Chương 16: Chapter 16 - The Devil Fruit and The Wings of Thunder

"Man, your old man made you a pretty good ship." Ronan said, as he plopped down leaning against the side of the ship.

"He's my grandfather." Raiden said with a deadpan look.

Ronan just waved it off, "Yeah, yeah. Same thing."

Raiden sighed and motioned for Ronan to follow him. "Let me show you around."

They made their way through the corridors, Raiden pointing out things one by one.

"This is the kitchen," Raiden said, pushing open a small door to reveal a compact space with a stove, a sink, and shelves stocked with provisions. "Not much, but we can manage."

Ronan nodded approvingly, his gaze sweeping over the simple yet functional setup. "Looks good enough for me. As long as we've got food, I'm happy."

Raiden chuckled, leading him further down to the sleeping quarters. "And here's where you'll be crashing," he announced, opening a door to reveal a small room with a single bed, a chest for personal belongings, and a small round window that offered a view of the sea. "Make yourself at home."

Ronan nodded, inspecting the room with a grin. "Not bad, Raiden. At least it's better than sleeping in a damn cave."

"Yeah, you sure got an upgrade," Raiden quipped with a laugh.

After showing Ronan around, they emerged onto the deck, greeted by the salty breeze and the vast expanse of the sea stretching out before them. For a moment, neither of them said anything and just sat down, silently staring out at the sea.

"Oh! I forgot about that..." Raiden muttered drawing Ronan's attention. He pulled out the box that Rock gave him and placed it on the deck.

Ronan eyed it curiously. "What's that, Raiden?"

Raiden shrugged, turning the small, dusty box over in his hands. "No idea. Rock said it's been in his family for generations."

Ronan raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Could be a treasure. Or maybe just old junk."

Raiden shot him a glare. "Says the guy who collects seashells."

Ronan chuckled, nudging Raiden lightly. "Seashells are cool, okay? They tell stories."

Raiden rolled his eyes. Raiden was almost sure that Ronan had the Voice of All Things. He always seemed to hear strange things

Raiden shook his head and focused on the task in hand. He carefully lifted the lid of the box, revealing its contents.

Inside was a fruit unlike any Raiden had ever seen. Its surface was adorned with intricate patterns of deep purple and gold, swirling in mesmerizing designs. Raiden's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"No way..." Raiden whispered, his mind racing. Obviously, he recognized it immediately. 'A devil fruit?! This was Rock's family heirloom?'

He quickly used observe on the fruit, with a grin.

[Ding!]

[Devil fruit profile generated!]

[Type: Mythical Zoan

Name: Bird Bird Fruit Model:Thunderbird

Description: Allows the user to transform into the mythical Thunderbird, a legendary bird of immense power. The user gains the ability to control thunder and lightning, with enhanced physical attributes in bird form as well as in user's base form.]

Raiden was even more shocked. Mythical Zoans were the rarest. He mentally thought to himself, 'How did Rock's grandfather even find this thing?'

Ronan, who had never heard about devil fruits, asked, "What is it?"

"You don't know what this is?" Raiden said, raising an eyebrow.

Ronan shook his head, "No I don't."

Raiden was even more surprised. Ronan was from the grandline, so it was pretty weird that he didn't know about them.

Raiden shook his head and grinned. "I'll show you something cool." Without hesitation, he bit into the fruit. The taste was immediately repulsive, like a combination of rotten fish and moldy cheese, so disgusting it almost made him gag. He forced himself to swallow, wincing at the foul taste lingering on his tongue.

As soon as the fruit went down, Raiden felt a strange energy begin to course through his veins. It started as a tingling sensation, spreading from his stomach outwards. The tingling grew more intense, turning into a searing heat that radiated through his entire body. It was as if every cell in his body was being electrified, charged with raw, primal power.

His vision blurred for a moment, the world around him seemed to pulse and vibrate. He could feel the energy coiling within him, like a storm waiting to be unleashed. His muscles tightened, then relaxed, as if adjusting to the sudden influx of power.

[Ding!]

[Host has consumed a devil fruit. The fruit will be assimilated.]

