Chapter 20
19th of February 1522
Open Sea, The Beginning of Paradise
Eustass Kid laughed maniacally as their boat plummeted down the turbulent waters of Reverse Mountain. The rush of the descent was exhilarating, the spray of the sea mingling with the wild wind in his hair. They had done it! They had breached the formidable barrier that separated the Grand Line from the rest of the world. He was no longer just the man with the highest bounty in the Blues, a staggering 45 million berries. Soon, he would be one of the Supernovas, then an Emperor, and eventually, the Pirate King.
His crew erupted in triumphant cheers as their vessel splashed down into the calmer, treacherous waters below. "The Grand Line!" they shouted, their voices echoing in jubilant unison. "Finally! To us, the glory!"
Kid's heart swelled with pride and ambition. The Grand Line laid before them. This was where legends were born, and he was determined to carve his name among them. But their euphoria was abruptly shattered. Without warning, a war caravelle rammed into their boat with tremendous force. The sudden impact threw everyone off balance, and the air filled with cries of alarm and the creaking of strained wood.
Kid's eyes blazed with a mixture of fury and eager anticipation. "Who dares?" he roared, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade.
From the attacking ship, a figure leaped onto their deck, landing with a thunderous impact that seemed to shake the very planks beneath them. A woman, as tall and imposing as Kid himself, stood before them. Her red hair was wild and untamed, cascading around a face set in a fierce, predatory expression. Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, and her lips curled into a savage grin, revealing large, sharp canines. Her attire was practical yet barbaric, a tattered ensemble that barely covered her muscular frame. Her biceps bulged with raw power, each movement causing the muscles in her arms and back to ripple like coiled springs. Her chest was broad, her pectorals and large breasts emphasized by the scant clothing, and her abdomen was a masterpiece of chiseled muscle, each segment of her six-pack defined with perfect clarity.
"You'll be food for me, and Shadows for my alpha", she said before she swung a gigantic mace with terrifying ease. In a single, devastating strike, she obliterated the heads of three of Kid's crewmates. Blood and gore splattered across the deck, and the sickening crunch of bone echoed in the stunned silence that followed.
As Killer rushed towards her, the woman's body began to transform. Kid blinked, momentarily thinking he was hallucinating, before quickly realizing that her extraordinary abilities were the result of a Devil Fruit. Her already impressive frame expanded, muscles bulging and swelling with an almost grotesque rapidity. Fur sprouted in patches across her skin, dark and coarse, covering her once bare limbs. She morphed into a towering four-meter-tall wolf-human hybrid. Her legs thickened, while her arms elongated, ending in claws that gleamed menacingly. Her chest broadened even more, the rippling muscles and dense fur giving her an almost armored appearance. Her face elongated into a lupine snout, with sharp, keen eyes that glowed with a primal, almost supernatural light. Her mouth opened in a thunderous roar, revealing rows of sharp, gleaming teeth that seemed capable of rending steel.
Killer engaged the woman, his blades going directly towards her throat, but she moved with a speed that belied her massive frame. Her mace swung in a deadly arc, colliding with Killer's defense and sending him sprawling, the sheer force of the blow reverberating through the deck. She was fast—unbelievably fast, a lot faster than Killer, who was the fastest on the crew.
Eustass Kid felt a shiver run down his spine as he began to use his powers, summoning metal. But before he could fully react, monstrous knights emerged from the shadows, their dark forms a terrifying sight. They charged into the fray, engaging his crew with ruthless efficiency. One by one, his crewmates were either annihilated or captured, their desperate cries filling the air.
The woman muttered "Soru," and in an instant, she seemed to teleport, reappearing on the mast. Kid blinked in confusion—had she miscalculated her movement?
There was no time to ponder. Kid quickly made a gigantic arm out of metal, ready to strike. But before he could launch his attack, the monstrous woman was upon him. Her mace crashed into his head with bone-crushing force. Pain exploded through his skull, and his vision blurred. He felt the world tilt and then go black as he passed out, the last thing he heard being the feral snarl of the wolf-woman.
19th of February 1522
Open Sea, The Beginning of Paradise
Lyra Picarra huddled in the dark, damp hold of the pirate ship, her small frame trembling with each violent shake of the vessel. It had been days since her capture, and the constant motion of the sea had left her feeling more disoriented than ever. Her light brown hair, normally tied back in a messy bun, was now tangled and matted, and her oversized clothes, a baggy shirt and loose trousers, hung off her slight frame, making her look even more vulnerable.
For the past hour, the ship had been tossed about more violently than usual. The nineteen-years old girl's mind raced with questions. Were they going up Reverse Mountain? Had they already reached the Grand Line? Fear gnawed at her insides, mingling with a desperate hope for escape. Her freckles stood out starkly against her pale, clammy skin, and her soft green eyes, wide with terror, darted around the confined space, seeking any possible means of escape.
But there was none. She raged impotently, fists clenched in frustration. Her Devil Fruit powers were useless here. Without stones or a chisel, she couldn't create any sculptures to bring to life for protection. The Kid Pirates were terrifying, and she had no illusions about her fate if they decided she was no longer useful. She knew they wanted to sell her to slavers, and she was terrified, so terrified…
The ship lurched again, harder this time, throwing her against the wooden walls of her prison. She heard screams above deck, the sounds of battle, metal clashing against metal, and panicked shouts. Lyra's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Panic surged through her, and she fought to keep it at bay, to stay calm and think. Then, abruptly, everything went silent. Lyra shivered, a cold sweat breaking out across her skin. Footsteps echoed down the corridor, slow and deliberate, each one sending a jolt of fear through her.
