Arlong's brows furrowed as he surveyed the battered members of his crew reporting their latest failure, his webbed fingers tapping rhythmically against his massive jaw. The work of nearly a decade was set back, and concern etched itself on his face rather than anger. Out of the fourteen members he had sent into the outskirts of the archipelago, only half of them had returned.
"It's suicide, Arlong-san. The waters are way too dangerous to venture too far," Shioyake explained nervously, gesturing to his battered brethren behind him. "Sea beasts are going crazy. They're attacking anything they see. The currents are constantly shifting back and forth, and new landmasses keep popping out of the blue! People are saying a vengeful spirit is roaming the seas!"
He glared at the battered crew members, their injuries reflecting their failed expeditions. The setbacks were not just a blow to Arlong's pride; they threatened to undermine the very foundation of the Fishmen's dominance over the East Blue.
"A vengeful spirit?" Arlong scoffed, his deep voice reverberating through the room. "You fools are succumbing to superstitions now? I don't care about the dangers of the sea; we've faced them countless times before."
His eyes narrowed, a flicker of frustration in them. Despite his ruthlessness, Arlong's concern for his crew was evident. The sea had always been a treacherous domain, but Arlong couldn't bear the thought of losing more of his comrades to ill-fated expeditions.
"Listen carefully," Arlong continued his tone stern but laced with a rare sense of empathy. "We've encountered challenges before, and we've overcome them. We adapt, we strategize, and we conquer. That is why we, as a race, stand above all the others. If the seas have become more dangerous, we adjust our approach, but we do not yield to baseless fears." The fishmen, initially hesitant, nodded in understanding. The pink salmon, Shioyaki scratched the back of his head apologetically. "I'm just telling you what we heard, Arlong-san."
"Actually, Momoo thinks the same thing, Arlong-san!" Hachi interjected, waving his hands urgently. "Apparently, many of the sea beasts are swimming south. He says that they're terrified of something."
Arlong's expression softened, his frustration giving way to contemplation. The mention of sea beasts behaving unusually caught his attention. He crossed his arms, deep in thought, considering the implications of this new information.
"Terrified, you say?" Chew mused, his eyes shifting to Hachi. "Sea beasts might be dumb, but they're not known for their fear. If something is causing such distress among them, and not just them migrating, we cannot ignore it. We need to understand what we're dealing with."
Arlong turned his gaze back to Shioyake and the others. "Adjust the expedition plans. Avoid the areas where the sea beasts are congregating. We don't want unnecessary risks, and we certainly don't want to provoke whatever might be causing this disturbance."
"That still leaves us with a couple more problems, Arlong-san," Kuroobi spoke with folded arms. "The currents are changing. The weather around these is becoming way too familiar to the Grand Line for my liking."
"Add in the fact the maps we have are probably obsolete now," Chew agreed with a sigh.
"Is it really hopeless?" Hachi asked, racking his brain for a solution.
Arlong felt his anger reignite at the reminder. The failure of the scouting party had been infuriating, and as regrettable as the death of his brethren was, it was always a possible outcome. Such was the life of pirates.
The thing that truly angered him was the changes to East Blue's geography. As a race that thrived in the seas, the fishmen relied heavily on their knowledge of the underwater world. The altered geography not only posed a threat to their navigational abilities but also exposed vulnerabilities in their understanding of the sea's dynamics. Arlong couldn't help but feel a sense of powerlessness, a rare sensation that fueled his anger.
Yet, the more he thought about it, Arlong realized that the situation might be a blessing in disguise.
"I wouldn't call it hopeless, Hachi," Arlong muttered to himself, his eyes turning to look at his officers. "It is just a setback."
A setback that might reveal itself to be a chance. Because no matter how challenging things were for him and his crew, Arlong was confident that they would be ten times harder for the lowly humans. His grin widened. "As for the maps, we'll just have our lovely Nami draw them again. It's not like the girl was leaving anytime soon. Sha Sha sha sha!"
The crew laughed with him, the sound echoing through Arlong Park. There was a sense of camaraderie that no pathetic human could ever understand. Arlong's confidence and the crew's laughter fueled a renewed sense of determination.
Arlong's gaze swept over his crew, a mix of pride and assurance in his eyes. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with, and the challenges posed by the sea were just another opportunity to prove their dominance.
'Just a bit more, and our dream will be true, Brother Tai.'
Then the sirens echoed, and the atmosphere in Arlong Park shifted instantly.
