Cocoyashi Village — Path Near Arlong Park
The dirt path felt heavier with every step.
The quintet—Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Fuwako—walked in a formation that was less deliberate and more instinctive, pulled together by a shared anger that simmered hotter than the midday air. Their shadows stretched long across the ground, merging into a single dark smear that crept steadily toward Arlong Park like a warning.
Even Usopp, who normally shook and whimpered at the slightest hint of danger, carried himself with an uncharacteristic stiffness. His hands were balled into fists. His jaw locked tight. His eyes, usually wide with panic, stared ahead with a trembling kind of determination.
The others… they weren't even trying to hide how furious they were.
Sanji's cigarette burned faster than usual, ash spilling off the end and dropping behind him like tiny gray sparks. Zoro's hand never once drifted far from his swords—his expression locked somewhere between murderous focus and impatience. And Luffy… Luffy wore the quietest face of all. A blank slate masking a storm.
That storm echoed faintly in the sky.
Above them, the clouds that had begun gathering during their journey now churned restlessly. Small, shuddering pulses of thunder flickered within them—stuttering and incomplete, like bolts being pulled back by unseen fingers before they could fully form.
Darkness bloomed outward from a single point, swelling higher and higher until the entire sky began to sink into an unnatural twilight.
The wind dragged low across the earth, brushing leaves sideways and tugging lightly at clothing. Not violent—yet—but wrong. Unsettling. Like the first inhale before a hurricane exhales its rage.
They didn't need to say who was responsible.
They all knew.
Fuwako.
Their distressed emotions had been bleeding into the sky since Nami abandoned them, twisting the weather into a reflection of the small creature's distress now turned into anger. The four humans exchanged glances—none of them surprised, none of them dismissive. If anything, the worsening atmosphere hardened their resolve even more.
They didn't speak a single word about it, though.
Not when the sky dimmed further.
Not when the thunder cracked louder.
Not when the winds turned sharp enough to sting the skin.
They just kept walking.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the growing crowd…
"Hey! Are you guys alright?"
A voice from the gathering villagers called out, cracking with worry.
The two strays sat slumped in front of Arlong Park's gate—bruised, scraped, and battered enough that even the most oblivious bystander could tell they'd been tossed around like sacks of grain.
"Did Arlong do this to you?" asked the doctor, staring down in concern.
The man with the pinwheel on his hat pushed forward. "Move aside. We have business to take care of with the fishmen."
The blue stray raised his head with effort, wincing. "When we finally found out the truth about Big Sis Nami, we realized the only thing we could do was defeat Arlong in battle. So we decided to come back here and challenge him…"
He sat cross-legged, his back resting against the tall gate of Arlong Park. Beside him, the green stray mirrored his posture, albeit with a bit more wobbling.
"Yeah, then we lost," the green one added, puffing out his chest despite his wobbling. "But only by a hair."
Several villagers gasped at that—clearly doubtful but unwilling to argue with two kids who looked so beaten they could barely lift their arms.
Blue stray shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you through this door. You have no chance of victory!"
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Pinwheel man snapped.
"Be patient," green stray said, closing his eyes like a sage preparing to speak divine prophecy. "It won't be long now. You see, we're waiting for the arrival of certain men."
"What certain men?!" Pinwheel man demanded again, louder this time.
"Don't worry," blue stray said with dramatic flair. "They'll be here soon. I'd bet my life on it!"
The villagers murmured restlessly, shifting in place—
—until the sound broke through the hush.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Heavy, deliberate steps.
The two strays' eyes lit up.
"There!" they shouted in unison, turning their battered faces toward the path.
Thud.
Thud.
A whisper cut through the crowd:
"It's them…"
"But why would they come to defend our village?"
The strays scrambled upright despite their injuries. The green one spoke first, almost reverently:
"If those men can't handle Arlong and his gang, then there really is no hope. Not only for this island but for the whole East Blue!"
Blue stray nodded fiercely. "Those are the faces of the five men who're here to change your destiny. Burn their images into your memory!"
The villagers held their breath.
The thudding grew closer—until the five emerged into view, walking side by side.
They didn't run. Didn't shout. Didn't hesitate.
They came like executioners.
Luffy at the front, Zoro and Sanji flanking him, Usopp and Fuwako close behind. Shadows swirled under their feet as the unnatural clouds above darkened the air into a bluish twilight.
Every villager instinctively stepped back.
"Step aside," Luffy said, voice low but carrying like a drumbeat.
