Attack on Arlong Park
"Huh? Hey! Who are those two!?" A villager called out, amongst the angry mob as they approached the front gates of the Arlong park fortress. "They don't look like fishmen. What are they doing here?"
The combative and anger the mob of villagers expressed at the time was replaced with confusion and restlessness when they reached the fishmen's fortress. Instead of finding members of Arlong's crew guarding the gate, they spotted Johnny and Yosaku. The two partners sat crisscrossed in front of the gate, their bodies leaning against the large steel doors of the fortress.
Their determined faces were bloody and bruised, showing signs that they had partaken in a scuffle. Their swords laid a few meters away from them, stuck blade first into the ground. Yosaku's metal headband had been cracked while Johnny's glasses were askew. It was clear that they had been physically attacked in some way.
Genzo called out to the two swordsmen. "Hey! Are you two alright? What happened? Were you done in by Arlong?"
Johnny lifted his head and stared at him with steely eyes. " Yeah. We challenged them in order to make up for doubting sister Nami. But we lost to them just by a hair.."
Yosaku nodded in tandem with Johnny's words. The villagers glanced at one another with worried looks, but they were still determined to march into Arlong park anyway to give Arlong the beating that he deserved, or at least die trying.
"We're sorry to hear that but could you please move out of the way?!" One of the village men said. "We have some business of our own to settle with those fishmen!"
A village woman nodded fiercely. "Yeah! We're gonna tear that Arlong limb from limb!"
"I'm sorry, but we can't let you." Johnny said, wiping some of the dry blood away from his right cheek. "No offense but none of you stand so much as a chance of winning."
"We know that, but that won't stop us!" Genzo growled, grinding his teeth together. "That Arlong needs to pay for what he's done! We won't be treated like his slaves any longer!"
"Going in there won't be necessary!" Yosaku announced, and in doing so, forcing the crowd to pause. "We're waiting for a group that will undoubtedly come soon enough! They will be the ones to take down Arlong!"
"A group?" Genzo repeated, raising a brow. "What the hell are you talking about?"
As if on cue, it was then Yosaku and Johnny smiled, their eyes catching wind of approaching figures in the distance.
They both cried in unison. "There!"
All eyes swiveled toward the distant road, straining to make out the figures approaching. Emerging from the horizon were six individuals marching toward the large and forbidding gates of the fishmen fortress. At the forefront was Luffy, flanked by Zoro on his right and Ryuza on his left. Following them were Yamato, Sanji, and Usopp. Each of their faces were set in stone—their eyes locked onto their singular objective.
As he walked, Ryuza felt a strange energy surge through him, a feeling mirrored by both his close ally and their unlikely band of companions. He could only imagine Arlong and his crew inside the fortress, laughing. Taking pleasure in the fact that they were making life miserable for the villagers. The thought alone made the young samurai scowl, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. He would enjoy delivering swift justice to the evil doers.
As ludicrous as it sounded, he also felt a bit of excitement as well. Ever since he had begun his training under the eyes of his master, he had always dreamt of taking part in great battles that would result in defeating evil and freeing others from the tightened jaws of tyranny. While the Baratie was just a small taste in what it felt like—Ryuza could tell that this battle would partly fulfill his dreams.
While he and his allies approached the steel gate, the crowd of villagers moved away as the group of six passed by them, splitting to make a path like a parting river. He knew that enemies were waiting just beyond the walls. Perhaps they were already aware of the fact that he and the others were coming to fight. Regardless, these thoughts did not deter the young samurai.
Zoro grunted, eyeing the steel gate to the fortress. "Huh, looks like they fixed the front gate. Even after what Yamato did. Gotta give them credit, those fishmen work fast."
"It doesn't matter if they fixed it." Yamato said with a grin, her hand tightening around the hilt of her mace. "I'll be glad to bring it down again, just like last time!"
"Do it, Yamato." Ryuza said, giving her a nod, but keeping eyes straight ahead.
She turned to him and smiled. Her cheeks turned a rosey shade, and her eyes shimmered excitedly. It was as if the mere thought of being able to finally make a name for herself gave her a renewed burst of energy.
"With pleasure!" She shouted.
The crowd of villagers took a step back as the 'ogre princess' took a swift step toward the gate, her kanabo mace at her side. She gripped the handle of her weapon and with two hands—her orange colored eyes glowing with focused intensity. With a loud battle cry, she charged forward and swung her mace into the metal gate. The sound of her steel mace connecting with the gates sounded similar to that of cannon fire and the force of her swing felt as if the entire island quaked. The steel gates groaned and fell over under Yamato's might as if they were made of a paper material rather than steel.
