Binding and Killing the Werewolf

The bright moon, hidden behind the clouds until now, emerged. Its clear white light shone down, allowing him to see what the newcomer looked like.

It was a wolf-headed monster over two meters tall, covered in pitch-black fur yet dressed in human clothes!

"I was going to let you run a little longer, but I didn't expect you to stop."

"I have to say, you made a stupid decision. You could've lived a few more minutes." The werewolf grinned at Bullet.

"A Zoan user?" Bullet kept him talking while watching for movement around him.

He knew there had to be someone else nearby. A Zoan user couldn't possibly control the branches and snatch his fruit away.

"That's right! I'm Darnell, a Dog-Dog Fruit, model: wolf user!" He didn't mind letting Bullet rest another minute.

"My nose can clearly smell the blood, sweat, and fear on you! Hahahaha!"

Bullet scoffed. The smell of blood and sweat was no surprise, but the smell of fear?

Tsk, tsk. Even if he faced death itself, he wouldn't feel a trace of fear. He had long since grown used to dealing with death.

How did that saying go again?

Death was like the wind, always by his side. Nothing could be more fitting for him, Bullet.

"Are you alone?"

"Of course. I'm not interested in splitting your bounty with anyone!" Darnell had said enough. Without wasting another moment, he lunged down from the tree.

"Time's up. Die!"

Bullet already had his fist ready. Forcing his exhausted, weakened body onward, he met the attack without fear.

He was just a Zoan user. It wasn't as though Bullet had never killed one before!

Though he wasn't in good shape, it was still far from certain who would live and who would die!

It was the hidden person who was seriously distracting him. Judging by the stupid wolf's attitude, they probably weren't working together.

That person was most likely waiting to reap the benefits. His situation seemed even worse now!

Even so, he would fight his way out with his own strength!

Perhaps his constant thoughts of the hidden person had done something, for more than a dozen old trees around them suddenly began to shake.

As if they had come alive in an instant, countless branches of varying thicknesses lashed wildly through the moonlight and darkness, wrapping around Darnell in midair.

"Nani? What are these things?!"

Darnell tried in panic to tear the branches apart with his sharp wolf claws.

But the branches closing in from every direction seemed endless. Ignoring his terrified struggles and screams, they wrapped him in a bulky cocoon of vines in an instant!

They tightened with growing force. Darnell felt as though a giant python had wrapped around him, crushing every muscle and bone in his body.

Pain set in, but he couldn't make a sound. His throat was tightly constricted too—or rather, his vulnerable neck was the first part to be crushed!

A moment later, Bullet noticed that the violently shaking vine cocoon was gradually falling still. Soon, like the blue fruit, it hung motionless from the tree.

"Is the one behind this finally going to show himself?!"

The bright moon was once again hidden by dark clouds, and the night was as thick as ink. Ten minutes earlier, a small boat had floated slowly through the sky like a god.

"Your ability really is convenient for finding people," Yixiao said, looking at the boy running for his life below.

"It's only this useful in places like this. Still, we finally found him." Vidal smiled with his arms folded across his chest.

They had actually arrived on Garuzburg Island through the northern port the day before, only to discover after making a few inquiries that the person they sought was on the opposite side of the island, leaving them speechless.

With no other choice, the two set off again, making the arduous journey to the capital of the South Jialuzibao Kingdom. Vidal silently infiltrated the major military and government buildings.

Though he was no expert at this sort of thing, the sheer difference in strength still allowed him to do it flawlessly.

Along the way, he also happened to overhear a man named Douglas Gray plotting with several others, and learned that Bullet was currently surrounded and being hunted.

Finally, they traveled through the night and arrived in the sky above this mountain forest. They had Yixiao's fruit ability to thank for that—it really made traveling convenient!

Just then, moonlight suddenly spilled down from overhead, and the view instantly grew much brighter.

"Huh? He actually found a Devil Fruit," Yixiao said in surprise, narrowing his eyes. Vidal hurriedly looked over.

It was indeed the Combine-Combine Fruit. To encounter a Devil Fruit with such good luck in a situation that was almost hopeless—his fortune truly was extraordinary!

Vidal marveled inwardly.

"But I can't let him eat this fruit for now. I'll keep it safe for him first!" As he spoke, Vidal gently crooked the index finger of his right hand toward the ground below.

"Why?" Yixiao turned to him in confusion. He didn't think his friend coveted the fruit; there had to be a reason.

"Because this Combine-Combine Fruit doesn't suit him," Vidal said, offering a baffling answer.

Having seen the movie, he knew full well that the fruit had actually held Bullet back. The boy ought to have been a talent in taijutsu.

Without using his fruit ability, he easily crushed everything in his path. When he used it, he looked capable of destroying heaven and earth, but became extremely sluggish and full of openings.

Though plot-induced defeat had surely played some part in it, the difference between his performances was still far too outrageous.

Some people simply weren't suited to becoming ability users—or rather, very few Devil Fruits suited them!

"Once his strength reaches a certain level, I'll let him choose again. If he still chooses to eat the fruit then, I'll give it back to him," Vidal said softly.

If Bullet ate this Devil Fruit now, it would only be to replenish his strength or escape his current predicament. He hadn't given it any deeper thought.

That was why Vidal wanted Bullet to think it over carefully before making a decision. After all, a Devil Fruit would affect a person's entire life. As for his current predicament...

Both he and Yixiao were here. What could happen to him now?

"You haven't even met him yet, and you're already thinking about his future?" Yixiao teased.

"I can't help it. He's someone I've taken an interest in, after all. Besides, he's only thirteen. He's still a child."

As Vidal and Yixiao chatted, the appearance of Darnell in his wolf form caught their attention, particularly Vidal's.

Isn't that the fruit ability Jabra of CP9 will have in the future? It looks like, in the original timeline, this guy probably died at the hands of Bullet, who had just gained the Combine-Combine Fruit's ability.

Since he's destined to die here, I might as well let him die here. Perhaps this place is an auspicious burial site for him, for all I know?

The next moment, just as Darnell lunged through the air, Vidal activated his fruit ability once again.

The trees in the mountain forest below immediately ran wild, easily dealing with the black-furred werewolf.

"Let's go. It's time to take him away."

Vidal began to tidy up his appearance. No matter what, he ought to make a good first impression.

The update is at midnight. Please send recommendations and leave comments! The former gives this book a chance to make the new releases rankings and get more exposure; the latter is my biggest source of motivation. Writing is a lonely business. Or you can come chat in my group.

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