"Damn it!"
"It's over!"
"Everyone, run!"
The members of the Arlong Pirates who had been about to leave froze the instant they felt that mountain-like, terrifying pressure.
It hit too suddenly.
They did not even have time to think.
There was only one instinct left.
Run.
Run for their lives.
But...
Faced with such razor-sharp blade aura, how could they possibly escape?
If he said he would kill the entire crew, then he would kill the entire crew. When you lived in the underworld, your word had to mean something.
As Armament Haki poured in, the great blade turned a deep violet-black.
Amon gripped the darkened hilt with both hands. Cold light flickered in his eyes. He merely lifted his gaze and swept it over the fleeing figures, then raised the black blade high above his head and brought it down with brutal decisiveness.
Hng...!
The black blade fell, and a dazzling sword aura bloomed in midair, then descended like a galaxy pouring from the heavens.
...
A brilliant sword aura more than ten meters long slammed into the earth like an unstoppable waterfall of stars, then tore forward with crushing force.
Wherever it passed, whether it was Arlong himself or the members of his crew, all of them were instantly swallowed by it, their screams bursting out as they were flung into the sky.
After sweeping up Arlong's entire crew and blasting them away, the dazzling sword aura did not slow at all. Like lightning, it surged straight toward the ship docked at the pier.
Boom!
In a thunderous explosion that shook the sky, the Arlong Pirates' warship anchored by the shore was instantly shattered by the roaring sword aura, turning into countless fragments that spun wildly through the air under the overwhelming force.
Only after the enemy ship was completely destroyed did the terrifying aura gradually fade away.
When it vanished entirely, a road carved cleanly from the back mountain all the way to the sea appeared before everyone's eyes.
The villagers standing around Amon all stared with eyes wide open at the enormous trench the sword aura had plowed out, completely speechless.
Amon lowered the black blade, then turned and walked back toward Nami and the others.
A real man never looks back at the explosion.
Splash. Splash. Splash.
Just as Amon returned, Arlong's crew, who had been blasted into the sky, began falling back down one after another, crashing into the sea. Whether they lived or died was unknown.
Nearby, little Nami stared at him, shock and awe mixing inside her like a storm.
She never imagined that someone she had randomly dragged back from the docks would be this terrifying.
But right now, she was far more anxious about Bellmère's injuries.
Amon glanced at her and nodded.
"Go. Hurry."
He knew Nami desperately wanted to check on Bell-mère.
"Mm!"
Little Nami nodded through tears, then sprinted toward Bellmère and Nojiko.
"Bellmère! Nojiko!"
"Nami!"
Bellmère and Nojiko opened their arms and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Everyone, come take back your Beli."
Amon looked at the Cocoyasi villagers standing nearby, still trembling with uncertainty. Smiling, he tossed over the Beli Arlong's crew had collected and told them to retrieve it.
But even with the money thrown to them, nobody dared move.
They looked at one another, hesitant.
They did not know what kind of temperament Amon had. What if they took it, and he decided they offended him, then cut them down with one strike?
"Mr. Amon, we won't take it."
After a brief discussion, the villagers made a decision.
"Consider it our thanks, your reward for driving away Arlong's crew."
If spending twenty million Beli could keep Amon happy, they were more than willing.
"Hahaha, no need, no need."
Amon raised a hand, waving it off.
"I didn't act for the money. I just couldn't stand those people. Don't worry. I won't hurt you."
Seeing how tense they were, he explained calmly.
"Everyone, take it back."
Little Nami stepped out, helping Amon persuade them.
"Mr. Amon is a good person. He even agreed to buy our orange trees!"
"Yes."
Amon nodded with a smile.
"Take it. I'm not short on money."
"Really?"
"Long live Mr. Amon!"
"Long live our saviour!"
After seeing that Amon's expression was sincere, the villagers erupted into cheers.
If they had not been intimidated by the strength he displayed earlier, they might have rushed forward and lifted him into the air in celebration.
At the same time, Amon's actions completely conquered their hearts.
In their eyes, he was their savior.
Some people even began discussing whether they should build a statue for him, to commemorate everything he had done for Cocoyasi Village.
Amon could only rub his head helplessly.
"Hahahahahaha..."
Beside him, Nami, Bellmère, and Nojiko laughed joyfully, their laughter bright and full of relief.
After that, everyone tried to invite Amon back as a guest.
But before they could even finish speaking, Bellmère cut them off with force. By now, she had recovered her usual sharp competence. When she saw everyone trying to invite Amon, she stood up, cigarette between her lips, looking tough as ever.
"No."
"Mr. Amon was brought back by our Nami. He should come to our house first. And he fought for our family. The first ones to thank him should be us."
The moment she said that, the villagers immediately protested, voices rising.
"Mr. Amon is our village's saviour. He should come with us. We should hold a banquet for him!"
"Exactly! Mr. Amon is our savior. How can we neglect him?"
"Bellmère, don't be so selfish!"
"Bellmère, you're being too overbearing!"
The villagers were not trying to fight with her out of malice.
They simply did not want Amon to be treated poorly. They wanted to express their gratitude.
"Who said our family is poor? We still have savings!"
Bellmère snapped back without blinking.
"Besides, Mr. Amon was brought back by our Nami. He's definitely coming to our house!"
Her tone was rough, shamelessly bold, fully returning to her delinquent-girl aura.
One woman versus a whole crowd, and she did not flinch at all.
"Yeah, yeah! Mr. Amon is who I brought back, bleh bleh bleh!"
Little Nami also joined in, making faces at everyone, sticking out her tongue triumphantly.
Then she turned around and clung to Amon, looking up at him with watery eyes, pitiful and sweet.
"Mr. Amon... you'll come to our house as a guest, right?"
As she spoke, she grabbed his sleeve and started shaking his arm like a child begging for a promise.
"Of course."
Amon had no resistance against such a cute little creature.
Besides, he had come to Cocoyasi Village for Nami's family in the first place.
There was no way he would refuse.
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