Chapter 194: Cat God
The sunlight shone down on the old cat's tall, muscular, and majestic figure—like an avenger straight out of Resident Evil.
His body was now much larger than a human's. Even Ryosuke had to tilt his head slightly to clearly see his face.
Beneath the bulging muscles, surging blood boiled under the skin, giving it a faint scarlet hue.
A subtle, ominous aura radiated from his body.
But this aura was more form than substance—an effect brought by the Devil Fruit. It lacked spirit.
Though the old cat had often fought wild beasts in his younger days, he was still just a wild cat. How could he have ever faced true powerful enemies? The beasts he fought had no real intelligence.
According to his own words, the strongest opponent he'd ever encountered was a leopard—taken down only with the help of a pack of wild cats.
As such, this so-called "evil spirit" was nothing more than a bluff. It might intimidate a Genin with no battle experience, but to a seasoned ninja willing to face death head-on, it meant nothing.
Still, if the old cat could temper himself through real combat and form a true fighting aura… maybe then, he'd give off a far more dangerous presence.
"This is…"
Noticing the changes, the old cat blinked in confusion.
He stared blankly at Ryosuke—who used to be taller than him—but now, Ryosuke barely reached his chin.
Glancing around at his surroundings, the old cat hesitated.
"Everything… around me seems to have shrunk?"
"It's not that the surroundings have shrunk," Ryosuke explained with a light chuckle. "Your body's become stronger and taller. So your perspective changed too."
Ryosuke's bright white eyes continued to observe him intently.
"How does it feel? Your body, I mean. Or… have you suddenly noticed any new abilities? Memories, maybe?"
Did it finally work?
His heart stirred with excitement.
Training the old cat and cultivating combat strength for the clan was only a secondary goal.
Ryosuke's true purpose was to observe the cat's transformation throughout the training—to uncover anything worth learning that could serve as a stepping stone for his own growth.
And by "transformation," he didn't mean combat experience or gradual growth.
He meant something more immediate—more tangible.
The power of the Devil Fruit.
Transformation.
One of the core traits of Zoan-type Fruits was transformation—allowing users to shift between beast form, human-beast hybrid form, and human form.
Each transformation increased the user's physical abilities in different ways.
Mythical Zoan users were no exception.
"I feel amazing. Every part of my body feels stronger. I have more power..."
The old cat flexed his body, clenched his fist, and threw a test punch.
Waves of invisible force surged forward with a low whoosh, cutting through the air like a whip of wind.
"And I'm faster too..."
He suddenly darted around Ryosuke, moving at high speed—his motion relying solely on raw physical strength, yet easily matching an ordinary Jonin's Body Flicker Technique.
Then, a strange rush of pride rose within him.
A glimmer of boldness lit up his usually calm brown eyes.
"Finally… a stronger body!"
The moment he spoke, the old cat lunged forward.
He appeared in front of Ryosuke in a flash and swung a massive fist—nearly the size of a football—straight at him.
This punch was very different from the casual one before.
Lightning crackled violently along the iron-thick arm, generating an overwhelming pressure—as if it could shatter a mountain.
"Well done!"
Ryosuke grinned, completely unfazed by the sudden attack.
He stepped forward, dust kicking up beneath his foot, and threw a lightning-infused punch of his own.
Boom!
Fists collided.
Lightning arced wildly from their clash, snaking up their arms, across their shoulders, and around their necks.
Shhhh—
The sound of shoes scraping against the earth echoed softly.
Bathed in the electric glow, Ryosuke stared at the old cat in surprise.
That punch… had actually forced him to take a step back!
"Hey! Boss, I actually made you retreat for once."
A wild grin spread across the old cat's face. His expression was now sharp and fierce—completely different from the usual calmness.
"Good."
Ryosuke didn't hold back his praise. But in the very next moment, he threw another punch.
"What about this!"
Lightning cracked through the air once again, this time more restrained but still full of force.
"Then come again!"
