Fragments of the Marine warship floated across the surface of the sea.
The once-proud vessel had been reduced to a ruin.
Large holes tore through the deck.
Broken planks creaked in the waves.
The bodies of fallen Marines lay scattered across the battlefield.
Some had collapsed where they had fought.
Others were thrown across the deck as if discarded.
Severed limbs and shattered weapons were strewn everywhere.
Blood pooled along the uneven boards of the ship, gathering in the lower corners of the deck before slowly dripping through cracks into the sea below.
The metallic scent of blood mixed with saltwater.
The scene resembled a living hell.
At that moment
A lone figure landed lightly on the broken railing of the ruined ship.
Saint Roselith Seraphina.
Her boots touched the wood without making a sound.
All expression had vanished from her face.
Her presence brought a chilling stillness to the battlefield.
Neither side spoke.
The pirates watched cautiously.
The surviving Marines looked toward her with desperate hope.
Meanwhile, Arlong stared at the newcomer with cold curiosity.
He did not particularly care who she was.
As long as she was not a Marine Admiral, there was nothing to fear.
After all
He was a fish-man who had once followed Fisher Tiger in the assault on Mary Geoise.
Back then, they had shaken the entire world.
If he had not encountered the terrifying power of Borsalino, he would never have been captured and sent to Impel Down.
Even though the Marines had eventually released him
The hatred in his heart had never faded.
He still remembered Tiger's death.
After protecting his crew from the pursuing Marines, Tiger had been mortally wounded.
When the time came for a blood transfusion—
No human had been willing to donate blood to a fish-man.
That moment burned forever in Arlong's memory.
To him, that proved everything.
Humans were inferior.
Fish-men were the superior race.
Humans should exist only to serve.
Only to kneel.
One day
He would rule the East Blue.
His name would echo across the seas.
Fear would spread at the mere mention of Arlong.
He would become the Emperor of the East Blue.
And fish-men would stand above all humans.
But first
Authority had to be established.
That old Marine captain had refused to kneel.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The stubborn old man had even inspired the remaining Marines to continue fighting.
That defiance could not be tolerated.
So Arlong killed him.
The insect had finally been crushed.
Arlong slowly looked toward the white-haired Marine now standing before him.
Seraphina's voice finally broke the silence.
"You did this."
Her tone was colder than ice.
Anyone who knew Seraphina would immediately realize something was wrong.
She was completely different from usual.
The temperature around her seemed to drop.
Her normally calm expression had vanished.
Her pale face appeared almost lifeless.
Arlong suddenly burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahahaha!"
"Yes."
"I did it."
"So what?"
He leaned forward, clutching his stomach as he laughed wildly.
"They're just worthless"
He never finished the sentence.
A slash exploded forward.
It was so fast that the air itself screamed.
Arlong's instincts screamed in warning.
His body moved instantly.
But he was too late.
The blade flashed past.
A moment later
Blood sprayed through the air.
Arlong's arm fell to the deck.
The pain forced him back to reality.
His laughter vanished instantly.
Fear replaced it.
He had not lowered his guard.
He had been watching this Marine carefully.
Yet he still failed to react.
Terrifying.
Absolutely terrifying.
Behind him, one of the fish-men shouted.
"Brother Arlong!"
It was Hatchan.
The six-armed fish-man swordsman immediately realized the truth.
This opponent was no ordinary Marine.
She was a Great Swordsman.
And she was on the edge of losing control.
Hatchan rushed forward.
"Brother Arlong!"
"Run!"
Arlong did not hesitate.
The difference in strength was obvious.
Without wasting another moment, he turned and leapt into the sea.
But before he could escape
Another slash tore through the air.
Hatchan crossed all six of his blades to block it.
Steel collided with overwhelming force.
CRACK.
Every blade shattered instantly.
The broken fragments scattered across the deck.
Seraphina's kick followed immediately.
Her foot struck Hatchan's chest.
The massive fish-man flew backward and crashed across the deck.
But Arlong had already disappeared beneath the waves.
Seraphina did not chase him immediately.
Instead, she turned toward the fallen Marine captain.
Corvus lay motionless.
She knelt beside him.
Her fingers gently checked his pulse.
There was nothing.
Captain Corvus had already sacrificed his life.
Nearby, the wounded Major staggered forward.
His uniform was soaked with blood.
"The… Captain…"
"He fought until the end…"
His voice trembled.
Tears filled his eyes.
The fish-men pirates watched in stunned silence.
Everything had happened too fast.
Moments ago, they had been celebrating victory.
Now their captain had fled.
And Hatchan lay unconscious.
Before they could react
A terrifying pressure descended upon them.
It was Conqueror's Haki.
The invisible force crushed their will.
One by one
The fish-men collapsed.
Silence returned to the battlefield.
Seraphina slowly sheathed her sword.
Then she removed her Marine cloak.
She leaned down.
Gently, she covered Corvus's body with the cloak of Justice.
Blood soaked into the fabric.
But the word Justice remained clearly visible.
Seraphina stood.
She did not stay.
Because the true criminal was still alive.
No criminal would escape.
She stepped into the sea.
The blood drifting through the water marked the direction of Arlong's escape.
Far below the surface
Arlong swam desperately.
He believed himself safe.
After all
He was a fish-man.
The sea was his domain.
No human could possibly catch him underwater.
Yet he swam as fast as he could.
Because he was afraid.
Afraid of that woman.
That slash had felt like the scythe of death itself.
His newly formed crew had been destroyed instantly.
His plan to conquer the East Blue had collapsed.
Still
He swore he would return.
Once that woman left the region
He would come back.
He would slaughter every human there.
But suddenly
He noticed something strange.
The current behind him was changing.
Something was approaching.
Fast.
Very fast.
Arlong turned his head.
And saw her.
Seraphina moved through the ocean like a spear.
Her mastery of Haki and sword technique allowed her to cut through the water's resistance.
The current itself seemed to carry her forward.
Her speed surpassed even that of a fish-man.
Arlong's eyes widened.
Impossible.
"How can a human swim this fast?!"
Seraphina reached him in an instant.
"Caught you."
Arlong panicked.
With one arm already severed, he could not resist.
Seraphina seized him easily.
Dragging him back toward the surface.
Arlong struggled violently.
He wanted to return to the sea.
Return to Fish-Man Island.
He would never leave again.
But Seraphina struck him several times during the capture.
By the time they returned to the ruined warship
Arlong was barely able to resist.
Even so, he continued struggling.
Seraphina grabbed his hair.
Then slammed his face against the deck.
"Move again…"
"And I will kill you."
Her calm tone froze his heart.
But Arlong refused to submit.
His hatred boiled over.
"Why?"
"Why does a human"
"Why does a mere woman"
"Have this kind of power?"
Then he laughed bitterly.
"Are you grieving for that old man?"
"He was just a bug."
"Just an insect"
His voice stopped.
Seraphina's sword had already been drawn.
Blood dripped slowly from the blade.
In that moment
She no longer cared about capturing him.
She only wanted one thing.
For Arlong to die.