The sea lay fair as skies of summer's prime, meek waters yielding soft to timbers gray well-seasoned as hearts careening swathed in dream beneath suns whose westering marked night's advance as chill, unwanted, upon such cheer as might in waking find fit place. A fortress rose forbidding, isle defiant set to bar glad course untried of souls wayfaring.

Stern light revealed nor gleam of comfort yet nor watch less fell for hearts beset by memories unslaked as was this chieftain staring toward fast bastion reared immense against kind heavens. Does were held neath mastery malign nor yore but yesterday, bitter round and lasting guile close chains had forged to bind frail lives at whim of powers darkling. Once glad hours in free compassing nor dreamt such turn; unmeasured—as the sea gray walls rose towering. Harvest grim came of first venturings unwary.

Prospect stood cheerless, hope in ashes trod while memory wove close pall. Escape seemed but fell chance on oceans waste. Twas not for failing hearts to question why chill season's change struck marigold nor why stern recall thus marred life's prime, sole comfort lay ahead. Where once dreamt ventures vast, fair escape from round accursed waited souls in governance grown truer twixt two sundered realms which waking hours unfold.

Keen glance bespoke dark ponderings, and thoughts beyond frail ken that moved anigh to waking's borne where strange companions roam. By choice nor chance came they on isle forbidding; nigh that borne which waking thought yet mortal round in swift vicissitudes combine. Where gray walls frowned expectant, stood dark sullen gyves by tyrant's rage immortal forged, and chains accursed linked chill through seasons due o'erspanning mortal lives to bind each tranced yearning east of night. Supernal night eternal, and dominion by dark pact achieved lit scorn for climates soft or bournes less stern which louche retreat might tempt hearts less devotes.

Prospect was of strife whose end outlasted sunturns many, age on age resharpening fetters grim to brace frail virtue and dull edge of thought aspiring in lone sojurn past this world's drear round. Nor less a borne by vision sealed and company elected ere close confederation here might cease against fell chance or choice framed fair to flout such rule as must mortal span subject. Bitter lessons wrought by sullen watch inherent to each realm behest might wake against kind reason's teaching sole; and purpose fair oft stained by deeds undreamed before stern light revealed dread wonders, slow unveiling as the gates which rule dread isle unclose against gray sun.

Arlong Park.

After days at sea, they were finally here. Luffy clenched his fists, knuckles cracking. That fishman had gone too far for far too long.

"We're almost there, Nami." Luffy said, turning to the orange-haired navigator beside him. She gazed at the island, eyes shadowed.

"I never thought I'd come back here like this." Her voice was quiet.

Luffy studied her face, taking in the lines of sorrow and bitterness. His hands uncurled, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. "Don't worry. We're here for you."

Nami smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I know. That's why it's so hard." She sighed, shoulders slumping. "Arlong took everything from me—my family, my village, my freedom. All because I was born human."

Rage bubbled in Luffy's chest at her words. His fingers tightened on her shoulder, nearly bruising. "Tell me everything. I want to know what that fishman did to you."

The walls might hold close comfort still, rich harvests of hope secured against fell chance, did waking borne unfold but gentler fare - found season's face lit soft as hearthfire warm against chill ingress of night. Here stood but marge of fields more fell whose noontide yet with promise gleamed of better worlds unguessed; sunrise soon found overcast and dim each glimmering ray 'against nights inmost den.

Here bitter opened round accursed, escape's pale fantasy gleamed faint against dull echoes of fond childhood's cheer whose laughter rang sole haunting now of hours by tyranny's grim shade overclouded. Well the maid recalled choice days in radiant morning's bloom, the kindly round of simple lives attuned to nature's course where toil and rest found place unmapped save as light ruled fair the heavens. Seasons turned at sky and sea's behest 'against which none knew dread watch nor wakeful fears such as faint smiles and guileless days in governance mild foresaw nor kenned.

Low seemed avenger's steps, nor lightning blast heralded woe curst its hour supreme of ruin foul where bitter fates watched at gateways vast to hold youth's legacy henceforth life's dearest fess and charter fond denied. Mid cheer laments might find fit audience, since fallen stars recalled in times due their fond place in human hearts; sole reign of kindly fates by dread arbitrament undone held yet fair realms in fee where waking hours might easy guest.

