The object was remarkably smooth—Akira had rarely seen anything so perfectly spherical, its surface almost entirely free of imperfections.
This was his second impression of it. His first was the overwhelming density of life energy it radiated.
This was an item with the same effects as [Nitro Rice]!
Akira was certain of it.
In fact, the potency of this single item surpassed that of one or two servings of [Nitro Rice].
The vast life energy was condensed within this single "sphere."
And this spherical object was unmistakably some kind of fruit!
[Melori]: Its skin is yellow, and its shape is a perfectly regular sphere—so much so that it could roll effortlessly if placed on the ground.
Primarily produced by a certain demon beast tribe on the eastern side of the Dark Continent, where [Melory Trees] are commonly cultivated.
These trees bear only one type of fruit, producing a harvest once every three years.
However, only a small portion of these fruits meet the quality standards to be called [Melori],
earning the name of the tree itself.
On average, ten [Melory Trees] yield just one [Melori] every three years.
Among these fruits, [Melori] is undeniably the most effective, providing a substantial amount of life energy.
It aids in extending lifespan, enhancing physical constitution, and more...
The remaining fruits, though unworthy of the [Melori] name, are still considered valuable resources within the demon beast tribe.
It can also enhance physical fitness and provide some life energy, though its effects are far inferior to those of the [Melori].
Fruits of this lower quality are referred to by them as [Lory].
For the local magical beast tribes, this is one of the few safe ways they can increase their strength.
Magical beasts generally have long lifespans, so they place greater value on the strength-enhancing effects of the [Melori].
But in Don's eyes, the life-extending property is clearly more important.
Thus, through bartering, Don obtained three [Melori] from the magical beast tribes.
After consuming the second one, he noticed the extended lifespan was significantly reduced, so he hesitated to take the third.
Instead, he decided to keep it as a resource for future exchanges.
...
"That's pretty much it. So this [Melori] meets the conditions you mentioned—it can extend lifespan."
Don held the [Melori], about the size of two fists, and briefly explained its origins and effects to Akira.
Don didn't seem particularly thrilled about having something to trade for [Nitro Rice], as if it were routine.
After all, having spent centuries on the Dark Continent, he had engaged in bartering many times.
This was also why he kept many items and even went to the trouble of crafting spatial psychic tools.
If his accumulated experience over the years was precious, then these reserves were equally valuable.
It could be said that anything worthy of being stored in his spatial psychic tools was of considerable worth.
Akira nodded, examining the sweet-smelling fruit, and said frankly:
"[Melori], huh... It does seem to meet my requirements."
By every measure, this so-called [Melori] fit his needs.
It was a [Hope] that could extend lifespan.
In fact, the fruit's value might even go beyond that.
After a brief inspection, Akira suddenly realized something.
Since it's a fruit, could there possibly be a pit inside—a seed?
With other special fruits, it might be hard to say, but since this is a pear, it should have a pit, right?
As long as there was a pit, even just one, Akira was confident he could grow thousands of [Melory Trees] from it.
Then, [Melori] would become an inexhaustible resource for him, just like [Nitro Rice].
After finishing a meal of rice cooked with [Nitro Rice], he could enjoy a few [Melori] as dessert.
Suppressing his thoughts, Akira had already made up his mind—he would secure this [Melori] no matter what.
Lifting his head slightly, Akira said with evident satisfaction:
"Good, this really does meet my requirements."
"So, how much [Nitro Rice] do you want in exchange for this fruit?"
Instead of directly offering an amount, Akira let Don name his price.
Hearing this, Don glanced at the [Melori] in his hand, then turned to look at the vast field of wheat nearby.
After a moment, the corner of his mouth curled into a rare smile as he said softly:
"Then give me two stalks."
He intended to trade this [Melori] for two stalks of [Nitro Rice].
"Two stalks, huh..." Akira murmured, his gaze involuntarily drifting to the sea of rice beside them.
He wasn't thinking that Don was asking for too much or hesitating to agree.
Rather, Don's request was surprisingly modest.Two stalks of [Nitro Rice] might sound like more than a single [Melori], making it seem like Akira got the short end of the stick.
But in reality, Akira could sense that the [Melori] radiated an incredibly vibrant life energy.
Just this one fruit alone could rival the life energy of three or four stalks of [Nitro Rice].
I wonder what conditions are required for this particular tree to bear fruit, or how it manages to produce such bountiful life energy.
Calling it a [Life Fruit] wouldn't be an exaggeration.
By comparison, Akira clearly noticed that Don was making concessions, not driving a hard bargain and even asking for less than expected.
This was a deliberate choice on Don's part.
First, two stalks of [Nitro Rice] were nearly enough for him. After all, the more one consumes, the less effective it becomes.
When he first encountered [Nitro Rice], he had already eaten one stalk.
Moreover, [Nitro Rice] was different from ordinary rice.
Not only did it grow taller, but its ears were also fuller and more abundant—a single stalk weighed as much as several ordinary rice plants.
Based on his estimates, two more stalks would likely be his limit.
Second, giving Akira a larger share was also a gesture of goodwill.
Don was neither blind nor foolish—he fully understood what Akira's level of skill implied.
Such a figure should be befriended, not antagonized.
He had no doubt about Akira's capabilities; if the man felt like it, wiping Don out would be effortless.
There was no need to haggle over such "petty gains." Better to yield some benefits proactively as a sign of goodwill.
Akira gave Don a meaningful glance before nodding and saying:
"Fine, two stalks it is."
With that, Akira flashed away, reappearing moments later with two stalks of [Nitro Rice] in hand.
