The clone attacked. Noah blocked the strike, his sword trembling from the force. With a powerful push, he threw the clone back.
The clone staggered, gritting his teeth, then lunged forward again. He thrust straight at Noah.
Noah shifted the attack to the side with his sword, then muttered.
"Vector Manipulation-Gravity Crush."
Nothing happened.
The clone smirked and leaped back, landing lightly.
"Vector Manipulation-Gravity Crush," the clone said calmly.
A wave of gravity slammed into Noah, throwing him hard against the ground. Dust and debris flew around him.
Noah groaned, pushing himself up. "How… how is this possible?"
"You thought you had the edge," the clone said, circling him like a predator. "But here… you're nothing."
Noah forced himself up and lunged, slashing low at the clone's legs. The clone jumped over it, spinning in the air, landing behind a broken tree.
"You're fast," Noah said, wiping blood from his mouth.
"And you're predictable," the clone replied. He dashed forward, swinging. Noah barely blocked in time. The impact rattled his arms.
Noah pushed back with his sword, forcing the clone to stumble. "I'm not weak!"
The clone grinned.
F~~~o~~~r~~~ a~~~ m~~~a~~~n~~~ w~~~h~~~o~~~ p~~~o~~~s~~~s~~~e~~~s~~~s~~~ t~~~h~~~e~~~
Sõ~~~z~~~ō~~~ S~~~ō~~~z~~~ō~~~ n~~~o~~~ M~~~i~~~,~~~ y~~~o~~~u~~~ a~~~r~~~e~~~ w~~~e~~~a~~~k~~. The clone said.
Noah's eyes widened. "What… did you say?"
"You don't even know what type of fruit you ate," the clone said.
"Are you saying I didn't eat the Vector Vector Devil Fruit?" Noah asked.
"I'm not saying anything," the clone replied.
The clone dropped his sword for a moment, placing both hands on the ground. Gravity twisted violently around Noah. Trees and debris lifted, swirling toward him, pressing down like an invisible hand.
Noah struggled, pushing against the pull. "No… I can't move!"
Noah swings his sword in desperation. The clone dodged easily, gliding through the air.
"Impossible… he's reading me," Noah muttered.
"Predictable," the clone said. "Everything you know, I know."
Noah took a deep breath, focusing. He slashed high, then low, trying to hit the clone from different angles. The clone blocked every strike.
"You're strong… but not strong enough," the clone said.
Noah jumped back, dodging a downward strike that smashed the ground beside him. "Then I'll find a way!"
The clone smirked, stepping into the mist.
F~~o~~r a m~~a~~n w~~i~~t~~h t~~h~~e ■■■■■ f~~r~~u~~i~~t, y~~o~~u a~~r~~e w~~e~~a~~k~~.
Before Noah could react, the clone disappeared completely into the swirling fog.
Noah panted, gripping his sword tightly. "My powers are useless here. I need… another way."
From the mist, a faint whisper echoed:
"You shouldn't have come here…"
Noah's eyes narrowed. "Not again…"
And deeper in the fog, a shadow moved. A figure stepped forward—it was a perfect copy of Amy.
Noah froze. "Amy…?"
clone-Amy tilted her head and smiled eerily. "Hello…"
Noah's blood ran cold.
Amy clone dashed forward.
"NOPE!" Noah shouted, running for his life.
He sprinted through the haunted forest, looking back every two seconds.
"Why is she so fast and WHY IS SHE SMILING LIKE THAT!?"
Noah kept running until.
WHAM!
He slammed into something solid and bounced off, landing flat on his back.
"Ugh… who puts a WALL in the middle of a forest …" Noah muttered.
Noah looked up.
It wasn't a wall.
It was a horse made of bones, with empty eye sockets staring down at him.
"...Yeah. I'm gonna cry," Noah whispered.
Before he could do anything, a voice echoed:
"Dance of the Dusk Maiden."
SHINK!
CRACK!
CLATTER!
The bone horse fell apart instantly, its skeletal pieces scattering across the ground.
Noah blinked. "Did… did that horse just die twice?"
"Are you alright? You don't know how happy I am to see you."
Noah looked up. Emma was standing there, holding her hand out.
He grabbed her hand, and she yanked him up fast.
"Where's Amy?" Emma asked.
"I don't know," Noah said, panting. "But I do know one thing—her clone is chasing me."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Her clone? Noah, stop playing around."
"No, really—"
"Noah… Emma!"
Noah and Emma turned.
Amy ran toward them at full speed, tears in her eyes.
Emma rushed over and hugged her tight.
"Amy! Are you alright!?"
"I-I'm scared…" Amy said, clinging to Emma.
"Why are you scared?" a voice replied.
All three froze.
Emma looked around. "Who… who said that?"
Noah laughed awkwardly. "Nice joke, Emma."
"I didn't say that," Emma replied.
Noah looked at Amy.
"Amy… was that you?"
"No!" she said quickly.
"Then who said it?" Noah asked.
"Maybe it was just our imagination…" Amy whispered.
"So all three of us imagined the same thing?" Noah asked. "Sounds believable."
"The three of you would taste good with some fried rice," the voice said again.
Emma hugged Amy tighter. "Okay… I'm scared."
Noah unsheathed his sword slowly.
"Everyone… stay close."
Then.
Plop.
Something wet landed on Amy's shoulder.
"Ewwww," Emma said. "What's that?"
"It looks like saliva," Noah replied.
Amy froze. "Wh–whose saliva?"
Noah looked up…
Amy clone was hanging upside down above them, grinning with sharp teeth.
Noah rubbed his eyes. "Em-Emma… Amy… look up."
Emma and Amy both looked up.
They rubbed their eyes too.
Then Noah looked at Amy.
Amy looked at Emma.
Noah looked at Emma
Emma looked at Noah.
Amy looked at Noah.
Silence.
Then.
"RUN!" Noah screamed.
All three bolted forward at full speed.
"NOAH, WHY DON'T YOU TELEPORT US BACK TO THE SHIP!?" Amy cried.
"My powers aren't working here!" Noah shouted back.
Amy glanced behind them.
Her clone was running at 100 mph, sprinting on all fours like some beast.
"I SHOULD'VE STAYED HOME!" Amy screamed.
They dashed through the fog-filled forest dodging shadows, ghosts, and weird shapes crawling out of the ground.
After a long, painful and terrifying sprint…
The creepy footsteps stopped.
The breathing behind them disappeared.
The forest went silent.
Emma bent over, gasping. "Did… did we lose her?"
Amy flopped onto the ground. "My legs are crying…"
Noah leaned against a tree, trying to breathe.
"That clone… is insane…"
The fog thickened again.
And somewhere far behind them…
Something laughed.