Chapter 61 The Monster Trio! Only you are our navigator!
"Hahaha! Isn't that Nami?!"
A nauseating laugh echoed through the woods, breaking the already tense atmosphere.
The bushes rustled, and a dozen tall fish-men with different skin colors emerged.
The leader was a kissing fish-man with a very long mouth.
He held a spiked club in his hand and looked at Luffy and his crew with the contemptuous gaze one would give a rat in a gutter.
"What's wrong, Nami?"
The merman leader, a mocking expression on his face, snorted smugly at the crowd:
"What's going on with these seemingly frail humans? This isn't up to the rules."
"Did you bring them? Hey, you wouldn't be planning to lead this bunch of inferior races to rebel against Brother Alon, would you?"
As he spoke, the surrounding fishmen erupted in ear-piercing laughter:
"Hahaha! Resist? With these lowly humans?"
"Hey, that long-nosed guy over there, his legs are shaking! Hahaha! He's not going to wet his pants, is he?"
Faced with the fishmen's undisguised malice and murderous intent, Nami's carefully constructed facade of coolness crumbled completely in that instant.
That was a shadow that had loomed over her heart for eight years, a nightmare called "despair".
"No...no..."
Nami's face was ashen, her body trembling uncontrollably. She wanted to explain, but couldn't utter a complete sentence.
She instinctively wanted to leave Victor's embrace, trying to distance herself from these "intruders" and protect them.
However, extreme fear and long-accumulated pressure caused her once-proud long legs to lose all strength at that moment.
"ah..."
Nami gasped in surprise, her knees buckled, and she fell backward uncontrollably.
However, the cold, hard ground that was expected did not arrive.
A warm and strong arm steadily supported her back.
Nami looked up in a panic, and what came into view were Viktor's black eyes, which remained as calm as still water.
"Be careful, Miss Navigator," Victor whispered.
This scene thoroughly enraged the opposing murloc.
"You bastard!!"
The merman leader flew into a rage, veins bulging on his forehead:
"You filthy, lowly human! Who gave you permission to touch Boss Long's surveyor with your dirty hands?!"
"Go to hell!!"
With a roar, a dozen fishmen, wielding scimitars and spiked clubs, pounced on Viktor and Nami like demons.
Their aura was menacing, and their killing intent was boiling.
Nami's pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively tried to push Viktor away: "Run!"
However, Viktor remained completely still.
He awkwardly put his arm around Nami and said with a smile.
"Don't be afraid, Nami."
"But... there are people who are even angrier than me."
The words had barely left his mouth.
"brush--!!"
A black afterimage, filled with rage, broke through the air barrier first.
"Where did this...rotten fish and shrimp come from?!"
Black suit, blonde hair, curly eyebrows.
Sanji's figure instantly appeared in mid-air, his exposed eye burning with raging flames:
"How dare you yell at a beautiful lady like that! You bunch of ill-mannered trash!!"
"First flesh kick!!"
"Bang!!"
A vicious kick landed precisely and brutally on the necks of the two fishmen at the front.
The immense power erupted, and the two fishmen, who were even ten times stronger than humans, didn't even utter a sound.
Their eyes suddenly bulged out, their necks twisted at bizarre angles, and they flew backward like cannonballs, crashing heavily into the woods behind them.
"Wh...what?!"
The remaining mermen hadn't reacted yet.
"bass--"
A clear, melodious sword cry rang out.
A green figure darted into the battlefield like a ghost.
Although Zoro was covered in blood-soaked bandages and was walking unsteadily, a chilling, demonic grin appeared on his face.
He held the Wado Ichimonji in one hand, his eyes sharp as an eagle's.
"Perfect timing, I'm still fuming from being slashed by that hawk-eyed guy..."
Zoro flashed, his blade flashing like snow.
"Then let's use you bunch of trash to vent our anger!"
"Pfft! Pfft!"
Several sharp slashes flashed by.
Several mermen wielding large swords didn't even see the trajectory of the blades before blood spurted from their chests, and they collapsed to the ground screaming in agony.
Zoro flicked the blood off his sword, slowly sheathed it, and looked disdainful.
"Too weak, it's not even a warm-up."
In the blink of an eye, most of the merman patrol had fallen.
The fishman leader, witnessing this scene, was terrified, his hand gripping the spiked club trembling uncontrollably.
"You...you monsters...who exactly are you people?!"
He turned his head and saw the boy wearing a straw hat who had been standing still. Thinking he was an easy target, he roared and charged at him with his spiked club.
"Go to hell, you straw hat brat!!"
Luffy stood there, not trying to dodge.
He remained expressionless, but just as the spiked club was about to strike his head, he simply threw a punch.
"Bang!!!"
The fist slammed hard into the face of the murloc leader.
Time seemed to stand still for a moment.
Immediately afterward, the merman leader's entire face caved in, before he could even let out a scream.
Then its eyes rolled back, and it spun around like a rag doll before crashing heavily to the ground and falling silent.
Three seconds.
It only took three seconds.
What was originally a hopeless situation in Nami's eyes was completely shattered in the blink of an eye by these three "monsters" with overwhelming force.