A monstrously big and muscular figure appeared at the entrance to her cell. The woman was towering, her body a ball of raw muscles.
The woman's eyes locked onto Lyra, and she tilted her head, a predatory smile playing on her lips. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice a low, dangerous purr.
Lyra's voice caught in her throat. She stammered, trying to find her words. "I-I-I'm L-Lyra P-Picarra. Th-they... they c-captured me. I'm not a th-threat, I s-swear. I'm just an inv-inventor, a s-sculptor. P-Please... please don't eat me," she begged, her voice trembling with genuine fear.
The woman raised an eyebrow, her smile widening to reveal even more of her bloodstained teeth. "Eat you? Why would I do that?" she asked, her tone dripping with amusement. Her mouth was smeared with blood, and Lyra's breath caught in her throat as she realized with a shiver that this woman really did eat people.
The woman's predatory smile widened, her eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and amusement. "Tell me more, pet. What can you do?"
Swallowing hard, Lyra forced herself to speak more clearly. "I-I ate the Chisel-Chisel Fruit. I c-can bring sculptures to life, but... but I need m-materials to work with, and they t-took everything from me."
Without a word, the monstrous woman reached for the iron bars of the cell. With a casual strength that seemed almost effortless, she tore the bars apart as if they were made of butter.
Before Lyra could react, the woman scooped her up in her massive arms as if she were a small cat. She cradled Lyra against her chest, one hand gently stroking her hair. Lyra's mind raced with confusion and fear. She froze, her body rigid with panic. The warmth and strength of the woman's embrace were overwhelming, and the gentle petting was a stark contrast to the brutality she had just displayed. Slowly, very slowly, Lyra began to relax. Perhaps this woman did not intend to eat her after all. You did not pet food. Well, she thought?
"You can be useful for the Alpha," the woman murmured, her voice soft but commanding. "He'll decide what to do with you."
Lyra nodded weakly.
19th of February 1522
Open Sea, The Beginning of Paradise
Gecko Moria stood on the deck, an amused smile playing on his lips. Selena had returned after only a day, bringing back a bounty beyond his expectations. Bound and nearly lifeless pirates sprawled on the ground, their groans of pain barely audible over the sound of the waves.
[Eustass Kid]
Class: Pirate Captain
Job: Captain of the Kid Pirates
Fruit : Jiki Jiki no Mi
Dourikis: 745
Potential: SS
Fate: S
[Killer]
Class: Pirate
Job: First Mate of the Kid Pirates
Dourikis: 467
Potential: S
Fate: B
[Heat]
Class: Pirate
Job: Combatant of the Kid Pirates
Dourikis: 193
Potential: B
Fate: D
[Wire]
Class: Pirate
Job: Combatant of the Kid Pirates
Dourikis: 112
Potential: C
Fate: D
His eyes landed on the unconscious form of Eustass Kid. A devil fruit user…No need to raise him as a Shadow; his potential was limited in that form. But Killer... he was different. With a swift gesture, shadowy tendrils erupted from the ground, snaking towards the four fallen pirates. The tentacles wrapped around the necks of Kid, Killer, Heat, and Wire. They constricted with a sharp snap, ending their lives in an instant.
Moria's eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction as he felt the shadows of the three pirates—Kid, Heat, and Wire—drift towards him. He reached out, drawing their shadow into himself, feeling their combined strength bolstering the power of Sanji's shadow within him. Turning his attention to Killer, Moria's smirk widened. He raised his hands, and the shadows around him thickened and writhed, gathering into a concentrated mass of darkness. "Arise," he commanded.
The shadows surrounding Killer's body began to coalesce and thicken, forming a dark, swirling vortex. Slowly, Killer's form rose from the ground, his body now a silhouette of pure darkness. The shadowy figure retained Killer's distinctive appearance—the wild hair, the imposing muscular frame, and the menacing mask.
[Killer]
Class: Named Shadow
Job : Combatant
Dourikis: 243
Rank : S
Warning
Named Shadow Warriors : 4/4
Upgrade your class to open new slots
"Welcome to your new life, Killer," Moria said. Moria's attention then shifted to Selena, his smile widening. He reached out and scratched her behind the ear, a gesture that seemed absurdly tender given the circumstances. "Well done, Selena," he murmured, his voice filled with approval.
Selena responded immediately, purring in pleasure, her eyes half-closing as a flush spread across her cheeks. The sight of the powerful, intimidating woman reduced to such a state of contentment was both endearing and unsettling.
Moria then noticed the small, terrified girl hiding behind Selena's legs. She peeked out, her green eyes wide with fear, terrified after having him snaps the necks of the fearsome Kid Pirates. Her small frame seemed even more diminutive in the shadow of the towering Selena and with her oversized clothes.
"And who do we have here?" Moria asked. Selena stepped aside slightly, gently nudging Lyra forward. "This is Lyra, Boss. She has the ability to bring sculptures to life with her Devil Fruit powers."
Moria raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Is that so?" He crouched down to Lyra's level. "Tell me, little one, what can you do?"
[Lyra Picarra]
Class: Artisan
Job: Sculptor
Fruit : Zō Zō no Mi
Dourikis: 7
Potential: B
Fate: F
Lyra swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "I-I can bring sculptures to life, but I need materials to work with. I can…I can sculpt things for…for you?"
Moria's smile widened, revealing his sharp, pointed teeth. "Interesting. Very interesting. Welcome to the Thriller Bark Pirates, Lyra. I think you will find we have plenty of materials for you to work with."
Lyra nodded weakly. She had no choice but to trust in the mercy of her new captors and prove her worth in this strange, terrifying place. At least, the big woman looked nice enough.