Chapter 50

Ten minutes later.

Xia Nuo stared at his sister with an unkind expression.

"...I lowered my head, just saw her, and found that the Devil Fruit in her hand had been eaten by half. This little idiot was afraid I would grab it back, swallowed it in a few gulps, and immediately ate the other half too!"

Nojiko was complaining angrily on the side.

Nami squatted on the ground pitifully, hands raised high. "Brother, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong... Ugh!!"

Before she could finish, her face suddenly changed, and she turned her head to vomit violently, her small face wrinkled into a ball. That Devil Fruit was too hard to eat!

"Really stupid." Kuina supported her forehead and sighed. "Even the common sense that a Devil Fruit takes effect after one bite is unknown."

"What?!"

Nami was dumbfounded. There was such a thing? Then didn't her suffering go to waste?

"You said you knew you were wrong." Xia Nuo said lightly. "Then talk about it yourself, what was wrong?"

"I, I shouldn't have grabbed the Devil Fruit that Nojiko found."

Nami lowered her head and muttered, not daring to look at Xia Nuo’s face. "Devil Fruits are very precious and rare, and can make people more powerful. If I eat it, it would be too wasteful..."

"Hmm?"

"And, and!" Nami hurriedly added, "And I shouldn't have let Gin bring me here. I should have left it to guard the ship. If some bad guy took the opportunity to target our ship, it would be troublesome..."

"Stop changing the subject!"

Xia Nuo couldn't bear it anymore. "Is this what I want to hear? How on earth did you sneak up? What means did you use! And how did you hide it from Bell-mère!"

"It’s the Log, Log Pose..." Nami’s voice was as small as a mosquito.

"Log Pose? You secretly did something to it?"

Xia Nuo was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted, laughing in anger, grabbing Nami by the back of her collar like a kitten, and lifting her high.

"Good, so scheming at such a young age. What about at home? You’ve been out for at least ten days, right? By logic, if you were missing for so long, Bell-mère should have called me long ago!"

"I, I told her!"

Nami stiffened her neck and argued, her legs kicking wildly in the air. After being glared at by Xia Nuo, she immediately wilted like a deflated ball.

"I did say it, but I said it was too boring and I wanted to stay at the Isshin Dojo for a while. She asked Genzo to send me over, and Genzo even secretly followed me, watching me enter the dojo gate before he felt relieved and left,"

"Actually, as soon as I went in, I quietly slipped out from the back door, and I stole the cola-powered small boat from Koushiro uncle’s house, and then followed you here..."

"And started stealing things?"

Xia Nuo was furious, his voice suddenly raised a tone. "Who taught you this? How could you have the face to do such a thing!"

"That ship was the only reliable one, I couldn't help it..." Nami looked aggrieved. "And it can't be considered stealing, right? Didn't I bring the ship to Kuina sister here..."

"She’s not wrong about that."

Kuina sighed helplessly and rubbed her forehead. "But I have to call my father to explain, so the children at the dojo don't have to look for the ship everywhere."

"Yeah, go."

Xia Nuo nodded and casually took out the Den Den Mushi and threw it to Nami. "You also get lost and call Bell-mère, explain things clearly!"

"Oh..."

Nami didn't dare to say half a "no," was thrown to the side, and honestly went to dial the number plate.

If she had to choose between the mother who was kept in the dark thousands of miles away and the brother who was angry right in front of her...

She shivered. It seemed her brother was even more terrifying.

Not long after.

Nami held the Den Den Mushi and found Xia Nuo and the others not far away, who were busy moving various treasures and goods.

"What did Miss Bell-mère say?" Zeff carried two large boxes of spirits and teased on the side. "Is it to send you home now?"

"Won't."

Xia Nuo was counting the various treasure chests on the ground, shaking his head slightly. "Remember to prepare an extra portion of meals in the future, Uncle Zeff. On our ship, it’s destined to have another glutton."

"Eh??"

Nami widened her eyes at Xia Nuo. "I haven't said it yet, Brother, how do you know?"

"Because that is Bell-mère."