The woods fell silent again.
Nojiko covered her mouth, her eyes wide, staring at the scene in disbelief.
These fish-men, who struck fear into the hearts of the villagers and ruled the village for eight years... were eliminated like ants?
"call..."
Luffy retracted his fist and patted his straw hat.
He ignored the fishman lying on the ground and walked step by step to Nami and Viktor.
He put away his usual carefree and playful demeanor.
Those deep black eyes were now filled with an unprecedented seriousness and dedication.
He looked at the orange-haired girl huddled in Victor's arms, still trembling, and his voice was deep and powerful:
"Do you want us to leave here, Nami?"
"But..."
Luffy stretched out his hand, pointing at the unconscious fish-men on the ground, his tone firm and leaving no room for doubt:
"No matter how many reasons you have, no matter who your opponent is..."
"Only you! You are the navigator I've chosen!!"
"If these guys were standing in your way..."
Luffy clenched his fist, his gaze fixed intently on Nami:
"No matter how many times! We'll knock him out of there!!"
boom--
These words, like a heavy hammer, shattered the last line of defense in Nami's heart called "strength."
Eight years of grievances.
He alone bore the weight of 100 million Berries.
The pain of having to force a smile when facing the murderer of one's mother.
In that instant, faced with the unconditional trust and immense power of his companions, the dam completely broke.
"Waaah..."
Nami could no longer maintain that false, cold mask.
She stopped struggling and stopped pushing him away.
That's like a drowning person finally grasping at a straw for salvation.
She turned around and gripped Viktor's shirt tightly with both hands.
She buried her head deeply in the arms of the first mate, who had always seen through her yet always been tolerant of her.
"Waaaaahh...
On this sunny afternoon, in this land filled with nightmares.
Nami let out a heart-wrenching cry, releasing all the pain she had endured over the yearsChapter 62 The Past of the Orange Orchard, a Heavy Past
A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, carrying a hint of the island's distinctive orange fragrance.
"Waaaaah..."
Nami's crying gradually subsided, leaving only intermittent sobs.
As reason returned to her mind, Nami suddenly realized something—
She was clinging to Viktor like a wronged little girl, burying her face in his chest.
And all around...
Luffy was picking his nose and looking at the sky, Zoro was holding his sword with a playful expression, and Sanji was biting his handkerchief with blood tears streaming down his face from jealousy.
Usopp and Johnny stared wide-eyed, as if they were watching some kind of gossip.
Then I saw my sister Nojiko's eyes, which were practically slits from laughing...
"ah!!!"
Nami's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe tomato.
As if she had been electrocuted, she pushed Victor away forcefully and stumbled back several steps.
She covered her burning cheeks with her hands and cried out incoherently:
"You...you all! What are you looking at! Forget it! Forget it all!!"
"Oh dear, how heartless, Miss Navigator."
Viktor wasn't annoyed after being pushed away; he just smiled and glanced down at the obvious water stain on his chest.
He looked up, his dark eyes smiling as he looked at the mortified Nami, and teased her:
"You were crying so hard just now, you even got my clothes wet..."
"I've also added the cleaning fee to the compensation for emotional distress."
"You...you money-grubbing bastard!!"
Nami instantly became furious and embarrassed.
The fleeting beauty and emotion I felt just moments ago vanished in an instant.
She stormed forward, raised her foot, and stomped hard on Viktor's instep without any hesitation, grinding it down twice.
"Die! You greedy, money-grubbing monster!!"
"Hiss..." Victor gasped dramatically.
Watching the two interact like sworn enemies, the originally heavy and oppressive atmosphere around them suddenly lightened up considerably.
"Hehehe..."
Nojiko, who had been standing to the side, watched this scene and couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
She looked at Nami, who was still angry but had a glimmer of light in her eyes, and felt incredibly gratified.
How long has it been?
Since that nightmarish day eight years ago, Nami has never shown such vivid and genuine emotions again.
"Alright, everyone."
Nojiko stepped forward, smiling as he extended an invitation to the group:
"This isn't the place to talk. If you don't mind, please come to my house for a while."
She glanced at the awkward Nami, then looked earnestly at Luffy and the others:
"I think there are some things, the heavy truth that Nami has been carrying for the past eight years... that you have the right to know."
...
Nochigo's home is a cozy little wooden cabin located on the edge of an orange grove.
Everyone sat around in the small living room, and Nokiko brought them tea.
However, just as Noki took a deep breath, preparing to recount that heavy past...
"Creak—"
Luffy suddenly pressed down on his straw hat and stood up from the chair.
He didn't look at anyone, and turned to walk towards the door.
"Luffy? Where are you going?" Usopp asked, puzzled. "Nojiko is about to tell Nami's past."
I won't listen.
Luffy stopped, his back to the group, his voice calm yet earnest:
"I have no interest in her past."
After saying that, he pushed open the door and walked out, leaving everyone with a dashing back view.
"That guy…" Zoro smiled and crossed his arms again. "Well, that's the real Luffy."
"I have no interest in hearing such sad stories." Sanji lit a cigarette, but didn't leave; he just sat quietly in the corner.
