Marx looks around with a grimace as he realizes the fishmen have him completely surrounded. He had only stopped at this town to buy some more salt and gunpowder which were the two main ingredients for his special smog. Before he stopped at this town he made sure to check for signs of pirates and marines making sure they were nowhere to be found. The last thing he expected was to find was not one citizen would talk to him. None would answer their doors when he knocked. They were all locked away cowering in their homes, and now he was being jumped by a gang of fishmen. Just another thing he's was going to have to start checking for. What else was going to try to kill him next? Skypieans?

Well better fishmen than pirates and the worst of all, were those annoying marines. Maybe fishmen are not as bad the rumors say. Like the straw hats were back when they were still roaming the seas. They were pirates but at least they were noble. Maybe I can talk my way out of it, Marx thinks to himself. Might as well try it.

"Listen guys I'm not who you think I am. This is all just a big mistake. How about you bring your captain here and we'll get this all cleared up huh?" Marx says trying to sound as friendly and non threatening as possible.

The fishmen all look at eachother then break out into a unified fit of laughter. One of them who looks like he might be in charge begins to talk as he wipes tears out of his eyes from laughing so hard.

"Hahaha, you think we would really fall for that nice guy act? C'mon we got your wanted poster right here. Your Darck N. Carnit aka Dark Terror. We know exactly who you are. Even changing your outfit isn't going to help. We aren't as easily fooled as you lowly weak humans."

A boy in a barrel slowly lifts the top up enough for him to see the poster. His eyes sparkle as he gasps. "Another pirate. And this one isn't a smelly old fishman. Maybe if I help him fight he'll let me join his crew?" Then the boy notices that the guy is completely surrounded. "Yeah right. Or maybe not?" He says deciding to stay out of it.

The top fishman holds up a poster of dark for Marx to see then the fishman begins to speak again.

"But what you said about bringing our captain, you're gonna get your wish Darck. He'll be here in a couple of minutes. Then you and him are gonna finally settle your score. He's gonna carve all that gold you stole from us last month right out of you."

Now Marx was getting irritated. He was getting sick and tired of people mistaking him for Darck and trying to settle their debts with him. Marx knew Darck was a pirate but he definitely wasn't. Like Beverly had taught him he was his own person. Plus the only thing more insulting than being called a heartless pirate was being mistaken for one of those self righteous corrupted marines. But still, being called a heartless pirate was an insult Marx was getting tired of hearing.

"Settle a stupid score? Ok listen you ugly tuna fish I told you I am not Dar-" Then Marx suddenly realized what the fishman had said to him.

"You saw Darck a month ago?" Marx says in awe. "Where! Where were you when you saw Darck?" Marx asks with desperate eagerness in his voice.

The fishmen all looked at each other again this time way too confused to laugh. The head fishman replies again.

"I told you were not falling for it Darck. Your supposed to be this mean rough and tough big shot pirate but this nice guy act your pulling is pathetic so just give it up."

"Would you shut up! I told you I'm not Darck! Now tell me where you saw him or I will make you tell me." Marx says irritated.

Suddenly a voice interrupts Marx but he can't tell which fishman the voice is coming from.

"He's right. He's not Darck N. Carnit. It may look like him but its not. This guys eyes have mercy and honor in them. They're filled with weakness. They're nothing like Darcks eyes.

"Exactly! Thats what I've been saying this whole time." Marx says relieved that someone finally gets it. "Except for the whole filled with weakness comment. Who said that?"

A mysterious voice breaks through the group and all of the fishmen move out of the way creating a path and revealing a tall, light blue,dark haired fishman who had a long nose with jagged points all over it. Marx recognized him immediately as Arlong of the fishmen pirates.

With an intense look in his eyes Marx reached behind his back under his trench coat and pulled his Duece Niners from their holsters holding them pointed down at his sides. His trigger fingers began to twitch on their own. He had heard all about Arlong and new that he was tough. More than tough. The guy was a friggin shark, the animal known to be the king beast of the sea's. Marx hoped he wouldn't have to fight him. But if he did he wasn't nervous about it. Marx knew he could beat him. The only thing was could he beat him, without killing him.

"I promise your gonna regret it if you make me have to use these. Captain Arlong, I need to know where you saw Darck. It doesn't have to go this way." Marx says pleading.

Arlong smirks with interest.

"Your talking to me like I'm the one surrounded? Your looking at me like I'm the one at the disadvantage here. Wait? Now I can see deadly serious look that Darck always has. Not quite as cold blooded but at least its there. You may not be Darck, but in your heart your alot like him."

