"You still are a crazy old coot, are you not?" Crocus said to the figure who had spoken first. He wore a smile while saying it, clearly expecting some sort of reaction. Before he could say anything else, the woman punched him directly in the face, which immediately wiped away the smile.
"Who do you think you are calling old? I am only one hundred nine years old," the older woman said with clear irritation. Rayleigh, Gyaban, Shanks, and Roger all stared at her with wide eyes. None of them could believe what they had just heard. The woman did not even look like she had reached seventy years of age, much less someone who claimed to be over a century old.
"That is impossible. No human lives until one hundred nine without becoming decrepit. Only giants could afford that luxury," Gyaban commented, which earned him a punch from the old woman as well. He chose not to resist since he could tell the punch was more of a scolding gesture than an actual attack.
"Who are you calling decrepit?" the old woman asked sharply. Roger burst out laughing at Gyaban, while Rayleigh turned toward Crocus, wanting confirmation of what they had just heard.
"Is that true, Crocus?" Rayleigh asked. The question earned him a sharp look from the woman, who took it as Rayleigh doubting her and implying she was lying about her age.
"Yes, that old coot was born more than a hundred years ago. She is the one who taught me my medical skills, and she has been older than me ever since. She also keeps bragging about how young she looks despite looking that old already," Crocus said, which resulted in another punch landing on him from the old woman.
The woman calmed down once everyone stopped calling her old. Shamrock observed her with interest, seeing more than just the surface.
He knew who she was. The insides of her body, the signs of her health, and her posture made it clear she was Kureha, the future mentor of Chopper. Even without his deeper sight, it was easy to recognize her once he recalled her reputation.
Kureha slowly turned her eyes to Roger. Even without touching him, she could tell something was wrong with his health.
"Come inside. I do not want anyone dying on my doorstep," Kureha said as she opened the door. The crew stepped into a surprisingly spacious cabin filled with bookshelves. Every shelf overflowed with books.
Shamrock read several of the titles from where he stood. Most books were medical, with many focusing on rare conditions, complicated procedures, and the anatomies of unusual animals. Compared to the Roger Pirates' library, this one felt overwhelming.
As Shamrock absorbed the sight of the books, Kureha examined him with a careful and curious expression. She then turned toward Crocus and nudged his arm slightly, giving him a look that seemed to ask for confirmation about Shamrock's identity or talent.
"Do you see anything interesting?" Kureha suddenly asked. Shamrock snapped out of his fascination and turned toward her.
"You have an incredibly slow metabolism, which causes your body to age at a slower rate. What I do not understand is how you can still move so quickly. Your speed is greater than most animals that share that same type of metabolism. It is very unusual," Shamrock answered.
He did not respond to her original question, instead stating an observation that made Kureha stare at him with surprise. She had no idea how a child she had just met could know so much with a single glance.
"See, that is talent, old coot," Crocus said proudly. Before he could enjoy his comment, a sword came flying through the air toward him.
Crocus managed to dodge this time, only because he had not taken his eyes off Kureha. She did not break her gaze from Shamrock, even though she was the one who had thrown the sword.
"Interesting," Kureha said. She decided not to ask Shamrock anything more for now. "Anyway, what do you want with me, Crocus?"
"I am looking for these ingredients. They are for this man's treatment," Crocus said, handing her a paper filled with a long list of materials. "You already know there is something wrong with him. We will pay for everything."
Kureha gave him a look before stepping toward Roger. She took out her stethoscope and began checking his lungs with practiced precision. Crocus looked slightly offended at her behavior.
"I know I am not you, but do not doubt my abilities as a doctor. You taught me, remember," Crocus said.
"It is not about trusting or not trusting you. I simply do not like you. If you are offended, that is not my problem. Also, do not call me old coot as this lazy fool does. My name is Kureha. You will address me as Doctor Kureha or Dr. Witch. Anything else will cause problems," Kureha replied while continuing her examination. Shanks began to look bored.
"Shamrock, want to look for the yeti?" Shanks asked, hoping for anything more exciting than watching a medical checkup.
Shamrock looked at the instruments Kureha was using. The procedure was nearly the same as the one Crocus performed earlier, so he knew the results would not differ dramatically.
"Alright, let's go. But we cannot kill the yeti, alright?" Shamrock said. Shanks nodded eagerly. Both boys grabbed their wooden swords and headed out.
Rayleigh watched them leave, but he knew Shamrock could protect Shanks from any real threat, so he turned his attention back to Roger's examination.
Shanks and Shamrock ran through the snowy forest, excited to search for a yeti. Shamrock was unsure if a real yeti existed on Drum Island, since Luffy's group had not encountered one in the future events he remembered.
Even so, he would not be surprised. The island already had strange creatures, and the giant rabbits in the original story had looked close enough to fit the idea.
The boys followed a path that led toward one of the mountains. They began trekking upward, eager to see what they might find. In the middle of the climb, they stopped when Shanks froze in surprise.
A massive bear stood in front of them. Shanks originally thought it was a yeti, only to realize it was a hiking bear. The creature bowed politely toward them. Shanks and Shamrock bowed back. Once the hiking bear was out of sight, Shanks let out his thoughts.
"Maybe that is a yeti. Or a brother of a yeti," Shanks said. They continued climbing, and soon the air grew thinner.
Shanks struggled to breathe for a moment but adjusted quickly. Shamrock, on the other hand, showed no difficulty.
The constant Total Concentration Breathing that he maintained through the Sun Breathing Style kept his lungs strong and stable.
Eventually, the two boys reached one of the peaks of the Drum Rockies. There were no structures there.
Shamrock remembered that Drum Castle stood on the highest of the Drum Rockies, which meant they were on the wrong one.
Still, the climb was enjoyable, and both Shanks and Shamrock appreciated the view before heading back down.
They spent the rest of their time exploring more of the Drum Kingdom, taking in every sight they could before returning to the cabin.