One Piece: Star Sea Legend - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Setting Sail!

After learning that the village chief was willing to give him the Devil Fruit, Qin Ming’s emotions surged. After careful consideration, he finally decided to eat the Devil Fruit.

Previously, Qin Ming had wanted to refuse Luffy’s invitation mainly because he felt his own strength was insufficient. If he set sail with Luffy, he would only become a burden.

But if Qin Ming ate the Devil Fruit, his strength might not increase dramatically in the short term, but his potential for growth would expand significantly.

After all, the power of a Devil Fruit depended on how much its user developed it.

Qin Ming was a determined person. He thought that after eating this Devil Fruit, he would train hard. As the saying goes, diligence could make up for lack of talent. He refused to believe he would remain weak forever.

When the village chief brought out the Devil Fruit, Qin Ming saw it for the first time—a fruit said to be the embodiment of a sea demon.

“Eat it.”

The hunched village chief smiled and handed the Devil Fruit to Qin Ming.

“What kind of ability does this Devil Fruit have?”

In the darkness, Qin Ming took the Devil Fruit and was surprised to find it felt light and weightless in his hand.

The soft moonlight reflected off the dark surface of the Devil Fruit, casting faint white glimmers.

“I’m not entirely sure, but the person who left it with me said this Devil Fruit is special.”

The chief coughed and explained to Qin Ming.

“A special Devil Fruit?”

That made sense. If this Devil Fruit were ordinary, Silvers Rayleigh wouldn’t have gone out of his way to come to the East Blue to handle it.

Qin Ming had already asked the chief about the person who had entrusted the Devil Fruit to the village. Based on the chief’s description, it was undoubtedly Rayleigh.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Ming finally bit into the Devil Fruit.

As soon as the fruit’s flesh touched his tongue, Qin Ming was overwhelmed by its horrendous taste. It was the most disgusting thing he had ever eaten, making him want to vomit.

But Qin Ming forced himself to swallow the Devil Fruit despite the nausea.

“What are you guys doing here?”

Just as Qin Ming took his first bite, he heard Luffy’s voice.

“Huh? Isn’t that a Devil Fruit? Those things taste awful. You didn’t have to hide to eat it. I wouldn’t have fought you for it.”

Luffy, seeing the bitten Devil Fruit in Qin Ming’s hand, immediately lost interest.

Qin Ming could tell from Luffy’s expression that the glutton had thought Qin Ming and the chief were hiding to eat something delicious, which was why he had come over.

“You ate the Devil Fruit?”

Luffy casually took the Devil Fruit from Qin Ming’s hand and exclaimed, “What’s up with this Devil Fruit? It feels weightless, unlike the one I ate.”

“I find it strange too. After eating it, I don’t feel any changes in my body.”

Qin Ming watched helplessly as Luffy tossed the Devil Fruit around like a toy.

Luffy threw the Devil Fruit into the air with one hand and stretched his other arm to slap it to the side.

Just as Luffy was about to catch the floating Devil Fruit, a strong gust of wind blew, and the lightweight fruit was carried away, quickly disappearing from sight.

“Sorry!”

Luffy stared blankly as the Devil Fruit drifted further into the night, then turned to Qin Ming and apologized.

“Damn, good thing I took a bite first. Otherwise, this Devil Fruit would’ve been lost thanks to this idiot.”

Qin Ming felt a wave of relief but then remembered that after eating the Devil Fruit, his body showed no changes. This made him anxious. “Could it be a fake Devil Fruit?”

Devil Fruits were divided into three types: Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia. Normally, after eating one, the user would soon discover their new ability.

But Qin Ming had eaten the Devil Fruit almost five minutes ago, and his body remained unchanged. This felt wrong.

“Why do you look so troubled? Everyone’s having fun at the feast. You should join in.”

Luffy grabbed Qin Ming and dragged him towards the lively gathering. The feast was in full swing, filled with laughter and joy. The festive atmosphere lifted Qin Ming’s previously gloomy mood.

Not far away, the village chief watched Qin Ming and murmured to himself, “Rayleigh, you probably never expected that less than two years after entrusting me with this Devil Fruit, I’d give it away. Our era is over. The days of sailing the seas with Roger feel like they were just yesterday.”

As he spoke, the chief’s hunched back straightened, giving him a more imposing presence. His sharp eyes fixed on Qin Ming. “Kid, the Devil Fruit you ate is the most unique among the Paramecia types. It’s called the Growth-Growth Fruit. How much power you can draw from it depends entirely on you.”

After saying this, the chief hunched over again, leaning on his cane, and slowly walked back to his house.

The village feast lasted until past 3 a.m. It was the first time since arriving in this world that Qin Ming had enjoyed himself so much.

With Luffy, who loved feasts more than anything, around, it was impossible not to have a good time.

When the feast ended, Qin Ming didn’t return to his house. Instead, he lay on the ground with Luffy and others, falling asleep.

Many villagers were sprawled on the ground, their faces filled with happy, satisfied smiles, clearly having enjoyed the feast to the fullest.

Listening to Luffy’s loud snoring beside him, Qin Ming’s heart gradually calmed from the excitement of the feast.

“Sigh!”

Lying on the ground, Qin Ming sighed as he looked at the crescent moon hanging high in the sky. He had thought that after eating the Devil Fruit, he would be ready to set sail with Luffy. But now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

After eating the Devil Fruit, he still didn’t know what ability he had gained.

In other words, Qin Ming couldn’t even begin to train or strengthen his Devil Fruit ability. He had no clear goal to work towards. How was he supposed to get stronger?

