"I didn't expect the system would let me choose rewards."
Ryujin was slightly surprised. Until now, every reward had been fixed. This was the first time he had options.
After a moment of thought, it made sense.
The opponents he defeated before barely had anything worth taking. Mihawk was different. Someone at that level naturally possessed multiple high-tier abilities.
"I choose Mihawk's Observation Haki."
"Ding! Reward granted, Mihawk's Observation Haki."
The moment the system confirmed it, a sharp shift occurred within Ryujin.
His perception expanded instantly.
Everything around him became clear to an extreme level. He could sense every subtle movement, even the smallest details on Mihawk's body. His awareness stretched outward, covering dozens of kilometers across the sea.
The movement of marine life beneath the surface, ships drifting in the distance, even the way light reflected off the waves, everything entered his perception.
More than that, he could sense emotions.
The fear, excitement, and disbelief inside the Baratie, all of it was laid bare before him.
Ryujin smirked.
"Not bad. Coming here wasn't a waste of time."
"I lost."
Amid the violent waves, Mihawk stood atop his small boat, steady despite the chaos around him. His expression was serious, but there was something else in his eyes now.
Something alive.
"If I hadn't experienced it myself, I wouldn't believe it."
For years, Mihawk had stood at the peak. Aside from occasional clashes with Shanks, no one could truly challenge him. That isolation had dulled his edge over time.
But now, that feeling was gone.
Ryujin had given him direction again.
Mihawk said nothing further. He simply looked at Ryujin one last time, then turned his boat and left, disappearing into the waves.
Ryujin didn't bother watching him go.
His eyes shifted into the Kamui Sharingan. A spatial vortex formed, pulling him in until he vanished completely.
Inside the Kamui dimension, Ryujin didn't leave immediately.
Instead, he took out the Gomu Gomu no Mi from his system storage.
Without hesitation, he absorbed it.
His Yin Yang Release chakra reacted strongly, undergoing a noticeable transformation, far greater than with the previous fruits he had taken.
Even without development, the Gomu Gomu no Mi had higher potential than the Kuma Kuma no Mi. There was no comparison.
After finishing, he casually discarded the shriveled fruit.
Then, sensing the location of his wood clone, he teleported.
Back at the Baratie, the sea eventually settled.
The massive waves died down, the chaos fading until the surface returned to normal. One by one, Ryujin's wood clones disappeared, and the Four Red Yang Formation collapsed.
Only then did the people inside begin to process what had happened.
"Mihawk lost..."
"Uchiha Ryujin actually defeated him."
"The world's greatest swordsman was beaten."
"This is going to shake the entire sea."
No one could stay calm after witnessing that battle.
Zoro clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination.
"My target isn't Mihawk anymore," he muttered. "It's Uchiha Ryujin."
---
At the same time, far away at Cocoyasi Village.
Nami stood at the entrance, staring at the familiar streets.
"It's been a while."
A sense of warmth rose in her chest. No matter how far she wandered, this place was still home.
Beside her, Ryujin's wood clone silently observed the surroundings.
The village felt empty.
Even during the day, there were barely any people outside. The place had no life left in it.
That was expected under Arlong's rule.
But that ended today.
"Let's go. Take me to Arlong," the clone said, as if talking about something trivial.
Nami took a steady breath, her expression firm. "Follow me."
They moved quickly, arriving at Arlong Park.
Voices echoed from inside.
"That Marine rat Nezumi took more money again."
"Humans are disgusting. They exist to serve us."
"As long as he takes bribes, he's useful."
The moment they entered the courtyard, the scene became clear.
Arlong sat lazily in a chair, with Hachi, Kuroobi, and the others nearby.
"Nami's back," Arlong said with a grin.
To him, Nami was nothing more than a source of money.
He never intended to keep his promise. Letting her buy back the village was a lie from the start.
Then he noticed the clone.
"Who's this?"
Nami didn't answer him.
Instead, she stepped forward, her voice cold.
"Arlong, today I'm taking Cocoyasi Village back."
Silence.
Then laughter exploded.
"Hahaha!"
"You?"
"With that human?"
Arlong looked at the clone with complete disdain.
The clone didn't respond.
He simply clapped his hands.
"Wood Release."
The ground erupted.
Thick wooden branches burst out violently, twisting and expanding in every direction, covering a massive area and crashing down toward Arlong and his crew.
"What is this?!"
They tried to escape.
Too late.
The forest expanded too quickly, sealing off every path.
Within seconds, the entire courtyard was consumed.
Crushing sounds echoed.
Then screams.
Then silence.
The forest stood still.
Nami stared, frozen.
Then several wooden branches extended outward, lifting bodies into view.
Her breath caught.
Each branch had pierced straight through Arlong and his crew.
Arlong, Hachi, Kuroobi, all of them were dead.
Blood dripped slowly onto the ground.
"The Arlong Pirates... are gone?"
Her voice trembled.
This was the same Arlong who had ruled over them like a nightmare. And now, in just moments, he was dead.
Nami looked at the clone in disbelief.
She had no idea that they had already died the moment the forest trapped them, their bodies crushed and torn apart from within.
Even with their superior strength, they couldn't survive against chakra infused wood enhanced by Six Paths power.
"Arlong... is really dead."
Her legs shook slightly.
For years, this was nothing more than a dream.
Now it was reality.
Suddenly, she laughed.
Tears streamed down her face.
"Hahaha... he's dead... Arlong is dead!"
She turned and bowed deeply.
"Thank you. You saved Cocoyasi Village."
"You're my navigator. That's enough reason."
Nami froze.
That voice didn't come from the clone.
She turned.
A spatial vortex formed nearby, and Ryujin stepped out.
"Your main body..." she said, stunned.
"I finished what I needed to do," Ryujin replied. He dismissed the clone casually. "So I came back."
Nami hesitated for a moment.
"Can we stay for a couple of days? I want to tell everyone..."
"No rush," Ryujin said. "Go see your village properly."
Her face lit up.
"Thank you!"
She ran off immediately.
Before long, the news spread.
Across Cocoyasi Village and beyond, people rushed toward Arlong Park.
At first, no one believed it.
But when they saw the bodies themselves, disbelief turned into overwhelming emotion.
"Arlong is dead!"
"The Arlong Pirates are gone!"
Cheers, cries, and laughter filled the air.
The villages were free.