"What should I name you?"
"Hmm, from now on you'll be called Chopper. And I'll give you a cute nickname—Chopper Beard."
Moses carried the little blue-nosed reindeer-human by the scruff of his neck as they walked through the snowy forest. Chopper stared up at Moses with a mix of confusion, fear, and delight in his eyes.
"Chopper? Name?"
Hearing this, Moses chuckled:
"Just like my name is Moses, that's your name now."
"My name? Chopper? Nickname, Chopper Beard. Hehehe."
Watching the little reindeer-human squint his eyes and giggle foolishly, Moses felt somewhat helpless. Was he naturally airheaded or just carefree?
Ah, whatever. It is what it is.
Since they'd crossed paths and he was amusing and cute, might as well keep him.
They walked toward Drum Mountain.
Soon, Moses arrived at the black bamboo grove.
Setting Chopper down, Moses began searching for bamboo shoots to dig up.
Noticing this, Chopper joined in, pawing at the snow. Before long, he proudly presented a bamboo shoot to Moses, eyes shining brightly. Just then, a loud "growl" came from his stomach. Moses glanced at his belly.
"You're a reindeer-human, so you can eat raw food too. If you're hungry, have a bamboo shoot to fill your stomach."
Chopper's eyes lit up as he immediately started munching on the shoot, eating carefully without wasting a single bite.
A good commoner indeed.
Moses smiled.
A while later,
after gathering plenty of bamboo shoots, Moses called out. Crow Dabao swiftly flew over, transporting Moses, Chopper, and the pile of shoots into the castle.
Crow Dabao then flew toward Drum Mountain where Moses trained.
The ingredients were placed in the top-floor dining area.
Top Floor · Lounge Area
Just then, footsteps approached, accompanied by Kureha's playful, youthful voice:
"You've done something big, huh."
"You saw everything, Doctorine?"
Moses turned to look.
She wore black leggings, a black-and-red ruffled skirt, and a warm yellow short-sleeved T-shirt.
On her feet were deerskin slippers.
"Aren't you cold dressed so lightly? Your current physique isn't what it used to be."
Kureha pouted, puffing her cheeks as her glossy black eyes glared at Moses:
"It hasn't been long, and you're already bossing me around? Trying to rebel?"
Seeing Kureha deliberately acting cute, Moses also pouted, his face full of disdain:
"Wait till you grow up a bit more. Then see if I bother with you."
Hearing this, Kureha laughed. She walked up to Moses, pinched his cheeks, and gave them a few pats.
"A brat like you trying to lecture me? You're a hundred years too early!"
"Don't you think it's weird saying that in your current form?"
Moses rolled his eyes and retorted, "Centenarian loli hag?"
Kureha's eye twitched, her lips curling into an irritated smile. "No respect for your elders."
With that, she spun around and kicked Moses right in the butt, sending him stumbling. Moses sighed:
"How childish."
Kureha giggled. "This is called practicing what you preach. Act your age."
"Anyway, enough of that. I just saw you offed the Old King's two remaining heirs. Though those two brats were no good, it's still a bit of trouble."
Kureha smirked. "Have you figured out what to do next?"
"I'll make a trip to the palace later, make sure the whole family stays together?"
"Don't bother," Kureha waved her hand dismissively. "No need for that. The old man's riddled with incurable diseases and won't last much longer. Not worth the trouble."
"After all, Drum Kingdom is still a World Government affiliate. If you wipe out the entire royal family and get caught, you might have to follow in your father's footsteps. There are plenty of strange Devil Fruit abilities out there, you know."
"Then forget it. I've no interest in becoming a pirate—not only is it pointless, but being chased by the Navy all the time would be annoying enough to drive anyone mad."
Moses looked at Kureha and asked, "So Doctorine, what do you think we should do?"
Kureha gazed at her own delicate, pale hands, her young face clouding with melancholy.
"Like I said years ago, it's time to leave this place. Let's find somewhere no one knows me to settle down. Any ideas? How about going to that island in the East Blue where your brother lives? You two could keep each other company."
Moses thought for a moment, then suddenly grinned at the little girl before him.