The old cat's eyes lit up with excitement.
This time, his punch was even heavier.
It roared through the air with overwhelming might. Evil energy surged like a tidal wave from his body.
Boom!
A thunderous impact shook the area.
The sheer force of the exchange flattened the surrounding weeds and scattered gravel.
Neither of them backed down.
Ryosuke's eyes narrowed.
This punch was stronger than his last. Yet the old cat endured it—maybe even held back some strength.
"Continue!"
Ryosuke's excitement was growing, and his fists moved without hesitation.
The old cat responded in kind.
Under his scarlet, steaming skin, bones creaked with each movement.
Deep within his body, his pink heart pulsed at a strange rhythm, producing blood faster than normal—pumping it through his meridians at high speed.
"It's not over yet…"
"It's not over yet!"
At first, his voice still resembled a human's.
But as the exchange went on, the old cat's roars became beastly. His fists flew faster, each one more powerful than the last.
There was no trace of fear or panic anymore.
His attacks were filled with pure excitement and joy—like he was finally alive.
Under the blazing sun,
The clash of fists and energy sounded like cannon fire.
Dust billowed. Sparks flew.
The surrounding forest caught fire, thick black smoke spiraling into the sky, gradually covering the entire training ground in darkness.
The smoke even began drifting toward the Hyuga clan's territory.
In the middle of the chaos, Ryosuke and the old cat continued exchanging blows—lightning flashing, flames circling, fists crashing.
Despite the sea of fire surrounding them, the flames couldn't get close.
Energy from their collisions kept it at bay, forming a natural boundary.
The old cat's demeanor had completely changed.
Gone was the hesitant wild beast.
Ryosuke knew exactly what was happening.
The old cat was now channeling the full power of the mythical Zoan fruit.
He was slowly accepting its presence, allowing it to influence his character, shape his instincts, awaken a part of himself long dormant.
That God of War hidden within the fruit...
A divine beast from myth...
It was no longer just a legend.
It was slowly awakening—
Inside the old cat.
This influence was one of the side effects of the Devil Fruit—but also one of its innate abilities. As the old cat became more attuned to the fruit's powers, his fighting talent continued to evolve and grow sharper.
Yes, why hadn't I thought of this before?
Since he is the God of Battle, it only makes sense that he must grow stronger by embracing the thrill of battle itself!
Although I had fought the old cat before…
Strictly speaking, I was just training him—beating him down while he struggled to keep up. There wasn't any so-called joy of battle on his side. It was one-sided.
How can he ever awaken the power he inherited without finding joy in combat? Maybe... if someone else trained him, he'd improve even faster.
As the clash between them intensified, Ryosuke suddenly found clarity about the old cat's change.
But now... there was no need to look for someone else.
Even Ryosuke was stirred by the growing fire within himself. His fighting spirit was awakened, urging him to evolve.
He stopped paying attention to the old cat's physical condition. His movements became more reckless, wilder. He no longer held back his strength or speed. Yet, the old cat—through the power of the Devil Fruit—was catching up to him at an astonishing pace.
Ryosuke felt it.
A strange sense of rejection radiating from the old cat.
It wasn't something physical, but rather a distance—an otherworldly chasm. Their bodies were in constant contact during the fight, but emotionally, spiritually, the old cat felt far away. So distant he could no longer be grasped. So elevated... he was unreachable.
High above.
Divinity.
That was it. Ryosuke instantly understood the sensation. It confirmed what he had suspected all along: the old cat had inherited the power of a divine God of Battle.
Could it be one of the rarest mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruits?
There was a fire burning in Ryosuke's eyes.
The old cat, in his transformed state, was physically stronger than any enemy Ryosuke had faced before. Not even Asura or Blueno, the user of the Door-Door Fruit, could compare to his raw physicality.
Though his skills were crude, his growth rate was terrifying.
As the battle progressed, Ryosuke could feel it clearly—the old cat was learning. His ability to mimic Ryosuke's moves improved rapidly. But... it was still limited to physical combat.
