One-Shotting the Fish-Man Officer / Arlong Makes a Run for It

Wasn't that Noil, the ridiculously handsome guy?!

"Noil!"

"Big brother!"

"You little brat!"

"My darling!"

Hearing the villagers' delighted cheers, Noil broke into a satisfied grin.

My popularity hasn't faded a bit!

Wait!

Did a strange nickname slip in there?

In the crowd, a certain orange-haired little girl who wished to remain anonymous shrank back...

Watching the villagers fawn over Noil like fans meeting a celebrity, Arlong wanted to point at his nose and demand, Who the hell are you?!

What's with this atmosphere? This excitement?

Who do you think you are?

The triumphant hero returning home?

The returning hero turned and met Arlong's furious stare. Noil gave him a cold smile.

He raised a finger toward Arlong's long, sawtoothed nose and said:

"Keep looking, Arlong!"

"I'm coming over right now—to send you straight to your grave!"

One-Hit Kills Against the Fish-Man Officers

Arlong's face turned livid at being insulted to his face.

Seeing his boss humiliated, Kuroobi couldn't stand it!

"You're just a human! Die!" Relying on his massive size, Kuroobi swung a fist at Noil's head!

Noil smiled disdainfully and casually raised a hand. He caught Kuroobi's fist with ease, stopping it dead!

"What?!" Kuroobi stared at his hand in shock.

He hadn't used his full strength, but this human had caught his attack so easily.

Noil had no time to care what Kuroobi was thinking. Holding his fist, he pivoted with the force of the blow and kicked him in the stomach.

How strong could a human possibly—

"Argh!!"

A tremendous force slammed into Kuroobi. His insides felt as though they had been knocked out of place, and his towering body toppled straight over.

Under everyone's stunned gaze, Noil leisurely lowered his leg.

Two years ago, an opponent like this might have given him trouble.

But now...

After two years of grueling training, his physique and Swordsmanship had both passed 300 points. He was somewhat stronger than the Straw Hat Pirates' three main fighters had been when they fought the Arlong Pirates in the Original Story.

What was more, with the help of Sovereign's Gift and Way of the Haki Sword, his Armament Haki had reached the point where he could harden and coat his body at will.

How am I supposed to lose? Huh?!

Kuroobi struggled up, clutching his stomach. His eyes bulged, and the two little pigtails sticking up from his head made him look comically like a doll in a New Year's painting.

He roared, "Human! You asked for this!"

"Certain Kill! Fish-Man Karate!"

"Thousand Brick Fist!!"

Taking his stance, Kuroobi unleashed the finishing move he was proudest of.

A smile spread across Arlong's face, and the Fish-Men behind him lit up too.

This was the strongest killing move of Kuroobi, an Arlong Pirates officer and a forty-dan Fish-Man Karate practitioner. What could that human possibly use to stop it?!

But to Noil, the seemingly ferocious punch was nothing more than a paper tiger.

Hum!

With a clear ring, Haki instantly coated Noil's fist. He picked his angle and threw a casual punch!

Kuroobi lunged like a wolf, only to go flying back even faster the instant their blows met—like a stray dog sent packing!

His body smashed through a house. Beneath the rubble, Kuroobi lay unconscious.

His forearm was bent at a horrifying angle, plainly broken by the tremendous impact.

The Fish-Men of the pirate crew stared at him in disbelief.

The mighty forty-dan Kuroobi had been beaten with one punch?!

Arlong's expression darkened too. He had seen it clearly: that brat had used Armament Haki!

Why would anyone in a backwater like the East Blue know Haki?

Another officer could no longer stand by. While Noil wasn't looking, Chew, a kissing gourami Fish-Man, thrust out his lips and launched a sneak attack.

"Hundred-Shot Water Iron Gun!"

Several blasts of water shot toward Noil. His face turned cold as he coated both arms in Haki and crossed them in front of his chest.

Impact after impact rang out, but not one shot hurt him.

Irritated by the sneak attack, Noil immediately changed course and charged straight at Chew!

"Stop!"

Arlong's eyelid twitched. He tried to intercept Noil, but Noil was too fast. Ignoring him, Noil punched straight at Chew's face.

Bang!

Noil's brutal punch caved in that obnoxious mouth, and he followed it with a knee strike!

After that combination, Chew's eyes rolled back and he collapsed. Whether he was alive or dead was anyone's guess.

"Argh! Damn you!"

Seeing his fellow officer fall, Hachi the octopus Fish-Man charged in, furious and ready to fight Noil to the death.

Seeing that face reminded Noil of something. Didn't Hachi get redeemed later in the story?

What does that have to do with now?!

If they were enemies, they all had to go down.

