DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, EXCEPT RAGNAR AND ALL VIKINGS AND OCs IN THIS STORY! ONE PIECE BELONGS TO EICHIRO ODA, VIZ MANGA, TOEI ANIMATION AND FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT/CRUNCHYROLL LLC
Chapter 36: Everyone's Gathered! The Straw Hats Prepare for War!
Now that they were finally reunited, the Straw Hats could focus on making a straight path towards Njordholm, but that still didn't mean they could take a few moments to bring each other up to speed on what they saw.
"You ran into Willy!?" Yosaku asked Johnny and Usopp, "What's he like?"
"You'll find out when you meet him, but know that he's determined to help us fight Arlong as the Elgrings are," Johnny explained, "But that's not all. While I was tracking Arlong and his crew through the jungle, I heard them talk about some kind of treasure buried at Cocoyashi Village." He then turned to Nami with a furrowed brow, "I'm guessing they found out where that hoard of yours is."
"Let's just hope they don't come looking for it," said Nami, "As long as they suspect nothing, it's not like they could dig it up or anything. Still, we gotta be ready for anything."
"If he does, though, we'll be ready for him, Nami," Luffy told her, "If Arlong does anything to your village that throws us for a loop, then we're marching right for Arlong Park. Count on it."
"Hold on! Quiet everyone," said Ragnar as he sniffed the air while mounting his horse, "A rider is nearby." Immediately Usopp dismounted and nocked an arrow onto his bowstring whilst the quartermaster continued sniffing the air, "This one's well fed, and riding a light horse…" then he got a whiff of something that really threw him off, "…It smells like they're wearing perfume."
"It must be another beautiful shieldmaiden, like Ingrid here~!" Sanji commented, immediately going lovestruck from the thought of courting a Norse woman.
"Nah, look up ahead," said Johnny, "It's a herald." From atop a low ridge was a bearded man in padded armor and a nasal helmet, riding a medium sized horse and carrying a banner.
"You there! Tell me your names! Quickly!" The messenger declared.
"I am son of Sigurd Jarl of the Lion Clan, called Ragnar: quartermaster of the Straw Hat Pirates." spoke Ragnar as he rode forth, "We are in the company of Ingrid Trygvesdottir, niece of your worthy jarl. We come at her behest on an errand to serve him."
"My jarl, Hroðgar, will want to welcome you himself," said the messenger, as he led the way for them to follow. And so, the Straw Hats, Johnny, Yosaku and Ingrid all followed the messenger on horseback through the jungle. They advanced along a dirt path through thickets of palms and broadleaf trees, and soon enough spotted a village.
"Welcome to Njordholm!" Ingrid exclaimed, allowing the Straw Hats to get a glimpse of the settlement. The fields all around revealed the signs of man's labor, while the settlement itself was far more impressive. A moat and mighty wall and thorny fence encircled it, while a wooden footbridge crossed the moat and into the settlement. Within arose the roofs of houses; and in the midst, set upon a green terrace, there stood aloft a great longhouse. And it seemed to their eyes that it was shingled with gold. The light of it shone far over the land. Golden, too, were the posts of its doors. They all dismounted their horses, speechless at the sight and entered the great hall. Seated at the end of the hall was an elderly man, clad in an olive green tunic, with furs around his mantle as a cloak. Nearby was a sword on the throne, as well as a rack with a suit of armor, complete with a helmet.
"My jarl, this is Ragnar Sigurdsson of the Lion Clan," said the herald who was standing beside the throne, "He and his companions have come from across the sea…" but he didn't finish as the jarl cut him off.
"I know the man. I sent for him," said Hroðgar, watching as Ragnar knelt before him, "I knew him as a boy, knew his father too. And I know him now. Grown to a man, a fine young man." Hroðgar only smiled as he stood to greet Ragnar, "You came, Ragnar Loðbrok. Good. And I see that you have yourselves a spy in Arlong's inner circle."
"You knew?" Ragnar asked, "My great jarl, how is that possible?"
"Willy sent word ahead. Your blades will be a boon to our cause," Hroðgar then stood from his throne and made his way to the Straw Hats, "You, min vinir, are well known in these parts," he explained, "We heard of your exploits in Orange Town and Gecko Island against Buggy the Clown and Captain Kuro. Even now, the skalds are composing songs of your victory over Don Krieg."
"Only here to help out," said Luffy with a grin, "Arlong's also been tormenting our navigator. For us, this is personal."
