Kaido strode with heavy steps toward the crystal pedestal, his signature low laugh echoing in the empty space. "Wororororo... found it at last."
He stood before the pedestal, looking down at the Devil Fruit emitting a strange glow, excitement flickering in his eyes.
"Brother Kaido, is this our target? The Zoan Type, Mythical Model: Kōmori Kōmori no Mi, Model: Vampire?" King flapped his jet-black wings, landing lightly beside Kaido. His voice held a note of anticipation and curiosity.
By this time, Bullet, Queen, Sebastian, and the others had also arrived one after another.
"That's right," Kaido responded curtly. His thick arm reached out and he grabbed the Devil Fruit. He toyed with it casually a few times, then without hesitation, tossed it toward King.
King deftly caught the flying fruit, the black of his gloves contrasting sharply with the purple fruit.
"King, eat it," Kaido said, turning around, his tone brooking no argument. "This fruit suits you well." His gaze revealed trust and expectation for his subordinate.
King looked down, staring intently at the Devil Fruit in his hand. The purple skin gave off an eerie sheen under the dim light.
He could feel the intense gazes of his companions around him. Queen watched him while smoking his cigar; Bullet stood to the side with his arms crossed, a playful smile on his lips.
Meanwhile, Sebastian looked at him and the Devil Fruit in his hand with envy. After this period of sailing, Sebastian had come to understand the gap between his own aptitude and that of Bullet, King, and Queen. Although he was also growing stronger, the speed of his growth was far inferior to that of Bullet and the others.
Because of this, Sebastian could only hope that in the future, after rendering meritorious service for Captain Kaido, he might be rewarded with a Devil Fruit. He knew that there were still two Ancient Zoan Devil Fruits on the ship. As for a Mythical Zoan, Sebastian didn't even dare think about it; after all, they were said to be even rarer than Logias.
"Model: Vampire..." King murmured softly, his fingers lightly tracing the uneven patterns on the fruit's surface. He remembered the data on Mythical Zoans he had seen in the laboratory many years ago. This legendary creature possessed the ability to manipulate darkness and blood.
"Wororororo... What? Afraid to eat it?" Kaido's tall figure looked at King, his laughter echoing in the empty space, carrying a hint of teasing.
"Don't be ridiculous," King snorted coldly. Without hesitation, he brought the fruit to his mouth. The moment his teeth pierced the skin, an indescribably foul, fishy taste exploded in his mouth, and his brows instinctively furrowed. But soon, a strange power began surging within his body. His black wings unfurled uncontrollably, each feather shimmering with a dark red aura.
Queen's eyes flashed with data streams. "Oya oya, looks like the effects are immediate." He pulled out the notebook he always carried and swiftly began recording the observed changes.
King felt his vision suddenly become extraordinarily clear; he could even see the tiny cracks on the distant stone walls. More curiously, he seemed able to perceive the sound of each person's blood flowing. When he looked at Sebastian, this usually taciturn officer instinctively took half a step back.
"How does it feel?" Kaido turned around, his golden vertical pupils reflecting King's transforming figure.
King flexed his fingers, feeling the new power coursing through him. Suddenly, his figure dissolved into a mass of black mist, instantly reappearing on the other side of the crystal pedestal, his speed dizzying.
"Not bad speed," Bullet commented, a flicker of fighting spirit in his eyes. "Seems I'll have to be more careful during training from now on."
"This power... it truly suits me well." Before the words even finished, King transformed into a swarm of bats that flitted around the area before coalescing back into human form.
Kaido nodded in satisfaction. "Wororororo... Now that's more like it. King, even at its most basic, this fruit grants you the ability to absorb an enemy's blood to restore yourself. Combined with your own racial talent, you now have the power to fight against anyone short of the very top-tier strongman."
Queen pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting an eerie light. "Seems I'll have to reassess the crew's combat rankings~"
King felt the new power surging within him, the corner of his mouth curling up involuntarily. He opened his palm, a mass of dark red energy coalescing in it, the surrounding air seeming to warp. "Truly fascinating power..." he whispered to himself.
Kaido watched this scene with satisfaction and waved a thick arm. "Let's go. Time to leave this damn place." He turned and strode away, the ground trembling slightly with his steps. Queen hurried to keep up, his notebook still furiously recording data. "Hey, hey, King, you have to let me study your new ability properly later~"
Bullet rolled his shoulders, the sound of his bones cracking. "Seems I'll have to get serious next time we spar." He looked at King with eager fighting spirit in his eyes.
Sebastian walked silently at the rear, his gaze occasionally stealing glances at the red-glowing wings on King's back, his eyes filled with both envy and a touch of awe.
When they emerged from the underground space, the sky outside was already tinged with dusk. King looked up at the gradually darkening horizon, suddenly feeling a peculiar impulse. His pupils gleamed faintly in the darkness, as if they could pierce through the night and see everything. "This feeling..." He subconsciously licked his lips.
"What? Not used to it?" Queen leaned over, his cigar in his mouth.
King shook his head. "No. On the contrary, it feels like night is my domain." As he spoke, his figure suddenly dissolved into black mist and vanished, reappearing the next second on a treetop a hundred meters away.
Kaido roared with laughter. "Wororororo... Seems this fruit truly found the right master!" His laughter shook the surrounding leaves, making them rustle.
After returning to the ship, King stood alone at the stern, quietly feeling the touch of the sea breeze against his cheeks. His skin looked exceptionally pale under the moonlight, yet unprecedented power surged within him.
Queen appeared behind him at some point. "Hey, wanna test the new ability?" He waved a small knife. "Just a little blood sample..."
King waved a hand without turning around. A dark red energy barrier instantly repelled Queen. "Don't bother me." His voice was deeper than usual, carrying a dangerous rhythm.
Queen staggered back a few steps, his glasses knocked askew. "Whoa, getting temperamental, are we~" Far from being annoyed, he became even more excited, pulling out his notebook to record.
Just then, Kaido's voice came from the other end of the deck. "Everyone, listen up! New training regimen starts tomorrow!" His gaze swept over each officer, finally settling on King. "Especially you, King. I want to see just how far a Mythical Zoan can go."
Bullet grinned. "Finally getting interesting." He clenched his fist, his knuckles popping like firecrackers. Sebastian stood in the shadows, silently tightening his grip on the weapon at his waist.
Night deepened. King stood alone atop the mast, his black cloak flapping in the wind. He felt the power flowing within him, and... that thirst for blood. "Seems I'll need some time to adapt..." he muttered to himself, a red glint flashing in his eyes.
The next morning, when the first rays of sunlight fell on the deck, King was already standing in the center of the training ground. His complexion was paler than usual, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp. Kaido walked over, his kanabo slung over his shoulder. "Ready? Let me see the power of a vampire!"
With a tremendous crash, the training began in earnest. King's figure flickered under the sun, at times dissolving into a swarm of bats, at times coalescing into human form, moving so fast it was hard to follow. Bullet and Queen watched from the side, the former's eyes gleaming with fighting spirit, the latter frantically recording data.
"Seems the Beasts Pirates are about to gain another monster," Queen said, pushing up his glasses, the lenses reflecting the intense battle on the training ground.