"Then let me see how long you can last... and how much you can learn!"
With his next punch, Ryosuke infused his movements with the Marine Six Styles.
At equal physical levels, Ryosuke's combat experience and mastery of techniques vastly outclassed the old cat. Even using techniques within the limits of human capability, he could crush most opponents.
But the gap was narrowing.
The old cat's mastery of close combat was accelerating.
As attacks fell like rain, wounds appeared on both of their bodies. Ryosuke's injuries healed quickly thanks to the Yin Seal. But the old cat—he bled freely, soaked in crimson.
Yet, he didn't retreat.
He answered war with war.
The blood loss only seemed to ignite something deeper in him—his animal instinct, his savage nature, his divine spirit. His humanity was pushed down, overtaken by the overwhelming power of the fruit.
Crunch...
Ryosuke could hear it. Each time the old cat struck, his bones screamed under the strain.
Briefly pulling himself out of the intensity of battle, Ryosuke peered into the old cat's body—and immediately frowned.
The cat's bones were shattered in many places. His organs were under immense strain, sustaining heavy damage from the brutal pace. And yet, he still threw punches. He didn't feel pain anymore.
At that moment... he had lost all consciousness.
He wasn't fighting as himself anymore.
The Devil Fruit's divine power made him unyielding, his beast nature turned him mad, and his ferocity numbed him to pain. In that state, he had become something terrifying—
A pure fighting machine.
"No... this can't go on."
Ryosuke had gained much from their battle, but it was time to end it. The old cat had made astonishing progress—but ever since he lost awareness, his learning had stopped.
Pushing further would only threaten his life.
"Then... stop."
In that moment, the fire and killing intent in Ryosuke's eyes faded completely. Calmly, he dodged the cat's incoming punch, leapt high, and moved out of range.
Before the old cat could lunge again, Ryosuke's sclera glowed white.
Chakra surged and gathered around his eyes, forming seals.
"Genjutsu."
He spoke softly, sealing the technique.
Before Ryosuke...
The old cat, his face twisted into something almost demonic, suddenly froze in mid-charge. The next instant, he flailed upward, striking the air like a drowning man slapping the surface of water.
Then... he slowed.
And slowed.
Until he stopped entirely.
Thump—
The old cat collapsed onto his back. His body rapidly deflated—shrinking, reverting.
What remained was not a beastman, but a small, dazed, unconscious cat. Cute and petite, completely harmless.
"You were acting so ferocious. Looks like this cat god you inherited has a thing against water, huh?"
Ryosuke chuckled softly as he approached. The sea of fire that had consumed the Hyuga training ground now bowed before him, parting to form a path.
He hadn't even stirred his chakra to disperse it.
It simply responded to his will.
Centered around Ryosuke, the sea of fire collapsed and vanished—snuffed out as though smothered by an invisible hand. With each step he took, the scorched battlefield cleared, until the flames that had darkened the skies above the Hyuga compound were extinguished entirely.
He crouched beside the unconscious cat and raised his hands to begin treatment.
Even after that divine transformation, the old cat's core physical traits were still feline. That much was clear. Which meant the god he inherited... was likely a cat god.
A cat god who loved battle.
There were many such beings in Ryosuke's memories, and for a moment, he couldn't pinpoint which one. But—
"You were unbeatable in close quarters... and yet a single illusion took you down. I think we'll need to assign you an adjutant who's trained in genjutsu. If not, that'll be your fatal weakness."
The cat, of course, couldn't hear him. Ryosuke spoke more to himself as he worked.
"Then again... maybe i should be the adjutant. You've got no mission experience, after all. Just stick with me and learn."
Muttering, he continued healing the battered little creature while pondering what to do next.
The cat had already reached the level of a jonin. It was time for him to leave the den and see the world for himself.
Strictly speaking, Ryosuke was still half a master to him—even if they'd never held a formal apprenticeship ceremony.
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