"Modify? What modify?"
The Queen, who had no idea what was going on, looked puzzled.
Kaido briefly repeated what Bai Feng had told him earlier.
"Worororo… Queen, the opportunity's right in front of you. Want to give it a try?"
"Muahahaha! You sure talk big, brat."
After hearing Kaido's explanation, Queen leaned his fat face even closer to Bai Feng. The distance between them was barely the width of a fist. Given the Queen's size, it was practically face-to-body contact.
The scent of a middle-aged man in his thirties washed over him—mixed with the cloying sweetness of desserts and the distinctive stale smoke of a heavy cigar user.
Fortunately, Bai Feng had grown accustomed to the stench of monster droppings back in the New World during his previous life. Otherwise, this might actually have been unbearable.
Seeing that Bai Feng remained unfazed, the Queen continued.
"Brat, do you even know what the essence of a Devil Fruit is?"
"I don't."
In truth, Bai Feng did know.
At its core, Devil Fruit power was simply human desire.
When humanity's intense longing and obsession resonated with certain world rules, Devil Fruits embodying those desires were born.
But Bai Feng had no interest in debating with the Queen.
If he said that, the Queen would inevitably demand explanations—how he knew, where he learned it, how he could prove it—and so on. A needless hassle.
Better to just say he didn't know.
"Muahahaha! I knew it!"
"The essence of Devil Fruits—something even that bastard Vegapunk hasn't figured out. How could a little runt like you possibly know?!"
Having received the answer he wanted and delivered his smug remark, Queen finally withdrew his fat face with a satisfied expression.
"Muahahaha!"
"Even if you probably don't understand any scientific principles, Devil Fruit power is indeed a miracle."
"Since you claim you can modify fruit abilities, go ahead and try it on me!"
"I'd like to see just how far your so-called modification can go."
Queen straightened his bulky frame confidently.
As a top-tier scientist, he had done extensive research into Devil Fruit modification himself.
In the original timeline, he had achieved remarkable results in that field.
For instance, he could detach his head, neck, and tail from his body to form a serpentine Brachiosaurus mode. The unusual hybrid forms of Jack and Black Maria—like centaur and spider-lady forms—were also the fruits of his research.
Thus, he felt no fear whatsoever toward Bai Feng's so-called modification.
In his view, if Bai Feng's alteration turned out undesirable, he could simply modify himself back.
Kaido, too, trusted Queen's abilities enough that he neither stopped Bai Feng nor objected when Queen was chosen as the first subject.
Standing there, Bai Feng looked at the Queen—so brimming with confidence and utterly ignorant of fear—and couldn't help but smile faintly.
He hadn't expected his mission to progress this smoothly.
Though the Queen had mocked him a little, it didn't matter. He would repay that shortly.
More importantly, the pride and self-assurance of Kaido's trio exceeded his initial expectations.
He had originally been worrying about what sort of provocation he would need to get the Queen to accept modification. Turns out, none was necessary.
A childish chuckle escaped Bai Feng's lips as he flipped his palm over. A grayish-white spherical crystal appeared in his hand.
As a world invader, the starter package granted by the will of the Monster Hunter world was naturally more than just reconstructing his body with a Xeno'jiiva egg.
He had also been given two Elder Dragon-tier Fusion Materials.
They were meant to help him establish his first foothold quickly—by creating a sufficiently powerful guardian and gaining the trust of his intended collaborator in the shortest time possible.
The gray-white sphere now in his hand was one such Elder Dragon-tier Fusion Material—
Vaal Hazak's Gem.
Bai Feng had carefully selected this specifically for the Queen.
It complemented Queen's abilities and would allow him to transform a piece of land in the shortest possible time.
"This! Is this how I modify Devil Fruit abilities!"
Bai Feng held out the gem toward the Queen.
"Eat it. Your Devil Fruit ability will undergo a corresponding positive mutation!"
"Eat it and my ability changes?"
The Queen eyed the gem suspiciously, his fleshy face full of distrust.
"Isn't this just a crystal ball? Brat, are you trying to trick me into eating a rock?!"
"This is no ordinary crystal!"
Bai Feng began spouting nonsense with utmost seriousness.
"My ability absorbs the earth's ley line energy to nourish my growth and generate these life-energy crystals!"
"These crystals are entirely formed from life energy! Inside them lies a fragment of nature's governing power."
"As long as it merges with a Devil Fruit, a beneficial mutation is inevitable!"
"Besides, this crystal represents two full years of my accumulation! Giving it to you is already generous!"
The Queen snorted.
"Brat, stop trying to fool me. Anyone can tell you're talking nonsense!"
But at that moment, Kaido suddenly interjected.
"Queen. Try it."
"Boss Kaido?"
The Queen turned in confusion.
"That's a rock! Call it crystal all you want, it's still a rock!"
"The brat isn't lying."
Kaido's voice was low.
"I saw him drain a Wano samurai with my own eyes—turned him into lifeless sand."
"And a once-thriving forest withered completely under his influence."
"The Aragami legend is real. So his ability is likely real too."
He paused, then revealed a slightly feral grin. Bloodthirsty killing intent radiated from him.
"If the brat really tricked you, I'll personally kill him and serve him as your drinking snack."
Hearing that, Queen still felt doubtful—but ultimately decided to follow Kaido's lead.
After all, it was just a rock. If it did nothing, he could vomit it out. He wasn't incapable of using Life Return.
Thus, half-believing and half-doubting, Queen took Vaal Hazak's Gem from Bai Feng and swallowed it in one gulp.
"Ah—"
The moment the gem reached his stomach, it dissolved into a torrent of energy.
Centered in his stomach, it seeped into the stomach lining, then deeper into the cells.
Once every cell of the stomach was occupied, the energy began expanding wildly.
Organs. Blood. Bones. Marrow.
Every part of the Queen's body was flooded with the gem's power.
Then came genetic-level assimilation and modification.
Or, in One Piece terms—
Lineage Factor-level transformation.
To outside observers, the entire process manifested as Queen uncontrollably transforming into a gigantic yellow Brachiosaurus.
The massive dinosaur roared in agony as mutation overtook him.
His thick yellow hide began sprouting metallic-colored scales. His previously clawless limbs grew sharp talons. His teeth lengthened and sharpened. His head took on the decayed, ragged appearance of a corpse.
Moreover, two bulges rapidly swelled at his shoulder blades—
With a violent tear of flesh, a pair of tattered dragon wings slowly unfurled from his back.