"I'm nothing like that monster! And I never will be!" Marx says yelling furiously.

Arlong turns around speaking as he begins to walk away.

"Yeah I guess your right. The biggest difference between you and Darck is that he's out there somewhere still alive. You on the other hand, are here. Surrounded by my crew, and you're about to be dead." Arlong then addresses the fishmen surrounding Marx. "I want you to kill this imposter. Cut his head off and find someone in this town stupid enough to collect the bounty on Darck for us. Tell them we'll split it with them fifty-fifty. Then after they get the cash, kill them too mwahahaha." Arlong says laughing as he continued to walk away. Before the fishmen were even done drawing their swords a series of gunshots rings out. Marx in anger had fired almost every bullet he had in his guns. The bullets looked as if they each had a tail made of black smog as they sped thru the air.

"Arlong watch out!" The top fishman yelled in a panic.

"Huh?" Arlong turned around just in time to see the bullets and easily dodged to the left out of the path of the bullets. Marx predicting this and fired off his last bullet aiming right between Arlongs eyes. Arlong was barely able to dodge this one as it skimmed his cheek leaving a deep red gash. He stumbled back in disbelief at the fact that the bullet had actually pierced his skin.

Strong fishermen were bulletproof and Arlong was the strongest fishmen there was. He had never been shot before. Well actually he had been shot hundreds of times by both marines and pirates but none of their bullets had ever actually hurt him other than leaving a painful but harmless stinging sensation. Not only had this guy actually shot him, if he hadn't dodged at the moment he had, then the first barrage of bullets would have filled him with bullet holes, and the last one would probably leave a scar on his face. Arlong made a decision right then to rip this Darck lookalikes body into pieces himself as a warning to anyone who would even think about pointing a gun at him ever again. But the head of course he would keep for the bounty.

Now during the time that Arlong was in shock about being shot and wounded for the first time ever, the rest of his crew were going on the offensive descending on Marx from all sides at once.

"Smog Bomb!" Marx in response had thrown one of his grenades down at the ground which caused a large explosion of smog to be released around him spreading quickly out to the charging fishmen. In the cloud of smoke none of the fishmen could see him or each other but because of Marx's special sunglasses he could see everyone of them clearly. Some of the fishmen were coughing repeatedly as the smogs effects kicked in causing an irritating burning sensation in their throats. Marx was surprised to see that it actually worked on some of them since he had made it to affect humans but never tried it on fishmen. Other than Marx himself he didn't know if there was anyone else immune to it but apparently certain species of fishmen were.

Marx took off running making sure to stay within the safety of the smog. Suddenly the fishmen began to yell, wail, and hollar. Bodies began to hit the ground as they were attacked randomly one by one. Marx was running full speed smashing the handles of his handguns into the body parts of any fishmen he came into contact with. He was so fast that most of them couldn't catch him long enough to fight back but the top fishmen happened to see Marx coming and swing his sword down in an effort to cut something off.

"Barrel Block". Marx yells as he puts his arm up and blocks the sword strike with the barrel of his Duece Niner handgun. He then points his other Duece Niner at the Fishmans foot and fired. The fishman fell to the ground wailing and holding his injured foot. After hearing the gunshot the fishman all began to panic at once. Out of pure reckless fear they began to attack each other blindly swinging their swords at anyone who bumped into them. Marx wanted to disable them but he had no intention of killing them unless he had too. But if they chose to kill each other that was on them. Marx could hear a roar of stampeding feet as even more fishmen came running at him from around a corner. Marx quickly reloaded his guns then ran out of the cloud of smog leaving the fishmen within it to slice each other to bits. As he ran alone at the crowd of angry fishmen he began firing his Duece Niners shooting some in the legs to ground them and shooting others in the arms dropping their swords. Even after emptying all the bullets in his guns again, more and more fishmen continued to come. Marx realized he was going to have to get more serious.

