Chapter 31: The 'Razor' Strikes Down the Corrupt Captain
"Hold it right there!" The voice, filled with contempt and fury yelled. Nami uncurled herself from Luffy's arms and prepared for another fight. Also sensing her discomfort; Luffy and Sanji glared at the group approaching. Nami recognised Marine Colonel Nazumi, the man whose acquisition of her loot had fuelled Luffy's resolve to help her. And behind the colonel was his contingent of lackeys, all equally guilty in aiding and abetting Arlong. "What a lucky day for me, Arlong's defeat will advance me further". Zoro and Luffy approached the colonel, fury etched on their faces.
But before both StrawHats could move; the ground shattered upwards, in a fifty metre wide crater, as a fist broke the earths crust. The resulting shockwave killed the lackeys and injured the colonel.
Out of the crater climbed another fishman; wearing a purple dress shirt and black breeches. The villages immediately went on edge and grabbed their weapons but lowered them upon seeing the pirate emblem stitched on to his shirt. "The Dragon..." Genzo uttered. "What's your purpose here?" Usopp yelled whilst attempting to hold his captain back. They didn't want to draw the ire of the Emperors yet, but if their subordinates tried something then damn the consequences. "What he said!" Sanji agreed walking forwards, "we just beat Arlong and freed this island form his reign of terror. So if you or your boss are here to make trouble..." Sanji was cut of not by a surprise attack but by an utterly surprising action. The fishman before them dropped to his knees and wept. "I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry for everything that Arlong has done". Seeing this act of prostration Nami walked forwards and knelt down, "what's your name? And why are you here?" Luffy wordlessly moved beside his...girlfriend, and took to staring at this unknown fishman. Sitting crosslegged, the fishman looked up, tears in his eyes and spoke. "The names Gillet Rey, I'm a shark fishman like Arlong but different in character". It was then that Genzo shouted out "your Gillet Rey. The former vice admiral?" Nami and Luffy both frowned, "former vice admiral, why'd you quit?" Sanji asked. Gillet sighed before meeting the groups, collective, gaze. "I left because I lost trust in the government, and because I believe in my admiral unconditionally. So we all left the marines and formed the Dragon Pirates. My former admiral is the the one people call the 'Dragon King', the fifth emperor".
Luffy made an Oohed sound, whereas Nami remained pensive and Sanji and Zoro remained on edge, just in case. Gillet Rey looked to the straw hatted teenage boy; recognising the black hair, hat and scar beneath his right eye. "You're Monkey D Luffy, are you not?" The boy in question grinned in response but was stopped from speaking by Sanji, who asked the fishman how he "knew their 'idiot' captain?" Unfortunately, Gillet Rey didn't elaborate on that line of questions, going to announce his duty to "subdue Arlong" and return him to the "Ryugu Kingdom for judgement". Usopp immediately questioned the "impartiality" of "the king of the merfolk" to see "wrongs in his own kind". However, Gillet simply stated that "his majesty was not beholden to the view that fishmen were better than humans". "He believes, as his late wife, the queen did, is that humans and merfolk were equal. Despite what several of his own subjects say, and those accursed celestial dragons".
Zoro slowly sheathed his swords and lowered his shoulders, accepting that this person was no threat to them, and appeared to be genuine in his condolences. Nodding, with silent approval, Luffy eased the concerns of the islands citizenry, who led by Genzo, exhaled their worry and returned to their rancorous partying. Leaving Sanji, Usopp, Johnny and Yosaku to continue being hailed and receive gifts and general praise; Luffy, Nami, Zoro and Genzo led Gillet Rey towards the towns brig in which Arlong was being held, bound in chains and gagged.
The former tormentor of Cocoyashi village glared up at the straw hatted boy but his look of fury turned to panic as he observed the presence of the 'Razor' behind the 'damned humans'. It was Gillet who spoke first. "You should be glad I'm here and not Kudzu, Arlong".
Nami noticed the slight flinch at this Kudzu, whoever they were Arlong was either frightened of them or respected their power. "Gillet you filthy traitor. You turned your back on your own brothers and joined the marines! You could have been the captain of the Sun Pirates but you deferred to Jimbei and followed a human! You'd be welcomed back any less gladly than I..." Arlong suddenly became silent and then fell face down into the plate of food before him. Eyes blank and body still. "You killed one of your own kind..." Genzo began, horrified, yet when he went to draw his sword Luffy's voice interrupted his motion. "Haki, Conquerors Spirit..." Gillet turned back to the four humans and sighed, "I'll take responsibility for this forsaken wretch. The victory is yours straw hat". And with those words the fishman known as the Razor, picked up the unconscious Arlong, slung him over his shoulder; like a sack of potatoes, and vacated Cocoyashi village in peace, uttering a final word to Luffy: "good luck, straw hat. Your gonna need it".