Chapter 481: Fight in Arlong Park

The walls of Arlong Park echoed with the sound of battle—steel clashing, stone cracking, and the war cries of pirates who knew the tide was turning.

Nami and I returned just as chaos painted the battlefield.

Zoro was locked in combat with Hatchan, the octopus fishman. Despite the blood seeping from his bandaged torso, Zoro fought with relentless resolve, two swords in hand and a third clenched in his mouth.

Luffy, on the other hand, was inside the central building—the loud crashes and Arlong’s furious roars made it obvious they had already begun tearing the place apart from the inside.

Scattered around were the unconscious bodies of Arlong’s underlings. It seemed the weaker fishmen had already been dealt with.

But someone was missing.

"Where’s Usopp...?" I murmured, scanning the area.

Just then, I caught sight of a stumbling figure dragging himself across the rubble-strewn ground. His nose was bent at a painful angle, his shirt torn, and bruises darkened his arms and legs. He clutched his slingshot with trembling fingers, using it more like a walking stick than a weapon.

"Alex... you’re finally here," Usopp gasped, collapsing to one knee in front of me. "If you were any later, we’d be done for."

I stepped forward, kneeling in front of him and catching his shoulder before he fell face-first into the dirt. "You’re alive. That’s all that matters."

He gave me a shaky thumbs-up. "I took down at least three of them. Maybe four. Not bad, right?"

"Not bad at all," I said with a grin.

I helped him to his feet, then turned and looked toward the battlefield. "Hey!" I shouted, projecting my voice across the ruins. "Zoro! Luffy! Do either of you need help?"

Zoro blocked a strike from Hatchan’s six swords, then glanced back with a grin, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

"Help?" he scoffed. "Nah. I’ve still got enough in me to slice up this sushi platter."

Luffy’s voice echoed from inside the building, muffled by cracked walls and shattered beams.

"Arlong’s mine!" he yelled. "Don’t butt in!"

I chuckled to myself. Of course they’d say that.

Turning to Usopp, I clapped him on the back gently. "Then that leaves the rest to me."

Usopp blinked. "You’re gonna take on the leftovers?"

"Yeah. I’ll clean up the small fry. You’ve earned a break."

Just then, the gates of the inner courtyard creaked as someone approached. A tall, menacing figure with a long saw-like nose and jagged teeth emerged—Arlong. His skin gleamed like wet steel, and even though he bore fresh bruises from his fight with Luffy, his eyes were still sharp.

Behind me, I heard Nami take a sharp breath.

Arlong’s eyes locked onto her immediately. "Nami," he growled, his voice a mix of fury and desperation, "You came back."

Nami didn’t answer. Her fists clenched at her sides, and I could see her entire body tense. Rage and fear warred behind her eyes.

Arlong stepped closer, ignoring everyone else. "Help me. Stop Luffy. He’s tearing apart everything we built. You know what will happen to your village if I fall. You want them to die?"

Nami flinched. The ghosts of her past rose again, clawing at her from within. I saw her jaw tremble.

That’s when I stepped in front of her.

"You don’t have that power over her anymore," I said, staring Arlong down. "You’re finished."

Arlong bared his teeth. "She sold out her own crew to save that village. She bled for me. You think I’ll just—"

"I already destroyed the 16th Marine Base," I interrupted calmly. "Every last man who took her money is either unconscious or begging for mercy. The money’s been reclaimed. The threat’s gone."

Arlong paused, processing my words. His eyes flickered with disbelief—then rage. "You’re lying."

"No," Nami said, stepping out from behind me. "He’s not."

Her voice was steady now.

"I saw it with my own eyes. He fought through that entire base to get my money back. He didn’t have to—but he did. And now that money is safe... and so is my village."

Arlong’s fists clenched so tightly his webbed fingers turned white. "You ungrateful—"

"You never owned me," Nami cut him off. "Not then. Not now. And not ever again."

Arlong roared and lunged forward—but I was faster.

My foot met his face mid-leap, sending him crashing into a wall of shattered brick. He stumbled to his feet with a growl, blood trickling from his mouth.

"Don’t touch her," I said coldly.

He turned to face me, chest heaving. "You think I’m scared of some human?"

"I’m not just a human," I replied.

Behind me, Usopp flinched. "Uh... Alex... I know you’re pissed, but maybe don’t provoke the angry shark-man while Luffy’s already fighting him?"

I didn’t respond. My gaze was locked on Arlong.

"I’m not here to steal Luffy’s fight," I said slowly. "But if you come after her again... I will end you."

Arlong looked between me and Nami, then spat a mouthful of blood.

"I’ll kill all of you... pirates or not."

From within the building, another explosion shook the ground.

And then—

CRASH!

The upper levels of Arlong’s tower burst apart as Luffy sent a chunk of it flying with one mighty punch.

Arlong turned, stunned.

"You’re next," Luffy’s voice echoed from the debris.

I smiled grimly.

"Looks like your boss wants a word with you."

Arlong hissed and charged back inside.

Nami exhaled, finally releasing the breath she’d been holding. She turned to me.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

I shook my head. "Don’t thank me yet. It’s not over."

She smiled just a little. "It will be. Soon."

And for the first time in years, her voice held hope.

~~~