Haiduo, fully transformed, boasted, "I ate the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Bulldog, making me an ability user. This form is ten times stronger than my original!" I eyed him with interest. "Finally, an ability user. Though you're just a mutt, I'll tolerate it." Tina chimed in, "So you are a talking dog!" The crowd burst into laughter.
Furious, Haiduo snarled, "Laugh now—you won't soon!" Dropping to all fours, he sniffed the ground, then charged at me with blinding speed. I sidestepped easily, clapping. "Good dog, well-behaved. Let the Demon King take you for a walk." Haiduo barked angrily, "Woof, woof!" He rushed again, claws slashing. I blocked with my fists, but his claws raked five red marks across my arms. Stunned, he thought, My sharp claws only left scratches? How?
Irritated by the marks, I snapped, "Damn it, you reject my mercy?" I launched a ferocious assault, fists and feet striking Haiduo at lightning speed. He struggled to endure, taking hits. Though his body was ten times stronger, he'd die if this continued. Desperate, he shouted, "Brothers, grab your weapons and kill this kid! If I die, you're done! Whoever kills him becomes vice-captain!" Driven by greed, the pirates forgot their fear, charging with swords. I glared back, freezing them in place. Haiduo crawled out of my range. Coldly, I said, "Since you want to die first, I'll oblige."
My fist smashed the nearest pirate's head, bursting it like tofu. Blood sprayed, warming my skin—a thrilling sensation. The others froze, terrified, seeing me as a demon from hell. This blood wasn't enough; I craved more to complete my baptism. I hunted them relentlessly, their numbers dwindling as corpses piled up.
Haiduo's voice came from behind: "Lone Dog Drill!" At top speed, he spun 360 degrees in midair, kicking up dust, aiming to pierce my back. Just as he thought he'd succeed, something extraordinary happened. The demon head tattoo on my back sprang to life, biting his drill. Haiduo gaped, unable to believe the tattoo had materialized. Its killing intent overwhelmed him, choking his breath. He screamed, "Let me go! I was wrong! I'll leave now!" The demon head ignored him, holding firm until his spin stopped, dragging him before me.
"Please, spare me! I'll give you my treasure, work like a beast—anything!" Haiduo begged. Ignoring him, I patted the demon head affectionately. "Thanks." It wagged happily. I added, "Let me finish him, then we'll talk." Haiduo's heart sank in despair. I said, "Insult my woman, and you die." Channeling demonic energy into my fist, I declared, "Demon Fist!" and struck his heart, blasting a hole through it. Haiduo's mouth gaped, speechless, as his body collapsed, the surrounding flesh exploded. I thought, I can't fully control Demon Fist yet. It's a new move—focusing demonic energy into a pinpoint to pierce a target cleanly. Needs refinement.
The demon head bit through Haiduo's arm, draining his blood. I watched, thinking, Truly wicked—blood-sucking. When it finished, Haiduo was a withered husk, discarded. The demon head floated to me, sheepish. I found it adorable—likely the only one who would. Smiling, I said, "You ate that?" It nodded. "Still hungry?" It nodded eagerly.
With a sinister grin, I told the pirates, "My partner can't go hungry. Go, feast on these scum." The demon head bared its black, sharp teeth and charged excitedly. The pirates' spirits plummeted, their spectacle turning into their doom.
Grabbing a long sword, I rushed in, the demon head tethered to me. We slaughtered mercilessly, pirate screams echoing through the town. Residents, horrified, fled home, locking doors and trembling under blankets.
This day became known as the Night of Slaughter. Every year, the town shuttered shops and stayed indoors to safely pass it.
The receptionist, witnessing such horror for the first time, clutched her chest, vomiting until empty. Covering her eyes, she muttered, "Stop, no more killing." Tina, watching my relentless slaughter, found it hard to bear. She'd seen the Revolutionary Army kill, but this was massacre. Yet she watched it all, resolving, If you're a slaughtering Demon King, I'll be your merciless Demon Queen, cutting down anything you despise.
Kindly, Tina told the receptionist, "I see you like him. If you want to stay by his side, open your eyes and face this. It's what you'll need to accept. If you can't, leave now." The receptionist wrestled with her thoughts: Do I love him? Yes, since I saw his silhouette, even now, slaughtering. I'll stay and kill for him. Standing, she opened her eyes, watching me. "Thank you, sister."
Tina smiled, "That's what sisters do." She thought, Husband, your charm's too strong—another woman's fallen for you.
My bloodbath neared its end. I killed; the demon head drained. As the last pirate tried to flee, I hurled my sword, piercing his neck and pinning him to a door. The demon head sucked him dry and licked the blood off me. I patted it. "Good job. Full now?" It nodded. "Want a name?" It nodded excitedly. "From today, you're Demon, my best partner." Overjoyed, Demon circled me, nuzzling my face. I laughed, "Enough, stop it. Back you go." Reluctantly, it returned to my back, reforming the tattoo—now more vivid, black-red.
Standing amid the dried corpses, I spread my arms under the moonlight. "What a glorious night—a true blood baptism." I inhaled the bloody air deeply.
In the distance, a Marine snapped a photo—the image that would later grace my wanted poster.