Yet now dread pale against those golden years unsure where doom had from closein stepped 'against bournes which nature yielded soft and sure 'against the grief of man. Where once each dawn lit gentle hearths autumnal, and tides of seasons through life's summer came light-footed as dreams of those wayfaring dear hope called far, stood sullen walls unscalable as fate, chain's curse, and weary round yielding for long age owed each day to power lit beyond escape from borne malign. Faint solace fantasies of youth's glad realm might mock vain ears held captive; once fair soil now whelmed by tide from inmost frozen wastes whose final peace meant light's eclipse and elder reign transferred to hands most fell.

The sullen round of toil accursed, grim legacy of tyrant's fell our waking hours in vengeance still found scarce fit place against kind seasons once that bade fair hope. Yet close attendant on the chieftain's word in tellings dread strode power of darker dream whose boundless cope stood veiled at behest of one sole master; servant fell before whose fury even walls storm-scoured must quail defenseless.

Dominion by dark watch achieved lit once more in gesture dire its ruthless will holding as forfeit mortal span against least venture gainsaying. Soul's overthrow stood imminent, nor waking or more stern contest of arms sole arbitrament where skies eclipsed in pall of thunder hid such realms as thought once vagrant knew.

Portents charged the narrowing space twixt trance and waking, gyving each highway and lone refuge where roamed thoughts fosterling of bright escape. Twas bitterer than chained a prisoner take, past hope of doom's reprieve should patrons dread, lit overmuch, enforce dominion's forward march unsparing or keen edge by waking thought untarnished whet to harvest grim. Specter massed its puissance dire with omens vile and threat insistent held as bolts primeval leashed at Tyrant's beck, awaiting signal stern to launch against frail stop-gaps set to bar dread ingress.

Visions stark by ancient evils nurtured peopled now that inward eye despair invests sole governance, most bitter tutelage preparing spirit's final fall whose end stood fair beyond mind's compass. Firm blows brake the painted calm, striking cruel as pestilence while Haki's dire potency rasped as death's pale coursers whereheart's mad pulse took lodging intrinsic to some dread echo half eternal its notice lent against fond counsel and escape once charted fond by waking's round. What stain malign saw age's slow corrosion fall must move unseen; here bitter work close harvest found in wrath tearing at the cited vision by dread arbitrament's cold fiat loose and free to gorge its rage with ravage devastating once scenes risen fair expelled shadow's train. Where glen and grove had proved companions once as waking's borne, now loomed sullen walls whose frown shut out kind dawn as night's chill hand veers darkling east.

The helm held hate's grim rage under reign too brief for hindrances frail nor vain alarms that welled as specters wan against lone outwork set by waking's borne age frail bulwark lending against disaster's tide. Escape stood forfeit, present hopes phased out by seasons slow in their due turning yet death's last seal held office waiting still for sign whose advent must unleash war's dark atrocity upon fair scenes and counsels kind its hour supreme effacing swift. Unmarked nor needed kept its way on mortal rounds, usurping fair works elder reign bequeathed and puissance wields at behest of wrath enfleshed and master fell before whose fury mild nor truce nor refuge shoreward call stood proof. Harrowed grounds lay denuded as waking's borne its season ended lonely , barren of hope's once verdant sowing. Little recked the Tyrant's rage nor waking round unsanctified; dark will cast out light.

"I'm going to make him pay." Luffy's voice was deceptively calm. "No one hurts my nakama and gets away with it."

Nami stared at him, eyes shining with unshed tears. A small, trembling smile pulled at her lips. "I know you will."

Luffy grinned, all teeth, and turned back to the looming island. Arlong Park grew larger with each passing second, a shadow of Nami's suffering and torment.

But not for long. The Straw Hats were here now. And by the end of the day, that fortress would burn.

Here marked for fresh assault stood dread abode of powers malign whose anger once aroused woke fire and flame, vengeance dire against all venturing spectator's curious eye or heart too quick with youth's temerity in apt excuse. The chieftain strode ahead of minions doughty, glance bespeaking blatracht chill nor dreams gainsaid as towering ramps his eye embraced.

Where Watch and Ward were foremost stationed to shroud dreadful walls in weeds and gyves of might 'against all comers vile by errant chance astray. A dire destruction gaped, ill matched for pomp whose heraldry announced sole Wisdom's march arbitrator in stern debate caught on the quick between hard choices; grace or "nay". Sole tutelage unasked by errant hearts are shoes most straitened: chains accursed and weary round where once found ward fair harvests riped now gleamed impetuous.

By pain wrought keen and forfeits dread too grim avouching autumn's bite, hearts vicegerent mourned parley once known and mise en scene ruth's stern advance. Hard eyes saw dread, dull ears heed descent stood barred without least parley or more face gambol of wit by waking hourpaled and stern minion's will, their Erstwhile lords.

