"..."
The red figure stepped forward slowly, moving closer to Black Gun Heck.
"You, do not come any closer! The Celestial Dragons are behind me! If you kill me, you will enrage them!"
Black Gun Heck trembled violently. He raised his long gun in front of him as a shield while staggering backward, his voice hoarse with fear.
"Do you want to anger the Celestial Dragons? You will die! They will hunt you down and kill you!"
"..."
No matter how he shouted or threatened, the face hidden within the red mist remained completely unmoved. There was not the slightest trace of emotion.
"You... you..."
Black Gun Heck kept retreating until his back pressed against the railing. There was nowhere left to go. His body shook uncontrollably as he stared at the crimson monster slowly approaching him.
"I will fight you to the death!"
Driven mad by fear, Black Gun Heck roared and thrust his long gun forward. The weapon was coated in Armament Haki as he attacked with everything he had.
Crack!
The gun, reinforced by Armament Haki, was instantly crushed by the opponent's sharp claws.
"Monster! You monster!"
Black Gun Heck stared at the shattered weapon in disbelief. His hands trembled violently. The broken pieces slipped from his fingers.
In complete panic, he turned and jumped toward the sea.
Screech!
Before he could fall into the water, a claw shot forward and seized him by the neck.
The red figure lifted him into the air effortlessly.
"Ugh... let go... gurgle... me..."
Black Gun Heck desperately clawed at the steel-like grip crushing his throat.
"No... please... do not kill me... gurgle... I was wrong..."
Cracking sounds echoed from his neck as the pressure tightened. His face turned bright red, swelling like it would burst from suffocation.
"Please... please... gurgle... I have a child... I have a seven year old child..."
"..."
The desperate cry seemed to cause a faint reaction.
Inside the red mist, those cold blood-red eyes flickered slightly. A trace of confusion appeared for the first time.
"I..."
...
"Where am I?"
Chopper suddenly woke up from his daze.
The medical book covering his face slid aside as he blinked in confusion.
He was lying on a lounge chair aboard the Going Merry.
The sun was slowly setting in the west, painting the ocean with a magnificent glow. The distant horizon was dyed deep red by the evening sky.
Yet that crimson color made Chopper feel uneasy.
It reminded him of blood.
"Huh? When did I get back on the Going Merry?"
Chopper scratched his head in confusion.
"Did I fall asleep while reading?"
He looked around, his large eyes blinking.
"Is anyone there? Hey! Everyone, where are you?"
"Hey! Chopper! You slept for a long time!"
Usopp walked past carrying a fishing rod, laughing as he greeted him.
"Usopp! I think I had a dream. I..."
Chopper happily ran toward him, eager to share the strange dream he just had.
In that dream, he had turned into a terrifying blood-red monster and killed people uncontrollably.
But before he could finish speaking, a thin wisp of crimson mist quietly spread around him.
"Companions are useless. Kill them all."
Crack!
The crisp sound of a neck being twisted echoed across the deck.
"I..."
Chopper stared in horror.
His body had transformed into a terrifying red monster. In his clawed hand was Usopp's neck, already crushed.
Usopp's eyes were wide with terror and disbelief, as if he could not understand why his friend had suddenly attacked him.
"No! No! No! I did not do this! I did not do this!"
Chopper released his grip.
Usopp's body collapsed to the deck with a dull thud.
Chopper staggered backward, his entire body shaking.
Without him noticing, his form had already returned to his small, cute human-beast shape.
"I did not do this! I did not do this!"
Tears filled his eyes as he turned and ran.
Thump!
He ran straight into someone and bounced back, falling onto the deck.
"Chopper, why are you running around like that? Have you seen Usopp?"
A calm and steady voice spoke.
It was the swordsman.
Zoro.
The crimson mist spread again.
"Kill him. Kill him."
"Zoro! Zoro!"
Chopper opened his eyes desperately, like someone drowning who had just found a lifeline.
"I... I think I just killed Usopp. I..."
His voice suddenly froze.
Because he realized something horrifying.
In his hand was a blood soaked sword.
Zoro's sword.
Sandai Kitetsu.
"..."
Zoro lay on the deck, his face twisted in pain. A deep wound cut across his abdomen.