"My captain is right," said Ragnar, "Arlong not only has attacked your clan, but he also has tormented Nami for eight long years. By attacking this island, he already declared war on us the moment our crew was formed. Now that we are here, though, we cannot afford to wait around."
"Nor would I want you to," said Hroðgar, "To act in haste, though, would bring about unnecessary losses. Work with us instead. Already my men have mended our wounds inflicted by those bacrauts. Seek them or Willy's crew out, and we'll get to work. The sooner you all aid us, the sooner we can strike."
"In that case, we accept!" Luffy declared, happy to accept whatever help was offered.
"Good. It is as I hoped," replied Hroðgar, smiling in praise.
Willy only took one glance at the Straw Hats and smiled as he rose from his seat at one of the tables, revealing a row of fierce white fangs. Instead of scales, his body was covered in thick skin colored black and white. His hair was covered by the spectacled helmet he wore, and he had an incredibly powerful build for a fish-man of his age. Nearby, Willy's great mace studded with spikes was hanging from one of the weapons racks on the walls of the longhouse. He then made his way towards Luffy.
"You must be Luffy, aren't you?" He asked, "Usopp told me about you when we rescued him from Arlong's scouts. Your aid in this fight will be a boon to our cause."
"And what exactly is your cause?" Zoro asked the orca fish-man.
"Sounds to me like you're not just here to fight Arlong," Nami added, having her suspicions, "What are you really after, Willy?"
"You're right, fighting Arlong isn't just why I'm here," he explained, "Boss Jinbei wants to establish a presence in the East Blue, but one in which humans are treated as equals."
"What's the catch?"
"No catch, only that these islands establish trade with the Ryugu Kingdom, and act as a sanctuary for those fleeing enslavement," Willy explained, "No human has to pay tribute money to survive, and will be allowed the right to bear arms as well. Boss Jinbei made it clear: he wants a show of greater unity between humans and fish-men. As it stands now, Arlong not only has transformed the land, but also the people. Those humans who do not cower in fear of him are those who collaborate with him."
"And do you have any names we can go by?" Sanji asked the whale-man.
"As a matter of fact, I do," explained Willy as he smiled, pulling out a small little book from his pocket, "I managed to confiscate this ledger from a Marine captain I suspect of corruption. It has a list of all the Marines on Arlong's payroll. And, if we can get it to Marineford, we'll be able to take down the entire organization."
"Assuming Arlong hasn't already caught wind of this," Zoro commented, "If the Marines know about some of their men working with Arlong, they'll likely send a fleet to stop him."
"Don't count on it," Nami butted in, "Remember, Arlong is a man who can destroy five marine ships like they were toys. If the Marines did act, they'll have to come from the south."
"Which means Arlong will already see the ships coming," Luffy surmised. The chances of the Marines getting past Arlong Park was slim now.
"I already figured Arlong would try something like that," added Willy, "So, I had my men act just in case."
Back on the southern end of the island, Nojiko was suddenly finding herself running towards the coastline, Chabo pulling her along.
"C'mon! Hurry up!" He exclaimed, smiling as he never had before.
"What's the deal!?" Nojiko asked, "What's going on, Chabo!?"
"The Marines are here! We're saved!" Chabo replied, "Some survivors from Gosa managed to contact the Government, and they told them what happened! Now the Marines are here to rescue us all!" All the residents of Cocoyashi Village looked on at the sight: A Marine warship was indeed on the horizon, and in full view. "Finally! It's over! Now we get to leave this horrible place!" Nojiko couldn't believe her eyes…the nightmare seemed finally over. This was too good to be true.
Aboard the cruiser, the Marines lined up, ready for battle aboard the deck, muskets and cutlasses all ready for action. Their commander only looked out at the sight before them.
"So, this is the infamous Arlong Park? What is the world coming to with pirate scum setting up such an opulent base?!" He asked, then turned to his seamen, "Listen up, men! Our noble mission today is one of extraction. We must rescue the survivors from Gosa Village, which was savagely destroyed by the Arlong Pirates. But I am left to wonder: would our brand of justice simply allow us to overlook that decadent fortress of these unchecked brutes?"
"SIR, NO SIR!" They all yelled.
"Correct! Our unit must annihilate Arlong and his men!" He declared, "Beat to quarters at once!"
"YESSIR!" The Marines shouted, and with the sound of a fife and bells, they rushed to their stations for war.