Viktor, holding a teacup, leaned against the wall with a calm expression.
outside the house.
Luffy wandered aimlessly through the village.
He walked to a mound of earth with a windmill stuck in it, which Mr. Jian had put there to make Nami happy.
"Wow! This windmill is spinning so fast!"
Luffy curiously reached out, wanting to make it spin faster, but he used too much force and snapped one of the windmill blades off with a "crack".
"Hey!! What are you doing, Straw Hat Boy!!"
A furious roar rang out.
Police officer A-Jian, covered in wounds and wearing a windmill hat, happened to pass by and was so angry at the sight that his beard stood on end.
"That was for Nami... You bastard! Stop it!"
"Ah! I'm sorry, uncle! I didn't mean to!" Luffy stuck out his tongue and ran away.
...
inside the house.
Nojiko's voice was low and sorrowful as she recounted the story of courage, sacrifice, and promise.
Bellemere, the poor mother who deeply loved her two daughters, faced death calmly in front of Aaron in order to protect them.
Regarding Arlong's tyranny and that desperate promise—that if one could gather 100 million Berries, they could buy the village and restore everyone's freedom.
"For the past eight years... Nami joined the pirate crew of her mother's killer to keep this promise, becoming a thief who specializes in stealing from pirates..."
Nokiko's voice choked with emotion:
"She bore the misunderstanding and scorn of the entire village, and risked her life alone at sea... just to save up that 100 million Berries."
After hearing the story, the room fell silent.
"Waaaaah... So pitiful! Nami is so amazing!"
Johnny and Joseph were already sobbing uncontrollably, hugging each other and weeping bitterly.
Usopp, tears and snot streaming down his face, clenched his fists and cursed through gritted teeth:
"That Ah Long... he's a beast! Unforgivable! I'm going to shoot his fish head through with my slingshot!"
In the corner, Sanji lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes.
Only the flickering cigarette butt betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
Zoro kept his eyes closed, but the sharp killing intent seemed to lower the temperature around him by several degrees.
On the other side of the room.
Nami, the protagonist of the story, is currently hugging the fat raven Clay, seemingly trying to use this method to conceal her emotions.
"Gah... Gah gah!!"
Clay struggled desperately in her arms as Nami shoved a huge orange into its mouth, causing it to choke and roll its eyes back.
"Eat up, this orange is very sweet."
Nami lowered her head and mechanically peeled the orange. Her voice was very soft, "As long as... as long as we can scrape together the last bit of money, we'll have enough for a hundred million."
"Although Ah Long is a bastard, he promised me. As long as we have enough money, we'll all be free."
"Oh."
A sudden, cold laugh shattered the somber atmosphere.
Viktor put down his teacup, his dark eyes coldly fixed on Nami, mercilessly pouring cold water on her enthusiasm:
"Nami, you are a clever navigator, but when it comes to judging people... you are really naive."
"Do you really think pirates would abide by an agreement that offers them no benefit whatsoever?"
Nami's hand, which was peeling an orange, suddenly stopped.
She raised her head, her face pale, and retorted:
"Of course! Although Arlong is a pirate, he values monetary contracts very much! He has been abiding by them for the past eight years..."
"No."
Victor interrupted her, his eyes as deep and unfathomable as a still pool:
"For a greedy beast, nothing is more important than a 'money tree'."
He straightened up and walked step by step to Nami, looking down at her:
"You have world-class talent in chart drawing. For Arlong, who wants to dominate the East China Sea and even the Grand Line, you are his most important tool."
"If I were Ah Long..."
"I will never let you go, and I will never let you buy the village."
"On the contrary, I will personally crush that hope the moment you are about to save enough money and see hope."
"To make you feel utterly hopeless, and then have to keep drawing for me for the rest of your life."
"This is what a greedy fishman pirate should do."
Clang.
The orange in Nami's hand fell to the ground and rolled to Victor's feet.
These words were like a poisoned thorn, piercing deep into the softest and most fearful part of her heart.
In fact... she had this worry in her heart too.
For the past eight years, that promise has been the only thing keeping her alive.
She dared not doubt it, nor could she doubt it.
"No...it can't be..."
Nami stood up tremblingly, her eyes filled with panic:
"Ah Long wouldn't do that... The money... My money is still there!"
"I want to go take a look!"
She seemed to be trying to persuade Victor, but more like she was trying to persuade herself.
Nami flung open the door, clinging to her last shred of hope, and sprinted toward the place deep within the orange grove where the 100 million Berries were buried.
Viktor watched her flustered figure but did not stop her.
He bent down, picked up the orange from the ground, peeled off a segment, and put it in his mouth.
"Hmm? It's quite sweet."Chapter 63 Navy Rats? So-called "Justice"!
Deep within the orange grove, the sound of shovels digging into the soil was particularly jarring.
Clang!
With a crisp metallic clang, the naval soldiers responsible for digging stopped what they were doing and shouted excitedly:
"Colonel! We've found it!!"
Two heavy treasure chests were dragged out of the mud.
The lid of the box was roughly pried open, and the pewter and jewels inside reflected a dazzling golden light under the sunlight.
