I was dumbfounded. I still couldn't believe the feeling blooming inside of me? Was this love? Am I bewitched?
I was sitting inside the wooden hub. This was a humble hub, with single bed, single table, single chair, and a fireplace. I sit on the chair while the house owner was sitting on the bed. I looked at the owner, I lost myself in those blue eyes again. There is something wrong with those eyes.
"Please don't look me in the eyes!" said house owner. Her name was Freya.
"They are so beautiful. You are so beautiful. I mean you are perfect. No, what I meant was your eyes are perfect." I now understand what Isi was feeling. I lost my sanity in this perfection.
"I eat a devil fruit. Anyone looks my eyes, lost themselves in it. Just keep your eyes away from me few minutes and magic will wear off." she said.
"I don't want to. I don't want this feeling to go away. I never felt like this. A warm feeling circulates inside my body. Even in this freezing cold, keeps me warm." I started to talk like poets now. I wasn't any good at it, but still, this feeling made me say those things. If I could, I would build a second floor to this hub with fancy balcony, let her sit in the balcony and would sing her under that balcony.
Tell me anyone more romantic than, a man serenading a woman sitting a balcony man built by himself for the girl he wanted to serenade. Of course, you can't. This is where I would take the chart and make all men out there to ashamed themselves, this is how I feel right now.
"It is fireplace keeps you warm. Hub is not cold at all," she said with the most serious face.
"No, I was doing a metaphor." I tried to explain. Could it be that metaphor didn't reach this world? I just killed it and it went waste with my bleeding heart.
"Oh, sorry. I have the EDD. Empathy Deficit Disorder! I can't feel things like love or well, metaphor. My Lord told me I can fix it with an item called Petra's Heart, but I can't find it. " she said.
Why?! Why, god, why I fell in love with somebody has EDD. "Sorry to hear that. Wait, Lord, you said? And item? What kinda Lord is that?" I can smell that fishy thing again. Spit it out, what Lord are you talking about?
"Oh, I am from another world. I wander the worlds to get more powerful for my Lord. Also, I am going places to get quests and earn System Currency so I can buy Petra's Heart from Multi-Dimensional Shop." she started to explain while I was freaking out. "Oh, no."
"What happened? Are you okay? I can heal you if you are injured." I was still dying over her. I jumped where I was sitting and started to check her body from afar. I didn't dare to touch her. I couldn't even get close to her.
"No, I still couldn't keep my mouth shut. I told you, a stranger everything. That is why I live in this forsaken land. You see, a few years earlier, when I first come to this world, I started to wander and in the town not far away, I shared everything I knew. The things I told town folk was so embarrassing, still, I didn't feel anything at all, but system inside of me, her name is Chloris by the way always says I should learn when to speak and when to stop. Ah, stop it, Chloris, I don't tell him anything else."
What is going on? Crow, can you explain to me what the hell is going on?
"Brother, you must help her?" said Crow with kid voice in kindergarten, seen his love.
What the hell? What is wrong with you too?
"Brother should help a brother right? I mean no matter the reason is."
Yes. I guess.
"Well, you see. I have a crush on Chloris. We went to system school together. I never opened up but to this day I still like her."
Are you kidding me? Do you want me to believe it is the long arm of coincidence? There is something fishy here.
"How much is the Item you are looking?" I asked.
"1.000.000 SC.," she said with same blank expression.
"Is it a divine item?" The only item I could remember being so expensive was Pendant Jon was residing. It was also Divine Item, and it would worth 1 million SC if it were to be clean.
"Mn." she nodded slightly. "Wait, how do you know it? Are you a Champion as well?" she asked. Well, not so hard to guess.
"Yes. I am also a chosen. I would like to help you but that sum is so big for me to cover." I stopped eye contact while back and was in a clear mind. I still had feelings for those blue eyes, but I wasn't sure if it was real or not. Still, I wanted to help the poor girl. Also, I had to cover my brother, Crow.
"Oh, I see. So, you sent here to eat devil fruit as well?" she said.
"Un." I nodded. I come here because Crow likes pirates. But I can't say that.
"Mention about me too," said Crow anxiously.
"My system Crow, I mean big brother Crow wants me to help you, but he is sorry to let you know, there isn't much we can do."
"Ah, so you have a smart system too. Chloris helps me with everything. I would be lost without her!" she said with a fake smile.
"Is she force you to say these stuff?" I asked.
"Obviously," she said with a plain face.
*Sigh* We sighed together. Freya was about to leave this world to move the next one. I stopped looking into her eyes while back, but those feelings, were still there, scratching my heart. I wanted to follow her but I had a mission to finish. Also, she had no system to move her as I had. She had to return to her Lord and her Lord would move her again. I couldn't follow if she were to send a World far away from mine.
We spent a day and night, talking about things we went through. She wasn't any better than me. She went to a lot of hellish places and she almost died more than once. I wanted to help her but I didn't know how. When she was about to leave, I had an idea and took out the Flying Cloud and gifted it to her. She couldn't fly, and it would be a great help to her.
"This is a Duke Item. Please keep it secret from anyone, even your Lord if it is possible, or don't say you get it from me." I said. It would be troublesome to let everyone know I can leisurely gift a Duke Item.
"Mn." she nodded. "I promise to not to mention you. I can be loquacious, but I would never betray a friend."
She called me a friend. I started to do my inside victory dance. She called me a friend. I am her friend. I can't believe it.
She thanked me and give me a ring back.
After she went to her Lord I insert my Chakra to inside the ring and I couldn't believe my eyes. There was a Crimson Red Fruit placed on top of the table, shining with brilliant light. A devil fruit? I checked it with Observation and it was another Paramecia Fruit. I had a strong feeling about this fruit and I decided to eat it.
I already fed the other paramecia fruit to Jon when I first took it. It wasn't as easy to adapt it for Jon, I'm guessing because he is a creation of pendant. He said he was getting the feeling of it but it was very slow.
After I ate, the most disgusting thing I have ever eaten, some information come inside my head. The name of the fruit and some of its powers. I pushed them back of my head and go to the town at the foot of the mountain.
I wonder where I am.
I sent here by Kuma and there is no way Kuma knew both me and Freya were World Travelers. He must have other reasons to send me here. And where am I actually? I can feel my regular seals are a little bit too far. I can't be in the New World, can I?
I flew down from the mountain to town I could see. People were clearing the snow from the front of their houses. I went to the bar directly and ordered a something hot. Flying in the cold is not a good idea. I released a little bit of Fire Chakra to heat my bones. When the bartender came back with hot tea I asked: "Do you know where is this Island, sir?" My next question was going to be "Where is the Marine Base?" but I dumbstruck with the answer I received.
"This is Kadio-Sama's 136th island, so you are here," he said taking out a map, showing me a dark point in endless blue...