"Halt!"
Before the word could even finish echoing across the beach, two sharp swish-swish sounds cut through the air.
Two sturdy wooden sticks flew like arrows, penetrating the chests of the two fishmen guards with brutal precision.
They barely had time to gasp before their bodies went limp, silenced forever as they collapsed onto the sandy shore.
Elric lowered his hands, staring at the fallen fishmen for the first time. His immediate thought was simple and blunt: Ugly. They were just plain ugly.
Especially after spending time around Hancock and the Kuja warriors with their striking, exaggerated beauty, these fishmen looked even more grotesque. Their sharp teeth, bulging eyes, and rough scales seemed almost comically repulsive in comparison.
After a brief pause, he decided right then and there to wipe them out completely. Anyway, they're evil pirates. Who knows how many people they've killed? It should be... He suddenly slapped himself across the face.
He was still finding excuses for himself. It had nothing to do with justice or anything noble. I just find them unpleasant, that's all, he reminded himself firmly. No need to dress it up.
He considered marching straight toward Arlong Park to wipe out the rest of the fishmen pirates and then finding Nami, but ten minutes later, he found himself standing on the exact same beach he had left ten minutes ago.
Elric felt a wave of self-doubt wash over him. It was one thing to get lost at sea—the ocean was vast and unforgiving—but this? On a tiny island like this? What the hell? He couldn't even navigate a small village properly.
He didn't believe it. Spotting a villager passing by on the path nearby, he moved instantly. "Hey, you! Come here." He grabbed the poor man by the collar before he could react.
The villager's eyes widened in terror. "Take me to Arlong Park," Elric demanded.
"What?!" Being grabbed was frightening enough, but hearing the name Arlong Park made the man almost pee his pants. "Please, lord! I don't know what grievance you might have with the fishman pirates, but please don't drag us into this. We have nothing to do with it!"
Slap! Elric's hand connected a few times, not hard enough to seriously injure but enough to sting. "You bastard, if you don't want to die, quickly take me there."
Even after slapping the man several times, the villager remained stubbornly silent, trembling but refusing to speak. Elric sighed helplessly and dropped him. The man scrambled away as fast as he could, disappearing into the trees.
Helplessly, Elric decided to just walk and see if he could find the destination on his own. I really need to learn Observation Haki as soon as possible, he thought, frustration building.
"What do you want with the fishman pirates?"
The sudden female voice came from right behind him, calm but cautious.
After turning around, Elric's eyes lit up. He saw a girl with purple hair standing there, looking at him with a mix of wariness and determination. Isn't that Nojiko? Nami's sister.
He appeared beside her in an instant, moving so fast she barely registered it, afraid she might run away too. "I need a navigator, and I heard that one of the fishman pirates called Nami has great navigation talent."
"What? Nami?" Nojiko's heart turned violent after hearing her sister's name. Her expression tightened immediately. "Are you a pirate?"
"Yeah, I guess," Elric replied casually, shrugging.
Although most pirates who came to this island would be dealt with by the fishman pirates, if Nami was involved, that changed everything. What if this guy killed her before they could handle him?
Instead of leading the man straight to Arlong Park where Nami was currently drawing charts, Nojiko decided to stall him first and quietly inform the fishmen to solve this problem without risking her sister.
"It's already too late today. Why don't you come to my house? You can fight with the fishman pirates tomorrow morning."
Elric could sense that this girl was clearly stalling him, buying time. But he didn't care at all. Going straight to Nami's house would actually be the best option. She would come back home sooner or later, so he could just wait for her there.
As for the fishmen, he really didn't care—he could wipe them out anytime he wanted.
The house wasn't very big, but it was very neat and cozy. Simple wooden walls, clean floors, and a few personal touches that made it feel warm and lived-in despite the tension hanging over the village.
Nojiko showed him inside, offering a place to rest while hiding her nervousness.
After leaving Elric at the house, Nojiko directly headed for Genzo's place.
She quickly explained the situation—a pirate trying to find Nami—and urged him to inform the fishman pirates. Then she hurried back toward home, her mind racing with worry.
Elric really slept well that night. Sleeping inside a ship for weeks had been rough, constantly rocking with the waves.
Being on solid land felt like a luxury in comparison. The quiet village sounds and the soft bed made for one of the best rests he'd had in months.
But before he could wake up naturally the next morning, the door was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang. An arrogant voice boomed through the room.
"I heard that a human pirate came to our territory and wants to snatch people."