"Didn't expect them to be so weak."
"What a waste of my energy."
Amidst the swirling snow, dull "thuds" sounded as Moses delivered an additional kick to the back of each person's head, instantly silencing the surrounding cries of pain.
This outcome wasn't surprising. According to his "Appraisal" skill, their highest attribute barely reached F-rank—merely stronger than ordinary people. For Moses, who possessed Observation Haki and attributes that weren't inferior to theirs, such results were only to be expected.
Moses systematically stripped them of their weapons and valuables.
Thirteen swords. Fifteen guns.
An assortment of bullets.
Some scattered Belly.
After confiscating the guards' weapons and wealth, stacking them to one side, Moses approached the two remaining "VIPs," noting how their chest pockets and backpacks bulged conspicuously.
He reached in and emptied them one by one.
Moments later,
Moses stared silently at two piles of items. One consisted of jewelry and treasures bearing the marks of time, gold and silver wealth. The other contained two small boxes, their locks clearly broken.
Now opened, the boxes revealed two fruits—one purplish-black, the other mushroom-green.
Odd-looking, covered in spiral "arabesque" patterns.
Moses' heart skipped a beat.
[Appraisal]
[Paramecia-Type. Gluttony-Gluttony Fruit (A)]
[Paramecia-Type. Fungus-Fungus Fruit (A)]
Simultaneously, a message came from the "light sphere" in his consciousness:
[Detected items possessing faith and legendary traits. Name: Devil Fruit. Convert into Merit Points?]
Moses understood immediately. Indeed, in this world, Devil Fruits were items imbued with faith and legendary characteristics. He just didn't know the exact conversion rate.
A-rank.
Should yield quite a few Merit Points.
Moses knew.
Devil Fruits came in three main types.
Zoan-Type. Paramecia-Type. Logia-Type.
Within these categories existed sub-types of varying quality, which likely corresponded to different Merit Point ranges.
However.
"The Gluttony-Gluttony Fruit should be considered a top-tier support-type Devil Fruit, possessing both superhuman body and abilities, yet it's only A-rank?"
Moses was puzzled. Since Devil Fruit quality correlated with faith and legend, could it be because previous Gluttony-Gluttony Fruit users were underwhelming, resulting in insufficient accumulation of legendary traits?
Lacking fame.
Unlike those flashy, overpowered abilities like Lightning, Light, Tremor, or Azure Dragon.
His gaze grew distant. It might very well be the case.
Muses mused: 'Legendary traits typically require widespread recognition to accumulate.'
Just then, a "hee-hee-hee" chuckle sounded behind Moses. Without turning, he knew who it was. With a "splat," something heavy landed, kicking up a spray of snow as Bear Cub was casually tossed to the ground by Kureha.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Moses, you're quite capable, aren't you? Taking down over a dozen brats all by yourself."
Moses pressed a hand against Bear Cub's head as it nuzzled into his chest, looking up at Kureha with slight unease. "Doctorine, aren't you angry? I dealt with these people rather harshly."
Kureha circled through the crowd, poking and prodding here and there. Half a minute later, she knelt before Moses and pulled him into a hug.
Ruffling his hair, she said calmly:
"As a doctor, my duty is to heal the sick and save lives, but there are always some people on these seas who deserve to die. I'm not blind—I saw everything clearly just now. They fired first."
"Pulling the trigger means they were prepared to be killed in return. Listen to me—in this godforsaken world, I won't ask too much of you. Just live with a clear conscience and don't slaughter innocents. That's enough."
"Can you do that?"
Sniffing the faint scent of alcohol from Kureha's embrace, Moses thought for a moment before nodding heavily, muttering:
"I'll try."
Kureha laughed, pinching Moses' cheek with a sigh:
"Good enough. At least you're not lying to me. Trying is enough."
Releasing Moses, she clicked her tongue in amazement at the two Devil Fruits placed in a box. "Such rare things. Did you get them from those two little rolling balls?"
Moses nodded. "Found them on those brothers. They're the princes of this country. Doctorine, what should I do?"
Kureha: "What do you want to do?"
"They shot at me—no questions asked. If I didn't have Observation Haki, I might be dead. Bear Cub too."
Kureha watched with amusement as Moses put on an exaggerated show of grievance. Though his words never explicitly mentioned killing, the implication was clear.
"Then why didn't you finish them off before I arrived?" Kureha asked curiously. "You could've done it, right?"
Moses paused.
"...I didn't know if you'd want to see that. You're a doctor. Random killing probably isn't something you'd like."
