In the center of the City of the Spring Queen, the St. Prince Cathedral stood magnificently.
The street in front of the cathedral was bustling with traffic. Across the street was a large hospital with a red cross hanging on its roof.
At this moment, a motley crew of pirates rushed over from the end of the street, frantically charging into the hospital lobby.
"This is a hospital, you can't...!"
Seeing this, the security guard at the door hurriedly ran up to intercept them. Before he could finish speaking, he was rudely interrupted by Killer and the others:
"We have a wounded man here! Hurry up and call a doctor out!"
"Treat him immediately! We have plenty of money!"
"W-Wait a minute, you guys are pirates, right? If we treat you, the Marines will give us trouble!"
A doctor in the hospital lobby waved his hands in panic, stepping back, desperate to avoid the pirates before him.
Killer didn't waste any words. He rushed forward, angrily grabbed a doctor by the collar, and shouted with a tone full of murderous intent:
"Heal him! We'll pay you. But if you can't heal him, we'll chop all your heads off!"
"Y-Yes... U-U-Understood, we will treat him properly!"
The doctor replied tremblingly, his legs shaking so much he almost fell to his knees.
Seeing the ferocious demeanor of this group of pirates, the doctors present didn't dare to make any more excuses. They hurriedly made preparations for treatment and sent the half-dead Kid into the operating room.
Killer then ordered his subordinates to keep watch outside to prevent any Marines from interfering, and casually grabbed a few hostages, tying them up in a corner of the lobby.
After doing all this, Killer anxiously arrived at the waiting area outside the operating room.
After this battle, Kid's injuries were simply too severe; he was barely clinging to life by a single breath.
Although they had a ship doctor, the medical equipment and supplies on their ship couldn't compare at all to a hospital in such a bustling town. That was why they had no choice but to flee the battlefield and bring him to town for treatment.
As for Allen...
He wondered how the battle in the square was going. That group of pirates who suddenly appeared was actually able to fight back and forth with Allen's crew.
Killer sat on a chair, hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees, his head lowered deep in thought.
*Was it Blackbeard? To think an unheard-of pirate crew possessed such formidable strength. This sea truly is unfathomable.*
But compared to that, he was currently more worried about what to do after Kid woke up.
Given Kid's temper, it was absolutely impossible for him to accept the outcome of defeat just like that, much less accept the act of fleeing the battlefield.
Once Kid woke up, he would definitely go looking for Allen again to seek revenge. In his current state, that would be no different from throwing his life away.
Thinking of this, Killer unconsciously clenched his fists. Through the slits of his helmet, one could see a certain resolve settling in his eyes.
No matter what methods he had to use, he absolutely had to ensure Kid left this island alive!
...
By evening, the setting sun spilled through the window onto the head of the bed. In the hospital ward, Kid, wrapped entirely in bandages, woke up from his coma.
He slowly opened his eyes. In his blurry vision, the figures of Killer, Wire, Heat, and the others gradually became clear.
"You're awake, Kid!"
"Thank goodness!"
"To think it would be this fast. You were just wheeled out of the operating room. Your vitality really is as tenacious as ever."
Killer and the others gathered around, smiles on their faces.
Looking at their figures, Kid still had a dazed expression on his face, as if it were just like waking up from one of his usual dead-drunk stupors.
The only difference was that this time upon waking, intense waves of pain radiated from every part of his body.
"What's going on? Is this... a hospital? Why am I here?"
Kid looked around, momentarily confused about his situation. Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly realized.
"Wait a minute, wasn't I in the middle of a fight? What happened? Where is that guy?!"
Recalling the battle from not long ago, Kid immediately became agitated, turning his head to question Killer and the others.
He saw them lower their heads in silence, or turn their faces away to avoid his gaze.
Combining this with his current situation, Kid instantly understood. The image of being thrown from the sky by Allen flashed through his mind.
"I remember now. I see... Was I defeated? However..."
Kid stared at Killer. Seeing their reactions, he seemed to have figured it out, and he questioned them with an angry tone:
"Why am I here? What exactly happened afterward? Tell me, Killer."
"While you were unconscious, another pirate crew showed up and started fighting the Demon Lion Pirates, and then..."
Killer paused, hesitating to speak. After a moment of silence, he finally said:
"We took the opportunity to get you out of there and came to the hospi—"
Bang!!
Before he could finish his sentence, Kid violently lashed out, smashing the lamp on the bedside table. He clenched his fists and glared furiously at Killer.
"Are you telling me that not only was I defeated, but I also took advantage of them being attacked to run away, just to scrape by and linger on death's door here?!"
"Oho, making such a fuss the moment you wake up. You really are a rowdy one."
At that moment, a teasing voice came from outside the door. Killer, Heat, and Wire turned around just as Allen's figure walked in.
The instant they saw him, the expressions of Killer's group changed. They quickly retreated to the front of Kid's bed, taking up guarded stances with solemn gazes, looking as if they were facing a deadly enemy.
"What are you doing here?!"
"You shamelessly showed up at my door to challenge me, and when you lost, you ran away without a word. What, do you guys think I don't care about my reputation?"
Allen walked into the room with a composed expression and sat down on the sofa by the wall. Clenching a cigar between his teeth, he looked at Kid with an amused gaze.
"When you fail, you have to pay the price. That's a principle even children understand. I came here to ask you for just one thing."
"What thing?"
Kid's gaze was icy, and his tone was even colder.
Allen leaned back against the sofa, crossing his legs and resting one arm on the backrest. He slowly exhaled a puff of smoke and said coldly:
"I want your life."
"Are you kidding me?!"
"We'll fight you to the death!"
"You two, stop right there!"
Heat and Wire were about to violently charge forward on the spot, but they were stopped by Killer, who angrily shouted and pulled them back.
Kid didn't speak; he just stared coldly at Allen.
He couldn't beat him before, let alone in his current state. It would be a breeze for Allen to take his life, and no one here could stop him.
But he would only die fighting; he refused to be killed while lying in a hospital bed!
A fierce look flashed in Kid's eyes as he prepared to jump up and fight.
But right then, Killer made the first move. He pulled Heat and Wire behind him, stepped forward alone, and said with a firm tone:
"Let Kid go. In exchange, we'll give you all the treasure on our ship... plus my life!"
"I refuse."
Allen's words were incredibly decisive. Did they want to play the "nothing happened" card? Did they think he was as soft-hearted as Kuma?
"Why would I want your life? It's not worth a damn thing. What I want is for you to pledge your lives to me."
Allen's tone was domineering. He curled his lips into a grin and said to Kid:
"More accurately, what I want is you. Become my crewmate, Eustass Kid!"