That's a full 100 million Berries.
It was the hard-earned money that Nami had risked her life at sea for the past eight years, stealing it from piles of corpses time and time again.
It is also the last hope of this village.
"Oh ho ho ho!!"
Colonel Mouse stared at the chests of treasure, his squinty eyes widening instantly into a greedy grin.
He rubbed his hands together, his two mustaches twitching excitedly:
"So it was hidden here after all! What a huge sum of money! As the Navy, which upholds justice, it's only right and proper to confiscate the pirates' ill-gotten gains!"
"stop!!"
Nami arrived just in time to witness this scene.
She rushed forward like a madwoman, trying to push aside the navy soldiers who were carrying the treasure chests.
"Don't touch it!! That's the money I used to buy the village! That's everyone's hope!!"
"That's my money!! Give it back to me!!"
At this moment, she was no longer the clever little thief cat, but just a helpless girl about to lose everything.
"Ugh, this is so annoying."
Colonel Mouse, looking impatient, pulled a pistol from his waist and pressed the dark muzzle against Nami's forehead.
"Enough talk, pirate. This is official Navy business!"
Colonel Rat's finger was on the trigger, a cruel glint flashing in his eyes:
"If you dare to resist again, I will shoot you dead on the spot for obstructing official business!"
"Anyway... Ah Long didn't say he wanted to leave any survivors..."
Nami's pupils suddenly contracted.
However, before she could even ponder the meaning of those words, Colonel Mouse had already pulled the trigger without hesitation.
"Go to hell!"
"No! Nami!!"
Noki screamed and rushed over without thinking, wanting to shield her sister from the bullet with her body.
"Bang!!"
Gunshots rang out in the orange grove, startling a flock of birds into flight.
Everyone closed their eyes, unable to bear the sight of blood splattering everywhere.
However... the expected screams did not occur.
Because at the very instant the gunshot rang out, a dark figure appeared out of nowhere in front of Colonel Rat.
No one saw how he got there.
All that could be heard was the terrifying explosion of air being torn apart in an instant.
"boom!!"
The next second, a fist enveloped in chakra slammed into Colonel Rat's lewd face.
"Puwa!!"
Colonel Rat didn't even have time to react.
Under that terrifying force, his entire face instantly caved in and deformed, his teeth mixed with blood and saliva flying through the air.
His thin body flew backward more than ten meters away as if hit by a cannonball.
Finally, it crashed heavily into a stone wall under the orange tree and was buried in the rubble.
The entire room fell silent.
The sea breeze rustled through the orange grove.
Nami stared blankly at the back of the figure blocking her way.
Black, tousled hair fluttered in the wind as the boy gripped a sword in one hand, while also holding the deformed bullet he had caught with his bare hands.
Clang.
The bullets were carelessly tossed on the ground.
"Cough cough... Ahhh! My face!!"
Colonel Rat crawled out of the ruins, his face covered in blood.
He clutched his collapsed nose in terror, crawling backward on the ground like a maggot, screaming hysterically:
"Who...who are you?! How dare you attack a naval captain?!"
"I am a Marine! A Captain of the 16th Marine Division, representing the justice of the World Government!!"
The nearby sailors only realized what was happening when they heard the rats hissing, and they all raised their dark gun barrels to aim at Victor.
"Stop! Don't go any further!"
"what you up to!"
"Da, da, da."
Victor didn't answer, but simply stepped on the gravel and walked step by step to the rat.
"Buzz—"
Those once jet-black eyes had now transformed into crimson Sharingan, icy cold and devoid of any warmth.
"Clang."
He slowly drew the long sword from his waist, the sharp tip pointing directly at the rat's bleeding nose.
"navy?"
Viktor tilted his head, his tone laced with undisguised sarcasm:
"No... looking at you is like seeing filth from a sewer."
"You're nothing but a filthy rat cloaked in the guise of justice... What's the difference between you and a pirate?"
Upon hearing this, Colonel Mouse seemed to have heard a hilarious joke.
He coughed up blood as he used trembling fingers to forcefully smooth down the epaulets on his shoulders that represented his military rank.
At that moment, the fear in his eyes subsided somewhat, replaced by a twisted arrogance.
"Difference? Cough cough... The difference is huge..."
Colonel Rat grinned, revealing a ferocious smile through his blood-soaked mouth:
"As long as I wear this skin... even if I'm a man-eating rat, even if I'm colluding with pirates, even if I've done all sorts of evil things..."
"Those villagers have to call me 'commander'! They have to salute me!"
He pointed to the word "Justice" written on his coat, his eyes filled with madness:
"Because this is the Navy! This is the World Government!"
"Even if I rot in the mud, my tombstone will be engraved with 'Justice'! And you pirates who dare to touch me will forever be evil criminals!!" (One Piece world)
Viktor looked at the man who had gone mad, his eyes glowing even redder.
That look was no longer that of looking at an enemy, but rather at a disgusting bug.
"Yeah."
"That's a real shame," Victor said calmly.
Sensing that palpable killing intent, Colonel Rat finally panicked, his body trembling violently.
