"You bastard who doesn't know how to respect women! How dare you call Nami-san an idiot! I'll kick you to death!" Ever since Nami arrived, Sanji had been staring at her like a lovesick fool. Of course, he couldn't tolerate Tom showing up and calling her an idiot.
"Shut up. Is your brain as useless and curly as your eyebrows?" Tom and Sanji locked eyes, sparks practically flying between them.
"Hey, you two! Recognize the situation! Is now the time for this?!" Zoro, seeing Tom and Sanji about to come to blows, had to speak up.
"Why are they fighting among themselves now?!"
"Arlong is already getting up! What are they doing?!" Johnny and Yosaku had been pumped seeing Tom kick Arlong away, but their excitement vanished upon seeing the internal conflict.
"Look, it's that guy who saved us in the village with that brave-yet-cowardly long-nosed fellow."
"He's so strong! He kicked that huge Arlong away in one hit." The surrounding Coco Village villagers were initially angry when Tom called Nami an idiot, but seeing Nami herself just bowing her head silently, they didn't feel right scolding him, considering he had saved them before.
When Nami saw Tom appear, she was emotionally stirred, but also confused—where had he gone earlier?
When Tom called her an idiot, she initially wanted to retort. But she could clearly sense that Tom seemed to care about her more than before. Otherwise, he wouldn't have jumped out so urgently to scold her without hearing the full story when he heard her talking about dying.
"To be so rude and discourteous to a lovely, charming lady… can you even call yourself a man?!"
"If you're a man, speak your mind directly! I have nothing to say to a jerk like you who thinks everything a woman does is right!" Sanji and Tom ignored Zoro. Their philosophies regarding women indeed had significant conflict.
One believed women were to be cherished, strictly adhering to the chivalric principle of never hurting a woman, unable to bear saying a harsh word to one.
The other believed men and women were the same; if she was being stupid or made a mistake, she should be forcefully scolded awake—no need for politeness.
"Sanji, I think you're absolutely right. There's no need for pointless arguments with that idiot." Nami saw Arlong was almost upon them, yet Tom and Sanji were still arguing. In normal times, seeing them so clueless, she would have punched them both flat.
"Yes, Nami-san! I will always listen to you!" Upon hearing Nami, Sanji's eyes instantly turned into hearts, paying no further attention to Tom.
"A guy whose head is only filled with buttering up women. Talking to him is a waste of time." Tom saw Sanji fall into his lovesick mode again and truly couldn't understand what was in his head.
"You still have the mood to mess around with him? Don't you know the situation is urgent?!" Zoro used his sword to support himself, barely standing up, speaking sternly to Tom.
"True. I didn't expect you and this pervert to be knocked down by Arlong. You I can understand, with your heavy injuries. But what about him? Is he badly hurt too?" Tom pointed at Sanji, asking Zoro.
Before Zoro could answer, Arlong approached.
Arlong, previously kicked away by Tom, stopped not far from them and looked at Nami. "I understand your meaning clearly now. I will kill every single person here without exception!"
Hearing this, Nami's expression changed. As long as Arlong lived, her nightmare wouldn't end, and it might cause even more people to die within it. Her mood grew oppressed.
"You stinking fish, compared to this guy beside me who only knows how to cater to women, you're hundreds of times more despicable." Tom took a step forward, staring at Arlong, enunciating each word. "What skill is there in threatening a woman? I told you, next time we meet, one of us will fall!"
"Be careful. He's different from the others…" Sanji said this, but a sharp pain from his damaged internal organs made him cough up another mouthful of blood.
"Looks like you're hurt pretty bad too. Don't worry. I already know this stinking fish is different from other Fish-Men." Seeing Sanji's face turn pale, Tom knew both he and Zoro were severely injured. Fighting further would only last them half a minute at best. It was better for him to handle Arlong.
But Tom felt something was off. What the hell is Luffy doing? Normally, even if he hasn't beaten Arlong, he should be fighting him. Where is he?
