Chapter 809

In front of the red-haired one,

He slowly opened the wooden box.

Inside the wooden box, the Devil Fruit lay perfectly visible before his gaze.

It was a purple fruit.

Round,

Like a cannonball.

The size of a palm,

Its entire surface was purple, covered in intricate spiral patterns that induced dizziness—mystical beyond comprehension.

A unique aura slowly emanated from this Devil Fruit.

Lu En reached out and seized the Devil Fruit.

He examined it up close…

Feeling its light weight.

"A Mythical Zoan?"

Lu En's eyes flickered as he scrutinized it thoroughly.

Finally,

He placed the Nika Fruit back into the wooden box.

Though the Nika Fruit possessed self-awareness…

Yet, it had now been placed directly into Lu En's hands.

Naturally, it could not truly vanish from his grasp.

Its self-awareness allowed it to evade the World Government's recovery and searches.

But that did not mean…

It could grow two legs and run away on its own!

It could only use its will to avoid the World Government's searches—that was all…

Now,

Since it had appeared in Lu En's hands,

Then,

It could no longer escape from him!

Possessing self-awareness did not mean…

It could move freely.

That was clearly unrealistic.

Self-awareness was self-awareness—it did not mean it could actually manipulate the Devil Fruit to move.

At this moment,

A faint stench of sour rot drifted from the wooden box in his hands…

Upon smelling this pungent, repulsive odor, Lu En's smile grew even more amused.

"Is this your way of refusing me?"

"Using this method…"

"To reject my consumption?"

"Nika Fruit, truly worthy of being a Devil Fruit with self-awareness."

He smiled faintly.

He hadn't expected…

That the Nika Fruit's method of refusal…

Would be such a crude tactic as releasing stench.

The stench drifting from the box was like a dead rat that had been smoked in a sewer for ten days and ten nights—leaving Lu En with zero appetite.

"But you can only use this method to refuse me."

"Too bad…"

"You cannot truly escape my grasp!"

"You possess self-awareness, but not self-mobility."

Lu En chuckled softly.

At this moment,

He suddenly understood.

Why Little Lufei had 'coincidentally' eaten the Nika Fruit.

Simply because…

This was very likely the Nika Fruit's doing.

It must have used some method…

To manipulate Lu En into swallowing it.

For instance,

Now, by refusing Lu En, it tried every means possible to make him despise it and abandon it.

Conversely,

If it wanted Little Lufei to eat it,

Then,

It would naturally go to any lengths to lure Little Lufei into eating it of his own accord.

Closing the lid of the wooden box in his hand, Lu En slowly turned his head.

He gazed at Little Lufei, not far away.

At this moment,

Little Lufei was tightly held in Machino's arms.

It could be clearly seen.

Little Lufei was gazing at him with a look of deep admiration.

It was obvious.

For Brother Lu En, 3.5, Little Lufei felt profound, heartfelt admiration.

"Aren't you going to eat it?"

The red-haired one couldn't help asking.

"There's no need to rush."

Lu En shook his head.

He was still considering some matters.

His actions at this very moment…

Were equivalent to forcibly snatching the Nika Fruit that rightfully belonged to Little Lufei.

The Devil Fruit that belonged to Little Lufei,

Had already become his own possession.

Therefore,

His heart was deeply conflicted.

Should he consider swallowing the Nika Fruit?

Thinking of this,

Lu En fell into deep thought.

If he chose to eat the Nika Fruit…

It could be foreseen.

Little Lufei's future fate would, at this very moment, face a tremendous turning point,

Branching off into a radically different direction.

But don't forget.

The Nika Fruit possesses self-awareness!

In simple terms.