Arlong Park... vanished. In the wake of Uvogin's mountain-shattering punch, the fortress collapsed like a sandcastle. The stronghold that once symbolized terror and oppression was now nothing but rubble. Standing before the ruins, Arlong trembled uncontrollably.
"Damn it—" Arlong's voice cracked with rage, but he couldn't hide the primal fear welling up in his eyes.
He's too strong. This man was powerful beyond reason. How was this possible? How could a monster of this caliber be lurking in the East Blue? He thought he had escaped the nightmare of the Grand Line!
But fear was quickly swallowed by a blind, red fury. Arlong's eyes turned bloodshot as he let out a guttural roar. "You bastards! Two members of an inferior species dare to talk big?! Come forth, Momoo!"
A massive whirlpool erupted in the center of the pool. Amidst the churning waves, a giant sea beast—nearly thirty feet tall—burst from the water. It had the head of a cow, massive horns, and the sleek body of a seal.
"Shahahaha! Feel despair! Tremble before its massive size!" Arlong laughed hysterically, pointing a jagged finger at the man on the shore. "Rip him apart, Momoo!"
"MOOO—!" Momoo let out a thunderous bellow and used its massive bulk to charge straight at Uvogin like a living battering ram.
"Look out!" Nami screamed, her eyes wide with terror.
It was happening again. Every time someone stood up to Arlong, they were crushed into paste by this terrifying beast. While Arlong grinned and Nami shrieked, Momoo slammed into Uvogin with the force of a siege engine.
BOOM!
The impact shook the entire coastline. Dust and debris flew everywhere. But a second later, the sadistic grin on Arlong's face froze.
The horror in Nami's eyes turned into utter confusion. She tilted her head, her brain struggling to process the scene.
Uvogin hadn't budged an inch. Instead, the massive sea beast looked dazed, a cartoonishly large bump swelling on its head. With a pathetic groan, Momoo slowly sank back into the depths.
"Huh?" Uvogin muttered, looking unimpressed. "That's it? Looks like you're all show and no go."
Arlong stared in disbelief. Uvogin looked genuinely annoyed by the lack of a challenge. "How... how is this possible?!"
"Damn you! I am Arlong! You lowly humans should just hurry up and die! Shark on Darts!"
The ground beneath Arlong's feet exploded as he launched himself like a high-speed torpedo. His serrated nose gleamed with a lethal, cold light as he tore through the air toward Uvogin.
"Die, you inferior human!"
CLANG—!
Arlong's sawtooth nose slammed into Uvogin's abdomen, which was reinforced by the Haki-like "Ko" technique. Instead of piercing him, Arlong's nose crumpled and bent. Blood sprayed as the impact sent a shockwave back into Arlong's own face.
Arlong clutched his face, letting out a pained shriek. "Agh! My nose! My nose!!"
A single drop of blood slid down Uvogin's stomach from a scratch so small it was barely visible. "Well," Uvogin rumbled, "it's a tiny wound, but it'll do."
[Karma-Karma Fruit: Damage Return]
Hummmm—
Uvogin's body swelled until he was nearly ten feet tall, towering over Arlong. The shadow he cast was suffocating. Arlong was terrified, but his pride only fueled his rage.
"You'll never understand!" Arlong barked. "The rage of seeing my brothers slaughtered by your kind! The pain of seeing Fishmen treated like slaves—like toys! My pain is greater than yours! Shark on Tooth-wheel!"
Arlong spun his body like a saw blade and charged again.
"Is that your final request?" Uvogin asked with a wild, savage grin.
He leaped high into the air, the straw hat on his head vivid against the sun. He wound up a massive fist, letting out a boisterous, happy laugh.
"Hahahaha!"
He aimed straight for Arlong and the remains of his fortress.
"BIG BANG IMPACT—!"
CRA-A-ACK—!
The ground within a fifty-meter radius buckled and groaned. A massive, terrifying crater formed under Uvogin's knuckles, and spider-web cracks shot through the entirety of Arlong Park.
While Nami watched in stunned silence, the mountain of oppression that had crushed her heart for eight years finally crumbled. The Arlong Pirates were completely wiped out.
Nami stared at the wreckage, tears falling silently. The yellow straw hat, the giant frame, the simple fighting style... the "straw-hatted hero" from her dream had actually dropped from the sky. He had smashed her prison and brought her true freedom.
She burst into deep, gut-wrenching sobs. Every ounce of fear, humiliation, and grief she had bottled up over the years poured out of her. And yet, beneath the tears, there was a smile—a glimmer of hope she hadn't felt in a lifetime.
Chrollo stood beside her and gently patted her hair. "It's over now."
Nami looked up at him through her tears and nodded vigorously. "Yeah!"
---
With Arlong Park in ruins, the villagers of Cocoyasi began to gather. They saw the fortress of their nightmares reduced to rubble and broke out into cheers and tears of joy. Nami watched them from the side, feeling a bit hesitant.
I "joined" Arlong... they probably hate me, don't they? she thought. But that's okay. As long as they're safe.
To her surprise, the villagers began to surround her, their eyes full of warmth and gratitude. Genzo and Nojiko walked up to her.
"What... what is this?" Nami stammered, covering her mouth.
Nojiko looked at her tenderly. "Everyone already knew, Nami. We knew you joined Arlong just to protect us. The reason they acted that way was because they didn't want their expectations to become a burden for you."
The villagers stepped forward, hugging her one by one. "Nami-chan, thank you!" "We always knew!"
Nami cried again, but this time, they were happy tears.
Once the celebration died down, the tide brought in some wreckage from a Marine warship. The flag of the peace dove floated on the water like a piece of trash.
"What's that?" Nami asked, a chill running down her spine.
Chrollo's eyes turned dark and serious. "Arlong was running wild here for years. You didn't think the Marines were actually oblivious, did you?"
"They were working together?!" Nami realized instantly.
"Exactly," Chrollo nodded. "Arlong is dead, but if we don't handle these Marines, it won't be long before they let another monster take his place. As my new navigator, let me give you your first lesson: pull them up by the roots!"
Nami's expression turned solemn as she gave a firm nod. With her heart finally free, she looked at Chrollo with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "So, you want to hire me as your navigator?"
Chrollo nodded.
"I'm warning you, my fee is pretty steep~" she joked.
Chrollo gave her a playful, knowing smile. "Is 100 million Berries enough?"
---
read more inpat**
belamy20