"Stop...stop! You can't kill me! If you kill me, you'll be wanted by the government! A general will come..."
"Pfft!!"
Victor did not hesitate at all.
He stepped on the rat's chest, immobilizing it, and then thrust his longsword down!
Without the slightest hesitation or pity.
The longsword pierced the rat's heart with pinpoint accuracy.
The immense force pierced through his body, pinning the naval captain firmly to the orange grove floor.
Blood gushed out, staining the coat emblazoned with the word "Justice" and the land he had defiled.
Colonel Mouse's eyes widened, his body twitched a few times, and the light in his eyes quickly faded.
Even in death, he couldn't believe that this pirate actually dared to kill him.
"brush."
Victor drew his sword, flicked the blood off the blade, and coldly stared at the corpse at his feet:
"In your next life, remember to be a human being."
This happened too fast and too cruelly.
The dozen or so naval soldiers around him only then came to their senses from the shock, and were terrified when they saw their commander's corpse.
"The...the colonel is dead!!"
"This madman actually killed the colonel!!"
"Kill him!! Shoot!!"
The sailors raised their lances in terror, the dark muzzles pointing at Victor.
However, before they could pull the trigger...
"Three-Sword Style: Tornado!!"
A violent whirlwind of sword energy suddenly rose from nowhere and instantly swept across the entire encirclement.
"Aaaaaah!!"
A dozen or so sailors were instantly swept into the air, their guns severed and their clothes ripped apart, flying out like dumplings in a pot, screaming in agony.
Zoro sheathed his sword, his eyes as cold as a demon.
On the other side...
"Since the first mate has taken action, I'll clean up the trash too!"
Sanji, with a cigarette dangling from his lips and one hand in his pocket, spun around like a top.
"Lamb SHOOT!!"
"Bang bang bang bang!"
With a series of dull thuds, the remaining navy soldiers were sent flying like soccer balls, eventually hanging unconscious from an orange tree.
In an instant, the entire navy was wiped out.
The crisis is over.
The orange grove returned to silence, with only the two chests of treasure lying quietly on the ground.
Viktor sheathed his sword, turned around, and looked at Nami, who was still kneeling on the ground in a daze.
He walked up to Nami, pointed to the unseeing corpse of Colonel Rat on the ground, and said in a low voice:
"Did you hear that, Nami?"
"He said it himself – 'Ah Long didn't say to leave any survivors.'"
Viktor crouched down and looked directly into Nami's eyes:
"This is your partner. From the beginning, there was no contract or agreement."
"For eight years, he has only treated you as a free ATM and a drawing machine."
"Even if you manage to keep this money today, you can't buy back the village's freedom. Because Ah Long... will never let go."
Nami looked at the corpse on the ground, then at the two boxes of treasure that had been recovered but seemed to have lost their meaning.
Tears silently streamed down her face once again.
My illusions have been shattered.
"Yes... I should have known..."
(Even if I rot in the mud, my tombstone will read "Please give a good review!!")Chapter 64 Help Me... Everyone's a Villain! A Challenge to Ah Long Paradise!
The stench of blood in the orange grove had not completely dissipated.
The corpse of Colonel Rat, nailed to the ground, was like a resounding slap in the face, completely waking everyone in Cocoyasi Village.
Ah Jian and the villagers, drawn by the noise, stood before the boxes of treasure, their faces showing no joy at their loss, only endless sorrow and anger.
Since Arlong was able to collude with a naval captain to confiscate the money, it means that from the beginning, the fishman never intended to keep his promise.
This was an eight-year-long scam.
"Unforgivable... Absolutely unforgivable!!"
Someone shouted first, and then, anger ignited the crowd like wildfire.
"Since we're going to die anyway, we might as well fight them to the death!!"
"That's right! For Bellemere-san! For all the injustices Nami has suffered over the years!!"
With red eyes, the villagers picked up hoes, shovels, and even kitchen knives.
Even with their rudimentary weapons, they now carried the weight of their unwavering resolve to fight to the death.
The crowd surged toward Alon Amusement Park like an angry torrent.
"No...don't go!!"
Seeing this, Nami's defenses completely crumbled.
She stumbled forward, spreading her arms to try and stop the villagers who had watched her grow up:
"Please! Don't go! That's Ah Long! You'll die!!"
However, no one stopped.
Ah Jian gently pushed Nami away, a fearless smile appearing on his scarred face:
"Nami, that's enough. You've had a tough eight years."
"Leave the rest to us adults."
The villagers bypassed Nami and rushed headlong into the paradise that symbolized death.
"Everyone..."
Nami's outstretched hand froze in mid-air before finally falling limply to the ground.
In the empty orange grove, only dust filled the air and a desperate young girl remained.
"Why...why did it turn out like this..."
Nami's knees buckled, and she knelt in the dust.
She looked down at the black, jagged tattoo on her left arm.
That was the symbol of the Arlong Pirates, the root of her nightmares for the past eight years, the mark of slavery.
Despair, anger, regret, helplessness.
Countless emotions intertwined at this moment, transforming into a destructive impulse.
"As long as this thing doesn't exist...as long as it doesn't exist!!"
