Chapter 1: The Devil Fruit at the Fruit Stand

“Ao Xin, still struggling to get over your breakup?”

Ao Xin was out on his morning run when he bumped into his roommate, Zhang Qiang. After exchanging a cheerful greeting, Ao Xin continued jogging.

“Tsk, tsk. Looks like the breakup really hit him hard,” Zhang Qiang sighed, opening his textbook on the bench by the track. The crisp morning air was perfect for early reading.

Ao Xin soon finished his daily five-kilometer run. After a brief rest, he moved to the pull-up bar for strength training. A few students who knew him passed by, each sighing and smiling as they went.

Then, a pair of youthful, attractive students walked past. The boy, curious, asked, “Hey, Manman, isn’t that your ex-boyfriend? He’s still at it, huh?”

“You think he’s still not over you, working out so he can win you back with a better body?”

The girl, Manman, merely glanced over with disdain, then turned away and wrapped her arms around the boy’s, pouting playfully, “Who cares? Manman will always belong to Xiong!”

“Haha!” Her coquettish tone delighted the boy, who mischievously squeezed her arm and glanced back at Ao Xin, flashing a smug, “Dragon King” smile.

Pretty boy? Top student? Good physique? In this world, none of that compares to the power of money!

Ao Xin, focused on his workout, missed the scene entirely. It had been a month since he was reborn here—on the very day his girlfriend, Wu Manman, broke up with him.

But this time, he didn’t try to hold on. After the breakup, he threw himself into relentless training, skipping classes even when teachers threatened him with failing grades. He didn’t care.

The apocalypse was coming. Failing classes? Let it happen!

As someone reborn, he knew all too well the horrors of the end times. If it weren’t for certain things in this city, he would have dropped out and gone home to prepare.

Yet, this apocalypse was different from the ones described in other web novels. This one included Divine Gifts.

On the eve of the apocalypse, the first Divine Gift—the Devil Fruit—would appear all over the world. Whoever obtained a Devil Fruit would gain supernatural powers. This power was the true currency for survival. Stockpiling supplies? Useless compared to real strength!

In his previous life, he survived until the second Divine Gift and witnessed countless world-shattering strongmen. Now, with his foreknowledge, he intended to seize every opportunity.

Besides the fruit, a strong body was essential for survival, which explained his dedication to training. Yet everyone simply assumed he was suffering from heartbreak.

After finishing his strength training, Ao Xin leisurely headed to the school cafeteria for breakfast, ignoring the ringing of the class bell. After his meal, he took his customary walk outside the campus to a fruit shop called “Good Life.”

According to reports from his previous life, a Devil Fruit would appear in this very fruit shop. However, he didn’t know the exact time. So, since his rebirth, he visited the shop daily, buying fruit and checking for the Devil Fruit.

“Hey! You’re back again!” The shop owner, a middle-aged woman, sat at the door, idly eating sunflower seeds. Business was slow this morning, so she greeted Ao Xin with a smile.

Ao Xin’s handsome looks always drew attention, and after a month of daily visits, the owner remembered him well. Now, he could buy fruit at a tenth of the price.

“Aunt Mei, have you eaten yet?” Ao Xin greeted her with a smile.

He strolled through the shop, inspecting every fruit. When he reached the peach section, two short, purple branches caught his eye. He parted the mound of peaches, revealing the body of the purple branch.

Beneath the purple branch were yellow leaves, and under the leaves—the fruit itself. It was oval, its surface covered in deep blue-green scales.

No mistake—it matched his memories perfectly.

This was the Devil Fruit of Kaido, Emperor of the Sea: Zoan-type Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Beast Model, Azure Dragon Form. Future reports had pinpointed its location; this was the strongest fruit.

“Excellent!” Ao Xin’s heart soared.

“Huh? What a strange fruit!” Aunt Mei, who had come over, was startled to see the Devil Fruit in his hand.

Naturally, the aunt didn’t watch “One Piece,” and even if she did, no one believed these bizarre new fruits were actually Devil Fruits. Even if someone ate one now, aside from the taste being awful, no powers would manifest.

Only when the apocalypse struck would those who consumed Devil Fruits awaken their abilities.

Ao Xin feigned confusion, “Aunt Mei, this is your stall—don’t you know what it is?”

She shook her head, “I sell fruit, not things like this.”

As he bagged some fruit, Ao Xin said, “Aunt Mei, this weird fruit looks nice. Why not let me have it? I’ll put it on my desk as decoration.”

Aunt Mei saw nothing wrong with that. Such an odd fruit wouldn’t sell anyway, and this boy who bought fruit from her every day seemed likable enough.

“Alright! Aunt Mei will give it to you.”

Ao Xin quickly thanked her, “Thank you, Aunt Mei!”

He paid, took his bag of fruit, and stepped out of the store—just as a burly, middle-aged man approached.

Ao Xin glanced at him, finding his face familiar. Then, his memories from his previous life merged with the man before him—it was the very person who had eaten the Azure Dragon Fruit.

Ao Xin silently rejoiced. Had he arrived a moment later, the fruit would have been taken.

Returning to campus, now that the Devil Fruit had appeared, the apocalypse was imminent. He pulled out his phone and booked a ticket home.

This fruit was his guarantee of strength. With it, he would never let his family suffer again.

There were two other Devil Fruit locations he knew of, but there was no time; he had to hurry home.

He quickly booked a train for five o’clock that afternoon. As he packed his things, he called his father.

“Dad, are you at work? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

He chose his words carefully, because if he told his parents not to leave home, they’d refuse—both were wage earners, not so easy to get time off.

If he said the apocalypse was coming, they’d think he was crazy.

After considering for a while, he said, “Dad, I’m coming home tonight. Can you not work late?”

His father, Ao Kang, was surprised, “What’s wrong, Xin? Aren’t your finals coming up? Why are you suddenly coming home?”

Ao Xin replied, “I miss you guys, and there are some things I want to discuss.”

Seeing his sincerity, Ao Kang agreed, “Alright, I’ll tell my department. I won’t work late tonight.”

“Okay!”

After hanging up, Ao Xin took out the Devil Fruit from the bag. It was truly beautiful.

Eating it now wouldn’t grant any powers; only after the apocalypse would abilities awaken. But every moment the fruit remained uneaten increased the risk.

He hesitated no longer, picked up the fruit, and took a bite.

“Ugh!”

It was as if a swill bucket had been mixed with a septic tank, then scrubbed with a sour rag and shoved into his mouth.

So revolting he nearly threw up.

But he endured.

In his previous life, he’d eaten far worse just to survive.

His spirit was no longer the delicate flower nurtured in a greenhouse.