Shock. Overwhelming Strength

Nami and the villagers on the ground stared in blank shock.

Just like that, they're wiped out?

The villagers on the ground could hardly believe it.

A single fish-man foot soldier had beaten hundreds of them to death's door.

Yet three consecutive officers of the pirate crew, elite fish-men, were reaped like mere grass beneath Luo Wen's hands.

This battle was an entirely one-sided crushing defeat.

Or rather, this wasn't a battle at all; it was a massacre!

Is this the strongest bounty hunter in the East Blue!?

Nami was deeply shocked by Luo Wen's strength, her mind left completely blank.

"That was simply amazing!"

Recovering her senses, Nami shouted in excitement.

Luo Wen's figure, resembling both god and demon, imprinted itself in everyone's hearts.

He was a hero!

Not a single villager felt fear because of Luo Wen's slaughter.

Because everyone Luo Wen cut down were pirates who had oppressed them, and he had dragged them back from the edge of death.

There was only gratitude toward Luo Wen and awe for his might as a powerhouse.

While the villagers cheered for Luo Wen's feat, Arlong, up on the balcony of Arlong Park, was practically losing his mind.

"It's over, it's all over!"

"My brothers, my pirate crew, it's all over!"

Arlong fiercely crushed the red wine glass in his hand, letting the glass shards pierce his palm.

He had dreamed of building the Arlong Empire in the East Blue and enslaving humanity together with his brothers.

Now it was all ruined.

Arlong's eyes were bloodshot, his sharp teeth grinding audibly.

When Kuroobi was crippled by a single punch from Luo Wen, Arlong had wanted to head down and stop him.

Yet Luo Wen's movements were too fast and his strength too formidable.

In less than half a minute, the fish-men present had been completely slaughtered by him.

Arlong had no time to act before his Arlong Pirates existed in name only.

Just minutes ago, he had been boasting to Captain Nezumi.

Thinking that his subordinates alone would be enough to leave Luo Wen's life right here.

Now, his subordinates were dead down to the last man, and he was left commander of a lone army.

The terror Luo Wen brought made Arlong feel as though he had returned to the Grand Line.

The Luo Wen he faced was not some fledgling East Blue bounty hunter, but a terrifying Seven Warlords of the Sea.

"I'll kill him, I'll kill him, kill him!"

Arlong rambled incoherently, driven completely mad with rage.

Those fish-men were not just his crewmates; they were friends and family who had followed him.

They were former members of the Sun Pirates, having lived together for over a decade, and their bonds were etched deep into their very bones.

Now they were all gone!

No matter how strong Luo Wen was, Arlong would make him pay a price.

Captain Nezumi trembled beside him.

At this moment, he completely understood why the Marines valued Luo Wen so much.

Merely joining would instantly grant the rank of captain.

Such a monster, Captain Nezumi had seen before.

Those were the admirals Akainu and Aokiji he had witnessed when reporting for duty at Marine Headquarters.

Merely the accidental collision of their auras had filled him with a sense of mortal peril.

Right now, Captain Nezumi viewed Luo Wen as admiral material, a powerhouse rare even among Headquarters vice admirals.

Making an enemy of such a monster was something Captain Nezumi wouldn't even dare to dream about.

He cast a wink at the two marines behind him, intending to sneak away through the back door.

"Where are you going?"

A voice filled with fury and madness came from behind, freezing Captain Nezumi's movements instantly.

Arlong glared at Captain Nezumi with bloodshot eyes.

He was already driven to a desperate corner, so how could he let Captain Nezumi just turn around and leave.

"I'm leaving first, I'll find a chance for revenge later!"

Captain Nezumi stammered in reply.

How could he dare to take revenge on Luo Wen? He was merely trying to appease Arlong for now.

"Is that so?"

"No need to wait for later, we're going to take him down right now!"

Arlong didn't believe a word of Captain Nezumi's nonsense; he was going to exact revenge immediately.

He knew very well that he himself could do nothing against Luo Wen.

But he could use Captain Nezumi to make things happen.

