"Luffy that idiot, how could he possibly be Nika, meow…" After hearing Bonney description of Nika, Sanji Meow immediately curled his lip in disdain.
"He can't even beat me, and you're telling me he the Sun God…"
No… he actually is Nika though…
Sherwin muttered that silently in his heart, then also curled his lip and said, "Why do you all put your hopes on some legendary figure? Liberation is something you have to rely on yourself for. As for joy, as long as I have my Felynes by my side, I'm already happy. I don't need any Nika at all."
He tilted his head slightly and threw Bonney a soul-piercing question: "If you had to choose between Kuma and Nika to bring you joy, who would you choose?"
"Of course my father!" Little Bonney answered without a trace of hesitation.
"See," Sherwin spread his hands, "this so-called Nika isn't as important as everyone imagines, is he?"
"But… father seems to really like Nika…"
Bonney fondness for Nika was entirely shaped by Kuma influence. So, facing Sherwin slightly mocking words, she didn't really feel much about it… Of course, it was also possible that she just didn't catch the sarcasm.
Sherwin smacked his lips, suddenly realizing—what was he doing arguing about this with a five-year-old girl? If there was anyone to debate with, it should be Kuma.
Clearly, he had been too influenced by the manga, unconsciously treating Bonney like an adult.
So he didn't continue discussing whether believing in Nika was right or wrong. Instead, he deliberately shifted the topic:
"It perfectly fine to like Nika. He brings people laughter, so naturally everyone likes him. Just like… you probably like Klee Meow and the others too, right?"
"Mhm! And Bonney also really likes you too, big brother Sherwin!"
"It my honor." Sherwin smiled as he ruffled her hair, then pointed at the food in front of her. "But your roasted meat is about to get cold."
"Waaah!"
The young Bonney was easily distracted by Sherwin words. For now, she completely forgot about Nika and turned her full attention back to the food, lowering her head and munching away again.
"So big brother Sherwin is the traveler?!" After eating to her heart content, Bonney learned from Klee Meow that the illustrations in the Travel Guide were drawn by her, and that the author was Sherwin himself.
The little girl was overjoyed. "I really love the things you wrote! When I was making travel plans with my father, I referenced your Travel Guide so many times!"
Of course, the reason Sherwin Travel Guide drew Bonney attention wasn't just because it matched her desire to travel around, but also because it contained a lot of food entries… Though, nowadays, Sanji Meow had basically already cooked all of those dishes for her to try.
After pestering Sherwin with a whole pile of questions, Bonney declared confidently, "In the future, I'm going to write my own travel diary just like you!"
"Is that so? That wonderful." Sherwin encouraged her. "When the time comes, I'll help you contact Morgans to see if it can be published in the newspaper."
Klee Meow chimed in from the side, "Klee can also teach you how to draw, meow~"
Mm, compared to the little doll skills, Bonney drawings were more in line with what you'd expect from someone her age.
Just then, Huamei Meow walked over. "Let put drawing aside for now. Klee, it training time, meow."
"Awu…"
(=Д`=)
Klee Meow immediately pulled a long face, but Bonnie, on the other hand, was full of energy.
Even though there were recovery potions available, Haibara Meow still suggested that Bonnie join in the training to further improve her physical fitness.
And since Bonnie wanted to set sail with Kuma as soon as possible, she was naturally eager to cooperate.
It was also thanks to having a peer and role model like Bonnie that Klee Meow no longer resisted training as much as she used to.
As for Haibara Meow…
This little kitten used to cooperate with training, but now she was obsessed with experiments and didn't want to waste time on such things at all.
She always used excuses like "the experiment is at a critical stage" to avoid training.
Of course, such tricks had no effect on Lord Soaring Scarlet Tiger. Soon enough, Haibara Meow was dragged out of the laboratory by Huamei Meow, wearing the same gloomy expression.
Since the two "school-hating" kittens and Bonnie were still children, and Bonnie wasn't allowed to go outside yet, Huamei Meow didn't assign them too many training programs. She only had the three little girls run laps around the chapel nonstop.
Compared to the Felynes, Bonnie physical fitness was still a step behind, so when she finished training, Haibara Meow and Klee Meow were still darting around with energy.
Although the two kittens disliked training, when they saw it as a kind of chasing game between cats, they weren't as resistant anymore.
Bonnie looked enviously at the two kittens tumbling around and said to Huamei Meow beside her:
"Big sister Huamei, I still have lots of strength left. I can keep training with Klee and the others!"
Huamei Meow shook her head and rejected Bonnie request:
"You're still too young, and your body hasn't fully recovered yet. It not suitable for overexerting training, meow."
Bonnie looked very disappointed and muttered under her breath:
"If only I could grow up faster…"
Before Bonnie even finished speaking, her body suddenly grew larger before Huamei Meow shocked eyes.
In an instant, the five-year-old little girl transformed into the appearance of a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old. Her loose-fitting child clothes stretched tight, outlining the kind of figure that carried a very strong pirate charm.
"Meow meow meow?!!"
∑(=ΦДΦ=)×3
Not only Huamei Meow, but even Klee Meow and Haibara Meow—who had just been playing tag—froze in place, staring in disbelief at Bonnie sudden transformation.
"Sherwin-nii! Come quick, Bonnie just grew up, meow!"
At Klee Meow call, Sherwin and the Felynes, who had been sparring outside the chapel, immediately stopped and hurried back inside.
"The Age-Age Fruit?"
Sherwin, of course, knew that Bonnie would eventually have this ability in the future, but still…
"All the food you've been eating lately was prepared by me and Sanji Meow. I never saw you eat any Devil Fruit! Or did you sneak out at night to eat fruit behind my back?"
Sherwin clutched his head in despair. A Paramecia fruit—right before his eyes! And not just any, but one that appeared in the main storyline! And it ended up getting eaten just like that by Bonnie, this gluttonous girl!
But Bonnie shook her head firmly in denial:
"I never snuck out at night to eat anything! And I've never even seen the kind of Devil Fruit you're talking about!"
"Hm?"
Sherwin didn't think Bonnie was lying. After carefully questioning her, he finally discovered something unusual about her…
Normally, after eating a Devil Fruit, a person would automatically gain a rough sense of the fruit abilities.
Even if they didn't pay attention at first, when activating the power, they would instinctively understand what it was.
However, Bonnie knew nothing about having eaten any fruit at all. Even the ability she had just triggered was activated unconsciously.
If it hadn't been for her chatting with Huamei at that moment and coincidentally voicing her wish to "grow up faster," who knew when this ability would have first been discovered.
Considering the artificially implanted jade scales within her body, her unclear connection to Vegapunk in the future, and those Seraphim that had replicated other people Devil Fruit abilities, the origin of the fruit power inside Bonnie seemed highly suspicious…
He'd have to talk to Kuma about this properly later.
Having made up his mind, Sherwin patted Bonnie head—she had already reverted back to her original form—and said in a deliberately casual tone:
"Well, if you don't remember when you ate it, then just let it go. The Age-Age Fruit ability is still very powerful. If you develop it well, you might even become stronger than Kuma someday."
He paused, then smirked mischievously and added:
"Oh, and when Kuma comes back, you can even surprise him. Try turning him into a little Kuma or an old Kuma—his reaction will definitely be priceless."
"Hehehe… I bet I can really give Father a fright!"
Imagining the scene Sherwin described, Bonnie broke into the exact same kind of mischievous grin as that shameless Hunter.
——