"It seems you also know that I, as a Fish-Man, am far stronger than you lowly humans. There's no way to resist me!" Arlong's fierce eyes locked onto Tom. Of everyone present, Tom was the one he most wanted to kill.
Arlong had suppressed the wounded Zoro and Sanji, shaken Nami. Even though Nami was prepared to die with the villagers, he still had ways to force her to draw charts for him.
But at the last moment, Tom jumped out and kicked him away, destroying the invincible and mighty image Arlong had built. Combined with Tom's previous provocations, his hatred skyrocketed.
"You're a sawshark Fish-Man, right?" Tom's mouth curved slightly. "Though sawsharks are a type of shark, they're quite gentle compared to others. It doesn't match a brutal and cold-blooded one like you at all. That's why I said you're different. You didn't inherit the good human genes, nor did you keep the sawshark's nature. Don't you find yourself ridiculous?"
"You damned human! I'll tear you to pieces alive!" Arlong was so angry his eyes were bloodshot, nearly losing reason. He opened his mouth full of sharp teeth and viciously bit toward Tom.
"Let's take him on together! Buy as much time as we can!" Zoro, holding his swords, could naturally see Tom's physical condition wasn't good. After just one forceful kick, Tom was gasping heavily—clearly his body was already over-exerted. Otherwise, a single kick wouldn't have tired him like that.
"Buy time?" Tom dodged Arlong's bite and punched him back a few steps, then asked Zoro.
"Luffy was thrown into the seawater pool. We need to buy time for the perverted cook to save him." Zoro told Tom. The wound on his chest was still bleeding, his face pale as paper. He was truly at his limit.
Originally, Zoro planned to hold back Arlong alone so Sanji could jump in and save Luffy. With Tom here now, the plan's success rate was much higher.
Most importantly, they couldn't delay anymore. Arlong's strength was completely different from the defeated officers—Zoro knew this well. Neither he, Tom, nor Sanji were in good condition.
"What?! Luffy was thrown into the sea?!" Tom was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped. He couldn't understand how Luffy, with his strength, could have sunk into the sea.
"You still think you can save him? Don't dream." Arlong decided to deal with Zoro first. Zoro's current combat ability seemed lower than Tom's. After dealing with Zoro, he could handle Tom.
To stop Sanji from saving Luffy, Arlong calmly chose the most correct strategy.
Clang!
Zoro's sword struck Arlong's long saw-toothed nose. "I'll break that nose you're so proud of!"
But after just that one strike, Zoro was unable to stop panting. Furthermore, the blow didn't cause any real damage.
"Fool! It's my pride precisely because it can't be cut!" Arlong's saw-toothed long nose forcibly blocked Zoro's sword without leaving even a trace. "If you could fight at full power, you might leave a mark."
Seeing Zoro could only barely use two swords to defend against Arlong's attacks, and would be severely injured with any slip, Tom wanted to help. But after taking a few steps forward, he felt his footing falter, nearly collapsing.
"Tom!" Nami, seeing Tom could barely walk, felt a shock in her heart. She didn't know Tom had fought Arlong and the officers earlier, gone alone to Marine Branch 16, defeated nearly 400 Marines, suffered gunshot wounds, and had a high fever… His body was already completely exhausted. Lasting this long was truly no small feat.
"Just as I thought. You're much weaker than before. From that kick and the punch just now, I can clearly feel your strength is far inferior to before, declining severely." Arlong glanced at Tom. Taking advantage of Zoro's distraction over Tom's condition, Arlong thrust forward with force, his long saw-toothed nose stabbing Zoro.
Zoro, injured again, was unable to resist. Arlong's large hand tightly gripped his neck.
"So many bandages… from a fall?" Arlong lifted Zoro with one hand, tearing open the bandages, revealing the terrifying sword wound that had nearly split him diagonally in half.
"Ah!!" Nami, seeing Zoro's wound for the first time, instinctively covered her mouth.
Johnny and Yosaku clutched their heads, screaming in panic.
Why is this man still alive? Why can he still stand?
