As Nami's figure disappeared into the distance, Ryan Quinn turned his gaze toward the remaining Fishmen pirates frozen in place.
A low, chilling chuckle escaped his lips. "Heh... heh."
His expression shifted from amusement to icy detachment, his eyes glinting with the same look one might give to corpses. "Now then," he said softly, his tone cutting like a blade, "will you tie yourselves up nicely, or do I have to beat you half to death first? Or maybe..." A faint smirk crossed his face. "I just kill you outright."
The air turned frigid. Every Fishman present felt the oppressive weight of death pressing down on their scales. Trembling, they scrambled to find shackles, ropes, or anything they could use to bind themselves.
Within ten minutes, the stronghold of the Arlong Pirates had fallen into utter silence. Not a single Fishman stood anymore; all were tied up or cuffed, sitting or lying on the ground, trembling.
Of course, among so many captives, there would always be a few who didn't value their lives.
Like Kuroobi.
Just as Nami returned, struggling under the weight of a massive sack of Berries, Ryan stepped forward to greet her.
And that was when Kuroobi made his move.
With a sudden flex of his muscles, the rope binding him snapped apart with a sharp crack. His instincts screamed at him to run, and he obeyed bolting straight toward the ocean.
As long as he reached the water, he would be safe.
That was the Fishmen's domain.
No matter how powerful a human might be, once they were in the sea, they were helpless before the might of the Fishmen.
Kuroobi's thoughts raced. The strange black aura that had surrounded Ryan earlier, the instant transformation of his armor it reminded him of something: a Devil Fruit ability.
It all made sense. The woman's strength came from a Devil Fruit.
And every Devil Fruit user shared the same fatal weakness.
Sea water.
As long as he reached the ocean, that terrifying woman wouldn't be able to touch him.
Unfortunately for Kuroobi, dreams are often beautiful reality, cruel.
"Kuroobi!" shouted Chew, another of Arlong's officers, his voice trembling with disbelief. He hadn't expected his comrade to act so rashly.
Ryan's head turned, her golden eyes narrowing as she raised her dark sword, power gathering at its edge.
Seeing that, Chew panicked. His instincts screamed at him to act.
He inhaled sharply, puffing out his cheeks. "Spit! Spit! Spit!"
Streams of high-pressure water bullets shot from his mouth like gunfire, streaking toward Ryan.
He knew full well such attacks wouldn't harm her but if they could delay her, even for a moment, it might give Kuroobi the time he needed to reach the sea.
If Kuroobi made it to the water, everything would change.
After all, Chew also believed Ryan was a Devil Fruit user. And if that were true, she wouldn't dare follow them into the ocean.
All his hope was pinned on that one chance.
The water bullets shot forward like streaks of silver.
Ryan blinked once, her brow twitching.
"Really?" she muttered. "You're attacking me... with spit?"
Her patience snapped.
"Mana Release."
With a deep, resonant hum, a torrent of crimson-black energy erupted from her body. The shockwave shattered the bricks beneath her feet, sending fragments scattering through the air.
That chaotic energy swirled around her like a living storm, erasing the incoming water projectiles before they could come close.
Her golden eyes flared briefly flashing crimson.
Raising her blade, she aimed it at the fleeing Kuroobi, who was only a few strides from the water.
"You..."
Then, unexpectedly, she stopped.
A thought flickered through her mind.
Money.
Her grip on the sword loosened. Instead of unleashing the destructive wave of magic she'd prepared, she vanished from sight with a sharp swoosh of air.
A heartbeat later, she appeared right in front of Kuroobi.
Her blade pierced through his throat before he could even gasp.
The Fishman's momentum carried him forward half a step before his body crumpled, head and torso falling separately to the ground.
Ryan turned back toward Chew, her gaze cold.
The Fishman's heart sank. He didn't need to be told what that look meant.
He was next.
Ryan exhaled softly, lowering her sword. "Tch. Almost lost control for a second there."
If she'd unleashed the full force of that magic slash, she might've turned Kuroobi into dust. And if there wasn't even a body left, how was she supposed to claim the bounty?
That would've been a real loss.
If she wanted to be a professional pirate hunter, she'd need to talk to the Navy about some kind of certification. After all, in a real fight, it was easy to get carried away and if she accidentally obliterated her targets, she'd have nothing to show for it.
Later, when she unlocked her sword's full potential the "Excalibur Morgan" beam cannon things would get even trickier.
One shot, and her targets might not just die they'd disintegrate.
How was she supposed to cash in on bounty posters if there wasn't even a head left?
"Looks like I'll need to make some... arrangements with the Navy," she murmured. "They'll cooperate. They always do."
A dull thud echoed behind her.
Ryan turned just in time to see Nami struggling forward, panting heavily as she carried an enormous bag stuffed with Berries.
The moment she saw Ryan casually decapitating two Fishmen officers, her arms went limp. The money bag slipped from her hands and hit the ground with a heavy thump.
Ryan's head immediately snapped toward the sound.
Her golden eyes locked on the fallen bag.
"My money..."
In an instant, she darted forward and threw herself onto it, wrapping her arms around the heavy sack like a child hugging a favorite toy.
"My money! My beautiful money! Hahaha!" she laughed, rolling slightly on the ground, her grin wide and unrestrained.
Her joy was almost infectious if not for the fact that Nami looked utterly heartbroken.
The navigator's eyes glistened with tears. That money had taken her years to save.
"Um... Miss Quinn," she said softly, voice trembling. "If... if there's nothing else, I'll just... leave the money here and go... alright?"
Ryan froze, still clutching the bag. Then she slowly turned her head, a mischievous spark in her eye.
"Wait," she said.
A sly smile spread across her face.
And Nami felt her heart sink.