Now bleak domains held hubris sack invidious against the Chieftain come, each towering ward unmade his frown avouching winter's pale. Unmasked, undisciplined, as gang of Batial powers through pale watch-fires gleamed night's errandry awake and ware harvest grim and road ill measured by counsels once that ruled hearts now fordone revoke prouder dowers.

Keen argument, desire, or dread nor chance, approached lone fortress in wise fatal, challenge clear shining as heartfelt tears 'against human frailties eyes darkling deemed sore proof. Stern choice lit alike for rule and gentry leaving nought to chance and clement skies ill match of hearts brought low, bow'd heads avouched, following them alone whom doom lit past mortal march or waking bourne's fond governance. Last gasp of cheer awoke chill adumbration; harvest promised mere or less than fond hearts ache, sole tribute now from souls held forfeit as possession dreamed sole charter left.

Against portents grim, undaunted still one chieftain strode, hard glance and wakeful way held surety of deeds darksome ample ripe for swift minions faltered at cold stare investing each dull clod with power menacing, such fears were as dust, chafing the swift foot passing glorious over frail partition-walls that yet constrain dull advent. Nor menace might match his rage nor watch fell hold place or power to bar such ingress. As lion hunts its prey in covert glade dark wisdom goads him soft to surest strike nor close assault lets season's due stand split twixt hot contention. Where towers glowered their ample frown, lone spectral chieftain marched victorious sure past doom my lend grim pause against mere want of opposition. Devastation stands unveiled here spectral Lords rule house; Kinsmans gleam fell at walls dread breach ; and wakes fires primeval heralding once more dread conquest's turbulent wake. hearts were severed, choice and doom fell recreant stood where broadening glare of furnace lit fierce Testing's reign and sunburst's by watch malign attained was impetous.

Vain alarm raced broadcast to awake each waiting power. Yet wan hope and power no less all certain against one venturer scorned mortal cheer, nor walls availed against dark passage unforbidden here denied. retention's hold once placed grew forfeit now to dread negation; chains that bind turned swift as aide conveyance. Art's amplification fell, bridges fair stood simple as the glance that bared them phantom harvest untimely reaped. Against proud walls that promised surest bar, a sun primeval shone whose leaping fires once past defence, left all unmasked vaunt's swift undoing as low temples slim at touch of their fell priest. No darkling power or chance by night inspire in course victorious tread a chieftain lit for battle as Doom's captain sole, and worlds against his coming stood outclassed while reason veilèd met defeat unsparing.

Luffy cracked his knuckles, Haki rippling in a visible aura. "Move aside. We're here to see Arlong."

The fishmen exchanged nervous glances, then steeled themselves, brandishing swords and spears. "Lord Arlong does not receive visitors. Begone from here, humans, or face the consequences."

Zoro rested a hand on his swords, gaze icy. "The only ones facing consequences today are you and your captain."

Sanji scoffed, flicking the butt of his cigarette. "Pathetic. I could defeat you all with one leg tied behind my back."

"We won't warn you again," Luffy said. The guards flinched at the steel in his tone. "Take us to Arlong. Now."

One fishman, larger than the others, sneered. "Who do you think you are, giving orders here? This is Arlong Park, and we take orders from Lord Arlong alone!"

He thrust his spear at Luffy, who caught it in one hand. In that same instant, a pulse of Haki slammed into the fishmen, crumpling them.

Luffy frowned at the spear in his grip, then snapped it in two. He tossed the pieces aside. "I hate repeating myself. Anyone else?"

The remaining guards scrambled to get out of their way. Luffy nodded, then started down the hall, his crew falling into step behind him.

The main hall opened before them, and at its head sat Arlong on a massive throne, glaring at the intruders. A shark's grin split his face, rows of teeth gleaming.

"Well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" His gaze landed on Nami, and his grin widened. "Ah, so the traitor has returned. And brought me gifts, how thoughtful."

o it goes. The big ox of a fishman glared down at us from his throne with those strange glassy eyes of his, as if we were bugs to be crushed under his webbed feet. What an asshole.

The captain just stood there with his straw hat shading his eyes, hands stuffed in his pockets like he didn't have a care in the world. But I saw that look on his face, the one that meant someone was in for a world of hurt. The rubber man meant business today, no mistake about that.

We fanned out on either side of Luffy, a wall of muscle and steel and ready to rumble. Old Arlong didn't stand a chance against our whole crew, Haki or no Haki, and he knew it. His fishy goons were already turning tail to run, the cowards. They knew what was coming.