Clang!
The sword slipped from Chopper's hand and hit the ground.
"What... what have I done? What have I done!"
Chopper looked at his hands, both of them drenched in blood. His eyes were filled with despair.
"Ah! Chopper! What have you done!"
Miss Nami's sharp scream came from behind him.
"I... it was not me! Miss Nami, I was framed!"
Chopper turned around with tears streaming down his face.
The red mist expanded again.
"Kill... kill them..."
Miss Nami's scream suddenly stopped.
"No! No! Do not do this anymore!"
Chopper stared blankly.
Miss Nami's body had been torn apart by his claws. The woman who had always been so kind to him was now a lifeless corpse.
Her head swayed gently from his crimson arm.
"Do not kill my companions anymore! Do not kill my companions anymore!"
Chopper carefully placed her body on the deck.
Then he shouted at himself in fury.
"I am not a monster like you! I am not!"
"..."
The blood-red killing aura surged again.
Chopper's body began swelling as the monstrous transformation returned.
Click.
The kitchen door opened.
A blond man stepped out carrying a tray of beautifully prepared pastries.
"Hmm? What happened, Chopper? Why is Miss Nami lying on the ground like that?"
Sanji looked confused.
Chopper trembled violently as he saw him.
"Sanji! Run! I cannot control myself!"
Splat!
Clang, clang, clang.
The tray crashed onto the deck.
The pastries scattered everywhere.
"..."
Fragments of desserts mixed with fresh blood across the wooden planks.
Red droplets splashed onto Chopper's body and the walls of the cabin.
Among the shattered remains, it was impossible to recognize the chef who once valued feeding his companions more than his own life.
"This is a dream... this is a nightmare... this is not real... this is not real..."
Chopper collapsed onto the deck, covered in blood.
His trembling hands tried desperately to hold together his shattered mind.
"Chopper, I never expected you to be such a bloody monster."
Robin's calm voice spoke beside him.
"I will tell the others that you slaughtered your companions."
"No! I did not! It was not me!"
Chopper jumped up in panic and grabbed her arm.
...
Robin's limbs were scattered across the deck like pieces of a broken doll.
Her beautiful face remained untouched by blood, peaceful as if she were simply asleep.
"Am I... am I really a monster?"
Chopper stared blankly at the pale arm in his hand.
"Did I really kill my companions..."
His mind had already gone blank.
"Hey! Chopper! Have you seen everyone? I spotted an island ahead. Let's go explore it!"
Luffy's cheerful voice echoed as he swung down from the sail.
"You... you killed them? You killed your own companions?"
Luffy's shocked shout snapped Chopper back to reality.
"Get away from here, Luffy!"
Chopper screamed desperately, trying to warn him.
But when he turned around, he froze.
In his hand was Luffy's head.
Blood dripped slowly as Luffy stared forward with lifeless eyes.
"Ah!!"
Chopper screamed and threw it away.
"Heh heh, Chopper..."
Suddenly a familiar voice came from the cockpit.
Shirogai.
"No! Shirogai! Do not come closer! Do not come closer!"
Chopper shouted in pure terror.
But the next moment, Shirogai calmly walked out from the cockpit with a relaxed smile.
"Heh heh, Chopper. Hmm? What is wrong?"
The blood-red mist spread once more.
"..."
Chopper's thoughts froze.
"Kill! Kill!"
His body moved on its own.
The murderous personality took control again.
The crimson monster lunged forward, his steel claws aiming directly for Shirogai's neck, trying to tear him apart.
"Hey, Chopper. What are you trying to do?"
Clang!
The attack was blocked instantly.
The Shirogai standing before him simply smiled.
"Do you want to spar with me?"
"..."
Killing Intent Chopper paused.
This person was different.
The others had been easily killed in the hallucination he controlled.
But this man had stopped him without even moving seriously.
Bang!!!
A simple punch landed.
Killing Intent Chopper was blasted backward and crashed violently across the deck.
Shirogai cracked his knuckles and smiled.
"Alright."
"Come on."
"Let's spar."
___
Support the story by sending Power Stones to unlock bonus chapters.
===
If you want to read more, there are up to 100 chapters available on patreon.
Patreon.com/ _Zeph