"How about we go to Skypiea? I read that book at home—'Brag Men.' There should be a sky island above Jaya. About four hundred years ago, the North Blue adventurer Montblanc Noland visited it. They say it was the City of Gold, but when he returned, half the island had vanished. That sea has periodic upward currents—maybe the City of Gold was blasted into the sky. Let's check it out."
"That big liar Noland? I read that book too. Huh... You might be onto something. But how do you plan to get there? Don't tell me you're thinking of having your crow fly us up?"
Kureha raised an eyebrow, rubbing her chin as she studied Moses.
"You'd work the poor thing to death."
"And can we really cross the Grand Line? You sure we won't get eaten by sea kings? Not to mention the Grand Line's weather is downright bizarre."
"We'll buy a decent sloop. We can stay on the ship normally and sleep in Crow Dabao's Castle Space. As for sea kings, both Peipei and I have Conqueror's Haki. Unless our luck's terrible, we'll be fine. I can swim too, and I'm strong enough—sailing the first half of the Grand Line shouldn't be a problem."
Moses laid it out simply, and Kureha nodded in agreement.
She had considerable respect for his current strength. Even if his physique wasn't as robust as hers before she shrank, she wouldn't have been able to defeat him easily back then either. Handling the first half of the Grand Line—the so-called "Paradise"—wouldn't be an issue.
Once they'd settled their plans, the decision was made.
Just then, Kureha noticed the strange reindeer hiding behind Moses and asked curiously,
"Is this little thing what you caught from the herd? Looks... unique."
Moses chuckled. "Yeah, a reindeer that accidentally ate a Devil Fruit. The herd drove it out as a freak. Seemed cute and interesting, so I brought it back for you guys to play with. If nothing else, it can serve as emergency rations."
Clomp clomp clomp!
A series of retreating sounds rang out. Moses turned to see Chopper frozen in place with a terrified expression, unsure whether to hide or not.
Kureha rolled her eyes at Moses, looking utterly exasperated:
"You really treat this home like a zoo. Look at you—with this one included, we already have three Devil Fruit Users. Add those hundreds of crows, and you've got enough for a circus troupe."
Moses stroked his chin and mused, "Building a circus isn't a bad idea. Why not give it a try?"
"Just drop it. It'd be too noisy. I have no interest in parading around with you in the future. With you two walking bombs here, it's better if you lay low until your strength is up to par."
Moses thought it over and agreed. Even putting himself aside, if Robin were discovered, their peaceful days would be over.
Just then, Crow Dabao flew over. "Moses, we've reached the peak of Drum Mountain."
Nodding at Kureha, Moses said,
"Then it's settled. We'll move the remaining items from the treehouse over the next two days. I'll buy a ship soon, and we'll set sail in a few days."
"Mm, I can't show my face, so you handle it. We still have over 100 million Belly in savings—it should be enough for now."
At Moses' signal, Crow Dabao carried him away.
Drum Mountain Summit.
The moment he stepped out,
a blizzard howled around him.
Moses found Perona and Robin sparring with Bear Cub in a pine forest.
After briefly explaining their upcoming plans, both women looked surprised but showed no signs of refusal.
To them, whether it was Drum Island or any other island, home was wherever they stayed.
The group and the crows returned to Crow Dabao's castle.
Bear Cub headed to the kitchen to cook, while Perona and Robin went to assist.
Crow Dabao led the others back to the treehouse.
Moses stood alone at the cliff's edge atop the summit.
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Gazing down at the entire island,
amid the swirling snowstorm,
Moses opened his status panel.
Looking at the newly added 50,000 Merit Points,
he reviewed his yet-to-be-manifested Blessings. With their voyage approaching and this journey relying solely on himself, Moses decided to use these merits to enhance his strength.
Quality over quantity—he resolved to upgrade only the most immediately useful ability.
After carefully examining each option and deliberating,
Moses spent all 50,000 Merit Points in one go.
Instantly, a torrent erupted from the "light sphere" in his mind.
A flood of merits merged into his Spirit Body.
The Observation Haki within him and his perception surged violently. Standing atop the cliff, the Breath frequencies of all things around him abruptly sharpened into crystal clarity.
Countless streams of "information" flooded his consciousness, tempering his awareness relentlessly.
