The activation of the system and the awakening of his Nen ability had come suddenly, but they were a welcome surprise.
Still, both the Operation Fruit and his Nen were newly acquired, and Law couldn't use either with real proficiency yet.
That left him with one clear goal:
"The story starts in six months."
"Before that, I have to master both Nen and the Surgery Fruit as quickly as possible."
A confident smile crossed Law's face.
For most people, perfecting Nen would take months, maybe years…
But as a rare doctor on Meteor City , he had an endless flow of patients. Using them to sharpen his newly awakened ability would be effortless.
As for mastering the Surgery Fruit,
Trafalgar D. Water Law's (fictional character from one piece and is the captain of the Heart Pirates.) development provided an ideal roadmap.
And regarding the "plot"…
Only half a year before it begins?
He chuckled softly. He was certain he could master both Nen and the Surgery Fruit long before that deadline.
With that conviction,
he set out to familiarize himself with the abilities of the Surgery Fruit.
"ROOM—Shambles!"
"ROOM—Takt!"
For his training target, of course, he used the same corpse.
Under his commands, the body shifted endlessly, twisting into different shapes mid-air or drifting weightlessly around the room.
"…"
Shizuku observed the scene in silence, understanding that Law was practicing his new abilities.
Without disturbing him, she took a seat and immersed herself in her book.
And at that same moment,
while Law was busy honing his abilities,
in the Elder's mansion of Meteor City's Third District, sunlight poured into a pristine room.
The air carried the sharp scent of disinfectant, and the expensive machines — worth billions of Jen — beeped rhythmically in the background.
A young girl slept quietly on a white hospital bed,
the sunlight wrapping her in what looked like a soft, transparent layer of gauze.
Outside the room,
an elderly man stood silently, watching the scene with calm eyes that radiated kindness.
But a moment later,
his expression shifted.
The warmth faded, replaced by an unreadable stillness.
"Number 3 …"
"Yes, Elder Dio!" A dark-haired woman stepped out of the shadows.
"4 years," he said quietly.
"Alice has been lying there for four years!"
"And all this time, you've brought me nothing but one useless doctor after another. None of them could cure her."
"Perhaps…"
"You no longer have a purpose."
His voice remained soft, almost gentle—making it impossible to tell what he was truly thinking.
As his voice faded,
the black-haired woman immediately dropped to her knees, her expression filled with terror.
"It's all my fault!"
"My lord, please—give us a year… or even half a year!"
"We will find a doctor who can save Miss Alice. Please, allow us one more chance…"
"3 months."
The old man's sudden interruption froze her.
Three months… Her eyes widened.
Then, forcing herself to accept it, she lowered her head.
"Yes… I understand, Lord Dio!"
After receiving a clear answer,
the old man's eyes grew distant as he muttered softly:
"Alice…"
"Grandfather will bring you back… I promise."
From beginning to end,
his gaze never once left the girl lying in the hospital room.
At that moment, after walking a hundred meters, the brunette beauty paced back and forth, impatience etched on her face.
Although she had narrowly escaped death this time, she knew all too well that if Miss Alice's illness wasn't cured within 3 months, the outcome would remain unchanged.
What should she do?
What on earth… could she possibly do?
Desperation, helplessness, frustration, and a flood of negative emotions consumed her mind.
For years, she had searched the world over — consulting doctors and specialists in a desperate bid to revive Alice.
Yet, for four long years, no one had succeeded.
How could it possibly be done in just three months?
Still, she couldn't give up. Perhaps, with a stroke of luck, someone capable might finally be found.
With a heavy heart, she summoned all her men.
"Do whatever it takes" she ordered.
"Leave no stone unturned—find a doctor or someone with exceptional and special abilities who can save Miss Alice!"
Time flew by.
A month and a half passed in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, the legend of [Death Surgeon] quietly spread across Meteor City .
[In a quiet corner of the district]
[a clinic named "7 Nights" had opened its doors.]
[The doctors there were highly skilled. No matter one's status, anyone who offered even a simple piece of food as a consultation fee could receive proper medical care.]
Rumors of the clinic and its mysterious healer spread like wildfire across the district.
The legend gradually spread to the neighboring Meteor City Second and Fourth Districts.
Soon, patients from these two districts began deliberately traveling to the Third District, seeking out the Seven Nights Clinic after hearing the stories.
Yet, Only a handful were aware of the final warning in the legend of the Death Surgeon:
[Greedy ones, remember to follow the rules… or you will lose everything!]
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Ope Ope no Mi Techniques :
ROOM—Shambles : Within the space created with ROOM, Law can swap the positions of any object inside, cut any desired object, and attached to living or not living creatures.
ROOM—Takt : Law uses his ability to levitate an object within his ROOM in a telekinetic manner. To use this technique, Law first performs a lifting motion with his index finger to get the object off the ground.