As the doors collapsed with a thunderous sound, the fishmen inside became violently attentive. Through the dust, Ryuza saw glimpses of their shocked expressions as they turned toward the breach created at their gates. They were most likely stunned that someone would enter their fortress in such an explosive manner. No one on the entire island dared to approach them so boldly, until now.
Luffy was the first to call out to them. "Oi!" He yelled, his eyes were filled with the same blunt determination, even as the dust had not fully been cleared. "Who's the one here called, Arlong?"
The fishmen glared at him, as if offended by the mere question. Ryuza followed some of their glances to the center. And standing at the center of the violent group of fishman, was Arlong himself who still remained reclined in his chair near the entrance of the fortress tower. His eyes narrowed dangerously, zeroing in on the group of humans that forced their way into his base.
Ryuza took in the fishman captain's appearance, seeing him in person for the first time since arriving on the island. Even though he had been sitting in a chair, Ryuza could tell that he was about just as tall as Yamato. His blue skin hidden beneath his yellow buttoned jacket appeared scaly. His teeth were as sharp as razor knives, and his nose looked even sharper. His men stood beside him, each distinct in appearance, but all sharing fish-like qualities.
Gura, the hulking fishman, eyed the group, his muscles bulging underneath his scales. "Who is this brat?"
"Fresh meat that's looking to die." Sharptooth said, hissing menacingly.
Yamato tilted her head to the side as her eyes scanned the large group of fishman pirates that filled the front yard of the fortress. "Which one is Arlong?" She asked.
"The long nosed one." Zoro said. "He's the one Nami has been talking too about money and stuff. That creep sitting in the chair."
"Him? I thought he'd be the giant one over there." Sanji said, pointing out Gura who stood out amongst the group.
From his appearance, Ryuza could tell that Arlong would be a difficult opponent to challenge. While the other fishman seemed ready to fight, he still was seated, and confidently so. Was it because he knew that none of them could threaten his might? Ryuza shook his head at the prospect and remained determined. It mattered little whether or not Arlong was or was not concerned. Ryuza would duel him regardless.
While both sides remained silent—gauging each other from a distance, Luffy took the first step forward. Each fishmen tensed when the young pirate approached them. As Luffy moved, two fishmen, much larger than he was, stood in the way of his path.
"Hey, wait a minute." One said, smirking arrogantly. "You can't just go talkin to our captain without going through us first. So why don't you—"
The fishman was not given the courtesy of finishing his sentence. Before he could utter the next syllable, Luffy forcefully grasped the side of his head with one hand and the head of the second fishman with the other. Pulling on the side of their heads, Luffy smashed the two fishmen's heads into one another. The sound of bone splintering echoed, giving way to loud cries of pain. The two fishmen dropped to the floor unconscious, and Luffy continued his march toward Arlong.
"That straw hat," Ryuza mumbled, displeased by the sight. "Already claiming first blood again."
"Again? Don't tell me you guys are trying to outdo each other again." Sanji said. He seemed to overhear Ryuza's mumbling. "You two made a bet at the Baratie, and now you're trying to do it here?"
"You guys actually made a bet out of that fight?" Usopp said, his voice raised and his eyes wide.
Before Ryuza could open his mouth to reply, Luffy did the unthinkable. It was something that not even the young samurai would have expected him to do. Upon drawing closer to Arlong, Luffy instantly launched his fist forward. The limb—stretching out like a long snake, shot through the crowd of fishmen, and was aimed directly for Arlong. The fishman captain could only blink before the fist collided with the side of his jaw. The ferocious extended punch forced Arlong from his seat and sent him flying. His body tumbled across the fortress floor before coming to a crashing conclusion into the wall of the fortress on the opposite side of the yard.
The fishmen stared at their captain in shock. A wave of uncertainty had suddenly washed over Arlong's crew. Ryuza guessed that them seeing their captain knocked off his feet and laying in the debris of his own fortress walls may have disheartened them. It was not what he would have done personally, but it was an excellent strategy to lower their enemy's confidence. Then again, Ryuza pondered if shattering the fishmen's will to fight was Luffy's true intentions, or if it was that he simply wanted to claim first blood in their challenge.
"Captain!" One of the fishmen said, crying out in dismay.
Usopp's mouth dropped as he took a step back. "Jeez! Already starting from the get go?!"
Zoro grinned, seemingly enjoying the sight of Arlong and his crew in disarray. "You really expected him to do something different?"
