2 Conviction

[1800 Words]

[Updated the power leveling a bit, was messy as someone pointed out]

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Within a small wooden shack, a rather beautiful, white-haired woman could be seen feeding a 7-year-old some porridge-like food. Though her beauty was rather shrouded due to her malnourished body.

The child was quite tall for his tender age, though his crimson eyes carried the gaze of someone quite mature. His hair had grown a bit, rather messy black hair with red strands on the left side of his head.

[A/N: His future look, decrease it to 7 y/o]

He was quite cute as certain aunties would put it. (Ara~Ara~)

The child, Damien, was sitting upon a wooden table, sadness visible in his gaze as he saw his mother's condition.

'Mom's body is growing weaker by the day... if it weren't for her fruit, she would have passed long ago.' I conclude.

'Say 'ah'.' She smiles as she brings a spoon to my mouth.

'I am more than old enough to eat by myself, mom,' I said, though complying with her request.

'Hush now, no matter how old you become, you will always be my little baby.' She replies with a smile as she gently feeds me with the spoon.

Feeling a bit embarrassed I do as told. After all the only woman a man should openly obey is the one that birthed him.

While munching on my food I can't help but think, 'Mom has to hunt and cook for both of us... but 90% of what she finds is eaten by me, and she doesn't take no for an answer.'

I had tried to hunt once on my own but she found out and I was given a 4-hour lecture.

But the worst part was when she started to cry... The one thing that breaks a man is when he sees his own mother cry. So I put an end to it.

'System, tell me more about my mother's condition.' I ask the voice that came in my head last night.

A screen pops up within my mind.

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

[Nadia Von Daisy]

[Age: 32]

[Height: 5']

[Status: Very ill, Malnourished]

[Devil Fruit: Human Human Fruit: Model Dryad (Mythical Zoan) - {COMPLICATIONS DETECTED}]

[Fruit Rating: 6 Stars]

[Abilities: Conqueror's Haki (Awakened Stage - Raw, Uncontrolled. Can be used in times of desperation)]

[A/N: Check the AUX chapters for more info on Power Scaling and Haki levels]

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[*Mythical Model: Dryad - An incredibly rare fruit that gives the user the ability to become a Dryad. User will also have a healthy and strong body. All illnesses and viruses will be destroyed immediately. Gives the user ability to heal all wounds and also gives user the ability to control nature and communicate with it]

[*Complications - Due to sickness prior to fruit consumption and being eaten during pregnancy, certain complications have emerged]

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

'So that's the fruit eh? Wait... complications? System, tell me more about the complications please.' I ask in my mind.

[Children in the womb naturally need nutrients to survive. They get said nutrients through the umbilical cord when the mother herself eats.]

[When Host's mother was pregnant, she most likely would have eaten the devil fruit out of desperation, not knowing what it was. Though it is accepted that only 1 can wield a specific power at a certain time, it seems certain complications can occur in rare cases.]

[After Host's mother ate the fruit, the Devil Energy stored within seemed to have partially divided and was absorbed by both mother and child. Though your mother gained some of the abilities, she did not gain all of it, causing complications.]

After going over the answer I ask once again, 'So what exactly can she do?'

[Host's mother can heal others but not herself as the illness counteracts any natural energy injected into her. If anything, she should have died long ago. She can also influence nature, but cannot transform into her Zoan form. The remaining abilities were either lost or transferred to host]

'That explains why the trees and plants tend to be so easy to find when looking for shelter and food.' I say but grow confused at the next part.

'Transferred to me...? Display my stats then.'

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

[Einar D. Damien]

(A/N: Einar meaning 'Bold Warrior', while Damien means 'The One Who Subdues')

(A/N - Pronunciation: Ay-Nar/Dee/Day-Mee-Ihn)

[Age: 7]

[Height: 5'3]

[Status: Slightly malnourished]

[Devil Fruit: ERROR]

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[Due to certain rare conditions, Host has gained abilities from a Devil Fruit. Abilities are the following: Disease Immunity, Rapid Regeneration, Increased Vitality, Enhanced Senses, Nature Talk]

>=-=----[]---<>---[]---=-=<

'Einar D.... right. Mom said she gave me dad's surname so that our bloodline is not forgotten.'

I slowly went through the remaining information:

'Damn! Wait so, what... I was born with a Super Soldier Serum or something?'

'Hmm, this Nature Talk is interesting.' I nodded.

'Crap. Devil Fruit means Curse of the Sea! Wait wait, I can swim. Yeah, I can. I literally bathe in the lake without any problem...?'

[In an attempt to clear Host's confusion, Host should know that the 'Curse of the Sea' was absorbed into Host's mother, thus the Host can rest assured.]

'Sweet! So that also means I can get another devil fruit with this...' I exclaim in excitement.

'Wait, System! Is my mom dying because I ended up taking some of her powers...?' I question with trepidation.

[Indeed.]

'...'

[Though the System can conclude that in 999998/999999 cases, Host's mother would willingly agree to such a condition to ensure your safe birth.] It said in a mechanical voice to soothe my mind.

'....I guess you're right. Tch, I still feel quite guilty but I guess it is what it is...' I sigh with a sad smile.