The crowd parted immediately, the villagers opening a path straight to Arlong Park's gate.
Luffy's face didn't change, not even a twitch. He walked straight up to the massive stone gates that served as the entrance, planted his feet, drew his arms back—
—then slammed his fists into the gate.
SLAM—!
Cracks spiderwebbed through the stone.
He hit it again.
SLAM—!
Dust rained down.
He pulled back once more, rubber muscles snapping taut—
KA–BLAM!!!
The gate shattered, erupting inward in an explosion of stone fragments and dust clouds.
The villagers gasped. The strays cheered. The sky rumbled in response, echoing Fuwako's storm with a low, trembling growl.
Inside Arlong Park, the fishmen froze.
"What the…?"
Luffy stepped through the rubble like he had merely pushed aside a curtain.
"Now which one of you is Arlong?"
The purplish shark-fishman with the serrated nose remained seated, lips stretching into a grin filled with far too many teeth.
"Arlong? Well, that just happens to be my name."
"Good," Luffy said, cracking his knuckles. "You can call me Luffy."
The fishman frowned. "Luffy…? What are you supposed to be?"
"Pirate."
An octopus yelped from behind the fishmen's line. "That guy! Wait a sec! I remember him! That's the guy that likes going on walks!"
Two fishmen moved to block Luffy's path.
"Hold it right there!"
"Hahaha! Where do you think you're goin'?"
"You wanna talk to the boss? Well you gotta talk to us first. Get it? So let's talk."
"Yeah! That's far enough."
Luffy didn't break stride.
He grabbed both by the shoulders and slammed their heads together like he was knocking two coconuts apart.
They dropped instantly.
"So what does a pirate want with me?" Arlong sneered.
Luffy didn't answer.
He simply gripped his wrist, pulled back—
—and launched his fist straight into Arlong's face.
THACK!
The punch echoed like thunder, sending the fishman flying backward into a stone wall with bone-rattling force.
Dust rose.
The villagers watched in awe.
The sky remained dark.
The fishmen gasped in disbelief.
"Who the hell are you?" Arlong speaks up from the ground.
"That's for making our navigator cry!" Luffy yells out, anger written all over his face.
Many fishmen jumped out immediately to attack Luffy. Only to be swiftly kicked by Sanji.
"Back off, you're out of you leage." He walks up to Luffy. "Geeze, you just had to run on ahead by yourself."
"Don't worry, I can handle these bozos on my own."
"You fool. I never said anything about being worried. I just don't want you hogging all the action!"
"Oh."
Soon enough the rest catch up, Usopp then Fuwako and Zoro.
"Well I just wanna let you guys know that I don't mind if you hog it all!" Usopp states, sweating profusely.
"Well you're rearing to go, as usual" Zoro says behind him.
"Pyu! Py-Pyu! Pyyy-u!"
—Well I do mind! Leave some sushi for me! I need to beat their slimy asses for tormenting Nami!
"Oooh! That's him! That's the unknown swordsman! I was telling you about!" The same octopus states.
Fuwako huffs a harsh gust of wind following through. They could tell the fishmen were still talking but they had tuned them out entirely. Their gaze focused solely on the one they called Arlong.
Suddenly a trumpet plays Fuwako turns their head to the sound, seeing the waves become violent as a large monster cow comes out.
Fuwako stares unimpressed.
Is that a bruise on it's head? Why do I have a feeling that this was Luffy's doing?
But before Fuwako could do anything about the monster. Luffy steps up.
"You're all mine!" With harsh force Luffy buries his feet on the cement floor.
"Does he have a plan?"
"I don't know but I have a bad feeling about this."
"…Pyu?"
—…how's he gonna get out?
Yet before any of those questions were answered Luffy grabs the cow by the horns and the strawhats run as he twists his body multiple times.
"Oh shit-! Run!"
"Gomu Gomu no… PINWHEEL!"
CRASH!
BANG!
CRASH!
WOOSH!
SPLASH!!
Once his body fully untwisted he threw the massive cow back into the ocean. Taking out all of the weaklings in the process.
Fuwako stares at the scene, their gaze falling into a weird looking fishmen who stood out even amongst the few left. There were large spikes all over his body, his skin was dark grey and his hair was black and spiky, similar to the octopus hair but with even more points to it.
Fuwako could feel it.
That one was dangerous.
And dangerous meant fun.
Fuwako ignored everyone's conversation as they immediately took off towards the large fishmen. Their talons kicking off dust from the floor as they launched towards him.
