Chapter 33: Katerina Devon – The Crescent Moon Hunter
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In the vast and treacherous waters of the New World, whispers of a new threat had begun to stir the air.
The Red-Fox Pirates, though fresh on the scene, had quickly etched their name into the annals of infamy. Their most audacious escapade? The brazen heist of an entire nation's treasury.
This bold act had sent shockwaves through the seas, and at the helm of this daring crew was none other than Katerina Devon, a rookie pirate swiftly gaining notoriety as the Crescent Moon Hunter.
With a staggering bounty of 320 million Berries on her head, she was a force to be reckoned with.
Brontes, knew her all too well. Katerina was destined to command the sixth ship of the formidable Blackbeard Pirates.
Her power stemmed from the mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit she wielded, the Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Nine-Tailed Fox.
Freed from the depths of Impel Down's sixth level by Blackbeard himself, her strength was the stuff of legends.
The details of her imprisonment were shrouded in mystery. Who had managed to capture such a formidable pirate? Impel Down housed many legendary figures, but Katerina stood out even among them, a testament to her fearsome abilities.
The G-1 Marine Base had been keeping tabs on her, gathering intelligence on her whereabouts. However, they couldn't afford to send a large force without tipping their hand. Instead, they called upon the G-2 Base for backup, hoping to corner the elusive pirate.
Katerina's cunning was unparalleled, and her Nine-Tailed Fox abilities allowed her to shapeshift at will, a power that proved even more unsettling than the infamous Clone-Clone Fruit.
It was this very talent that enabled her to infiltrate the country's vaults undetected, nearly plunging the nation into chaos as they struggled to pay the Heavenly Tribute.
Her legend grew exponentially after this incident, and despite being a newcomer, Katerina's fame in the New World was anything but small.
...
Brontes, determined and resolute, set sail with a contingent of just over a hundred marine soldiers.
He knew that a larger force might alert Katerina to their presence. Intelligence from a World Government spy had pinpointed her location, and although she had slipped through their grasp once before, the combined might of two Marine Bases was now focused on her capture.
Upon reaching the island where Katerina was believed to be hiding, Brontes and his men were met with a scene of chaos.
The battle had already commenced, and it was clear that capturing the Crescent Moon Hunter would be no simple feat.
The morning sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon when the three warships, imposing and steadfast, arrived at the coast. The serene beauty of the dawn was shattered by the cacophony of battle cries and the thunderous sounds of conflict that spilled from the heart of the island.
"Bang!! Boom!!"
The noises were chaotic, a symphony of destruction that seemed to shake the very air. Brontes, standing tall and resolute on the deck of the lead ship, closed his eyes and let his Observation Haki unfurl like the wings of a great bird. It stretched out, invisible yet potent, capturing the sounds of the island and painting a vivid picture in his mind.
"So that's what happened." Brontes murmured to himself, a frown creasing his brow: "No wonder the explosions are so deafening. What a disaster... an entire island laid to waste."
He shook his head in dismay, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
Once the warships were securely docked, Brontes signaled his men, and they disembarked with a disciplined rhythm.
The shore was in chaos, civilians scrambling in a desperate bid to escape, clutching their most treasured possessions as if they were lifelines.
"Please stay calm and wait here." Brontes instructed the frantic crowd before him, his voice a steady beacon amidst the turmoil.
"It's all because of you, the Marines, using fire to fight that pirate, which burned our city down like this." An elderly man, his voice quivering with anger and his hands gripping a worn cane, accused them loudly.
"Silence!" Shouted Brontes's aide, his voice sharp as a whip.
"Shut up!" Brontes interjected, his tone icy as he cast a sidelong glance at his subordinate. The aide's skin glistened with a sheen of sweat, and he quickly retreated, understanding the unspoken command to stand down.
"This is our mistake." Brontes admitted, his voice now a calm, soothing balm: "But we are here to subdue a vicious pirate. Once the pirate is dealt with, we will aid in rebuilding your city."
"Hmp!"
The old man responded with a sneer, his cold laughter a clear indication of his skepticism. The Marines had a reputation, and such open benevolence was not often a part of it.
Brontes let out a soft sigh. He could sense the distrust, the fear. The Marines were protectors, yes, but their battles often left scars on the people they sought to defend.
"I'll go and confront the pirates first. Evacuate the civilians and ensure their safety." Brontes commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"Yes, sir!" The aide saluted, his earlier trepidation replaced by determination, and he set about organizing the evacuation, distributing food, and offering reassurances.
Brontes disappeared in a swift motion, a blur to those unaccustomed to his speed.
The heart of the island was an inferno, buildings consumed by flames that danced like devils in the heat. Amidst the destruction, there was a clearing, a makeshift arena where two factions clashed with the ferocity of ancient gods at war.
"Do you think you, a mere Marine rookie, can capture me?" Taunted a black-haired woman, her sword glinting in the firelight. Her laughter was scornful, her eyes alight with mockery. "You overestimate yourself. A Logia devil fruit user who can't even control his fire, setting the city ablaze? Do you really believe you have the strength to capture me?"
Time had been kinder to the memories of Katerina's youth than to the woman herself. Her younger version is much prettier, she was a vision of beauty.
During the Summit War, she had wielded a trident, a simple jailer's tool that belied her true mastery of the blade. Her favored weapon, a longsword.
"Boom!"
The air around Sakazuki crackled with the heat of his power, the very atmosphere alive with the threat of molten destruction.
His subordinates, loyal to a fault, stood by him, their faces slick with sweat, not just from the oppressive heat but from the relentless pace set by their commander.
"Hmph, do you think you can escape this time?" Sakazuki's voice was a low growl.
"I think you can't catch me at all." Katerina retorted with a laugh, her confidence undiminished by the peril she faced.
In the midst of the tension, a marine soldier, seemingly insignificant against the backdrop of power, drew a knife with a swift motion and struck at Sakazuki's back.
"Rip!"
The sound was a whisper of betrayal. Sakazuki's reaction was immediate, his body turning with lethal precision to grasp the throat of his assailant.
"Why?" He asked angrily, the taste of his own blood a bitter tang at the corner of his mouth.
The soldier's response was not words but a vacant smile, his eyes a soft pink hue that spoke of enchantment.
It was Katerina's doing, her devil fruit ability weaving its control over the minds of others, compelling them to act against their nature.
"Damn!" Sakazuki's realization came with a surge of anger. Katerina's charm was insidious, a stark contrast to Boa Hancock's Love-Love Devil Fruit, which petrified its victims. Katerina's power was more subtle, more dangerous in its way, for it enslaved the will.
"Great Eruption!" Sakazuki's voice thundered as he launched his counterattack, his fist a harbinger of volcanic fury.
"Heeheehee, too bad, you can't hit me. But this temperature is terrible; it's ruining my makeup." Katerina taunted, her form shifting into that of a nine-tailed fox, a creature of legend and agility.
She dodged the attack with a grace that belied the danger, the city around her melting under the onslaught of Sakazuki's magma.
Katerina knew the truth of their confrontation. In terms of raw strength, she was no match for Sakazuki. But her devil fruit granted her abilities that were strange and elusive, enhancing her capacity for survival.
She harbored no illusions of a direct confrontation; her goal was escape, to live and fight another day.
"Soru!" In an instant, Sakazuki was gone, reappearing as the ground erupted, his power unleashed in a cataclysmic display.
"Bang!!"
Katerina's laughter was a silvery thread as she dodged once more, the city crumbling in the wake of their deadly game.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone