Chapter 13
Only Two Possibilities
Arthur's punch struck Mihawk's body with tremendous force, its echo resounding through the area—yet it did nothing more than push him five steps back.
Mihawk's body came to a halt, steady, as though the blow had been nothing but a passing test.
Arthur did not stop.
He surged forward again, swung his right hand with terrifying power, and threw another punch—but this time… his fist did not collide with Mihawk.
It hit something else.
Arthur lifted his head, his eyes widening in shock.
Luffy was standing in front of him.
He had taken the punch directly to the face, stopping it with his rubber body, yet blood began to pour heavily from his nose.
He stepped back half a pace, then planted his feet firmly.
Arthur froze.
Why?
Why was Luffy standing in his way?
His anger still burned from Zoro's injury, and it had intensified when he learned of Nami's betrayal. He had only wanted to vent that fury… yet he found his captain standing before him.
Luffy spoke in a calm, peaceful tone—yet firm beyond dispute:
"Arthur… stop.
That man is Zoro's goal.
You can't touch him.
Only Zoro can defeat him or kill him.
Don't stand in the way of Zoro's dream."
Arthur took a deep breath. He had not wanted to defeat Mihawk—he couldn't in the first place.
'It's not like I could beat that monster anyway… I just wanted to test my strength a little. Damn it…'
Arthur stepped back, then a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
'Why didn't Luffy fall from my punch?'
Sky Eye.
| Name: Monkey D. Luffy
Level: 80 |
Arthur's eyes widened slightly at the truth of Luffy's level. He had grown stronger at an unbelievable rate in such a short time.
'Damn… has he grown this fast?
He's a real monster.'
Arthur exhaled slowly, then withdrew completely, abandoning the fight.
At that moment, Mihawk smiled faintly as he looked at Zoro, Luffy, and Arthur—as though he had found something he had long been searching for.
Then he boarded his small boat and continued sailing calmly.
With Mihawk gone, Arthur made up his mind and looked at Luffy steadily.
"Luffy… this fight is mine."
Luffy looked at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Arthur smiled faintly.
"I mean I'll fight those three fools.
After that… let's leave this place, alright?"
Luffy's expression shifted, a clear sadness appearing on his face.
"You'll fight all three of them?
Won't you leave at least one for me?"
Arthur replied coldly:
"No.
They're all mine."
Luffy sighed and turned toward Zoro.
He more or less understood Arthur's nature—he knew Arthur wouldn't leave anyone for him, so he accepted reality.
Arthur stood, a smile tinged with thrill and cunning spreading across his face, then walked calmly toward Don Krieg and his men.
"You can attack whenever you like, boys."
He said it with open mockery.
Don Krieg grew furious and pulled out a small shield. The shield opened, revealing the head of a strange cannon.
"I am the great Don Krieg!
The future King of the Pirates!
And I'm to be belittled by a child like you?
I'll kill you… I'll gouge out your eyes—"
Before he could finish—
Arthur vanished from his spot.
In the next instant, he appeared before Gin and struck his head with a single punch.
A sharp sound rang out—then boom—Gin's head exploded like a red watermelon.
Arthur moved immediately toward the second man and delivered one blow that crushed his neck, his body dropping lifelessly.
Then… he returned to his original place.
He looked at Don Krieg, a small smile on his face, his hands stained with blood.
"Yes… go on.
You were saying you'd gouge out my eyes and burn my corpse, weren't you?
Finish what you were saying… I didn't hear you clearly earlier."
Don Krieg's body trembled.
He looked to his right…
Gin's headless corpse.
To his left…
his second-in-command's body, neck twisted in a horrifying angle.
His eyes widened in disbelief, his spirit shattering before his body did. In that moment, he understood. He understood he was no match for this monster. Mihawk had sliced his ship and continued on his way—but he hadn't killed a single one of his men.
He hadn't shed blood.
He hadn't shown that terrifying savage side.
And so Don Krieg had stood somewhat firm before him, because he had not witnessed true horror.
But Arthur—
Arthur cared about nothing. He simply killed and ended it.
It was the manner of killing that shattered Don Krieg's spirit. Arthur crushed one man's head and destroyed another's neck in mere seconds.
Blood soaked the wooden floor, and silence settled over the place—
until Don Krieg collapsed to his knees and began to beg.
"Please… I beg you.
Spare me.
I won't do anything. I'll leave and never return.
I'll never go back to piracy again, I promise… please."
Fear strangled his heart.
Don Krieg realized that even after a million years… he would never be able to defeat this monster.
Arthur approached slowly.
"Do you truly promise… that you won't return to piracy?"
"Yes! I promise!"
He said it while hatred and rage boiled inside him.
Arthur smiled.
He placed his right hand over Don Krieg's face.
In a single instant, he pressed two fingers into his eyes, piercing through his face, then lifted his body with just those two fingers. He drew back his left hand… and delivered a strike that pierced completely through his body, emerging from his back.
Don Krieg's body convulsed violently.
Arthur threw his corpse into the sea, along with the bodies of his men.
He clasped his hands before his face, closed his eyes, and murmured in a calm, devout, almost peaceful tone:
"I don't know if there is a second life…
But if reincarnation exists, and you return one day…
Don't return as a human.
Because I will kill you every time.
I hope my words reach you as you burn in the depths of hell."
He clapped his hands together, then turned around.
Luffy and Usopp were tending to Zoro.
To the right, Sanji stared at Arthur in shock… stunned by his strength, his savagery, and his dominance.
Arthur walked toward them.
Luffy and Usopp were trying to wrap Zoro's body in cloth. Arthur took a needle and thread from the cooks on the ship, sat beside Zoro, and began stitching the deep wound calmly and with focus.
He spoke while working:
"Luffy… it seems Nami betrayed us.
What's your decision now?"
Luffy turned and answered without hesitation:
"We're going… to bring her back."
Arthur exhaled deeply. He had expected that from his foolish captain.
"Damn it… why do I have a foolish captain like you?
Why don't we kill her, take back the Going Merry, and leave?"
Luffy replied calmly but firmly:
"Tell me, Arthur…
Do you think Nami is the type to betray her friends without a reason?"
Zoro opened his eyes with difficulty, listening to the conversation, and spoke faintly:
"I don't know… but she did betray us."
Arthur smiled lightly as he spoke.
"I don't know why she betrayed us.
But if there was a reason… why didn't she tell us?
Why did she take the ship and the treasure and leave?
Aren't we her friends? Aren't we strong?"
He paused, then continued:
"The more I think about it, I only see two possibilities."
Usopp stepped closer. "What are they?"
Arthur answered calmly:
"The first:
Nami has been a traitor from the beginning. She used us, took the treasure, and ran.
The second:
Nami is being forced.
There's someone strong and dangerous making her steal and betray…
a bastard who enjoys humiliating a weak girl."
He finished stitching the wound and tossed the needle into the sea.
He looked at Luffy.
"If it's the first possibility… what will you do?"
Luffy sighed sadly—he did not want that possibility to be true at all—but he answered:
"If it's true… we'll say goodbye to her, take the ship, and continue our journey.
But I'm sure… Nami isn't like that."
Arthur, Zoro, and Usopp smiled.
"I also hope it's the second possibility.
Now… let's go."
Luffy jumped down from the small boat and stood before Sanji.
"We're not leaving… until you come with us as the ship's cook."
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