In a flash they appeared before the fishmen's eyes, using the claws on their wings to slash at the stonefish looking fishmen. Who's eyes widened as he barely had time to dodge, the slash cutting one of his spikes.
Fuwako's beak gives a sort of grin.
"Ki-ki-ki! PY! PYU!"
—Now that's more like it! You're strong I know! And I'll make you pay for Nami's suffering!
The stonefish-fishman's slit pupils shrank to razor points as the tiny bird shot past him like a thrown knife. The severed spike clattered onto the cracked tiles at his feet.
For a heartbeat, neither moved.
Then his lips peeled back in a jagged, hungry grin.
"You stupid little gremlin," he snarled, voice a gravelly rumble. "You got a death wish, huh? Fine, guess I'll deal with you first before going after the real threat."
Fuwako's feathers puffed up, wings extending fully—broad, sharp, and trembling with a cocktail of fury and exhilaration.
"Ki-ki-ki-KI!"
—Bring it, coral head!
The fishman lunged first—fast. Much faster than a creature his size should've been able to move. His massive arm swung downward, spikes shimmering with oily venom that steamed where it touched the humid air.
Fuwako dodged by feather's width, scraping along the ground in a sharp skid—
—when WHIP!
A spike-tail lashed sideways.
It struck true.
"SREEECH!!"
Fuwako was thrown across the clearing, bouncing hard off a half-shattered decorative stone pillar and crashing into the dirt. Their wings twitched, feathers standing on end as a burning numbness spread from where the spike grazed their side.
It felt like fire and ice had fused under their skin.
Poison.
The stonefish laughed, a deep, throaty gurgle.
"Feel that? That's stone-spine toxin. Most humans drop dead in minutes. You? You'll last longer. Lucky you."
Fuwako staggered up, trembling. Their eyes—wide and unblinking—locked onto him.
The clouds above thickened in response.
A groan of thunder rolled across the sky.
Wind whipped violently around the courtyard, spiraling toward the two combatants.
Fuwako didn't notice any of that.
All they noticed was him.
The threat.
The obstacle.
Who dared to hurt them.
The enemy who hurt Nami.
"PY-PYU!"
—YOU WON'T GET RID OF ME THAT EASY! Round two!
They launched with brutal speed, kicking off so hard the cracked tiles shattered under their talons.
The fishman crossed his arms, spikes pointing outward to catch them.
But Fuwako twisted mid-air like a diving hawk.
SLASH—SLASH—SLASH!!
Wing-claws rained down in a rapid flurry, each strike sparking off stone-hard skin and jagged spikes. The sound was a staccato buzz of metal on stone, relentless and furious.
The fishman grunted as several cuts landed—not deep, but enough to make his grin vanish.
"Tch. Fast brat."
He slammed his knee upward.
It caught Fuwako right in the stomach.
"PYU—!" Their breath exploded out of them as they were sent spiraling upward. The world flipped twice before they righted themselves mid-air.
Pain flashed through their abdomen—they were small, but not immune to blunt force.
The stonefish crouched low.
Then he LEAPT.
A single powerful jump sent him rocketing toward them with terrifying speed.
Fuwako's eyes widened.
He reached them mid-air—fist drawn back—spikes gleaming.
KRAK-THOOM!!
The impact detonated like thunder, sending both of them crashing into the ground in a tangled explosion of feathers, dust, and shattered stone.
Fuwako rolled several times, dirt caking onto their feathers as they skidded to a stop.
They pushed up again—shakier.
The poison was working. Their wing felt heavier. Their breathing harsher. The pain was unbearable. They even felt some skin under their feathers rotting away slowly.
The stonefish landed calmly on his feet, cracking his neck.
"Still alive? Persistent pest."
He stomped forward, spikes glinting, confidence dripping from every heavy step.
Fuwako flexed their talons, then—
WHOOSH!!!
A sudden violent updraft blasted outward from beneath them, sending dust spiraling. The stonefish shielded his face, snarling.
Wind curled protectively around Fuwako like invisible serpents.
Their feathers rippled.
Their eyes, though still dulled with pain, narrowed with renewed ferocity.
"Ki… ki… KI-KI-KIIII!"
—NOT DONE. NOT DEAD. NOT LOSING.
The fishman squinted. "Oh? You're one of those freaks that controls the weather, aren't you? Figures."
Fuwako didn't understand what he meant. But they didn't care.
