He had deep blue skin and long black hair slicked back.
But the most striking feature—
Was his terrifying saw-like nose that extended outward, lined with jagged edges, and his yellow eyes filled with cruelty and cunning.
The captain of the Arlong Pirates—
"Sawtooth" Arlong.
Arlong stood up, surprise and suspicion evident on his face.
"One hundred million Beli? Gathered this quickly?"
He muttered under his breath.
He had been secretly monitoring Nami's progress all along.
In fact, he had already planned—
That once she got close to the target, he would have Captain Nezumi seize the money, ensuring Nami would remain his tool forever, drawing maps for him.
He had never expected—
That this time, she would return with fifty million Beli in one go.
His entire plan had been disrupted.
The surprise quickly turned into greed—
And a hint of displeasure.
He wanted to see for himself whether she had truly gathered it.
"Let's go. Take a look."
Arlong grinned, revealing rows of sharp, saw-like teeth, and strode outside.
Behind him followed Kuroobi and the other officers—
Including Hatchan, the six-armed octopus fish-man with orange skin—
And Chew, the kissing fish-man.
When Arlong and his officers stepped into the central courtyard of the park—
Renji Kuro and the villagers were already waiting.
Several fish-man grunts were roughly inspecting the carts, counting the gold.
Renji Kuro quietly observed the so-called "park."
Up close, the crude imitation of Sabaody-style amusement structures looked even more ridiculous—
And eerie.
The contrast between the cheerful facade, the fierce fish-men, and the villagers' fearful expressions—
Was striking.
Beneath the illusion of joy—
Lay a rule of blood and brutality.
The contradiction made him feel slightly nauseated.
"Arlong's here!"
A villager whispered, fear trembling in his voice.
The crowd parted instinctively.
Arlong's towering figure walked forward at an unhurried pace, his shadow almost completely swallowing the villagers in front.
His yellow eyes swept over the pile of gold, a glint flashing within them—
Then settled on Nami.
"Nami."
His voice was loud, carrying an air of superiority.
"I hear you brought the money."
"Yes, Arlong!"
Nami took a deep breath, forcing herself to stand straight.
Despite how small she looked before him—
She pointed at the gold, her voice trembling slightly from tension, yet remaining clear.
"As per our agreement, one hundred million Beli—I've brought it!"
"Count it."
"Now that the deal is fulfilled, you and your crew must leave Cocoyasi Village—and the twenty surrounding villages!"
Her gaze briefly swept over the brightly colored yet cold amusement structures.
She made a silent vow.
Once Arlong was gone—
She would tear this place down.
Rebuild it into a real park for children—
A place filled with genuine happiness, to wash away five years of suffering and sin.
Arlong didn't respond immediately.
Instead, he glanced at Hatchan.
The octopus fish-man immediately set to work, his six arms moving rapidly as he counted the gold at incredible speed.
After a while, Hatchan leaned in and whispered something into Arlong's ear.
Arlong's grin widened.
His jagged teeth gleamed coldly under the sunlight.
"Oh? Finished counting?"
"Looks like it's even a bit more than one hundred million."
His tone carried a hint of amusement.
Nami's heart tightened.
Her face stiffened as she said firmly:
"I've brought the money. Where it came from is none of your business!"
"A deal is a deal, Arlong. Keep your promise!"
Arlong burst into laughter.
The booming sound made several villagers instinctively step back.
He looked around at the trembling villagers—
Then at Nami, who stood stubbornly with clenched fists.
"Very well, Nami. You didn't disappoint me."
"You're quite the capable… 'companion.'"
He deliberately emphasized the word "companion," sending a chill down Nami's spine.
"Load it onto the ship!"
Arlong suddenly barked an order.
At once, the fish-men moved.
Under the direction of the officers, they began carrying the gold toward the ship docked at the private pier behind the park—
A strange vessel with a massive shark skull at its bow—
The Shark Superb.
Watching the gold being moved—
Seeing that Arlong seemed to be preparing to leave—
The villagers' tightly wound nerves finally loosened.
Relief spread across their faces.
Some even began to cry softly.
"They're loading it… they're really loading it!"
"They're leaving… those demons are finally leaving!"
"We… are we free now?"
The whispers gradually turned into uncontrollable cheers.
When the last crate of gold was loaded—
And the Shark Superb slowly left the dock, sailing toward the open sea—
A thunderous cheer erupted outside Arlong Park!
People embraced each other, crying with overwhelming joy.
Nami's clenched fists finally loosened, her palms drenched in sweat.
She let out a long, long breath—
As if expelling five years of suffocating darkness.
Then she turned—
Looking at Renji Kuro, who had been quietly standing aside the whole time.
A radiant smile bloomed across her face—
Bright.
Free of burden.
Her eyes curved into crescents.