The Orange Girl Who Ended the Nightmare.

This strike was heavy and powerful. One punch lifted Arlong off his feet, churning his internal organs and drawing blood from the corner of his mouth. Just as his massive frame was about to be sent flying by the force, Bane's fist erupted with dense dark elements, acting like a magnet to firmly pin Arlong's body in place.

"Are you a Devil Fruit user!?" Arlong ignored the pain, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Bane had no intention of explaining or wasting words. With a surge of power, the surging dark elements instantly enveloped Arlong, binding him like a silkworm cocoon and suspending him in mid-air.

After restraining Arlong, a cruel glint appeared in Bane's eyes. He stepped back to create some distance, sheathing his sword. Between the fingers of his other hand, dark energy swirled like flowing smoke, looking exceptionally eerie.

Before Arlong could speak again, Bane clenched his hand into a fist and whispered, "Black Annihilation: Coffin of Darkness."

The dark elements wrapping around Arlong collapsed and tightened inward at the motion of Bane's fist. This intense crushing force instantly shattered Arlong's body. Since only his head remained exposed, it was like squeezing a tube of toothpaste; a massive spray of blood erupted from his mouth, landing right between him and Bane.

When the darkness dissipated, Arlong fell to the ground. His body was twisted and distorted in a grotesque fashion, looking like a sponge that had been crushed and failed to regain its shape.

This meant that most of the bones in his body were broken, and he had completely lost the ability to resist.

"How unsightly," Bane whispered, stepping on Arlong's head.

This battle was practically a one-hit kill. The moment they made contact, the outcome was decided, to the point where the fight on Zoro's side hadn't even concluded yet.

Seeing their boss defeated, several burly fish-men rushed toward Bane, attempting to rescue Arlong.

Seeing this, Zoro had no intention of chasing them. Instead, he calmly sheathed his two swords and said, "It's over."

"Aren't you going to help?" Nami asked, looking puzzled.

"No need," Zoro replied, as if he had already foreseen the future.

Then, without waiting for Nami to speak, Zoro opened his mouth and mimicked, "Black Annihilation: Tidal Surge."

As if he were the one who possessed the Dark-Dark Fruit, the words had barely left his lips when an endless wave of darkness erupted from Bane, spreading in all directions like a monstrous sea tide. In an instant, it engulfed the entire Arlong Park.

At that moment, Nami felt her vision go black; she could see and hear nothing. Panic surged in her heart, but just as she prepared to move, the sky-covering darkness receded like a retreating tide, flowing back into Bane's body.

When Nami could see the surroundings again, the fish-men, the debris on the ground, and even the corpses Zoro had finished off—along with the blood on the floor—had all vanished!

Only Arlong remained, still under Bane's foot.

Zoro, standing to the side, said calmly, "I told you, it's already over."

"What was that just now!?" Nami finally reacted, exclaiming in shock.

For a moment, she had truly thought she was going to die!

"It's Bane's ability. You've heard of Devil Fruit, right? He is a Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit user who controls the power of darkness," Zoro explained casually.

Before Nami could ask anything else, Bane looked toward them and said, "Navigator, do you want to take your revenge yourself?"

Nami looked at Arlong on the ground. Seeing his miserable state, a flash of satisfaction crossed her eyes, and she stepped forward to Bane's side.

"Give me the sword!" Nami reached out.

Bane handed his sword to Nami without hesitation.

Drawing the blade, Nami swallowed hard and aimed the edge at Arlong's neck. Arlong was already completely unconscious; a single thrust would end his sinful life. Of course, given his injuries, he would have died regardless if left alone.

However, Nami had never taken a life before. Even facing the enemy she had hated for so long, her arm couldn't help but tremble at this moment.

It was as if she simply couldn't bring the blade down.

Seeming to sense her struggle, Bane sighed softly, walked behind Nami, and leaned over. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, placing his hands over hers on the hilt.

Without a word, Bane slowly applied pressure, guiding Nami to drive the blade into Arlong's neck. As blood gushed out, the life of the villainous fish-man came to an end.

Once the blade was buried in Arlong's neck, Bane released Nami's hands.

The moment he stepped back, Nami could no longer hold the sword. She collapsed to her knees beside Arlong's corpse and began to wail, her heart-wrenching cries seemingly piercing the clouds.

"Bellemere... Bellemere..." Nami sobbed, calling out a name as if trying to vent all the grievances and accumulated hatred of the past eight years.

She had finally taken her revenge. Her nightmare, the nightmare of Cocoyasi Village, was over.

Bellemere could rest in peace, and the villagers killed by Arlong and his crew over the years could finally rest as well.

While Nami was weeping, a group of villagers, armed with various farm tools, rushed into Arlong Park, led by a beautiful young girl with short, indigo-blue hair.

It was Nami's sister, Nojiko.

"Nami, are you okay!?" The first thing Nojiko saw upon entering was Arlong's corpse and Nami sobbing beside it.

The villagers were also shocked by the sight. What was happening? Did Nami kill Arlong?

"Nojiko... Nojiko..." Nami reached out like a wronged child, crying for an embrace.

Nojiko quickly stepped forward to hold her, patting her back and soothing her, "It's okay, it's okay, Nami..."

"I... I finally avenged Bellemere," Nami cried.

Bane and Zoro were leaning against the shade of a wall. Zoro unhooked the flask from his waist, took a drink, and said, "So, you knew about all of this beforehand?"

Bane, biting on a freshly lit cigar, grinned, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "I told you, don't ask too many questions about things in the world."

After saying this, as if remembering something, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket and dialed Smoker.

A moment later, Zoro heard Bane talking to Smoker about someone named Captain Nezumi—it seemed he was reporting someone again?

Zoro didn't pay much attention to Bane, instead shifting his gaze back to Nami and the villagers.

Watching the scene of people cheering, crying, and laughing, a strange warmth flowed through Zoro's heart. It seemed this journey might be quite interesting after all.