Moses gritted his teeth, eyes wide, forcing himself to stay silent.
After what felt like an eternity, the true manifestation of the Blessing concluded.
Regaining his composure, Moses inspected the newly acquired ability.
[A-rank Blessing: Disguise] (Can be improved through comprehension)
[Effect: Perceives the Breath frequency fluctuations of all things. Allows synchronization of one's own Breath frequency to match their essence, achieving perfect disguise.]
[Blessing Evaluation: What is Disguise? I am you, but you are not me—the power to perceive the essence of all things.]
The manifestation and enhancement of Bestowed Abilities are not random but align with one's life experiences and history.
"Disguise"
Originally, Moses could already perceive the Breath fluctuations of all things and synchronize them with his own Breath to mask his presence.
But now, the "Disguise" Blessing has gained an additional effect—"Invocation."
How to invoke it?
As Moses regulated his Breath, he sensed the fluctuations of the surrounding blizzard's Breath and seamlessly synchronized his own rhythm with it—far faster than before.
Simultaneously, an instinctual realization emerged: he could now command the wind and snow around him.
Planting his feet apart, he rooted his center of gravity to the ground.
His right fist coiled with power—
Using the technique of "Finger Pistol,"
Moses threw a punch straight ahead.
"Fist Pistol."
A half-meter-wide cylindrical shockwave erupted from his fist.
Then, the surrounding wind and snow began converging onto the shockwave, continuously amplifying its force.
In an instant, the shockwave doubled in size, roaring forward.
Was this the so-called "Invocation"?
Every movement instinctively drew upon and harnessed the power of nature itself.
Moses sensed that this was only the beginning. His grasp of "Disguise" was still unrefined—this Blessing held even more applications.
With the matter of his Bestowed Ability settled, Moses opened his status panel, having noticed earlier that his attributes had shifted.
Attributes:
[Physique]:
Strength: D- → D+
Endurance: D- → D+
Agility: D- → D+
[Soul]:
Willpower: D- → D+
Perception: D- → D+ → C-
Spirit: D- → D+
[Special·Mystery (Energy)]: D- → D+
Over the past year, through Breath techniques and physical training, Moses had elevated all his attributes to the peak of D-rank.
"D+ Rank"
Yet the true manifestation of the "Disguise" Blessing primarily enhanced his Perception. Thus, driven by Merit Points, his "Perception" attribute became the first to break through to "C- Rank"—the highest among his foundational stats.
But that wasn't all. His Observation Haki had also surged in quality, reaching an entirely new tier: "B- Rank."
Though no new traits had been unlocked, the sheer range of his perception now truly qualified as monstrous—effortlessly covering an entire small island.
A faint smile curled at Moses' lips. Threefold joy in one stroke.
Heart light with elation,
Moses followed his instincts and leaped from the summit of Drum Mountain, arms spread wide.
As his Breath rose and fell,
The gale whipped against his body.
He plummeted swiftly downward.
Yet by synchronizing his Breath with the natural rhythm of the wind and snow, and applying the weightless deflection of "Paper Drawing,"
The winds around him grew "tame."
Like a willow draped in a blizzard, Moses glided effortlessly, riding the currents while steering his own course—
A flying squirrel, free upon the wind.
...
Two hours later,
At a shipyard in the port town, he commissioned a small, single-masted sailboat.
Modest in size, but sturdy and reliable in build.
From every angle, it was a meticulously crafted boat.
Moses paid the deposit.
They agreed he would come to pick up the boat in two days.
With the important matter settled, Moses returned from the port town to the treehouse.
As soon as he stepped inside, he saw that the interior had been mostly emptied. He gazed at the scene with a touch of melancholy.
The place he had lived in since childhood was finally being left behind. He didn't know if he would ever return to live here again in the years to come
.
Deep down, Moses had a feeling—barring any unforeseen circumstances, he probably wouldn't be coming back to stay here again.
He climbed to the second floor.
After surveying the empty laboratory and walking a full circle, Moses descended the stairs and approached Crow Dabao, who stood by the extinguished fireplace. Amid the ripples of spatial distortion shimmering across its body—
Moses vanished from the room.
Crow Dabao closed its eyes and stood silently in place.