"The real reason is that I'm not strong enough. I'm not a match for Big Mom yet. To save Wendy and her country, I have to become stronger. Becoming stronger isn't something that can be done overnight."
In the short term, only Devil Fruit can quickly boost my combat power, and I happen to know the whereabouts of a Logia Devil Fruit.
I want to find that Devil Fruit! Eat it! Gain greater power! Only then can I face Big Mom; otherwise, I'm just going to my death!
Vic didn't hide anything from Dr. Tsukimi and spoke his true thoughts directly. There was no problem in saying this out loud, and he believed that Dr. Tsukimi wouldn't tell anyone.
Upon hearing Vic's words, Dr. Tsukimi finally understood Vic's true purpose in seeking her out. Vic wasn't confident of defeating Big Mom right now; he was under immense pressure. But even under such pressure, he agreed to his partner's request without the slightest hesitation.
Moreover, he didn't just agree; he immediately took action towards this goal. He needed to find a powerful Devil Fruit to achieve his goal of becoming strong quickly.
The only thing I can do to help Vic right now is to test his Lineage Factor, but I can't do something so easy and safe!
Dr. Tsukimi was filled with self-reproach, his mind racing. He needed to find a way to help Vic; he absolutely had to help Vic this time, which was so important. He also decided that he would send one of the intelligent robots he developed to Vic, Dr. Tsukimi considered Vic a person and still owed Vic a favor.
" Vic! There's another way to gather the necessary testing equipment quickly. Remember that minotaur?"
The captain of the country's guard—you should be able to get these devices from him. This country is a medical powerhouse; their testing equipment is state-of-the-art. You absolutely can't go wrong with him; he's a man of integrity!
Dalton's act of self-harm to Dr. Tsukimi, who couldn't help but give Dalton a thumbs up.
Vic was also Dalton's and the doctors' savior. If Vic asked Dalton for help, Dalton would never refuse. Even if he was short of money and couldn't send the equipment directly, he would act as an intermediary to help Vic buy it.
"Hmm? This country has these devices? That's great, Doctor. Please give me a list of the equipment we need! I'll go ask Dalton."
When Dr. Tsukimi said there was no equipment, Vic was quite disappointed. Things had become much more complicated. Since Zero hadn't mentioned Devil Fruit before, he might have gone straight to Sky Island after listening to Wendy!
But now that we know some of the speculations, we can't take the risk. We only have one life, and not every death can transport us to another world.
Now, if they were to spend more time searching for those devices, who knows how long it would take? So when Vic heard that Drum Island had these devices, his mood immediately improved.
He was prepared to forcibly seize it, then return it to those people after using it, apologize, and offer some compensation. Testing was a must, as it concerned his life and fortune.
"Okay, I'll write down the list for you right away."
Dr. Tsukimi was also very excited. He could help Vic, so he quickly found paper and pen and wrote down the equipment he needed. There was quite a lot of equipment needed, and Dr. Tsukimi wrote a long list before handing it to Vic.
Vic took the list and glanced at it. He had never heard of many of the devices. Although he had graduated with a degree in applied physics in his previous life, the medicine and science in this world were somewhat skewed. He couldn't guess what they did just by looking at their names. However, this wasn't something he needed to worry about right now. There would be professionals to help him choose later.
Vic put away the list and went downstairs. Dr. Tsukimi followed Vic to the first floor. Wendy and Kureha were both curious about what Vic wanted to see Dr. Tsukimi about, and they looked over when they saw the two of them come down.
Wendy's eyes were full of curiosity, while Kureha appeared nonchalant, but her eyes betrayed her. Neither of them had a penchant for eavesdropping, and they were still in the same spot where Vic and the others had gone upstairs. Although they weren't eavesdropping, their curiosity to know was undeniable.
" Wendy! I have to leave for a few days, but I'll still be on this island. I'll be back as soon as I'm done. You just focus on getting better here. Don't worry about anything else; everything will be alright!"
Vic didn't tell Wendy what he was going to do. It wasn't a big deal, and the more he talked about it, the more she would overthink it and develop a lot of useless emotions.
"Okay, come back soon!"
Wendy was curious, but she wouldn't press Vic for details. She just needed to see a familiar face in this unfamiliar place to feel safer.
She had just narrowly escaped death, which had somewhat affected her emotions. She wanted Vic to be with her, but if something happened to Vic at this time, it was definitely not a simple matter. She had a vague suspicion that this matter was probably related to her.
"Okay! I'll be right back after I finish this. You're still very weak, go to sleep, sleep is the best way to recuperate!"
Vic gently touched Wendy's forehead and said, " Wendy's fever has completely subsided, but she still has some aftereffects. The saying 'recovery from illness is like pulling silk from a cocoon' perfectly describes this."
Wendy didn't speak, but nodded while staring at Vic's face, her eyes a little red. Vic ruffled Wendy's hair and then stood up and walked towards Kureha.
The old witch with double-layered glasses was drinking with her legs crossed, chugging straight from the bottle, acting like a pirate. Vic suspected that Kureha must have been a pirate in her youth.
" Dr. Kureha! I'm leaving Wendy in your care!"
Although Vic knew that Kureha took meticulous care of his patients and wouldn't stop until they were fully recovered, and that he himself had already used his own skills in exchange, there was really no need for Vic to say these things to Kureha.
However, Kureha saved Wendy's life, a debt that cannot be compared to a single act. Although one of Vic's acts might be more important than life itself to some, even enough to save a country, Wendy's importance in Vic's eyes goes without saying.
"Kid! Don't question my professional ethics as a doctor. Your words are an insult to me. Just remember what you promised me, and get lost!"
Kureha exhaled a breath of alcohol, dissatisfied, wondering if it was revenge on Vic for not satisfying her curiosity.
Vic was speechless, his lips twitching slightly. "I didn't believe you! You wicked old woman, your integrity is to treat someone's illness and then empty their house? That's certainly a lot of integrity!"