In a flash he stopped in the middle of the two groups of fishmen and just threw his Duece Niners up into the air. As they spun like a blur flipping in mid air directly above, his hands moved like lightning as he grabbed two ammo cartridges from his belt, threw them up toward the guns then he whipped his uzi attachments out of his trench coat and threw those in the air. As the handguns began to fall back down the ammo flew up and with perfect timing entered into the ammunition slots under the handles of the guns snapping into place and the uzi attachments connected perfectly to the back of the barrel with a clicking sound. Marx caught both the guns by the handles knowing exactly where they were despite not looking up the whole time. All of this was done with fast fluid skill. None of the flailing fishmen behind him saw it because of the dark smog but all of the stampeding and wounded ones running in front of him stopped with looks on their faces that showed they knew they were in trouble. Marx didn't have time to waste. He had no choice but to use brutal force. He would take them all down in one go and then put bullet after bullet into Arlong until that fish captain told him where Darck was. Marx crouched down on one knee with his arms open and his Duece Niners pointed straight out at his sides.

"Uzi Attachment: Maverick Tornado!" Marx says as he breaks into a spinning blur shooting like a machine gun in all directions. The fishmen on both sides were bombarded with an onslaught of smog bullets that shredded thru their bodies like toilet paper. After his first gun was empty he continued to shoot with his other while reloaded mid spun and continued to fire on both sides of the fishmen. He emptied to more three more rounds before he slowly slid to a stop and stood up from kneeling.

The boy hiding in the barrel had seen the whole thing and couldn't believe his eyes. He definitely wanted to be apart of this guys crew. And he was happy that he had decided to stay in the barrel. The last thing he wanted was to be accidently hit by one of those powerful smoking decided that after this he would join. That was if Arlong didn't kill the guy first.

All the fishmen were on the ground groaning in pain but they should all live. Marx had made sure not to hit any vital points. The only one left was Captain Arlong. Arlong was holding a pair of razor sharp teeth in his left hand and in his right hand he held up a large saw blade resting it on his shoulder.

"No human has ever done this to the Arlong Pirates and lived! I will kill you so slowly and painfully that you will wish to be put out of your misery! Any last words before we get the torture started?" Arlong says swinging the huge saw down, the blades cutting deep into the concrete in front of him and he anxiously snaps the teeth he's holding shut over and over again. Marx remembers something interesting, gets a confused look on his face and asks with genuine curiosity.

"Yeah actually I think you're mistaken. What about the straw hats? They were human, other than that doctor. I heard Luffy beat the fish eggs out of you guys. You don't remember that?"

Arlong loses it and charges Marx ripping his sword from the ground and swinging it at Marx. Marx realizing that its too late to dodge and gets a clever idea. He points his Duece Niners at the saw. Right before the saw cuts him in half he fires the guns.

"Double Shot Deflect!" The bullets hit the saw throwing it backwards with force. Arlong follows the momentum of the deflected saw and spins around the other way for another one handed swing. Marx see's it coming this time and ducks underneath the blade. Arlong again catches Marx off guard as he attacks with his hand full of razor sharp teeth.

"I've got you now. Shark Teeth Attack!" Arlong says with evil excitement. Marx with no alternative uses one of his Duece Niners to block the vicious teeth from biting him.

"Barrel Block" The teeth sink into the metal gun with the barrel pointed towards the palm of Arlongs webbed hand.

"Solo Shot Deflect" Marx fires one last shot off blowing a big hole in the middle of Arlongs hand before the teeth clench down destroying the gun. Arlong roars in pain then bites down on Marx's shoulder with the teeth his mouth. The steel but light weight kevlar keeps some of the teeth from breaking digging into Marx's skin but not all. Arlong has enough strength and grip to shake Marx like a rag doll. Then Arlong whips Marx throwing him to the side over his shoulder. Marx slides on his back across the ground for a long time before slowing to a halt near a gunpowder and explosives store made of super thick red brick. He see's Arlong sprint towards a building, jump onto the wall running along it sideways then leap off cracking the wall inward with the power of his legs. He springs towards Marx like a high speed torpedo with his sharp jagged nose ready to impale him.

"Shark Darts!" Arlong yells out his attack.

With a sore shoulder slowing him down and no time to think Marx whips a grenade at Arlongs face.
"Smog Bomb!" The grenade explodes into a cloud of smoke causing Arlong to lose his form slowing his descent down a little. Arlong flies thru the smog and hits the ground nose first. The impact tears the concrete beneath him to rubble leaving a crater but the brick explosives store doesn't have a shred of damage on it from the impact made by Arlong. When Arlong stands up he realizes that Marx is nowhere to be found.

"Yeah it was real close that time, but you missed me." Arlong hears Marx speaking but he can't see Marx in all of the smog. "Your gonna pay for what you did to my gun Arlong. That was one of my favorites. But I'll cut you a deal. If you just tell me where you were when you saw Darck last, I'll forget all about it and we can go our separate ways." Marx says while hiding in the smog.

