The Arlong Pirates ruled over more than twenty villages on the island.
Every month, the villagers had to pay the Arlong Pirates the full head tax.
If they could not pay, there was only one outcome: death.
If they dared to resist, their villages would be destroyed.
They had endured such a miserable existence for six whole years.
Today happened to be the monthly collection day.
A large group of fish-men marched into the village road.
The two fish-men at the front were both officers of the Arlong Pirates.
One was Kuroobi, who wore two braids and a blue karate uniform.
The other was A-Chiu, who had short tea-brown hair and lips as thick as sausages.
Cocoyasi Village was the village closest to Arlong's territory.
Therefore, it was the final stop for collecting the head tax.
Led by the two officers, the fish-men arrived at the guard booth in the middle of the village road.
There was no need for them to urge the villagers. One by one, the terrified villagers emerged from their houses, each holding the Beli they had prepared to hand over.
Kuroobi waited expressionlessly for the villagers to bring the money over of their own accord.
A-Chiu had both hands in his trouser pockets. He tilted his head slightly and looked around in boredom.
Behind them stood more than twenty fierce-looking fish-men.
"Move faster," one fish-man snarled.
The silent villagers handed over their money one after another.
When one villager moved a little too slowly, the fish-man collecting the money shoved him aside roughly.
The villager fell heavily to the ground, yet he did not dare show either anger or protest.
The villagers waiting nearby to pay remained as silent as the dead.
Faced with the powerful fish-men, they had no ability to resist and could