The large ship flew above the clouds.
Roa sat cross-legged on the mast's crossbar, silently gazing at the sea of clouds ahead.
He had transmigrated many years ago.
Reborn as an infant, his parents in this life were a pirate couple under the Rocks Pirates, unknown and both died early in a distant expedition.
Logically, it would be difficult for a child who had lost his parents to survive on Hachinosu Island, a gathering place for villains.
However, Roa thrived on Hachinosu Island, even gaining Rocks' recognition two years ago and officially becoming an intern of the Rocks Pirates.
The Rocks Pirates only had two interns: Roa and Kaido. Though nominally interns, they held executive status and received decent treatment. For the past two years, Roa's life had been quite comfortable.
But Roa knew that this comfortable life was nearing its end.
It was now 1484 of the Sea Calendar, and the God Valley Incident was fast approaching. The dissolution of the Rocks Pirates was imminent.
A new era was about to begin.
What path should he take?
"Kid, what are you spacing out for?"
A muffled voice came from below.
On the deck below, a table was set, laden with a sumptuous feast.
The world-renowned man, a high-ranking executive of the Rocks Pirates, Golden Lion Shiki, was gorging himself at the table.
He ate with the unrestrained abandon of a lion, devouring large chunks of meat and drinking heartily. Even with grease smeared all over his face, it only made him seem wild and free, with an extraordinary aura.
The Golden Lion casually said, "If you're not eating, then speed up the ship. Don't just space out."
Hearing this, Roa couldn't help but complain, "You really know how to boss people around, Uncle Shiki."
As he spoke, fine black fur began to grow on his body.
This glossy black fur showed no softness at all; each strand was as sharp and pointed as the quills on a hedgehog's back, yet also extraordinarily tough.
Black wings spread behind Roa, and above his furry cheeks, sharp horns rose high. At this moment, bronze-colored patterns spread across these horns.
Whoosh!!
A sudden gust of wind.
The previously deflated sails instantly billowed, causing the large ship flying in the sky to accelerate instantly.
"Mmm! Cool!"
The strong wind made the Golden Lion's golden hair fly. The lion sighed comfortably, "What a convenient ability! Qiongqi? Is that the name? Which country's mythology is it from again?"
Roa lay lazily on the giant crossbar, his voice drawn out. "Who knows? I just saw the name of a ferocious beast representing disaster in a book. It's very fitting, isn't it?"
"Gahahahaha! Accompanied by disaster, feeding on disaster! Your kid's ability is indeed the embodiment of calamity!"
The Golden Lion laughed loudly.
Qiongqi, one of the famous ferocious beasts in Roa's previous life's mythology.
A winged tiger, a ferocious beast accompanied by natural disasters and evil deeds.
This was the ability Roa possessed.
Strictly speaking, however, this was not a Devil Fruit ability.
Because Roa had never eaten a Devil Fruit, the power to transform into Qiongqi was innate to him, perhaps because, before transmigrating, he bought a Qiongqi pendant?
Although not a Devil Fruit, the manifestation of the ability was no different from a Devil Fruit. Roa also possessed three forms: Beast Form, Human Form, and Hybrid (Beast-Human) Form.
So, when in Rome, do as the Romans do, Roa publicly declared his ability to be "Zoan, Cat-Cat Fruit, Mythical Zoan: Qiongqi Form."
This ability was the key reason he gained Rocks' recognition and became an intern of the Rocks Pirates.
The fact that it could even entice Rocks, who usually disliked children, was truly a testament to Roa's extraordinary ability.
In simple terms, Roa's core ability was — natural and man-made disasters.
Qiongqi was a ferocious beast accompanied by disasters, so in specific environments, the horns on his head could summon corresponding natural disasters.
When Roa was near the land, he could make the earth tremble, cause mountains to collapse, and volcanoes to erupt.
When near rivers, lakes, and seas, he could divert rivers, cause floods, and summon tsunamis.
When flying in the sky, he could gather dark clouds, make storms howl, and bring down lightning.
