"Ryu, you're planning to enlist as a marine recruit, aren't you?"
An elderly man remarked casually, a smoking pipe perched between his lips. Dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt and matching shorts, despite his elderly appearance, his eyes were filled with wisdom and calmness.
He was seated across a young man with black hair, and a ponytail, who was bowing towards him.
"Yes, Grandfather."
His voice was steady as he answered the old man's question.
"Hmmm," the old man mused, exhaling a puff of smoke as his sharp gaze settled on the young man before him. After a brief pause, he asked, "Why?"
"The world is chaotic, and I want to be able to live in peace. Without worrying about being killed because of my lack of strength."
The old man nodded in agreement at his response. They lived in the East Blue, and although it was considered the weakest of the blues, that didn't mean they were free from conflict.
"Ok then, take this Devil Fruit. It's an inheritance left from your parents, who were strong adventurers but tragically died in combat. Before they passed, they entrusted me with this fruit, asking that I give it to you when the time was right."
Ryu frowned.
He was a transmigrator, who was tragically transmigrated into the world of One Piece. With his knowledge, he knew what a Devil Fruit was. Strange fruits that can give you unique powers.
They were split into Logia, Zoans, and Paramecia.
Although they sounded powerful, some of the Devil Fruits in this world were simply trash. So he was very averse to taking an unknown Devil Fruit. If possible, he'd rather get a Devil Fruit that he already knew of.
But, that thought process was simply ridiculous.
As it would require a lot of luck and strength, things that he couldn't just magically manifest.
So he simply watched with intrigue as his grandfather in this world, headed towards a room, rummaging across various trash. Until he found what he was looking for.
A red Devil Fruit, it was plump and red, bigger than the average Devil Fruit. It had blood-like veins running through the fruit, with its skin looking almost like meat. Not only that, there were small details on the fruit that caught his attention.
Bat-like wings and a pair of fangs.
'What kind of fruit is this?'
'I've never seen such a fruit before, but it looks powerful.'
His grandfather held the fruit in his hands as he playfully watched his grandson stare at the fruit in awe.
"What do you think? Do you want it?"
Ryu contemplated, eating a Devil Fruit was an irreversible decision. But, when would it be the next time that he could get a Devil Fruit? Eating the Devil Fruit could give him the advantage that he needed for the Marines.
The reason why Ryu wanted to go to the Marines was because he simply wanted to live in peace. He had no desire of being a pirate, being chased constantly sounded like a pain in the ass.
Not only that, the Marines were one of the strongest powers in this world.
If he could attach himself to a faction, he would naturally choose the Marines. Compared to the Four Emperors who lived in the New World, which he couldn't even reach right now. Being in the Marines was simply the most logical choice for him.
So with a resolute gaze, he made a major decision. He would eat this unknown Devil Fruit.
"Yes."
Hearing his answer, the old man just smiled as he tossed the Devil Fruit towards Ryu.
Ryu caught it, but a wave of disgust washed over him. The texture of the fruit was like flesh, and simply touching it made him feel disgusted.
Suppressing the discomfort, he steeled himself and took a bite.
The fruit tasted like meat, but it was so bitter that it brought tears to his eyes. He nearly gagged, but with a tremendous effort, he managed to force it down his throat.
Luckily, he didn't have to take any more bites out of the fruit.
Whoever takes the first bite of the fruit gains its power, but anyone who tries to take a second bite will receive nothing.
His grandfather gently took the half-eaten fruit from his hands and calmly discarded it.
"How do you feel?" he asked, his gaze fixed on Ryu with a hint of curiosity.
"Disgusted," Ryu replied, his voice steady, "but there's a surge of strength coursing through me, coming from some unknown source. And... I think I've grown taller."
Ryu clenched his fists, feeling the change within him.
"It's not just your height that's changed," his grandfather said, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Your skin has become paler, your cheekbones are more pronounced, and your eyes seem to be colder. But, most importantly, you seem to have become more handsome."
It felt weird being praised by his grandfather, especially when said he was more handsome.
But, checking the mirror. He couldn't help but agree. If he could rate his appearance, he would simply give it a 10/10. He looked like a model.
'Just for the cosmetics alone, the Devil Fruit was worth it.'
Of course, Ryu wasn't a superficial person who only cared about his appearance. But, he didn't mind the beautification that came along with the Devil Fruit.
"Why don't you take some rest? You can enlist at any time, and it might be a good idea to familiarize yourself with your new powers," his grandfather advised.
"Okay."
Taking his grandfather's suggestion. Ryu decided to simply rest while adjusting himself to his new power. He couldn't help but feel that he lucked out. Eating a Devil Fruit was like gambling, he couldn't tell if he would get trash or something good.
Heading towards his room, he couldn't but smile in excitement.
In his room, he felt a faint discomfort whenever sunlight touched his skin. To ensure he could sleep in peace, he covered all the windows with blinds. For some strange reason, exposure to the sunlight made him feel a strange discomfort.
Suppressing the discomfort, he couldn't help but contemplate.
'What kind of Devil Fruit did I eat?'
He had many questions but few answers. So he simply decided to sleep it off. Eating the Devil Fruit had made him feel strangely tired. Not only that, he still felt as if changes were occurring throughout his body.
Only sleep could help him pass through this feeling.
With restless emotions, he decided to fall into a deep sleep.