Nami trembled as she picked up a dagger that a villager had dropped.
She raised the knife, and with a gaze filled with tears and hatred, she stabbed it fiercely into the tattoo on her left arm!
"Smack."
Just as the knife tip was about to pierce the skin.
A strong hand suddenly reached out from the side and gripped her wrist tightly like an iron clamp.
No matter how hard Nami tried, that hand remained motionless, forcefully stopping her self-harm.
"Waaah..."
Nami turned around, tears streaming down her face.
What came into view was a face with no expression.
Victor.
He didn't have his usual smiling expression; his dark eyes were deep and unfathomable as he gazed at her silently, as if trying to see through the weakness in the depths of her soul.
Beside Viktor, Luffy remained motionless and silent.
He simply stood there, holding his straw hat, looking at her calmly and attentively.
At this moment.
Under the gaze of these two men.
The high wall that Nami had built in her heart for eight years collapsed with a crash.
Clang.
The dagger slipped from Nami's hand, and she could no longer maintain that false strength.
She gripped the soil tightly, lowered her head, and with all her might, cried out the words hidden deep within her heart:
"...Waaaaah..."
"...Help me...my companions!!!"
Upon hearing this...
Luffy, who had been silent all along, suddenly parted his lips into a wide grin, revealing his signature smile.
He raised his hand and took off the straw hat that was more important to him than his own life.
Under Nami's trembling gaze, Luffy slammed it heavily onto her head.
Then he turned around, faced the sky, and let out a deafening roar:
"Is there even a question?!"
This roar, like a war horn, resounded throughout the entire village of Cocoa West.
All villains, assemble!
Luffy strode forward.
As the view shifts, at the end of the street, the Straw Hat Pirates are already waiting.
On the stone railing.
Zoro tightened his dark green bandana, a fierce, demonic light flashing in his single eye, his hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.
"Ah, is it finally going to start? I can't wait any longer."
On the side.
Sanji took a deep drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled a smoke ring:
"Since the lady has bled so much... even if the opponent is a merman, I'm going to kick him to death."
Although Usopp's legs were trembling uncontrollably, he gripped his slingshot tightly and did not flinch.
"I am a brave sea warrior! I... I am not afraid of a mere salted fish!"
And Viktor.
He slowly released Nami's hand and picked up the longsword on the ground that had just drunk the blood of the Navy.
At this moment, the chilling killing intent emanating from him was heavier than that of anyone else present.
He glanced at Luffy, who was walking at the front, and chuckled softly.
"Since the captain has given the order..."
"Then let's turn that paradise into a complete hell."
...
The scene changes.
In front of the towering gate of Alon Amusement Park.
"Go back! Everyone, hurry back!!"
Johnny and Joseph, covered in sweat, were desperately trying to stop the villagers who wanted to rush in and die.
"Don't go in! That's suicide!"
"Don't worry! Those mermen messed with the wrong people! Monsters will come and deal with them!"
Just as the villagers were getting emotional.
A red figure stepped over the crowd and took the lead towards the tightly closed, massive iron gate.
Luffy had no intention of going through the door.
That's the passageway for guests.
Since they're here to challenge us, they should do it the way they would!
Luffy suddenly stopped, raised his right leg high, and stretched it backward to its limit, accumulating the elastic potential energy of the rubber to its peak.
"Rubber, rubber—"
His eyes burned with rage.
"Siege artillery!!!"
Boom!...
A deafening roar.
To the villagers' utter horror, the massive iron gate of Alon Paradise, a symbol of absolute dominance and oppression, along with the surrounding walls several meters thick, collapsed instantly!
Gravel flew everywhere, and dust billowed.
The enormous impact caused the entire earth to tremble.
When the smoke and dust cleared.
Atop the ruins, the five members of the Straw Hat Pirates stood in a row.
Luffy is in the center, with Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Victor on either side.
Each person exuded a terrifying aura that seemed to freeze the air.
Luffy looked up at the amusement park filled with pools and pavilions, and let out a deafening roar:
"Hey! Which one is Ah Long?!"
Deep within the amusement park.
Ah Long, the sawtooth shark man who was sitting on the beach chair throne, slowly put down the wine glass in his hand.
His sinister eyes stared at the group of foolish humans, at the damaged gate, and veins bulged on his forehead.
"Hahaha..."
"Inferior race... how dare you destroy my paradise..."
Ah Long slowly stood up, his massive body casting a huge shadow:
"It seems that you won't know how terrifying the sea is until I kill you all."
At the very moment when their murderous intent clashed.
Viktor, who was standing on the right side of the team, suddenly heard a mechanical system notification in his mind.
[bite!]
[Critical plot point detected!]
[Triggering the main campaign mission: The End of the East Sea.]
[Mission Objective: Annihilate the Arlong Pirates and end Arlong's rule in the East Blue.]
[Mission Reward: A-Rank Ninjutsu - Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation.]
Upon hearing the name of the reward, Viktor's previously calm pupils suddenly contracted.
The raging fire was extinguished.
That's Madara Uchiha's signature Fire Release technique, a top-tier Fire Release that requires dozens of Water Release ninjas to work together to withstand in a single strike.