You could have heard a pin drop in that big empty hall. The air felt so thick I could hardly breathe. Any second now Luffy would spring into action, and then all hell would break loose.

Arlong's big ugly jaw started flapping, spouting off about inferior humans and whatnot. As if that kind of garbage would make a difference now. His days of tyranny were over, even if he was too stupid to realize it yet.

Luffy's eyes glinted like hard black marbles under the brim of his hat. His fists were clenching and unclenching at his sides. I knew that look. The captain's patience had officially run out.

"Hey, Arlong," Luffy growled, low and dangerous, "I'm gonna kick your ass."

Well, that was all she wrote. In the blink of an eye Luffy rocketed forward, pistol-fast, and landed a jet-propelled punch right in that bigmouth shark's ugly kisser. The noise was like thunder.

And just like that, the battle was on. Arlong Park started coming down around our ears as the whole crew leaped into action, whooping and hollering. What a wild bunch of kids we were.

So long, you stupid sawshark. Don't come back now, ya hear? We showed that monster a thing or two about messing with our navigator's island. Threw him right out with the rest of the trash.

All's well that ends well, I always say. Today justice got served on the end of a piston-powered punch, courtesy of our very own straw hat captain. Can I get an amen? Adventure sure feels good.

Arlong's grin faded into a scowl. He surged to his feet, special blade in hand, but a pulse of Haki sent him crashing back into his throne.

"You—!" Arlong's eyes bulged. "What sorcery is this?!"

"No sorcery." Luffy cracked his knuckles. "Just a warning. Get out of here and never come back, or I won't go so easy on you next time."

Arlong let out a harsh bark of laughter. "You think you can give me orders, in my own base? I will—urk!"

Another pulse of Haki slammed into him, stronger than before, and Arlong toppled to the ground, unconscious.

A quick burst of Conqueror's Haki was all that was needed to take care of the rest.

"Think you overdid it?" Zoro asked.

"No," replied Luffy.

Silence fell over the hall. Then a slow clap shattered it. The villagers had come.

"Well done, well done!" A portly man in a Marine uniform strode through the doorway, smirking. "I see you've defeated the villain. As a representative of the Marines, I hereby place Arlong and his crew under arrest."

Nami's eyes narrowed. "Who are you? I've never seen you here before."

"Captain Nezumi," the man said. "Sent from HQ to finally take care of this menace. Now, the reward money for defeating Arlong will make a nice addition to Navy funds, so if you'll just hand it over—"

"We didn't do this for a reward," Luffy growled. "And we're not giving you anything."

Nezumi's smirk soured into a scowl. "Insolent brat! Do you have any idea who you're talking to? I am a Captain of the Marines!"

He reached for the pistol at his hip, but before he could draw it, a burst of Haki sent him crashing to the ground next to Arlong.

Luffy cracked his knuckles again, gaze sweeping the hall. "Anyone else?"

Silence.

Nami breathed out a sigh, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. They had won aginst both enemies.

Nezumi dragged himself back to Marineford, bruised and fuming. As soon as he arrived, he demanded an audience with Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

"Those pirates are too dangerous to be left alive!" Nezumi raved, pacing Sengoku's office. "Their captain has the ability to knock out scores of men with a single burst of Haki! And the others are just as monstrous. They must be exterminated immediately!"

Sengoku listened with a frown, steepling his fingers. "While this is concerning, I doubt the situation is as dire as you claim. Your tendency towards exaggeration and self-aggrandizement is well known, Captain Nezumi."

"I swear on my honor as a Marine, sir!" Nezumi insisted. "If we don't increase that pirate's bounty and send our strongest forces to defeat him, he may well become the next Pirate King!"

Sengoku's frown deepened, but after a moment he sighed. "Very well. I will put a record bounty on Monkey D. Luffy. But do not think I fully believe your warnings."

Nezumi smirked, knowing that despite Sengoku's skepticism, the higher bounty would attract plenty of opportunistic bounty hunters to do his work for him.

Once Nezumi had left, Garp entered the office. "So, the boy's causing trouble again?" he asked with a grin.

"According to Nezumi's report, it seems your grandson has mastered Haki," Sengoku said. "He singlehandedly defeated Arlong and his crew with ease."

"Did he now?" Garp chuckled. "The brat's growing up. Soon he'll really be a force to be reckoned with!"

"Do you even know what this means?"

"Hahahahaha…"

Sengoku sighed and shook his head, but a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The antics of Garp's eccentric grandson, it seemed, would continue to be a source of annoyance and pride in equal measure.

