Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Triceratops

The Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Triceratops is an Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit that allows the user to transform into a hybrid and full version of a triceratops at will. It was eaten by Sasaki.

Etymology

 * Ryū (竜) is Japanese for "dragon" and can be found in the Japanese term for "dinosaur" (恐竜).
 * This is not unique to the Japanese language. Other East Asian languages also use the word "dragon" in their terms for "dinosaur": Gonglyong (공룡) in Korean ("yong" means dragon in this language), Kǒnglóng (恐龙) in Chinese ("lóng" means dragon in this language), Khủng long in Vietnamese (long means dragon in this language).

Strengths and Weaknesses
A user of this Zoan can become a triceratops—a large, heavy-bodied, herbivorous dinosaur from prehistory—and assume a human-triceratops hybrid form. In Sasaki's case, the full Beast Form is big enough to outsize a 13m-tall robot, and his Human-Beast Form also stands taller than that very same robot.



Similar to other dinosaur Zoans, a user of this fruit is granted an enormous boost in physical strength. They can charge into and bash enemies with incredible force, their three sharp-pointed horns (especially their nasal one) serving as a dangerous pointed weapon to pierce opponents with. Given a triceratops' hardy skin, the user also enjoys a dramatic increase in durability, which especially applies to their frontal side that benefits from their thick skull, bony frill, and horns. This durability is such that the user may be unscathed by and able to outright ignore heavy, explosive artillery fire.

While the user's frontal defense is quite formidable, the entirety of their body is not so invulnerable, with their belly area being a particular weak spot. This was first seen when the "Franken" was successfully able to cut into and injure Sasaki's belly. Other than that, the user is affected by the standard Devil Fruit weaknesses.

Usage
Sasaki uses his ability for combat purposes, particularly against enemies that turn out too powerful for his subordinates to handle alone.

His preferred method of attack in his full triceratops form is charging into enemies head-first, pushing them back and, if possible, piercing them with his horns; Sasaki was able to send Franky's General Franky, an extremely strong robot, rolling back by charging at it. Another time, Franky, inside the robot, was barely able to hold off such a charge and prevent Sasaki's horn from piercing him.

Given his increased durability while transformed, Sasaki can simply ignore any attack too weak to break his triceratops skin, including a nonstop barrage of explosive rounds, sustaining no visible harm from the latter. This can make it difficult for foes to stop Sasaki once he has started his charge, forcing them to dodge instead.



In his Human-Beast Form, Sasaki becomes bipedal and thus capable of wielding his weapon for swordsmanship. Sasaki's most peculiar ability in this form, however, is that he is capable of sustained flight, which he achieves by somehow rotating the frills around his neck at high enough speeds that it simulates a helicopter's rotary wings, propelling his own large and heavy body through the air. This grants Sasaki increased mobility and speed that he can take advantage of, either by overwhelming his opponents with fast, aerial strikes from his sword or dodging incoming enemy attacks. He can also propel himself forwards or backwards, depending on which direction he rotates his frill, while on the ground for charging attacks that quickly cover distance gaps between himself and the opponent, as well as create wider gaps so that he can build up extra momentum. Sasaki does not have perfect control over this aspect of his powers though, sometimes making mistakes regarding the intended direction of his propulsion.

Techniques

 * Heliceratops (ヘリケラトプス): While airborne thanks to his propeller frills, Sasaki approaches his enemy from above and uses his Karakuri Rasento to repeatedly slice them using diagonal swings. It was first used against the Gifters of his Armored Division, who had changed sides because of Tama's ability.




 * Tamaceratops (ケラトプス): While grounded in Human-Beast Form, Sasaki crouches down, starts spinning his frills, and then charges towards his enemy by propelling himself straight forward at high speeds, headbutting them with his horns. This move is strong enough to pierce through the General Franky's shoulder launchers, causing them to explode due to misfiring. The first time Sasaki was seen trying this move, he made a misstep by propelling himself in the wrong direction, awkwardly excusing his blunder as a strategic decision to gain extra space and momentum for the actual attack. In the English Viz release, this attack is named Bulletriceratops.




 * Magnumceratops (マグナムケラトプス): While airborne, Sasaki spins his frills to then divebomb toward his opponent, headbutting them into the ground with massive force while his horns pierce them. Sasaki first used this after being blown away by the General Franky's General Cannon, as an attempt to counterattack and bring Franky down with him. This move was strong enough to severely damage the Wapometal-clad General Franky, although Franky himself was able to escape by ejecting himself from his robot.

Trivia

 * Judging by Sasaki's spiked frill, the fruit transforms the user into the Triceratops horridus species.
 * Sasaki wielding this ability fits his role as leader of the Beasts Pirates' Armored Division, which mostly comprises SMILE users whose abilities are based on hard-skinned/shelled animals.
 * Sasaki's favorite food being asparagus seems to be a nod to him becoming a herbivorous dinosaur.
 * Sasaki's flying capabilities in Human-Beast Form are highly reminiscent of the Guru Guru no Mi, which primarily involves the rotating of body parts to create sustained flight as well.

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