Develop Fruit Ability!

The door appeared, and then it disappeared.

The Viper observed Max patiently repeating this seemingly mundane task again and again, speculating that he might be honing his Ability.

But for what purpose?

Was he trying to increase the speed at which the door opened?

It did seem slower than before.

"Roar..."

Max took a deep breath and slumped into a chair, visibly exhausted. His body trembled slightly from fatigue, and sweat dripped from his forehead and cheeks. Using Devil Fruit abilities clearly consumed a significant amount of physical energy. Max had good physical stamina to begin with, and he hadn't used his Ability extensively for such an extended period in quite some time, so he hadn't noticed the strain until now.

However, it wasn't without progress; he had discovered something during this repetitive process.

The door's construction was driven by one's thoughts.

To illustrate, the Devil Fruit Ability acted as the pigment, the underlying cause of the door's existence. One's thoughts acted as the paintbrush, and the spot they touched became the canvas. The paintbrush constructed the door on the canvas with paint, essentially forming the door.

The door's existence didn't reside in the paintbrush or the canvas but rather in the paint itself.

Yet, every time the door was created, it seemed as if the paint ran out, with no follow-up supply. Thus, the door couldn't continue to exist. The key was to continually provide the paint!

Having clarified this crucial point, Max felt he was on the brink of a breakthrough. Max contemplated how to achieve this while regaining his strength.

According to his initial estimation, he would need at least four or five hours of rest. However, after just an hour, Max sensed that his strength had almost fully recovered. This was an indirect benefit of possessing Self-healing Ability.

One step at a time, day by day.

Apart from eating and sleeping, Max dedicated three days to this practice. Even when he briefly experimented with the Sais, he would set it aside and return to his study.

Finally, on the fifth day, Max achieved success.

With a wave of his hand, about ten seconds later, a door materialized in the air.

Without opening the door, Max waited as time ticked by.

The door remained in front of Max the entire time.

Simultaneously, Max felt the drain on his physical energy. As time passed, Max glanced at a timer he had prepared.

One hour and forty minutes remained.

Max experienced a sudden wave of dizziness, and the door in front of him vanished. With his best effort, he could maintain it for approximately two hours. This should not be underestimated; in a battle against multiple opponents, this ability could prove immensely valuable. Additionally, the door's size and complexity influenced the extent of its energy consumption, and the "gate of the soul" didn't require excessive size, which naturally reduced the energy consumption and extended its duration.

Furthermore, Max noticed that over the past few days of intense training, his physical strength had improved significantly, particularly in terms of recovery speed—a credit to his Self-healing Ability. According to the Viper, frequent use of the Self-healing Ability accelerated the process of integration with his body. Genetic resistance diminished over time, which was indeed a pleasant surprise.

If consumption and recovery could reach a balance, maintaining the "gate of the soul" for extended periods would no longer be a challenge. One major obstacle was nearly overcome, leaving only the need to practice the techniques necessary for constructing the "gate of the soul" and achieve a balance between consumption and recovery. The next hurdle would be to figure out how to genuinely and spiritually construct a "gate of the soul."

However, before delving into these matters, Max had plans to leave this place.

The reason? Mariko was here!

In recent days, Mariko had been managing the company's affairs and consolidating her power to stabilize the company's situation. With these matters finally resolved and Max having crafted his Sais and other tools, it was clear that he couldn't remain here indefinitely.

Inside their room, Mariko entered, her face marked by exhaustion, and approached Max.

Just as Max was about to speak, Mariko suddenly reached out and silenced him.

Max looked at Mariko, and she quietly uttered, "Although I've worked hard for this moment for a long time, it's only now that I realize how challenging it has been after taking over, and how complex the company's situation is."

"Even though the situation is stable now, I'm exhausted, and it's only going to get more demanding in the future."

"So, please, don't talk—just kiss me!"

.....

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