Chapter 100: Enhancement of Abilities

As Gao Ning’s finger touched the option, an invisible force suddenly infused into his body. Without warning, a phantom image of a traditional courtyard house appeared in his mind. Then, he sensed a miraculous change occurring within him, intangible yet profound.

His heart stirred, and suddenly a small door opened at his navel. The door, split into left and right halves, revealed a threshold and a smooth floor beyond. Curiously, Gao Ning looked down. Though his body was flesh and blood, such a wondrous transformation was taking place. Pinching his palm, he felt a marked increase in defense. When he clapped his hands together, it felt like bricks striking one another.

At the same time, Gao Ning sensed his weight had multiplied dozens of times. He now bore the mass of an entire residence. Closing his eyes, he imagined himself standing within the courtyard. Then, an invisible energy surged up from the ground, molding into a small version of himself, like pliable clay.

Opening his eyes, Gao Ning found himself standing in the center of the courtyard. Around him were three large tiled houses, but he distinctly sensed that these rooms were inaccessible; only the one-acre plot he stood upon was under his free control. Surveying the space, it measured roughly twenty meters square, about 400 square meters in area — quite a sizable yard.

Dividing it into different rooms seemed as simple as a mere thought. Yet, Gao Ning felt this layout best suited his inner desires. As a native of China, who wouldn’t yearn for their own traditional courtyard home? Nowadays, purchasing such a property costs almost as much as a private jet! Living in such a house marked true wealth.

Feeling the changes within, Gao Ning gradually understood the power of the Castle Fruit. The name was a mere general term; in truth, it allowed him to transform his body into any architectural structure. With continuous upgrades, it was akin to evolving a fortress fruit.

At present, the internal space was limited to a twenty-meter square, freely divisible and configurable. The wall colors were adjustable, though furniture and other items were not. Gao Ning rubbed his chin thoughtfully; it seemed that decorating would have to wait until entering the mission dimension. But that was just a minor detail — no rush.

He decided to test his body’s current strength at the gym. Comparing with his previous records, he had grown significantly stronger. His body’s durability now rivaled that of specially formulated cement walls, completely transcending the limits of flesh and blood. Ordinary bullets were now ineffective against him unless wielded with far greater force; at most, they might break the skin.

His strength had increased more than fivefold. Previously, after pushing his muscles to the limit via the universal medical pod, his punches could only exert about 600 kilograms of force. Now, he could effortlessly deliver blows close to two tons. His weight had ballooned to an astonishing thirty-five tons.

Yet, strangely, walking on sand did not cause him to sink, as though his mass had no relation to gravity. Gao Ning could not comprehend this phenomenon, but such was the mysterious power of the Devil Fruit — sometimes the true explanation lay in the inexplicable.

Having grasped the Castle Fruit’s abilities, Gao Ning hesitated. He had only one upgrade card. Should he apply it to his neutral troops or the Castle Fruit itself? He clearly felt that if he upgraded his bear, it would evolve into a more ferocious beast, growing larger with formidable combat prowess.

But applying the upgrade to the Castle Fruit would greatly expand the internal space and, at the edge of its power, allow him to enlarge himself to some extent. After some deliberation, Gao Ning decided to use the upgrade card on the Castle Fruit. After all, spatial ability was what he needed most now. Only by enhancing his troop-carrying capacity could he maximize his advantage.

Though strong, the bear had many limitations. Outside the forest, it was nearly useless in urban environments. In modern cities, a bear roaming the streets would terrify everyone, and police cars would surely arrive within minutes, ending any mission.

Moreover, upgrading the Castle Fruit would not only enlarge the internal space but also boost his defense. If his durability rose from the level of ordinary cement to that of castle-grade stone bricks, his defense would reach a new tier.

His body and soul could also move freely. In strange dimensions filled with troublesome spirits, he would have a refuge. Any ghost daring to enter his body would face absolute control — ensuring their torment to death.

Resolute, Gao Ning produced a gleaming golden card in his palm and pressed it firmly against his chest without hesitation. A crisp “snap” rang out as invisible energy poured into him, inflating his internal space like a balloon. Gao Ning himself began to grow uncontrollably.

As he rose taller, his body expanded laterally. His skin faded, revealing a grid resembling arranged bricks and stones. His legs vanished, and his upper body transformed into a towering castle dozens of meters high. The elegant cliffside villa around him was crushed into ruins.

With a thunderous rumble, the castle took the villa’s place, seemingly embedded into the cliffside. Gao Ning appeared behind the castle walls, gazing at the familiar scenery, feeling the solid ground beneath him as if grasping it with his fingers, overwhelmed with emotion.

So this was the true power of the Castle Fruit.

The massive castle trembled slightly, then transformed into tank tracks, lifting itself off the ground. The tracks rolled, moving the castle back and forth with a loud rumble. Gao Ning was stunned — it had perfectly replicated even this feature.

Shaking his head, his form gradually shrank back to normal. Looking at the pile of ruins before him, he was somewhat speechless. With a wave of his hand, the villa instantly refreshed and reappeared.

After absorbing the Castle Fruit’s upgrade, Gao Ning clearly felt his abilities enhanced. With newfound power came a strange clarity, as if a mere wave of the hand could expand this entire realm tenfold.

Hesitating briefly, Gao Ning’s thoughts stirred, and the invisible spatial barrier rapidly expanded outward. It felt like a glass dome had been lifted, turning the valley before him into a tangible, touchable reality.

Momentarily stunned, Gao Ning then cheered. Taking a running start, he leapt off the cliff. His body traced a graceful arc in midair before crashing into a nearby pool, sending a towering splash rippling outward.

This was the true meaning of a personal, exclusive space.