"Do not worry Usopp-San." Yamato grinned, glancing down at her smaller ally. "Surely this battle will be small time in comparison to when you took on an entire crew of forty men and their captain by yourself!"
"Fifty Yamato." Ryuza said, making sure to keep his eye on the crew of fishmen. "It was Fifty men. Not fourty."
Usopp's eyes nearly popped out of his skull from exaggerated shock. "You guys still believe that?!" He said, practically screaming.
As if suddenly enraged by the sudden strike against their leader, the fishmen of Arlong's crew burst into action—their rage filled screams echoing across the fortress. Numerous fishmen lunged at Luffy with their weapons drawn and teeth barred. They held swords, spears, and even axes in their hands—all meant to strike Luffy down with bloody and vengeful ease.
"How dare you do that to the captain!?" A fishman screamed.
"You'll pay for that!" Another cried.
I won't allow him to take any more of the glory. Ryuza thought to himself.
Ryuza, already eager to do battle against the fishmen, lunged forward, seeing an opening for a swift attack. He dashed ahead, unsheathing his sword with a quick flick of his wrist as he pulled it from its scabbard. The ebony steel of his blade gleamed in the sunlight overhead, shimmering as he prepared to slay his foes. With a quick swing, the blade traced a deadly arc through the air, as if the wind itself nearly fell victim to being cut. Caught off guard, the attacking fishmen had no time to react. Ryuza's sword cleaved through them each of them effortlessly with a single stroke. Five bodies of fishmen collapsed to the cold ground with dying breaths.
Witnessing the sudden downfall of their brethren, the fishmen set their sights on Ryuza. Some of them changed their directory from Luffy, and lunged at him with weapons raised. Ryuza prepared to defend himself against their attacks, until he heard the sound of familiar heavy footsteps from behind.
Leaping into the air above Ryuza, Yamato came down on the attacking fishmen like a fatal thunderbolt. She twirled her mace and with a loud cry of a warrior and slammed it into the ground. The cool floor of the fortress cracked, shattering as if the sea itself was affected by a tremor. A shockwave burst forth with incredible force. The fishmen quickly lost their footing and were sent flying back by the inhuman power of Yamato's blunt force.
The other fishmen that had witnessed their brethren dispatched in such a way hesitated for a moment, seemingly having second thoughts about attempting to launch another attack. Ryuza would not have given chase to them had they decided to retreat. His true target there was Arlong.
However, instead of fleeing, a group of them lunged at Ryuza and Yamato with swords and spears pointed. Ryuza raised his sword, and Yamato reeled her mace back with an excited grin. Just then, Sanji joined the intense battle and leapt forward with his leg outstretched. He
performed a series of rapid kicks that were as fast as a heartbeat and each kick found its target. His leg slammed into the chest and side of the attacking fishmen, which sent them spinning into the air and down into one of the many pools that surrounded the courtyard.
Ryuza blinked, taking in how fast Sanji was able to move and deliver such strong attacks. He had nearly forgotten how impressive the blonde cook's attacks were. The remaining fishmen grunts hesitated, unsure whether it was wise to charge in again.
"Looks like the small fries are starting to get scared." Sanji said, smoke blowing from the end of his cigarette and glancing over at Luffy. "Why'd you go charging in all by yourself like that?"
Luffy kept his fierce eyes on Arlong who was beginning to rise to his feet. "Don't worry. I ain't gonna lose to him."
"Luffy-San is quite brave." Yamato said. She smiled and hoisted her mace over her shoulder.
"More like a glory hogger." Zoro added.
Ryuza glanced at Zoro. "There's plenty of glory to be had, Zoro-san. Considering how many enemies are around." His eyes shifted back onto Arlong. "But their captain, the long nosed one, is mine."
"Not if I beat him to a pulp first!" Luffy said boldly, cracking his knuckles. "My next punch will send him flying even further!"
"No, it will be my sword that will cut him down!" Ryuza said, attempting to speak just as loudly as he was.
Luffy gave Ryuza a glance and beamed. "Wrong again! My fists will knock him dead, and I will be the hero of the seas!"
"Hero of the seas?" Ryuza said, stunned by the declaration. He nearly thought Luffy was serious, until he saw the mischievous shimmer in his eye. "Wait, you're mocking me, aren't you!?"
"Just a little." Luffy snickers and slammed his fist into his own palm as if he were even more fired up than before.
"You're both wrong! In the name of Kozuki Oden, I will be the one to achieve victory here!" Yamato said while she laughed.
