The Devil's Fruit

As the ominous shadow enveloped Eloia and darkened the sky, Catherine felt a chill run down her spine, triggering memories of her childhood. She was transported back to the days when her sister, Saae, would tell her and their brother Michael with tales of devil fruits.

In the flashback, Catherine and her brother Michael were huddled together, with Michael enthusiastically chewing his bubble gum, his round cheeks puffing out with each chew. Catherine, her eyes wide with curiosity, had asked Saae about devil fruits, prompting her sister to recount the ancient legend.

"According to the tale, whispered among sailors and storytellers alike, the devil had once fallen from the heavens, and to anchor him to the mortal realm, his formidable powers were dispersed into the world in the form of devil fruits. It was said that those who consumed these fruits gained extraordinary abilities but became cursed to never swim again."

Saae continues: "There is a rumor passed down through generations that one day, a child would be born who could harness the powers of a devil fruit without being bound by its limitations.."

Back in the present, Catherine's heart raced as she realized the gravity of the situation. She reach over and grabbed her brother Michael's hand in a panic, Michael quickly glancing over towards Catherine with a growing concern over her unusual behavior.

"What's wrong, Catherine?"

"She doesn't have devil fruit powers..."

The memory of her sister's stories mingled with the looming threat of Eloia's power, driving Catherine to action. She grabs Michael in tow, she knew they had to escape the unfolding chaos before it was too late.

Captain Jack stared in awe at the ominous presence in the sky, he stood transfixed, his sense of awe quickly turning to dread as an overwhelming sense of doom washed over him. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, drawn irresistibly towards the darkness until it enveloped him completely, swallowing him from view.

The shadow continued its relentless advance into the city, swallowing everything in its path, Ben and Dan, frozen in fear, found themselves caught in its sinister view. Cloud begins to panic as he snaps out of his rage, realizing the dire realization that they're in.

"Haito, we have to move!" Cloud shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos as he urged them to flee. Haito who had his eyes set on Michael, startled by the urgency in Cloud's tone, turned to see the looming shadow closing in behind him.

With a surge of determination, Haito scoops up Ben and Dan, who were still frozen in fear, left behind by Catherine and Michael and dashed off into the city.

As Cloud's voice echoed through the chaos, his hand reached out to grasp Eloia's, pulling her from the brink of darkness. With a shudder, she shook herself free from its grasp, her eyes clearing as she returned to herself. The shadow, deprived of its hold over Eloia, began to dissipate, fading away into nothingness as the light of day broke through the clouds once more. Eloia fell back into Cloud's arm unconsciously.

Cloud let out a sigh of relief, his body trembling from being overworked, his voice strained from exhaustion.

"Why do I feel like I just narrowly avoided something worse than death?" he murmured, his breath ragged as he held Eloia close to him. With a weary sigh, he sank to the ground, cradling her unconscious form in his arms.

Eloia's limp weight pressed against him, as Cloud looked down at her with concern, his mind swirling with thoughts of what they had just faced.

"That's the most I've pushed myself in a long time," he admitted quietly, his gaze drifting up to the now clear sky.

Meanwhile, Haito, having released Ben and Dan from his grip, watched as the remnants of the dark aura vanished from the sky. With a nod of satisfaction, he turned and dashed into the city, his determination driving him forward to catch up to Catherine and her brother, Michael.

As Ben and Dan lay on the ground, nursing their injuries. Ben winced in pain, his voice trembling as he spoke of Haito's terrifying presence.

"That guy is ridiculously scary," he muttered, his eyes still wide with fear.

"Eh, he wasn't so bad," Dan replied, his tone surprisingly calm despite his broken arm. With a grimace, he settled back onto the ground, his gaze fixed on the retreating figure of Haito as he disappeared into the bustling streets of the city.

As the dust settled and the remnants of the recent chaos faded into the distance, Cloud gently laid Eloia down on the ground, as he stood up to take a moment to catch his breath. The weight of their recent ordeal hung heavy in the air, and he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered before him.

Figures began to emerge from the corners of the town, drawn out by the commotion. Curious townsfolk and their murmurs filling the air as they took in the aftermath of the battle.

"I can't believe it.."

"They really took out all those marines by theirselves."

"Who are these guys?"

Among the crowd, the mayor stepped forward, his expression a mix of relief and gratitude as he approached Cloud. Recognition dawned in Cloud's eyes as he saw the familiar face, his weariness momentarily forgotten in the presence of someone he trusted.

"Cloud, you kept your promise," the mayor said, his voice filled with admiration. "You and your crew have saved us from a fate worse than we could have imagined."

"Shirahoshi!" Cloud happy to see the mayor, nodded, a sense of pride swelling within him at the mayor's words.

But even as he spoke, exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave, his body finally succumbing to the strain of the battle. With a sigh of relief, Cloud stumbled forward, his legs giving out beneath him.

Before he knew it, he found himself enveloped in the mayor's arms, the weight of his fatigue pressing down on him like a heavy blanket. In that moment, he knew Eloia would be safe, Cloud allowed himself to finally let go, his worries and fears melting away as he surrendered to the embrace of sleep.