"As far as that bounty money is concerned you are Darck N. Carnit. Ha! All you humans look the same to me anyways. I'm gonna kill you, slice your body from beneath your head, and collect my bounty money. But since you've done so well entertaining me, I'll cut you a deal. If you beat me then I'll tell you what you want to know and, you can take my head. If you agree with that then bring it Human!" Arlong still holding his massive saw begins to spin it around above his head. The wind created by his swinging begins to clear the fog away. When the air was all clear Arlong was surprised to find that Marx is still nowhere in sight.

"Sniper Attachment: Sniper Strike!" Marx fired a powerful shot but Arlong saw it coming and dodged it.

"Hahaha! You missed you stupid human!" Suddenly the sound of splitting rock could be heard from behind him. Arlong turned around to see a crack appear in the thick red building right behind him and travel up the wall until the roof and walls caved in causing the everything inside to explode. Arlong is thrown high into the air smoking from the burns and the force of the explosion.

When he hits the ground their is a heavy crash as the concrete is smashed beneath him and his eyes can be seen rolled into the back of his head apparently unconscious.

The boy from the barrel suddenly jumps up with frantic excitement.

"Wow! I can't believe you actually beat him. That dude is friggin Arlong! We are gonna be so filthy RICH!" Dollar signs appear in his eyes as he says the last part. Arlong kicks his legs up and jumps back onto his feet with a look of pure berserker rage in his eyes. He throws his saw blade straight in the direction of the young boy who because of the dollar signs blocking his vision doesn't even see his certain death speeding instantly towards him.

"Sniper Attachment: Sniper Strike!" Suddenly a gun blast rings out and Arlongs saw blade explodes into pieces in mid flight. The largest blade on the top spins rapidly, reversing backwards from the impact and flyes back in Arlongs direction. Then in a flash of red spray the razor sharp blade llodges itself into Arlongs throat. Arlongs eyes go wide in shock. He stands for a second then begins to lose his balance and as he falls to the ground he see's Marx a block and a half away standing on the rooftop of a house. Marx see's the spinning metal fragment from the broken saw blade pierce Arlongs throat while looking thru the sniper scope attached to his remaining Duece Niner. He jumps down from the house in a panic and runs to Arlongs body bleeding all over the concrete.

"No no no no no! I wasn't trying- I mean, I didn't mean too-" Marx says stuttering. Arlong interrupts him with a coughing fit. He grabs the blade lodging in his throat and rips it out allowing him to breath easier which only causes him to cough more. He reaches into a side pocket on shi open shirt and comes out with a handful of papers. Its a list of wanted posters. He takes out his own wanted poster and hands it to Marx as if to say "You won, now take your reward".

Marx looks at the wanted poster then throws it away in disgust.

"I told you. I'm not a monster. I would never kill for money or anything else. They only person I want to kill is Darck N. Carnit. Why didn't you just tell me Arlong? Why?" Marx says struggling to hold tears back.

Arlong ruffles thru the wanted posters, choosing some select ones. He holds on to Dark N. Carnit's poster for a second then hands them all to Marx. A second later he has another violent coughing fit then suddenly Arlong goes completely silent and slowly his eyes close never to be opened again.

Guilt overwhelms Marx with the realization that he had just taken yet another persons life. His hands begin to shake with emotion as he wonders if he was turning into a monster. Just like Darck. In anger he throws the wanted posters away from him. Its then that he see's the picture of Beverly and suddenly nothing else not even the death of Arlong matters to him anymore. He quickly picks the paper up and see's that for sure its Beverly on the wanted poster, but how could that be? Darck had killed his mother. He had buried her body himself. Then he notices that she looks alot younger than he remembers. He reads the name on the wanted poster then the grim truth hits him like a gunshot to the heart. The girls name was Nix Carnit. Supposedly she was the daughter of Darck N. Carnit and the first mate of Darcks pirate crew the Phantom Pirates. But to Marx she was more than just a bounty. She was much more than just a Pirate. And she most definitely not Darcks real daughter. She was the answer he had been searching for. She was the one and only thing in this world he had left. She was his long lost, older sister. And he had just found out she was working with his greatest enemy. Then Marx see's the back of Darcks poster lying on the ground. There was blood scribbled on it in one word. Marx was guessing it was the name of the Island that Arlong had last seen Darck.

"Maybe all fishmen aren't so bad?" He thinks to himself as he falls to the ground passing out from the blood lost due to his shoulder bite.