Although he didn’t know what his sandwich looked like to the others, it was probably nothing good.
But even so, Luffy was devouring it like it was the most delicious thing in the world!
If that guy could eat it, then as his older brother and a fellow foodie, why couldn’t Ace do the same?
Just imagine it—he and Luffy, arms around each other’s shoulders, carrying a medical kit. They’d pull out one “extremely dangerous-looking” food item after another and eat them with enthusiasm.
And after finishing, they’d both praise how delicious it was.
Knowing Ace, with a brain functioning on a similar wavelength as Luffy’s, how could he possibly resist trying it out?!
He might even think, just like Luffy, that eating something this crazy would be the coolest thing ever!
As long as he took the bait…
Nyeh heh heh heh!
Vir could guarantee that Ace would be down for the count after eating it!
And in the end, it could all be blamed on Ace’s weak stomach.
“See? Luffy and I ate it, and we’re totally fine. But you? You’re like this now. That’s not my fault, right?”
It must be your problem, not mine!
And as a doctor, it would only be reasonable for him to help treat Ace afterward, wouldn’t it?
Even if Ace thought he was unreliable and refused treatment, well—there was always Luffy. If Luffy explained it, Ace wouldn’t possibly doubt his own brother, right?
As long as he got the chance to make his move!
Nyeh heh heh heh!
Vir wouldn’t let him off the hook!!
And once he stole Ace’s ability, he’d be unstoppable.
Whether it was his Devil Fruit, Haki, or raw combat skills—
No matter what, he’d be invincible!
He could just coast through the first half of the Grand Line without lifting a finger!
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Vir found himself tearing up involuntarily, the drops mixing with the tomato sauce on his face, creating a rather peculiar sight.
Aside from the group in front of him, who were now looking at him with a mix of confusion and fear…
Meanwhile, Chopper was leading everyone on a mad dash through the snowy landscape.
After running for what felt like forever, they finally reached a populated town.
A hectic round of shopping later, the sky had already darkened.
With their supplies in tow, the crew set off on the return journey to the Going Merry.
Unlike before, however, the small sleigh they used was now quite cramped.
On the way back, thanks to Zoro’s… stellar sense of direction, Chopper almost led everyone off a cliff.
Nami, naturally, responded by kicking him to the back of the group near Vir before climbing onto Chopper’s back herself to personally guide the way home.
“Ahahahaha! Zoro! You’re such an idiot! I told you we were going in circles!” Luffy laughed loudly, rubbing salt in the wound.
“Exactly! Letting this guy lead the way means we’ll end up nowhere but hell!” Sanji added, smirking.
Zoro had simply shrugged at Luffy’s teasing, but the moment Sanji spoke, he couldn’t take it anymore.
“What did you say, damn dartboard brow?!”
“Huh? You wanna go, you moss-headed marimo?!”
The two clashed heads right in front of Vir, practically putting on a wrestling match.
Watching the scene unfold, Vir couldn’t help but laugh.
This was the Straw Hat Crew, alright.
How interesting.
Before long, they arrived at the harbor where Luffy had once knelt in the snow.
There, a white-colored pirate ship was quietly docked, its sheep-headed figurehead standing out prominently.
Everything looked just as it did in the original story.
“We’re here, Vir! This is our ship!” Luffy shouted excitedly, stretching his arms to grab the railing and flinging himself aboard.
One minute later…
On the deck of the Going Merry, everyone was silently watching below.
There, standing alone, was a figure in a straw hat, working tirelessly.
“You never help with the heavy lifting! This time, you’re carrying everything up yourself!” Nami yelled down at Luffy, her hands on her hips.
“Ohhh…” Luffy groaned, looking utterly dejected as he continued hauling the goods, his face covered in fresh bruises.
At that moment, Vir gained a new understanding—
On this ship, Nami’s word was law. That was no exaggeration.
“Vir, you and Chopper should pick a room. There are three empty ones left,” Nami said, turning to him with a bright smile.
To her, Vir was clearly a wealthy guy. Naturally, she wouldn’t treat him the same way as the rest of these broke idiots.
Vir nodded and, together with Chopper, started exploring the ship, intent on getting a proper tour.
Meanwhile, the others busied themselves with various tasks.
Except for Luffy, who was still suffering alone, carrying supplies up, trip after trip.
Vir eventually made his way to the kitchen, where Sanji was already hard at work.
Ingredients danced through the air in his hands, one dish after another being plated with dazzling skill.
“Watching you cook is seriously satisfying, Sanji,” Vir remarked.
Sanji smirked at the compliment, but the next thing Vir said wiped that smile right off his face.
“…If I don’t look at your face, that is.”
The kitchen instantly exploded with an enraged shout—
“GET OUT!!!”
After getting kicked out of the kitchen, Vir wandered onto the deck, spotting Zoro training with his weights.
Looking at his perfectly sculpted muscles, Vir couldn’t help but salivate.
‘When will I get the chance to steal those…?’
Eventually, after picking the largest available room, Vir plopped onto a chair.
Although there were two of them, the space was plenty big enough.
If it got too hot, Chopper could sleep on the floor. If it got too cold, Chopper could be a makeshift pillow.
Ultimate flexibility.
Chopper, meanwhile, was already busy unpacking.
Back in town, he had used his allowance to buy a ton of daily necessities.
Of course, he got enough for two.
Blankets, mats, pillows, decorations…
Before long, the once empty room had transformed into a cozy and inviting space.
Seeing Chopper’s hard work, Vir nodded approvingly.
“Not bad, not bad! Well done!”
The moment he said that, Chopper immediately went into his usual embarrassed routine.
“Aww, shucks~ It’s not that great~ I’m not that amazing~”
Watching him act like that, Vir felt speechless.
Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the shop menu in his system.
He needed something strong.
Ace wasn’t just some random nobody. It wouldn’t be easy to make him sick.
The poison had to be potent.
‘So potent that even I’d hesitate to use it!’
Just as he was searching, loud voices erupted outside.
Among them was Luffy’s excited yell—
“Chopper! Hurry, come see!”
Before Chopper could even respond, Luffy had already appeared at the door, grabbed him, and dragged him outside.
There, in the direction of Drum Island’s Magnetic Drum Mountain, a breathtaking sight was unfolding.
A massive pink glow spread across the mountain peak.
From a distance, it looked just like an enormous, radiant cherry blossom tree.
At that very moment, its petals were in full bloom, shining brilliantly against the night sky.
Inside his room, Vir didn’t need to look to know what was happening.
As expected, moments later, Chopper’s sobs filled the air.
His cries were so heartfelt that they could move anyone to tears.
Even Vir felt a slight pang of emotion.
But he quickly resumed his search, casually exchanging a few items from the system store.
Then, he suddenly came across something that made his eyes light up—
‘Shenbao'(Kidney Tonic)
—
TL note: Shenbao is kidney-yang tonic/tablets in traditional Chinese medicine, with some rather questionable effects. Something like turtle blood and snake gallbladder. *fixes his shiny glasses with his index finger*