Chapter 55: The Vile Fruit |
"Understood!" Shinobu replied without a moment's hesitation.
Makomo, unaware of her teacher's true thoughts, watched their retreating backs. She could only pray that Shinobu's deepest wish would finally be granted.
Meanwhile, Yeruashi led the Insect Hashira out onto the street. They passed several Demon Slayers along the way, but the warriors acted as if neither of them existed, looking straight through them.
Shinobu's expression didn't flicker at the strange sight.
Over the past few months, though she hadn't crossed paths with him often, she had learned one absolute truth: a God cannot be seen or touched unless He wills it.
For Shinobu, this phenomenon was no longer a mystery.
"Your will hasn't wavered since that day," Yeruashi remarked casually.
"Since that day, my will is all I have left," Shinobu answered softly.
"I don't think your sister would be pleased to see you like this."
"I wonder what you'll say if she actually hears that," Yeruashi countered with a playful smirk, slowing his pace.
"I would be more than happy to hear her voice again," Shinobu said, not batting an eye.
"Do you truly believe I hold power over death?" Yeruashi asked, meeting her gaze.
"I don't know," the slayer replied, her smile remaining fixed.
"Hmm, I wonder when you were more charming—then or now?" Yeruashi mused as he continued walking down the street.
The old Shinobu had been open, blunt, and seemingly reckless. The current one was reserved, gentle, and understanding. It was an almost perfect transition from the role of a younger sister to that of the elder.
"What do you think?" Shinobu asked, returning the question with a soft lilt.
"Now... I like you better," Yeruashi said, stopping after a few steps and crouching down.
He reached for a lone flower with delicate yellow petals nestled among a patch of weeds and grass. Plucking it gently, he held the blossom out toward Shinobu.
Right before the Insect Hashira's eyes, the flower began to grow and morph until it transformed into a fruit with a strange, swirling pattern on its skin.
"Here... within this lies the power you crave. In exchange, you will dedicate the remainder of your life to me once your revenge is complete," Yeruashi said calmly, offering the Devil Fruit.
"I accept," Shinobu nodded without the slightest hesitation.
She had hit a ceiling in her swordsmanship and saw no hope for rapid progress. She had already begun considering more radical methods to kill the Upper Rank Three.
However, failure was a possibility with any plan.
Accepting power from Yeruashi was the best option available.
She wasn't worried about the price. She had stopped caring about her future the moment Kanae died. Since then, she had lived for one purpose: to destroy the Upper Rank Three!
"What must I do?" she asked, taking the mysterious fruit and examining it closely.
"Eat it," Yeruashi replied, his expression turning grave. "But be mentally prepared... the taste is truly foul."
Shinobu cast a suspicious glance at the fruit, but she didn't waver. She took a large bite, her face immediately beginning to contort.
What amazed Yeruashi was that throughout the entire 'meal,' the smile never left Shinobu's face. By the end, however, it was strained, and her cheeks were visibly trembling.
"Ugh!" Swallowing the last piece, she let out a breath of relief and smiled again. "By the way, what was that exactly?"
"A Devil Fruit. I brought the concept from another world. It grants the one who eats it a unique ability," Yeruashi explained nonchalantly.
Shinobu's eyes widened in surprise.
Suddenly, she felt an unusual power surging within her. She hesitantly raised her hand, palm up. After a moment, a tiny green sprout grew from her skin.
"Is this... a Blood Demon Art?" Shinobu's mouth fell open.
"You could call it that, though it's far more potent," Yeruashi nodded.
With a casual flick of his hand, he sliced through Shinobu's body diagonally.
Terrified, the girl squeezed her eyes shut. Yet, the pain never came. Her body split, but the halves partially turned into green branches that instantly knitted back together.
"Accelerated regeneration?" Shinobu asked, touching her chest.
She immediately sensed the difference. It felt like the regeneration of the strongest demons who recover instantly after being cut in half, yet it was fundamentally different.
Even her torn clothes had been restored!
"It's more accurate to say it's not regeneration, but the transformation of your body into a natural element. While your Breathing Techniques allow you to feel nature's power, Devil Fruits literally imbue you with that power. In your case, it's the power of the forest. You are the forest now, making ordinary attacks useless against you. You have but one weakness—sea water—but that's manageable," Yeruashi explained as he turned to leave. "Go forth. From now on, your chances of revenge depend entirely on how you develop this ability."
Yeruashi vanished, leaving a stunned Shinobu standing alone.