Wielding a sword in each of his six hands, Hachi came at Noil with Six-Sword Style, slashing fiercely.

A cold glint flashed in Noil's eyes. His right hand went to his waist and closed around his sword hilt. He took his stance in an instant, then drew and slashed. A dazzling blade flashed through the air at blinding speed.

One blade against six—the lopsided numbers gave Hachi no hope of victory.

All six swords shattered under the draw slash. Blood sprayed from a crimson wound across his chest.

With the last officer down, the Fish-Men of the pirate crew finally began to feel afraid.

Their innate racial advantages had left these short-sighted Fish-Men convinced they could crush humans through superior physiques alone.

Now one human had shattered that belief with two strikes and a slash, then stomped all over it!

How could they not be terrified?

Noil showed no pride after dispatching the three officers. To these Fish-Men, those three might have represented the pinnacle of strength.

To him, they weren't much at all.

In the Original Story, the mighty Usopp had knocked Chew out with a hammer.

A badly wounded Zoro had knocked Hachi out twice with a single move, leaving him looking like an octopus special.

Only Kuroobi had nearly drowned Sanji by taking advantage of the water.

But!

Ha! There's no water in the village. Mad about it?

The Arlong Pirates had been beaten by the Straw Hat Pirates soon after they set sail. Their strength was only enough to dominate the East Blue.

While Noil mocked them in his head, Arlong stared at his trusted officers, each now lying there like a dead fish.

Arlong finally flew into a rage!

He glared viciously at Noil. A goldfish Fish-Man beside him brought over the black, sawtoothed Kiribachi. Arlong took it and said with a terrifying expression, "Brat! I've changed my mind!"

"I'm going to capture you! Then I'll make you watch as I cut down everyone in the village, one by one!"

Arlong furiously raised Kiribachi and swung it with all his might. Noil quickly caught the blow with his sword, and a flurry of slashes and blocks followed.

Kiribachi's distinctive sawtoothed blade let Arlong keep Noil on the defensive for a time, but Noil's eyes remained perfectly calm beneath the fierce assault.

He was learning the rhythm of Arlong's attacks. After knocking Kiribachi aside once more, Noil finally swung his sword and counterattacked.

Startled, Arlong hurriedly hauled Kiribachi back to block the blade sweeping toward his throat.

The balance of attack and defense flipped in an instant. Taking advantage of Kiribachi's size and how hard it was to recover after a swing, Noil flicked his wrist in rapid succession, slashing at Arlong's vital points.

Then Noil deliberately left himself open, and Arlong brought Kiribachi crashing down toward the ground.

Noil seized the opening. Armament Haki surged from his palm and coated his sword. He raised it and slashed hard into Kiribachi.

With a tremendous crash, Kiribachi snapped apart!

Arlong's heart broke along with it!

Arlong Flees

Arlong stared at the shattered Kiribachi, his heart aching.

Kiribachi was not made from any precious or exceptional material, but it was difficult to craft and perfectly suited Arlong's fighting style.

Besides, it had been with Arlong for years!

With one slash, Noil had practically smashed Arlong's beloved mistress to pieces!

Veins bulged across Arlong's forehead. He gritted his sharp teeth so hard they nearly cracked, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Noil.

"You filthy human! Die!"

Arlong thrust his blue head forward. His sawtoothed nose stabbed toward Noil like a vicious spear!

Noil braced his sword against the long nose, but Arlong closed in, opened his enormous jaws, and lunged for his neck.

Noil hurriedly freed one hand and coated his arm in Armament Haki. It hardened and turned black, and Arlong's teeth clamped down on the iron-hard limb.

Noil drove his leg into Arlong to knock him away, then quickly retreated.

This guy's entire body is a weapon.

Noil frowned. Arlong, too, found the human before him infuriatingly difficult to handle.

On the Grand Line, Arlong had been an officer of the Sun Pirates founded by Fisher Tiger. He had seen far more of the world than the East Blue's frogs in a well.

He knew about Haki. But as a thoroughgoing racial supremacist, Arlong relied solely on the natural physical advantages of his race and had never considered training in other forms of power.

After Fisher Tiger's death, the Marines captured Arlong. Jinbe, by then a Shichibukai, secured his release. The two parted ways, and instead of pressing on through the Grand Line, Arlong went backward.

He returned to the East Blue, the Weakest Sea. With that mindset and that history, his strength could only go so far.

Arlong slowly reached into his mouth and gripped his neat rows of sharp teeth.

Noil: ???

"Are you hungry?"

Arlong froze. A vein throbbed on his forehead as he yanked out his teeth, and a new set rapidly grew in his mouth.

He held the freshly pulled teeth between his fingers, clacking them together like castanets.