Roa flew through the sky.
He had Bullet in his grasp as he flew above a large fortress built in a mountain pass.
This was a stronghold belonging to the faction opposed to Bullet's forces. The enemy troops who had clashed with Bullet and the others earlier were stationed here.
"Are you ready, Bullet?"
Roa asked.
"Reporting! Ready to deploy at any time!"
Even while flying more than a hundred meters above the ground, Bullet remained completely unfazed.
Although he was only seven years old, he was also the second-strongest seven-year-old child in the world!
"Remember to turn into your elemental form."
As he spoke, Roa directly threw Bullet down from the sky.
Feeling the wind howl past his ears and watching the ground rush closer and closer, a brilliant smile spread across Bullet's weathered yet still youthful face.
He had realized it long ago. Every time he went onto the battlefield, he felt genuine excitement!
"Bullet, deploy!"
The boy's body suddenly melted, transforming into a mass of silvery-white liquid.
The next moment.
Boom!!
The heavy mass of mercury crashed directly into the fortress's central square, smashing a huge hole into the sturdy ground.
Dust and smoke billowed everywhere.
"What happened?"
The soldiers inside the fortress instantly went on alert. "An air raid?"
Before they could react, a dark figure shot out of the smoke.
Looking at the panicked enemy soldiers before him, Bullet's mind stirred. His fists transformed into mercury spheres, and he swung one backhanded punch into an enemy.
Although mercury was a liquid, with speed and mass behind it, it still unleashed astonishing power.
The enemy's body twisted from the blow. He barely had time to let out a cry before being sent flying.
My fists are so much stronger now!
Bullet was like a child who had just received a new toy, his heart filled with wonder.
Then I'll make them even bigger!
He transformed both fists into one-meter-wide spheres and instinctively swung them at the enemy.
But the huge fists were a little too heavy. Instead of hitting the enemy, they caused Bullet himself to stumble.
At that moment, the enemy reacted as well.
"There's only one enemy! Kill him!!"
An officer began issuing orders.
Bang bang bang bang bang!
A dense barrage of gunfire rang out.
Bullet instinctively panicked. Crap! I'm off balance. I can't dodge!
He was shot full of holes.
"Huh?"
After regaining his footing, Bullet lowered his head and examined his body.
It didn't hurt at all!
Bullets were being squeezed out of the mercury-colored holes one by one.
"Oh, right! I can turn into an element!"
On the way here, Lord Roa had told him about his abilities!
Then what was there to fear?
Bullet's smile grew even wider. He directly locked onto the enemy officer giving orders from the fortress's second floor.
"Go to hell!!"
He swung his right fist with all his strength, sending the enormous mercury fist flying.
"What!"
The officer had no time to react before the flying mercury fist sent him hurtling away. He slammed heavily into the wall behind him, and blood exploded across it.
"It can do this too!"
Bullet's eyes lit up as he discovered a new way to use his power.
He swung his fists repeatedly, firing enormous mercury spheres one after another.
They were not especially fast, but combined with their weight, they easily smashed through walls. Every enemy soldier they struck was crushed flat.
But.
"Huff—huff—"
Bullet's breathing gradually grew labored.
This consumed a little too much stamina.
In that case...
Having grown up surrounded by battlefields and weapons, Bullet immediately came up with a new idea.
"Mercury Gatling!"
His hands transformed into the shape of Gatling guns.
The next moment, rat-a-tat-tat-tat! Mercury bullets the size of fingers shot out.
The enemy soldiers fell in swathes like wheat being harvested.
"Ha ha ha ha ha! All of you, go to hell!!"
Bullet burst into loud laughter. The slaughter had him completely exhilarated.
"He's a Devil Fruit user! Take cover! Everyone, take cover!!"
The enemy soldiers also realized how terrifying he was.
Neither guns and cannons nor swords and blades had any effect! How were they supposed to deal with an enemy like this?
"Trying to hide?"
Bullet took a deep breath. "Try this!"
