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"Thank you for the warning, Mr. Shopkeeper," Wesley replied politely, though he didn't take Rosh's warning too seriously. After all, he wasn't a child afraid of bitter medicine—how bad could the taste of a fruit really be?
However, when Wesley finally swallowed the sample, he realized how wrong he was. If the store manager felt the need to warn him, the taste was bound to be beyond ordinary unpleasantness.
Wesley almost gagged but managed to swallow it without flinching, though his brow furrowed in response to the overwhelming bitterness. He wasn't one to be easily deterred, and despite the taste nearly exceeding his tolerance, he maintained his composure and downed the sample without a blink.
And then...
"This is... truly incredible!"
The moment the sample was in his stomach, Wesley immediately felt a strange sensation coursing through his body—a sensation that was hard to describe yet undeniably real. He could clearly feel a new ability awakening within him, something he could control as easily as breathing or moving his limbs.
In that instant, Wesley understood. He now fully grasped how Helen Chohad managed to heal Vanessa—she must have harnessed the power of a Devil Fruit.
"I assume you can feel it now," Rosh said with a knowing smile, noticing the astonishment on Wesley's face. "Now, concentrate and focus on your new ability. See what miracles you can perform."
"I can't wait!" Wesley's usually composed demeanor cracked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
After glancing around the store, Wesley stepped outside to the street, approaching a nearby tree. Extending his right hand, he straightened his index finger and took a deep breath.
Then, he activated the ability.
*Bang!*
A bullet shot out from Wesley's fingertip, striking the tree's trunk with a sharp crack. Although Wesley couldn't yet fully harness the power, and the bullet barely embedded itself in the wood before falling to the ground, the sheer fact that it had happened was enough to send shockwaves through Wesley's mind.
"It's real!"
"It's all real!"
"This is simply unbelievable!"
Wesley knelt on the ground, carefully picking up the bullet he had just fired. His face was flushed with excitement, his hands trembling as he turned the bullet over and over, marveling at the tangible proof of his new power.
It took Wesley a full two or three minutes to calm down. Once he had regained his composure, he pocketed the bullet and returned to the Devil Fruit store.
"So, what do you think?" Rosh asked with a confident smile, already knowing the answer.
"Marvelous! Miraculous!" Wesley exclaimed, still awestruck. "I feel like I've only just begun to understand the true nature of this world!"
"So, have you decided to purchase the Bullet-Bullet Fruit?" Rosh inquired. "Oh, I should mention that while the sample gives you a taste of the power, it only lasts five minutes. You'll need to eat the full fruit to gain the ability permanently."
Wesley, who was no fool, didn't expect such an extraordinary ability to come without a cost. He nodded without hesitation. "Yes, Mr. Shopkeeper, I'll take the Bullet-Bullet Fruit. How much is it?"
"The Bullet-Bullet Fruit normally costs $2 million, but you're in luck—we're running a promotion right now. You can have it for $1.4 million," Rosh replied.
Without so much as blinking, Wesley promptly paid the amount.
"Congratulations, then—the Bullet-Bullet Fruit is yours," Rosh said, handing over the whole fruit to Wesley. He also offered a small piece of advice: "By the way, there's no need to eat the entire fruit. One bite is enough."
"Thank you for the tip, Mr. Shopkeeper," Wesley said sincerely. Considering how foul the fruit tasted, Rosh's advice was bound to save Wesley a lot of unpleasantness.
Without further delay, Wesley took a bite of the Bullet-Bullet Fruit, officially becoming a Devil Fruit user and gaining the permanent ability to create and fire bullets.
"Sir—"
"Please, call me Wesley," Wesley interrupted, speaking in a much more respectful tone. Now that he had confirmed the reality of the Devil Fruits, his view of Rosh had shifted dramatically, elevating him to a much higher status in Wesley's mind.
"Well then, Wesley," Rosh continued, "I've created a group for Devil Fruit users to connect with each other. Would you like to join? You can ask questions and share experiences, and I'll be available to provide support."
"Of course, Mr. Shopkeeper. I'd be honored!" Wesley agreed immediately. As Kingpin's top aide, Wesley understood the immense value of being part of a network composed entirely of Devil Fruit users.
Rosh added Wesley to the group and sent a message to everyone.
Shopkeeper: "@Everyone, please welcome our newest member to the family, Mr. Wesley."
Wesley: "Hello, everyone. I'm Wesley. I look forward to getting to know you all."
Wade Wilson: "Wesley? You? Didn't you dismiss everything I told you earlier? So why are you buying a Devil Fruit now?"
Wesley: "Mr. Wilson, I regret my earlier short-sightedness. It wasn't until today that I realized just how incredible these fruits truly are."
Wesley: "I owe it all to @Dr. Cho. Dr. Cho opened my eyes to the wonders of the Devil Fruits. I'm deeply grateful."
Helen Cho: "You're welcome, Wesley. But you don't need to thank me—thank yourself for choosing to believe in me!"
Helen Cho had told others about the Devil Fruits before, not just Kingpin, but almost no one believed her despite the miraculous results right in front of them. Most people preferred to attribute the healings to her use of advanced nanotechnology.
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Next Chapter: The Rise of the Ultimate Rookie Assassin
Next Next Chapter: Classification of Devil Fruits
Next Next Next Chapter: The Perfect Fruit for Kingpin
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