Captain Nezumi was dead. Case closed.
Even though plenty of villagers could testify that the marine and the pirates were working together, Luffy had still killed him in broad daylight—along with a dozen marines. That kind of trouble wasn't going away. Chances were, his bounty would spike after this.
"H–How… how is this possible?!"
Nojiko stared with wide eyes, her hand covering her mouth. She looked frozen stiff, barely able to comprehend what she'd just witnessed. The man before her had killed as casually as if he were stepping on ants—and then, as if to make sure, he kicked a rock over and smashed Nezumi's skull.
"I knew it!" Nami cheered, not even a little disturbed by the corpse. She hugged Luffy's arm and looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "To him, trash like this is no different than stray dogs!"
Of course—anyone who tried to hurt her, he'd kill without hesitation.
"Don't worry, Nojiko!" Nami turned and flashed her a sweet smile. "As long as Luffy's here, nothing can happen to me!"
"That reminds me… Luffy, let Nojiko fix you something to eat. I'm going to check on Arlong Park. I don't feel great about leaving Zoro and the guys alone."
She let go of Luffy's arm once he nodded—then her body began to blur like mist.
"Huh…?"
Nojiko's jaw dropped as Nami suddenly turned into a black thundercloud. Two big round eyes blinked inside the cloud—both cute… and terrifying.
"This is the Devil Fruit Luffy gave me," Nami said, voice rumbling like thunder. "Now even I can make Arlong pay."
Her confidence soared as she floated upward. Under Nojiko's unbelieving gaze, the cloud swelled larger and larger.
"Nojiko, after today, our nightmare ends!"
She winked back at Luffy and teased him, "Oh, and don't you dare eat and nap afterward. You're helping me kill Arlong."
"Go," Luffy replied.
"W–Wait—Nami!"
Before Nojiko could stop her, the thundercloud shot toward Arlong Park.
"Nojiko…" She stood there dazed, watching Nami disappear.
Suddenly—
A warm, steady hand slid around her waist.
"Hey. You're Nojiko, right? I'm taking you onto my crew—for now, you'll be our strategist."
Nojiko: "W–What?!"
Arlong Park
No one inside had any idea a dozen intruders were watching.
After taking out the guards, Zoro and the others were ready to storm the place. Meanwhile, inside the park, the fishmen were laughing, eating, and drinking without a care.
"Oi, Hachi, where's my takoyaki?"
The 5.5 million–beri officer Chew puckered his long lips impatiently.
Hachi swung his massive arms as he cooked. "Done! You eat. I'll grill squid for Arlong."
He looked like a full-time chef with those disgusting limbs moving so fast.
At the main seat, sawshark Arlong grinned, his jagged nose glinting. Tossing his Den Den Mushi aside, he snorted:
"That bastard Nezumi isn't answering. Whatever. By now he should've taken all the treasure Nami hid."
"Hahaha! Hard to believe a filthy human managed to steal nearly a hundred million berries!" Chew laughed.
"Humans are just low-level garbage. A few sweet lies and she bought every word," another fishman mocked.
"Enough about her," Crocodilefish Kuroobi cut in. "Arlong, we've got word. A pirate worth forty million appeared in East Blue. We might cross paths."
"Forty million? Impossible." Hachi grumbled. "That's double Arlong's bounty!"
Arlong scoffed. "That's because Nezumi keeps my bounty suppressed. Otherwise, forty million would be nothing."
Instantly, the fishmen began flattering him.
"Hahaha! That's right!"
"What's a measly forty million?"
"To us, humans are trash!"
"Let them come—we'll butcher them!"
Just then—
BOOM!
The gate to Arlong Park split apart.
A man with a green bandana stood there, two swords in hand, grin sharp as steel.
"You were saying… who's trash?"
Beside him—
A massive black cannon pointed straight at them.
"Hahahaha! Nothing smells better than roasted fish!" Buggy stood behind it, holding a match to the fuse. "Captain Zoro, mind if the Second Division takes these turtle freaks?"
"No way… but we can compete. Let's see who kills more."
"Oh? I like that! Fishmen—die fabulously! Hahahaha!"
Buggy lit the fuse. At the same moment, he hurled three knives, blocking the targets who tried to escape.
"Who the hell are you?!" Arlong roared, face twisting. "You dare attack the Arlong Pirates?! You're dead me—"
He never finished.
A supercharged Buggy Cannon roared straight into him.
BOOM!
A blinding fireball swallowed Arlong Park whole. Screams erupted everywhere.
Above them, the once clear sky had already turned black. A massive thundercloud spread wider and wider, dripping with crimson lightning.
From the heart of the storm, a voice echoed like a divine sentence:
"Blessings of the storm—"
"Thunder, descend!"
Lightning began to fall.
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T/N:
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