Xia Nuo didn't look back, saying calmly:

"Let me guess, she must have scolded you first, then was stubborn to death, saying something like 'If you feel it’s hard to stay at home every day, then I will only be more sad, so in order to make me feel better, you heartless little cub, just go follow your brother to complete your dream! Don't come back and make me unhappy!' and other sentimental words, making you teary-eyed, wishing you could slap yourself in the middle of the night."

"..." Nami stood blankly in place, murmuring, "Is it word for word?"

"When did you master Observation Haki?"

Zeff looked puzzled. He had just observed carefully, and indeed found the tear stains that had just been wiped away in the corners of Nami’s eyes.

"Observation Haki, I don't know. As for why I know, didn't I just say it..."

Xia Nuo shook his head slightly, and Nojiko also walked over with a box at this time. Hearing this, she curled her lips and sighed almost at the same time as her brother—

"Because, that is Bell-mère..."

Really don't understand this family, Zeff scratched his head blankly, he’d better continue to be busy with his own things.

"Then, Brother..." Nami looked at Xia Nuo’s face cautiously from the side. "Do you mean, you also agree to let me stay on the ship?"

"You can ask me to send you back if you want." Xia Nuo glanced at her.

"Then forget it!" Nami shook her head hurriedly, and asked tentatively, "But, you... are you really not angry with me anymore, don't blame me for eating the Devil Fruit?"

"When did I blame you for eating the Devil Fruit?" Xia Nuo frowned.

"Eh?"

Nami was stunned. Thinking back carefully, it was true. From beginning to end, Brother was angry that she sneaked out without saying hello, and really didn't care about that fruit.

"I know your little thoughts."

Xia Nuo snorted, bent down, and reached out to pinch her cheeks. "It’s nothing more than being afraid of being treated as a burden, thinking that after eating a Devil Fruit, you’ll be a bit useful, so you won't be kicked off the ship, right?"

The girl’s skin was delicate and tender, far inferior to the fleshy feel of her childhood. Xia Nuo felt it was boring after pinching it a few times, and let go again.

"Yes..."

Nami muttered. Sure enough, in front of Brother, there was no secret that could be hidden?

"Stupid."

Xia Nuo said in annoyance. "This is my ship, even if you can't do anything, eat and sleep every day, who would dislike you?"

"Brother..." Nami just felt a little moved toward her old brother, when she saw him suddenly pinch his nose in disgust:

"Tsk, look at your ragged and smelly appearance. You must have suffered a lot on the way, right? It’s just right to let you learn a lesson, see if you dare to do this kind of thing behind my back next time. Go, follow Nojiko back to the ship first, go take a bath properly, this matter is not over yet, there are plenty of punishments waiting for you later."

"Bingo! Taking a bath is the right thing to do, even Gin is almost smoked to death by you, Nami."

Nojiko said with a smile. "Follow me, there is a special hot spring bath on the ship, very comfortable."

"..."

Looking at the disgusted brother and the gently smiling sister.

Nami stayed in place, blinking, as if she had returned to the carefree childhood she spent in the orange grove.

Compared to the exhaustion and loneliness of drifting at sea for half a month since following, her nose suddenly felt a bit sour.

She took a deep breath, looked up, and showed that brilliant smile as before: "Yeah!"

Xia Nuo stood quietly in place, watching the two sisters go away, his eyes deep in thought.

So it was the Flame-Flame Fruit that was found?

Logia ability, it is indeed quite precious.

He was too lazy to eat it himself, it didn't match his fighting style, and his combat power was enough for the time being, and he had no intention of becoming a Devil Fruit user.

If it was said in the future that he would eat it to increase the physical limit, he should also prioritize the Mythical Zoan that could make the physique more powerful.

As for the Flame-Flame Fruit, if this accident didn't happen to Nami, he originally planned to hand it to whoever was interested among the crew.

However...

Xia Nuo looked at the distance, Nami chattering and pulling Nojiko to complain, and shook his head with a smile.

It’s actually not bad like this. At least after elementalization, few people in the first half of the Grand Line can hurt her.

(End of chapter)