Such a terrifying gaze… Is this the look of a dying man?
Arlong, gripping Zoro's neck, met Zoro's gaze—like an Asura from hell. It sent a chill down his spine.
He is a man who must be killed now! Arlong's killing intent surged. Letting Zoro live would mean facing a man even he would fear in the future.
"Let Zoro go!" Tom finally steadied himself, took the rod from his arm-sheath, extended it, and swept it in one strike at Arlong, sending him flying into the Arlong Pirates' building.
"Leave this to me. Luffy should be rescued soon. I can hold on a bit longer." Tom gasped lightly, walking to the Zoro who was slumped on the ground.
"An attack of that level can't possibly hurt me." Arlong emerged from the building holding a large saw-toothed great blade. Even after Tom's hit, he was unharmed—proof of Tom's weakened strength.
"So what? You can't kill me either. As long as I'm standing, you absolutely can't win!" Tom swung his long staff at Arlong. Since Arlong had a weapon, Tom needed full concentration. Getting hit by that great blade was no joke.
"That's the Saw-Tooth Sword 'Same-kiri'!" Nami hadn't seen Arlong use a weapon against an enemy in a long time. That sword wasn't very sharp, but its destructive power was immense. A direct hit would likely turn a person into minced meat.
As Tom attacked, Hatchan, who should have been unconscious, woke up. Just as he climbed to his feet, he heard Arlong's order: "Hatchan! Jump into the seawater pool and kill that guy trying to rescue them!"
Upon waking and seeing Zoro nearby, Hatchan wanted to kill him. But hearing Arlong, he immediately jumped into the pool, not forgetting to say to Zoro, "Roronoa Zoro! I'm going to kill your companion now!"
"I won't let you interfere!" Nojiko, arriving at just the right moment, saw Nami about to jump in to stop Hatchan. She grabbed Nami and without hesitation jumped into the pool herself to intercept Hatchan, leaving Nami standing there blankly.
"What are you two women doing?!" Tom didn't expect Hatchan to wake at such a critical moment and go after Sanji. He certainly didn't expect Nojiko to jump in to protect Nami—her courage was far beyond that of ordinary people.
Worried sick about the safety of those in the pool, Tom lost focus for an instant and was almost split in half by Arlong's great blade.
Clang!
Tom hurriedly used his rod to block the horizontal slash. The tremendous force sent him flying uncontrollably diagonally upward, slamming hard into a wall on the second floor.
"Pirate Hunter Zoro… I'll kill you now!" After sending Tom flying, Arlong walked toward Zoro with his sword.
Zoro, as if unaware of Arlong, shouted to Tom, "Don't worry about them! They won't be in trouble!"
"You should've said that sooner, you moss-head bastard!" From the second floor, Tom fired a fishing line from his left wrist, sticking it to the sword-raising Arlong. He pulled with force, yanking Arlong up and slamming him into the third floor, breaking through a wall.
Though Tom didn't know why Zoro was so confident, he knew Zoro wouldn't act recklessly. If Zoro was sure those in the pool were safe, Tom didn't need to worry too much.
Nami, coming back to her senses, saw Zoro in danger and wanted to help, but Tom had already dragged Arlong away.
Tom used the line to swing to the third floor, but before he could land, Arlong raised his great blade and chopped down, forcing him to swing upward again.
In no time, Tom and Arlong fought their way to the top floor—unfortunately barging straight into the charting room.
"This damn place isn't burned clean yet?!" Entering the room made Tom feel extremely uncomfortable.
"Thanks to you, over half the charts I spent eight years collecting were burned! You will pay the price!" Arlong glanced at the half-burned, scorch-marked charts. His killing intent grew stronger. Fish-Men were better at firefighting than humans, especially Chew (defeated by Usopp). Otherwise, Tom's fire would have burned everything clean.
"For eight years… she drew charts in this shithole." Tom remembered Nami, forced by Arlong to draw charts since she was ten. For eight years here, she never smiled happily. A wave of anger surged within him. The jet-black pupils in his eyes gradually turned dark red. His blood-moon-like eyes looked eerie in the dim room.
