Hearing this sound, Arion didn't dare relax for a moment, quickly putting on clothes and rushing out.
Arriving on the upper deck, he asked, "What happened?"
"An unknown underwater life form is approaching us quickly," Assistant projected, Lexington at the center, six red dots closing in from all sides.
Are they Merfolk from the Arlong Pirates?
Finally coming!
Arion frowned, "The approacher isn't friendly. Prepare for battle."
"Roger," 2B said, tying on a tactical blindfold, drawing the Greatsword Virtuous Treaty, already ready to face combat.
The enemies hidden beneath the surface began to appear—dorsal fins split the waves as they closed in on the ship, leaping up!
Seeing the figures, especially those wielding weapons, hostility flashed; 2B didn't hesitate, swinging her Greatsword, slicing a sharp blade of energy!
That strike cut the enemy into two parts from the waist before they could land on the deck; blood sprayed, and they screamed as they fell into the sea.
Meanwhile, Arion charged at the nearest enemy, timing his hit before they landed!
"Iron Mountain Rush!"
The enemy still in the air was knocked back like a sandbag, flying backward with greater speed than before, and plunged into the sea.
At this moment, the remaining Fish-Men landed steadily on the deck.
Seeing these sturdy, red- or blue-skinned beings, like a hybrid of Humans and sea creatures, 2B frowned and asked:
"What are these things?"
"These should be Human-like beings mixed with fish," Assistant explained, "based on my observations over these days, there isn't reproductive isolation among species here; different beings mixing to form new species isn't rare."
"No big deal," 2B said, ready for action, "kill them."
"Careful of that stern dress-wearer," Arion suggested, "he's different from the others."
That was a Merfolk over two meters tall, with blue-tinged skin, wearing a formal dress, with fishtail fins at the elbows.
Together with the dress and those fins, Arion remembered the Merfolk in Arlong Pirates who specialized in Karate.
One of the three Officers!
"Clearly stronger than the others."
With that, 2B lunged forward without hesitation.
The opponent, full of anger after comrades were cut in half, stomped, muscles bulging, and swung a heavy fist with force like a mountain cannon.
"Fish-Man Karate Senmaigawara Seiken!"
No mercy; this showed how formidable 2B already was from the first strike she'd unleashed.
And he threw everything into this blow!
"Too obvious a flaw."
With this strike, 2B simply tilted her head and dodged a punch powerful enough to crush boulders, then drew her blade and cut down in one motion!
That strike came so fast the enemy couldn't react.
All he could do was stare as a cold draft touched his left shoulder down to his right abdomen.
Just a face-off… How could East Blue have such strong people!
Nezumi's intel had been wrong!
He was careless!
Luckily, thanks to the Fish-Men's sturdy bodies, he wasn't cut in two.
Even so, his heart narrowly escaped, and his liver, lungs, kidneys were badly damaged, causing massive bleeding!
Relying on the Fish-Man's vitality and will to live, he didn't fall right there; clutching his bleeding wound, he retreated two steps, flipped, and dove into the sea.
With the lead runner escaping, the remaining Merfolk didn't dare engage further and instead tried to dive away.
But the leader's escape relied on his leg explosive power and an unexpected move.
With that, 2B wouldn't let them slip away again.
Again she swung the Greatsword, sending a spreading sword aura that split those Merfolk who couldn't escape, killing them on the spot!
2B sheathed her sword and gazed toward the calm sea, "One escaped."
The strike toward the lead had not been fully aimed to avoid harming Lexington, so 2B reduced the force; even so, given her experience, she should have cut him down, but his muscles were exceptionally strong, and she'd been lax.
"Let him go," Arion replied calmly, "With those injuries, he's not likely to survive anyway."
Probably, right?
Arion wasn't sure; he had seen many tough fish people online, and even if most of them survived with only a head and a bit of body, they could move.
Their life force was evident.
"Fortunately they didn't wreck the ship," 2B said with some relief, "if they had, it'd be trouble… I'm not good at fighting in water."
In water, 2B wouldn't sink, but her machine body isn't as agile on land, her strength would be diminished.
"Yeah," Arion said, "perhaps it's because of the new ship; they're pirates, greedy; wrecking ships isn't beneficial to them."
"Everyone, look to the two o'clock direction."
Arion turned and saw clouds rapidly gathering on the horizon, purple lightning flashing within, waves growing more violent.
A storm!
Arion's face changed; he rushed to the upper deck, grabbed the wheel, and fought the wind and waves, racing the storm.
Even with good ship performance, nature easily outdoes it; they were soon driven back, the wind and waves nearly tipping the ship.
"2B, reef the sails!"
"Roger!"
Assistant also helped, loosening the lines and securing the main sail; just as they finished, a large wave hit, 2B held onto Assistant and gripped the mast to keep from being swept away.
In the face of nature's power, they felt small and powerless.
When the giant wave passed, 2B used the lull to pull Assistant toward the stern, and before the next wave hit, she reefed the mainsail.
With sails secured, 2B took hold of the helm, put Assistant back in Arion's arms, and yelled, "You go back to the cabin! Hand me the helm!"
Arion and 2B exchanged a glance; no melodrama, he strapped the safety line to 2B and instructed, "Stay safe!"
They retreated into the cabin together.
The wind outside howled, thunder roared, waves slapped, and the ship groaned, lasting from day into night.
Only once 2B was soaked through and exhausted did Arion finally relax his tense nerves.