The setting sun cast long shadows across the training ground, where Ryan's figure swayed back and forth as he swung his sword.
Sweat dripped from his chin, splattering on the stone pavement and leaving small wet patches. The bandages were soaked through with sweat, clinging tightly to his body. Sharp pains shot from his wounds, yet his grip on the sword remained firm.
Golden Lion stood on the viewing platform, a cigar pinched between his fingers as he watched the young man practicing with the sword, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Kyahahaha... This kid can really endure," Indigo approached him. "Three thousand sword swings every day, horse stance for three hours—anyone else would have collapsed long ago."
Golden Lion didn't respond, merely blowing a smoke ring. Through the haze, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. "Endurance alone isn't enough."
He glanced at Ryan's somewhat clumsy sword techniques. "Too slow, too weak. Even if he masters swordsmanship, without the physical strength to match, it's all wasted effort."
Indigo adjusted his glasses, a strange grin spreading across his face. "Kyahahaha... Nothing to be done about that. This kid's foundation is too weak. Even if his ability has some potential, catching up to those monster-level fighters would take at least eight to ten years."
Golden Lion flicked the ash from his cigar, his tone as casual as if discussing something trivial. "Then we'll use the IQ Ferocious Medicine to speed things up."
Indigo's smile froze, his mustache twitching. "That medicine is meant for Ferocious Beasts. It can stimulate their wild nature and strength, but the side effects are severe. He might turn into a mindless monster... Kyahahaha... We've never used it on humans before."
"Then we'll test it," Golden Lion's voice carried an undeniable authority. "Didn't he eat a Fruit similar to Kaido's? If that Fruit has any real power, he should be able to withstand the effects of the IQ medicine."
He paused, his gaze settling on Ryan as if evaluating merchandise. "If he survives, his power will skyrocket, making him worthy of the swordsmanship I'm teaching. If he can't handle it..."
He sneered. "Then he deserves to die. It would just prove he wasn't worth my time to train."
Indigo fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Kyahahaha... Fine, it's not like we'd miss him if he dies. But if he really turns into a monster, dealing with him could be troublesome."
"If we can't handle him, we'll feed him to the Bat Lions," Golden Lion's voice was icy. "This world has no shortage of trash. One less won't make a difference."
Ryan remained completely focused on his sword practice, unaware of the conspiracy on the viewing platform. He repeated the basic sword forms over and over, his vision blurred by sweat, his arms long since numb and sore, yet he gritted his teeth and persevered.
He knew this was the only way to secure his place on this floating island.
As the sun gradually sank below the horizon, the training ground grew darker. Golden Lion watched Ryan's still upright figure, a cold curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
Whether he succeeds or not depends on how tough this kid's life is. For him, this was just an interesting experiment.
Night.
Ryan had just finished his day's training and was dragging his exhausted body back to his room when, before he could even sit down, the door was pushed open.
Golden Lion stood at the doorway, his golden hair gleaming coldly under the dim light. Indigo followed behind him, a habitual eerie grin plastered on his lips.
"Come with me." Golden Lion's voice was flat, yet carried an undeniable pressure.
Ryan's heart sank with a sense of foreboding, but facing this legendary pirate, he didn't dare question further. He simply nodded and followed the two.
They passed through one shadowy corridor after another, the air thick with the pungent smell of chemicals growing stronger until they arrived at a brightly lit laboratory.
The lab was filled with bizarrely shaped instruments, shelves lined with rows of labeled bottles containing colorful liquids.
In the corner, several beasts were chained up, emitting low growls, their eyes filled with madness and terror.
"Kyahahaha... Shiki, everything is ready." Indigo pulled a syringe from a cabinet containing a dark green liquid that glowed faintly.
Ryan stared at the syringe, his heart pounding wildly. "What is this?"
"Something to make you stronger." Golden Lion walked to the experimental table, lightly tapping the surface with his fingertips. "Don't waste my time teaching you swordsmanship. With this, your progress will be ten times faster."
"I won't be experimented on. I'll get stronger through my own training." Ryan abruptly stepped back, eyeing the syringe warily.
He could feel the eerie atmosphere in the lab. That dark green liquid was definitely not something good—the state of the cornered beasts was proof enough.
"Your own training?" Golden Lion sneered, his eyes turning cold. "By the time you sluggishly achieve something noteworthy, you'll long be dead under someone else's blade."
He tilted his chin toward Indigo. "Hold him down."
"Kyahahaha... As you command." Indigo lunged forward with his creepy laugh, but as he approached, Ryan swiftly sidestepped and delivered a sharp elbow strike to his chest.
Caught off guard by Ryan's quick reaction, Indigo staggered back several steps before steadying himself, clutching his chest with a pained grimace.
He wanted to press forward again but was deterred by Ryan's fierce glare, clearly unable to subdue him in his guarded state.
"Useless." Golden Lion snorted coldly, his figure blurring as he appeared before Ryan.
Ryan felt an overwhelming pressure pinning him in place. As he tried to throw a punch in resistance, Golden Lion easily caught his wrist with a grip so powerful it felt like his bones would shatter.
"Let me go!" Ryan roared, struggling desperately. Peach-colored Scales faintly surfaced on his skin, but against Golden Lion, his resistance was futile.
Golden Lion pinned him to the experimental table, picking up the syringe of dark green liquid with his other hand, his eyes devoid of emotion. "To survive on these seas, you must obey. When you're qualified to make demands of me, then we can talk about your opinions."
Ryan watched helplessly as the needle drew closer, despair and rage churning in his chest.
He knew resistance was pointless, yet his body instinctively writhed, a suppressed growl escaping his throat.
The moment the needle pierced his skin, a chill spread through his Blood Vessels, followed by excruciating pain as if countless blades were tearing him apart from within.
"Ahhh—!"
Ryan's roar echoed through the laboratory as his body convulsed violently.
He could feel his blood boiling, the Scales beneath his skin uncontrollably surfacing and receding. The Dragon-like Features were wildly manifesting under the stimulation of the drug.
Golden Lion stood nearby, coldly watching his painful struggle as if observing a tool being forged.
Indigo, meanwhile, excitedly recorded data while letting out a strange "Kare kare" laugh: "The reaction is intense. It seems his compatibility with this serum is quite good..."
Ryan's consciousness gradually blurred amidst the excruciating pain as primal instincts began to consume his rationality. A scorching heat surged up his throat, ultimately transforming into a devastating roar mixed with Dragon Roar that made the laboratory glassware vibrate loudly.