Elric shook his head, dismissing his speculation.
There was no point trying to guess the mysterious girl's identity at this stage. He had more pressing matters to attend to. Still, before leaving, he made sure to plant something special—a fixed-point clairvoyant mark anchored directly to the safehouse itself.
If that woman truly was as extraordinarily beautiful as Daisy described, there was no way Elric would let her slip through his fingers. Whether she was reborn, a prophet, or something else entirely didn't matter. What mattered was finding her.
The mark was subtle, invisible, and permanent. The moment she returned to this place, he would know instantly. Distance wouldn't matter. Time wouldn't matter.
When that happened, escape would be... difficult. Very difficult indeed.
After securing the mark, Elric swept his gaze around the room once more. His eyes landed on several unusual potted plants arranged near the window. Their leaves emanated a soft, ethereal glow—faint enough to miss in bright light, but unmistakable in the dim interior.
Just from a glance, he could tell these weren't ordinary vegetation.
"Good stuff."
Without a second thought, Elric extended his hand. The plants vanished in a shimmer of light, stored directly into the Mirror World for later study. Who knew what properties they might possess?
After ensuring he'd taken everything of value, Elric turned his attention back to Daisy. She was still sitting on the floor, looking dazed and overwhelmed by everything that had happened.
"Don't worry," he said gently, offering her a reassuring smile. "Your sisters are waiting for you. You'll see them soon."
Before she could respond, he raised his mirror watch. The glass surface rippled with white light, and Daisy was pulled inside without resistance.
Moments later, inside the Mirror World, a reunion unfolded.
Ivy caught sight of Daisy first. Her eyes widened in disbelief before she rushed forward, pulling her sister into a fierce embrace. Ruby followed immediately after, tears streaming down her face as the three sisters clung to each other.
"You're alive... you're really alive..." Ivy kept repeating, her voice breaking.
Daisy was crying too, nodding frantically as she held both her sisters tight. "I thought I'd never see you again. I thought those men would—"
"Shh, it's over now," Ruby whispered, stroking Daisy's hair. "We're together. We're safe. That's all that matters."
The three of them stood there for a long moment, simply holding each other and crying tears of relief. Nearby, Grace, Natasha, and Jenna watched with sympathetic smiles, giving the sisters space to process their emotions.
After the initial wave of emotion passed, all three sisters turned toward the mirror surface where Elric's reflection could still be seen. They bowed deeply, gratitude shining in their eyes.
"Thank you," Ivy said earnestly. "Thank you for saving us all."
Elric simply nodded in acknowledgment before the mirror shimmered and his image faded.
Outside, Elric stood on the rooftop of the safehouse, stretching leisurely. He'd been out for quite a while now. Time to head back and relax.
He could have simply stepped through a mirror and returned directly to the base island instantaneously. But where was the fun in that?
"Whoosh!"
His body erupted with emerald light as he transformed once more into the Dragon.
Flying was simply more enjoyable. Plus, it gave him the opportunity to scan for any additional eligible adopters along the route home.
The ruins of the city spread out beneath him like a broken puzzle. Collapsed buildings. Abandoned vehicles. Toxic fog clinging to low-lying areas. Here and there, he spotted small groups of survivors huddled in makeshift shelters, but none registered on his system.
More than twenty minutes later, Elric descended onto the base island, his draconic form dissolving back into his human appearance as his feet touched the ground.
He hadn't encountered any new candidates during the return trip, but that didn't bother him in the slightest.
Today's gains were already exceptional.
Laura Lane and her daughter Mia. The three sisters—Ivy, Ruby, and Daisy. Grace, whom he'd rescued earlier. That made six eligible adopters in total.
Plus Mia's facial allergies were nearly cured, which meant she'd likely be ready soon as well. Seven potential additions to his collection.
Not bad for a single day's work.
The moment Elric landed, Grace and Elizabeth were already approaching to greet him. They'd clearly been watching for his return.
Grace had taken on the role of managing the Mirror World and overseeing the base's internal affairs. She was naturally meticulous—part steward, part administrator. Elizabeth had also been staying on the island recently, assisting Grace with day-to-day operations and helping acclimate the newer residents.
"Husband," Grace said warmly, her smile radiant. "Laura and her daughter have finished bathing in the sauna. They've been prepared and are... ready for you."
Elric raised an eyebrow in genuine surprise.
"Already? They agreed that easily?"
