Chapter 106 – The True Power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit
"Ding! Detected: Flower-Flower Fruit host has evolved his ability. Acquiring corresponding ability."
Qin Xiao, who had been watching the sparring match between Wolverine and Abomination, received the system notification. The system would only grant feedback of an ability to Qin Xiao once the fruit user had reached a new stage in their mastery. He reflexively checked the system panel:
[12. Flower-Flower Fruit, Hulk Strength]
Qin Xiao straightened up. Has it been Banner or Hulk who developed this new application? Curious, he opened a portal to the vicinity of the S.H.I.E.L.D. branch and slipped into the Mirror Dimension.
As he wandered through the facility, his shock only grew. Dr. Banner, have you turned yourself into a test subject? The entire lab was littered with body parts. In one sector, he found Banner actively experimenting with the fruit, recording video logs of his progress—though he wasn't sure who they were intended for.
Dr. Banner is so diligent; no wonder he triggered feedback for me in such a short time. Since Banner and Hulk are one, the power I didn't get from Banner, I was compensated with Hulk's strength. Qin Xiao was satisfied. He now possessed twice the base strength of the Hulk. Whether it was Abomination or the Hulk himself, anyone who tried to arm-wrestle him would have to kneel.
He continued his inspection. It had been a while, and he wanted to see the progress. In another lab, he saw Dr. Banner studying Hulk's blood. The research didn't seem to be going very well.
Not bad, Dr. Banner hasn't forgotten his end of the contract. Qin Xiao gave a casual nod of approval, but then a realization hit him. Wait a second. Isn't Dr. Banner in the other lab testing the Devil Fruit? How is he already here researching Hulk's blood?
He couldn't believe it and went back to the first lab. Dr. Banner was still there, diligently researching the Fruit.
A... clone? A horrifying thought echoed in Qin Xiao's mind. He never expected that Dr. Banner would have figured out how to use the Flower-Flower Fruit to create clones. This ability was god-tier! It was no wonder the system fed back Hulk's strength; Banner's mastery demonstrated just how thoroughly he understood the Devil Fruit's mechanics.
Seeing Banner's application sparked inspiration in Qin Xiao. He attempted to manifest an identical clone of himself, but he immediately hit a wall: he couldn't multitask. When his focus was on his main body, the clone was rigid; when he focused on the clone, his main body went stiff.
Damn it, so I'm not qualified to use this ability yet? Is this the privilege of genius? And to think, I originally felt the Flower-Flower Fruit didn't suit Banner. Clearly, it was tailor-made for him. For Hulk, it's just a tool for brawling, but for Banner? Two Banners, then three, then four working simultaneously... the thought alone is terrifying.
Qin Xiao dispelled the clone, feeling a bit depressed that he couldn't master it yet. Still, the trip had been worthwhile. He shook his head and left, returning to where Abomination and Logan were located.
Recently, Qin Xiao had been keeping a close eye on their training. Logan was naturally lazy; if Qin Xiao didn't assign him a task, he wouldn't do a thing. Weren't cigars and booze more interesting than fighting? Although his lost memories made him curious about his past, he had spent the last dozen years drifting through life, eating and sleeping, which was a comfortable existence.
However, those "good old days" came to an end when a massive yellow monster appeared beside him. Qin Xiao had given Logan one task: spar with Abomination. What followed was a spectacle.
In the Mirror Dimension, they fought countless battles. Abomination found Logan's Adamantium body to be a persistent headache. If he punched Logan, he'd only end up hurting himself. Those Adamantium blades were not something flesh and blood could touch. Even with Abomination's rapid regeneration, he didn't want to trade blows with Logan. It was a massive blow to his pride—everyone around the Devil Envoy was a freak of nature!
Fortunately, he had a Devil Fruit! Abomination began using the Tremor-Tremor Fruit like a shockwave cannon. Every time Logan tried to close the distance, Abomination would launch a shockwave that sent the Wolverine flying. The monster who originally loved brawling was being forced into a long-range fighting style. Overall, despite Logan's persistence, Abomination was effectively suppressing the Wolverine. The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's ability to handle both long and close-range combat was simply too powerful.
"Blonsky, Logan, today's training will be in the real world," Qin Xiao announced upon his return. "In the Mirror Dimension, the true power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit can't be manifested. But in the real world, this fruit will be terrifying."
This news had no impact on Logan, who was used to real-world combat, but it sent Blonsky into a state of wild excitement. Fighting in the Mirror Dimension had been disadvantageous, and he had yet to discover the fruit's true destructive potential. Now, he finally had his chance.
Qin Xiao opened a portal to a deserted island in the middle of the ocean—small, but enough for two people.
"Hahaha! Finally, I can use my power in this world!" Abomination clenched his fists and took a deep breath.
"ROAARRR—!"
He slammed his fists together. The white ring of light around his knuckles shattered. A violent shockwave expanded outward with him at the center. Qin Xiao, standing on the island, narrowed his eyes.
What followed was a horrific spectacle. Under the force of that single punch, the island felt fragile. The entire landmass vibrated as if struck by a massive earthquake, and the tremors rippled out in every direction.
Whoosh—!
The sound of the ocean waves began to recede. The tide was retreating! Meanwhile, a "tiny" ripple began to surge outward.
BOOM!
BOOM!
A second, even more violent shockwave slammed into the island. This time, the island wasn't just shaking—it was experiencing a genuine earthquake! Blonsky's punch had triggered a seismic reaction in the island and the surrounding tectonic plates. The receding seawater surged back frantically. One meter, two meters, three meters... the vibrations created a massive ten-meter tidal wave that crashed against the isolated island.
Abomination and Logan stared in stunned silence at the natural disaster they had created.
"Is... this the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit?" Abomination felt the power of that punch, a wild, excited grin spreading across his face. A single punch had triggered an earthquake. Qin Xiao was right—using this power to incite earthquakes and tsunamis was child's play. It seemed small now, but if he continued to develop it, he would be a true force of nature.
Logan watched with a sigh. Blonsky had just triggered a localized earthquake. In terms of large-scale destruction, the Tremor-Tremor Fruit clearly outclassed him. He remembered that the Tremor-Tremor Fruit had been an option for him, but because of his hatred for Magneto, he had chosen a power that wouldn't be countered by him. It seems I missed out on a good thing, he thought.
"Blonsky, your punching power can now create earthquakes through the air," Qin Xiao said, instructing him. "The scale depends entirely on your mastery. In battle, you must decide whether to increase the range of the tremors or concentrate the vibration at a single point to amplify your striking power. You've noticed that even with your strength, you couldn't put down Hulk or Logan. That's because your concentrated power wasn't strong enough."
Qin Xiao continued, "Focus on concentrating the fruit's power to a single point. Once you master that, you can trigger large-scale disasters in reverse. And if you want to increase your large-scale destructive power, learning to use resonance will make you even stronger."
Resonance? Abomination's mind raced. If he could find the resonant frequency of Adamantium, could he shatter Logan from the inside out? A bold, dangerous idea began to form in his mind.