Hiss--
Sig gasped for breath as he performed the eyeball implantation surgery on himself...
It doesn't hurt, the pain receptors around me have already rested, but I feel that with this bloody mess, I should take a deep breath and adjust to the situation.
Prior to this, Sig had already lost three eyeballs, none of which were due to surgery; his hand was just that steady!
Two of them experienced a collapse of their Lineage Factor during the "induced Lineage Factor mutation" process; one turned into pus, while the other continuously grew granulation tissue...
Fortunately, thanks to the "Rose Bishop's" ability, Sig's eyes still retained sensation even after leaving him, allowing him to pinpoint the exact location of the problem. After only two corrections, he completed this step.
The third one was successfully induced to mutate, but after being implanted, a Lineage Factor conflict occurred. In a moment of carelessness, the modified eyeball was "digested" by Sig's powerful body.
This is the fourth one...
Because of the change in Lineage Factor, and because Sig needed to suppress its uniqueness, the third eyeball became different from Sig's two eyes, even the pupil was pale silver, and at first glance it looked completely white.
After the implantation surgery was completed, Sig closed his three eyes to rest for a while, then looked out the window...
To avoid ruining his new eyes due to rejection again, Sig specially changed the way his nerves and blood vessels were connected. However, this meant that when he started using his abilities, there would be a noticeable reaction in the surrounding area, similar to a rash appearing during an allergic reaction.
Sig didn't have a rash; instead, the blood vessels around his eyes were bulging.
At the same time, from Sig's perspective, the line of sight was instantly stretched far away, even passing through buildings, walls, plants... all the way to the sea. Under Sig's control, it was not limited by the planet's horizon, and the line of sight continued to extend along the sea surface!
That's right, Sig's third eye now possesses both "super long-range vision" and "X-ray vision" abilities.
With the bulging blood vessels around the eyes, it looks very original and definitely meets the requirement of "creating a new Devil Fruit ability"!
Although it's essentially a downgrade of the "Glint-Glint Fruit," lacking the abilities of "mind reading" and "tears turning into knives," its effects in "extreme long-range vision" and "X-ray vision" are definitely on par with a typical Devil Fruit.
This allowed Sig to more directly perceive the evolution of the "Secret Art Master" compared to the "Polymath"...
Although developing secret techniques is much more difficult than learning other Pathway, the effects of self-developed secret techniques are fully realized!
The same applies to this world. Even if the Devil Fruit ability that Sig "learns" are compatible with his own Pathway, he can only imitate them to a maximum of 50% or 60%, with most of them only achieving 10% or 20% of the effect.
However, the developed "Devil Fruit ability" may have a worse and more limited effect, but it can still be fully utilized!
For example, the current "Byakugan" ability, if compared to Devil Fruit ability, is clearly a lower-level fruit than the Glint-Glint Fruit. It has all the abilities of the Glint-Glint Fruit, and it also has abilities that the Gaze- Glint-Glint Fruit doesn't have.
However, Sig's ability to imitate the Glint-Glint Fruit would never achieve his current visual range...
Although it is slightly weaker than the Glint-Glint Fruit in individual aspects, with a limit of about 3,000 kilometers, it can still be considered a success for Sig!
However, just as Sig breathed a sigh of relief, his forehead and eye sockets felt hot again, and then...
The white pupils gradually turned black, and some pus and blood flowed out.
"Tch," Sig scoffed.
My abilities have been "washed away" again!
Furthermore, at this point, Sig was already controlling his powerful flesh-and-blood assimilation ability; the reason he was "washed away" this time was not due to Sig's physical condition.
However, it wasn't all for nothing, because Sig had probably already figured out the reason!
Actually, Sig had a vague premonition when he failed last time...
In this world, directly targeting Lineage Factor will be subtly interfered with by some kind of force.
Therefore, the "fruit" is still a necessary condition— the Promotion Ceremony for "Secret Art Master" is to "create Artificial Devil Fruit," not just "develop secret techniques," which already explains the problem!
Sig originally wanted to take a shortcut: first, disassemble his "parts," then use scientific methods to induce mutations, and then implant them back in, inducing himself to gain new abilities in reverse, and finally find a way to package the "Devil Fruit ability" into the carrier Devil Fruit... This idea was obviously not feasible.
Devil Fruit seem to be a prerequisite for "gaining new abilities"!
In this world, it can be said that the "Secret Art Master" develop secret arts precisely to create new Devil Fruit...
Sig could acquire the abilities of the fruit without eating it, simply by listening, but the fruit is still essential!
Unless Sig grows and develops entirely autonomously, instead of being operated on externally.
"At least the ability development is complete..." Sig muttered to himself, then looked at a potted plant by the bed, where saplings had already sprouted.
Sig wiped the pus and blood from his forehead and then buried it in the flowerpot.
With the ability development complete and fruit planting progressing steadily, once the first batch of fruits ripens, Sig can proceed with the final step—inserting the ability source into the fruit.
The only method Sig can think of right now is to continuously record his ramblings and illuminate them with "holy light"...
The inspiration comes from Sig's own acquisition of Devil Fruit ability through listening, so does that mean simply "recording" something is enough?
Sig has now completed the role of Sequence 6 in both the "The Hanged Man Path" and the "Sun Path"—both are experts at "corrupting" other beings, with a powerful radiating influence...
If none of that works, Sig still has other options, such as... finding a Devil Fruit, training and modifying it, and then stuffing it into Artificial Devil Fruit!
Well, once it's successful, Sig plans to name it "Original White Eye Fruit".
Just then, the mailbox outside rang, Sig knew it was the latest newspaper.
The experiment was tiring, especially since it strained his eyes. Sig was too lazy to go down and get it, so he just leaned against the window and looked down...
Although he didn't manage to save his white eye, at such close range, Sig could still see it using imitation. Even a sheet of iron can be seen through with imitation!
By examining each page with a perspective lens, one can see almost the entire newspaper.
Where did the boss and the others go?
After looking through the first three versions and finding no information about the Red-Hair Pirates, Sig guessed that there was probably no hope for the rest, and just browsed around out of boredom.
But just then, Monet, wearing a green sleeveless shirt and white shorts, happened to be collecting the newspaper...
Monet suddenly felt a bit awkward—even though her Observation Haki was only so-so, the power of the "Glint-Glint Fruit" made her "very easily detectable direct gaze" when activated.
What a coincidence! Sig didn't do it on purpose.
When Monet turned her head, Sig waved to her naturally.
Hmm, Monet really did like leopard print...