"I have the utmost faith in you Yamato-chan!" Sanji cooed, practically swooning and swaying at the sight of Yamato's boldness.
Zoro watched from the side and chuckled, shaking his head. "Those guys…." Then, he glanced over at Usopp, who appeared slightly put off by the three being so eager for battle. "You know, I'm surprised that you're sticking around. I thought you would have ran off by now."
"Huh? Of course I'm sticking around!" Usopp said, feinting a face full of bravery and courage, his goggles glinting in the sunlight. "As if I would ever retreat from a fight!"
As Arlong was slow to get to his feet, the officers of his crew quickly surrounded him, as if providing a protective barrier with their bodies. Ryuza studied them, each appearing deadly in their own right. It was clear that they were not intimidated like the grunts of the fishmen crew. By the looks in their eyes, they had every intention to protect Arlong from any further attacks. Ryuza knew that if he were going to reach Arlong and slay him, then these officers would have to be defeated first.
"Roronoa Zoro!" Kurobi said with a deadly growl. "You dare show your face here after attacking our brethren!? The nerve of you humans!"
"Yeah, he's got some nerve alright." Gura rumbled, towering over the other officers. "I can't wait to beat it out of him."
"Hey, wait a minute! That's them!" Hachi suddenly cried, pointing accusingly at Zoro and Yamato. "Those are the ones that tricked me! How dare they take me for a ride! No wait, I was the one who actually gave them a ride!"
"That's the demon that has been attacking us!" One fishman suddenly said, pointing his webbed finger at Yamato. "The one that's been eluding us all this time! The bodies of our brethren that we found in the forest was her doing! And the long nosed one! How can he still be alive?"
"Yamato," Ryuza said, glancing over at her. "Exactly how much trouble did you get into on the island?"
"It was quite the adventure!" Yamato said, beaming proudly. "They chased me all over the island trying to capture me but they were no match! No one was going to stop me from rescuing Zoro-San!"
"I rescued myself." Zoro said with an indignant tone. "You horned idiot."
"Horned idiot? But I did my absolute best to rescue you Zoro-san!" Yamato said, her tone taking an exaggerated whine. "Why do you have to be so cruel?"
"So you're all in cahoots huh?" Arlong said, finally rising to his feet. He stared at the group, taking each of them in. "I should have guessed you were all a bunch of no name pirates."
"Wrong! I am no pirate!" Ryuza said, his voice raised as if he were making an announcement. "I am a samurai! Here to free this village from your reign of tyranny once and for all!"
"Huh? A samurai?" A fishmen muttered from the side. "What's a samurai doing all the way out here?"
While Ryuza visibly kept a focused expression, he could not help but smile internally at the confused and intimidated looks on the faces of the grunts in Arlong's crew. Perhaps each of them had heard stories about samurai but had never seen one. He would be the first they had ever laid their eyes on, and he would make every rumor and tale about how great samurai were a reality.
"You aren't gonna start doing some long speech next are you?" Zoro asked with a smirk.
"No speeches!" Luffy shouted, raising his fists into the air. "Let's beat this guy up already!"
Ryuza blushed and threw the green haired swordsman a glare, struggling to maintain his composure. "I will not waste my time with a speech. It's best that we finish this as fast as we can."
The young samurai dashed toward Arlong, his blade held tightly in his hands. He planned on cutting Arlong down before Luffy or anyone else could steal his glory. He would not have the honor of slaying a ruthless pirate captain stolen from him again. If he could defeat Arlong in a single blow, he would surely be known as the Sword god across the sea.
However, before Ryuza could reach his target, something dashed past him. He could not make out its figure. The young samurai leapt back, just making out the gleam of a sharp dagger that nearly slashed his face. He shifted his eyes, his alertness at an all time high. The blur quickly found its way back to him and just in the nick of time, Ryuza brought his sword up to stop Sharptooth's pointed dagger from plunging into his eye.
"You pathetic humans really think you stand a chance against us?" Sharptooth laughed, his razor sharp teeth glinting in the light as he grinned. "Don't make us laugh! We'll make quick work of you!"
Sharpooth slashed at Ryuza with his second dagger and forced the young samurai to leap away. Ryuza was immediately on the defensive. He could barely see Sharptooth when he had first attacked. The fishmen moved so fast to a point where Ryuza nearly thought that he was a phantom of sorts. If he were to move in such a way again, Ryuza may not parry the attack.
