[605] : Impotent Rage
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“Two small fry down, but the main event hasn’t shown his face yet. Let’s send him a proper invitation—just remember not to kill Arlong.”
Shin gestured meaningfully to Hancock.
Understanding his intent, Hancock raised her blade once more. This strike wouldn’t be the trivial gesture that had dispatched two fish-men moments ago.
A sword slash dozens of meters long tore through Arlong Park, splitting the compound perfectly down the middle. Multiple fish-men perished instantly beneath the devastating energy.
“Gulp…”
Nami swallowed hard again, her mind reeling. The sheer power on display defied comprehension—one sword strike had bisected the entire complex. What kind of strength was this?
No wonder Shin had called the earlier display child’s play. Compared to this devastating attack, the previous strike truly had been nothing more than a warm-up exercise. But the power being demonstrated now seemed beyond human capability.
Was Hancock even human?
Fortunately, Hancock remained unaware of Nami’s internal speculation. Had she known what the girl was thinking, Nami would have faced severe consequences.
“WHO IS IT?”
A furious roar erupted—the enraged voice of the fish-man Arlong himself.
The infuriated Arlong burst forth, wielding a saw-toothed blade named Kiribachi in his webbed hands.
Seeing Arlong triggered waves of fear through Nami’s heart. Having witnessed his brutal methods firsthand, she couldn’t fully suppress her terror despite finding powerful allies.
This was precisely why Shin had ordered Hancock to spare Arlong’s life. His navigator needed to conquer her fears properly.
And the method? Let Arlong himself provide the therapy.
Unlike the original story where Arlong merely faced imprisonment, Shin had no intention of showing such mercy. Creatures like this were nothing but walking disasters—better to eliminate them entirely.
The Marines’ approach to pirates had always been excessively merciful. Rather than executing dangerous criminals, they typically imprisoned them in Impel Down.
Even Golden Lion Shiki had been imprisoned rather than executed after capture. The Marines’ reasoning remained incomprehensible.
Had they never considered the consequences if these vicious pirates escaped?
Perhaps overconfidence blinded them—absolute faith that no one could break free from the underwater prison.
The future would teach them bitter lessons when Blackbeard orchestrated a mass breakout, releasing countless powerful criminals back into the world.
————
Arlong’s bloodshot eyes fixed on Shin’s group with murderous intent. Spotting Nami, his pupils contracted before revealing cruel anticipation.
“Nami, you brought them here? You dare betray me?” Arlong’s vicious gaze bore into Nami.
“Betray you? How amusing. Nami belongs to the Kuja Pirates now. On your knees, fish.” Kalifa’s cold laughter cut through the air.
“Kuja Pirates?”
The name felt frustratingly familiar to Arlong, hovering just beyond recall. He knew he’d heard it somewhere—but where?
Definitely not an East Blue crew. Arlong knew every power player in these waters intimately.
With his 20 million bounty, Arlong reigned as East Blue’s strongest. His closest rival was Don Krieg, the self-proclaimed ruler of these seas. Not that Arlong respected Krieg. Word was the fool planned to challenge the Grand Line. Whether he’d already departed remained unknown.
With that pathetic strength, heading to the Grand Line? Arlong’s contempt ran deep.
“Could these people also be from the Grand Line?” Arlong muttered internally.
Yet even acknowledging this possibility, Arlong’s arrogance refused to bend. His extreme self-confidence convinced him that no human here could match his fish-man superiority.
Fish-men were the ultimate life form—humans couldn’t even qualify for comparison. He was extremely contemptuous of humans.
Though really, he only bullied the weak to feed his superiority complex.
“DIE!”
Arlong charged toward Shin, correctly identifying the leader.
Cruel anticipation filled Arlong’s eyes. After killing these fools, he’d take his time punishing Nami the traitor, along with all of Cocoyashi Village.
He showed no tolerance for betrayal. Death was the only answer.
“How can someone be this suicidal?” Kalifa stared at Arlong in genuine amazement. Such complete ignorance of danger defied belief.
She’d already announced their affiliation with the Kuja Pirates. Had this fool never heard the name?
Perhaps their reputation needed to spread further if people still had the audacity to act so foolishly.
“<Tempest Kick!>”
Kalifa’s leg whipped forward, creating a vacuum blade that raced toward Arlong. Upon impact, his saw-toothed sword shattered while his body flew backward like a discarded puppet.
Kalifa had deliberately held back her killing intent.
Shin’s earlier instruction to Hancock suggested restraint, so Kalifa avoided a lethal strike.
Better to let Shin handle the final judgment.
Watching Arlong’s crumpled form, Nami’s shock transformed into overwhelming joy. The invincible demon of her nightmares wasn’t so untouchable after all.
————
“How do you feel now?” Shin asked with a knowing smile.
Kalifa’s single kick had nearly ended Arlong’s life. He’d survived by the thinnest margin.
Though Kalifa had spared him, Arlong suffered grievous wounds.
“It feels unreal… like I’m dreaming.” Even now, Nami struggled to process the reality.
The unstoppable Arlong of her darkest fears lay defeated by a single technique. The impossibility of it all left her reeling.
“HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? INFERIOR HUMANS COULDN’T POSSIBLY HURT ME!” Arlong’s impotent rage echoed across the ruins.
Watching his pathetic fury, Shin’s lips curved with disdain. Creatures like Arlong earned only his contempt.
Didn’t he understand fish-men’s actual standing? His discrimination against humans was laughably unearned.
Moreover, Arlong had sailed the Grand Line. Shouldn’t he comprehend how deep these waters truly ran? Trash like him wouldn’t just fail in the New World, he barely qualified for the Grand Line’s first half.
The New World? He wouldn’t last long enough to even count as cannon fodder.
“I’LL KILL YOU ALL!”
Arlong’s furious roar preceded his struggle to rise, murderous eyes locked on Shin and Kalifa.
“This fish-man’s delusions know no bounds. Boasting with such pitiful strength—even if Jinbe himself appeared, he’d show proper respect here.” Kalifa adjusted her glasses dismissively.
The enraged Arlong froze at Jinbe’s name. They knew Jinbe? That lapdog had sold out for government favor, living the high life now. Arlong held him in contempt.
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