With most of Arlong's underlings wiped out, things looked almost even, where both sides stood with their main fighters still up… if Leo wasn't counted.
But that balance didn't last.
Usopp, after provoking the wrong opponent, turned and bolted into the distance with a weird fishman named Chew, chasing behind him. Zoro got locked into a fight with Hachi, the user of Six sword style, and Luffy got himself stuck in the concrete.
A second later, he was ripped out along with chunks of concrete and hurled straight into the water.
Just like that, the fragile balance they had managed to hold collapsed completely.
The entire burden of holding the line against Arlong and his strongest men fell onto Sanji and Zoro.
"Hahahaha…" From the side, Leo laughed, watching the chaos unfold like a spectator.
Arlong, who had been standing confidently at the center of it all, turned his gaze toward him.
"What are you laughing at, human?" he asked, his eyes briefly flicked to the unconscious Captain Nezumi still in Leo's grip.
"If any of you can swim," he said casually, glancing toward the villagers, "go pull that idiot with the straw hat out. He'll die if he stays in there for long, he's a Devil Fruit user."
Then his gaze shifted to Johnny, giving him a nod to hide and start recording. In the same motion, he hurled Nezumi's limp, backpack-sized body toward Arlong, who caught him with a confused look.
Just as the "package" was passed, the supposedly unconscious Nezumi suddenly snapped his eyes open. The moment he saw Arlong, hope flooded his face.
"Arlong! Save me from that monstrosity!" he screamed. "You can have all the treasure here, I'll give you even more! I'll hand over control of the surrounding islands, the bribes, everything for the next few years… just kill him for me!"
His desperate plea echoed across the Arlong Park, loud enough for everyone to hear.
"What kind of relationship does a Marine and a pirate have?" Leo asked calmly. "Aren't you supposed to be the hero of the 16th Marine Branch Captain Nezumi… the one who fought criminal like me to protect the innocent people of Mirror ball island?"
Arlong let out a low laugh.
"Oh, he is a hero," he said. "For the Pirates and Criminals under his jurisdiction that is… Thanks to him, we can do whatever we want in this entire region."
His grin widened.
"And how could I refuse a request from such a generous benefactor?"
Everyone's body trembled at the blatant provocation and corruption.
"It would be troublesome if someone with a sense of justice replaced him," Arlong continued casually. "So sit tight… and enjoy the show."
He tossed Nezumi's limp body onto a nearby chair like discarded trash, then stepped forward, his gaze locking onto Leo.
That calm, almost bored expression only made Arlong's snarl deepen.
"Water Bullets!"
A barrage of compressed droplets shot forward, tearing through the air toward Leo like bullets.
"Iron Body."
But contrary to his expectation, the projectiles struck and shattered harmlessly against his skin.
"Where is the Devil Fruit Nami gave you?" Leo's voice rang out again, calm and cold. "Hand it over… and I'll walk away without killing you today."
The villagers stiffened at his words, and Nami bit her lip, already understanding why he was acting this way.
"Shi ha ha ha… you?" Arlong laughed mockingly. "Kill me? Didn't you see what happened to your pathetic friends? And that fruit belongs to me now."
Leo's expression didn't change as he replied in simple words.
"I see."
The next second, he vanished from his place.
"Shave."
Arlong's pupils shrank as Leo appeared right in front of him, faster than his eyes could follow.
"Let's see you smile after this."
His Haki-infused fists tore through the air, striking again and again on massive body of Aarlong, eight blows in a single breath, each one heavier than the last.
The final hit sent Arlong flying into the distance.
He crashed through the wall behind him and was launched deep into the forest beyond.
"Arlong?!"
Hachi and Kuroobi shouted at the same time, shock clear on their faces, this boy was more troublesome than the one before.
They knew, even for someone like Arlong that kind of attack wasn't something you can just shrug off.
"What did Luffy call that attack… 'Gum-Gum Gatling'? No… not quite there yet." Leo muttered to himself, staring at his fist.
"And this 'Shave' skill, I am starting to get the hang of it" Leo spoke, turning toward Captain Nezumi's figure, who was on the verge of passing out this time for real.
"Johnny, you can turn off the recording… whatever happens next won't be very pleasant to watch."
At his words, Johnny gulped and quickly complied, while the villagers fell into stunned silence for the Nth time today.
"Wait for me in hell… I know it's real," Leo said, recalling the Grand Minister's words before his reincarnation.
Then, without hesitation, he brought his fist down ending Captain Nezumi's life in a swift, clean motion.
"Your captain's cooked…" Sanji muttered, glancing toward the dead marine, ruthless Leo and into the distant bushes where Arlong had disappeared.
"If you two won't tell me where my Devil Fruit is," Leo turned and said coldly, his eyes focused on Hachi and Kuroobi, "your fate will be worse than Nezumi."
A chill ran through both fishmens, but neither answered him. Fear flickered in their eyes but loyalty held firm.
'So be it…' Leo took a step forward but the grass beyond the broken wall rustled.
Arlong emerged from behind, multiple fist marks denting his blue-grey skin. A trail of blood leaked from his mouth, which he spat to the side and glared at Leo.
Everyone thought another clash would begin soon but…
"Thud… Thud… Thud…"
Heavy footsteps echoed from the forest behind Arlong, each one sending faint tremors through the ground.
Everyone went still as they understood something massive was approaching and soon the thing stepped into view.
A giant bear, easily ten feet tall, loomed behind Arlong. Its body was covered in strange tattoos, its eyes glowing red with anger and hatred.
Leo's gaze widened as he recognized the bear instantly.
"A… long-nosed bear?" Zoro frowned, confused. Sanji and Nami shared the same disbelief, while the villagers stared in shock at the unnaturally huge beast.
Looking at Leo as if some hidden memory had been awakened, the bear moved ferociously.
A single swipe of its claw struck Arlong, sending him flying across the park like a ragdoll, crashing to the other side third time.
"Usopp, you idiot…!" Leo snapped back trying to see if the beast could be reasoned with but his attempt was in vain.
The beast turned toward him next, it roared followed by a wild charge.
"That thing is Usopp?!" Zoro shouted mid-fight with octopus Hachi. "Did that idiot eat your Devil Fruit?!"
"…Pretty much." Leo replied preparing for the battle ahead.
"ROOOAAARRR—!"
***
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