Suddenly, the crew members of the Arlong pirates leapt back into the fray. Numerous fishmen charged the group, attempting to surround and overwhelm them. Ryuza, refusing to allow them to control the tide of the fight, charged at them in turn, slashing through a fishmen's chest before he could raise his sword. Another fishmen lunged at him with a spear in hand, attempting to plunge it into his abdomen. Ryuza sidestepped the lunging fishman's spear, his sword gleaming in anticipation. In an impossibly fluid motion, he executed a lightning-quick spin, slashing horizontally through the air. His blade cut through not only the spear but also two more fishmen who had charged at him, all falling simultaneously, incapacitated in a single, sweeping arc.
Sanji smirked, adjusting the collar of his suit as he met the incoming wave of fishmen. With a well-placed spin, he executed a devastating roundhouse kick. The numerous fishmen were sent flying, crashing into each other before hitting the ground or tumbling into the surrounding pools of water.
Zoro brandished his three swords, settling into his familiar three-sword style stance. Without missing a beat, he lunged forward, his blades dancing through the air in a blinding array of strikes. Each stroke was a crescendo, a deadly pirouette that left his opponents disarmed and defeated.
Yamato clenched her kanabo tightly, eyes narrowing with focus. She swung her weapon, channeling her immense strength into each hit. With a single, ground-shattering thump, she flattened a group of fishmen, their bodies creating a small crater in the earth as they tumbled away.
Luffy grinned from ear to ear, stretching his arm back before latching it onto a nearby fishman. "Gomu Gomu no...Rocket!" He yelled, propelling his elasticized arm forward to grasp the unfortunate fishman.
Using his incredible strength and stretchy limbs, Luffy began to spin, the captured fishman acting like a flail. As he spun faster and faster, the fishmen surrounding them were swept off their feet and sent flying, clearing the area in a whirlwind of chaos.
The sight of their men being so easily bested made the fishmen unhappy. Instead of allowing it to continue, they decided to use the hidden ace they had up their sleeve.
Hachi grabbed his long mouth and raised it into the air."You fools!" He shouted. "As if Arlong would fight with the likes of you! Come on out! Momoo!"
Hachi let out a trumpet like sound from his long mouth, the sound echoing and verbating within the pools of water. The entire courtyard began to rumble as something was awakened and was on the move. Ryuza snapped his head to the largest pool at the center of the area, and could see the water tremor. Whatever was approaching, it was coming from that spot.
"It can't be!" One of the villagers screamed. "It's the monster from the grand line!"
Out of the water raised something large enough to tower over even the outer gates of the fortress. The beast in question had eyes that glowed menacingly, and sharp teeth that had been ready to devour its victims. Zoro quickly stood poised, grabbing the hilt of his blade. Yamato was shocked at the sight of the large creature but held her mace in front of her.
"Gyaaaah! It's a monster!" Usopp screamed, staring up at the beast with wide eyes.
"Wait….that's no monster…" Ryuza said. He recognized the creature as the one that assisted them in reaching the island once he had befriended it.
His focused state was replaced with childlike wonder and excitement when he realized what the beast actually was. It was the cow like creature that they had befriended in the middle of the ocean and carried them to Arlong park. 'Momoo' must have been the true name of the creature.
"Huh? Him again?" Sanji asked, with no panic in his voice. "So he's one of them, huh?"
"Didn't expect to see him again." Luffy added, crossing his arms.
"Majestic creature!" Ryuza ran up to the creature and smiled. "It is good to see that you are unharmed after our crash!"
Momoo's menacing demeanor shifted into a curious look, and then into a look of recognition.. Its large rounded black eyes gazed for a closer inspection, shifting from Ryuza to Sanji, and then to Luffy.
"Is this the cow creature you were talking about, Ryuza?!" Yamato asked. Her eyes shimmered like stars, as if she held back her own excitement at the sight of the beast.
"Yes! This is the creature that helped us reach the island!" Ryuza replied. "It is good to see you again. I didn't know Momoo was your real name!"
"Are you guys really trying to communicate with this thing?!" Usopp exclaimed in a panic. "It's on the enemy's side! Remember?!"
While Usopp's words rang true, Momoo did not move to attack. As Ryuza continued to express his excitement, Momoo let out another moo, but this time, it was more jubilant. It made sounds as if it was excited to see the young samurai again. It must have remembered that Ryuza had fed it when it was hungry out in the middle of the ocean.
"What is that stupid pet of yours doing Hachi?" Chew asked, clearly unamused by the sight.
"That's odd!" Hachi scratched his head. "He's never done something like that before! Momoo! Attack them! Attack!"
