Zoro and Tomioka found a sturdy-looking, protruding rock, and securely tied the other end of the rope to it. Then, the two stood at the edge of the cliff, holding the rope tightly with three hands, ready to exert force at any moment.
"Slowly lower him," Tomioka told Zoro.
"Got it."
Then Chopper began to rappel down the almost vertical cliff face, using his massive palms and hooves to find footholds. His movements were exceptionally steady, not clumsy despite his large size.
The rope was slowly released from their hands, making a faint rubbing sound.
Below, Luffy also saw the approaching, unfamiliar, giant figure.
But his face didn't show much vigilance; instead, it was filled with anxiety. He strained to look up, unable to speak because he was biting Sanji.
He could only desperately shake his head at Chopper, making urgent snorting sounds: "Hmm! Hmm! Hmm!" Then Luffy's gaze kept darting towards the unconscious Nami behind him.
Chopper descended to his side and extended his large hand, intending to embrace Luffy, along with Nami and Sanji, whom he was carrying, and pull them up.
However, Luffy shook his head even more vigorously. He again used his gaze and shaking head to signal Chopper to rescue Nami from his back first.
"You... want me to take her up first?"
Although he couldn't hear Luffy speak, his body language seemed to convey Luffy's intentions to Chopper, who asked with some confusion in his voice, "Wouldn't it be faster if we all went up together?"
But Luffy continued to shake his head, his eyes fixed on Chopper.
After a brief stalemate, Chopper finally decided to follow Luffy's wishes.
He carefully reached out and began to untie the ropes binding Nami to Luffy's body.
Finally, Chopper carefully held Nami in one arm against his chest. His huge palm could almost completely embrace her, ensuring she wouldn't fall.
Then Chopper looked up and shouted towards Tomioka and Zoro on the cliff, "It's done!"
"Coming!" Zoro responded, then called out to Tomioka to pull together, and they began to tug the rope backward.
"Tsk, this guy really isn't light," Zoro muttered, his arm muscles taut. Even with both of them pulling, they could clearly feel the heavy weight on the rope.
"Mm."
Tomioka responded briefly, shifting his center of gravity backward and steadily pulling with the strength of his waist and legs. The wound on his left shoulder caused a slight pain when exerting force like this, but Tomioka found it acceptable.
The rope was slowly reeled in. Chopper used his free hand and feet to vigorously push off the cliff face, trying to lighten the burden on the two above.
Finally, Chopper's massive figure and the Nami he was holding appeared at the edge of the cliff. Tomioka and Zoro worked together to pull both of them up.
As soon as his feet touched solid ground, Chopper gently lowered Nami, but his arm still protected her, and he said urgently, "Her condition is very dangerous, her body temperature is very high! We must take her inside to find Dr. Kureha immediately!"
After speaking, he immediately untied the ropes binding him, then carefully picked up Nami with both hands, and rushed towards the castle gate without looking back.
"Luffy, hold on! We're coming to help you!" Zoro shouted down to the cliff, then began to pick up the hemp rope from the ground.
"I'll go down," Tomioka said to Zoro calmly, picking up the end of the rope.
Zoro glanced at him, without any unnecessary words, simply confirming, "Can you do it?"
Tomioka nodded, re-tightening one end of the rope around his waist and leaving a sufficiently long length for the other end. Zoro checked Tomioka's knot to ensure it was secure.
Then Tomioka began to slide down the edge of the cliff, using his toes to lightly tap the cliff face to control his descent speed.
Soon, he reached Luffy's side.
Luffy looked even more disheveled than he had from above, his face covered in frostbite and scrapes, his lips chapped, and his eyes somewhat unfocused from exhaustion, but his teeth, biting Sanji, were still tightly clamped.
When Luffy saw Tomioka descend, he let out a muffled cry from his throat, and a hint of trust appeared in his eyes.
Tomioka quickly wrapped the reserved section of rope around Luffy's body, also tying a secure knot, connecting him and Sanji to himself.
"Alright, Zoro!" Tomioka shouted upwards.
"Chopper!" Zoro's voice came from above, and then the rope suddenly tensed, and a powerful pulling force began to lift the three tied together upwards.
Tomioka used his hands and feet to assist in supporting himself, reducing swaying. Soon, Chopper also rushed back to the cliff edge. He transformed into his giant human form again and, together with Zoro, vigorously pulled the rope.
With his addition, the speed at which the three ascended was significantly faster.
"Finally got it done, huh."
Finally, Luffy, Sanji, and Tomioka were pulled up the cliff. Zoro, seeing that they were finally safe, couldn't help but sigh.
And the moment they were safely up, Luffy, who had been biting Sanji, seemed to instantly relax his taut nerves.
Luffy finally let go, and Sanji fell onto the snow. He himself, as if all his strength had been drained, his legs gave out, and he fell straight forward.
Tomioka instinctively reached out and caught him. His body was not light, and it was very cold.
"Good job, Chopper," Tomioka said, looking at Chopper, who had reverted to his small form.
Chopper was stunned for a moment, then immediately couldn't help but show an incredibly happy expression on his face, twisting his entire body like a Yangge dancer, saying those insincere words:
"Even... even if you praise me... I won't be happy, you jerk~"
Zoro looked at Chopper's appearance and complained with a speechless expression, "I'm really fed up with you, guy."
He walked over to Sanji, bent down to look, then gave a somewhat disgusted 'tsk', but still, not-so-gently, carried Sanji onto his back, muttering, "Such a hassle, you stinky cook."
Chopper also immediately put away his playful expression, reverting to his professional demeanor as a doctor. He trotted over to Zoro, looking worriedly at Sanji on his back and Luffy: "Let's go inside quickly, both of them need to be examined!"
The snowstorm was still raging, but at least, the few people in front of them were safe.
Tomioka looked down at Luffy, who was already somewhat unconscious in his arms; the fatigue on his face was very obvious.
Then Tomioka picked him up with his left hand, adjusting him to a relatively secure position, and followed Zoro and Chopper, step by step, towards the castle gate in the blizzard.
Chopper just followed beside them, occasionally looking worriedly at Luffy in Tomioka's arms, and then at Sanji on Zoro's back.
The heavy castle doors slowly closed behind them, temporarily shutting out the cold and the snowstorm.
Tomioka held Luffy, feeling his breathing.
"You've worked hard."
Looking at Luffy's Mugiwara covered in ice and snow, he whispered in a voice almost only he could hear:
"Captain."
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