The Straw Hat pirates gathered around the small ship's deck, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the News Coo bird. It had been over a week since their assault on Arlong Park, and they were anxious to see how the world reacted.

When the News Coo finally arrived, dropping a fresh stack of newspapers onto the deck, Nami eagerly snatched one up. Her eyes went wide as she saw the front page.

"What is it?" Usopp asked nervously.

Nami turned the paper around to show them. There, taking up half the front page, was a bounty poster for their captain. "WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE. 'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy. Bounty: 100 Million Berries.'"

A stunned silence fell over the crew. Then Luffy's face split into a huge grin. "100 million? That's so much!"

"This is unheard of!" Nami exclaimed. "The highest bounty in the East Blue before this was only 20 million! Luffy, you've shattered the record!"

"100 million at only the start of our adventure," Zoro said, shaking his head. "The Grand Line isn't going to know what hit it."

"Bring it on!" Luffy cheered. "I'm gonna get even stronger and become King of the Pirates!"

His crew laughed and raised their voices in cheer with their captain, celebrating how far they had come and eager to continue their voyage with the most infamous rookie pirate in the East Blue leading the way. The world would soon learn that Monkey D. Luffy was not one to take lightly.

The crew's cheers were interrupted by another newspaper landing on the deck. This time, Zoro picked it up. His lone eye widened as he saw his own face staring back at him from the bounty poster on the front page.

"What's this?" Luffy asked, peering over Zoro's shoulder. "'WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE. 'Pirate Hunter' Roronoa Zoro. Bounty: 30 Million Berries.'"

"30 million?!" Usopp shrieked.

Zoro grinned, holding up the poster. "Looks like I've gained some notoriety of my own."

"We'll have bounty hunters coming after us in droves now, you idiot!" Nami snapped, smacking Brook on the head.

"This is so exciting!" Luffy cheered, throwing an arm around Zoro's shoulders. "We're gonna get super strong and have the biggest bounties ever!"

"Sounds like a plan, Captain," Zoro said, a competitive grin on his face.

"A toast!" Usopp shouted, hoisting his mug. "To our captain with the 100 million bounty and our swordsman with the 30 million bounty! Together they'll lead us to glory and riches untold!"

"KANPAI!" The crew cheered, raising their mugs and cups.

And so on. Those two hellions exchanged one of their trademark knowing looks, the kind only lifelong partners in crime can share, silently toasting to their victory and all the rampaging escapades yet to come. The green-haired swordsman and his foolishly grinning captain—what a demented duo they made.

The party raged on into the night, bonfires blazing and ale flowing freely as the villagers rejoiced at being freed from that damned sawshark's clutches once and for all. They sang bawdy sea shanties and showered us with adoration and succulent kebabs as thanks for liberating them from Arlong's private little hell.

Truth be told we were just a ragged bunch of riffraff who enjoyed a good brawl and followed our idiot captain from one harebrained misadventure to the next. But for one shining moment, we got to play the heroes. And damn if it didn't feel spectacular.

Eventually the ruckus died down, the embers burned low, and the villagers stumbled off to their homes and whatever passed for normal lives on this little spit of land. The moon rose high, spilling silver over the ruins of Arlong Park, already seeming like some ancient relic overgrown by the jungle. Nothing lasts forever. Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall.

Luffy and Zoro lingered by the water's edge, passing a jug of grog back and forth as they gazed out at the sea stretching endlessly before them. The Grand Line was out there, waiting—that savage ocean with its treacherous winds and roiling storms, calling our names. Who knew what other tyrants needed toppling, or what long-lost treasures remained waiting to be discovered by anyone mad enough to search for them.

"That was quite the adventure, eh Zoro?" Luffy said with a contented sigh.

The swordsman grunted in reply, ever the stoic one, but I could see the smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Just a taste of what's to come, Captain."

Our captain laughed, loud and fearless, echoing out over the waves. "Bring it on! I'm gonna get stronger and stronger, and have even more fun adventures with you guys!"

"And become the King of the Pirates," Zoro said.

"That too!" Luffy cried.

And so off we sailed toward the sunrise and whatever escapades lay in store, two troublemakers against the world. The age of pirates had returned with thunder and flames, and at its helm stood a straw-hatted youth with a heart of gold and fists of rubber—the future king, my dear foolish captain, Monkey D. Luffy. The seas themselves would soon tremble at his coming. What hopes and terrors alike might that promise hold for this old world? I shuddered to think.