But Momoo seemed to ignore him and was more focused on the young samurai, its fin wagging beneath the water with excitement.
"Your pet is useless!" Sharptooth hissed.
"He's not useless!" Hachi argued. "He's just confused! Those guys are tricking him!"
"Momoo!" Arlong snapped. "What the hell do you think you are doing!? Kill them!"
Momoo froze upon hearing Arlong's voice. It's jubilant sounds were replaced with uncertain moos of fear. It's eyes showed obvious signs of being intimidated by Arlong. Ryuza could see the hesitation in the beast's eyes.
"Momoo! If you don't attack them…" Arlong grinned menacingly. "You know what will happen to you. You will be tonight's dinner! Attack them! Now!"
Momoo's eyes widened and it suddenly lunged at Ryuza with its jaws open in order to consume him. Sensing the danger, Yamato rushed forward to attack the beast before it could eat her friend. Luffy tried to intervene as well. He pulled his arm back, ready to punch Momoo so hard that he'd be sent flying.
Ryuza, meanwhile, was indecisive at that moment. On instinct, he raised his sword to defend himself but he hesitated to engage. Deep down, he felt as if it would have been a great dishonor to slay the creature that had assisted them. His master had always taught him a lesson in treating creatures with respect. At least the ones that would not flat out attack you on sight. In the land of Wano, samurai treated animals with a certain sense of compassion. They understood the importance of maintaining harmony amongst the lands they maintained or traveled. And that included not harming animals when it was not necessary. Save for hunting, or self defense.
Then again, there was the story of how the great Kozuki Oden once saved the capital of Wano from a raging and violent giant boar. Ryuza still remembered Yamato's squeal of excitement when his master told them the tale. But in that situation, the animal would have destroyed the village and killed countless people in the process if Kozuki Oden had not stepped in.
This creature, Momoo, was being forced into attacking them. Feeling that his sense of duty and compassion was leading him, Ryuza made the decision to not defend with his sword.
"Wait majestic creature! " Ryuza cried out. He sheathed his own sword his arms held outward. "Momoo We do not need to battle! I can see that your violence toward us is not of your will!"
Momoo paused his attack, coming inches from Ryuza. He was close enough to where he could have easily taken bite out of him, but the creature did not move. It's eyes trembled; showing signs of understanding Ryuza's words and being conflicted in the process.
"It actually stopped?" Johnny questioned, his eyes wide along with the villagers that watched.
"Yeah, it did the same thing back when we were still on our boat." Yosaku confirmed, watching the scene. "I can't believe it's actually working again."
"Momoo!" Ryuza exclaime again. "If you do not attack us you will remain unharmed! Do not listen to those pirates, for their day of reckoning is upon them! Flee from this place and we will take care of them! You have my word! On my samurai honor!"
"Momoo! Do as I command!" Arlong shouted, his patience growing thinner.
Momoo's eyes trembled, as if the weight of the decision bearing down on him. Ryuza stared up at him determinedly, nodding his head to show the creature that he would give his word to take down Arlong. Momoo gave the young samurai one last look before submerging himself back into the water, returning to the depths.
"That worked!?" Nojiko exclaimed, watching the scene along with the other villagers. "It's actually leaving!"
"Momoo! Get back here right now!" Arlong bellowed.
Despite the threatening edge in his voice, Momoo did not return. Ryuza smiled to himself, feeling accomplished in allowing the creature to leave, and that it had made the right decision. Now all that Ryuza needed to do was fulfill his promise, and take down the Arlong pirates.
"Didn't think that'd actually work." Zoro said, his hand still placed on the hilt of one of his swords.
"Well done, Ryuza-san!" Yamato laughed, relieved that the creature had retreated, and secretly hoping that she'd see it again.
As Arlong and his officers could only stare with either dumbfounded stares or seething anger, Kurobi crossed his arms. "Do not worry captain." He said. "We will not require Momoo to take these humans down."
"Yeah! How dare they turn Momoo against us!" Hachi shouted, his six fists raised into the air. "They'll pay for that!"
"I'll take pleasure in crushing their bones!" Gura growled, already taking a rumbling step forward.
Their declarations of war did not go unnoticed by Sanji. "Hey, they look quite unhappy." He said, taking a draw from his cigarette.
"Good!" Luffy replied. "I was wondering if they were really trying to kill us or not!"
"Of course they were!" Usopp snapped in the background, irritation evident in his voice.
