Haki (3)

"On you?" Fanxin was puzzled. Grandpa only had a head, so where did his body come from? He didn't understand.

"Hehe, Grandpa Nick's body is the whole land. He can control all of it. He's amazing." Seeing Fanxin's puzzled expression, Little Black Cat immediately explained. As he spoke, he darted over to Grandpa Nick's head.

"Ah, really?" Fanxin could hardly believe it. Grandpa could actually control the land? That was far too heaven-defying!

"Grandpa, did you eat a Devil Fruit?" Fanxin brought Ren Fang over to Grandpa Nick's head and sat down before asking curiously.

As far as he knew, only people who had eaten a Devil Fruit possessed such amazing abilities. Anyone who hadn't was an ordinary person, and ordinary people couldn't control the land.

Grandpa Nick didn't answer Fanxin immediately. He directed his power into the land, and moments later, countless mounds of earth emerged from underground and the seabed, slowly gathering together. Before long, a road formed from the earth, stretching across the sea and connecting the two islands.

"All right, let's go. We can talk on the way." Once he was done, Grandpa Nick led the way onto the road. His head moved along the ground, looking very strange.

Fanxin, Little Black Cat, and Ren Fang followed him onto the road. They didn't glide along, but walked on their own feet.

"Grandpa, can you tell me now? Did you eat a Devil Fruit?" Fanxin asked curiously.

"I didn't eat a Devil Fruit. This is my own ability," Grandpa Nick said. "Fanxin, not every powerful person has eaten a Devil Fruit. Some people are just as powerful without eating one, and countless times more powerful than those who have."

"Ah, how is that possible?" Fanxin found it hard to believe.

"Hehe, the human body itself is actually the most powerful thing. Once you fully develop your own potential, you'll become a powerhouse. A Devil Fruit is nothing more than an aid," Grandpa Nick said. "An ordinary person certainly becomes powerful after eating one, but for a powerful expert, eating one isn't necessarily a good thing."

"Oh? Why?" Fanxin asked.

"Because Devil Fruits have a weakness. Someone who eats a Devil Fruit can't go into the sea. The moment they do, they can't swim, and unless a companion rescues them, they'll surely die," Grandpa Nick said. "If a powerhouse accidentally fell into the sea, he might die just like that. What a pity that would be!"

"Oh, Little Black Cat ate a Devil Fruit, so doesn't that mean he can't go into the sea?" Fanxin said, looking at Little Black Cat beside him.

"Hehe, of course," Grandpa Nick said. "Black Cat, don't play in the water from now on. It would be a pity if you drowned."

"I won't drown!" Little Black Cat said stubbornly. Even so, his expression was deeply miserable as he spoke, because he loved swimming. Now that he had eaten a Devil Fruit, he could no longer swim in the sea.

"Of course, although Devil Fruits have weaknesses, they have benefits too. If you develop a Devil Fruit's potential, that's quite good as well," Grandpa Nick said. "Someone once developed a Devil Fruit to its limit. Its power was so great that it drove many powerful experts to despair."

Hearing this, the miserable Little Black Cat felt a little better. If Devil Fruits had no benefits at all, he would have been miserable to death.

"Fanxin, if you come across a Devil Fruit in the future, you absolutely must not eat it. Understand?" Grandpa Nick suddenly said, looking at him.

"Why?" Fanxin asked.

"Ah, if you and Little Black Cat both ate Devil Fruits and fell into the water at the same time, who would rescue you? If no one rescued you, you'd have no choice but to die," Grandpa Nick said. "I arranged for Little Black to stay by your side to protect you. Since he's eaten a Devil Fruit, you can't eat one too, unless you find another companion you can trust. In that case, there would be no problem with you eating a Devil Fruit."

"Oh, I see. I'll keep that in mind." Fanxin nodded slightly and committed it to memory.

"Mm. Once we're back on the island, I'll train you. Fanxin, you need to be ready to suffer. This time, Grandpa won't hold back at all. If you're careless and get an arm or a leg broken, I won't concern myself with it. Understand?" Grandpa Nick said as he came up beside Fanxin.

Fanxin was immediately confused. "Grandpa, you didn't bother with me before, so why do you want to now?"

He didn't understand. Ever since he could remember, Grandpa had left him alone, and he hadn't even caught sight of him. Yet today, Grandpa was acting very serious, leaving him somewhat troubled.

"Ah, your parents asked me to. They wanted you to live an ordinary life, find a good girl, marry and have children, and spend your whole life in peace," Grandpa Nick said. "But what happened today disrupted their plans. So I have no choice but to start being strict with you."

"My parents? You've met my parents? Who are they? Where are they?" Fanxin asked excitedly.

"I don't know exactly where they are either. But they haven't come back to take you away in more than ten years. I think they've most likely passed away," Grandpa Nick said.

"Passed away? What do you mean?" Fanxin's whole body stiffened. He had always complained about why his parents didn't look after him or take care of him. If they had passed away long ago, there was no way they could have come to look after him or take care of him! It was wrong of him to blame them like that. He was filled with guilt.

"I don't know either. When your parents brought you here, they were covered in blood and barely breathing, and you had only just been born. They didn't tell me what had happened to them. They only asked me to raise you, then help you find a good girl to marry and have children with. That was all." Grandpa Nick sighed. "That's what I've been doing all these years, but as of today, I have to change my approach."

"Why today?" Fanxin asked. A lot had happened today, but he didn't think any of it had anything to do with his origins.

"Because today, a fox's soul entered your brain region and turned it upside down. Some things that were originally sealed in your mind will all slowly emerge. Once you see those things, you won't be content with an ordinary life anymore. You'll do those dangerous things, including looking for your parents."

Grandpa Nick said, "If you aren't strong enough, going like that would be courting death. I promised your parents I would take good care of you. If you died, I would have failed them. That's why I have to be strict with you and force you to train, so you can become stronger. Only then can you protect your life. That's the reason."