Because he didn't wait for an answer.
He charged.
Fuwako darted sideways, talons raking across the ground—wind propelling them faster than their muscles alone allowed. They skimmed close to the ground, wings slicing the air in tight arcs.
SNAP!
The stonefish's tail struck where Fuwako had been.
The ground dented deeply.
He whipped around again, but—
Fuwako was above him now.
Wings pulled back.
Talons forward.
They came down like a falling guillotine.
SHRRRACK!!!
Three deep gouges ripped across the fishman's shoulder as Fuwako kicked off his collarbone and flipped away.
Blood—dark, thick, and foul-smelling—spilled down his chest.
He froze.
Then—
"…Heh."
He gave a low, delighted chuckle.
"Hehehe… Not bad, runt."
His grin widened, teeth jagged and hungry.
"But guess what…?!"
His skin began to bulge.
Pop—POP—POP—
Hundreds of micro-spikes burst from under his skin, covering his arms, his back, even his face. Each spike dripped venom. Each spike promised agony.
"This is what a stonefish fishman really looks like!" He gave a crazed smile his jagged teeth glinting.
Fuwako stared, feathers bristling.
"…Pyu."
—Oh crap.
He lunged.
This time it wasn't speed.
It was overwhelming force.
A wall of spikes crashed toward them, each blow whistling so close the wind broke around it.
Fuwako zigzagged desperately—left, right, up, down—barely avoiding the barrage. Their wing barely cleared one spike—
SHHK!!
Another grazed their leg.
The pain was blinding.
Their vision flickered.
But the storm overhead roared louder, black clouds swirling tighter and tighter around a single point over Arlong Park. Lightning flickered like veins through the sky.
Wind wrapped around their body again, instinctive, defensive, desperate.
The stonefish snarled. "Stop dodging!"
"PYU!!!"
—NO!!
Fuwako swept their wings down—
HURRRAAASHH!!!
A violent gust slammed into the fishman, pushing him back several meters. He dug his claws into the stone to keep from sliding, cracks spiderwebbing out beneath his feet.
He spat on the ground, wiping blood from his shoulder.
"Fine. If you can make wind…"
He inhaled deeply.
Muscles tensed.
Spikes quivered—
"…THEN LET'S SEE YOU HANDLE THIS!"
His whole body contracted—
—then EXPANDED.
BOOM!!!
A burst of spikes exploded from him in every direction—like a sea urchin erupting.
Fuwako's eyes widened.
No dodging.
No time.
They crossed their wings over their body—
KRAK-KRAK-KRAK-KRAK-THNK!!
Dozens of spikes embedded into the ground around them and ricocheted off their feathers. Several hit their wings directly—glancing off with painful force but not piercing.
But one—
One spike lodged into their shoulder joint.
Fuwako's screech was sharp enough to crack through the battle noise like a lightning bolt.
Their wings buckled—
They hit the ground hard.
Breathing quick, ragged.
The stonefish laughed again. "What's wrong, little storm bird? Getting tired? Getting poisoned?"
He stomped toward them, shadow falling over their collapsed form.
Fuwako trembled.
Not from fear.
From pain.
From rage.
From the storm building inside their tiny, furious body.
They forced themselves up on shaking talons, blood dripping down their wing.
Their eyes glowed faintly—not with color, but with raw, instinctive wrath.
Wind spiraled around them, lifting dust, broken stones, even loose debris into the air.
The fishman hesitated.
"…What the hell?"
Fuwako's feathers rose, wind coiling tighter—
—tighter—
—tighter—
The sky turned pitch-black.
Lightning veins crawled across the forming storm dome overhead.
Fuwako hissed, beak clicking violently.
"KI-KI-KI-KIIIIIII!!!"
—YOU DAMNED BASTARD!!!
A miniature cyclone exploded outward—
FOOOOM!!!
The fishman dug his claws into the ground to stay upright, eyes widening as the pressure pushed against him.
Wind howled around Fuwako, shredding the air.
They were done playing.
They were done being tossed around.
Done being poisoned.
Done being helpless—like on the Merry.
Like when Nami left.
Wind roared, sky cracking—
Fuwako took one step forward.
Then another.
Feathers glowing blue faintly from static.
Storm clouds spiraling overhead as though tethered to their heartbeat.
The fishman shivered.
For the first time—
He looked scared.
Fuwako launched.
Wings spread.
Talons blazing with wind.
The final round was just beginning
TO BE CONTINUED…