Arlong Park

Nami quickly led the group into the Orange Grove.

The moment they entered, they saw a blue-haired girl anxiously and furiously confronting a group of Marines.

"Are you okay, Nojiko?!"

Nami rushed over to Nojiko's side, then immediately turned to look at the Marines opposite them.

Before she could question them, a shifty-looking Marine officer with three long whiskers on each cheek stepped forward.

"Hehehehe, I'm Colonel Nezumi of the 16th Marine Branch."

"We received intelligence that stolen loot was hidden here."

"Now, all of it will be confiscated."

Colonel Nezumi wore a treacherous grin as he spoke, gesturing behind him. Several subordinates had dug up a wooden chest filled with treasure.

Nami's face darkened. She did not act rashly, instead thinking frantically, Why did the Marines know about this place? I'd always been extremely careful.

No one but Nojiko knew where the money was hidden, and there was absolutely no way Nojiko would betray me.

Could it be...

At that thought, Nami nearly ground her teeth to pieces as several words squeezed out from between them. "You bastards!"

"Hehehehe, what are you talking about? This colonel doesn't quite understand."

"Did Arlong's pirates send you here?!"

"Hey, hey, hey. Arlong and his people are a lawful organization that pays their taxes on time, not pirates."

"You... What kind of Marines are you?!"

Nami was so furious she could barely speak. Nojiko stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her.

She was afraid that Nami's agitation would lead to even worse consequences.

"Bzzzt—bzzzt!"

At that moment, the piercing whine of a chainsaw suddenly rang out.

Every Marine's gaze was instantly drawn toward it.

A hideous demon with three enormous chainsaws growing from its body charged at them at high speed.

"What is that?!"

"Open fire! Stop it!"

The Marines were not the only ones panicking. Nami turned toward Reiner and the others, shouting, "Wait! If you attack the Marines..."

"Pirates care about that?!"

Luffy cut Nami off and charged forward in a rage.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bullets poured out, but they had no effect whatsoever when they struck the Chainsaw Devil and Luffy.

Neither of them slowed in the slightest, reaching the Marines in the blink of an eye.

"Guns don't work on them!"

"Damn it, what kind of monsters are these?!"

"You idiots, get up there and protect me!"

Colonel Nezumi cursed furiously as he staggered backward in panic, trying to hide among the crowd.

But the soldiers could not stop them at all.

Gomu Gomu no Muchi!

Luffy stretched out his leg and swept the Marines in front of him aside with a single whip kick.

The Chainsaw Devil headed straight for Colonel Nezumi.

"Bzzzt—bzzzt!"

The sharp sound rose behind Colonel Nezumi, like nails scraping across glass. It made his skin crawl.

"W-w-wait!"

"Who the hell are you people?!"

"I'm a Marine colonel! If you attack me..."

Splat!

Before he could finish, the spinning chainsaw viciously slashed across his chest.

A horrifying wound instantly opened up, blood pouring from it without end.

"Ahhh!!!"

"Colonel Nezumi!"

The Marines watched in panic as their colonel collapsed to the ground and wailed in agony, but not one of them dared step forward to help him.

Terror filled Colonel Nezumi's face. Sitting limp on the ground, he kicked his feet against the dirt and scrambled backward while begging, "Please, don't kill me! I'll give you money! I'll give you lots and lots of money!"

But the Chainsaw Devil remained silent, only advancing toward him one slow step at a time.

"Ah!"

"No!"

"Stop... stop!"

The two grotesque chainsaws sent Colonel Nezumi out of this world in pain and terror.

"Colonel Nezumi is dead!"

"Run!"

"A demon! He's a demon!"

As the Marines scattered and fled, Reiner directly recalled the Chainsaw Devil. He had no hobby of killing for pleasure.

"Let's go. We'll find Arlong directly. Lead the way, Nami."

Luffy lowered the brim of his straw hat and spoke coldly. It was obvious that he was in a terrible mood.

"O-okay."

Nami answered shakily. Everything had ended too quickly, and she still had not fully processed it.

"You were too careless."

Zoro emerged from the orange grove with two fish-men in his hands.

Arlong had probably sent them to secretly watch the Marines and make sure Colonel Nezumi did not pocket anything for himself.

Zoro tossed the two fish-men onto the ground. Each had a deep sword wound, and neither showed any sign of life.

"Not bad, Zoro. You're pretty alert." Reiner praised him with a smile.

Nojiko looked at them and could not stop trembling. "Nami, who are these people?"

"It's okay, Nojiko. They're all my companions. We came back this time..."

Determination flashed in Nami's eyes. "To overthrow Arlong!"

"Wait, Nami!"

"Don't say another word, Nojiko! I've made up my mind. I believe in my companions."

"Luffy, Reiner, Zoro, let's go."

Nami released Nojiko's hand and spoke without looking back.

Leaving Nojiko standing there alone in a daze.

"...Nami."

Nojiko's expression was complicated as she watched them head toward Arlong Park.

Inside Arlong Park.

Beneath a towering structure, a group of fish-men laughed and played in the swimming pool.

A row of lounge chairs had been placed beneath the long awning beside it.

A large purple-skinned man reclined in one of them. He had a long, sharp saw-like nose, a mouth full of jagged teeth, and wore a felt hat over his wild hair.

"Hahahaha! I wonder what expression Nami will make when she learns that everything she saved over so many years has been taken away."

Arlong laughed loudly, and the officers gathered around him eagerly joined in.

"Boss, that was a brilliant move. But Nami will probably guess that we were working with the Marines, right?"

"So what if she knows? Do you think she can resist me? Hahahaha!"

"Then we'll make her save another hundred million, and harvest her again."

"As long as the village remains under my control, she'll never be able to resist me! Hahaha!"

Arlong's sinister laughter echoed throughout the park.

"Come to think of it, Hatchan has been gone with Colonel Nezumi and the others for so long, he should be back by now..."

Bang—

Before Arlong could finish speaking, a tremendous crash rang out.

The park gates were blasted away by brute force, slamming into and pinning down several nearby fish-men.

"What happened?!"

"Hey, are you guys okay?!"

"Who is it?!"

The huge commotion drew everyone's attention.

Arlong frowned and looked over coldly.

Through the thick smoke, a familiar orange-haired figure slowly walked in with several others.

"Hahahaha, it's Nami."

Arlong recognized Nami among them, then looked mockingly at the people accompanying her.

"From the looks of things, you haven't come here with friendly intentions."

"You're Arlong, right?!" Luffy shouted with a dark expression, walking straight toward Arlong, who was surrounded by several fish-men.

Reiner's eyes gleamed as he surveyed the park. All kinds of fish-men in and around the pool were staring at them.

Two, four, eight, eighteen... Heh, not bad at all.

He was already delighted inside. Fish-men were naturally excellent swimmers, and their arm strength was generally ten times that of humans.

Whether used as sailors for miscellaneous work aboard a ship or as fodder in battle, they would be extremely useful.