White, almost translucent mist instantly spread from his body, sweeping through every part of the fortress like a violent gale.
The enemies closest to Bullet were the first to experience the pain.
Mercury had a boiling point of over three hundred degrees Celsius, and its maximum temperature could exceed one thousand degrees—hot enough to rival magma. It was not a force ordinary people could withstand.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
One shrill scream after another spread from within the mist, making the other soldiers in the fortress go numb with terror.
The unlucky soldiers were scalded to death before the poison could even take effect.
"Monster! He's a monster!!"
At last, the soldiers completely broke down. They threw down their weapons and tried to flee.
But how could they defeat an enemy like this? This was not an enemy they should have been facing in the first place.
But.
"No one is getting away!"
Bullet knew nothing of mercy. In his view of the world, enemies had to be wiped out completely.
He completely transformed into steam, moving through the fortress like the wind. More mercury vapor surged out from his body.
In the end, a sheet of translucent mist enveloped the entire fortress, and the cries of agony gradually faded away.
Roa drifted lightly down onto the top of the fortress and took a deep breath. "That's a very suitable ability for cooking, Bullet."
Delicious. No further explanation was needed!
"Bullet, how do you feel?"
Roa spoke leisurely.
The scattered steam gathered together, and Bullet's figure appeared in the mist. "Reporting! I feel fantastic!"
"Good."
Roa also felt that things had gone well.
Bullet had adapted to his ability extremely quickly.
Soon, Gray and Dylan hurried over.
Seeing the corpses covering the fortress grounds, even Dylan, who had seen plenty in his time, could not help sighing inwardly.
He had already been an extraordinary little devil. After obtaining a Logia ability, he had completely evolved into a young monster.
"Did Bullet really do all this by himself?"
Douglas Gray, who looked quite weak after taking a vicious punch earlier, was now flushed with excitement. "Wonderful! This fortress is the easiest to defend and the hardest to attack! Now that it has fallen, our army can take advantage of the momentum and advance straight into enemy territory!"
"Hm?"
Roa, who had returned to human form, turned around. "Are you saying this fortress is that important?"
"Yes, Lord Roa!"
Gray was filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much! The civil war that has continued for decades might finally end because of this!"
"How could that be allowed?"
Roa immediately put on a solemn expression. "We are merely guests. How can we interfere in the internal affairs of this island?"
"Eh?"
Gray looked somewhat bewildered.
"How about this? For the sake of balance..."
Roa looked at Gray. The colors of his irises and sclera suddenly reversed completely. "Do you want to become the king of this island?"
King?
Unable to suppress it, boundless ambition instantly surged through Gray's heart.
Yes. If he could obtain Lord Roa's support, how difficult would it be to rule the entire island?
I want it. I want it. I want to become king!
"That's a very good look in your eyes."
Roa smiled. "Since that's the case, take the first step by killing your superior and replacing him."
That's right!
As long as he killed the old bastard above him, he could take his place!
The darkness in Gray's eyes grew increasingly intense, and his expression gradually became crazed. "I understand, Lord Roa. I finally understand what I need to do!"
His real enemies weren't the enemy troops!
Rising through the ranks by killing enemy soldiers was far too slow!
The enemy was in the rear!
"Good."
The strange light in Roa's eyes faded. "Go do what you have to do."
"Yes!"
The darkness in Gray's eyes gradually faded as well, but the excitement on his face did not diminish in the slightest.
For someone with a weak will, even the diminished version of Roa's mind control, weakened further by his human form, was enough to cause irreversible damage to their will.
Turning good people evil and driving evil people mad was effortless for Roa.
Gray ran off excitedly.
"Then we should find somewhere to settle down for now as well."
Roa said.
"Do we not need to conquer this island?"
Dylan asked.
"Oh, come on, don't be so hostile. We are guests."
Roa smiled. "This country is already doing quite well. What right do we have to change it?"
"Yes."
Thus, Roa officially settled down in this country.
In the blink of an eye, six years passed.
It was now the year 1490 of the Grand Line Calendar.
Before you continue