Raiden's body began to glow faintly, arcs of electricity dancing across his skin. He could feel the power surge through him, his senses sharpening, every sound and sight around him becoming more vivid and intense.

'Fuck! This is addictive!' Raiden felt that he was high. The feeling was exhilarating. It was the system notification that pulled him out of his stupor.

[Ding!]

[Host's constitution has been boosted passively by 100%]

[Host's speed is increased passively by 50%]

[Host's strength is increased passively by 50%]

"This is insane..." Raiden whispered in awe.

On the other side, Ronan stared at Raiden with wide eyes, worry etched across his face. "Raiden, are you alright?"

Raiden ignored the notification and grinned at him. Without a word, he closed his eyes and began his Zoan transformation, which pretty much became instinctual for him, as soon as he ate the fruit.

His body started to change, bones shifting and muscles expanding. Feathers began to sprout from his skin, shimmering with an ethereal, electric blue hue. His arms elongated into powerful wings, each feather crackling with static energy.

His legs transformed into strong, taloned limbs, and his face elongated into a sharp, majestic beak. With a powerful flap of his new wings, Raiden felt the ground leave his feet. He let out a piercing screech that echoed across the sea.

Ronan watched with eyes wide as saucers. "Whoa..." He muttered, as he saw the massive bird fly. Raiden told him, he would show him something amazing and he sure did.

The thunderbird that Raiden had become was magnificent. His wingspan was enormous, easily stretching over ten feet, and every feather seemed to hum with latent energy. His eyes glowed with an intense, electric blue light, and arcs of lightning danced across his form, illuminating the deck with flashes of light.

Raiden felt an overwhelming rush of exhilaration as he soared into the sky. The sensation of flight was unlike anything he had ever experienced—pure freedom and unrestrained power. The wind whipped past him, ruffling his electric blue feathers and filling his heart with an indescribable joy. Every flap of his wings sent him higher, and each movement was smooth and effortless, as if he had been born to fly.

The world below seemed insignificant, a distant and tiny place compared to the vast sky that now surrounded him. The endless expanse of the sea glimmered in the sunlight, and the horizon stretched out infinitely, inviting him to explore its mysteries. He felt the cool air rush against his face, filling his lungs with the crisp, invigorating scent of the ocean.

Raiden's senses were heightened in this new form. He could feel the electricity coursing through his veins, a constant hum of energy ready to be unleashed.

He let out a triumphant screech, his voice echoing across the sky and mingling with the rumble of thunder that seemed to be following him.

Raiden stayed in the air for a few minutes, but soon began to feel a drain on his stamina. The initial exhilaration gave way to a growing fatigue. The intense rush of energy started to wane, bringing him out of his high and back to rational thinking.

'Okay, this is getting harder. I don't think I can maintain this any longer.' Raiden thought to himself.

He decided that it was time to head back, Raiden angled his wings and began a descent towards the ship. The once effortless movements now required much more concentration and effort. As he neared the deck, he shifted back into his human form and landed...rather roughly.

"Ouch, ouch. Damn it. I need to learn how to land." Raiden winced lightly.

Panting heavily, he leaned against the ship's railing, trying to catch his breath. The transformation had taken more out of him than he expected.

Ronan ran up to him, eyes wide with a mix of worry and excitement. "Raiden, are you alright?"

Raiden nodded, still catching his breath. "Yeah... just... a bit winded." He wheezed out with a grin.

"That was insane!" Ronan exclaimed, his face lighting up with awe. "You turned into a giant bird and flew! I mean, holy shit, that was fucking cool!"

Raiden couldn't help but laugh, despite his exhaustion. "Yeah, it was pretty wild, wasn't it?"

"Wild? That's an understatement!" Ronan said, shaking his head in disbelief. "You looked insane! And that thing was so massive! You were even bigger than the damn ship!"

Raiden grinned, feeling a sense of pride mixed with the lingering thrill of the transformation. "It's a mythical Zoan fruit. The Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Thunderbird. Gives me the ability to transform into that legendary bird and control thunder and lightning."

Ronan's eyes widened even more, if that was possible. "That's incredible. I didn't even know something like that existed. So, you can just turn into that bird anytime now?"

