Chapter 22: "You’re Awake"
No wonder he's a Devil Fruit user, Ryu mused. Even after draining three kilograms of blood, he's still alive. I'll let him recover a bit more before drawing more blood.
Unaware of the sinister plans brewing in Ryu's mind, Buggy stared at the beautiful young man before him.
"You're awake," Ryu said casually. "The surgery was a success. I wasn't sure if you'd pull through."
Buggy tried to speak but found his throat too dry to form words.
"Oh, right. It's been a full day and night. You must be thirsty. Here."
Ryu handed Buggy a cup of water, which he eagerly drank. Instantly, some color returned to Buggy's eyes, and his gaze brightened slightly.
"What do you want from me, Ryu? Spare me! I'll give you all my treasure!" Buggy pleaded weakly.
"Do you pirates ever change your begging lines? It's always the same old thing—so boring. Can't you come up with something more creative? If you're this lazy about begging, then you must be equally lazy about life itself. And if that's how you treat your own existence, then I have nothing to say… Fish are born from fish mothers, humans from human mothers. When fish and humans are born together, they're called merfolk."
For the next while, Ryu subjected Buggy to a relentless barrage of verbal torment. Buggy could only nod silently, too terrified to argue or interrupt.
Time seemed to blur for Buggy as his mind grew hazy. Finally, Ryu paused and asked, "So, do you understand now?"
"Yes! Yes!" Buggy nodded frantically, desperate to avoid further psychological torture.
"Good. It seems you've reached a higher level of enlightenment. From now on, you'll be my subordinate. Remember to offer me one kilogram of blood every week. Don't forget."
"What?! When did I agree to become your blood donor?" Buggy protested.
"You just did."
"No, I didn't! I didn't even hear what you said!"
"Ho~ Didn't hear me, huh? Then I guess you're my enemy."
Buggy gulped nervously. "What are you going to do to me?"
"You've heard what happens to my enemies, haven't you?"
At this, Buggy recalled Ryu's infamous reputation as the Demon of East Blue. However, upon spotting the two katana at Ryu's waist, Buggy nearly burst into laughter. This guy must not know about my powers. He'll probably try to kill me with those swords. Once I survive this, I'll find a way to get revenge.
Clap! Clap!
Ryu suddenly clapped his hands. Confused, Buggy watched as a crew member rushed into the room.
"Is the cement ready?" Ryu asked.
Cement? What's he talking about?! Buggy thought uneasily.
"It's ready, Captain!" the crew member replied enthusiastically.
"Good. Bring it over."
"Yes, sir!"
Moments later, several men carried in a massive iron barrel filled with wet cement. Ryu grabbed Buggy by the collar and dragged him toward the barrel.
"Wait, wait, wait! What are you doing?!"
"I heard you're a Devil Fruit user. I've decided to encase you in cement and dump you in the sea."
"WHAT?! (?Д?)"
"I'll join! I'll join!" Buggy shouted immediately.
"Are you sure? Don't force yourself. I don't like coercion."
"Uh, can I think about it a little more?"
"Sure. I'm not a demon, after all. I'll give you ten seconds to decide."
"10, 9, 6, 4, 2."
"Wait! Where did 8, 7, 5, and 3 go?!"
"Have you made your decision? Cement or weekly blood donations?"
"Blood! I choose blood!"
"A wise choice." With that, Ryu unlocked Buggy's chains. The clown pirate sighed in relief, feeling an immediate sense of freedom.
"There we go. You'll thank me for this decision someday, Buggy. After all, you're going to serve under the strongest man in the world—Ikano D. Ryu."
Though Buggy inwardly seethed at Ryu's arrogance, he dared not argue. Survival was his top priority. As long as he lived, there was hope for revenge later. But defying Ryu now meant being encased in cement—and that was a fate worse than death.
"Alright, hurry up and save Mohji. They're waiting for you. Oh, and remember, Kabaji has already surrendered."
"Mohji's alive?!"
"Yes. But you'd better save him before the cement hardens—it'll be harder to get him out once it sets."
Without another word, Buggy bolted out of the room. Despite his usual cowardice, it seemed he still cared deeply for Mohji.
Ryu hadn't killed all of Buggy's crew, but only a handful remained: Mohji, Kabaji, Buggy, and Richie. After all, he was heading to the Grand Line, and he couldn't afford to bring along anyone too weak.
Glancing at his small blood pouch, Ryu noted it now contained nearly 800 units of Devil Fruit user blood.
At this rate, it wouldn't take long to gather the 1,000 units required for his next evolution. Moreover, this was his first time collecting blood from a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user.
Though the amount was small, he sensed it might unlock something significant—perhaps similar to how Zoan-type blood had granted him Bat Form .
"Captain, are we really going to stay under this guy's command?" one of Buggy's crew members whispered.
"Yes. We have no choice. Ryu's power is overwhelming. For now, we must endure," Buggy replied grimly.
"But giving up a kilogram of blood every week?!"
"We have no other options. Just accept it for now. Once I gain enough strength, I'll make Ryu pay for this humiliation."
Buggy's eyes burned with determination.
"Kilik, how much longer until we reach Cocoyasi Village?"
"Master, we should arrive by tomorrow morning. Why are we going there? I heard it's ruled by a powerful pirate. Are you planning to deal with him?"
"Yes, among other things," Ryu answered cryptically.
Other things? Kilik was curious but didn't press further. He would never guess that Ryu's real purpose in visiting Cocoyasi Village was to recruit a navigator capable of replacing him.
Glancing at the nearby ship, Ryu considered destroying it but ultimately decided against it. Instead, he removed the pirate flag. In the future, this vessel could be repurposed as a mobile prison specifically designed to hold Devil Fruit users.
Next time, he'd acquire some Seastone to reinforce the cells—otherwise, they wouldn't hold up well enough.