Upon closer inspection, one would notice these two stalks were slightly larger than average.
Akira had deliberately picked two of the bigger ones, effectively offsetting the value of the [Melori].
Don let out a wry chuckle and handed over the [Melori] in exchange for his prize.
He understood Akira's intent—the man didn't want to owe favors lightly.
After all, debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay.
Don sighed inwardly, though a flicker of joy soon surfaced, tugDon at the corners of his lips.
Though the process had been… unexpected?
At least he had secured the [Nitro Rice], giving him more confidence for the journey ahead.
No—
Don's expression froze briefly as he glanced at Akira, realizing this wasn't his greatest gain from this trip.
If anything, meeting Akira was the true reward.
Finding a fellow traveler like him outweighed all other gains.
Though Don hadn't ventured too deep into the darker regions, he had wandered enough to know a thing or two.
He estimated that Akira's strength was nearly sufficient to roam the Dark Continent freely—if not entirely, then close.
Aside from the deepest rumors he'd heard during his travels, or certain rule-based anomalies,
nothing else would pose a threat to Akira.
Don was certain of that.
While Don was lost in thought, Akira inspected the [Melori] and, finding no issues, began eating it right away.
Unlike [Nitro Rice], [Melori] didn't require cooking—it could be consumed directly.
As his teeth pressed against the skin, Akira found it surprisingly tough, like biting into parchment.
This was one of [Melori]'s self-defense mechanisms.
The resilient rind effectively deterred pests and other hazards.
In a way, it also helped preserve the fruit for other creatures.
If it shattered at the slightest touch, few creatures would choose to keep it, opting instead to eat it immediately upon picking.
Though the skin was tough, against an SS-rank like Akira, the peel was still no match.
With a gentle bite, his teeth pierced the outer layer, and instantly, abundant juice burst open in his mouth.
The white flesh was extremely juicy, bursting with copious amounts of liquid at the slightest press, flooding his mouth in no time.
Akira felt less like he was eating fruit and more like drinking juice—downing a huge gulp all at once.
A sweet flavor blossomed on his tongue, the intense sugariness traveling from his taste buds to his brain, while a rich fruity aroma wafted out.
Realizing the juice was flowing endlessly, Akira quickly gulped it down.
Even without chewing, an endless stream of juice poured out.
If he drank too slowly, the juice would spill, wasting it.
Streams of pure white juice flowed down his esophagus into his stomach, where a surge of life energy erupted.
Akira only felt a warmth in his stomach before waves of heat radiated outward to his limbs.
Every cell in his body greedily absorbed this "imperial feast" of nourishment wherever the warmth spread.
For a moment, boundless strength surged within him, and he felt his vitality grow even richer.
Seeing this, Don stroked his short stubble and chuckled as he reminded him:
"This [Melori] is indeed quite special—you have to be careful when eating it."
"That tough outer skin evolved to protect the fragile flesh inside."
"Once the skin is broken, even without biting, the slightest disturbance will turn the flesh into a thick juice."
"You could say that beneath the peel, the [Melori] is essentially one big juice pouch, similar to a coconut."
Don still remembered his first time eating a [Melori], wearing the same astonished expression as Akira now.
This time, Akira took Don's words to heart, letting his body digest the energy while chugDon down the [Melori].
Fortunately, the [Melori] wasn't large, and soon Akira had devoured every bit of flesh inside.
In the end, he didn't even spare the outer peel.
Because he discovered the peel had its own unique flavor.
The flesh inside was overly sweet—eating it all at once could make it cloying.
But the peel had a slight tartness, which helped balance the discomfort from the sweetness.
Hmm… good thing he had washed the [Melori] before eating it.
As he carefully sensed the changes in his body, a faint sweat broke out on Akira's forehead, his body temperature rising.
After a while, it returned to normal.
Outwardly, he didn't seem to have changed much—and indeed, that was the case.
After all, he was only in his twenties, still young.
Moreover, after consuming [Nitro Rice], he had gained eight hundred years of lifespan, making his appearance even more youthful.
Now, even after eating the [Melori], his looks hadn't shifted much.
Just a slight improvement on an already handsome face.
Akira felt that these life-extending [Hope]s were, in a way, also [Hope]s for becoming more handsome or beautiful.
After all, as life energy and physical constitution improved, so too would one's appearance—always trending toward the better.
Over time, those who consumed this [Hope] should all become handsome men and beautiful women.
However, Akira was more concerned about the increase in lifespan.
After carefully sensing the changes, Akira relaxed his brows and roughly estimated the number of years added to his lifespan.
Two hundred years.
This was the lifespan a single [Melori] had granted him.
Of course, part of the reason was that [Melori] itself was incredibly potent, but the significant boost was largely thanks to Snorlax.
For others, consuming it might only extend their lifespan by sixty or seventy years.
Yet, even a single fruit capable of adding sixty to seventy years was already extraordinary.
Thus, after consuming [Nitro Rice] and [Melori] in succession, his lifespan had increased by approximately a thousand years.
Even without counting his original lifespan, he could now live a full millennium.
And this... was just the beginning!
Suppressing his excitement, Akira carefully stored the spherical object left after eating.
It was about the size of a walnut, with a brown, rugged surface that closely resembled one.
This was the seed of [Melori].
With it, an unlimited supply of [Melori] was within reach.
Just by relying on [Nitro Rice] and [Melori], Akira was confident he could add another thousand years to his lifespan.
And what about the future?
Akira felt that he might achieve immortality without even needing legendary Pokémon like Xerneas or Ho-Oh.
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