One Piece: Pirate Cat.

What is happening to my body?!

Why did my paw turn into that slime?

Did I not become a normal cat? Did I turn into something else entirely?

This might actually be a useful ability for hunting, but I should first figure out if I can control it on command.

But before all that, I need to have breakfast.

I head back to the river where I was yesterday. When I arrive, I stay hidden for a few minutes, watching to make sure there are no predators nearby. Once I'm confident it's safe, I approach the water to drink.

After quenching my thirst, I try the same hunting strategy as yesterday: I hide behind a bush and wait for prey to come by.

Half an hour passes, and then I see something—a black wolf approaching the river. Seeing it, I freeze, staying completely still, trying not to make any noise.

The wolf begins drinking, but then, it suddenly turns its head in my direction.

Did it notice me?

Crap, what do I do now? I can't beat a wolf.

In a panic, I start running toward the beach, seeing the wolf moving toward my bush.

I sprint at full speed, glancing over my shoulder. The wolf is gaining on me.

I won't make it to the beach—it's too far. I need to climb a tree.

Instead of dodging the tree in front of me, I leap up and try to climb. But when I reach about three meters high, I feel something is wrong. I glance down and see the wolf trying to chew on my tail.

But then I see him cough and spit out the slime.

Apparently, I'm not edible. Well, that's a relief.

I continue climbing while I watch the wolf turn and move toward the small river.

I wait for a while, making sure the wolf is gone, before I reach for my tail. To my surprise, it replenishes almost instantly.

After this, I decide it's best to practice controlling these powers before I try hunting again. I need to understand them better if I want to increase my chances.

I head toward the beach—there should be fewer animals, and I'll have more space to experiment with my new abilities.

After about ten minutes, I finally reach the beach. I scan my surroundings, both to make sure there are no predators and to find a spot where I can train. I spot some coconuts not too far away.

I move toward them, ready to begin.

First, I need to figure out how to turn parts of my body into slime at will. I start with my right paw. It doesn't work immediately.

It takes me an hour, but once I manage to get the trick, I find I can do it with the rest of my body as well.

Next, I try to change the shape of the slime. I turn my right paw into slime again, but this time, I attempt to stretch it into a hand and reach toward a coconut.

Needless to say, my first attempt doesn't go well. But I have time to improve.

After two hours of practice, I finally manage to lift the coconut with my slime hand. But something is off—the coconut now looks strange. I approach it and realize the outside appears corroded, like the shape of a hand.

Could the slime be corrosive?

I ponder this for a moment before deciding to test it. I completely cover the coconut in the slime and watch carefully.

As the coconut stays in the slime, I watch as it begins to visibly disintegrate.

What?!

Also, I realize I'm not hungry anymore. How is that possible? What happened to me?!

Can I feed myself this way? Can I even eat stones? Oh, God, no!

I have no choice but to accept it—this is who I am now. I just have to get used to it.

I decide to head back to the river to drink again, but as I enter the forest, something feels off. I have the unsettling sense that I'm being watched.

I glance around, but I can't see anything. I continue walking, but I stay alert, checking my surroundings frequently.

When I finally reach the river, I'm about to drink when I hear a noise behind me. I turn around, and there it is again—the black wolf from earlier.

It charges toward me.

I know I need to dodge, but I can't afford to fall into the water. Earlier during training, I tried getting close to the sea, but as soon as I touched it, I felt completely exhausted.

Is this because I'm a cat?

But now is not the time to think about that. At this distance, I won't be able to escape in time. If I try to run, the wolf will catch me before I can leap into a tree.

I have no choice but to fight.

But what can a cat possibly do against a wolf?

As I brace for impact, an idea strikes me. I spin my tail in the mud, and when the wolf is about twenty centimeters from me, I wrap the mud around its mouth, creating a sort of muzzle. With my slime-covered limbs, I quickly bind its legs, causing the wolf to collapse to the ground.

Once it's immobilized, I'm unsure what to do next. I can't just let it go, but I can't keep it like this forever, either.

Then, it hits me.

"If you want to eat me, you'd better expect the same," I say, even though I'm sure he only heard a meow.

I begin wrapping his body entirely in slime, watching as he struggles, but the slime starts to absorb him.

After about twenty seconds, the wolf—and his body—are no more.

It worked.

But something's wrong. I feel uneasy. I approach the river again, looking for my reflection.

What I see is not a cat, but a wolf with blue fur.

What is happening to me? I don't understand anything anymore!