Chapter 341: Breaking the Illusion

Chapter 341: Breaking the Illusion



The marine who helped in waking up Cherry for the inspection sent her a pitying look before turning his head forward again.

"At ease," Hina ordered. "You may be wondering why a Grand Line captain has come to West Blue. The reason is simple; the pirate known as Body-builder Victor and his Strong Arm Pirates are expected to make their attempt at traversing Reverse Mountain, and we're going to intercept them."

That sent the hearts of the marines into their stomachs. Body-builder Victor is a well known marine killer, even cutting down Captain Alexander who deliberately went after him. Cherry was just confused though. 'Isn't he dead? I thought the marines already executed him?' "Well, at least one of you isn't shaking in her boots," Hina said, seemingly appraising her. "In any case, you lot weren't selected for this because you're expendable, but because you're dependable. If things go well, you might just find yourselves among the ranks of the pirate rookie hunters in West Blue, and perhaps on the next ship to Marineford if you can impress Hina."

The marines perked up at that. Who wouldn't, when a beautiful woman was praising you and dangling a sweet reward in front of your face?

"To your stations. It'll be a while yet before we can expect combat." Hina dismissed. She notably pointed at Cherry and jabbed her thumb towards the captain's quarters.

Cherry followed behind her meekly. For some reason, there was even a shred of guilt mixed into her anxiety and she was quite certain it wasn't for her apparent night of drinking.

Hina opened the door and allowed her to pass through, before shutting the door behind them both.

"Captain Hina, I'm-" Cherry went to apologize.

Hina wrapped her arms around Cherry's neck and kissed her deeply.

"!!!" This was NOT what Cherry was expecting.

Hina broke the kiss after ten long seconds. "Hina missed you, love. You have NO idea the strings I had to make this happen."

Cherry was flabbergasted. What in the world was going on?!

"What's wrong, sweety?" Hina was confused at her silence.

"I'm... taken?" Cherry managed to say, but only had a faint hint of a memory to tell her why. A memory that her beloved had raven black hair, not strawberry blonde like the woman in front of her.

"Are you now~?" Hina switched back to her flirtatious mood. "Hina wonders who the lucky lady is? A marine captain, perhaps?"

*rumble*

Distant thunder startled her out of her confusion. She shoved Hina away from her, who looked hurt by the sudden rejection.

Cherry barged out of the captain's quarters, head on a swivel and found the ominous storm on the horizon.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Captain Hina came out soon after, but paid no mind to and likely didn't even see the storm. "What IS the problem... marine?"

"Can you see that storm? Over there, heading straight for us?" Cherry questioned her with no regard for rank or appearances.

*Bang!*

Hina's eyes widened in betrayal, a shot bore through her heart. She had been too distracted by her lover turned demon's sword arm to see her other hand go for her pistol. """CAPTAIN!!!"""The rest of the crew arrived too late, the exchange happening too fast to intervene. Nevertheless, they were here now, so they did the best they could to fight off the demon.

It did them no good.

The crew lay helpless, dying, or dead on the deck around Cherry who seemed unconcerned.

Her head was pounding in agony. She needed more, more, more! Not bloodshed, no, what she needs to to break the illusion over her mind, to set herself free of this false world!

*RUMBLE!*

"It's no wonder I felt afraid of the storm! You don't want me to go anywhere near it!" Cherry

shouted, a mad glint in her eyes.

*Clank!*

An arm passed through her body, sealing her arms to her torso with thick iron bands. Hina, with a bullet hole still through her chest, was moving around as if she was only mildly inconvenienced by the mortal wound. Her face was emotionless as she said, "It's such a nice dream that has been made for you. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

The crew started getting to their feet, similarly unphased by their grievous wounds. Even the helmsman was crawling down from the helm with his arms, as his legs walked along after him

separately.

Cherry opened her mouth and released a stream of super-heated plasma around her in a

circle, burning through the crew indiscriminately.

"Why don't you want to stay with Grandma? Weren't we happy together?" Grandma Angela

stabbed towards her.

The iron bars snapped off of Cherry's body, then she grabbed a piece as it fell and bashed Grandma Angela's teeth in with neither mercy nor hesitation. The pain in her head screamed

at her.

The storm was overhead now. Lightning raced across the underside of the clouds, converging into a single point directly above her.

Cherry reached her hands towards it, willed it to strike her! It did not disappoint her!

*CRACK* BOOM!!!*