After bidding farewell to Garp and Vice Admiral Tsuru, Sherwin and the others quickly returned to the Dodo Advance.
"Beautiful big sister Felyne, why do you look a little unhappy meow?"
After running wildly around the deck, Klee Meow bounded over to Purah Meow, asking in confusion.
Purah Meow wrinkled her nose and answered regretfully, "The 'quick-escape device' I specially prepared didn't get to be used… I originally wanted to take the chance to collect some data meow."
Sherwin rubbed her head helplessly. "Why are you also becoming someone who just wants chaos everywhere?"
As he spoke, he subconsciously glanced toward Jinx.
He then noticed that the little blue cat, who was usually loud and energetic, was instead wearing a troubled, heavy-hearted expression.
"Hm? What wrong with you now?" Sherwin stepped forward, picked Jinx up, rubbed his cheek against hers, and asked gently.
"Those people were all so strong. I don't think I could beat even one of them meow."
Jinx answered gloomily.
Just as Sherwin was about to comfort her, the little blue cat had already perked herself up again.
With renewed enthusiasm she suggested, "So, let go back to the Sabaody Archipelago and beat up those slave traders! This time I'm gonna blow them up with fish bones meow!"
(=ω=)
Sherwin: "…"
Alright. Thinking this crazy cat would feel down because she wasn't strong enough—yeah, he was definitely overthinking it.
Decisively using the Kato Cat Hand to calm down Jinx, who was itching to cause trouble again, Sherwin held her in his arms while pulling out his Hunter Notes, quickly flipping to the Devil Fruit index page.
Compared to identifying them one by one, checking the manual directly was far more convenient.
Before he could carefully inspect what abilities the three newly acquired Devil Fruits possessed, the manual had already lit up with that familiar white glow, and a white shard appeared between the pages.
"Tch… only one?"
Although Sherwin sounded annoyed, in truth, he was already quite satisfied to receive even a single shard.
After all, he knew very well how stingy his golden cheat was. He had even considered the possibility that he might not get a single shard this time.
He picked up the white shard and examined it. The pattern on it was very simple—just a bunch of overlapping circles of various sizes.
"So it really is this fruit…"
When Sherwin made his request to the World Government, he had already wondered whether the Paramecia-type Devil Fruit would be the same Bubble-Bubble Fruit that Kalifa had eaten.
And with the purpose of obtaining shards, he originally hoped it would be that fruit.
Now it seemed that his (Klee Meow) luck was still pretty good.
But the ability of the Bubble-Bubble Fruit was somewhat underwhelming. Although its effect in the manga looked pretty impressive,
in reality, it wasn't much different from a Mizutsune—just making people all slippery. And it could be washed off with water…
It would probably be ignored by the cats just like the previous Devil Fruits.
Still, Sherwin asked anyway. From a certain point of view, didn't this technically solve the bath problem?
Sanji Meow and Link Meow, who absolutely didn't want to become land-ducks, naturally shook their heads without hesitation.
"…I want a fruit that makes me not need to bathe, not a fruit that lets me bathe myself meow!"
After hearing Sherwin explanation of the Bubble-Bubble Fruit, Haibara Meow immediately rolled her eyes.
"I share Miss Haibara thoughts meow."
"Hmph~ Sherwin really is an idiot meow!"
"An ability that can clean things? It sounds convenient, but I don't need it either meow. Check-it~"
(ゝω)~☆
"Sherwin, Sherwin, I want to eat this fruit meow!"
Although the Jinx being held in his arms had no interest in the Bubble-Bubble Fruit, she had set her sights on another fruit in the index…
Mm. The exact one Sherwin had been hiding carefully, hoping she'd never find—the Explode-Explode Fruit.
Crap! He slipped up!
Sherwin smacked his forehead. He'd guarded against everything, so how did he forget this?
"Ahem… bombs are still more fun when you make them yourself, right?"
Sherwin tried using the same persuasion he used on Klee Meow before.
But this time he failed, because Jinx was different from Klee Meow—she didn't have a strong obsession with crafting bombs herself.
And besides…
"Even if I eat this fruit, I can still make bombs," the little blue cat tilted her head, puzzled.
"Devil Fruits only make you unable to swim, right? It has nothing to do with bomb-making meow."
"Oh right!"
∑(=ΦДΦ=)
The little ragdoll who had previously been fooled by this exact excuse suddenly realized the truth.
She lunged forward and chomped Sherwin ear, mumbling through her bite, "Sherwin-gege, you tricked Klee again! I'll bite you to death, you big bad egg meow!"
Meanwhile, Jinx was using her little paws to push at Sherwin mouth and nose, urging, "Hurry and give it to me! I want to eat this fruit meow!"
And after throwing her tantrum for a moment, Klee Meow joined in—swinging cat punches at Sherwin head while shouting in support,
"Hand over the Explode-Explode Fruit! Big sister Jinx hasn't eaten a Devil Fruit yet, so she can eat it meow!"
Sherwin cast a pleading look at Huamei Meow, but although Huamei would keep the little troublemaking cats in check, she wasn't like Sherwin—she wouldn't overreact and refuse to act because of it.
"Since Jinx-chan likes this ability so much, then just let her eat it, meow." Huamei Meow narrowed her eyes with a bright smile as she looked at the little blue cat.
"Besides, I believe Jinx won't misuse this ability, right, meow?"
"R-Right, meow! I'll only use this ability on enemies, meow!" The little blue cat quickly promised with a paw raised.
Seeing that Huamei Meow had no objections—and having already been worn down by these two clingy little cats—the Hunter obediently handed over the Bomb Fruit.
"Waaah—! It really so hard to eat, meow!"
(=益=)
Fast and impulsive as ever, Jinx didn't even think. The moment Sherwin took out the Bomb Fruit, she immediately chomped into it, and her entire little face wrinkled up as she stuck out her tongue again and again.
But unlike Klee Meow and Shermie, who had only taken one bite, Jinx—after baring her teeth and grimacing for a moment—actually went in for a second bite, then a third…
Even though it tasted so awful that her face twisted into all kinds of exaggerated expressions, Jinx still forced herself to speed through the entire Bomb Fruit, which was a full size larger than her own head.
As expected of Jinx… what a ruthless cat!
Having tasted Devil Fruits before, Sherwin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"Jinx big sis, you're amazing!" The little ragdoll Felyne looked at the blue cat with admiration.
"Klee Meow only took one bite back then and couldn't keep going, meow."
Shermie, who had also only eaten one bite, came over with the same admiring expression. "Me too~ Even with just one bite, I nearly threw up, meow~"
"!!! YOU ONLY NEEDED TO EAT ONE BITE, MEOW?!!"
∑(=⊙Д⊙=)
Jinx froze in shock.