That Man

Although he knew Moonlight was formidable enough to have fought Hawkeye to a draw, Arlong's terrifying display still made him tense.

After Luffy had been submerged in seawater, Yosaku and Johnny hurried to press the water from his stomach. He had yet to wake up.

Devil Fruit Users were utterly helpless once they touched seawater.

"Nami, kill him!"

Moonlight grabbed Arlong by the head and dragged him before Nami.

"Huh?"

Arlong could no longer resist. Moonlight's Sword Aura had left him covered in wounds, and he knelt on the ground, barely conscious and unable to move.

At those words, Nami's eyes flickered. As she looked at Arlong, fear crept into her gaze.

She had grown up under Arlong's shadow. His oppression had sunk deep into her soul. Now that she had to kill him, her body began to tremble, and she found herself afraid.

"To escape your nightmare and free your heart, I see only one way. Kill him. Then no one can bind you again."

Moonlight spoke calmly and tossed the Kusanagi Sword to Nami.

Nami's fear of Arlong ran to the bone. Before him, she had no courage at all, only terror.

He was the demon that had taken root in her childhood. No one but Nami herself could defeat him.

"Nami, killing isn't the best way to solve this. But if you want to kill him, I won't object."

Just then, Luffy woke up. He looked at Nami and spoke in a grave voice.

He knew everything now. He neither opposed Moonlight's suggestion nor agreed with it.

"People like him aren't rare. In this Great Pirate Era, far too many people have lived through what you have. It's a tragedy this age has left behind. Even if you kill him here, another Arlong will appear wherever you go next. You'll only be free when you let go of what's been weighing on your heart."

Sanji lit a cigarette, blew a stream of smoke toward the sky, and spoke slowly.

"I understand how you feel better than anyone. After I learned Kuro's true identity, I lived under his shadow. If you hadn't stepped in, I might have spent my whole life there, assuming I survived. Later, I had the chance to kill him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I suddenly realized that killing someone to vent my hatred wasn't the best way. Surpassing him, defeating him, and standing before him as someone stronger—that's what real strength means. That's why my dream is to become a brave Warrior of the Sea."

Usopp, too, spoke with a seriousness none of them had heard from him before.

"Zzz..."

Zoro had fallen asleep. He was exhausted. How could he spare any energy for this?

And even if he had been awake, afraid?

Hadn't he faced Hawkeye, the World's Greatest Swordsman, head-on?

Fear wasn't in his vocabulary.

"Everyone..."

Nami gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on the Kusanagi Sword.

People like Arlong truly weren't rare in the Great Pirate Era.

If she killed one Arlong, another would appear. She could never kill them all.

"Nami, I'll respect your choice!"

A clear female voice suddenly rang out.

Nami turned and saw Nojiko and the villagers of Cocoyasi Village arriving with hoes and other weapons.

They had clearly come ready to fight back.

Nojiko smiled at Nami.

"That's right, Nami. I envy you for having such wonderful friends. They care about you so much they'd risk their lives for you."

Genzo nodded with a smile.

"Nami, whatever you decide, we'll respect your choice!"

"Exactly!"

The others nodded and smiled.

Warmth filled Nami. She looked again at Luffy, Moonlight, Zoro, Usopp, and the others, and a smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

She tossed the Kusanagi Sword back, clapped her hands, and smiled brightly.

"Forget it. I'm not the little kid I used to be. After everything I've been through, I know what to do."

With that, Nami strode away.

"Ahhh, Miss Nami, you look so beautiful when you walk away like that!"

Sanji's eyes turned to hearts. He dashed after her, falling over himself to please her.

"That guy!"

Luffy and the others couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank you so much. You're our saviors!"

"Please let us treat you!"

Genzo led the villagers over to Moonlight and the others, his face full of gratitude.

"Do you have meat?"

Luffy's eyes lit up.

"We do!"

Genzo nodded with a smile.

"All right! I want meat!"

Luffy shouted and bolted toward the village without another word, looking like a thief who had stumbled upon gold.

Thud!

He had barely started running when a dull thud rang out. He seemed to have collided with something, and a string of curses followed.

"Damn it! Who the hell dares run into me?"

Captain Nezumi stood there with Marines, who had surrounded the place.

Luffy had run straight into him in his haste.

"Who are you?"

Luffy looked at Nezumi in confusion.

"The Marines! They're Marines!"

"Why have the Marines shown up now? And that Captain Nezumi is no good!"

"That's right! When Arlong was here, I often saw them making deals in secret. They're in league with the Pirates!"

The people around them began shouting angrily.

Over the years, they had fought back many times and sent pleas for help to the Marines. But Nezumi had intercepted every one, leaving them to suffer and live under Arlong's rule.

Now that they faced the man responsible, their anger boiled over.

"Corrupt Marines, huh?"

"Captain Nezumi, huh?"

"Tch!"

Usopp's, Sanji's, and Moonlight's eyes turned cold.

They were Pirates. They certainly weren't afraid of Marines, least of all corrupt ones like these.

"Listen up. If you don't want to be arrested, each of you had better hand over ten million Beli..."

Nezumi let out a shrill, ratlike laugh. He pointed at Luffy and the others with a sneer.

"So you're the one who worked with those people and made Nami unhappy."

Luffy's expression darkened.

"Enough talk. If you don't want to go against the Marines, then hurry up and..."

Nezumi still hadn't noticed the danger and kept shouting.

"Gum-Gum... Battle Axe!"

Luffy struck without warning. His leg stretched upward, then came crashing down.

Bam!

Before Nezumi could finish speaking, the blow slammed him flat on the ground.

"You dare attack me? Get them!"

Nezumi lay dazed from the blow. When he finally came to his senses, he roared the order.

"How dare you attack a Marine Captain! So you intend to oppose the Marines!"

"Save the captain!"

"Charge!"

The Marines rushed forward.

Moonlight stepped in front of them.

"It's him!"

Nezumi trembled when he saw Moonlight.

He would never forget what had happened when Nami had brought out the hundred million Beli and he had encountered Moonlight.

It had been terrifying.

"Ah! It's that man! Run!"

"No! That man's back! Why is he here with these people?"

"Mama, I never want to go through that again!"