Hearing his explanation, Kureha fell silent. She ruffled Moses' hair, warmth filling her heart, but her voice carried a scolding tone:
"Idiot. Compared to strangers, your life matters most. Even if they're princes of this country, when they threaten your life, the best solution is to send them all away."
"So... should I dispose of the bodies now?" Moses asked timidly.
Kureha sighed. What was this? Discussing murder and cover-ups with a kid not even three years old. "Let it go this time. Since you didn't act earlier, don't do it now. Leave the rest to me."
"What about me?" Moses asked.
Kureha: "Go home. Take the game you hunted and the spoils with you."
"Oh, and don't eat these two Devil Fruits yet. We have a Devil Fruit encyclopedia at home—third from the top on the bookshelf. Check their effects first. Wait till I return."
"Got it!"
Kureha helped Moses pack up. She watched as he and Bear Cub trudged away, laden with bundles large and small.
Then her gaze turned cold as she surveyed the unconscious guards and Wapol Brothers scattered around. Methodically, she began administering basic first aid.
Soon, under the force of Kureha's slaps, the group stirred awake. Upon seeing Kureha, all but the Wapol Brothers exhaled in relief.
Dr. Kureha.
Age unknown.
The infamous witch of Drum Island—an eccentric but extraordinarily skilled physician.
Mushuru's face twisted in pain as he stepped forward and cursed at Kureha, "Old hag, who gave you the nerve to hit me? Don't think I won't have you killed."
The next moment, a dark shadow flashed—Kureha's foot lashed out, striking Mushuru square in the face with a dull thud. He was sent flying backward with a whoosh, several teeth and a spray of blood scattering through the air.
"Even your king father wouldn't dare speak to me like that. Who gave you the nerve, you little shit?" Kureha retracted her foot and smirked.
Wapol, seeing his older brother kicked away, opened his mouth to speak but immediately shuddered under Kureha's smiling gaze. He clamped his mouth shut and hurried over to his brother.
After a brief exchange, they learned the "snow monster" had vanished by the time Kureha arrived. Whether they believed it or not was another matter.
At that moment, the lead guard, legs still trembling, slowly stepped forward, his face filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Dr. Kureha. If not for your treatment, we might have died here."
The other guards shuddered at the memory of what had happened earlier—that white creature resembling Laboon. It was like a legendary yeti: ghostly fast, monstrously strong, cunning, and with a particular fondness for treasure.
"Hmph. Since you know I saved you, you should also know my rates," Kureha said coolly. "But lately, I'm not short on supplies. Ten crates of plum wine, 100,000 Belly from each of you, and a million from those two annoying brats. I'll come to Drum Mountain's royal castle in three days to collect. Tell the king."
With that, Kureha turned and strode away, vanishing into the snowstorm.
The lead guard stared blankly as she disappeared, then remembered Prince Mushuru and shuffled over with his legs still clenched.
...
By the time Kureha returned, the sky had darkened. Stepping inside, she inhaled the rich aroma of simmering pork rib soup—something she'd left on low heat before heading out.
"Moise, get me a bowl to warm up," she called with a grin.
Moise replied, "Sure."
A simple bowl of bone broth, topped with a few ribs and a sprinkle of scallions, was handed to her. Kureha didn't mind the heat, blowing on it before taking a sip, then lounging on the operating table with her legs crossed.
Neither Moise nor Kureha brought up Wapol or the others. It was an unspoken understanding.
As she savored the broth and gnawed on the ribs, Kureha glanced at the desk and said leisurely, "You checked the encyclopedia? Found out which two fruits they were?"
Moise nodded and explained the names and abilities of the two Devil Fruits. Kureha listened, then scoffed. "They're passable. Now that you know their effects, it's up to you. Eat one if you want—your choice. But remember, you can only eat one Devil Fruit in your lifetime, and afterward, you'll be a deadweight in water."
Moise nodded seriously. "Doctorine, aren't you going to eat one? The Mushroom-Mushroom Fruit lets you generate and control fungi. Shouldn't that be useful for you too?"
Kureha pouted and waved her hand dismissively. "A beautiful young lady like me would never allow any weaknesses in my body. If I wanted to eat one, I would've done so decades ago."
After finishing the ribs in her bowl, Kureha felt her body warm up and happily went back to the pot for more, savoring each bite.
Moses sat at the desk, holding a dark purple Devil Fruit in his right hand while rubbing Bear Cub's head with his left, deep in thought.
"Doctorine, don't you think it would be interesting if Bear Cub ate this Baku Baku no Mi?"
