" Huff…" After swallowing the disgusting Devil Fruit, Vic felt weak all over. He laid down on the broken bed with a dejected expression and breathed in large mouthfuls of fresh air.
"In the past, I didn't think much of it when I saw others in anime who looked uncomfortable and vomited after eating the Demon Fruit. Now that I'm personally experiencing it, I really feel like vomiting my heart out!”Vic breathed heavily, and his pale face gradually regained its color. When he thought of the disgusting smell just now, he could not help but feel his stomach churning.
Creak!
Suddenly, just as Vic was trying his best to forget that disgusting feeling, the door of the small house was suddenly pushed open. Then, a girl with long green hair and a dirty face wearing a pale blue dress staggered in with a small bag in her arms.
"Uh, Celia?!”Although it was the first time they met, Vic still had his own memories. Thus, when he saw the green-haired girl for the first time, Vic could not help but call out the name of the girl who had been wandering around with 'him' and depended on each other.
"You, what's wrong with you?! How did she end up covered in injuries? Looking at the red and swollen palm prints on the girl's face, the obvious shoe prints on her clothes, and the way she walked, Vic understood that she must have been bullied by those hooligans.
Vic went over to help Celia sit on the old bed that belonged to her, and checked Celia's injuries with an ugly expression.
"Didn't I tell you not to run around?! Seriously, you're covered in injuries. If I were still lying on the bed motionless and you were injured, who would take care of the two of us?!”
Although he was very concerned about Celia's injuries, Vic often felt inferior because of his identity as an orphan beggar. The more inferior he was, the more afraid others would see his inferiority. This made him involuntarily more sensitive to many things. His self-esteem was also very strong, so Vic had always armed himself with indifference to make himself look stronger.
Now, Chen Feng, who had fused with Vic's memories, had subconsciously inherited Vic's emotions and tone. Although his heart ached for the girl's injuries, his words were filled with reproach.
Celia was 14 years old this year, 6 years younger than him. She was also an orphan like him. The two of them had relied on each other since they were young and lived a life of begging and wandering. Vic took care of Celia as his biological sister. Celia was Vic's only family in the world.
" I'm... I'm sorry..." Celia apologized profusely to Vic after being reprimanded by Vic for not going out alone. Her big blue eyes were filled with tears on her palm-sized face.
"Alright, alright, stop crying, Celia. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken in such a harsh tone!”Vic's heart ached even more when he saw Celia's tears welling up in her eyes. Although he was not used to intimate actions, Vic still opened his arms stiffly and hugged the girl's thin body. He gently patted her thin back and comforted her gently.
Celia wiped the tears from her eyes as she was held in Vic's arms. She looked up at Vic with her red and swollen face and blinked her big eyes at him. Her eyes were filled with weak surprise as if it was her first time seeing Vic. She felt that Vic was different today.
"Ahem, hey, hey, Celia, why are you looking at me like that?!”Vic, who had never interacted with girls in his previous life, looked away unnaturally. He didn't dare to look at Celia. He let go of Celia's hand and scratched his hair subconsciously.
"You, your injuries…How did you…?!!”Seeing Vic move freely, Celia finally realized that something was different about him. Her mouth was agape in shock. Vic was still unconscious and on the verge of death, but now he could move freely as if he had not suffered any serious injuries.
"Ah? " Are you talking about my injury? Of course, it's…" Vic stammered, unable to come up with an answer. Finally, he gritted his teeth and lied," A long time ago, when I was collecting firewood in the forest, I picked up a strange-looking fruit and ate it without much thought! However, the taste is really too disgusting."
".... Unpalatable.... fruit?!”Celia blinked her big, innocent eyes. Due to long-term malnutrition, her thin face made her big eyes look like two sparkling gems. She looked at Vic curiously, unable to hide the surprise on her face.
" That's what happened…" Vic scratched his face, feeling a little embarrassed by Celia's stare. " I didn't know that this fruit was the 'Devil's Fruit' known as the secret treasure of the sea until I finished eating it!" Anyone who eats the fruit will have powers far beyond that of an ordinary person. For example, their entire body will stretch, their body will burn, they will freeze, and so on. The only downside is that after becoming a Demon Fruit ability user, they will be rejected by the sea."
"-that is, you will become a landlubber! I'll never be able to swim in the water ever again. And the reason why my injuries can heal so quickly is probably because of the Demon Fruit!”
At the end of his sentence, Vic sat back down on his broken bed and shrugged casually, indicating that this was the reason why his injuries healed so quickly.
" It's so hard to understand. Vic was talking about the ability to extend... burn..." Celia nodded her little head. Her long green hair lacked luster due to the lack of nutrition.
Celia sniffled, and her eyes reddened again." But, that's great... Wuwuwu... Vic, you're fine. That's great... Wuwuwu..."
Celia suddenly burst into tears and threw herself into Vic's arms. She hugged Vic tightly and cried loudly. It was only now that the girl finally released the fear that had accumulated in her heart when Vic was seriously injured and about to die. If Vic really died, she would lose her last support in this world.
During the past few days when Vic was seriously injured and unconscious, Celia was filled with sorrow and fear. However, in order to treat Vic's injuries, the penniless Celia had to clean the courtyard of a doctor in the slums for a few days before the doctor was willing to give her some medicine. However, looking at Vic, whose breathing was getting weaker and weaker, Celia felt even more afraid and uneasy. She was worried that Vic would die just like that. However, fortunately, Vic's injuries were healed. Celia was so happy!
" Ugh..." Vic was stunned by Celia's sudden hug.
However, Vic could clearly feel the helplessness, sadness, worry, fear, excitement, joy, and other complicated emotions in Celia's cries!
Weaklings depended on each other to survive in this world. This was also the helplessness of their fates!
" I definitely won't be a weakling who succumbs to fate, and I won't let such a tragic life befall Celia..." Vic silently hugged the skinny Celia and swore in his heart.
"......................................................................................................
“、、、、、、”
Gradually, half an hour passed. Vic looked down at Celia, who was still sobbing in his arms, with a helpless expression.
'Gu...'
"Uh, that…Celia?!”Vic was so hungry that he couldn't help but pat the little girl's thin shoulder. He put on a smile that was uglier than crying and said carefully," Should we fill our stomachs first?"! I haven't eaten anything since I woke up... Hehehe..."
Vic gently pushed Celia out of his arms and looked at her with an awkward smile.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。