Chapter 4: Vengeance Best Served Silent

~Kuro POV (8 years old) ~

When I showed the Mera Mera no Mi fruit at Cinder she looks at me confused till she finally says, "Ugh, Nero I know you're my friend and all but how could that fruit give me any power… it's just fruit isn't?"

Ah, I see I keep on forgetting that the people here don't know Devil Fruits are, so I explained to Cinder, "Ah, my bad I forgot to mention when I got my powers sorry about that Cindy Nya~. When I was alone hunting one time, I accidentally used my Semblance by touching fruit and it suddenly turns into a fruit with swirls and when I ate it…"

Ugh… just remembering me eating the fruit was disgusting, "Ugh… that it was probably the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten in my life… but in return, it gave me the ability to become and control Ice with the use of my Semblances cool right?"

Cinder looks more surprised at the second I continue explaining, "When I tried it again it didn't work till, I feel like I can again my ability seems to be random, but when I touched an empty bottle I felt that my supplied it with a green light I haven't test it out yet since I don't what it can do."

Cinder looks surprised at the information then she takes the fruit off my hand and took a big bite out of it, and I waited for my enjoyment.

I see Cinder made a disgusted look when she ate the fruit saying to me with a glare in her eyes, "Ugh… when you said it was disgusting I thought you were kidding… but I didn't think you were serious?! Really how could that fruit have tasted so bad Ugh?!?!!"

I smirk at her to see fire literally coming off of her, "If you're so angry just look at your hair, it's literally on fire."

Cinder took notice of her hair being on fire and started to panic before that happen, she noticed that she isn't in pain and says in a shock wide-eyed expression, "I… I'm not burning… I don't even feel the pain… how is something like this possible…"

I talked to Cinder while I gave her a smug look, "The same way that happens to me I guess when I ate my Hie Hie no Mi the fruits name by the way I literally became a living Ice Faunus. My friend Cindy seem to have ate the same food category as me a Logia go ahead you should know the name by instinct don't keep a cat waiting Nya~."

I waited to see how Cinder would respond still I gain a powerful ally for me and a loyal one who can grow stronger.

Cinder calms down a bit till she receives the name of the fruit power she has obtained with a smile across her face, "The fruit I ate is the Mera Mera no Mi is a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to create, control, and transform into fire at will… I see so what we ate were called Devil Fruits and their curse as well…"

Yeah that might have been my bad to not notify about this first, "Uh! I forgot about the curse Cinder I'm s- "

However, I stop speaking when Cinder interrupted me with a smile, "No Kuro I should be really thanking you for this chance… finally we can get our revenge those caretakers right Nero. I don't mind if I don't swim right, there might be a way to get rid of it right?"

"[Mission: Leave Your Starting Mark

Description: You are leaving the orphanage the home of your tormentors for a better future for yourself marking your beginning.

Objective: Kill your Caretakers for the reason they hate you for being different from human and treating you as an inferior person.

Rewards: 35,000 Lien, DFTP, Curse Remover, and Swordsmanship (Beginner).]"

I look at the mission then to Cinder with a smirk and replied honestly, "Yeah they have their debt to pay, we only get rid of them only and leave the others to defend themselves since they enjoyed us suffering and making trouble for us, right?"

With that we both go to the front gate of the Orphanage we went inside and go straight to the Caretaker rooms while they were asleep.

Usually I would make a moral saying this is wrong or this isn't who I was or this isn't right… you would be right if I was that person in the past and I'm still am in a sense, but if they try to screw me over with false punishment and psychological attacks, that is a different story since there are not much rules stopping me now.

I still remember the time the stupid Caretakers say with 'without you, I am nothing. But because of you, I am everything' do they think I'll buy that crap… well I would if I didn't have my previous memories or go insane whichever works.

Still can't believe that Cinder still calls me Nero now ever since that incident with the other kids throwing coal at me making my hair color dirty and beat them up brutally Cinder hasn't stop calling me Nero after that we began to be friends around four years ago when I came here.

With that me and Cinder managed to enter inside the caretaker's room after and made our way inside I didn't want to torture the fools just a freezing death is enough for me, 'Ice Age.'

I completely turn the Caretaker into solid ice while I see Cinder simply stabs the head to the caretaker silently since we need to do this quietly as to not draw attention.

I bring my attention to Cinder, "Hey Cinder try checking around this room for a map while I take the Lien in the safe ok?"

Cinder nods her head and agrees to search the room after that I freeze the safe solid into Ice easy enough to break through the front and I took all the Lien in the safe into my inventory and I see the screen pop up showing how much I gain.

"[Acquired Lien: 12,450.]"

