44: Chapter 44 Chopper boards the ship, cherry blossoms bloom in winter.Uta looked in the direction of the sound and saw a little reindeer staring at her with its adorable eyes and a slightly timid expression.Uta, who was always powerless against cute things, scooped up Chopper, who was trying to run away, and started petting him vigorously.After Chopper broke free of Uta's embrace, he hid in a corner and watched her."You bandaged my boyfriend, didn't you?I didn't realize you were such a good hand at it, little reindeer," Uta praised, pointing to the perfectly bandaged wound on Luffy's body.Hearing the praise, Chopper couldn't help but dance with joy, saying with a touch of smugness, "You jerk, I won't be happy even if you praise me like that!"
Uta couldn't help but laugh at the adorable creature before her.After getting to know Chopper, Luffy woke up, though he was in very poor condition.Uta worriedly held Luffy's hand, showing concern.Luffy smiled back at Uta, telling her not to worry.Chopper then walked over, looking at the two with some envy.Suddenly, he felt himself leave the ground.It turned out Uta had lifted him to Luffy."Luffy, it was this doctor named Chopper who saved you.You should thank him properly," Uta said, placing Chopper in front of Luffy.Upon hearing Uta's praise again, Chopper actually danced in the air.Luffy smiled slightly at him, but Chopper, as if startled, broke free from Uta's embrace and ran out of the room.Although Uta found it strange, spending time with her boyfriend was the most important thing for her at the moment.In the following days, due to the still harsh weather outside and Luffy's recent recovery, the two stayed temporarily in the castle.Chopper also used his superb.With medical help, Luffy quickly regained his vitality thanks to his monstrous life force.Bored all day, he teased Chopper, leaving Chopper both helpless and speechless.The consequence of this was that Luffy was constantly chased and attacked by Dr.Kureha with a kitchen knife, turning the once peaceful castle into chaos.Chopper, gradually lowering his guard in this atmosphere, began to play along with Luffy."Chopper, do you want to go to the sea?Do you want to become a pirate?If so, then come with me to the sea and experience exciting adventures!" After a few days of getting to know Chopper, Luffy extended an invitation to the adorable reindeer.But this time, Chopper remained silent.He had grown fond of Luffy over the past few days, but whenever he recalled past events, he still couldn't accept Luffy's invitation."Look carefully," he said, "I'm a monster, a talking monster.Even if you accept me, Luffy, what about your other crew members?Will they accept me?"
Overwhelmed by painful memories, Chopper transformed into his human form and roared before running sadly out of the room.Just then, Kureha entered, watched Chopper leave, took a large gulp of sake, and said calmly, "This guy was deeply hurt by humans in the past.If you want Chopper to be your partner, you'll have to find a way to heal the wounds deep in his heart."
In fact, Uta had tried to invite Chopper to join as a doctor these past few days, but Chopper always refused, saying he was a reindeer and couldn't be with humans.Dr.Kureha also told Uta about Chopper's tragic past.After hearing Dr.Kureha's story, Uta felt sorry for the poor little guy.Luffy smiled calmly and went outside the castle.Sure enough, he saw Chopper sitting on the roof, gazing at the moon.Looking at his lonely figure, Luffy couldn't help but feel sorry for him.As a child, Chopper was driven away from his tribe because of his blue nose.Later, after eating the Human-Human Fruit, he transformed into a human and wanted to use it to make friends with humans.However, he was mistaken for a snowman and shot by humans.Later, he finally met a kind person who accepted him, but his misplaced kindness led to his death.This caused Chopper to avoid contact with other humans except for Dr.Kureha.Luffy jumped to Chopper's side and sat down to keep him company as he looked at the sky for a long time.Chopper began to tell Luffy his story, which Luffy listened to quietly.When Chopper mentioned his adoptive father, Hiluluk, he couldn't hold back his tears.Luffy patted his little head, wanting to say something comforting but unsure how to express it.The next day, Chopper's attitude had clearly changed after their all-night conversation with Luffy.Although he didn't refuse Luffy's invitation, he didn't agree either.It wasn't until Luffy's companions came looking for him that Chopper felt the kindness of these humans.They didn't look at him like a monster when they saw he could talk; instead, they chatted with him with interest.This shook Chopper's long-closed heart.Meanwhile, Luffy looked strangely at Vivi, who had bumps all over her head and looked panicked.Luffy suppressed a laugh and patted Usopp.The kind-hearted Chopper, seeing Usopp's miserable state, immediately wrapped him up like a mummy.That night, the campfire roared, illuminating the surrounding darkness.Everyone sat around the campfire, their faces beaming with excitement and enthusiasm.They shared their adventures with each other, each story filled with excitement and thrills.
Chopper sat quietly to one side, his eyes gleaming with longing.He listened intently to every word, his inner turmoil growing stronger.These stories ignited a deep-seated adventurous spirit within him, making him yearn to join Luffy and his crew.Chopper's ears twitched slightly, as if he could feel the wind's call.His gaze was dreamy, as if he could see himself adventuring on the high seas with his companions.He imagined facing powerful enemies alongside Luffy, weathering storms together, and forging precious friendships.Yet, a sliver of hesitation remained in Chopper's heart.He still believed himself to be just a reindeer, unworthy to join Luffy's crew.When Luffy extended his invitation again, Chopper hesitantly voiced his true feelings, and then Luffy.The words, "Stop nagging, just come with me," washed away Chopper's worries and gave him the courage to set sail.He roared to the sky, agreeing to Luffy's request.After preparing his gear, Chopper cautiously went to Dr.Kureha's room and told her about his desire to go to sea.Dr.Kureha, though reluctant, wanted to say goodbye without tears, so she put on a fierce look and chased after Chopper with a kitchen knife.Startled, Chopper immediately dragged a sled carrying his new companions down the mountain.Watching Chopper's receding figure, Dr.Kureha wiped away her tears, saying, "Go for it, you silly son!"
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Chopper discovered the backpack that Dr.Kureha had prepared for him in the sled, filled with his favorite candies and essential medicines.Just then, Dr.Kureha launched a medicine developed by Hiluluk into the sky from the mountaintop.Watching the beautiful scene of cherry blossoms falling from the sky, Chopper could no longer contain his emotions and burst into tears.