The mess on the deck had long since been cleaned up, and Kent had been carried off to the ship's doctor.
But the shock of that single punch sending a combatant flying still hung over the ship, lingering in every whispered conversation.
It had become something no one could avoid talking about.
Bullet had been called by Roger to a quiet corner near the aft deck.
The view here was wide open, sea breeze flowing gently past. Aside from the three of them, there was only the sound of waves slapping softly against the hull.
Rayleigh leaned against the railing nearby, idly playing with a wine glass in his hand, his gaze calm and unreadable.
Roger sat casually atop a wooden barrel, legs spread, his familiar bright, carefree smile still on his face.
Only this time, deep in his eyes, there was a hint of seriousness.
"Sit, kid, no need to be stiff."
Roger jerked his chin toward another barrel turned upside down beside him.
Bullet sat down as told.
He knew the real "questions" were only beginning now.
"Man, that punch felt good!"
Roger was the first to speak, laughing heartily.
"Kent, that guy relies on his strength and bullies newcomers all the time. This time he really took a nasty fall."
"But..."
His tone shifted as he rubbed the stubble on his chin, curiosity practically shining out of his eyes.
"That change in your arm, that's not a normal Zoan, is it?"
"That feeling... tch, hard to put into words, but it was vicious."
Rayleigh picked up smoothly, his voice steady.
"The captain is right."
"I have seen many Zoan users, even met some Ancient Zoans."
"But the aura you released when you transformed was completely different."
"Closer to... a Mythical Zoan."
Both of their gazes fixed on Bullet, filled only with open inquiry and curiosity.
On this ship that pursued freedom and truth, raw power in itself was not frightening. What was dangerous was the unknown.
They needed to understand this new crewmate.
Bullet fell silent for a few seconds.
He was weighing his options quickly.
Hiding everything was impossible, and unwise.
Roger and Rayleigh both had eyes far sharper than normal people. A clumsy lie would only earn their suspicion.
But the core of "devouring," and his identity as a transmigrator, were cards he absolutely could not reveal.
"This isn't a Devil Fruit ability."
He finally spoke, his voice low and even.
"Oh?"
Roger and Rayleigh raised their brows at the same time. That was not the answer they had expected.
"It was in some ruins on an island."
Drawing from Bullet's original memories, he began to weave an explanation that mixed truth with omission.
"A very ancient island. The writing and the totems there were all unreadable."
"I touched a carving of a black dragon coiled around a giant tree."
He described what the original Bullet had truly experienced.
"And then, it felt like something went straight into my body."
"It stayed asleep for a long time, until recently... it fully woke up."
This explanation neatly accounted for why his power was so unusual, while sidestepping the framework of Devil Fruits.
Roger rubbed his chin.
"An inheritance from some ruin?"
"Interesting... the sea really is full of strange stories."
"And after that?"
"Once that thing 'woke up,' did you learn what it was?"
Bullet nodded, lifted his eyes to the two of them, and spoke slowly.
"I learned its 'name'... or rather, the existence it represents."
He paused for a moment, as if choosing his words.
"Zoan-type, Mythical Beast Model: Nidhogg."
"Nid... hogg?"
Roger repeated the name, curiosity burning even brighter.
"Never heard of it."
"A Mythical Zoan, huh... so it really is an even rarer class than Ancient Zoans."
Rayleigh, meanwhile, was lost in thought.
"Mythical Zoans... the rumored pinnacle of Zoan abilities, possessing powers as strange as Logias."
"Nidhogg... the black dragon of myth, perhaps?"
"The end-bringing dragon that gnaws on the roots of the World Tree... that does match that ancient, violent aura we felt."
Bullet's heart stirred slightly. As expected, Rayleigh's knowledge ran deep.
"So, what can it actually do?"
Roger pressed on, sounding like a kid who had just discovered a new toy.
"Other than making you stronger and tougher?"
Bullet knew he had to show at least some "basics" if he wanted their trust.
He focused his will. This time he did not physically transform his limbs, but instead tried to stir the core of the power inside him.
A faint "pressure" began to seep out from his body, a blend of draconic majesty and his own will.
The air seemed to grow heavy as that aura spread, carrying with it a sense of superiority that looked down on all living things, like an ancient apex predator standing at the very top of the food chain.
A few seabirds pecking at scraps on the distant deck suddenly shrieked, wings flapping madly as they fled without looking back.
Roger let out a soft "hmm," his smile fading slightly as his eyes sharpened.
Rayleigh pushed his glasses up again, his gaze behind the lenses turning even more profound.
They had both felt how strange this "pressure" was.
It was more than simple intimidation. It carried with it a kind of suppression of rank itself.
Against living beings, especially Zoan-type users, its effect could be far more potent.
"Dragon's Might."
Bullet drew back that aura and gave his explanation.