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Chapter 47: Luffy vs. Arlong
"You... are you kidding me?! He... he actually blocked Brother Arlong's full-force attack?!"
"That kid is clearly a human! How can a human have such strength?!"
"Wait... did anyone see it? How did he suddenly appear there?!"
A commotion erupted among the surrounding Fish-Men, with voices filled with surprise and uncertainty.
Having been in the East Blue for eight years, they had never encountered a human capable of withstanding Arlong's attacks.
Furthermore, Arlong was clearly in a state of rage.
Arlong felt as if his arm was clamped in an iron vise, and despite all his efforts, he couldn't break free from that hand.
"Kid, who... are you?"
He stared intently at the straw-hatted boy in front of him, his chest heaving violently with anger.
However.
Luffy didn't answer him.
He merely glanced at him, then turned his head slightly, his gaze falling from the brim of his hat onto the orange-haired girl behind him, staring at her for a few seconds.
"Nami, tell him."
Luffy's voice was low and genuine.
His meaning was clear. This question should be announced by her.
When Nami met Luffy's gaze, she froze, not understanding why she had to be the one to answer.
But gradually, she noticed an unwavering determination in the boy's eyes, a look she had never seen before.
Oh, so that's what he meant.
Nami felt a bit helpless. After a moment of hesitation, she raised her head and met Arlong's eyes directly.
At this moment, her eyes sparkled with an unprecedented light, and she announced in a clear and resonant voice, loud enough to be heard in every corner of Arlong Park:
"His name is. Monkey D. Luffy! He's my companion! He's the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates! He's the man who will become the King of the Pirates!"
At this, she pointed directly at the pale Arlong, raising her voice:
"And today, he's here to. personally defeat you and your Arlong Pirates!"
Her voice was filled with passion and unwavering conviction, echoing like dull thunder in the heart of every Fish-Man.
All eyes were fixed on the straw-hatted boy and the few intruders.
This group. they were actually here to help Nami fight them!
Luffy's lips finally couldn't help but curl upwards.
He had been waiting for Nami to say those words herself.
He turned, grabbed his straw hat, and slammed it down firmly on the head of the orange-haired girl behind him, then declared:
"Nami, you stay here and watch. We'll definitely... wipe out all these d*mn Fish-Men for you... not a single one will be left alive!!"
"You ignorant little brat! Die!!"
Arlong could not tolerate this repeated humiliation.
Luffy turned, suddenly raising his arm that hung behind him, gathering a seemingly ordinary drop of water in his palm.
Just a normal drop of water for a human, it could become a weapon sharper than any blade in the hands of a Fish-Man like Arlong.
Fwoosh~!
The water drop tore through the air with a sharp whistle, like a bullet firing, shooting straight at the back of Luffy's head at a speed invisible to the naked eye!
If someone were hit in the head by this drop of water, they would lose most of their combat ability, if not die instantly.
The two were so close, and Arlong attacked with such lightning speed, that even Luffy couldn't react in time.
However, just before Arlong attacked, Luffy's head tilted slightly to the side, as if he had anticipated it.
It was this subtle movement, so small, that allowed the fatal droplet to narrowly miss his cheek.
It ended up hitting the ground behind him, exploding with a loud "BOOM" and creating a shocking crater!
"Luffy, are you okay?!" Nami looked at Luffy anxiously, wanting to go forward and check if he was injured.
"I'm fine, Nami..." Luffy waved his hand, stopping Nami from coming any closer.
"How could you...?" Arlong's eyes widened, his face filled with terror, staring in disbelief at the unharmed straw-hatted boy before him.
Because in that instant, he clearly saw the straw-hatted boy... close his eyes!
"That was close..."
Luffy slowly opened his eyes, subconsciously touching his chest, as if savoring that strange feeling from just now. "I almost got hit..."
Just now.
His body had instinctively sensed a fatal crisis.
He inexplicably remembered the method Ganyu had taught him when he was fighting "Hundred Plans" Kuro back in Syrup Village. Close his eyes, eliminate visual interference, and rely entirely on his body to perceive everything around him...
Once he entered that state, even with his eyes closed, everything around him was clearly presented in his "mind's eye" like a 3D map.
And, in that state.
Time seemed to slow down, and he clearly "saw" the tensing of Arlong's shoulder muscles, and the complete trajectory of the water drop from its condensation to its release...
It was this extraordinary perception that allowed him to make the most precise dodge at the critical moment.
"Here it comes again!"
Sensing another whistling sound, Luffy chose to dodge the second fatal water drop sideways.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
Almost simultaneously with the dodge, he suddenly pushed off with his foot, and his rubber arm shot out like a cannonball, slamming hard against Arlong's hastily blocking arm!
"Iron Teeth!"
In pain and anger, Arlong opened his blood-red mouth, revealing two rows of sharp, serrated teeth, and bit down hard on Luffy's arm!
This was one of Arlong's ultimate moves. He was a sawshark Fish-Man, his teeth as sharp as a shark's, and with extremely strong regenerative abilities!
"Gum-Gum Rocket!"
Luffy reacted extremely quickly, stretching his arms back to their limit, then, like rocket thrusters, his two fists clenched and aimed at Arlong's open mouth, shooting forward faster than Arlong could bite!
Thud!
With a dull sound, Arlong's open mouth was hit hard by the fierce twin fists. His upper and lower jaws slammed together, and the impact sent him flying backward, splashing into the pond in the center of Arlong Park.
"This is... the power of a Devil Fruit?!"
The fight between Arlong and Luffy was so short and fast that even the three Fish-Man officers closest to them didn't see clearly before Arlong was sent flying.
However, they clearly saw Luffy's stretched arms.
It was impossible for an ordinary person to have such long arms, which meant he must be a Devil Fruit user.
The three exchanged a glance, no longer hesitating, and decided to attack at the same time to capture the Devil Fruit user.
"Attack together!"