Ren closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. The battlefield of God Valley still trembled in the distance, but inside him there was only silence. He reached inward, toward the strange power that had awakened the moment he swallowed the Devil Fruit.
Darkness answered him first.
Then light.
A radiant sun symbol appeared before his consciousness, blazing gold and red. Opposite it, a silver crescent moon shimmered in cold serenity. Between them, space twisted—and from that distortion emerged a massive Kitsune.
It was colossal.
Nine tails unfurled behind it like flowing banners of destiny. Each tail wrapped protectively around the sun and moon symbols, binding them together in an ancient, sacred balance. Its fur shimmered between gold and silver, as if it belonged to neither day nor night.
The Kitsune howled.
The sound was not heard with ears but felt within the soul. As it cried out, the sun and moon began to merge, their light spiraling into a single radiant eclipse. Shadows and brilliance fused into one overwhelming force.
An eclipse mark formed upon the Kitsune's forehead.
Then it howled again.
The eclipse shifted.
The sun dimmed, and the moon dominated. The creature's aura grew colder, heavier. Its golden fur faded into silver-white, glowing softly like frost under starlight. The air around it seemed to freeze, sharp and silent.
Another howl tore through Ren's consciousness.
The mark flared again.
The moon receded, and the sun surged forward in blazing dominance. The Kitsune transformed into a golden-red inferno, its nine tails burning like solar flares. Heat radiated outward, wild and unrestrained.
Ren's jaw dropped.
"This Devil Fruit… wasn't in the anime or the manga," he muttered in disbelief. "There's no record of this."
The Kitsune lowered its massive head and stared directly at him. Its eyes were ancient, intelligent, terrifyingly aware. For a brief second, Ren felt as though he stood before a primordial deity rather than a Devil Fruit spirit.
"Well, whatever you are," Ren said slowly, placing a hand over his chest, "since you chose me… I won't disappoint you."
He paused.
"Though I still would've preferred Sun Wukong."
The Kitsune's eyes narrowed slightly, as if amused—or offended.
"Are you talking to yourself?"
A female voice cut through his thoughts.
Ren's eyes snapped open instantly. He turned sharply, body tense, instincts alert. The ruined chamber came back into view—broken marble, shattered gold décor, blood drying on the floor.
And there she was.
A woman with black hair cascading over her shoulders, eyes sharp and calculating. Her beauty was the kind that could ignite wars and end kingdoms. Even inside a cage, covered in dust and scratches, her presence was overwhelming.
Ren blinked twice.
"Wtf?????" he screamed internally. "What the fuck is Shakky doing here???"
Shakky watched him carefully.
The boy in front of her didn't look at her the way men usually did. There was no drooling admiration, no stunned silence born from lust, no foolish posturing. His gaze held surprise, confusion… and irritation.
"Interesting," she thought.
Ren rubbed his face once and looked at her again.
"You are Shakky, right?" he asked carefully. "Why are you here? Weren't you rescued by Rayleigh?"
Shakky tilted her head slightly, genuinely puzzled.
"Rescued?" she repeated. "What are you talking about?"
Ren's confusion deepened.
"Isn't this war happening to save you??"
Shakky nodded calmly.
"Yes, it is."
Ren threw his hands up slightly.
"Then why are you here?"
She sighed lightly, as if the situation bored her.
"Well, it started to save me. But the Celestial Dragons' treasures were far more interesting to those pirates."
Ren stared at her.
"Then why hasn't Rayleigh come to save you??" he asked, walking over and examining the lock on the cage.
"Why would he?" Shakky replied smoothly.
Ren paused mid-motion.
"Weren't you two lovers???"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Nope. Who told you that? No one has been able to win this woman's heart."
Ren froze.
AU.
Alternate Universe.
He looked up at the sky as if searching for divine punishment.
"Fuck you, author," he cursed internally. "You lustful guy. Just to get girls, you make all your fics AU. GamerLion, I swear…"
Shakky watched his expression shift between disbelief and silent rage.
"You're very expressive," she noted dryly.
Ren shook his head and focused.
"So what are you going to do?" he asked while breaking the cage lock.
Shakky stepped out gracefully as the metal bars fell aside.
"What about you?" she countered.
Ren didn't hesitate.
"I will be flying away from this island."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"Flying?"
He nodded.
"Fine. Take me away too and drop me on some safe island."
Ren studied her carefully.
Then his eyes lit up.
"You're the Empress of Kuja, right?"
"Yes, I am," Shakky replied, raising an eyebrow again. "Why?"
Ren folded his arms thoughtfully.
"Fine. I'll help you," he said slowly. "But you gotta promise you will introduce me to a Kuja girl in the future. I will tell you her name."
Shakky stared at him for a full second.
"This guy," she thought with amusement, "is thinking about another woman in front of me. The woman whose beauty started an era-ending war."
She crossed her arms.
"And what name would that be?" she asked.
Ren grinned.
"I'll tell you later. Promise first."
Shakky smirked faintly.
"You're bold for someone surrounded by monsters capable of erasing you with a glance."
Ren shrugged.
"I already survived Conqueror's Haki storms. What's one more gamble?"
She studied him, then laughed softly.
"Fine," she said at last. "I promise."
Ren nodded in satisfaction.
"Good."
He closed his eyes again and called upon the eclipse within him. Power surged outward, swirling around his body in a spiral of silver and gold light. His bones shifted, muscles restructured, skin dissolving into radiant fur.
Nine tails erupted from his back.
His form expanded rapidly, fur shifting between silver-white and blazing red-gold before stabilizing into a majestic dual-toned Kitsune. Though not gigantic, he was still immense—around twenty to thirty feet in length.
Shakky's eyes widened slightly.
"So this is your Devil Fruit," she murmured.
Ren shook his massive head once.
"Hop on," he said. "And grab tightly. It's my first time transforming."
Shakky didn't hesitate. She leaped lightly onto his back, fingers sinking into the thick fur.
It was warm.
Comforting.
Alive.
Ren closed his eyes once more. Silver-red clouds began forming beneath his paws, swirling into solid platforms mid-air. He crouched slightly, then leaped upward.
The clouds caught him.
They soared.
Wind roared past them as God Valley shrank beneath their ascent. Explosions still split the sky in the distance—legends clashing, history rewriting itself.
Ren felt it clearly.
He could change his size if he wished. Grow larger. Smaller. The power obeyed instinct and will alike.
But for now, this was enough.
As they flew, he felt something shift behind him. Two of his tails instinctively wrapped around Shakky's waist and shoulders, securing her in place.
She stiffened briefly.
Then relaxed.
Moments later, her breathing slowed.
She had fallen asleep.
Ren blinked.
Already?
He glanced back slightly.
Her expression was peaceful, a faint smile on her lips. His tails adjusted gently, ensuring she wouldn't slip.
"They're soft," she murmured faintly in her sleep.
Ren snorted quietly.
"Of course they are."
The sea stretched endlessly beneath them as they left God Valley behind. Smoke and thunder faded into the horizon.
A new journey had begun.
And somewhere in the sky, under the balance of sun and moon, a silver-and-gold Kitsune carried the future forward.