"Ahhh!"
"There's an earthquake! Everyone, get outside—open space, now!"
The Columbia State University campus, peaceful only moments before, instantly dissolved into chaos. Professors shouted, students screamed, and crowds poured into the quads in panic.
But within seconds, it became clear—this wasn't just an earthquake.
CRACK!
The ground split open, fissures tearing through the pavement and lawns. From those cracks, a thick, swirling mist of shifting colors rose and spread across the campus, crawling like a living thing.
"Cough—ahh! This gas—!"
"It's poisonous!"
Students who inhaled it doubled over, dizzy, some collapsing while others stumbled into nearby buildings for cover.
The end of the world had begun.
Yet Elric wasn't watching the chaos outside. His attention was locked inward—on the system.
Inside his body's inner space, the Demon Tree had erupted in growth. The sapling that once stood barely a meter tall now towered three times its size, branches swaying in unseen winds.
Then came the voice.
Ding! Congratulations, host—the Devil Fruit Tree has been activated.
Ding! Newbie Gift Pack unlocked.
Ding! Devil Fruit Tree growth +2.
Ding! The Devil Fruit Tree has condensed a fruit—Surgical Fruit obtained.
On its branches hung a single, radiant fruit—red, heart-shaped, pulsing faintly as though alive.
Elric's eyes went wide.
"No way… a Devil Fruit, right off the bat!"
"And it's the Surgical Fruit, of all things…"
Excitement surged through him. As a die-hard One Piece fan, he knew exactly what this meant.
The Ope Ope no Mi—Trafalgar Law's infamous fruit. A Paramecia-class Devil Fruit of almost unmatched potential.
It could save lives—or take them.
Its power allowed the user to summon a ROOM, a spherical "operating theater" where they were godlike master and surgeon. Inside, anything could be cut, spliced, swapped, or stitched together with perfect precision.
Steel could be sliced like paper. Living beings could be severed without pain, blood, or even death. Hearts could be exchanged between bodies.
And at its peak—its user could perform the fabled immortality operation.
Attack, defense, healing, support, control—this was one of the most versatile fruits in existence. Even in the One Piece world, it was ranked among the top five.
Elric's hands trembled as he whispered the command.
"Extract!"
The heart-shaped fruit shimmered, and in the next moment—it was in his grasp, solid and real. His key to survival in the apocalypse had arrived.
Elric couldn't wait. With a single thought, the procedure from the demon tree was extracted from the spatial pocket into his hand. He picked up the surgical tool and, on a whim, nibbled on it.
"Tch, this tastes awful!" he muttered. The bitterness of the demon artifact was unsurprising—like chewing on a mystery no mortal should ever taste.
A few moments later, Elric swallowed the entire operation. Instantly, a holographic screen appeared before him, and a calm, synthesized voice filled the room:
"Ding. Congratulations to the host for acquiring the ability. Displaying ability information now."
Ability Name: Surgical RealityAbility Level: Level 1 {1/10}Acquired Abilities and Skills:
[Operating Table Space ROOM]: Create a circular spatial field with a 50-meter diameter.
[Scan]: Perceive and see through the position and status of all objects and creatures inside the ROOM, like a high-precision CT scan—the foundation for precise operations.
[Exchange Location]: Swap the positions of objects or creatures within the ROOM. The swapped object cannot exceed your weight or mental capacity.
Elric raised an eyebrow. "So there's a hierarchy, huh?"
He studied the abilities, trying to reconcile them with what he expected. Originally, he'd hoped that by taking the surgery, he'd immediately gain powerful skills—like gamma manipulations, piercing fluctuations, or mind exchanges. But he realized the truth. In this world, just as in the legend of Law, mastery comes from years of dedication and development. No one becomes a genius surgeon overnight.
"Alright, Zhen Tong, if I want to improve this ability, how do I level it up?" Elric asked, calming himself. To grow stronger, he needed a clear path—he couldn't simply start learning medicine conventionally and expect instant results.
A gentle chime resonated, and Zhen Tong replied:
"There are three ways to level up the demon procedure:
Practice independently—through actual combat or by enhancing specialized skills (like surgical knowledge).
Absorb supernatural substances capable of granting extraordinary abilities.
Each qualified adopter has a series of rewards; every time you engage in a deep exchange with them, you unlock a reward. Rewards can include rare materials or experience points for your demon procedure level."
Elric's eyes narrowed at the third option. "Deep exchanges?" he murmured. There was something strange—and intriguing—about this method. That said, now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
He shook his head. The surgery was his to test now. But just as he was about to act, movement caught his attention from behind—Natasha was approaching.