"Hehe... This reward is really hard to refuse."
Viktor placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his crimson Sharingan slowly turning and locking onto his prey.
He turned his head and smiled at his companions, saying:
"That shark with the jagged nose belongs to Luffy."
"As for the remaining small fry..."
Victor drew his longsword, the tip pointing to the ground, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Don't let a single one escape."Chapter 65 Thunderous Thousand Birds! Small fry should be prepared to be small fry.
Above the ruins of Alon Paradise, two murderous auras clashed fiercely in the air.
"Ha ha ha... How dare you destroy my paradise..."
Arlong sat on his high throne, looking down at the Straw Hat crew.
Those malicious shark eyes held no fear, but rather an offensive rage and arrogance:
"Since you're so eager to die, then I'll grant your wish!"
He suddenly swung his hands, as large as palm fans, and issued a cruel command to the densely packed merman minions below:
"Minions! Show these inferior races the terror of the merfolk! Tear them to shreds!!"
"Ooooooo!! Slaughter all of humanity!!"
With a deafening roar, nearly a hundred mermen wielding broadswords and spears surged toward the five like a blue tide.
"Ah Long!!"
Luffy only had eyes for the shark man sitting at the highest point.
He roared and lowered his body to charge straight at them.
However, there were simply too many fishmen, and their layers of defenses instantly blocked Luffy's path.
"Tch, what a nuisance." Zoro placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, preparing to draw it.
"Get out of the way, you green-haired moss, I'll clean up this bunch of stinky fish." Sanji spat out his cigarette butt and prepared to kick out a clearing.
"No need to trouble yourself."
A calm voice rang out.
Victor stepped forward, blocking the crowd.
He stood with his back to Luffy, his black, tousled hair fluttering in the wind, his voice calm yet exuding a reassuring confidence:
"Luffy, leave these small fry to me. You just charge forward and beat that shark bastard to a pulp."
"Leave the officers behind them to Zoro and the others."
Luffy watched Victor's retreating figure, and without any hesitation, grinned:
"Alright! It's up to you, Victor!"
After saying that, Luffy used the elasticity of rubber to leap high into the air, stepping on the walls of the surrounding buildings, and rushing straight towards Arlong through the crowd.
At the same time, Victor did not draw his sword, but charged into the surging enemy ranks with his bare hands.
"Kill him!! That arrogant human!"
A dozen strong mermen grinned and brandished their weapons, slashing at Victor from all directions.
"Buzz—"
In that instant, Viktor's originally dark eyes suddenly transformed into crimson Sharingan with two tomoe.
The world seemed to slow down in his eyes.
The fishmen's attacks, which were said to possess ten times the strength of a human's arm, appeared full of flaws under the dynamic vision of the Sharingan, almost like a slow-motion replay.
"Too slow."
Viktor was like a ghost dancing on the edge of a knife.
Turn sideways, lower your head, and slide.
He gracefully and calmly dodged all the deadly teeth and heavy punches by the slightest margin.
Immediately afterwards, chakra burst forth and adhered to the palm.
Viktor precisely grabbed the wrist of the most aggressive fishman and used the suction force of chakra to swing him around.
Then, as if wielding a giant spiked club, he smashed it fiercely at the surrounding enemies.
"Bang bang bang bang!"
With a series of muffled thuds, more than a dozen fishmen were knocked off their feet like bowling balls.
"Damn it! This guy is as slippery as an eel!"
"Surround him! Don't let him move!"
Seeing that a one-on-one fight wouldn't work, the fishmen immediately began to tighten their encirclement, trying to overwhelm Viktor with sheer numbers.
"Is it about having more people?"
Viktor's lips curled slightly, and his hands instantly formed a cross seal:
"Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Bang! Bang!"
As two plumes of white smoke exploded, two Viktors, identical to the original Viktor, appeared out of thin air.
The three Viktors stood in a triangular formation back to back.
"That's... a Devil Fruit ability?!" The surrounding fish-men exclaimed in shock.
"It's not over yet."
The three Viktors raised their hands simultaneously, and several shuriken danced at their fingertips, each shuriken's tail connected to a chakra wire that was barely visible to the naked eye.
"Swish swish swish—"
The shuriken were flung out and weaved through the fish-men.
The steel wire, like an invisible scythe of death, instantly wrapped around the bodies of dozens of fishmen, binding them together.
Immediately afterwards.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique!!"
The three Viktors simultaneously spat out several fireballs that resembled balsam fruit.
The flames spread instantly along the steel wire, turning the bound fishmen into strings of burning torches.
"Aaaaaah! It's so hot! Water! Get in the water quickly!!"
Screams echoed throughout the room, and the air was filled with the stench of burning flesh.
"Hehe! I'm here too!!"
In the sky, the black raven Clay circled excitedly, opening its beak to launch a sonic attack on the chaotic crowd below:
"Noise bombardment!! --!!"
"Ah!! My ears! My ears! This dead bird!!" The fishmen clutched their ears and collapsed in agony.
Just then.
"Roar!! Put those magic tricks away!!"
