"Captain, Colonel Nezumi is here!"
Obi hurried up to Arlong. Arlong paused. "What's he doing here? Has he come to deliver the rest of the bounty?"
Obi shook his head. "Doesn't look like it. He brought a whole warship full of Marines. Something feels off."
Arlong waved a hand and laughed. "I don't believe he's here to arrest me. He's taken too much from us already. If he dares turn on us, I'll make him regret it."
With that, Arlong gritted his teeth and snatched up his Sawtooth Sword.
Colonel Nezumi had traveled through the night. The moment his ship docked on the shore of Cocoyasi Village, he led his men into the village. "Search everywhere! Whether it's Arlong or Ye Chen, don't let either of them get away!"
Colonel Nezumi had completely lost his head. He hadn't stopped to consider whether the Marines he'd brought could actually handle Ye Chen.
The Marines searched across the island, throwing the quiet village into an uproar once more. Villagers opened their windows and peered out, but when they saw the Marines storming through the streets, they hurriedly shut their doors and windows and hid inside.
Ordinary villagers generally thought well of the Marines, but having so many of them appear in the dead of night filled everyone with an uneasy dread.
"They're here to arrest you, aren't they?"
Hearing the commotion, Bellemere opened the window and glanced down at the street. But when she turned back, Ye Chen was gone. He hadn't wasted a bite of the bowl of rice in front of him, either.
"Bellemere, he's already left."
Nami looked a little downcast. She liked Ye Chen and didn't want the Marines to catch him.
Ye Chen had clearly left because he didn't want to drag Bellemere and her daughters into