Back at Arlong Park, the fish-men were already well aware of the recent developments on the horizon.
"Is that right? Marine Branch 77 is here already?" Arlong asked his officers.
"That's what I said," replied Chew, leaning against one of the columns.
"A newcomer, eh? In that case, we'll have someone parley with their captain," Arlong explained, "If two-million isn't enough to keep them from trying anything funny, then kill every last one of them." Yet before anyone could react, the sound of a cannon firing was heard, as a cast-iron ball was hurdling right for Arlong Park.
"Oh no! The Marines have opened fire! Watch out!" One of the pirates cried, but Arlong simply opened his mouth, and caught the cannonball in his jaws, crushing it, until nothing was left but shrapnel.
"So, what now?" Kuroobi asked, "I take it this means that…"
"Correct," Arlong answered as he spat out the cast iron and gunpowder residue from his mouth, "That concludes negotiations. The talks are canceled." And with those words, the Arlong Pirates cheered for war. Yet Arlong held his hand for silence, "However! There is no need for all of us to get involved." He then turned to his three key officers, "Chew! Hachi! Kuroobi! You boys go ahead and handle them."
"Just leave this to us!" Hatchan replied.
"What foolish humans they are to pick a fight with us; in our own waters too," said Kuroobi.
Back aboard the ship, one of the seamen aboard noticed what happened.
"Commodore, it seems that cannonball was a dud," he said.
"Then fire another!" The commodore ordered, "This is a signal of open-hostilities. Never drop your guard when dealing with fish-men."
"Ship sighted aft! She's bearing the mark of the Sun Pirates!" Another seaman shouted. And everyone turned to see the great ship approach, aboard was a beluga fish-woman who instantly boarded the Marines' warship. She was beautiful, with delicate white skin, long blonde hair and was drop dead gorgeous with an hourglass figure and buxom physique. She wore only a corset top and denim breeches, while cavalier boots adorned her feet. On her hip she carried a saber and buckler. On her back was the mark of the Sun Pirates, hidden by her locks of hair.
"Commodore Purin?" she asked, "I am Celosia – ensign of the Sun Pirates. I come on behalf of our captain, Boss Jinbei."
"Ah, and what does one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea ask of us?" The commodore asked.
"He's asked that you meet with one of our officers on the north shore," she told him, "He has a document for you that is of vital importance and needs to get to Marineford immediately." As she spoke, however, Chew suddenly rose up from the depths and spat a squirt of water from his mouth, only to have it blocked by Celosia. Enraged, she drew her sword ready for a fight, "I underestimated the heft of your balls, traitor!"
"Celosia. A shame we couldn't reunite under better circumstances," Chew replied, "I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm afraid I have vital business with these Marines." At that moment, the entire ship rumbled from below, terrifying the Marines so greatly that they thought an earthquake was happening. Yet Celosia only glared at Chew.
"You bastard…you removed the rudder, didn't you!?" She growled, the venom in her tone clear. She was all too well aware of Arlong's tactics when it came to dealing with humans.
True to Celosia's expectations, Kuroobi did indeed remove the ship's rudder. This was yet another reason for Celosia and Willy to hate the Arlong Pirates with immeasurable fury.
"I really am sorry to inconvenience you, gentlemen," said Chew, "But I'm afraid the sea canary here is right. We just took the liberty of removing your rudder. Is that okay with you?"
"You WHAT!?" Purin asked, totally shocked that these fish-men would do something like this.
"Sea Canary!? Why you little…!" Celosia grumbled, but Chew stopped her from taking any action as he held his hand out.
"Choo! I wouldn't retaliate if I were you, old friend," he told her, as the sea floor suddenly began to shake beneath them, "Commodore, I have a question for you. It's only hypothetical, but if one were to move a large reef directly into a strong current, what do you suppose would happen to the ocean?"
"WHAT!? Moving a whole reef!? That's impossible!" Purin protested, but Celosia knew that Chew was telling the truth. With the rudder disabled, there was only one option left.
"ABANDON SHIP! ABANDON SHIP!" She yelled, "THEY'RE GONNA CREATE A WHIRLPOOL!" Instantly, all the Marines made their way towards the lifeboats, letting them drop into the water. One by one, they all rowed their way towards the ship nearby, the Web Panic. Those who were unable to get aboard a lifeboat only swam their way to safety.
Below, the surface, and true to Celosia's word, the sea floor trembled as Hatchan physically pushed an entire reef from its current position, towards the Man-o-War, with Kuroobi overseeing the operation.
