First Test of Abilities

After eating the Dream-Dream Fruit, Roy had been able to vaguely sense the existence of an illusory space, as though it were his own dream.

I haven't even fallen asleep, yet I can sense my own dream's existence. Doesn't that mean my dream has barely escaped the definition of illusion, and even has the potential to grow into a world? Perhaps once my Devil Fruit Ability awakens, it could become like the divine realms of Western gods or the blessed grotto-heavens of Eastern immortals from the myths of my previous life.

While Roy analyzed his own ability, he suddenly sensed what seemed to be other dreams nearby. However, those dreams could not compare to his own at all. They were like bubbles that would burst with the slightest poke.

But one thing had to be understood: the pirates on this ship had basically all been wiped out by him. Even those who had survived had jumped into the sea to flee at the first opportunity. None of them had dared remain near Roy for even half a second.

"Interesting. I didn't expect there to be living people on this ship. Hmm, I'll go take a look. I got carried away with the killing just now and forgot to leave a few sailors alive. It would be quite troublesome if I had to sail the ship myself." Having made up his mind, Roy headed toward those dreams.

Inside a somewhat dark and damp cabin, quite a few people were imprisoned. Listening to the sounds of fighting coming from above, they all trembled in fear.

Although none of them were tied up, they did not dare open the cabin door and attempt to escape. After all, the ones who had captured them were the most vicious Violent Wolf Pirates in these waters. Even if no one was guarding them, a bunch of trash whose combined combat strength did not even add up to five could never escape. This had long been proven with countless gallons of blood.

"The sounds have stopped. Looks like another battle has ended," a potbellied middle-aged man remarked.

"Hehe, doesn't that mean we'll have another batch of companions before long?"

"Not necessarily. After all, not everyone can afford a ransom like us." The man who said this carried a hint of pride in his tone, and the others nodded smugly as well, seeming to agree completely.

"Creak!" The cabin door suddenly opened. The bright light made it difficult for the people inside to adjust, and they squinted their eyes.

A fat, big-eared middle-aged man bent over and said ingratiatingly, "What can we do for you, sir pirate? Rest assured, we have absolutely no intention of escaping. Being able to pay a ransom and establish ties with the Violent Wolf Pirates is something we've been hoping for."

Seeing that the middle-aged man, utterly servile by nature, was about to keep babbling, Roy decisively cut him off. "Pirate? I'm not one yet. Who are you people?"

The prisoners were still hesitating, but the middle-aged man beside them hurriedly declared his loyalty. "Oh, there's no need to test us, sir. We would never dare harbor even the slightest thought of betrayal. Once we return, we'll work with you from within and without to break through the kingdom's gates."

Roy's mouth twitched. He could not be bothered with the man any longer. "My name is Roy. Surely some of you have heard my name before."

"Roy? Phantom Sword Roy? That famous Pirate Hunter?"

"A Pirate Hunter? Does that mean we've been saved?"

"Wonderful! Those damned pirates—hmph! They actually made me stay in this horrible place. How despicable."

"That's right. Once I return to the Asa Kingdom, I'll definitely send men to wipe them out."

Seeing that the danger had passed, the people who had just been bowing and scraping instantly straightened their backs. Not a single one thought to thank Roy. After all, in most people's eyes, Pirate Hunters were little different from mercenaries. Roy ought to be grateful if they merely gave him a nod.

Oblivious to Roy's gradually darkening expression, the crowd continued celebrating. The middle-aged man who had declared his loyalty earlier felt somewhat humiliated and grew angry out of shame. Yet he did not dare vent his anger on the others, so he could only berate Roy.

"Damn it! Why didn't you say the pirates were dead sooner? You actually made me embarrass myself. What malicious intentions! Just you wait, I'll definitely—ugh, ahhh...!"

Before he could finish, Roy seized him by the throat and slowly lifted him into the air. His face turned bluish-purple from suffocation. His legs kicked wildly, and his hands desperately clawed at Roy, but with his meager strength, he could not budge Roy in the slightest.

Only upon seeing Roy's eyes, so indifferent to life, did he remember what sort of person stood before him. This was a peerless fiend who had exterminated the Violent Wolf Pirates, not the guards from his own family whom he could scold at will.

The others who had been cheering were also frightened by this turn of events and instantly became quails with their heads tucked in. Only then did they remember that Pirate Hunters were a group who wandered along the boundary between light and darkness. Quite a few pirates had once been Pirate Hunters themselves.

They could not help feeling as though they had just escaped the wolf's den only to enter the tiger's lair. Roy looked at the middle-aged man and asked softly, "Do you know what you did wrong?"

"Wrong... cough, cough, I was wrong. Spare me, spare... my life." Though he said this aloud, he was secretly gritting his teeth, thinking about how he would deal with Roy after returning home. But only a few seconds later, there was a crack, the sound of a neck being snapped. He looked at Roy in disbelief, never having imagined that he would not die at the hands of the notorious Violent Wolf Pirates, but at the hands of a Pirate Hunter he had looked down on moments ago.

Roy released his right hand. Listening to the corpse hit the floor, he nodded slightly. "Mm. Since you know you were wrong, I suppose you can die in peace now. Don't you agree?"

How could the nobles and wealthy merchants dare object? They all nodded meekly.

Seeing that the moment was about right, Roy gestured for a young man to step forward. The youth's entire body was trembling, and he did not even dare lift his head, as though seeing Roy's face would get him killed.

Roy did not mind. Sensing the youth's dream, which stood on the verge of collapse, he instantly implanted a thread of consciousness into it.

The youth's trembling suddenly stopped. He raised his head to look at Roy and felt only that Roy possessed an extraordinary bearing. He felt an urge to serve Roy unto death, as though he could offer everything he had to the man before him at any time, even his life.

"Introduce yourself."

"Yes, Master." His answer was firm and resounding, startling quite a few people. "My name is Andrew. I am the heir to a viscount of the Asa Kingdom. I learned a little swordsmanship, but because I was too lazy, I never became particularly skilled. In my family..."

Seeing Andrew suddenly revere Roy as though he were a god, spilling everything without even caring that he was admitting to being worthless, just like a true fanatic, sent a chill through everyone's hearts.

Roy nodded slightly. So emotions are the best catalyst for dreams. Everything I did before shattered his mental defenses, allowing me to implant a dream subconscious into his mind without any effort. But this kind of brainwashing is truly rather terrifying. Perhaps I can use this ability to build a team that is completely loyal to me.

However, Roy knew his own limits. He knew this ability would be difficult to use against people with firm wills or those who had prepared themselves for it. After all, dream alteration worked gradually and imperceptibly. If others learned of the ability and were mentally prepared, it would be hard for them to fall for it.

Even so, Roy was immensely satisfied. Although this was not as simple and brutal as Moria's Devil Fruit Ability to control others, it was superior in effectiveness. It could be said that Roy could fully rely on his dream ability to forge a team utterly loyal to him.

Most terrifying of all, these people would never realize they had been brainwashed by Roy, because their loyalty toward him genuinely came from the depths of their hearts. Even outsiders would believe that they had simply been won over by Roy's personal charisma.