Raiden nodded, though he could still feel the lingering fatigue. "Yeah, but it takes a lot of energy. I need to get used to it, build up my stamina."

"Well, whatever it takes, you've got one hell of a power now," Ronan said, clapping him on the back. "Just don't push yourself too hard, alright? We still need you in one piece."

Raiden nodded, appreciating the concern. "Don't worry, I'll be careful. But yeah, this is going to be a game-changer for us."

Ronan grinned. "Damn right it is. With you flying around like that, we'll be unstoppable."

'Well, not really but I don't want to correct him right now.' Raiden thought with a wry smile. The monsters in grandline made flying look quite redundant.

Ronan's excitement didn't seem to wane as he looked at Raiden, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "Hey, Raiden, can I eat a devil fruit too? I mean, imagine what we could do with both of us having powers like that."

Raiden considered it for a moment before nodding. "Sure, it's possible. But finding another devil fruit is going to be tough. They're incredibly rare, and there's no guarantee what kind of power you'd get."

Ronan's face lit up, "Then let's go out and find one for me. I want in on the action too."

Raiden laughed, shaking his head. "Hold on, there are some drawbacks you need to know about. Once you eat a devil fruit, you lose the ability to swim. The sea becomes your enemy, and you'll sink like a stone."

Ronan's eyes widened in horror. "What? No way! I love swimming. I'd rather keep my ability to swim than gain any power." He shook his head vigorously. "Nope, not worth it. I'll pass."

Raiden burst into laughter at Ronan's quick change of heart. "Yeah, that's what I thought. It's not for everyone. Imagine not being able to swim as a fishman. That would be pathetic."

Ronan chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Guess I'll stick to being the best swimmer then. Leave the crazy powers to you."

"On a serious note, we might need a powerful swimmer on the crew. We will be on the sea after all. And I don't really want to drown in case I touched the sea water." Raiden said, leaning back onto the rails.

"Yeah. You're not wrong." Ronan said sitting down next to Raiden. The duo just stayed like that, staring at the sea in comfortable silence.

Raiden, having some free time on his hand, opened his status to take a look. It had been quite some time since he last checked it.

[Ding]

[Status: SILVERS D RAIDEN

Titles:

Member of D clan -

Effect : Constitution +50%

Charisma +50%

Physical stats:

Strength - D (20/10,000)

Constitution - D (90/10,000)

Agility - D (50/10,000)

Will - C (550/100,000)

Charisma - D (125/10,000)

Haki - None

Observation Haki (not available)

Armament Haki (not available)

Conqueror's Haki - E (0/1000)

(The host can only use this power in small bursts.)

Devil fruits - Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Thunderbird

--> A Mythical Zoan-type fruit that allows the user to transform into a legendary Thunderbird, granting control over thunder and lightning, and enhancing physical attributes. All enhancements are passive.

Devil Fruit Mastery (G) - 0/10

Combat techniques -

•) Force Palm (D) - 300/10,000

•) Rokushiki -->

1) Shigan(E) - 400/1000

2) Geppo (E) - 800/1000

3) Soru (D) - 900/10,000

Skills -

•) Observe(D) (200/10,000)

(Can be used to enhance ???)

•) Rampage(D) (8900/10000)

Achievement Points - 200]

He immediately put 110 points in devil fruit mastery. Getting it up to E rank as well.

'Damn it. This system is rigged. How am I supposed to get so many achievement points.' Raiden thought to himself with a frown.

"...den!"

"..iden!"

Ronan shook Raiden hard, his grip tight and voice urgent. "Raiden! Snap out of it!" he yelled, his face inches from Raiden's.

Raiden blinked, his gaze snapping back to reality. "What? What's going on?" he asked, seeing the panicked look on Ronan's face.

"You zoned out at the worst possible time, you fucking idiot!" Ronan shouted, pointing towards the horizon. "Look!"

Raiden followed Ronan's finger and saw a pirate ship fast approaching. The skull and crossbones flag fluttered ominously in the wind, and the ship's cannons were already being loaded.

Raiden cracked his fingers, a grin spreading across his face. "Perfect timing. Let's try out this new power."

_____