Arlong's gaze sharpened, his instincts on high alert. The laughter faded, replaced by a tense anticipation as the crew braced for what the sirens signaled.
"What the hell is going on?" Chew yelled as the entire park shifted into a frenzy. "Is there a fire or something?"
"No, these are a different type of sirens," Arlong replied as the hairs on his back straightened. These were sirens that he grew too familiar with in his earlier years as a pirate. "Hurry up and prepare yourselves! The Marines are attacking!"
"The Marines!? Didn't we bribe them?"
'That bastard Nezumi has clearly forgotten his place,' Arlong glared as his anger reignited under his skin. It seemed the rat had confused his mercy for fear. "It doesn't matter! What matters is that those damn humans need a reminder of who runs the sea around these parts!"
The chaos in Arlong Park escalated as the crew hurriedly prepared to meet the approaching Marine ships head-on. Weapons were unsheathed, and the fishmen gathered at the edge of the park, ready to rush into the sea where they were at their strongest.
As the crew assumed offensive positions, the distant sound of approaching Marine ships grew louder. Arlong's gaze remained fixed on the horizon, his expression determined. The sirens wailed, not only signaling danger but also igniting the fire of rage within the fishmen.
"We've dealt with the Marines before. We can handle this!" Kuroobi shouted, rallying the crew.
Arlong nodded, his teeth bared in a predatory grin. "They won't catch us off guard. Remember our strength, and let them taste the might of the fishmen!" He issued the command, "Prepare to rush!" and his voice cut through the tension.
Arlong raised his arm to signal their attack, yet as he brought his shoulder down, it felt far too light.
Thud
"A-Arlong-san! Your arm..!" Confusion took hold of Arlong as he gazed at his arm—or rather, where it was supposed to be, and found nothing. Then the pain registered. "Ghaaagh!" he cried out as he held his bleeding stump.
"To think after all these years, all this time, I would have to deal with what's left of Fisher Tiger's crew." A voice came from behind Arlong. He swiftly turned his head to look.
The man he saw pushed all the pain to the back, to be replaced by a rage Arlong had never felt before. Though he had never seen him with his eyes, Arlong swore to etch his description and image into his memory. There was no mistaking the long dark beard and the equally stupidly large hat.
The bastard who used Big Bro Tai's kindness and naivety.
The scum who repaid Big Bro Tai's mercy by ambushing him.
The filthy human who was the reason Big Bro Tai was dead.
"Strawberry…" Arlong gritted his teeth with an intensity that made them crack.
"That's Vice-Admiral Strawberry-sama, Fishman." Strawberry spat with disdain, his bloodied sword dangling by his side.
Arlong's eyes burned with a fierce, vengeful fire. His hatred for Strawberry boiled over, fueled by the memories of Big Bro Tai's demise. Despite the excruciating pain from his severed arm, Arlong's determination to avenge the man he looked up to surged through him.
"It's a shame that I can't just end your life and be done with it." Strawberry continued speaking, a cruel smirk gracing his visage. But I take solace in knowing what awaits you is far more fitting."
"Damn human..."
Before Arlong could launch and tear the bastard apart, the wails of the sirens abated, leaving an ominous silence in their wake. In that stillness, a cold and commanding voice emerged, resonating through the comms. The voice bore the weight of authority and sent a shiver down Arlong's spine, extinguishing any lingering illusion of triumph.
"To the honorable people of Conomi Island and the pitiful trash courting death among the fishmen pirates, this is Naval Admiral Akainu speaking."
On the porch of their home, a gentle breeze carried the familiar scent of oranges, creating a cozy atmosphere. Nojiko smiled at Nami's soft laughter, a soothing sound blending with the rustling leaves. In that simple scene, she was glad to offer her younger sister a bit of respite from the usual hardships she was used to.
Nojiko and Nami found a moment of solace on the porch of their home, surrounded by the familiar scent of oranges. Nojiko couldn't help but bathe in the sound of her sister's soft laughter as it filled the house.
"Gen-san? Knitting a sweater?" Nami spoke, trying to catch her breath between fits of giggling.
Nojiko nodded, unable to contain her amusement. "Bingo! With a tiny red scarf, to be precise. He said that the weather was too cold to leave the poor thing."
Nami burst into laughter, the image of Gen-san's quirky endeavors playing out in her mind. "Did the kitten at least appreciate the fashion statement?"
