pull out those bullets first from his body with your power. Reiju, you are in charge of keeping this guy breathing. He lost too much blood; I can only slow down the wounds first. Chop chop, we don't have much time."
After I instruct them to help me, they started doing what I told them. The unprofessional surgery is on; let's see if Corazon can change his fate.
.....
( ??? POV )
On one of the rooms inside the giant black ship, a man with clown makeup slowly opens his eyes. He blinks several times after regaining his vision and starts looking around the room.
He finds that he is lying on a bed in what looks like a simple ward, connected to a blood pack and infusion. A peculiarly hatted kid sleeps on the nearby sofa not far away from him.
Urgh...
'What happened to me...?'
My entire body feels weak, limiting my movements. The last memory I can grasp is the white-haired guy rescuing me and Law, bringing us onto their flying ship. Fading into unconsciousness, I recall the injuries and the unsettling sight of my brother's actions.
'I remember; I was supposed to be dying...'
Surviving such extensive injuries seems implausible without top-notch medical intervention, yet here I am. Being saved by a group of unknown people, But why?
Who are they? What is their purpose?
I shift my gaze to Law, sleeping not far away. At least he's safe for now, and it seems the Amber lead disease has vanished after he consumed that fruit.
"Law..."
My weak voice rouses him from sleep, and his eyes widen in surprise. He shouts my name with evident relief.
"Cora-san...!!!"
Ugh... My ears...
"Cora-san, you are awake! Are you okay now? Do you need something?" He rushes to my bedside.
"I'm fine, Law. I only need you to lower your voice..." I manage, offering a wry smile.
"Oh, sorry about that. I'm just relieved that you are fine now. Robin-san and Reiju said that the chance of your survival is slim back then..."
His concern is heartening, though I understand the skepticism they harbored. Back then, I was on the brink of death; it would take a miracle to save me.
"I'm also surprised by my condition. I should be dead if not for them..."
"How long have I been unconscious, Law?"
"It's been five days; we have already left that cursed island."
Five days, huh... My concern for my brother's sinister plan still lingers, but I'm unsure of my next steps.
"The people on this ship are adventurers, they said. The little girl with the white bear is even giving me a tour of this ship. They don't have the pirate's flag, so I think they are good people. After all, they managed to save us."
Law recounts his experiences on the ship during my unconsciousness. As I recall their treatment, I can say for certain that they are all powerful and mysterious. There are a few unique races on this flying ship after all.
"It's good for you, Law. You even started to interact with more people of your age now."
"Wh- what nonsense are you saying, Cora-san!? I'm not a kid, and that little girl is even more domineering than any of the kids I've ever met. That bear is also a coward who likes to run around the ship, and there is also that horned lady alwa..."
Hearing his complaint about their interaction is giving me a sigh of relief; Law can finally interact and be more open as a normal kid without his depressing thoughts to destroy everything.
Time passes as Law continues to share his interesting experiences when suddenly two people enter our rooms. A tall woman with a little girl stands there, staring at us.
"Ah! The clown uncle is awake, Robin-neesan!"
"Don't shout, Uta-chan; it's a patient room. That weird uncle might faint again if you are so loud, fufu."
"Oops, my bad, hehehe."
"Hey, you, tone down your voice, you gorilla girl!"
"Hah!? Who are you calling gorilla, you skinny twig!?"
"Of course, it's you, and I'm older than you, damn it. Show some respect!"
"I don't care, and I'm more powerful than you!"
"You...!!!(2x)"
Ignoring the banter, the tall black hair women called Robin comes to my side, checking up on me.
"Hmm, you are finally awake, Rosinante-san. Our leader is quite concerned about you because Law is always pestering him about your condition. I can see you are fine now, only your body is still weak because you lost too much blood." Robin says after checking my condition.
"Thank you for saving me, Ms. Robin."
"Fufu, it's fine. You should thank Vanze later when you can get up; for now, just rest. Maybe tomorrow you can already get up from your bed."
"Alright, kids, let's go out. Don't argue in here; you will disturb Mr. Clown's rest."
"Hmph, that twig started the fight first..."
"I say, I'm older than you..."
Robin leads the two kids out, allowing me some much-needed rest. But before that, they yell something again to me.
"Get well soon, uncle clown!"
"Cora-san, please get some rest and try to regain your strength again. I'll visit again tomorrow!"
After they leave, the room falls into silence. I stare at the ceiling, pondering Law and my uncertain future. The Navy, the World Government, The Donquixote pirates will undoubtedly start hunting us down after realizing the Ope - Ope no Mi is in our hands. Even Sengoku-san couldn't help much at this point, and I can't bear to bring more troubles to him.
Sigh...
It's too complicated; let's get some sleep first...
.....
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone