Echoes of Malice

On the Going Merry, the crew busied themselves with preparations to set sail.

"Damn it! Those bounty hunters rigged our boat so we wouldn't leave during the party." Nami exclaimed, frustration boiling over.

"So, how long do we have to stay here for?" Ryomen asked, leaning against the ship's railing, glancing out at the water.

"A few hours." Nami replied, crossing her arms, her irritation palpable.

"Great." Ryomen leaned back, his gaze inadvertently landing on Vivi, who still looked shaken.

He couldn't help but recall when they first met, years ago. She had been just a child then, but she was the only one who showed him kindness. Her intervention had stopped the abuse he suffered, if only for a moment. She likely wouldn't remember, but he had never forgotten. She was one of the few to treat him with compassion when he thought no one ever would.

"What are you doing?" Zoro interrupted, pulling Ryomen from his thoughts.

"Nothing. Just…thinking." Ryomen replied, his eyes shifting to the side, avoiding Zoro's piercing gaze.

"That so? Here." Zoro handed him a bottle of alcohol, the glass glinting in the sunlight.

"What for?" Ryomen asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"You just seemed really distracted today. It might help." Zoro shrugged, his tone casual yet slightly concerned.

Curiously, Ryomen stared at the bottle, feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension. For the first time in his life, he lifted the bottle to his lips and drank alcohol.

…

A few hours had passed, and things were finally looking up. Usopp then approached Ryomen.

"Hey, when we were looting those guys, we left a room unchecked. It had a lot of locks on it, but then we started hearing the explosions, so we ran out of there." He exclaimed.

"And you want me to go check it out?" Ryomen replied, his words slurred and his cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

"Hmhm." Usopp nodded.

"Why can't you do it? Are you afraid of the dark?" Ryomen asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Pfft, no! Captain Usopp doesn't fear anything!" Usopp declared, puffing out his chest as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I just thought you wanted to move a little."

"I see. Sure, I'll go." Ryomen said with a nod. "C'mon, Karoo, let's go for a walk." He called to the giant duck, who waddled over with enthusiasm.

"Quack!" Karoo replied, following Ryomen eagerly, ready for their little adventure.

…

Ryomen and Karoo walked slowly toward the warehouse, the road barely visible in the dim light of the moon. Every so often, Ryomen stumbled, using Karoo as support to keep from falling. His steps were heavy, and his mind clouded from the alcohol.

"Damn it. I knew I shouldn't have drank so much." He mumbled, frustration laced in his voice.

Just then, the sound of footsteps reached his ears, approaching from the shadows. Ryomen immediately straightened, his instincts kicking in despite his intoxicated state. He squinted, trying to make out who—or what—was coming toward him.

"So, you're the 'Cursed Being Ryomen,' huh?" A curious voice called out from the darkness.

Ryomen tensed, his eyes scanning the area for the source of the voice. "Who the hell are you?" He demanded.

The figure remained in the shadows, but the voice was unmistakably teasing. "Nobody of importance. I'm just here to bring you something."

Before Ryomen could react, the figure dropped a body onto the ground with a heavy thud. As the moonlight hit the figure, Ryomen's eyes widened at the unmistakable hairstyle of Igaram lying before him.

"What!? You're the one who destroyed the ship?!" Ryomen roared, anger flaring up inside him.

"Maybe." The person replied with a teasing lilt. "But does it matter? He's still alive, isn't he?"

"Like hell that's enough!" Ryomen shouted, rage boiling over. In an instant, he moved to attack—but his legs were suddenly yanked out from under him, and he crashed face-first into the dirt.

"What the...Did I slip?" Ryomen muttered, bewildered.

Growling, he pushed himself back to his feet, determined to strike. He rushed forward again, only to be met with the same fate—his body falling to the ground once more, as if something invisible had tripped him

"Damn it! I won't let you off for this! I'll take you down someday!" He shouted, now using Karoo as a shield. The duck quacked in alarm, clearly not happy about being thrust into the middle of Ryomen's blunder.

The figure sighed, a hint of amusement in their voice. "So this is the man with a bounty of sixty million...what an idiot."

