"Should last half a month, right?" Xiaoliang patted the dust off his hands, eyeing the pile of wild fruits, vegetables, a pheasant, and a boar.
Not much variety, but heavy. Two trips back and forth.
"One last haul, then we sail." He retraced his path to load the boat.
CRACK! A crisp snap underfoot—one leg plunged straight into a hole.
"Some plant? What moron dug a pit and covered it with a flimsy plank?" He yanked his leg free, now streaked with bloody scratches.
A flash of red caught his eye at the hole's edge. He reached in and fished out… a spiral-patterned crimson fruit.
"This… this is a Devil Fruit!"
DING. Detecting massive energy in fruit before Host. Can fuel system upgrade.
"System—if I eat it, you level up?"
Yes, Host. System absorbs only the energy; the fruit's power transfers to you.
He hesitated. "No clue what type—Logia, Zoan, Paramecia? Eat it and upgrade… but what if it's trash-tier?"
Forums back on Earth had endless weird ones: Stink-Stink Fruit, Mud-Mud Fruit, Commoner Fruit…
The island massacre flashed in his mind. "Screw it. Dead birds fly upside-down; the undying live forever. No garbage fruits—only garbage users." Self-pep talk delivered, he chomped the fruit in two bites.
"Guh—what the hell? Stinky tofu + durian + canned herring… with a bonus shit aftertaste?!"
DING. Host absorbed excessive Devil Fruit energy. Imminent blackout. System entering upgrade hibernation.
Vision black. Xiaoliang face-planted beside his supplies.
Night. Owls hooted. Rats nibbled his food.
"How long was I out?" He stretched; joints popped like firecrackers.
"Whoa—body's buzzing with power!" A casual punch whipped the air.
Name: Yan Xiaoliang (Gol D. Yujie) Age: 19 Stamina: 50 (normal: 5 – you can solo ten adults) Strength: 50 Speed: 70 Defense: 60 Spirit: 100 Armament Haki: None Observation Haki: None Conqueror's Haki: None Swordsmanship: Still scared of chickens – total rookie Devil Fruit:Zoan – Mythical Zoan – Crimson Nine-Tails FormAbsorbed Items: Chicken Essence, Duck Buoyancy, Bovine Might, Porcine Stomach
"Crimson Nine-Tails?! Like Naruto next door?!" Xiaoliang whooped, dancing in place.
"Let's test it!" Hup! Ha! WACHA! His hands morphed into massive fox claws—nothing else changed.
"￣□￣｜｜ Earthlings don't lie to Earthlings! Dear readers, did you curse me to never sail properly?!" He stared at the paws, baffled. "Guess I need more training—stats haven't caught up."
He repacked the nibbled supplies, jogged to the boat.
"Round two, ocean! Brown Bear Billy, I'm coming. Wash your neck, scum—death sentence incoming."