Although Momonosuke consumed only an artificial Devil Fruit, the essence of that artificial fruit created by Vegapunk was fundamentally no different from a genuine Devil Fruit.
Kaito Arisawa's desire to see Neferpet's ability firsthand was, in part, to confirm this very point.
From the memories he had previously read, he already knew that although Neferpet appeared to be only fourteen or fifteen years old, she was actually seventeen.
In short, she merely looked immature.
In this world, seventeen marked the age of adulthood. That was why both Ace and Luffy had chosen to set sail at that age.
"This is my human-beast form," Neferpet said after transforming. "If I switch to full beast form, there isn't enough space here. I'm afraid I'll destroy the room. We'd have to go up to the deck."
She had no idea what Kaito was thinking. Assuming he simply wanted to observe her powers, she explained the limitation.
Her full beast form meant complete animalization.
Kaito tilted his head slightly and glanced up at the ceiling.
The training room—used by him, Robin, and Mangu—had been constructed with great care. For Mangu's convenience, it was both spacious and unusually tall. The ceiling rose nearly ten meters high. In fact, the No. 1 main ship itself had been built slightly taller than Ships No. 2 and No. 3 of the same model.
"You're right," Kaito replied calmly. "It's still too small in here. Not suitable for your full beast form."
In the memories he had read, he had already seen what her adult beast form looked like. If she transformed fully here, significant damage to the ship would be inevitable.
"That's enough for now. We'll save the full beast transformation for later. First, I want to test your will."
Neferpet blinked, confused by what he meant by "testing her will."
Before she could ask further, Kaito had already adjusted his internal attributes, concentrating them on his Conqueror's Haki.
"Don't move," he said in a low voice. "Stand still and feel it."
His eyes narrowed.
In the next instant, Conqueror's Haki erupted outward—perfectly controlled—surging directly toward Neferpet.
Boom!
Like a violent gust of wind, invisible pressure rippled through the air of the training room.
Neferpet's breathing halted.
The white fur along her body bristled instantly. Her feline pupils shrank into needle-thin slits.
To her horrified senses, Kaito's figure seemed to distort. Shadows twisted around him, and in her perception, he became something monstrous—an overwhelming predator intent on swallowing her whole.
"Meow—!!"
A sharp, instinctive cry tore from her throat.
Driven by the wild instincts of the Nine-Lives Cat Demon, Neferpet's body reacted before her mind could process it. She attempted to retreat.
But Kaito had already anticipated it.
Swish!
In a blur, he closed the distance, seized her by the neck, and slammed her down onto the floor.
Boom!
The impact sent spiderweb cracks spreading across the reinforced flooring.
Even without concentrating his Constitution talent at that moment, Kaito's strength—honed through days of relentless training—was far beyond what it once had been.
Despite being in her human-beast form—one that greatly enhanced her physical capabilities as a Mythical Zoan—Neferpet found herself completely restrained beneath him.
"I said don't move," Kaito said evenly, looking down at her. "This is just one of my abilities. It's meant to test your will. It won't truly harm you. So relax."
"O-Okay… okay, meow…"
Her voice trembled slightly.
It wasn't pain that made it difficult for her.
As a Mythical Zoan, even without prior training, activating her ability granted her physical strength far beyond that of an ordinary person. Though the floor had cracked from the impact, she herself was not seriously injured.
The real struggle was internal.
The Nine-Lives Cat Demon's feral instinct screamed at her to flee from the overwhelming predator before her.
Feeling her resistance gradually lessen, Kaito released his grip.
However, he did not withdraw his Conqueror's Haki.
The pressure continued, wave after wave, washing over her.
The so-called "test of will" was only partially true.
His real intention was different.
He had already agreed to her condition and she had joined willingly. Yet whether as precaution or for the sake of ensuring absolute loyalty, Kaito believed it necessary to shape her fully under his command.
From the earliest members of the War Pirates to those who had joined later, he had repeatedly strengthened their loyalty. Through repeated use, he had come to deeply understand the "subjugation" aspect born from Conqueror's Haki.
The ability to subjugate stemmed from the same core principle as Conqueror's Haki itself.
Those who could withstand Conqueror's Haki were not necessarily strong in body—but they possessed formidable spiritual will.
In other words, the stronger one's will, the greater the resistance to Conqueror's Haki.
Conversely, even someone physically powerful could fall quickly if their mental fortitude was weak.
The same logic applied to the "subjugation" effect.
A weak will was easy to bend.
A strong will was difficult to tame.
Among all the people Kaito had encountered so far, Neferpet's spiritual will was above average.
Perhaps it was because of her experiences. Having endured disaster and trauma without collapsing, her spirit had been tempered rather than broken.
Her resilience limited the immediate effectiveness of his subjugation.
But limited did not mean nonexistent.
Spiritual resistance could slow the process—but as long as it was not absolute, the effect could be layered repeatedly.
Wave after wave.
Pressure upon pressure.
Each pulse would accumulate.
In the end, even strong will would gradually bend.
It simply required time.
And Kaito had no shortage of patience when it came to forging loyalty.
-------------------------
For advanced chapters, visit patreon.com/Varnok