Kureha paused mid-bite, her eyes flashing with surprise before she seriously considered the idea.
"Bear Cub is quite clever and full of spirit. If he eats the Baku Baku no Mi, his body will undergo transformation, potentially eliminating his species' inherent weaknesses. With proper training from you, his abilities could be quite useful in the future."
"That's exactly what I was thinking. If Bear Cub eats it, his body would become a processing factory—capable of consuming and combining various materials. According to the encyclopedia, some effects of the Baku Baku no Mi even overlap with that famous Arms-Arms Fruit. I find it particularly fascinating."
Kureha also found the idea amusing. A food-loving Panda eating the Baku Baku no Mi—what a devilish combination. She quickly finished her ribs and walked over to Moses.
She watched as Moses peeled the Baku Baku no Mi, took out a piece of dark purple flesh, and stuffed it into Bear Cub's mouth. The poor cub's eyes rolled back in disgust, his face twisting as he fought the urge to spit it out.
With a gulp, the fruit was swallowed. The two observed Bear Cub closely, but after a minute, nothing seemed to happen.
So Moses pried open Bear Cub's mouth—now stretched wider than his head—confirming the ability had taken effect.
Without hesitation, Moses shoved the remaining Devil Fruit into Bear Cub's throat, forcing him to swallow it all.
"Eek!"
Bear Cub dry-heaved, tears welling in his eyes as he buried his face into Kureha's chest, whimpering pitifully.
A silent accusation against Moses.
Moses scoffed. "After getting such a huge advantage, you still have the nerve to complain? You'll realize how good I've been to you when you grow up."
Hearing this, Bear Cub's ears twitched. He turned to Moses, confusion evident in his eyes.
Then, his stomach growled loudly. His face took on a pleading expression as he chirped at Moses.
No explanation was needed—he was begging for food.
Shameless.
Moses stood up, went to the pot, and filled Bear Cub's bowl with ribs. Placing it on the stool by the table, he watched as Bear Cub wriggled out of Kureha's arms, grabbed a rib, and started munching loudly—as if it were bamboo.
Kureha's eyes gleamed with interest as she studied Bear Cub. His dietary habits had clearly changed. She pressed a finger against his body, sensing his internal structure.
"I can no longer detect his digestive system. No—it must have transformed into an unknown structure beyond my perception. Fascinating."
She grabbed a syringe, drew some blood and saliva from Bear Cub, and remarked, "His Lineage Factor must have altered. I'll go run some tests. You two have fun."
Thump, thump, thump!
Kureha went upstairs with great interest to conduct her experiments. After glancing at Bear Cub, who was nearly finished with the ribs in the bowl, Moses turned his attention to the other fruit.
[Let's begin.]
With a thought, he placed his right hand on the Mushroom-Mushroom Fruit. Immediately, Moses could clearly sense something mysterious draining from the Devil Fruit—its accumulated faith and legends, condensed into Merit Points.
A few seconds later.
The exterior of the Devil Fruit remained unchanged, but its essence had been appraised!
[Item Name: Mushroom-Mushroom Fruit]
[Item Effect: A foul-tasting fruit that has lost its original utility.]
[Item Evaluation: A Devil Fruit stripped of its essence. Its only remaining purpose is to taste terrible!]
This was the information Moses obtained from the appraisal. A perfect counterfeit. "This could actually be used to trick someone, couldn't it?"
His eyes narrowed, and a mischievous grin curled at the corners of his lips.
Moses silently mourned for the unsuspecting victims of the future—for exactly one second.
Then, he deducted the small surplus accumulated from his daily "check-ins" over the past two and a half years.
[Merit Points +50,000]
An A-grade Devil Fruit yielded a staggering 50,000 Merit Points upon extraction.
A bountiful harvest!
New book by a new author! Fellow seniors, please nurture this sprout with care!
Seeking recommendations! Collections! Follow-up reads! Investments!
PS: [Devil Fruit] Merit Point Extraction: 10,000 → 50,000 → 100,000. Minimum quality B, then A, highest EX.
Zoan-Type: Common Species (B), Ancient Species (A), Mythical Species (EX).
Logia-Type: Generally starts at A-grade.
Paramecia-Type: Standard superpower types (A), special conceptual superpower types (EX).
PS: [Quality and Merit Point Ranges]
F: (100)
E: (500)
D: (1,000)
C: (5,000)
B: (10,000)
A: (50,000)
EX (Beyond A/Conceptual/Demigod/?): (100,000~∞)