Nojiko chuckled. "Oh, absolutely. I've never seen a cat strut around with such pride."
"Well, Gen-san always did have a soft spot for strays, didn't he?" Nami said with a nostalgic look, leaning against the porch railing. Her eyes shifted, gazing at the back of the house where the price of their freedom lay.
"He sure does," Nojiko whispered softly, her eyes following Nami's gaze. A heavy feeling settled in her chest. She wished she could persuade Nami to leave it all behind, to free herself from the village, and leave them behind. But experience told her that understanding Nami's deep sense of duty to their village, so as always, Nojiko opted for silent support.
Some burdens, she knew, were willingly carried, even if it meant bearing the weight of the world.
'Now's not the time for misery.' Nojiko shook her head lightly. She opened her mouth to regale Nami with another fun story to lift her mood when a deafening sound echoed through the island.
"Sirens?" Nojiko said, looking around in confusion. "Are they Arlong's? "
"No, I don't think so. The sound is coming from the sea's direction." Nami explained with narrowed eyes. After a moment of contemplation, her eyes widened, and she rushed out towards a clearing to get a clear view of the shore.
It couldn't be.
"Nami!" Nojiko yelled out as she followed closely after her sister. When she caught up, Nami was staring into the horizon with wide eyes and hitched breath. She followed her gaze, and she understood her sister's shock.
The deafening sirens heralded the arrival of a sight that sent shockwaves through Coconami Island—a sight the residents had not witnessed in eight long years. At least a dozen massive battleships, adorned with the imposing marine symbol, dominated the horizon. They sliced through the once-ignored seas with purposeful momentum, closing in on the island.
Nami trembled as she muttered, "Marines... Why are the Marines here?"
Nojiko couldn't help but share her sister's dread. For seven long years, Coconami Island had lived in the shadow of neglect by the Marines. Arlong's influence, backed by bribes and corruption, had kept the Navy at bay.
Their sudden appearance on what they previously deemed an irrelevant island could be a sign of either a miracle or something terribly wrong. Through luck or misfortune, Nojiko received her answers moments later when the sirens subsided, making way for an authoritative voice.
"To the honorable people of Conomi Island and the pitiful trash courting death among the fishmen pirates, this is Naval Admiral Akainu speaking." The words pierced through the stillness.
Admiral!?
Nojiko was never privy to the hierarchy of the Marines, but she still remembered Bellmere-san's tales about the Navy. "The Pillars of the Navy," she had called them. They were a select few individuals who possessed enough power to shake the world.
"It was him." Nami, who must've been thinking the same thing, spoke with wide eyes. "He's the reason the entire sea is in disarray."
"For far too long, the villages suffer under the tyrannical rule of Arlong. The Navy is here to rectify this injustice, and our mission is clear. I, alongside the thirty thousand proud marines by my side, will decimate every single member of the Fishmen pirates. Justice will prevail, and those who have brought misery to this land will face the consequences of their actions!" Akainu's voice reverberated, each word carrying the weight of impending judgment.
The world seemed to stand still for a fraction of a second as those words echoed through the island.
Then, it began. Nojiko felt a blooming hope at Akainu's declaration. The sentiment soon spread through the entire island like a soft ripple, barely noticeable initially. Then, cheers erupted from distant corners, a collective sigh of relief echoing across Coconami Island, gradually growing into a fervent wave of optimism.
"We're saved," Nojiko whispered, her voice small, as if testing the reality of the words. She turned to Nami, her eyes glistening as tears welled up. Her arms circled Nami's still rigid shoulders. "We're saved, Nami!"
"N-Nojiko..!" Nami said.
Nojiko's hold on her sister intensified. "An Admiral is here. You don't need to bear it alone, Nami! You're free!"
"Nojiko, I..." Nami's voice quivered with emotion, her words catching in her throat.
"No need to say anything, Nami," Nojiko whispered, a tender smile playing on her lips. " We're free from Arlong's reign. The Navy will take care of everything now."
Akainu's voice resonated through the comms once more, delivering a stern order that cut through the celebratory air. "To all the humans, heed this order. Our advance had already begun. You are to gather at the Sheriff's offices of your respective villages with your identification papers. Any human found harboring a member of the Fishman pirates will be considered a collaborator and treated as a criminal."
The weight of the order settled over the island, and Nojiko, caught in the euphoria of the moment, began to move toward the village, ready to comply. However, Nami's hand gently but firmly stopped her.
