In the year 1484 of the Sea Circle Calendar, in the New World, on Dodoria Island.
A large sea ship floated in the sky.
The petite, black-haired, black-eyed Roya stood at the edge of the ship, which was a little too tall for him, and looked down at the island below in amazement.
Dodoria, an island filled with pirates, was experiencing a catastrophe.
Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the entire island surged and dropped like a storm-tossed sea. The ground rose high, then collapsed like a tsunami, with layers of earth piling up one atop another.
The town was buried in the blink of an eye, and the pirates, as powerless as ants, were crushed into mud before they could even scream.
"Hahahahaha!"
The culprit of all this, a man with brilliant long golden hair, floated in the sky laughing loudly.
He waved his right hand casually, causing the island below to dance with his gesture.
"Oh, that's great! Uncle Shiki! That's it, crush them!"
Roya took a deep breath. A thick black gas, invisible to ordinary people, rose from the island below. He inhaled it through his nose, and an intoxicated expression bloomed on his face.
"Delicious!"
The man known as the Golden Lion, top leader of the Rocks Pirates, Shiki, turned around and said, "Rocks didn't ask you to come here just to cheer me on!"
"Huh?"
Roya's cute smiling face showed an embarrassed expression. He raised his hand and scratched the back of his head. "The opponent is a monster with a bounty of over 800 million. I'm no match for him."
"And—"
"Shiki!!"
At that moment, the ground exploded. A figure burst through the flying dust, catapulting into the air like a cannonball and flying straight at the man in the sky.
"You've gone too far!!"
"Uncle Shiki,"
Roya looked at the man rising into the sky and grinned. "The enemy's target is you."
"Snort."
The Golden Lion snorted coldly, turned around, and casually drew his beloved sword from his waist. The sharp blade turned black in an instant, crackling with black and red lightning.
"Chopper Slash!"
The blade tore through the sky, unleashing a huge golden slash over a hundred meters long. The heavens themselves seemed dyed gold.
"What?!"
The airborne attacker's expression changed, and the next moment he was struck, blood spraying into the sky.
The Golden Lion stood proudly in the air and exhaled a smoke ring. "At your level, why haven't you killed yourself already? You even made me come in person. You're the one going too far."
Roya clapped enthusiastically. "What a great sword!"
A blade wrapped in Armament Haki—this was the true Golden Lion.
In his prime, the lion raised his head and looked to the other side of the island.
"Roya."
He raised his voice. "Some idiots are trying to escape. Go deal with them."
He glared at Roya and added, "Don't make me say it twice."
"Yes, yes, it's my turn now."
Roya deliberately lengthened his tone, and as he took a step forward, black hair sprouted from his body. The next moment, he leapt off the massive ship suspended in the sky.
At a small bay on the other side of the island, a ship was fleeing rapidly.
A group of pirates aboard, like frightened dogs, looked back in horror at the island being kneaded like dough by some invisible force.
"That monster Golden Lion came in person?!"
"It's all the captain's fault! How dare he challenge the Rocks Pirates!"
"It's too late now! The captain's done for! The Golden Pirates are finished too! That lunatic Golden Lion wants to destroy the whole island!"
"What are you even talking about?! Just run!!"
None of them had the courage to confront the lion. All they could do now was escape.
But then it happened.
A dark cloud fell from the sky.
"What?"
The pirate leading the escape, the leader of the Golden Pirates, the man known as Heavy Axe Johnny, looked up and his pupils contracted.
It wasn't a cloud.
It was a tiger!
A pitch-black tiger, over five meters long, flapped a pair of broad black wings as it slowly descended. In addition to its wings, it had a pair of sharp horns, like those of a buffalo!
Its body was slender and tall, and even its head, which should have been rounded, was more angular—making the fangs protruding from its mouth appear even more savage.
Roya landed gracefully atop the ship's cabin, and a clear, childish voice rang out.
"Sorry, everyone. This road is blocked."
Johnny's eyes widened in disbelief. "Mythical Zoan?"
The appearance was clearly animal-like, but even ancient tigers didn't have wings and horns.
There was only one possibility—this was a Mythical Zoan type Devil Fruit, rarer even than the Logia!