With that I left the room and Cinder brings the map to me, "Kuro I got the map I manage to see where we are at, from what I was able to read is that were right side of Anima winter climate where there is a winter like area and if we go to the right…"

I looked at the map I narrow my eyes at this, "That means we have to go through the Wind Path… not a very likely area to pass through we have so much bad luck."

I meant it too I knew the show or games described the place as it's an ideal location for thieves, assassins and other people who wish to remain hidden from the authorities and one of the places outside the council of this Kingdom watch… shit.

Cinder also says another option to which it might be do able for us to accomplish if we travel there, "Well that's one option we could go the right to which that leads us to the city of Argus that place may be bad too since…"

I smirk at the idea I say to Cinder with a smile, "Hah! If those racist jerks think I'm exploitable for them to manipulate…"

I just focus more on my Devil Fruit power into my fist, "They will be in for a world of pain… but if we have to choose, I think we should go towards… Wind Path…"

I sensed the emotion from Cinder is shocked at the idea and asks me in surprise, "Wind Path!... Kuro is there any reason why that place instead of Argus?"

While I agree with Cinder that going to Argus would be safer… but we need our aura to be unlocked and in turn we can know our semblance are and I know how to activate Cindy's semblance while I can know mine from the system.

I look at Cinder eyes and say to her with a smile, "Don't worry with our Devil Fruit Logia ability we would only have to worry about Dust attacks at us, remember we cannot get hurt normally but that doesn't mean we can underestimate others. Another reason to go is see if we can pay a criminal to unlock our aura."

Cinder thinks about the options while Argus is safer the council controlling it won't let them go as they please and they will try to send them to another orphanage that brough a shiver to Cinder since she doesn't want to experience her time here again.

I see the resolve in her eyes again, good I need her help but that brings another problem when we get there, 'How exactly can we get our auras unlocked from a criminal related town… I guess we have to take our chances there than in here…'

With that in mind we both left the orphanage to go follow the map leading towards the Wind Path.

While we were taking our time leaving the place, I heard I got a completion from the mission, right now I don't care about the completion because right now where going to a criminal infested are of Wind Path… still I like the rewards at least…

"[Skill: Swordsmanship (Beginner).]"

I look towards my friend and smile at her, "Hey Cindy how long would it take use from here to the Wind Path anyway?"

Cinder looks at the map and says, "From the looks of things I say about a few days when we arrive there, with the food and money we have it should be enough for us to get to the city of Wind Path."

I nodded in agreement with her and went our way to our next destination, still I can't believe were finally free from that place still feels like a dream that all of this happen in a short span in a month.

Cinder then says to me, "Say Kuro you said earlier that when you have an empty bottle your semblance filled it up in green life right? How about we try it out since it could be something cool like your devil fruits right!"

Well I already know what they do and now I have 4 I can spare 2 now and as a nice bonus would be, I could at least not worry about Cinder not dying by drowning to death at the very least.

I smile as I bring out the two Curse Removers from my bag when in reality, I brought them out from my inventory as I toss one to Cinder, "Alright here you go Cinder and I have another ready well bottom up."

I drank the potion and felt the previous taste of the devil fruit changed into something cold but somehow sweet with a hint of blueberry flavor, "Mum… the taste of the fruit I remembered change into something sweet and…"

"[Use of Curse Remover has been used the Curse of the fruit has been lifted you can now eat another Devil Fruit.]"

I sensed the emotion of Cindy was now happy as I was the first to talk, "I guess you noticed that your curse was lifted and got your taste back as a bonus right Cindy Nya~. But I don't think I feel ready to make another Devil Fruit so don't ask ok."

I see Cinder nodded happily thinking she can now at least enjoy a beach without fear of the water now.

This was nice knowing I don't have to fear of my weakness but as much as I like to have no weakness, I have to decide what fruit next before going to Wind Path its either the Doa Doa no Mi for an escape plan or go after another devil fruit of the Paramecia class.

While I was walking with my friend, I ask the system to use my DFTP on the raffle.

"[Processing from the Paramecia raffle… done you have received the following fruit in the inventory: Fuwa Fuwa no Mi.]"

… I don't know what to say about that one…

System:

Status, Shop, Mission, Inventory, Devil Fruit Raffle

Inherited Skills: Aura (Locked), Semblance (Locked), Electro (Locked), Natural Enhanced Body, and Sulong Form (Locked)

Skills: Hunting, Observation Haki (Beginner), Swordsmanship (Beginner)

Devil Fruits: Hie Hie no Mi

Allies: Cinder Fall (Logia User)

Inventory: Curse Remover x2, Doa Doa no Mi, Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Pteranodon, Fuwa Fuwa no Mi

Lien: 157,200