Little Treant Gelu

"Mr. Rono, are you alright?" Axia looked at Rono nervously, afraid something had happened to him.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. You know my physique is a bit special," Rono waved his hand dismissively.

"Um, Rono, I have a question. Who is Gelu? Why doesn't he come out to socialize?" Mo's expression soured as he watched Sairona run into the room and heard his words. This was a clear snub! Although he didn't have the 'Face-Face Fruit,' as CP0's Number 3, even the Elder Stars had to show him some respect.

"Oh, he is..." Rono hadn't finished speaking when a loud cry echoed throughout the courtyard. "Gelu~, Gelu~" a childish voice called out.

"He... is your son?" Axia looked at Rono, his face full of shock, mixed with a hint of disappointment.

"What? ∑(O皿Oll) You have a son after only two years? I misjudged you! Scum, die!" Mo exuded killing intent. His entire body was pitch black (others turn pale, Mo here is just directly African lol).

"Huh? Axia, you can understand him (it)?" Rono asked curiously. He himself could only understand with the system's help.

"Ah! This is an innate ability of mine. Uncle Mo, wait, that's not his child, and it's not even... human." Axia answered Rono's question while seeing Mo approach with Armament Haki activated, and quickly hugged him.

"Hmm, to be precise, I am indeed his father," Rono mused, stroking his chin.

Mo suddenly felt the force restraining him disappear. Without overthinking it, he lunged forward and punched the contemplative Rono, sending him flying.

"Wuwu-- Gelu~" A Little Treant, about one meter tall (exact height 91 cm), ran out, its large amber eyes welling up with tears.

"I'm also desperate, I'm also helpless," Sairona said dejectedly. Every time Gelu saw him, he would yell, dealing a great blow to Sairona's young heart.

The Little Treant was the color of ordinary wood, with some vein-like red patterns covering its body, increasing in number as they went upwards. Its hair was a dark red, broken wooden stake hairstyle (meaning its hair stood up unevenly), it had no teeth, and its two large round eyes were filled with tears.

"Waaaaaaaah!" Gelu charged at Mo, pounding his small fists against Mo's shins.

Bang bang bang. Mo retracted his Armament Haki, afraid of hurting the Little Treant. No matter how much of a scoundrel Rono was, he couldn't take his anger out on a child, right? Then Mo clutched his shin and squatted down. Damn it, how could he have so much strength? It hurt, it hurt, it hurt.

"Gelu, come to Daddy," Rono ran over, opening his arms to embrace Gelu.

"Gelu~" The Little Treant stopped hitting Mo and, with its short legs, pounced into Rono's arms.

Axia's expression was complicated as he stood aside, watching the father and son show their affection. Mo stood up. "You brat, are you a monster? How could you give birth to such a freak?"

"Waa--(fierce look) Gelu Gelu." The Little Treant glared with its big eyes. Well, it was quite cute.

"Gelu, no swearing," Father Rono admonished.

"You ugly, black, poop-shaped thing dare to hit my dad, be careful I'll kill you. That's what he said," Axia translated. Mo's eye twitched. He was really like his father.

"Give birth? No? I don't even have a girlfriend yet," Rono said, utterly bewildered.

"Ahem, let me explain," Sairona couldn't stand it anymore.

It's like this:

Six months ago... On a bright and sunny morning, Sairona was maintaining his sniper rifle, while Rono, with nothing better to do, decided to stir up trouble. Following the System Loli's suggestion, Rono prepared to research the second stage of the Control-Control Fruit — controlling inanimate objects. The System Loli's exact words were: "Hey, I'm talking to you, Rono. Your fruit development is, and I don't mean to look down on you, but only controlling your own body is too shallow. It's too weak."

"What the hell, if you've got something to say, tell me how to do it! If you can't, then shut up!" Rono immediately got annoyed. The System Loli's lips curled up. "He took the bait."

"Who do you think this great system is? How can a weak AI like you compare? Hmph, see that tree? Yes, the one you bought." Rono looked at the strange tree he bought and grinned proudly. "Haha, you admire my taste too, right? No exaggeration, I admire my own taste."

"..." The System Loli fell silent. A panel appeared before his eyes. He tapped it twice, and a line of text appeared: Thick Skin LV2, Integrity -100.

"Why don't you try controlling that tree? This is external control, much cooler and higher-tier than controlling yourself."

"How do I do it?" Rono's face turned serious. This was a matter of tier, and Rono considered himself a high-tier person. How could he give up a skill that would raise his tier? What the hell, why did the art style change? The System Loli watched Rono suddenly transform into a Dragon Ball art style and complained.

"Hmm~ First, put your hand on the tree trunk."

Rono did as he was told.

"Control it like you control your muscles."

He continued to follow instructions.

Five minutes later... Ten minutes later...

"System, are you f***ing kidding me?" Rono questioned the system, looking at the unchanged strange tree.

"So it doesn't work?" the System Loli thought. But he still said, "What's the hurry? This is just the first stage. Next, channel that power into it."

"Oh! So that's how it is! I'll try." Rono still trusted the system and did as he was told without suspicion.

Then Rono exploded. Sairona had already gone to practice his shooting. When he left, he saw Rono's strange (idiotic) behavior and was used to it. Rono felt something inside him being drawn into the strange tree through his palm. This continued for a full hour. Rono felt the suction disappear, and then his whole body went limp. His eyelids grew heavy, as if he hadn't slept for a week straight. With a thud, Rono fell backward onto the ground and fell fast asleep.

The System Loli floated to a branch of the strange tree. "Uh oh, looks like I went too far. That must have consumed quite a bit of life force, right? It'll take at least a month to recover. But... it's not without its gains. Something interesting is about to be born. By the way, does this count as having a child before marriage? It probably does..."

When Sairona returned that evening (yes, they lived together), he saw a huge lump lying on the ground, snoring. Sairona nudged it with his foot, kicking the lump that was Rono aside. He had no intention of putting him on the bed (don't think dirty thoughts, if you do, play the Great Sorrow Mantra on repeat).

When Sairona finished washing up the next day and was about to eat, he found that Rono still hadn't woken up, and only then did he realize something was wrong.