As Qin Ming pondered this, Luffy, sleeping beside him, turned over and casually flung a leg onto Qin Ming’s stomach.

“Damn, this guy’s sleeping posture is terrible.”

Just as Qin Ming thought this, he felt his body tighten, unable to move.

Luffy had wrapped his arms tightly around Qin Ming, drooling in his sleep and muttering, “Meat, don’t run away.”

Now Qin Ming was completely speechless.

“Damn, you ate so much meat tonight, and now you’re dreaming about it too. How big is your stomach? Is it because you’re made of rubber that it can stretch so much?”

Qin Ming felt utterly exasperated. He estimated that Luffy had eaten at least a hundred kilograms of meat during the feast, yet the glutton still wasn’t satisfied. Even in his dreams, he was chasing after meat. Unbelievable!

“More importantly, stop hugging so tightly! You’re stretching your arms too. Anyone who sees this will think we’re into some weird stuff!”

Qin Ming felt particularly unlucky. In this world of One Piece, the first person to have such close physical contact with him wasn’t a beautiful woman but the gluttonous Luffy.

And so, Qin Ming and Luffy “slept in each other’s arms.”

Sometime later, the sky began to lighten. Qin Ming hadn’t slept all night, torn between setting sail with Luffy for adventure and worrying about his lack of strength, which could burden others.

These conflicting thoughts kept swirling in Qin Ming’s mind, leaving him deeply conflicted.

“As a man, I should be decisive. If I can do it, then do it. If not, then forget it. Being wishy-washy is pointless.”

Qin Ming knew this well. If it were any other decision, he could make it quickly. But this choice would completely alter his future, marking a crucial turning point in his life.

Faced with such a decision, it was no surprise that Qin Ming hesitated.

His current state of mind was similar to when he had to choose his college major after the intense pressure of final exams back on Earth. “Should I choose this? How should I choose?” The indecision was maddening.

“Damn it!”

As the sky brightened and the sun began to rise, Qin Ming made up his mind. “I’ve always been an ordinary person, living a mundane life. Do I really want to continue that kind of bland existence in this world of One Piece?”

“No, I need to change!”

“Since I’ve met Luffy, and he’s invited me to set sail, am I really such a coward that I don’t even have the courage to go to sea?”

“I’ve eaten a Devil Fruit. I’m not the same as before. Even if I don’t know what ability I have yet, I’ll figure it out eventually.”

“Even if I’m weak now, I can train. Train like crazy. Just like with fishing—I started knowing nothing, but now I’m an excellent fisherman.”

“I can do this!”

“If I don’t set sail, what else am I going to do? Become the village chief?”

“That’s not what I want!”

Qin Ming’s resolve to set sail with Luffy grew stronger. The hesitation on his face gradually gave way to determination. His previously dull eyes now shone with a sharp glint—a look only seen in those who had set their sights on a goal and were ready to charge forward.

The fat man, who had gotten up to relieve himself, happened to pass by Qin Ming. Seeing the intense gleam in Qin Ming’s eyes, he was so startled he nearly wet himself.

“Holy crap, he’s so excited from being hugged by that straw-hat guy that he’s practically glowing. Good thing I decided to sleep in a separate room. Otherwise, I might’ve fallen victim to his ‘advances.’”

With that thought, the fat man quickly scurried away from Qin Ming.

About half an hour later, Luffy woke up, and many villagers began to stir as well.

“The sun’s up. Are you coming with me?”

Luffy stretched, adjusted his straw hat, and asked Qin Ming, who was lying beside him.

Qin Ming smiled and nodded slightly. Seeing this, Luffy burst into laughter. “I knew you wouldn’t refuse me!”

“You’re awake already? I’ve prepared a new boat for you. You can set sail now.”

The village chief, leaning on his cane, approached Qin Ming and Luffy.

“Thank you so much! Not only did you treat me to a feast, but you’re also giving us a boat.”

Luffy was visibly excited as he thanked the chief.

The chief waved his hand and led Qin Ming and Luffy towards the harbor.

Along the way, Qin Ming bid farewell to the villagers. Some even begged him to stay, but he politely declined.

When the fat man learned that Qin Ming had decided to set sail with the straw-hatted, seemingly eccentric man who claimed he would become the Pirate King, he was convinced Qin Ming had lost his mind!

Seeing the fat man cry his eyes out, Qin Ming initially wanted to give him a farewell hug. After all, they had been good friends for over half a year, and Qin Ming felt a bit sentimental about leaving.

But when Qin Ming tried to hug him, the fat man quickly dodged, looking at Qin Ming with a strange expression. “No need for hugs. You need to be careful out there. The world isn’t as peaceful as here. One wrong move, and you could lose your life. I don’t want to hear about your death so soon.”

Qin Ming had no idea that the fat man now saw him as a potential threat. Seeing the fat man’s genuine concern, Qin Ming felt that his earlier efforts to save him hadn’t been in vain.

After waving goodbye to the fat man and the others, Qin Ming saw that Luffy had already boarded the small fishing boat. Just as he was about to run over, a long arm stretched towards him.

Qin Ming’s heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble. Before he could say anything, Luffy’s stretched arm grabbed him.

In an instant, Qin Ming was yanked into the air and landed beside Luffy on the boat.

However, as Luffy retracted his arm, Qin Ming’s body slammed into the mast, nearly knocking him out from the pain.

“Alright, crew, let’s set sail!”

As Qin Ming lay semi-collapsed on the boat, he saw Luffy standing at the bow, raising his arms and shouting energetically. Qin Ming thought to himself, “You jerk, someday I’ll teach you a lesson. It’s a miracle my back didn’t break from that impact!”