The whole ship lurched as its structure went off balance, tilting heavily to one side.
Bullet dropped back down to the deck, feeling out the lingering echoes of what he had just done.
"As expected..."
He murmured to himself.
"I can devour and convert matter too."
"The efficiency is low though."
But that was not the main point.
The point was that in actual combat, the ways he could apply devouring were far more varied than he had imagined.
"Bastard!"
A burly pirate who was clearly a small-time leader charged at him.
He held a curved blade in each hand, the edges wrapped in a faint layer of Armament Haki.
A flicker of interest passed through Bullet's eyes.
He did not evade. He stood still and let both blades crash into his chest.
Clang.
Clang.
This time, sparks flew from his scales.
Armament had definitely boosted the strike.
But breaking through Nidhogg's dragon scales with that level of Haki was still a distant dream.
"My turn."
Bullet reached out with his right hand and seized the man's arm.
Devouring activated.
"Aaaah!"
The scream that tore out of the man was shrill and raw.
His right arm withered visibly, shriveling as the flesh's essence was forcibly drained away.
Bullet felt it, a thin, almost negligible strand of "Haki quality" seeped in along with the blood and meat.
Too little to matter for now, but the proof was priceless.
He could devour Haki too.
Five seconds later, the man collapsed in a heap, his right arm nothing but a mummy limb.
He was still alive, but the fear in his eyes had gone beyond breaking.
Bullet released him and turned his gaze on the Blood Blade.
That ship was close now. He could see Cass' twisted face clearly.
"One left."
This time, he did not leap across the gap.
He jumped straight into the sea.
For a moment, the pirates froze.
Then they burst into laughter.
"He drowned!"
"The brat drowned himself!"
The laughter choked off quickly.
Beneath the surface, a black shadow was spreading fast.
Then that suffocating shape broke through the waves.
Full beast form, Nidhogg.
The eighty meter dragon spread its wings and hovered above the water.
Crimson slit pupils locked onto the Blood Blade. The weight of its presence crashed down on the deck like a physical blow.
The weaker pirates dropped to their knees on the spot.
"A Zoan user?!"
Cass' face twisted, then quickly turned into a vicious grin.
"So what if you can fly?"
"I am a Zoan too!"
His body swelled, black fur bursting from his skin. His teeth grew sharper, both hands turning into lethal claws.
In a blink, a black panther like monster stood at the bow.
Cat Cat Fruit, Black Panther Model, full beast form.
Eight meters from nose to tail, far smaller than the dragon, but with sleek, coiled muscles made for speed.
"Come on! Let me tear you apart!"
Cass roared and sprang into the air, hurling himself straight at the dragon overhead.
Bullet did not dodge.
He folded his wings and dove. The two beasts met in midair.
Boom.
The shockwave blasted the sea downward, leaving a crater in the surface.
Pure body against body. No fancy techniques, just raw power.
Cass was sent flying back, slamming into the deck so hard that he punched a hole straight through it.
He spat blood, eyes wide with disbelief.
In his panther form, his strength was enough to rend steel, yet he had been smashed aside in a direct clash as if he weighed nothing.
The black dragon landed on the Blood Blade, making the entire vessel pitch violently.
Bullet lowered his head, looking down at Cass as the man dragged himself out of the hole.
"You are too weak."
The words came from a dragon's throat, a low, inhuman rumble.
Rage flared in Cass' eyes.
"Do not look down on me!"
He sprang again, faster this time, his claws wrapped in denser Armament.
He streaked past in a blur, going for the side of the dragon's neck.
Bullet simply flicked his tail.
The massive tail whipped through the air like a club.
It smashed into Cass with a crack of breaking bones that everyone on the ship heard.
The panther shot across the deck like a cannonball, crashing into the interior and only stopping after plowing through three bulkheads.
"It is over."
The black dragon opened his jaws and exhaled a strange black mist.
It was devouring energy compressed into gas.
The fog engulfed Cass.
He felt his body lock up completely, unable to move.
His life force, stamina, even his Haki, all were being ripped out of him.
He tried to struggle, but his strength drained faster than he could react.
"No... no, wait... I surrender... I can be your underling..."
His pleas weakened quickly.
Ten seconds later, the dark mist dispersed.
Cass lay crumpled on the floor, his body visibly sunken in.
He was still alive, but only barely.
His Haki, his stamina, even part of the core of his life had been devoured.
Bullet let go of the beast form and dropped onto the deck in human shape.
He turned inward, measuring the changes.
This haul was smaller than what he had gotten from the Sea King.
Human base energy simply could not compete with giant sea beasts.
But there was something else mixed in this time.
He tested his movements.
His agility was slightly improved. His Armament and physique felt a touch more refined, and his eyes tracked moving objects a fraction more sharply.
"So that is how it is..."
"Devouring strong humans lets me gain their traits and experience."
Understanding gleamed in Bullet's gaze.
He looked around.
Fewer than ten pirates were still alive on the Blood Blade, all of them huddled in corners, shaking.
The rest of the crew had lost all will to fight. Some had already jumped overboard in blind panic.
Bullet turned toward the distant Oro Jackson.
He lifted his hand and gave a thumbs up.
On the bow, Roger burst into booming laughter.
"Hahahahaha! Beautifully done!"
Rayleigh smiled as well, though there was a thoughtful shadow in his eyes.
He had noticed the changes in Bullet's fighting style.
That black mist, and the strange, drained state Cass had ended up in.
Shanks' grip tightened on his sword, battle spirit flaring in his eyes.
"He got stronger again... I really cannot fall behind."
Buggy let out a long, shaky breath and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Good thing he is on our side..."
When Bullet returned to the Oro Jackson, he was met with looks of awe and admiration from the crew.
That way of fighting, devouring his enemies, was simply too terrifying.
Roger slammed a heavy hand on his shoulder.
"That was satisfying! Party tonight!"
"To celebrate our return to the New World, and to celebrate Bullet's first victory!"
Cheers finally crashed over the deck.
Bullet stood among them, feeling the power surging inside his body.
He looked toward the oppressive sky deeper within the New World.
The fire in his crimson eyes burned hotter.
This was only the first.
Across this sea, countless strong ones were waiting.
Waiting for him to devour them.
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