"Move it right over there, Hachi!" Kuroobi ordered, and within an instant, the water stirred as the Marine warship was heading straight for a massive whirlpool! With the rudder disabled, it was only a matter of time before the whole vessel was swallowed to the depths below.
Aboard the Web Panic, the Sun Pirates who followed Willy threw hemp fishing nets towards the Marines to climb ahold of, granting many of them passage aboard, including Commodore Purin himself. They could only watch on in horror as their proud Man-o-War sank straight to the bottom of the sea.
Even on the coast, the residents of Cocoyashi Village were horrified. That was their only chance for hope, and the Arlong Pirates snuffed it out like the flame of a candle. It was too cruel to even react to in anger.
"They're…they're all dead!" Chabo muttered as he dropped to his knees.
"That's right…and so is hope," Nojiko added, "Time to face the truth, there's no way we can escape Arlong's reach." Now there was nothing they could do to stand up to Arlong, or even escape his grasp…or so they thought.
Meanwhile, aboard the Web Panic, the atmosphere was surprisingly calm. The Marines of Branch 77 may have lost their ship, but they were at least lucky to be alive, and they were now eternally thankful to have been rescued by a crew of pirates who answered to one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Safe on deck, the Sun Pirates gave their guests warm blankets, along with cups of rum or hot cocoa - pity eclipsing their anger over Arlong's cowardly deeds. All the crew aboard were fish-men, but they were all cetaceans: whales and dolphins. Even more incredible was that, among their ranks, were seal and sea otter minks as well! Seeing them so far from the Grand Line was almost unheard of.
"Thank you, truly. You have no idea how grateful I am," said Commodore Purin as he looked up at Celosia, who only smiled at the officer, "You said that there was someone with vital information waiting on the north shore of the island? Please: take us there at once." The beluga fish-woman only gave the order, and the Web Panic weighed anchor and sailed off towards the northeast, out of sight from Arlong's range.
Back at Arlong Park, Kuroobi, Hatchan and Chew all managed to return after a job well done, and they knew Arlong would want to know what they saw.
"I bet you're all tired," said Arlong, "I wouldn't blame you. After all, moving a reef from its original position is no easy feat."
"No, I didn't even break a sweat," said Kuroobi, "We knew everything about these waters, from the winds to the depths. It was quite easy."
"With our expert knowledge of these waters, no one can beat us!" Hatchan declared.
"True, but let's not forget Nami's charts," said Chew, holding up one of her maps.
"I checked those before I moved the reef!" Hatchan added, "They even tell the flow of the flow of the current and everything!"
"Indeed. They are excellent charts," Kuroobi admitted, "If we can convince Nami to chart all the world's oceans, then we would be the undisputed rulers of the sea forever!"
"I know, Nami's brilliant," Arlong said with a sigh, "In fact, she could be crucial in the genesis of the Arlong Empire, but it's just a shame."
"A shame?! Why is that?!" Hatchan asked.
"Don't you remember anything, you octopus?" Chew asked, "He promised to let her and Cocoyashi Village go if she pays him a hundred million berries."
"Are you serious!? Whatever you do, you can't let her leave!" Hatchan protested, flailing his arms about, "You can't let her go, captain! Say it ain't so!"
"I'm afraid I have to," Arlong reluctantly told his men, "That's what we agreed upon eight years ago." His face then curled into a sinister smile, "I'm the kind of fish-man who always honors his word when it comes to money…always!"
Back at Njordholm, the Straw Hats met at the map room in the very back of the longhouse in order to discuss their plans before the final attack.
"When we sailed up to Arlong Park, I noticed that it was located right on the sea," Luffy told his crewmates, "Which means it's gotta have a harbor for boats to enter."
"It does," said Nami, "Hatchan uses it for ferrying guests by sea, but it's guarded by two heavy iron gates. We can't just force it open."
"Or can we?" Ragnar asked with a devious grin, "We can take Sanji's boat that's still docked at Cocoyashi Village, then rig it with gunpowder barrels at the bow, then light the fuse as it sails right for the gates."
"Are you completely out of your mind!?" Usopp asked, his face in utter shock at the idea, "Those are fish-men! They'll see it coming before that boat even reaches the gates!"
"Which is why we are going to act as a distraction," Ragnar explained, "The six of us will march on ahead to Arlong Park's main land entrance and bust the gates down."
