Waking up in the middle of the night, Ryu couldn't help but feel refreshed.
His body felt a sense of comfort he hadn't felt in years. As he stretched, the satisfying crack of his joints sounded like music to his ears, drawing a deep sigh from him.
Pulling open the blinds, he couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the night. The cool glow of the moonlight seeped into his skin, a refreshing sensation. Strangely, his vision seemed to have grown sharper too, allowing him to perceive everything under the night.
Shaking his head.
He pushed open the windows, letting the crisp air fill the room as he set his sights on the distant mountains. The town that he had been living in for the past years was called Fruits Town. The town was known for fruits far larger than those found anywhere else. The town was located on a small island that hadn't been shown in the anime or manga.
Verdura Island.
The island had three notable areas, Fruits Town, Verdura Peaks, and the Marine Base.
He was heading towards Verdura Peaks, a lush expanse that hosted large fruit trees. They were fiercely guarded by beasts, that patiently waited for the fruits to ripen before feasting on them. Though it might sound arrogant, he had spent countless years exploring Verdant Peaks and knew its terrain like the back of his hand.
His deep familiarity with the peaks made navigating their rugged terrain effortless. Not only that, he felt very confident about his new powers and was itching to test them out.
So under the cloak of the night, he easily left the town, his new strength aiding him. Verdura Island was peaceful, so he wasn't surprised that he was able to sneak out. Adding to his advantage, the Marine Base was based outside the town, making his escape more easy.
In less than an hour, he had effortlessly scaled the peaks. Allowing him to travel through the peaks. He soon located a gigantic banana tree, its leaves swayed under the night breeze, as the cluster of bananas swayed along. Beneath the tree lay an enormous boar, sound asleep, its deep snores echoing throughout the night.
Rubbing his chin, he couldn't help but feel that this one might be too much for his first fight.
However, this boar was the weakest beast he knew of on the island. The other creatures were far larger and significantly more powerful. If he couldn't handle this one, he had no hope of standing against the other beasts.
He also wasn't willing to wait for the Marines' training, which typically took several months, the training was too long for him.
But, if he proved his strength early on, he wouldn't be surprised if his training would end faster and his promotion would come quickly.
Steeling himself, he crept silently toward the sleeping boar, hoping to launch a surprise attack that would allow him to easily kill the boar.
As he inched closer to the boar, his demeanor shifted, growing increasingly cold. His eyes glinted with a faint red light as he fixed his gaze on the sleeping beast, a subtle change he failed to notice.
When he was just inches away from the boar, his fingers elongated and sharpened into deadly claws.
With an icy glare, his clawed fingers shot toward the boar's head, aiming to pierce its skull. However, whether by chance or primal instinct, the boar's eyes snapped open just in time to see a strange, human-like figure lunging at it with deadly intent.
In the nick of time, the boar shifted its neck, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike. The clawed fingers missed their mark, instead tearing into its thick neck, slicing through the dense brown hide and fur.
The boar squealed in pain sounding like a pig.
The pain was excruciating, and worse, it felt as though the claws were draining its blood, fueling its growing rage. Enraged, the boar charged at the strange figure. The man swiftly withdrew his hand from the creature's neck, blood dripping from his claws, and braced himself in a defensive stance.
The boar's head was like a spear as it fiercely lunged at the human.
Ryu steadied himself, bracing for the full force of the boar's massive charge. The moment it collided with him, the impact was overwhelming. Blood spewed from his mouth as his body was hurled across the ground like a ragdoll, skidding to a halt amidst the dirt and debris.
Bruised and battered, blood trickled down Ryu's forehead, staining his face. Despite the brutal damage, he felt no fear. Instead, a twisted excitement surged through him as he stared at his blood. His tongue slid out, licking the crimson trail running down from his forehead, savoring the taste in his mouth.
Unfazed by the human's crazed demeanor, the boar pressed on, launching into a second relentless charge.
Recognizing the danger, Ryu let out a primal roar and thrust his hand forward like a spear, meeting the boar's charge head-on.
Time seemed to slow as the two forces collided with unrelenting fury. When the impact finally struck, Ryu was sent hurtling backward like a cannonball, his body slamming into a tree with a horrifying sound. However, the boar did not emerge unscathed. It let out a pained groan before collapsing, succumbing to its wound.
Embedded deep in its skull was a massive hole, carved out by Ryu's clawed hand.
Ryu's body was battered and broken, yet he couldn't help but laugh maniacally, his voice filled with madness as he crawled toward the boar's lifeless form. His clothes were torn to shreds, leaving his exposed flesh visible for all to see. Despite the excruciating pain, he pressed forward with unwavering determination, his eyes fixed greedily on the blood of the fallen beast.
When his body finally reached the corpse of the boar.
His teeth, now sharp and jagged like fierce fangs, sank into the boar's carcass. With relentless hunger, he drank deeply, draining every drop of blood until the boar's body withered, lifeless, and dry. The blood tasted foul, like spoiled meat, but he forced himself to endure it, unable to stop until there was nothing left.
Letting out a satisfied burp, he stared at his body.
His wounds had vanished, leaving no trace of the brutal battle except for his tattered clothes. In addition, he felt a surge of power coursing through him, as if the boar's blood had strengthened him. He clenched his fists, watching as his veins bulged, a sign of the new strength that was surging in his body.
Ryu wasn't stupid, so he guessed the new power that had been given to him by the Devil Fruit.
'Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire?'
All the signs pointed towards this, the fangs, the bat-like wings on the fruit, the discomfort with sunlight, the cool sensation of the night, and his desire for blood. If it wasn't this then he had no idea what it would be.
Yet, it all felt like a fantasy. Despite having been transmigrated to this new world for years, stumbling upon a Mythical Zoan fruit seemed too unreal to believe, a stroke of luck he could hardly believe. He couldn't help but silently thank his deceased parents for this great fortune.
Staring at the moon, he decided to head back home.
Tonight was a great experience, and he didn't need to keep rushing it. So taking a few fruits from the banana tree, he decided to head back home. He would start his second hunt, the next night.
He had plenty of time, as it was only the year 1520. Two years before the start of Luffy's adventure.
With newfound strength, he descended from the peaks and made his way back to his house. Climbing through his window, he returned to his room with ease.
Rather than resting, he decided to do some physical exercises, wishing to continue strengthening his body. Although it seemed like blood, could help him strengthen his body. There was nothing wrong with taking the normal route too.
He wanted to become strong, strong enough so he could live in peace.
That was his only wish, he didn't care about the One Piece or the other treasures in this world.