"You're the idiot!" Ryomen snapped back, his pride taking a hit. "Now, get out of my way! I don't have time to waste!"

"Really?" The figure responded, tilting their head slightly. "Weren't you just searching for your friend? The one lying in front of you?"

Ryomen blinked, remembering Igaram's unconscious body. "No, I was gonna steal from the warehouse." He admitted with surprising bluntness.

"..."

"Well then." The figure sighed, clearly unimpressed. "Until next time."

"Wait! I didn't give you permission to leave!" Ryomen shouted, attempting to charge again. But once more, his legs were swept out from under him, sending him crashing into the dirt.

"What the hell!? That person must have a Devil Fruit or something…" He mumbled to himself, trying to salvage what remained of his dignity.

As he clambered back to his feet, Ryomen's mind spun, the fog of alcohol making everything feel distant. He had a nagging feeling in the back of his head, as if he was forgetting something important.

'There's something I'm missing…What is it?' He frowned, frustrated. 'Ah…my Devil Fruit powers! Why didn't I just use Cleave or Dismantle? Damn it...stupid booze.'

With Karoo's help, Ryomen hoisted Igaram onto the duck's back and made his way to the warehouse.

…

The warehouse door stood tall and imposing before him, but Ryomen was in no mood for subtlety. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned his power, and with a simple command, "Dismantle," The door was reduced to rubble.

"Let's see what's in here…" Ryomen muttered as he began to rummage through the dimly lit room.

Most of the place was filled with reports and documents—useless to him. He flipped through a few papers regarding Baroque Works, uninterested in the details. But just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye.

Embedded in the desk was a hidden compartment.

Ryomen's curiosity piqued, and with a forceful tug, he ripped apart the secret drawer. Inside was something that made his breath catch—a Devil Fruit.

Its skin was black, covered with jagged red lines crisscrossing the surface. The texture seemed rough, almost cracked, as if it barely contained the immense power within. A sense of malice radiated from it, sending a shiver down Ryomen's spine.

"A Devil Fruit?" Ryomen whispered in disbelief.

The feeling it gave off was eerily similar to the one he had when he first encountered his own Devil Fruit. A force seemed to be pushing his very soul toward it, but there was something else—a dark, sentient malice that made his body recoil in disgust.

Shaking his head, Ryomen shoved the unsettling thoughts aside and took the fruit with him as he left for the ship.

…

"I'm back!" Ryomen called out as he stumbled aboard the Going Merry.

"What did you find?" Usopp asked, curiosity shining in his eyes.

Ryomen absentmindedly held up the Devil Fruit and pointed at Igaram, still slung over Karoo's back.

The crew's reaction was immediate. "Igaram!!" Vivi gasped, rushing toward him. Concern etched across her face, she helped Ryomen move Igaram to a bed below deck, where he could rest.

"What happened? Where did you find him?" She asked urgently.

"There was this guy." Ryomen explained, his voice still a bit slurred. "He brought Igaram to me."

"Alright… Now we know he's safe." Nami said, approaching from behind, her eyes fixed on the strange fruit in Ryomen's hand. "So... what do you have there, Ryomen?"

Ryomen gulped, noticing Nami's sweet smile. "W-Well, it's for you!" He said, thrusting the fruit into her hands. "I never forgot about the debt."

Nami's cheeks flushed slightly as she took the Devil Fruit, her smile softening. "How nice of you, Ryomen." She said with a hint of warmth. "See, Luffy? This is how you should act! You still owe me."

Luffy scowled at Nami, resentment clear on his face, but he wisely kept quiet.

As Nami walked away with the fruit, Ryomen couldn't help but glance back at it one last time. The dark, malevolent energy it radiated left a lingering sense of unease within him.

With the Going Merry finally repaired and ready to set sail, Vivi offered Mr. 9 and Ms. Monday the chance to come with them. But they refused, choosing to remain behind in the town.

And with that, the Going Merry sailed off, carrying the crew toward their next adventure, and deeper into the dangers awaiting them in Alabasta