He'd expected significant resistance, especially from Laura. The woman was significantly older than him, and she'd fought fiercely when he'd first captured her. He'd assumed it would take at least another day or two of persuasion before the mother and daughter truly accepted their situation.
Yet he'd only been gone for a few hours.
"Yes," Grace replied, a hint of pride in her voice. "They witnessed your battle against that massive tree monster from the observation deck. After seeing the full extent of your power—watching you tear through a creature that size with such ease..."
She paused, glancing at Elizabeth, who nodded in agreement.
"Well, let's just say their perspective shifted considerably," Elizabeth added. "After that, the rest of us spent some time talking to them. Explaining how things work here. Showing them the safety and comfort of the base compared to the wasteland outside."
"They came around," Grace concluded simply.
"Mm." Elric nodded in satisfaction. "Good work, both of you. You've handled this well."
"Thank you for the praise." Both women beamed, leaning into his arms from either side, their soft warmth pressing against him. Their expressions were filled with genuine affection—and perhaps a hint of calculation.
After savoring the moment, Elric straightened and spoke calmly.
"There are four more girls in the Mirror World now—the three sisters and another woman named Jenna. Take them to bathe properly, then arrange comfortable rooms for each of them. Explain the rules and expectations while they're here. Make sure they understand their situation clearly."
"Yes, husband!" Grace and Elizabeth responded in unison, not the least bit troubled by the additional work.
If anything, both seemed eager to perform well. They were clearly hoping to earn the privilege of obtaining that coveted Slippery Fruit in the future.
As they hurried off to attend to their duties, Elric didn't immediately seek out Laura and Mia.
Instead, he retrieved two items from his storage—spoils from his earlier battle.
The first was the massive ability crystal, over twenty meters in length, taken from the tree monster's core. It pulsed with concentrated supernatural energy, its surface reflecting rainbow light.
The second was the tree heart itself—the monster's true essence, dropped when the creature finally died. It was roughly the size of a basketball, deep emerald in color, and emanated an aura of pure vitality.
Both items radiated dense supernatural power that made the air around them shimmer.
"These should be high-grade materials..." Elric mused, examining them carefully.
Based on previous absorptions, he estimated they might grant around three hundred Devil Fruit experience points combined. Maybe four hundred if he was lucky.
Without further hesitation, he placed his hand directly on the enormous crystal.
"Whooo—"
The crystalline structure immediately began to dissolve, melting like ice under intense heat. Streams of pure energy flowed into his body, warm and invigorating. The sensation was intoxicating—like drinking liquid lightning.
The system's mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
Ding. Detected absorption of supernatural substance. Converting to Devil Fruit experience points: 600.
"...Six hundred?!"
Elric's eyes widened in genuine shock.
He'd expected both items together to barely reach three hundred points. Yet this crystal alone had provided six hundred—double his estimate.
He'd clearly underestimated just how powerful that tree monster had been. If not for his overwhelming advantage in abilities, that fight could have been significantly more dangerous.
Suppressing his excitement, Elric didn't allocate the points immediately. Instead, he reached for the tree heart with both hands.
The moment his fingers made contact, the heart pulsed like a living organ. Dense energy—far more concentrated than the crystal—began pouring into him in waves. His entire body tingled as the supernatural power integrated with his cells.
Just as he'd suspected—another supernatural substance. And apparently a far more potent one.
Several minutes passed before the tree heart finally dimmed, its power fully absorbed. The vibrant emerald color had faded to a dull gray.
The system announcement followed immediately.
Ding. Detected absorption of supernatural substance. Converting to Devil Fruit experience points: 2000.
"...Two thousand?!"
Even Elric, who had grown accustomed to the system's mechanics, couldn't hide his astonishment.
This single tree heart had provided two thousand experience points. That was more than everything else he'd absorbed combined. The value was absolutely absurd.
"Crack—"
Unlike the crystal, which had vanished completely, the tree heart didn't dissolve entirely. At its core, something remained.
Several emerald-green seeds tumbled out, rolling gently across the table surface. They were roughly the size of walnuts, perfectly smooth, and emanated a faint warmth.
"...What are these?"
Elric picked them up carefully, turning them over in his palm. They felt alive somehow, as if containing dormant potential waiting to be awakened.
Whatever they were, one thing was certain—these seeds were anything but ordinary.
He set them aside carefully for later study, then finally allowed himself to smile.
Today had been exceptionally productive.