Chapter 36: The Devil's Heart
The captain suddenly glared at him.
"Do you really think I'll tell you anything?!"
Law slowly raised his hand.
"ROOM."
In an instant, the space around them distorted. A familiar spherical field spread across the room, sealing everything inside.
The captain froze, his breathing turning uneven.
"I'm a doctor…" said Law calmly. "I understand perfectly how the human body works."
He made a slight motion with his fingers—
"AAAAAAAAAA!!!"
A horrifying scream echoed through the Medical Room.
Law didn't even blink.
"I can cut you into hundreds of pieces… and you will still remain alive."
He paused, his gaze cold and emotionless.
"So… let's not waste time."
The captain was breathing heavily, yet there was no fear in his eyes—only pure contempt.
"I… I won't tell you anything… Do whatever you want, bastard…"
He raised his head and spat directly at Law.
Law merely turned his face slightly to the side, avoiding it, then calmly lowered his hand and grabbed his sword.
"Good. I wanted to finish this quickly… but if that's what you want—then we'll do it your way."
The moment he finished speaking, his blade pierced straight into the captain's right arm.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
The scream this time was even louder, filled with unbearable pain.
The entire Medical Room echoed with it.
Outside, the crew reacted differently.
Bepo flinched and shrank back in fear, trembling uncontrollably.
Shachi and Penguin tried to act tough, but their legs betrayed them, shaking slightly.
Bellamy and Lin, however, remained calm, watching in silence.
When Law finished, the sight inside the room had turned into something nightmarish.
The captain's body had been cut apart—arms, legs, torso—everything soaked in blood.
And yet…
He was still alive.
Law could cut without causing pain.
But he could also do the opposite.
He could amplify it.
And right now… he had done exactly that.
The captain breathed heavily, but even now, there was still no fear in his eyes.
"Ha… ha… is that all you've got?.. If it is… you're wasting your time… I won't tell you anything…"
He glared at Law with burning hatred.
Law narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…He endured it."
He had deliberately amplified the pain several times over.
And still…
This man endured.
Law fell into thought for a brief moment.
"Most likely… a Zoan-type Devil Fruit," he concluded internally.
"They grant abnormal endurance and durability…"
He exhaled quietly.
"Not bad… You endured it. Congratulations."
He paused.
"But…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
Instead—
He suddenly thrust his hand forward and struck directly into the captain's chest… exactly where the heart was.
The captain thought that was the end.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"So… you finally decided to kill me…"
He closed his eyes.
Seconds passed.
But…
There was no pain.
No darkness.
Nothing.
Confused, he slowly opened his eyes again.
And what he saw…
made his entire body freeze.
Standing in front of him, Law was holding a white cube.
Inside that cube…
his heart was beating.
Alive.
At that moment—
something broke inside him.
It wasn't just fear.
It was something deeper.
Something primal.
A raw, animalistic terror.
Seeing that reaction, Law smiled coldly.
"As I said… congratulations."
"You're the first person I've ever used this on."
The captain's pupils shrank.
"And you wanted to know what I'm capable of…"
Law tightened his fingers slightly.
"AAAAAAAAGHHHH!!!"
This scream was no longer human.
It sounded like a beast being torn apart from the inside.
Even Bellamy frowned.
Lin's expression darkened slightly.
Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo nearly collapsed from the sound alone.
When Law released his grip, the captain was shaking uncontrollably.
Now…
there was real fear in his eyes.
He tried to speak, but his voice trembled.
"So… will you talk… or should I continue?"
The captain's entire body was drenched in sweat. His eyes shook violently.
"I—I'll talk…! Just stop… please… I'll tell you everything… just stop…"
Law gave a faint smile.
"Good."
"Speak."
The captain swallowed hard.
"When… I was a teenager… I found it… in a forest… a strange fruit… it was white… shaped like an orange…"
The moment he said that, Law immediately turned his head toward the table nearby.
Several fruits were lying there.
Without hesitation, he walked over and grabbed a few oranges, then turned back.
"See? That wasn't so hard."
His voice remained calm.
"But you chose to play the hero."
He looked directly into the captain's eyes.
"And now… I'll keep my word."
The captain gave a weak, relieved smile.
Finally…
It was over.
But suddenly—
his eyes widened in horror.
CRACK.
Law crushed the heart.
"W-why… you said—"
He never finished the sentence.
His eyes lost their light.
Forever.
Law looked at the lifeless body without emotion.
"I said I would let you go…"
He paused.
"But I never said you'd leave alive."
Silence filled the room.
Law then turned his attention to the oranges.
He waited.
This…
was an experiment.
Back in his previous life, when he watched One Piece, there had been many theories… but no clear answer.
What happens to a Devil Fruit after its user dies?
And then there was Marshall D. Teach, who somehow obtained the power of Edward Newgate during the Marineford War.
No one knew how.
But now…
he would find out.
Minutes passed.
Nothing happened.
Law let out a quiet breath.
"…So it failed."
Just as he was about to give up—
one of the oranges suddenly trembled.
His eyes sharpened.
The fruit began to change.
Its color shifted.
Its surface twisted.
Strange spiral patterns began to form.
Slowly…
it turned completely white.
Law reached out and picked it up carefully, examining every detail.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"…So it worked."
He looked at the fruit thoughtfully.
"If I repeat this method…"
"I can obtain other Devil Fruits."
He turned and walked out of the Medical Room.
The moment he stepped outside—
he stopped.
The entire crew was standing in front of the door.
"…What are you all doing here?"
No one answered immediately.
They were all staring at him.
Bellamy finally spoke.
"Hey, Captain… we heard the screams… so we came to check what happened."
Law didn't respond.
Instead, he raised his hand.
In it—
was the white Devil Fruit.
The moment Bellamy and Lin saw it, their eyes widened in shock.
They understood immediately.
But Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo had never seen a real Devil Fruit before.
To them… it just looked like a strange fruit.
"Law…" Lin said slowly, his voice tense. "Is that… what I think it is?"
Law nodded.
"Yes. That's the Devil Fruit of that pirate captain."
"…How is that even possible?" Lin muttered, still in disbelief.
Then he asked:
"And what are you going to do with it? Eat it… or sell it?"
Law paused for a moment.
He thought about it.
A Zoan-type fruit wasn't ideal for Shachi or Penguin…
But then Lin spoke again:
"If you want to sell it… I know someone."
"Black Market. Auction."
"We can sell it for a very high price."
Law looked at him, then nodded slightly.
"…We'll discuss it later."
Then he turned to Shachi.
"When will we arrive at Flevance?"
Shachi thought for a moment.
"If we follow the current route… we'll arrive by tomorrow."
Law gave a small nod.
And said nothing more.