Arlong was so enraged by this arrogant human that he actually laughed.
"I've decided not to kill you yet, human. I'll break all four of your limbs, hang you from the harbor, and let the seagulls peck away at your flesh until they eat you down to a skeleton. I'll let everyone see what happens to those who dare resist us Fishmen!" Hatred blazed in Arlong's eyes as he ground his teeth.
While Arlong was spouting threats, Bane paid him no attention. His gaze swept across the group of Fishmen before locking onto the human hidden among them—the navigator, Nami.
Nami had also been observing the two audacious men. She had no impression of Zoro. In truth, quite a few pirate hunters had come to challenge the Arlong Pirates over the years. Zoro and Bane looked much like those hunters from before, except all of them had failed and been fed to the fish by Arlong.
So when Nami saw Zoro, she was neither excited nor convinced that these two alone could save the village from its suffering.
But the moment her gaze met Bane's, she recognized him instantly!
The legendary pirate hunter from the New World who had slain Thatch, the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' 4th Division, a pirate with a bounty of 360 million Belly!
That was right. Bane was different from Zoro. Zoro was currently just some young swordsman from the countryside with no reputation to speak of, but Bane was a "big shot" wanted by the Whitebeard Pirates all over the world.
It was only because Arlong and the others paid little attention to humans—and were even somewhat face-blind when it came to them—that they had failed to recognize Bane.
Before meeting Straw Hat Luffy, Nami had hated Pirates intensely. She believed all Pirates were incompetent plunderers, villains, and tumors that preyed upon ordinary people.
She hated every pirate on the seas with absolute fairness and impartiality, without exception. Naturally, that included the Whitebeard Pirates.
When she had heard that Bane had killed a great pirate with a bounty of 360 million Belly, she had been utterly stunned. After all, Arlong, the highest-bountied pirate in the East Blue, was worth only 20 million Belly.
Three hundred and sixty million... How many atrocities had someone needed to commit at sea to accumulate such a bounty? This was a pirate more than ten times stronger and more than ten times more evil than Arlong!
Yet even so, Bane had killed him. She had even heard that he had collected the enormous bounty in Loguetown in the East Blue!
To be honest, Nami had truly fantasized before that a powerful and wealthy—yes, mainly wealthy—legendary bounty hunter like Bane would suddenly come here and save her from this living hell.
But over the following half year, Nami never heard another word about Bane. Gradually, she stopped clinging to that hope, thinking that perhaps he had already left the East Blue.
And today, the scene she had once imagined had become reality, appearing vividly before her very eyes!
Thus, at the instant her eyes met Bane's, a smile of relief appeared on the face of the girl who had waited bitterly in hell for eight long years.
At the same time, Bane smiled as well. His originally vicious grin seemed extraordinarily sunny at that moment. He flashed his teeth and asked with a laugh, "Beautiful lady, might you be the most talented navigator around here?"
"No~" Nami gently shook her head and said with feigned pride, "I'm the most talented navigator in the East Blue!"
"Then that couldn't be better! Most talented navigator in the East Blue, I sincerely invite you to join my crew!" Bane laughed heartily.
"I'd be happy to serve~" Nami answered softly.
But the next second, some clueless Fishman roared in fury, "You filthy, lowly humans are getting way too cocky! Nami is our slave. If you want to—"
Bang!
Another muffled boom rang out, and the enraged Fishman burst apart like fireworks, scattering flesh and blood across the ground.
Only after Bane blew the smoke from his Hand Cannon did he realize that guy seemed a little familiar. Was he the Kissing Fishman?
Before he could think any further, Arlong shot toward him like an arrow. His serrated nose reflected several cold glints beneath the sunlight!
Bane sidestepped and effortlessly avoided Arlong's attack. A vicious gleam rose in Zoro's eyes as he prepared to move, but Bane said, "Zoro, go protect our navigator. I'll skin the scales off this stinking fish myself."
As a shark Fishman, Arlong was stronger, more combative, and more vicious than ordinary Fishmen. If Bane had just arrived in this world, he might not have been able to handle him. But now, Bane felt he could beat him with ease!
Arlong had not carelessly launched himself away. He had deliberately chosen that direction. Once he halted himself, he reached behind a nearby wall pillar and yanked out his weapon—the serrated Kiribachi!
"I'll deal with this guy. You lot kill that Mosshead for me!" Arlong ordered his underlings, resting the massive blade on his shoulder.
Zoro did not stand on ceremony. With a flash of Soru, he appeared beside Nami in an instant. His two swords slid from their sheaths, and he stood before her with one blade to each side. "Don't worry. This will all be over soon, Navigator."
Tall and powerfully built, Arlong gripped the Kiribachi and rushed directly at Bane in just a few strides. He brought his blade down in a single slash, the swift and powerful strike producing a piercing shriek that made the ears ache.
This time, Bane did not dodge. He casually drew the saber hanging at his waist and raised it horizontally in a blocking stance.
Arlong laughed inwardly at the sight. This human was overestimating himself. As a Fishman, his strength was ten times that of an ordinary human. And as a shark Fishman, he was even stronger!
This one blow would decide the battle!
Yet the next moment, Arlong's sure-kill slash was met with a clang and firmly blocked by Bane.
And judging by Bane's expression, he was doing it effortlessly, without even the slightest strain!?
"As expected, this world is special. My ability is growing far faster here than it did in The Empire!" Bane remarked.
Even without the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit, Bane was an E-rank ability user registered with The Empire. His ability was physical strengthening.
Back in The Empire, however, this ability had not been particularly remarkable. At most, it made Bane tougher, stronger, more enduring, and better at healing. It was hardly some lofty power, and it grew slowly. Even after several years since awakening it, there had been no major changes.
But in Pirate World, when Bane first ate Sea Beast meat in Shimotsuki Village, he noticed subtle changes. His body seemed to have grown stronger? His muscle tissue, internal organs, and bones all seemed to be absorbing enormous amounts of nutrition, becoming sturdier and more powerful!
After that, Bane ate Sea Beast meat every meal. Occasionally, he got to eat Sea King meat, and his body's response became even more apparent. Because of that, his E-rank talent began growing at a rapid pace.
Fortunately, Koushiro's family had deep pockets. Otherwise, Bane really would have eaten them into bankruptcy.
He seemed to understand now why Pirate World always produced freaks with monstrous strength and physical prowess. Part of it was talent, but it was undoubtedly also related to this world's diet and food sources!
Whether Sea Kings, Sea Beasts, or the powerful wild animals on islands, Bane decided he would eat every last one of them in the future!
He was even thinking that if he had lived in this world a few years earlier, his physical abilities might already qualify him as a "monster."
I still need to master Life Return as soon as possible. It'll be more beneficial for extracting nutrients and for further developing and strengthening my body, Bane thought.
But this was not the time to consider such things. Under Arlong's shocked and bewildered gaze, Bane suddenly exerted force with his hand and knocked the Kiribachi aside. Then he clenched his other hand into a fist and slammed a Heavy Cannon Punch into Arlong's abdomen, caving in his abdominal muscles on the spot!
Before you continue