Chapter 43: Consuming the Taotie Fruit, the second growth of power ()

"This is the room where you will be staying from now on."

Inside the territory of the No Names, Kuro Usagi, who had taken Mitsuri Kanroji for a tour, pushed open the door to a room.

"The room might be a bit small, but the children usually keep it clean, so you can rest assured living here."

"Ah... no, this is already very good."

Peeking her head in to look at the empty room, a look of surprise appeared on Mitsuri Kanroji's face.

Compared to the small hut she used to live in, the size of this room was on a completely different level.

"This is my first time seeing such a large room. Is this standard for people from another world?"

"It's not that exaggerated."

Seeing Mitsuri Kanroji so surprised, Kuro Usagi comforted her.

"In any case, as long as you are satisfied."

"By the way, you don't really need to take what Lin Que said to you earlier too much to heart."

"The No Names have just started, and there isn't anything that must be done right now."

"Like cleaning up the ruins and rebuilding houses, it's fine even if you don't do it for now; there's no rush."

"No rush, my foot, you silly rabbit."

Just as Kuro Usagi's voice fell, a hand-chop accompanied by Lin Que's voice struck from behind.

"There is still a need to pay attention to the matter of the houses; that area at the entrance is our storefront."

"If it's not tidied up, how will we entertain guests in the future?"

"Ow... why did you suddenly hit me?"

Rubbing her head, Kuro Usagi looked at Lin Que standing behind her with dissatisfaction.

"Of course I understand the things you mentioned!"

"But Kanroji is just an ordinary person right now; making her clean up that ruin all by herself is too hard on her!"

"Anyway, with the current state of the No Names, no guests will be coming in the short term, so why not treat Kanroji well first!"

Bang—!

Another hand-chop landed.

"First of all, this is not something that is 'too hard' on her; since I asked her to do it, I naturally have my reasons."

Bang—!

"Secondly, who told you that no guests will be coming in the short term? After the auction ends in a few days, I'm going to start promoting."

"When a bunch of people come to buy training methods and see our territory in such a dilapidated state, do you think they will still believe our training methods are reliable?"

Bang—!

"Finally... well, there are fewer and fewer suitable rooms in the territory, so rebuilding early can also make space for future newcomers."

"Hey! That last one was clearly made up on the spot because you couldn't think of a reason!"

Kuro Usagi clutched her head, looking at Lin Que with teary eyes: "If you can't think of a reason, don't force it! You hit so hard, it really hurts!"

"Ahem, you can't blame me for that; it's mainly because your head is just so satisfying to knock on, I couldn't stop for a second."

"Doesn't that just mean I should blame you!"

Kuro Usagi grabbed Lin Que's collar and shook him: "Are you saying I should blame the reason that sounds ridiculous, like 'your head is too satisfying to knock on'? No matter how you think about it, that's too much!"

"By the way, Mitsuri, come here for a second."

Lin Que beckoned to Mitsuri Kanroji, who was to the North North North Side: "I have something good for you."

"Hey! Don't just ignore me because you don't know how to reply!"

"This is a Devil Fruit; it can change a person's physique while allowing the user to awaken new powers."

Lin Que handed the Taotie Fruit to Mitsuri Kanroji: "Your foundation is too weak right now; eat this first to strengthen yourself, and it will be easier when you're cleaning up the ruins."

"Honestly, Lin Que, you are really too much."

Seeing Lin Que determined to ignore her, the rabbit ears on Kuro Usagi's head drooped down, and she looked at Mitsuri Kanroji listlessly.

"Speaking of Devil Fruits, is it really okay to give this to Kanroji?"

If she remembered correctly, when Lin Que introduced Devil Fruits last time, he mentioned the North North North Side effects of this thing.

Compared to the improvement for an ordinary person, a North North North Side effect like fearing seawater could be big or small.

As long as she wasn't fighting in the ocean or encountering those who could control water, it basically had no impact.

But regardless, adding a flaw out of thin air was not a good thing.

If she encountered someone with malicious intent, it would be very easy to be targeted.

"Don't worry, I've already removed the North North North Side effect of fearing seawater."

Lin Que comforted her: "Apart from tasting bad and the fact that one person can only eat one, this Devil Fruit has no flaws."

"Tastes bad?"

Mitsuri Kanroji tilted her head, a confident expression appearing on her face.

"Don't worry, I've suffered a lot since I was a child!"

"I've eaten plenty of bad-tasting food, so it won't be a problem!"

Lin Que silently took out a recording crystal: "Then please begin your performance."

"I'm really not lying."

Seeing that Lin Que didn't seem to believe her, Mitsuri Kanroji lifted the Taotie Fruit and took a direct bite.

"This kind of thing I..."

"Kanroji?"

Seeing Mitsuri Kanroji's body suddenly freeze in place, Kuro Usagi asked with some concern.

"What's wrong? Is it really that bad?"

"No... no problem."

Her body trembling uncontrollably, Mitsuri Kanroji forced a smile on her face.

Looking at the Devil Fruit with a bite taken out of it in her hand, she took a deep breath, a look of resignation on her face.

"Although the taste is indeed unexpected, I can barely accept it."

"Actually, you don't have to eat it all."

Seeing that Mitsuri Kanroji was still prepared to continue eating, Lin Que, who had already finished recording the scene and didn't want his pet to suffer, reminded her.

"You only need to take one bite of a Devil Fruit."

"Even if you eat the rest, there won't be any changes."

"Is... is that so?"

Mitsuri Kanroji breathed a sigh of relief: "That's great."

If she really had to eat the whole thing, she was afraid she wouldn't have the appetite to eat anything else for the next few days.

"Leave the rest to me; it might be useful in the future."

Lin Que put away the partially eaten Devil Fruit, then looked at Mitsuri Kanroji again.

"How do you feel?"

"My strength seems to have increased quite a bit."

Mitsuri Kanroji sensed it carefully: "Besides that, my appetite seems to have increased as well."

"Normal."

Lin Que replied: "This is the basic effect of the Taotie Fruit."

The Taotie Fruit has two effects in total.

One is that it allows the user to eat unconventional things like steel or even lightning, converting them into energy stored in the body.

The other is to actively activate the power stored in the body to heal injuries or burst out with more strength, raising the physical body's power to another level in a short period of time.

Leaving the latter aside for now, in order to fully utilize the former's effect, the user's appetite must be guaranteed.

In fact, this was also the reason why Lin Que gave the Taotie Fruit to Mitsuri Kanroji.

Besides eating those unconventional things, the user of the Taotie Fruit can also eat regular food to accumulate energy.

Mitsuri Kanroji's appetite is so large that it fits perfectly with the effect of this fruit.

"Huh?"

Just at this moment, Mitsuri Kanroji suddenly let out a cry of surprise.

"Lin Que, I don't know why, but the power in my body has started to grow again."

ECHO is disabled.