Chapter 16: Fierce Battle

"Is this where that brat is staying?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Find him for me!"

Ryu stared blankly at the man before him, who seemed to be teetering on the edge of a manic episode. Had he somehow offended this guy? Why did he look so furious? Surely it wasn't just jealousy over his recent fame—there couldn't be anyone in the world that petty, right?

Realizing the pirates were here specifically for him, Ryu decided not to sit around and wait for trouble. Instead, he opted to take the initiative. Slipping out quietly, he brought along Abyss. After all, he hadn't had a chance to test the new blade yet.

Unlike BloodThirst, Abyss was slightly heavier, but the weight felt perfect in Ryu's hands. As a vampire, his physical strength far surpassed that of an ordinary human, and while BloodThirst had always felt too light, Abyss seemed like it might suit him better.

Laru glared at the inn with a dark expression. "Forget it. Just burn the place down."

"But, Captain Laru, what if he isn't inside? There might be innocent people in there," one of the pirates protested cautiously.

Ryu, who had been lurking nearby, raised an eyebrow in surprise. Was this pirate showing a shred of conscience? How rare. He'd make sure to end him quickly as thanks.

"You're questioning my decision?" Laru's voice turned icy.

"No, Captain! I was just suggesting—"

BANG!

Before the pirate could finish, Laru shot him dead with a pistol. The surrounding crew fell silent, none daring to utter another word.

A few seconds passed.

"What are you all standing around for? Burn it down, NOW!"

The pirates scrambled toward the inn, desperate not to displease their volatile captain.

"AHHH!"

The next moment, Laru let out a blood-curdling scream. A deep gash nearly half a meter long appeared on his back, and droplets of blood trickled down the gleaming surface of Abyss.

"Not bad for one of the Fifty Skillful Grade Swords. The balance is good, and the blade is sturdy. The only downside is it's not as sharp as BloodThirst. If I'd used BloodThirst, that strike would've cleaved him in two," Ryu mused aloud, inspecting the sword thoughtfully.

"What… What did he just say?! Did I hear that right? Is this kid insane? How dare he talk like that to Captain Laru!" one of the pirates exclaimed in disbelief.

"You bastard! Die!" Laru roared furiously.

With a roar, Laru's body began to swell grotesquely until he transformed into a towering, four-meter-tall humanoid with the head of a ram. Standing at just over a meter tall, Ryu looked like a child's toy in comparison.

"So this is what a Devil Fruit user looks like. Fascinating," Ryu murmured, his crimson eyes gleaming with excitement. While he had deliberately targeted weaker pirates with bounties in the millions to ensure safety, deep down, he craved battles against stronger opponents.

Thanks to his newfound skill, Peak Mastery , his mindset had shifted dramatically. His thirst for power rivaled even Zoro's ambition to become the world's greatest swordsman.

"Boy, I won't kill you quickly. I'll make you regret ever crossing me!" Laru snarled, his voice trembling with rage.

"Oh."

"Bastard!"

Ryu's nonchalant response only fueled Laru's fury. The pirate captain hated being ignored or overshadowed—it reminded him of his former leader, who had dismissed him entirely. That disdain had driven Laru to steal the Devil Fruit aboard their ship and murder his own captain.

With a powerful kick, Laru charged at Ryu with terrifying speed. However, despite his enhanced strength and agility from the Devil Fruit, Laru was still an amateur fighter. Ryu dodged effortlessly, tilting his head slightly to avoid the ram's hoof before slashing at Laru's side and retreating immediately.

That initial sneak attack revealed something important: Laru's bounty of 16 million Beri wasn't just for show. Ryu's strike had cut through flesh but stopped at the bone—Abyss couldn't penetrate further. If Zoro had wielded the sword, perhaps it would have sliced clean through, but Ryu's swordsmanship was still rudimentary compared to a true master's.

The wound on Laru's chest sent him into a blind rage. His face flushed red, and he attacked recklessly, abandoning any semblance of strategy. To an untrained observer, his strikes appeared fast and ferocious, but to Ryu, whose Observation Haki allowed him to see every opening, Laru's movements were laughably flawed.

"Stop running, coward! Take my attack head-on!"

Ryu responded by stabbing Laru in the left flank before leaping away. Against opponents without Haki, the advantage granted by Observation Haki was overwhelming.

After this exchange, Laru clutched his side and screamed, "What are you idiots doing?! Get in there and help me!"

Reacting instinctively, the surrounding pirates surged forward. But Ryu tightened his grip on Abyss and swung with precision, slicing one pirate cleanly in half. The rest froze mid-charge, their faces pale with terror. This crimson-eyed, fanged boy was far more terrifying than their monstrous captain.

"You fools! Can't you use your guns?!" Laru bellowed.

Ryu's heart skipped a beat. So, this villain actually had some intelligence! Unlike Luffy, Ryu still feared bullets. While vampires could recover from most injuries, they weren't invincible. A fatal wound could still kill him.

Fortunately, it was nighttime, giving Ryu a slight boost in power. Quickly pulling out his blood pouch, he took a deep gulp.

Instantly, vitality surged through his veins, elevating his strength to new heights.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Gunfire erupted in waves.

Despite his Observation Haki, the sheer density of bullets made evasion impossible. Several rounds struck him, lodging in his abdomen and left hand.

"Damn it! These bastards are using guns on a kid!"

Gritting his teeth, Ryu extracted the bullets and took another swig of blood. Slowly, his wounds began to heal.

Within three minutes, the bleeding had stopped entirely.

Even as a mid-tier vampire, Ryu's regenerative abilities were extraordinary—and once he evolved into a high-tier vampire, they would become even more absurd.