An elite squad leader, a size larger than the average fishman, angrily broke through the fire defenses.
He raised a huge saber high with both hands, and with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, he fiercely slashed at Victor's main body, who was in the process of casting a spell.
"Die!!"
However.
Viktor suddenly turned his head, the tomoe in his scarlet pupils spinning wildly, radiating a brilliant red light.
Their eyes met.
"Magic Illusion: The Shackles Technique!"
"boom!"
From the perspective of that merman leader, the world collapsed in an instant, turning into a despairing blood red.
He was horrified to discover that he could not move his body.
Immediately afterwards, several huge, rusty iron nails appeared out of thin air, piercing through his limbs with a screeching sound, pinning him firmly to the void!
"Aaaaaaahh...
The excruciating pain from the depths of his soul caused him to let out a silent scream.
From the outside perspective...
The menacing murloc leader, just as his greatsword was about to strike Victor...
Suddenly, he froze on the spot like a wooden doll, his eyes vacant and terrified, and cold sweat poured down his body.
Viktor, expressionless, reached out and easily snatched the saber from his hand.
He swung his hand back.
"Pfft."
Blood splattered, and the enormous fish-man's body crashed to the ground.
The battlefield fell silent for a second.
After this dazzling "ninjutsu test," the once densely packed merman army has now lost more than half of its members.
The remaining dozens of fishmen, looking at the red-eyed boy, finally revealed deep fear in their eyes and began to involuntarily retreat.
"Warm-up complete."
Viktor shook his hand, sensing the power within his body: "Chakra depletion is within expectations. Well then... let's try that one last time."
He slowly stepped back a few paces, grasped his right wrist with his left hand, and turned his right palm down.
The massive amount of lightning-attribute chakra within his body began to compress and condense wildly towards his palm.
"Sizzle... sizzle sizzle..."
Blue and white arcs of electricity began to flicker, and the surrounding air began to scorch.
Immediately afterwards.
"Squeak squeak squeak squeak—!!!"
A sharp, piercing sound, like the simultaneous lament of thousands of birds, resounded throughout the entire Alon Amusement Park.
Even Luffy and Arlong, who were facing off from above, couldn't help but glance at them.
"What...what was that sound?!"
Viktor lowered his center of gravity slightly, his Sharingan locking onto the group of trembling fishmen huddled together in front of him.
"Those who are just small fry should be aware of what it means to be small fry."
Lightning Release: Chidori!
boom!
The stone slab beneath their feet shattered instantly.
Viktor disappeared.
Instead, a terrifying bolt of lightning that was impossible to detect with the naked eye appeared!
That was extreme speed, that was extreme thrusting!
"brush--!!!"
The lightning instantly pierced through the remaining dense formation of murlocs.
There were no obstacles.
Whether it's the hard fish scales or the parrying steel blade, they are as fragile as tofu in front of that palm enveloped in high-intensity lightning.
When the thunder stopped.
Viktor appeared behind the enemy lines, still in his thrusting stance, the lightning on his right hand slowly dissipating.
And behind him.
Dozens of fishmen stood frozen in place.
A few seconds later.
"Puff puff puff puff—!!"
Their weapons broke, clean cuts appeared on their bodies, blood gushed out like fountains, and they all fell to the ground in unison.
"It's… a monster…" One of the surviving mermen collapsed to the ground in terror.
"Moo! Moo moo!"
Just then, the pool next to them suddenly exploded.
The sea monster MooMoo, summoned by Ah Long, was forcibly ordered to come out and help.
The enormous sea monster had just poked its head out, wanting to display its majesty.
The first thing they saw was the black-haired man standing amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, his body still crackling with electricity.
The fear of being dominated instantly awakened its muscle memory.
"Sizzle..." Viktor turned his head and gave it a cold look.
"Moo!!"
Moo Moo's eyes rolled back in fright, and before Viktor could even make a move, it suddenly unleashed a powerful tail sweep—
"Smack!!"
Its massive tail lashed out at several of Arlong Pirates' officers who were attempting to ambush Sanji, demonstrating its loyalty.
Then the huge sea monster quickly swam to the corner of the wall, buried its head in the water, and began to play dead with its rear end sticking out.
"..."
The entire room fell silent.
Viktor dispersed his chakra, clapped his hands, and looked at his companions behind him:
"Alright, the area is cleared."
At this point, the battlefield had been clearly divided.
Zoro untied the bandana from his arm, tied it around his head, drew three swords, and looked at Hachi, who wielded six swords:
"Hey, octopus. Let's see who has more knives."
Sanji straightened his tie and stood in front of Croobi, the fish-man karate master who was trying to interfere with Luffy, his eyes cold:
"Fishman Karate? I'll show you what a chef's kicking technique from hell really looks like."
Although Usopp was hiding behind a pillar, his slingshot was already aimed at the kissing fishman, Chuu, in the distance.
"Take this! Ultimate Move - Flame Star!"
And atop that tallest building.
Luffy clenched his fist, his gaze fixed intently on Arlong, who sat on the throne:
"Next... it's your turn!!"
"Give me back Nami's tears!!"