The inherenter of jin mori

Chapter 9: The Chase

Yuta's legs burned as he and Varro sprinted through the outer prison yard, the heavy night air thick with tension. Behind them, the sound of pounding footsteps grew louder—guards, dozens of them, chasing after their escape.

But Yuta wasn't focused on them.

He was focused on her.

Charlotte Smoothie stood where he had left her, her unreadable gaze locked onto him as if she had already decided his fate. She hadn't moved an inch since he slipped past her—a small smirk playing at the edges of her lips.

Like she was letting him run.

The thought sent a shiver down Yuta's spine.

"Faster, kid!" Varro growled, gripping Yuta's arm and yanking him forward. "We're almost there!"

Ahead of them, a tall stone wall marked the outer boundary of the prison. Beyond it was the cliffside—the final barrier before the ocean. If they could make it over, they had a chance.

But as they ran, something shifted inside Yuta.

His body felt… different. Lighter, quicker—like his movements were guided by something beyond him. His feet barely touched the ground before he pushed off again, each step carrying him farther than it should have.

This Devil Fruit… what is it doing to me?

A sharp whistle cut through the air.

Yuta ducked just in time—an arrow whizzed past his ear, embedding itself in a nearby crate. A second later, more projectiles followed—crossbow bolts, thrown spears, even chunks of hardened candy fired like bullets.

The guards weren't holding back.

Varro cursed. "They're getting desperate! We need to—"

BOOM!

The ground beneath them exploded.

Yuta barely had time to register the attack before a powerful shockwave sent him flying. His body twisted through the air, weightless for a moment before he slammed into the dirt, rolling to a painful stop.

His ears rang. His vision blurred.

What the hell was that?!

He groaned, pushing himself up, and froze.

A figure stood in the clearing dust—a massive man, easily twice Yuta's size, his body rippling with muscle. He held a massive club, steam rising from the point of impact where he had struck the ground.

Another of Big Mom's officers.

The man sneered. "End of the line, rats."

Yuta clenched his fists. His heart was racing, every instinct screaming at him to run.

But something deep inside him whispered a different answer.

Fight.