Dreams—those things feel almost too precious for a kid who's lost family and homeland.
"I... I..."
The boy bit his lip. Words of rage he once wanted to hurl at the world just wouldn't come out, no matter how hard he tried.
In the wreckage of his early life, a glimmer of hope appeared—one he couldn't bear to let go of.
"I want to live!"
Tears streamed from his eyes, his voice cracking with sobs, but he roared out the desire burning in his heart.
The longing to live, and the care he'd received these past few months, had finally changed him, pulling him out of the darkness.
"Hahaha! That's it! That's the look of someone who's truly alive!"
Sakura laughed heartily, slapping her thigh, clearly pleased with the boy's transformation.
"So, you're agreeing to save this kid, right?!"
Catching the meaning in Sakura's words, Corazon, who'd been kneeling, shot to his feet, grabbing her hand and shaking it eagerly.
"Well, sure, but I'm a pirate, you know. I don't work for free~"
Raising her hand, thumb and index finger rubbing together, a sly glint flashed in Sakura's eyes.
"Yes, whatever the cost, we'll pay it!"
"Fifty million Berries."
"That's insane!" 2
Corazon and Law's jaws dropped, eyes practically popping out of their heads.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed from outside the wellness center. A group in hazmat suits burst in, wielding flamethrowers.
"Confirmed lead poisoning patient and contacts. Commence sterilization protocol immediately!!!"
Amid the sound of weapons being readied, the nozzles of the flamethrowers, flickering with small flames, aimed at Sakura, Law, and Corazon.
It seemed they planned to burn the three of them to ashes to stop the spread of the disease.
"Fire—"
The commander's order was cut off by Sakura's voice.
"Hey, hey, crushing someone's will to live will land you in hell, you know!"
In a fleeting moment, a flash of cherry-pink light wove through the soldiers in protective suits.
Some noticed their visors starting to frost over. They reached to wipe them, only to find their bodies stiffening.
A wave of freezing air consumed their consciousness, turning them into ice statues that collapsed to the ground.
Gulp.
Corazon swallowed hard at the sight. "I've heard the Navy Admiral Aokiji has powers like this..."
"Don't be jealous. Your ability's pretty good too—it blocks out most Observation Haki snooping."
Sakura retrieved her things from a locker by the bathhouse, slipping her clothes back on and patting Corazon's shoulder.
When she first met this man, Sakura realized her Observation Haki couldn't sense him at all. The Silent Fruit, which cancels sound, was practically a natural enemy to those whose Haki wasn't refined enough.
"Huh? Really? No, wait—how do you know about my Devil Fruit ability?!"
Corazon, now dressed along with Law, hurried after her.
Sakura didn't answer his question. She just ran ahead, waving them on.
"Hurry up! The local government's backup will be here soon, and we still need a place to treat the kid."
Law, tucked under her arm, bared his shark-like teeth and roared at Sakura.
"Jerk, who're you calling a kid?!"
"Whoever answers is the kid~"
"Tch!"
"Hahaha!"
Causing a commotion as they fled Avignon Island, the trio reached the coast. Sakura pulled out her Leviathan, a small boat, and whisked Law and Corazon out to sea.
Inside the boat's cramped cabin, Sakura's usual sleeping spot was cleared out to serve as a makeshift operating table.
The surrounding tables were cluttered with vials and potions. Sakura sat, tweaking a chelating agent.
The boat, built for one, felt crowded with two extra passengers.
"Hey, you done yet? It's freezing in here!"
Stripped naked on the operating table, Law's face scrunched up in discomfort.
Sure, it was for treatment, but being bare like this, especially with a girl watching, made the well-raised boy squirm.
Sakura glanced over with a chuckle. "Heh, so small."
"I'm only ten! I'll grow, okay?!"
Feeling his pride as a man insulted, Trafalgar Law's face flushed red. He sat up, ready to argue with Sakura.
"Alright, Law, it's for the treatment. Just bear with it!"
Corazon soothed him, barely managing to push him back down.
Soon, Sakura brought over a large basin of metal chelating agent and tapped Law's forehead.
"You've had medical training, so you should know lead poisoning is essentially heavy metal toxicity. Listen carefully to what I'm about to say."
Seeing Sakura's serious expression, Law and Corazon took a deep breath, waiting for her next words.
"At your stage of lead poisoning, the heavy metal particles have fused with your heart, brain, organs, and bone marrow."
"I can use my ability to extract those particles, but the agent itself is toxic. It'll take multiple sessions, and each one will be extremely painful!"
Sakura brightened the cabin's lights, using her powers to manipulate heat and create小型 a low-temperature surgical environment.
Law clenched his teeth, chest heaving rapidly, but a hand suddenly grabbed his.
Looking up, he saw Corazon's encouraging smile.
His breathing steadied, and the cold sweat on his forehead began to fade.
"Bring it on. I'm not scared!"
"That's the spirit!"
Sakura pressed one hand to his chest, the other dipping into the chelating agent.
Yang Release chakra flowed from her palm into Law's body, spreading like tendrils, locking onto the toxic heavy metal particles with her Observation Haki.
Then, she raised her hand, using a chakra scalpel to make a small incision in Law's chest.
Her other hand lifted the chakra-infused liquid from the basin, guiding it into Law's body under Yang Release's pull.
Ninja Art: Precision Extraction Technique!
With chakra's aid, the chelating agent worked a thousand times more effectively, binding and separating the heavy metal particles fused with flesh and bone.
But the process inevitably damaged tissue, causing excruciating pain to his organs.
"Arghhh!!!"
With a scream, Law's wide eyes filled with bloodshot veins, his body twisting instinctively.
"Hold him down!"
At Sakura's command, Corazon pinned Law's left arm and leg.
Meanwhile, Yang Release chakra cycled through Law's body, expelling the heavy metal particles through his pores. A silvery liquid soon soaked the operating table.
It hurts. It hurts so much. Maybe it's better to just die.
Law's body convulsed, pain overwhelming his mind, his consciousness sinking into darkness.
Drip... drip...
What was that?
In his hazy state, Law felt warm liquid on his face. Through blurred vision, he saw Corazon crying for him.
Right, Corazon-san. He's still waiting for me.
The man who pitied me, fought doctors for me, always protected me.
There's still someone in this world who cares about me. I can't let him down! I want to live—with Corazon-san!
"—!"
Law's lungs sprang back to life. He bolted upright, gasping for the cold air.
"My body... feels so light!"
"Congrats, kid. You pulled through."
Sakura collected the unused chelating agent for the next session.
Then she grabbed a beer and stepped out, leaving the two to their silent moment.
"Law..."
"Corazon-san!"
They embraced tightly, filled with the joy of a new beginning!