With a roar, Bullet's body rapidly swelled, muscles bulging like coiled steel, exuding terrifying power.
At the same time, the Oro Jackson shook violently. A mysterious force drew all the weapons on deck toward Bullet, who was absorbing them with alarming speed. The sight alone was breathtaking.
"Not good! If he keeps this up, the Oro Jackson will be torn apart!"
Gaban panicked, raising his twin axes to strike Bullet and stop his madness.
Roger quickly stepped in, stopping Gaban. He gestured for him to hold back and watch.
Shiro's expression hardened. He could clearly sense the danger of Bullet's Devil Fruit power.
In Shiro's mind, the movie depiction—where Bullet weakened after transforming and was easily defeated by Luffy—was nonsense. Even if Imu had shown up, Luffy would have been able to break a leg.
"Spatial Bind!" Shiro shouted. Both hands surged with energy as he focused every ounce of his strength. Using his Paw Paw Devil Fruit power, he conjured an invisible cage around Bullet—a space that acted like an unbreakable prison.
Bullet, who had been about to absorb the weapons, suddenly found himself cut off from the outside world, trapped and isolated.
"What? My Clank Clank Fruit… isn't working?" He stared at Shiro in disbelief.
"Divine Departure!" Shiro barked, summoning the last of his strength. He slashed a bolt of black-and-red lightning from his sword. The strike roared like a rampaging dragon toward Bullet.
Pff!
Bullet's chest was pierced again, blood gushing. The wound formed a gruesome X, marking him alongside the injury Roger had left.
He plummeted to the deck, clutching his chest, roaring in rage and despair:
"No… impossible! I can't lose to a twelve-year-old! I will be the strongest!"
Shiro staggered slightly, reinserting his sword into its sheath. The Spatial Bind and Divine Departure had drained nearly all his energy. These techniques were incredible, but immensely taxing. Even for Shiro, performing both simultaneously pushed him to the limit.
"Wait… did Shiro just use the captain's Divine Departure?!"
"Holy… he's already this strong?!"
"The future of the pirate world is terrifying… this kid is going to be insane one day!"
The crew of the Roger Pirates watched in awe, praising Shiro's growth.
Roger approached Bullet, smiling kindly.
"Hey, Bullet, don't be down. You were already injured by me before fighting Shiro, that's why you lost."
Roger had a fondness for raw talent like Bullet—ambitious and capable. He hoped to recruit him into the crew.
Bullet, however, pushed himself up with his fists, gritting his teeth.
"A loss is a loss! I, Douglas Bullet, never make excuses!"
Roger laughed heartily.
"Good! Bullet, join us! You can train with Shiro every day—or even challenge me!" He extended his hand in a warm invitation.
Bullet hesitated, then met Roger's gaze with determination and shook his hand. From that day, the Roger Pirates gained a fiercely ambitious crew member—one who might leave anytime, but whose presence challenged Shiro to grow.
From that point on, Shiro and Bullet trained like maniacs. At dawn they began, and only stopped when the sun set. Their bodies pushed to the brink, sweat soaking their clothes, weapons clutched until their hands bled.
Each fight was more than just combat—it was a battle of will. Shiro used precise tactics and his spatial abilities, while Bullet relied on sheer strength and relentless offense. Every clash sparked like lightning.
Over time, Bullet mastered his Haki, combining Armament and Conqueror's Haki into a new form: "Devil Mode."
When activated, the atmosphere itself seemed oppressive. Black-and-red energy enveloped him from head to toe, radiating malevolent force. His strength and speed multiplied, making him nearly invincible—though the form drained immense amounts of Haki, preventing long-term use.
With Bullet in Devil Mode, Shiro often found himself on the back foot. His Spatial Bind, once unstoppable, struggled against Bullet's raw power.
But fate had a twist. During one fight, Bullet grew overconfident and accidentally revealed the secret behind Demon Mode. Shiro realized immediately:
"It's just Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki… I have those too!"
From then on, Shiro trained in secret, experimenting day and night. Two weeks later, he could unleash Demon Mode himself. The battles became evenly matched, with Bullet no longer able to bully Shiro.
Years passed in rigorous training and constant dueling. Shiro and Bullet's skills grew by leaps and bounds, reaching the level of Rayleigh and Jabba—though their battle experience was still slightly below the legendary "Wings of Kings."
By now, the Roger Pirates boasted five top-tier fighters, their strength shining like stars across the pirate world, rivaling the legendary Rocks Pirates.
The seas trembled under their name… but one man remained undeterred: Golden Lion Shiki.
T/N: If you would like to read up to 20 chapters ahead, check out my P@treon: patreon.com/GhidorahWriter
Thanks for reading! Be sure to collect and vote for more chapters! A Bonus Chapter will be released once we hit 50 Powerstones!