.

'What's wrong honey? Are you not feeling okay?'

I was knocked out of my reverie as my mother called me with a sweet smile.

---- The Following Night ------------------

It was past midnight when my eyes blasted open.

I looked around and ended up smelling something due to my Enhanced Senses. It smelled like... alcohol and oil.

I focused my senses outside and heard leaves blowing and branches breaking.

Certain whispers were also slightly audible.

'...The demon lives here...'

'...They should be asleep by now...'

'...Are you sure we should do this, Lerone?...'

'...Shut up and light the fire...'

I could hear over 60 people but I focused on certain voices I could recall from my day of birth.

After connecting the dots I jumped up and shook my mother awake.

'Mom! Wake up!', I gave a strong whisper.

'...Hmm? What's wrong dear? You need to go poopoo?', she asked, half-awake.

'Mom! We need to leave now! The tribesmen are here!', I yelled out through a whisper.

'...What?!', Nadia jolted up.

She walked to the door and looked outside through a creak in the wall and saw 60 or so men with torches standing around the small wooden house.

'Mom! Let's go from the back door!' I offered.

The wooden house was backed up by a rather steep cliff so there were no threats from the back.

Nadia furrowed her brows, she may be a single mother, but she hunted her own food and provided for her child all alone for 7 years.

She was very strong-willed. She walked into a perilous forest, filled with dangerous animals while carrying a newborn, and would certainly do anything to protect her beloved child.

Unfortunately, even though she awakened 'Conqueror's Haki' while trying to oppose her fate and weakness, it is not to the point where she can control it, especially with her illness acting up at most times.

She walked over and looked into my eyes.

'Honey,' she says.

'Mom will always love you.' She continues and gives a very sweet and gentle smile as her eyes glisten with tears.

'No... Mom, please don't! We can make it together!', I yell as I guess her next actions.

She smiles once more and kisses my forehead.

She wraps her arms around me and whispers gently into my ears.

...

I remain frozen after hearing her words as I see her stand with difficulty and pick up the sword near the door.

She gives me one last smile and opens the door and walks out.

A wave of pressure erupts and sounds of men groaning is heard as a clangs of metal echo in the creeping night.

All the while a young, 7 year old youth climbs the cliff behind with mindless eyes.

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In the dark forest, you can see a child running without end.

Damien runs and runs.

{Damien POV)

My legs ache.

My arms ache.

My heart aches the most though.

'Once again.'

'It happened again.'

'Everyone left me again.'

'Why?'

'Why?'

'WHY?!'

'Am I destined for despair in this life as well? Will I be all alone again?'

I recall my past, remembering the faces of all my parents and sister.

Their smiles, their laughs, their faces.

And then their deaths.

I tried to be happy, I tried to live once more. I gave it a shot again.

And it broke apart all over again.

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After running for an hour I finally stop and hide within a large broken bark of an oak tree.

Sounds of running are heard as 15 or so men race in my direction.

My legs are extremely sore... as if they are about to fall off.

But is there a point in running anymore?

'What happens if I get away?'

'I get to live?'

'Live for what though?'

I question myself once again as I did in my past life until I hear my mother's voice before I left the house.

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'𝘕𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺... 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺.'

'𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨.'

'𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘴.'

'𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦.'

'𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭.'

'𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯.'

'𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥.'

'𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯.'

'𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳,'

'𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧,'

'𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦.'

'𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶.'

'𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥. 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘦.'

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Mom's voice echoed in my ears before she went outside to slow down the tribesmen.

She died, I know she did.

They told me.

The plants, the trees, the grass.

They even lead me here.

My eyes then shine a red glint as I calm down from my previous thoughts and start thinking things through.

'My mom is not gone... she is with me.'

I look forwards and see nothing but wood.

The open bark I hid within had somehow closed, grown back to hide me away.

Nature itself was protecting me.

Mom is protecting me.

My powers... my mom's powers.

It was not a mistake or a rare occurrence, the transfer of power was my mom subconsciously using her will to protect me.

'She carried me within her for 9 months then cared for me and loved me for another 7 years... I cannot just give up, I mustn't!'

I extend my hearing as I listen to the mob around the area.

'He should be here somewhere.'

'Look around, the demon should be nearby.'

'Chief, the trail ends here.'

The tribesmen outside continue on their search yet all they see is a sea of trees within a moist forest.

My crimson eyes glow bright as my mind clicks on.

'I will live on. I will reach the apex of this world. To the point where all others will kneel before me. Even if I have to burn everything in my way to get there.'

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[The following is excluded from word count]

Author's Corner:

Well Hello There!

Second chapter is here.

I tried to give him a true reason, a proper drive to power.

It may be a bit shallow but eh... it's a fan fic so it'll be fine.

It's also kinda like Gaara's Sand where it protects him. In this case Nadia has practically become one with nature as she protects him from danger.

For the Devil Fruit power transfer through pregnancy, it's just some thing I made up, don't think too critically.

I used a different font, looks good on my screen, I hope that's the case for all.

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Random Trivia:

Would rather lose your 'sense of sight' or your 'sense of hearing'?

Thanks for Reading!