"Oh-ho! You've got a filthy mind for strategy, broga," Willy chuckled, "It's perfect. With the gates opened, that should allow our fleet of longships the perfect opportunity to disembark. A shield-wall will then allow us to cut off any potential chance for the fish-men to reach the water."
"Exactly what I was thinking," said Zoro, "From what Nami and Ingrid told us, you guys have an advantage in the water, but being forced to stay on land levels the playing field. And after my little visit, they'll be short on manpower."
"Wha…you killed them, didn't you, Zoro?" Nami asked, giving the swordsman a sly questioning grin.
"Why am I not surprised?" Sanji asked himself as he shook his head, "You are the pirate hunter after all, Moss-head."
"Anyway, it sounds like it's all settled!" Luffy declared, "Let's have Arlong gloat in his false confidence. We'll go ahead and lead the charge at the front gates. With Arlong and his thugs distracted, the Elgrings and the Sun Pirates can attack the sea gate from the south."
"And once we're inside, Arlong will have nowhere to run," said Willy with a chuckle, "In the end, it seems Boss Jinbei got what he wanted: humans and fish-men united together in a common cause."
"Then it sounds like we're all prepared," said Nami as she stood up, "I got some business to attend to back at Cocoyashi Village, but I'll stay in touch with you guys before the final assault."
"I'll go with you," said Luffy, "I can handle any of Arlong's men roaming the island myself, but I just need to scout ahead so we don't get ambushed on the way."
"In that case, both of you be cautious," said Willy, taking out a box and opening the lid, revealing six snails in spiraling shells, "You can use these to keep contact with one another. They're the very latest models from the Grand Line. Transponder Snail earpieces." Each one of the Straw Hats took one of the snails and placed it in one of their ears.
"We'll let you all know if anything happens while we're gone," said Luffy as he and Nami then left the longhouse, making their way south, towards Cocoyashi Village. The time for minor skirmishes was over: war was now looming on the horizon, and by the time the sun set this day, Ragnarok would befall Arlong Park!
Back at Belle-Mere's old home, Nojiko finally noticed that there was someone inside as she walked through the family's old tangerine orchard. Upon opening the doors, she was shocked to see who it was.
"Nami!? Is that you?!" She asked, "What are you doing back home? You never stop here anymore."
"I know that, but I won't stay here for long," Nami replied, "I'm just resting a little bit. How have things been in the village? I…heard what happened with Gosa."
"It's only gotten worse," said Nojiko as she sat down at the table, "Though some interesting developments happened. Someone finally stood up to Arlong and lived to tell the tale, or at least he was when I last saw him. Some long-nosed guy who was armed with a bow and arrow named Usopp."
"You know?!" Nami asked, shocked that Nojiko would have met Usopp.
"Yeah, he calls himself some kinda captain. He seemed kinda like a liar, though," Nojiko replied, "Nami, what's going on? I saw you smile at Mom's grave. We both know that's rare for you. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen you smile in years."
"I initially planned…to use them," she replied, "I thought I could just use them as pawns for the deal with Arlong…but, I couldn't bring myself to stab them in the back like that. The truth is, when I was with them, the only thing I forgot about was the pain that I bear…these guys took down Buggy the Clown, Captain Kuro, even Don Krieg of all pirates," Nami couldn't help but remember how Luffy and her friends fought alongside her, taking down Kuro, Buggy and even Don Krieg like it was nothing. "Once I'm done here…I'm gonna join up with those guys, and sail around the world." Nojiko couldn't help but be flabbergasted. Nami befriended people who took down Krieg!? No wonder she seemed so happy.
"No way…Nami, are you actually saying that Krieg was beaten by your friends!?" She asked, "There's just no way…!"
"That's what I thought at first," Nami replied, smiling as she looked back on it, "But…once you meet these guys, then you'll understand. Arlong's rule will be over! Cocoyashi Village will be free; I will be free…and then…I'll finally be able to smile again, for real."
Meanwhile, at Njordholm, Willy finally met with Commodore Purin, who looked completely worse for wear, and handed him the ledger.
"This is it, Commodore," said the orca fish-man, "All the evidence you need to implicate every single one of Arlong's accomplices." The look on the officer's face said it all. He was absolutely dumbstruck that corruption ran rife in his very organization.
"I…I just can't believe it! After all this time…" He muttered, then stamped his boot on the ground in anger, "To think that my own colleagues would collude with pirates for money!" Purin then regained his composure and looked back up at Willy, "Thank you for your cooperation, Willy. Rest assured, we'll get this sent to Marineford immediately."
