"This, how can there be a glowing apple??"
Luka had originally just planned to check on Gina before going to bed, but inadvertently, his attention was drawn to a plate of apples on the coffee table.
Logically, it was perfectly normal for Gina's ward to have some fruit.
But the topmost apple on this plate was emitting a white light, the kind only seen from a core component.
'This'
Although he felt a bit confused, he couldn't give up a core component that had come into his hands for free.
Luka simply pushed open the door and walked to the coffee table, reaching out to pick up this 'ordinary' apple.
The next moment, the light blue Golden Finger panel popped up, but upon seeing the information on the panel, Luka's expression became even more solemn.
[Artificial Devil Fruit—Pink Dragon Fruit]
[One Piece World 1/5]
[Manufacturer: Dr. Vegapunk]
[Core Component: An apple blessed by Mephisto]
[Synthesis Consumables: 1 Devil's Soul, 1 liter of Dragon Blood]
[Item Description: This is the first artificial Devil Fruit—the Artificial Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Pink Dragon Form—created by Vegapunk through extracting Kaido's lineage factor after 20 years of research. Although Vegapunk himself publicly declared it a failure, in reality, besides the color being different from the original Blue Dragon Fruit, the abilities this fruit can bring to the user are no different from the original. Transform into a dragon, breathe dragon fire, control wind and thunder. After eating this fruit, anyone can possess the potential to become a top-tier expert.]
[Warm Reminder: The reason Devil Fruit users fear Water is because the Water in the One Piece World contains a unique substance called Seastone Primer. Hmm ~ I think you understand what I'm trying to say?]
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His gaze quickly swept over the description on the panel.
This time, the [Pink Dragon Fruit] was indeed a very good item. Luka had always been bothered by his own body's weakness, and after synthesizing this artificial Devil Fruit, it could greatly make up for this shortcoming.
Moreover, according to the final hint from the Golden Finger, he wouldn't even need to worry about the weakness of fearing Water if he ate the Devil Fruit in this World.
It all looked like benefits.
However, Luka's expression was still very grim at this moment.
It wasn't because the 'Devil's Soul' and 'Dragon Blood' mentioned as synthesis consumables were extremely difficult to obtain.
It was because the core component clearly stated that this seemingly ordinary apple in front of him was actually an apple 'blessed by Mephisto'.
'Damn it! Mephisto? Blessing??'
Seeing these two words together, Luka felt as if lightning was striking.
Who was Mephisto?
He is the embodiment of the Hell Dimension in the Marvel Universe, the ruler of all hellish demons, an aggregate of various evils, playing with conspiracies, manipulating reality, and imprisoning souls.
In short, he is one of the most evil villains in the Marvel Universe.
Yet, this apple in front of him was 'blessed' by him?
What good could something 'blessed' by Mephisto be?
Why would he, a dignified Lord of Hell, gratuitously bestow a 'blessing' upon such an apple?
All sorts of thoughts flashed through Luka's mind, and the 'Demon Apple' in his hand slipped directly, dropping with a 'thud' onto the glass surface of the coffee table.
For the first time, Luka actually felt repulsion and fear towards a 'core component' that had been delivered to his doorstep.
Although he now had some negligible achievements in the technological field, his methods were completely insignificant compared to a mysterious-side big shot like Mephisto.
What if, after touching this 'Demon Apple', the so-called 'blessing' spread to him? Luka didn't dare to imagine how 'blessed' his life would become afterward.
'Shit!'
"White! Come here."
With his vigilance reaching its peak, Luka did not pick up the 'Demon Apple' from the table again. Instead, he prepared to call White, the super scanner, to meticulously examine the unusual aspects of this apple, and then have Hakimi, who was monitoring the entire building, confirm where this apple had come from.
However, the sound of the apple hitting the table just now, as well as his shout, had awakened Gina in the hospital bed.
No, saying 'awakened' might not be accurate. Gina, who had woken from her sleep, did not get up. She merely turned her head slightly, looked at Luka, who had made the sound, with her somewhat hollow eyes, then calmly turned her head back to stare blankly at the room's ceiling. She was like a puppet that had only shown a slight reaction to a stimulus.
However, it was Gina's hollow, lifeless gaze that made Luka feel a chilling sensation penetrate him.
A cold chill descended from his forehead, spreading throughout his body along his spine.
'Puppet, hollow, as if losing her soul...'
'Mephisto!!'
In an instant, the initial chill transformed into surging fury.
Although Luka was still unsure what exactly had happened to Gina—had she truly lost her soul? Or were there other symptoms?
But combining her current state with this 'apple blessed by Mephisto' in front of him, Luka found it very difficult not to connect the two.
Fortunately, at this moment, White, whom he had called earlier, had already activated and started up, taking small steps out of the charging box and proactively asking,
"Luka, I'm here." (●—●)
"Do you need me to do anything? Your adrenaline is rising, heart rate is accelerating, blood pressure is increasing, and cortisol levels are continuously elevating. I can play some soothing music to help you relax."
Listening to White's calm and gentle words, although the music hadn't started yet, it allowed Luka to regain his rationality from the brink of fear and anger.
Forcibly suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, Luka, with a somewhat stiff tone, re-issued his command to White.
"White, scan all the apples on the table. Confirm what makes this apple different from the others."
After speaking, Luka looked up and said to the speaker-monitor on the ceiling,
"Hakimi!"
"I'm here."
"Pull up all the surveillance footage. I want to know where these apples came from! Who touched them before!"
"Understood. Do you need me to infiltrate the surveillance around the building to check the detailed route of fruit procurement?"
Luka gritted his teeth upon hearing this.
"Check it!"
Soon, all this information and data were compiled, and the results of the scan and analysis were presented to Luka.
However, as expected, neither White nor Hakimi could provide any useful information.
Everything seemed so normal. Aside from this apple being exceptionally good in appearance, with a perfect glossy skin, moderate sweetness, and a perfectly regular shape, far surpassing its counterparts in every aspect, there was nothing unusual about its origin or its internal composition.
Looking at the red apple in front of him again, Luka decisively pulled out his Dehydrator Gun.
"No, I must go find Ancient One, that old... Master Ancient One!"
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