"Rocks said,"
Roya folded his wings behind him and looked down at the terrified pirates. "Everyone must die. Nothing I can do."
Johnny's pupils contracted.
Every Mythical Zoan is a monster!
But—
"Go to hell!"
Whether Logia or Mythical Zoan, if you want to kill me, I'll take you down first!
Heavy Axe Johnny raised his massive, double-edged axe and roared, "If you don't want to die, follow me!"
"Kill him!!"
The pirates understood—if they didn't kill this guy, he'd kill them. What was there to lose?
So they rallied their courage and charged Roya, suddenly looking quite aggressive.
But Roya didn't move.
He blinked. When his eyes opened again, the whites and pupils had inverted. His irises were pale, the sclera black.
He seemed to be seeing something others couldn't and said with a smile, "False courage doesn't work on me."
"Waaaaaaah!"
The pirates' screams of terror echoed throughout the bay.
Those who had just charged forward were now trembling, overwhelmed by inexplicable fear.
They couldn't even stand straight, let alone hold weapons. Some fell to their knees, tears streaming. Swords and guns clattered to the deck.
Some wet themselves. Others vomited bile. One or two even died of fright.
"Wh-What's going on?!"
Johnny stumbled back. The tiger seemed to grow larger, a shadow swallowing the world, eclipsing any will to resist.
And yet, he still stood.
"Oh?"
Roya looked at the last pirate still standing with interest. "Amazing. You're like a stray dog, but you're resisting my power."
Johnny was barely breathing.
This guy's power… Is it fear?
He's making people fear him!
What a terrifying ability.
His whole body was shaking. It took everything just to stay upright.
He didn't notice that his eyes were starting to darken—just like the other pirates, whose eyes were now entirely black.
"Looks like you have some value,"
Roya grinned, revealing his sharp fangs. "Then let's play a game. Whoever's left standing… gets to live."
I can survive? If I kill the others?
Amid overwhelming fear, another emotion began to bloom.
Johnny gripped his axe tightly.
The murderous intent in his heart exploded like weeds in spring.
Kill!
As long as I kill everyone else, I can—!
No!
Johnny's pupils trembled.
It's this guy's ability again!
He doesn't just induce fear—he creates killing intent too!
Whoosh!
Before he could act, the sound of wind slicing came from behind.
Johnny instinctively dodged—and a sword slashed in front of him.
Behind him, the pirates had started fighting each other.
They'd gone completely insane. Fear and hesitation consumed by bloodlust.
Kill. Kill. Kill everyone!
Even with throats slit or hearts pierced, they fought on like mad beasts.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Johnny roared, but his axe swung by instinct. With a single strike, he decapitated the pirate who had just attacked.
What they couldn't see: black smoke-like essence floated up from their bodies, drifting toward Roya.
He inhaled deeply, taking it in.
Then he frowned. "Ugh. Not very tasty when they're irrational."
Meanwhile, the slaughter reached its peak.
After slaying several comrades, Johnny could no longer resist his growing bloodlust. His pupils turned pitch black. He roared and cleaved through two more pirates.
Kill!
Kill them all!
He no longer cared about survival or revenge—just killing.
Eventually, it ended.
Johnny, worthy of being a ship's officer, was the last one standing. After cutting down sixteen crewmates, he alone remained. Not a scratch on him.
But his eyes were wide and hollow, entirely black—no pupils, no whites. Just an abyss.
He staggered toward Roya, movements stiff like a puppet.
The black tiger nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. Among my toys, you're top grade."
As for the others—
Roya glanced at the fallen pirates.
Well, I am kind-hearted.
From the roots of his horns, bronze lines spread.
Fwoosh!
Fire.
Flames erupted from the deck and spread unnaturally fast. Within seconds, the whole ship was ablaze.
"Hahahaha! Roya! Beautifully done!"
A voice boomed from the sky—Shiki, the Golden Lion, floated above.
"Heavy Axe Johnny may be the weakest officer, but his bounty's still over 100 million!"
Roya grabbed the zombified Johnny and flapped his wings, flying upward. He laughed.
"Because those who hesitate... are weak."
"Hahahaha! With your ability, that's the absolute truth!"