"I can't go," Nami said, her voice carrying a solemn undertone.
Nojiko's puzzled expression turned into a focused gaze as she followed Nami's eyes to the tattoo on her shoulders. The realization struck her, sobering the atmosphere.
The Arlong pirates's Jolly Roger.
Nami was marked by Arlong's symbol. The ink etched into her skin branded her as one of them, a Fishman pirate.
"I can't go," Nami repeated with her head down.
"No, no, no. It's okay, Nami. "Nojiko shook her head, gripping Nami's shoulders comfortingly. "Don't worry about that! If we explain the situation to the Marines, they will surely understand."
Nami, however, refused with a resolute gaze. "Nojiko, you don't understand. If they see this mark," she pointed to the tattoo on her shoulder, "they might think you're a part of Arlong's crew too. I can't risk putting you in danger. If you try to protect me, they might see you as a collaborator as well. What's your word against the entire village's."
Nojiko bit her lip. "It's not just my word, Nami."
"What?" Nami asked, confusion furrowing her brow.
"Everyone knows, Nami," Nojiko confessed. "The entire village knows about your sacrifice. The entire village will stand by your side. The Marines can't punish you for trying to save us all."
"…Since when?"
"From the very beginning," Nojiko answered.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Nami asked, a mix of confusion and concern in her voice.
Nojiko took a deep breath, the weight of the unspoken truth lifting off her shoulders. "Because they did not want you to feel obligated," Nojiko explained. "They wanted you to be able to run away whenever. If you had known the villagers were counting on you, you never would've run."
Nami's gaze shifted from Nojiko to the horizon, where the Navy ships loomed, and the marines as they filed like ants into the village. A mixture of gratitude, surprise, and perhaps a hint of regret played across her face.
"So, please, Nami. Let's-!" Nojiko stopped mid-sentence as she was interrupted by a new voice.
A young girl with orange hair and a blue shark's tattoo, huh." The two sisters jumped and turned to face the speaker. It belonged to an old woman – even older than Gen-san - who stood at a looming height of at least a couple of meters. But the most striking thing was the marine coat draped over her shoulders. "There's no mistaking it; you must be the fishmen's cartographer."
Shit!
Nojiko acted swiftly, positioning herself as a protective barrier between Nami and the approaching marine. "Wait, please! She's not-"
"Doll-chan."
A commanding voice interrupted Nojiko's plea, and suddenly, she found herself back in the village, disoriented by the abrupt change in surroundings.
"Let me go!" Nojiko cried out, breaking free from an unseen hold that had confined her. She turned to glare at the person who had brought her, but to her astonishment, there was no one there. Instead, her attention was drawn to the alarming sight that unfolded before her.
The entire village had gathered behind a circle of marines, creating an unsettling perimeter around a scene that seemed like a nightmare brought to life.
A towering arch, surpassing even Arlong's Park, stood as a grim testament to a harrowing event. Fashioned from robust wood, the macabre structure featured a chilling arrangement of broken bodies. Fishmen, bound to the arch, bore the gruesome evidence of missing limbs amidst a torrent of blood. Their pained groans and whimpers permeated the unsettling scene. And at the center of the arch, Arlong's broken form dangled.
Behind the arch, a haunting sight unfolded as numerous crosses were being raised by the marines, bearing the weight of whatever remained of the pirates that couldn't be accommodated on the arch.
"God…" Nojiko's hand covered her gaping mouth as she looked at the scene in front of her.
Suddenly, the villagers, their faces etched with a mixture of fear and confusion, reluctantly opened a wide path as they were pushed back. Every marine in the vicinity snapped into attention, weapons held by their sides, their arms rising in a salute that echoed a disciplined military precision.
Amidst the parted marines, a colossal figure emerged, commanding attention and respect. He surpassed even Arlong in size, a man of intimidating stature. Draped in a billowing white coat over a blood-red suit, the imposing figure intensified the already overwhelming atmosphere.
"The preparations have been finished, Admiral Akainu!" a marine reported with a crisp salute, acknowledging the authority of the man who stood before them.
Admiral Akainu came to a halt beneath the ominous arch, the "Absolute Justice" emblem on his coat fluttering proudly in the wind. His gaze swept across the village, piercing and uncompromising. A tense silence settled over the island as everyone awaited his next words.
"Now then," Admiral Akainu's deep voice resonated, carrying a sense of authority that demanded attention.
"Shall we begin?"