Ryuza glanced over to the approaching Arlong pirate officers. His hardened demeanor quickly returned as he returned to his allies. He counted the number of officers which he guessed were the strongest of the crew, under Arlong that is. There were five of them, each one with a name of their own.
Kurobi, Hachi, Gura, Chew and Sharptooth. Each stood their ground, preparing to kill the humans that dared stand against them. Ryuza regarded his own allies, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Yamato. They were superior in numbers, even though it was only by one. But the young samurai was confident as he stood by them.
"Looks like we have to take these ones out first before getting to Arlong." Ryuza said, taking a deep breath.
"Good. It's about time the main force was out to meet us." Zoro grinned. "The small fry were just getting in the way."
"Did he call us small fry?!" Hachi suddenly screamed. "I'll show you small fry!"
Hachi suddenly bent down and began making odd gurgling noises. Before anyone could react, a large amount of ink released from his mouth, shooting toward the group like a wave of water.
Ryuza quickly lunged back to avoid the fluid, as did everyone else. All except Luffy, who took the full brunt of the attack and screamed as he was momentarily blinded. Without hesitation, Gura used his strength to rip a piece of the fortress's walls off and hold it over his head effortlessly.
"Why is that guy so strong?!" Usopp screamed at the sight. "Luffy look out!"
"Move already you idiot!" Zoro noticed Luffy had not bothered to dodge the ink or was planning to dodge the next attack. "Why are you standing there?!"
"Uh about that…" Luffy said. "I can't exactly see…or move…"
It was then Ryuza noticed that Luffy's legs were lodged within two holes he forcefully made into the ground during one of his attacks. The young samurai stared dumbfounded, wondering how deep Luffy went when forcing both of his feet into the the floor.
With Luffy trapped, Gura wasted no time throwing the large piece of the wall toward him. The shadow of the loose debris loomed over the young pirate as he was just reclaiming his vision from the ink that had splattered on his face earlier. As the debris grew closer, Sanji quickly bursted forward. He leapt into the air and with a sharp kick, shattered the flying debris, splitting it in two. The two pieces fell to the side, missing their mark as the group was unharmed.
Luffy's vision returned just in time to see who had saved him, "Wow! Way to go Sanji!"
Usopp blinked profusely before smiling. "Hah! Now I'm actually glad we brought him along with us!"
"Well done Sanji-san!" Yamato said with delight and surprise in her voice. "I didn't know you could kick like that! Your attacks must be extremely powerful!"
"It was no problem whatsoever, Yamato-chan!" Sanji replied bashfully, seeming to only take Yamto's compliment over anyone else's.
Before the blonde cook could say more, someone had shot past him in a blur. Sanji looked down and saw that a piece of his suit had been cut by something sharp. The blur shot past him again, at a speed where his blonde hair waved in the wind, and this time, another cut appeared on the upper part of his arm, this time drawing blood.
"What the hell?!" Sanji quickly went on the defensive, his eyes surveying where his attacker went and where they would attack from next.
Despite the speed, Ryuza quickly began to piece together what was happening. With the insurmountable speed, he figured that it was the piranha fishman who had stopped him from attacking Arlomg that was engaging Sanji. He quickly rushed forward to Sanji's side. The samurai training he had undergone at a young age was the solution to defeating this almost invisible enemy. The young samurai quickly drew a breath and closed his eyes. He would use his other senses to attack his opponent. If sight would not do, then sound had to suffice. Just to his right, he heard the sound of footsteps growing increasingly louder.
The young samurai swung his blade with two hands to Sanji's side, and the sound of two blades clashing together resonated in the air. Ryuza smirked as he saw Sharptooth's shocked and irritated expression at being stopped, both of daggers in front of him as he struggled to stop Ryuza's blade from pushing him back.
Usopp stared with his mouth agape as the attacker had been caught. "Woah! You got him! Way to go, Ryuza!"
"Son of a—" Sharptooth hissed. "I almost had him!"
Sanji wasted no time spinning on his heel and slamming his foot into the fishmen's jaw. "Go to hell you bastard!" He shouted. "Don't you dare ruin my suit!"
The fishmen was sent flying back by the power kick but quickly spun to his feet and came to a sliding stop on his heels. He raised his head and licked at chops, his eyes full of violent bloodlust and a goal of tearing through human flesh.
"Thanks for the assist." Sanji looked over to Ryuza.
"You saved my life at the Baratie." Ryuza regarded Sanji. "This is my way of turning the favor. I will handle this one."
"Huh? You sure?" Sanji asked before shaking his head with a knowing smile. "What am I saying? You've beaten that spikey bastard back at the restaurant. I'm sure you can take this guy."
