The Sea Kingdom's Old Grudges

Bering Sea, Several twisted chunks of metal billowing thick smoke barely retained the shape of ships.

"Great Shark Bullet Technique!"

Boom—

A gigantic shark formed from seawater lunged from the ocean, snapping at a small Ground-Effect Aircraft trying to flee.

Though it appeared to be a construct of seawater, bolstered by Spiritual Power, it effortlessly bit the "tax collection ship" apart with a crunch, like a crisp biscuit.

"Ahhh—"

"Help!!"

And those scattered "crumbs" were naturally the crew members who had failed to escape in time.

Before they could crawl out of the churning seawater, swarms of "sharks" surged toward them, dragging them into the depths.

"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey."

A middle-aged office worker flipped upright on the sea's surface, his slicked-back, gelled hair flattened by the water. Just as he was about to take a step, a figure suddenly burst out of the sea before him.

"Spare—"

Crunch.

A thick hand with five fingers clenched, cutting off the office worker's plea in his throat.

In his rapidly dimming eyes lingered attachment to life and unwillingness to accept death. He had thought that by joining the ranks of the "Emperor of the Sea," he could—

Whoosh.

The figure flashed, and Roman, dressed in a suit and tie, appeared beside him.

"You were too slow, Arlong."

"Shut up!"

Flinging aside the corpse in his hand, Arlong, the towering sawshark Sea Kingdom Folk, snapped back irritably.

"I can take care of these small fry myself. I don't need you getting involved!"

This guy...

His temper was still as foul as ever.

They were old acquaintances, after all, so Roman could not be bothered to get angry with Arlong. Ever since Teach had set him up, the once sunny and cheerful Sea Kingdom Folk had turned into a bitter, hate-filled racist.

But it did