"This dedicated surveying room for her… I will always preserve it. She will continue staying here, drawing charts for me! As long as she lives, my ambition can be realized!" Seeing Tom's pupils turn blood-red again, Arlong didn't pay much attention. He knew Nami's charting skills were extremely precise, which indirectly laid the Arlong Pirates' eight-year foundation in the East Blue.
With Nami's charts, they could easily create whirlpools at sea to sink Marine ships. Over time, fewer Marines bothered them.
"Preserve it?" Tom's right hand clenched the long rod tightly. He glanced at the remaining charts. Looking closely, one could still see faint traces of long-dried blood.
And that drawing pen, its back smeared with blood, still lay quietly on the desk.
"Every chart she drew here took her one step further from her dream. For eight years, you ruined her life and trampled her dream!" Tom removed the rod from his right arm-sheath and merged the two rods together. The blood-red pupils in his eyes grew even more dazzling. "If fire couldn't burn it clean, I'll do it myself! I'll destroy this place completely!"
"No, not just this room. I have to take this entire building you call the 'Arlong Empire' and blast it to pieces! Only then can she start over, chase her dream again, and be her true self!" As Tom spoke, he extended the rod in his hands. In an instant, it pierced through both the left and right walls of the room, reaching outside.
Below, Johnny and the others saw a long pole extend out from the top floor and were momentarily confused.
That's right. That place is the charting room. Nami, seeing where the pole emerged, quickly confirmed Tom's location.
Seconds later, a thunderous explosion rang out. Tom, holding the long rod, flew out of the building.
"You want to destroy my Arlong Empire? Try it if you can! I won't let you do as you please anymore! Die, you lowly human!" Arlong opened his mouth extremely wide as his body began to spin rapidly. The sharp teeth in his mouth rotated like a meat grinder, launching him like a cannonball toward Tom in midair. "Shark·ON·Dentures!"
Seeing the extremely fierce incoming attack—being bitten would likely tear a huge chunk out of him—Tom hurriedly did a midair flip, barely avoiding it. Even so, just being grazed by the high-speed rotating teeth left an extremely deep wound on his left forearm.
"I'm a man who keeps his word! Today is your doomsday, stinking fish!" As Tom's body fell downward, he gripped the rod extended over twenty meters with both hands and fiercely swept it horizontally toward the opposite building.
Boom! Crash! Boom! Crash!
The fifth floor of the Arlong Empire—the floor with the charting room—was snapped apart by a single sweep. At a glance, it looked as if the top floor had been forcibly torn away from the lower structure.
Tom didn't notice that a few things he carried had fallen off somewhere during the violent movements.
Countless navigation charts scattered through the air. Among everyone present, Nami was the first to see the paper pinwheel that had fallen from Tom earlier, caught among the flying charts, spinning in the wind and clearly reflected in her eyes. Pressing her lips together, her eyes gradually grew moist.
Then Tom planted his rod into the ground, extended it to about forty meters, pulled it out and rapidly shortened it. Holding the tip of the rod, he descended rapidly from forty meters—leaving everyone below staring in shock.
Upon reaching the top of the Arlong Empire building, Tom raised the rod high behind him with both hands. "Extend!"
In moments, the rod elongated to forty meters again. Tom directly delivered a ferocious downward strike onto the building below.
Thunderous booms rang out one after another. Before anyone could recover, the five-story Arlong Empire was split cleanly in two by a single blow.
After splitting the building, Tom used the rod to push off the ground, changed direction, and rapidly flew toward the vertical sawshark head ornament atop the fifth floor. He kicked the ornament bearing the Arlong Pirates' flag away.
Crash! The saw-toothed shark head smashed heavily into the ground, landing before Arlong.
In less than a minute, the power Tom unleashed left the entire Arlong Empire in complete ruin.
Meanwhile, Luffy finally regained consciousness, violently spewing a mouthful of water like a small fountain…
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T/N :
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