No matter how resounding Luo Wen's reputation was or how heinous Captain Nezumi's crimes were, if Luo Wen killed Captain Nezumi in broad daylight, his relationship with the Marines would undoubtedly plunge to freezing points.

As for the possibility of Luo Wen sparing him, Arlong had already ruled that out; going down there meant taking Captain Nezumi to his death.

Arlong was still a former member of the Sun Pirates, and he had friendly ties with Knight of the Sea Jinbe of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

If he and Captain Nezumi died at Luo Wen's hands, the Marines would undoubtedly revoke their recruitment offer and most likely issue a bounty.

And upon learning that the entire Arlong Pirates had been wiped out and his former companion killed by Luo Wen, Knight of the Sea Jinbe would also be very likely to move against Luo Wen.

Thinking of Luo Wen being hunted down in a pathetic state, Arlong couldn't help letting out a low chuckle.

Arlong tossed the two marines off the balcony, sending them into a freefall of several dozen meters.

As for Captain Nezumi, he clamped him under his arm and leaped down from the balcony.

Luo Wen, possessing B-rank Mind's Eye, was like someone with short-range Observation Haki, instantly perceiving the commotion in the air.

Luo Wen looked up at the sky, spotting just in time the four people coming to deliver their own heads.

Luo Wen didn't even need to think twice to know what Arlong was plotting.

But if he thought he could use this to frame him, he was truly out of his mind.

Luo Wen swung his greatsword once more, unleashing two powerful flying slashes straight at the four of them.

With a single slash, the two marines turned into mists of blood.

With another slash, Captain Nezumi vanished without a trace alongside half of Arlong's body.

The lingering might of the two slashes, carrying the remnants of Captain Nezumi and the marines, blended into the sky, leaving only a near-death Arlong continuing his descent.

Arlong's scheme was declared bankrupt before it had even begun.

When the surrounding villagers were still wondering why Luo Wen had swung his sword at the empty sky, they witnessed the massive mist of blood in the air.

And then Arlong, who crashed heavily onto the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

At this moment, half of his body was missing, leaving only his head relatively intact.

Blood bubbled from Arlong's mouth as he stared with wide eyes.

"Heh."

Luo Wen walked up to Arlong, letting out a ruthless sneer.

Watching Luo Wen mock him, Arlong breathed his last, dying with lingering grievances.

He had finally witnessed Luo Wen's terror.

Not only did he possess overwhelming strength, but even his mind was this sharp.

Until his dying breath, Arlong could not fathom why such an entity existed in the East Blue.

A monster like this ought to be making waves in the New World!

"It's Arlong!"

"That's wonderful, Arlong has been killed too!"

Even though Arlong lacked half his body and his face was smeared with blood and dirt, the villagers still recognized his identity.

The surrounding villagers erupted entirely; the Arlong Pirates, who had plagued Cocoyasi Village for eight years, were thoroughly annihilated.

Arlong, who once acted with supreme arrogance, relentlessly squeezed the villagers, and carried a bounty of twenty million Beli, had now become a shattered corpse, stripped forever of his former swagger.

With merely two slashes sent through the air, Arlong had dropped dead the moment he made his entrance.

Such strength was simply too formidable, too terrifying!

After a brief silence, the villagers burst into tremendous cheers.

"Long live the strongest bounty hunter of the East Blue!"

"Long live Luo Wen!"

The villagers of Cocoyasi Village shouted at the top of their lungs, viewing Luo Wen as their ultimate hero.

The deafening cheers rolled like an avalanche, echoing throughout the entire Arlong Park.

Though she felt the mist of blood in the sky was perhaps a bit excessive, Nami could only attribute it to the unique physical constitution of fish-men and their exceptionally high bleeding volume.

Nami looked at Arlong, who had died with lingering resentment, and tears welled up in her eyes.

The deep grudge of her adoptive mother Bellemere and her own years of grievances were all released in this single moment.

"Thank you, Luo Wen."

She pulled Luo Wen into a tight embrace; to this man who had saved her, Nami was willing to offer everything.

Luo Wen said nothing, only gently soothing Nami's swirling emotions.