Qiongqi was a malevolent beast that punishes good and extols evil, so Roa's eyes could create man-made disasters.
Roa's eyes could see various negative human emotions. When his eye form transformed, Roa could suppress the goodness in people's hearts and unleash their evil thoughts.
Unless there was a sufficiently strong willpower to resist, people would be swayed by malice.
It would not be strange for someone's personality to be permanently changed, instantly transforming from a benevolent person into a great villain.
If the individual's willpower was relatively weak, they might even be completely consumed by evil thoughts, unable to break free, becoming a chang ghost (a ghost controlled by a tiger it killed) at Roa's command.
More interestingly, disasters would become nourishment for Roa's growth, in a literal, physical sense.
The suffering of people struggling in disasters would turn into black mist that Roa could absorb.
This black mist could act as food and water to satiate Roa. For him, high-quality black mist tasted better than anything else. Besides filling his stomach, it naturally replenished his stamina and healed his injuries.
And most importantly, the black mist of suffering could also promote Roa's growth and the evolution of his abilities.
What the Golden Lion said about being accompanied by disaster and feeding on disaster was absolutely correct.
It was indeed a sufficiently ferocious ability. Just the authority to manipulate natural and man-made disasters alone made this ability the embodiment of calamity.
But Roa liked it very much; it was very suitable for this messed-up world.
"I'm full, I'm full!"
The Golden Lion contentedly wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Kid," he tilted his head back and grinned, "Come, spar with me to digest."
"Okay."
Roa flipped down, landing lightly on the deck.
"You kid, you're only enthusiastic at times like this."
The Golden Lion waved his hand, and the table and chairs in front of him automatically flew away. Immediately, two swords came whistling through the air and thud, thud planted themselves into the deck in front of Roa.
"Because it's important to balance work and leisure, you know."
Roa casually pulled out the two swords in front of him. These swords were a bit too long for him, at only seven years old, almost taller than he was, but Roa seemed very skilled.
"Ready?"
The Golden Lion leisurely lit a cigar, took a long, satisfying drag, and then spoke at a relaxed pace.
"Ready!"
Without hesitation, Roa had already transformed into a black shadow, his dual swords like a fierce tiger's fangs, tearing towards the Golden Lion.
"Gahahahaha! Impatient brat!"
The Golden Lion, while leisurely blowing smoke rings, lightly flicked a finger on his right hand.
Clang! Clang!
His two beloved swords at his waist, Sakurajyū and Kogarashi, automatically unsheathed, meeting Roa like two swimming snakes.
In just an instant, the explosive clanging of metal echoed throughout the deck, a continuous ding-ding-dong-dong.
Roa swung his dual swords like the wind, the sword light he created almost completely enveloping him, not a drop of water could get through.
But even so, he was still outmatched when facing the two famous swords flying around in the air.
Even without personally holding the swords, even just using the power of the Float-Float Fruit to control his beloved blades, the Golden Lion's swordsmanship was still beyond Roa's reach.
All he could do was strenuously block the dual swords' offensive.
"This move is so cool, Uncle Shiki!"
Roa praised repeatedly, "Flying Sword Technique!"
"Gahahahaha! It's only good for dealing with you, kid!"
The Golden Lion laughed heartily. "But Roa, you're looking pretty good now. It seems it's time to take it a step further."
As he spoke, the two famous swords suddenly accelerated, and Roa, who was swinging his swords to meet them, was instantly knocked back.
Not just speed, but power had also greatly increased!
Roa's gaze narrowed slightly. "You're taking this too seriously, Uncle Shiki! I'm still a child."
He said this, but showed no intention of retreating. Instead, he actively charged forward.
Strictly speaking, this was a teaching session.
Since joining the Rocks Pirates two years ago, the executives had been very friendly to Roa.
Roa could guess what they were thinking.
Everyone knew that the Rocks Pirates would not last much longer; their disintegration was an inevitable outcome.
Therefore, everyone must have been making early plans.
The return journey was spent in sparring, and soon, Hachinosu Island arrived.