Chapter 6
South Blue, Kingdom of Rommel.
Under the pitch-black night sky.
In a patch of woods outside the gladiatorial arena,
a small sapling broke through the soil, stretching its supple body freely as it grew taller and stronger at an astonishing speed.
"This is the spot! We're finally leaving this cage!"
Back in the dungeon, Vilin's eyes snapped open, ink-green pupils blazing with excitement.
"Wake up, Annie!"
"We're getting out of here."
He could finally take the little girl and escape this hell.
Vilin gently shook the sleeping Annie, barely containing his thrill.
"Mmm… nyaa~"
Feeling someone nudge her, Annie slowly opened her big, adorable eyes, blinking in confusion at Vilin.
Seeing her dazed, innocent look, Vilin couldn't resist running his fingers through her long, dark hair.
"Shh~"
He pressed a finger to his lips, then whispered,
"Little one, we're leaving this place. Right now."
The moment she heard "leaving," Annie's eyes lit up like stars.
She grabbed his arm tightly, staring up at him with hopeful, sparkling eyes.
"Really?"
The thought of escaping the cold prison almost made her shout in joy.
"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
Seeing her excitement, Vilin gave a confident, reassuring smile.
Without another word, he scooped Annie into his arms.
"Wood Release!"
This was a movement technique he had developed himself.
A huge pink flower suddenly bloomed from the ground.
Vilin pulled the curious Annie inside its petals.
The flower closed around them and burrowed swiftly underground, tunneling straight toward the forest outside the arena.
Moments later, the massive carnivorous flower erupted from the soil in the woods.
Vilin jumped out from its "mouth," still carrying Annie, who looked around in wide-eyed wonder.
As the two gazed up at the endless starry sky,
something deep inside Vilin felt like it wanted to burst free—but it slowly settled back down.
"Haa… We're free!!"
Overwhelmed with the joy of liberation, Vilin hugged Annie and spun in circles, laughing wildly.
"Annie, we're finally free!
No more starving, no more being bullied by anyone!"
"Mm~ I believe in you!"
Tears streamed down Annie's face as the reality sank in—she had left that dark dungeon forever.
Her small hand clutched Vilin's large one tightly, her eyes filled only with him.
"Hahaha~ Let's go!"
"We're going to live happy lives from now on."
With that, Vilin hoisted Annie onto his back and headed toward the town.
Soon, the two figures appeared on the bustling streets of Rommel Kingdom.
Still basking in the thrill of freedom, they searched for a place to stay.
It had been ages since either had bathed; their bodies carried a noticeable stench.
They stopped in front of a somewhat remote tavern.
The faded sign read: "Yor's Tavern."
Vilin walked straight in with Annie on his back.
Inside, the place was brightly lit, filled with the hearty laughter of drunken patrons.
Creak~
The door swung open.
Vilin strode to the counter.
The chubby middle-aged owner looked them up and down with obvious disdain.
Without wasting words, Vilin slapped a thick stack of Berries—snatched along the way using his abilities—onto the counter.
"Give us a room.
We'll stay the night."
The owner's dismissive expression vanished the instant he saw the crisp bills.
His face bloomed into an overly eager, fawning smile.
Vilin rolled his eyes at the man's blatant flip-flop.
"And prepare a big, hearty meal for us!"
"Right away, honored guests! This way, please!
Your food will be delivered personally in just a moment."
Vilin followed the owner to a decent room, Annie still on his back.
"Nice setup."
Seeing the room was well-equipped, Vilin nodded in satisfaction and closed the door behind them.
Inside Yor's Tavern room,
Vilin sank into the soft sofa, letting out a contented hum at the plush comfort.
"Little stinker, you're starting to smell."
He playfully pinched Annie's dirty cheek.
"Hmph~ Stupid big brother!"
Annie's face flushed bright red at the teasing.
Seeing his smug grin, she pounced, pounding his chest with tiny, harmless fists.
Vilin dramatically pretended to beg for mercy.
Her fake anger crumbled into giggles—bright, bell-like laughter filling the room.
Still chuckling, she hopped off and dashed into the luxurious bathroom.
Listening to the sound of running water, Vilin drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
Half an hour later,
Annie's voice woke him.
"Brother! Food's here! Hurry up!"
Reluctantly, Vilin climbed out of the tub, wrapped a towel around his waist, and emerged.
"Wait for me!"
Seeing Annie already digging in, he dove to the table and joined the feast.
An hour later,
stuffed and satisfied, Vilin lounged on the sofa with Annie nestled against him.
His face wore a rare, peaceful expression.
"Brother… how did you do it?
I still can't believe we actually escaped that place alive."
Annie rested her head on his chest, gazing out at the lit streets, voice soft and感慨.
Seeing her unusually mature look, Vilin puffed out his chest proudly.
"Because your big brother is the chosen one, obviously."
In the One Piece world, possessing a Logia-type Devil Fruit was proof enough of his exceptional destiny.
Otherwise, the Mori Mori no Mi wouldn't have chosen him.
"Pfft, shameless."
"Heh heh~"
Vilin wrapped an arm around her slim waist, grinning.
"I'll tell you a secret—but you can't tell anyone, okay?"
Then he quietly explained how he had obtained the Devil Fruit.
Annie was the only family he had in this world now.
There was no way he could keep such a thing hidden from her forever.
"So magical…?
I want a Devil Fruit too!"
"Really? You know eating one curses you— the sea itself will reject you forever."
"Oh… Then maybe I'll think about it more."
"Take your time.
But if you ever decide you want one, big brother will definitely find one for you."
"Mm~ Thank you, brother."
"Alright, time for bed."
"Eww, you're poking me!"
"Cough— what are you even saying?!"
Vilin turned away, suddenly very aware of the changes in his body.
A beastly urge flickered through him.
But reminding himself that they weren't blood-related,
he felt a strange thrill—like he was playing a slow-burn nurturing game.
No, Annie's still so young. How can you think like an animal?!
After some internal struggle,
exhaustion won out, and Vilin fell into a deep sleep.
In his half-dreaming state,
he vaguely felt a soft, warm body press against him.
==============================================================
Support me and be 100 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/arthursink