Bullet Fruit

"Thank you for the reminder, Shopkeeper."

Wesley spoke to Rosha with great politeness, but he did not take Rosha's warning too seriously.

He was not a child afraid of bitter medicine. Could an adult really be unable to handle something that tasted bad?

But when Wesley swallowed the sample, he realized he had been too naive.

If even the shopkeeper had felt the need to warn him, could it possibly taste merely unpleasant?

Wesley nearly spat it out by accident!

Of course, Wesley was no ordinary person. Though the foulness nearly exceeded what his taste buds could endure, he merely frowned slightly.

Without even blinking, he swallowed the sample whole.

And then...

"What a... truly marvelous change!"

Almost the instant he swallowed the sample, Wesley immediately sensed a change in his body.

It was an indescribable change, yet one he could clearly feel!

He could distinctly sense that he had gained an ability, and he could control it just as naturally as he controlled his body when breathing, walking, or waving his hand!

At that moment, Wesley suddenly understood.

He completely understood how Zhao Hailun had cured Vanessa. She must have done it by controlling the Devil Fruit ability she possessed.

"I trust you have felt it, sir."

Seeing the incredulous astonishment on Wesley's face, Rosha smiled from the side. "Now then, focus. Feel your ability with all your heart and see what miracle may occur."

"I can hardly wait!"

Even someone as composed as Wesley had a gleam flare up in his eyes at that moment.

Wesley looked around, then walked straight out of the Devil Fruit Shop and toward a tree by the street.

He raised his right hand, straightened his index finger, aimed it at the tree trunk, and drew a deep breath.

Then, he activated his ability.

A bullet instantly shot from Wesley's fingertip, striking the tree trunk before him with a sharp crack.

However, having only just acquired this ability, Wesley could not yet unleash much power. The bullet only lodged shallowly in the trunk.

It even fell to the ground on its own a few seconds later.

Yet it was still like a boulder crashing into calm waters, stirring towering waves in Wesley's heart.

"It's real!"

"It's all real!"

"This is unbelievable!"

Wesley crouched down and carefully picked up the bullet he had fired, turning it over and over in his hands. His entire face had turned bright red.

He could not help it. He was too excited.

Only after a full two or three minutes did he calm himself down, put away the bullet, and return to the Devil Fruit Shop.

"What do you think, sir?"

Rosha looked at Wesley with a smiling, confident expression.

"Marvelous!"

"A miracle!"

"I feel that only today have I truly come to know this world!"

Wesley spoke those wildly exaggerated words with great emphasis, but they were truly how he felt.

"So, have you decided to purchase the Bullet Fruit?"

Rosha took the opportunity to say, "Oh, I forgot to tell you earlier. With a sample, your ability will only last five minutes. To truly obtain this ability, you need to eat the real fruit."

There was no such thing as a free lunch, and Wesley did not believe he could gain such an enormous advantage from a mere tasting.

Hearing this, Wesley raised no objection and nodded almost without hesitation. "That's right, Shopkeeper. I'll take the Bullet Fruit. How much is it?"

"The Bullet Fruit was originally priced at two million dollars, but you're in luck. The shop is currently having a promotion, so you only need to pay 1.4 million dollars."

Rosha quoted Wesley the price.

Wesley did not even blink before paying cleanly and decisively.

"Then congratulations, sir. This Bullet Fruit is yours."

Rosha brought out the genuine Bullet Fruit and handed it to Wesley.

He also offered a friendly reminder that Devil Fruits only needed one bite. There was no need to eat any more.

"Thank you for the reminder, Shopkeeper!"

Wesley said it to Rosha from the bottom of his heart.

Devil Fruits tasted truly awful. Rosha's casual remark would save Wesley from suffering quite a bit.

Then...

Wesley eagerly ate the Bullet Fruit, becoming a true Devil Fruit User and permanently gaining the ability to create and fire bullets.

"Sir..."

"Shopkeeper, just call me Wesley."

Wesley interrupted Rosha, speaking to him in a very courteous tone.

After confirming that Devil Fruits were genuine, Rosha's standing in Wesley's heart instantly rose by several levels.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony, Wesley. I've created a group for Devil Fruit Users like yourselves. Would you like to join?"

"If you have any questions about Devil Fruits, everyone can discuss them together, and I'll provide answers as well."

As usual, Rosha asked Wesley for his opinion.

"Of course, Shopkeeper. I'd be delighted!"

Wesley agreed without any hesitation at all.

As Kingpin's most trusted confidant, he naturally knew how valuable a circle made up of Devil Fruit Users would be.

He was not merely saying "I'd be delighted."

Even if Rosha had not brought it up himself, Wesley would not have hesitated to spend a large sum of money for the chance.

Rosha added Wesley to the group and informed everyone.

Shopkeeper: @Everyone, let us welcome a new member to our big family. Welcome, Mr. Wesley.

Wesley: Hello, everyone. I'm Wesley. Please take care of me from now on.

Wade Wilson: Wesley? You? You didn't believe what I said back then, did you? So why have you come to buy a Devil Fruit now?

Wesley: Mr. Wade, I am ashamed of my former shortsightedness. Only today did I realize what an extraordinary thing Devil Fruits are.

Wesley: I have Dr. Zhao to thank for all this. Dr. Zhao was the one who showed me the wonder of Devil Fruits, and I am deeply grateful.

Zhao Hailun: Welcome, Mr. Wesley. You don't need to thank me. If anyone deserves thanks, it is yourself. Everything happened because you chose to believe me!

In truth, Zhao Hailun had not only told Kingpin about Devil Fruits. She had told other people as well.

But unfortunately, even with the miracle Zhao Hailun had created right before their eyes, almost no one believed what she said.

People were even more willing to believe that Zhao Hailun had cured them with bionanotechnology.