"I'm glad to hear it," said Willy, "You and your men are more than welcome to participate in the fight against Arlong as well, seeing as he destroyed your ship after all. We'll need all the manpower we can get."
"Of course. We'd be happy to help, Willy, as you are quartermaster for one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Our sabres and pieces are yours to command."
Back at the port of Cocoyashi Village, the entire village once more looked out at the coast and were in for quite the shock ahead.
"Look! There's another Marine ship docked at harbor!" Shouted one of the villagers.
"That's Branch 16's ship!" Proclaimed another, "Maybe Marineford is taking action after what happened to Branch 77." As the Marines disembarked, they made way for their commanding officer, and Captain Nezumi made his way forward towards the villagers.
"I'm Captain Nezumi of Branch 16," he declared, "Now then. Genzo, please step up! And be quick about it!"
"Yessir," said Genzo as he approached, "I'm the one you're looking for, Captain. How can I help you?"
"You, huh? Take me to Nami's house at once!" Nezumi ordered.
"Nami?! But why!?" Genzo asked, shocked by the request, "I'm afraid I don't understand what's happening, Captain."
"Lead the way! That is all you need to do," said Nezumi, with a devious grin. It was clear now that trouble was afoot, and Nami was at the heart of it!
As Genzo led Nezumi and his Marines through Cocoyashi Village, everyone just stopped at the horrible sight: those men were heading right for Nami and Nojiko's home! Yet as they walked, Luffy only stood stock still as he saw them.
'What the…why are the Marines here?!' he thought, 'Something's wrong…!'
"So, why do the Marines want Nami?" Genzo asked, only for Nezumi to chuckle sinisterly at him.
"That's classified information," said Nezumi, "Your job is to lead the way quietly." As they walked past, Luffy couldn't help but notice the pinwheel atop Genzo's peaked cap.
"A hat pinwheel…where'd he get that?" Luffy asked himself only to smile, "I think I just thought up of a brand new move!"
Back at her house, Nami was completely unaware of the danger that approached her. She only went out into the tangerine orchard, confident that the army was ready, the fleet was prepared, and in no time at all…she'd not only have 100 million berries, but the Vikings, Sun Pirates and her fellow Straw Hats would forever rid her home island of Arlong and his gang.
"One more little check on the stash," she muttered, "Well, let's get to it!" Yet at that precise moment, the sound of footsteps caught her off guard. Nami turned and saw Genzo leading a battalion of Marines right to her family's lands! 'Marines!? Why is Genzo with them!?' Nami thought, 'This was by no means part of the plan!'
"Are you the pirate thief known as Nami?" he asked, much to her shock, "Our intel has revealed that you have acquired a large sum of treasure that you stole from pirates, and buried it somewhere in this tangerine orchard." Nami and Genzo were both horrified at the revelation. How could these men have known about her deeds?! "Now, you stole from pirates, so we have no intention of arresting you. In fact, we applaud your efforts to curb the actions of these brigands, but I'm afraid their treasure is classified under evidence. Therefore, as of this moment, your little hoard becomes the sole property of the government. It is necessary that you comply immediately!"
Nami could feel her heart sinking in her chest. How could the Marines have found out about her little stint!? There was no way she could let this happen. There was just no way this was happening. It was as if this was a nightmare! She had to do all within her power to stop the Marines from undoing all her hard work, or all would be lost!
A/N: Uh-oh! We've seen this Marine captain before, haven't we? Nami's in big trouble now, or is she?
So, you might be wondering about Hroðgar - well, like the Wolf Clan, he is also loosely based on one of the main characters from the epic poem, Beowulf. In the poem, Hroðgar was a king of the Danes, although Hroðgar is the Old English version of his name. In Old Norse, his name is Hróarr. Hroðgar is also an important character in the Norse Sagas, as his nephew, Hrólfr Kraki has his own saga. When Hroðgar died in battle, a Swedish king by the name of Aðils usurped Hrólfr's throne. Seeking revenge, Hrólfr raised an army of 120 men, including 12 berserkers, and reclaimed his kingdom from Aðils.
Also, we have more fish-men representing whales, and even minks too! I figured that it would be appropriate for Willy's crew to resemble marine mammals, as a way to oppose Arlong's crew.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed, and stay tuned for the next chapter, because things are about to get heated!