Eloia's eyes flutter open, as she finds herself confined within a cell once again. This time, her body is tightly bounded, restricting her movements.

Overhearing the conversation of her captors, she realizes they recognize her. The weight of her past catches up to her—she had fled from the Yakuza's organization five years ago, just before she would have achieved the esteemed rank of S-class, the highest level attainable. Only the Demon King's sons were known to reach such a level. It was always her plan had always been to masquerade as a Yakuza until she had found a way to escape the organization and she was able to successfully pull it off until now.

As the men discuss her presence, their astonishment is palpable.

"Can you believe it? The legendary Hellhound, right in front of us."

"I still can't wrap my head around the fact that she managed to deceive us all these years by posing as a man."

"Do you 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 think that's Hellhound Eli?"

The two men exchange incredulous glances, unable to fathom the truth.

"In any case, it was rumored that Hellhound vanished five years ago. It's unbelievable to think that he..or she.. had been hiding out here all these years."

Eloia musters her strength and attempts to sit up, but the lingering effects of the venom coursing through her body makes it difficult. Despite her weakened state, she leans forward, feeling a wave of nausea as she begins to vomit.

The sudden commotion catches the attention of the two men stationed outside her cell, drawing their focus back to her.

"Oh, looks like she is awake! Catherine did say that the venom wouldn't kill the real Hellhound after all." One of them remarks with a hint of surprise.

Confused and disoriented, Eloia looks around the dimly lit room, trying to make sense of her surroundings.

"Where am I?" she asks, her voice filled with uncertainty.

One of the guards smirks, leaning back in his chair as he answers, "Welcome to the new Marines prison on this island. Our task is to keep the notorious criminals on this island holding the highest bounties locked up in isolation for now."

The other guard chimes in, a cruel grin forming on his face. "We're here to bring a new order to this island. We've erected an execution tower at the forefront, and we'll be disposing of all you degenerates soon enough."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Both men share a callous laughter, reveling in their role as enforcers of this so-called new order.

Just as their laughter subsides, their demeanor changes abruptly as a third guard enters the room. Carrying a stern expression on his face, commanding the attention of the guards.

"It seems we've received new orders," the newcomer announces, handing a message to the two guards. They read it attentively, their faces reflecting a mix of surprise and concern.

"It looks like we are tasked with taking you to the execution tower now," one of the guards finally speaks, his voice tinged with unease.

Eloia gazes down at her bound body, her mind filled with conflicting thoughts. While she knows she possesses the strength to break free and escape, her body feels weary and devoid of the will to fight back. She weighs her options, realizing that her immediate priority is to preserve her strength and find an opportunity to turn the tide in her favor.

______

Eloia stands in line with the other criminals, the execution tower looming above them, casting a shadow of impending doom. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and she couldn't help but recognize some familiar faces among the line—pirates, criminals, and individuals whose paths had crossed with hers within the town.

Eloia begins to hum against the tensed atmosphere, refusing to get caught up in it. Caught off guard by her composure, one of the Marine officers turned towards Eloia, his gaze filled with curiosity and perhaps even a hint of admiration.

"For someone thats about to face their death, you're awfully calm."

________________

Flying over to the other side of the island, Cloud found himself uncertain of his destination. As he begins to descend, he notices two children sitting outside a shop, their attention captured by a snail TV screen.

Approaching the children, Cloud sensed their distress. He approaches them as they seemingly appear to be in a middle of an argument.

"How are we going to help Eloia! She's done for!"

The other child, displaying unwavering faith, retorted, "You're underestimating her! It's Eloia we're talking about. She's strong enough to overcome anything!"

"But look at her! She looks helpless.."

The first child remained unconvinced. Just as their argument reached its peak, they both felt a presence looming over them. Slowly turning around, they discover Cloud standing before them, his warm smile putting them at ease.

"Hello there, little ones! By any chance, have you seen a tall lady with messy long red hair, always wearing an expression of annoyance?" Cloud asked, mimicking Eloia's trademark scowl.

They both look at each other, their eyes widened with recognition and then back towards Cloud.

"Eloia? You're looking for Eloia?" one of them exclaimed, confirming Cloud's inquiry.

Cloud's smile widened, relief washing over him.

"Is that her name? ..I meant to follow behind her but she's pretty hard to trace.."

The two kids both point at the TV screen.

Cloud inches closer to the screen before he notices.

"Well, this could be a bit troubling..."