Ryuza gave Sanji a knowing smile before turning his focused look back onto Sharptooth. He would slay this monster alone and then go after Arlong. The young samurai was prepared to proceed with the utmost caution, being fully aware that his samurai senses would be put to the test.
Behind him, Usopp had rushed forward in an attempt to tug Luffy free from his own mess. Zoro had become preoccupied with the other fishmen officer, Hachi and Sanji had been preparing to face down Kurobi. The villagers watched from their position beyond the breach within the fortresses's walls. A lot of them silently prayed that these newcomers would be the ones to finally rid their village of the evil pirates once and for all.
On the other side of the courtyard, Arlong was beginning to lose his patience that had not always been so lenient to begin with. His eyes shot over to Johnny, Yosaku, and the rest of the villagers. He grinned menacingly, an idea forming in his mind.
"Chew, Gura. These villagers appeared to be planning a rebellion." He looked at them both. "You know what that means, don't you?"
Chew chuckled and smirked "It means they need to be taught a lesson once again."
"Should we kill some of them this time?" Gura asked, cracking his knuckles. "We should be able to leave some around to keep paying us."
"Kill a lot of them for all I care. Maybe we've been too merciful and lenient with them!" Arlong pointed at them. "Maybe snapping some of their necks will be a better way of keeping them in line!"
The two Arlong pirate officers nodded and began making their way across the courtyard and toward the crowd. Johnny and Yosaku grasped their swords tightly, knowing that they'd have to defend the villagers. But after being beaten so easily by the fishmen the last time they fought, they wondered what their chances truly were.
Gura charged forward. His hulking body was poised to trample over Johnny and Yosaku, as well as a few other villagers.
"He's coming this way!" A villager shouted, fear evident in her voice.
Before the large fishmen reached his target however, the side of his face had suddenly been batted by Yamato's metal kanabo mace. The attack didn't send him flying like Yamato's usual opponents, but it did knock the large fishmen onto his side.
"The hell?! Who did that?!" He shouted as he rubbed the bruise on his cheek.
Yamato stood firm in front of Johnny, Yosaku, and the other villagers. The round end of her mace was firmly planted into the ground as she stood in front of the bystanders protectively, as if she were a bastion of hope and protection.
She shouted, almost heroically, "I did! I won't allow you to harm these villagers! You'll have to go through me first!"
"She really put you on your ass, Gura." Chew chuckled, crossing his arms. "That's the first I've ever seen someone take you down."
"Shut up!" Gura snapped, slowly rising to his feet. "That won't happen again! I'll make this one pay by pummeling her into the ground!"
Chew smirked at Yamato. "Right. She doesn't stand a chance against us. It's two on one after all."
The fishmen officer's observation was mistaken as the side of his face was suddenly hit with a projectile, and the sensation of burning fire suddenly took hold. He screamed, covering the burnt mark on his face, dropping to his one knee. Once the pain had subsided he snapped his head to the side.
"Who…who did that?!" Chew shouted with rage. "Who the hell did that?!"
"I did!" Usopp announced, standing on the other side of the courtyard. A slingshot, his choice of weapon, was firmly gripped in his hands. "It's actually two on two! How do you like my flame star?! It packs a bit of a punch, right?!"
"Well done Usopp-San!" Yamato exclaimed, smiling widely.
"Fine! If you want to die then I'll make it quick!" Chew shouted, sprinting toward his attacker.
Usopp blinked repeatedly, as if the situation had not fully set in. He then screamed, turned heel, and took off running down the road. Chew in his persistence, pursued him with fervor. Yamato glanced over, wondering if she should help him. But then she remembered that he had taken on an entire crew and their captain by himself. With that thought, she believed he would be fine.
"Fine! I don't need him!" Gura said, taking a step toward Yamato. "I can take you on myself!"
"You'll only fail in trying!" Yamato said confidently. "Once I've taken you down, I will then take Arlong down and free this village!"
The battle lines had officially been drawn not only within the fortress of Arlong park, but the entire island. Nojiko, Genzo and the other villagers watched on with stunned looks. Nojiko swallowed thickly, trying to determine whether or not the odd group were truly capable of defeating the Arlong pirates.
However, while everyone had been preoccupied with an opponent of their own, Luffy remained in his earlier position, his legs still trapped within the grounds of the fortress. He crossed his arms and curled his upper lip, wondering why Usopp had given up trying to pull him free.
"Uh…is anyone gonna help me out of this?" He asked aloud.