Arlong still wanted the later profits, so naturally he wouldn't kill these troublemaking villagers. Instead, he simply ordered the other Fish-Man to teach them a lesson.
"They're all so menacing, that's enough, don't kill them!" Arlong said to the other Fish-Man with a grim expression as he saw the approaching crowd.
The villagers were no match for the Fish-Man in terms of fighting power, and they were all taken down in no time. However, seeing so many people daring to defy him, Arlong decided to make an example of them, and the target was naturally the former naval soldier Bellemere who couldn't afford to pay him.
These two identities were enough for her to become the one to stick her neck out. Arlong drew his flintlock pistol from his waist and aimed it at Bellemere's heart. At this moment, Bellemere was powerless to resist and could barely stand there.
"What will happen to Nojiko and Nami after I die? Genzo should be able to take care of them! I'm sorry! Nojiko, Nami, Genzo, I'll be watching over you from heaven. Goodbye, I love you!"
At this moment, Bellemere stared at the dark muzzle of the gun, her thoughts turning to her two daughters, Nojiko and Nami. Although they weren't her biological children, they were more than human to her. She deeply regretted not being able to witness her daughters grow up, but fate is fickle, and she couldn't fight against it. She accepted death with equanimity.
"Don't want!"
"Don't want!"
"Don't want!"
Seeing this, Genzo's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, bloodshot and completely oblivious to his injuries. He pounded his fists on the ground, all the memories of Bellemere flashing through his mind, only to return to the scene before him, replaced by boundless resentment. He resented his own weakness, his inability to do anything but watch in this situation.
On the other side Nami and Nojiko also screamed, their faces covered in tears, their pupils dilated, their eyes filled with fear, and they stretched out their hands as if to hug Bellemere, as countless beautiful memories flooded their minds!
They didn't want their current life to be ruined, they didn't want Bellemere to leave them. Unlike Genzo, an adult, they didn't blame themselves or hate themselves. Being weak, they could only rely on others, so they kept praying in their hearts, praying that someone could save Bellemere and save their mother!
"Die! You foolish humans!"
"Boom!"
Just as Arlong pulled the trigger with a cruel smile, a bolt of Inazuma illuminated the entire sky, and a deafening clap of thunder drowned out the gunshot. The lightning and the sound appeared simultaneously in everyone's eyes and ears, and everyone's expression turned black and white in the lightning, as if frozen in that moment!
Genzo's self-blame and resentment, Nami and Nojiko's fear and despair, Arlong's smugness and ferocity, the other Fish-Man's condescending gaze and indifference, and the villagers' regret and helplessness all form a stark contrast.
After the Inazuma disappeared, everyone noticed that there was an extra person on the scene. This person stood between Arlong and Bellemere, like a mountain peak. Although he was not as tall as Arlong, he gave the impression of a mountain standing there, blocking all the wind and rain!
A small hole appeared in the man's shirt, the area around which was stained red with blood. It was clear that Arlong had shot him, but the man remained expressionless, as if he hadn't been shot at all. Bellemere slumped to the ground, staring blankly at the tall figure in front of him!
The newcomer was none other than Vic. After seeing Jinbe become Shichibukai, he had been traveling at top speed, but Arlong had already fired his gun when he arrived over Cocoyasi Village!
Vic could only transform into Inazuma and use the Speed-Speed Fruit's power to reach Bellemere at top speed, so he didn't even have time to apply his Haki, which is why he was hit by the bullet and bled.
However, Vic's physical body is now extremely strong. The bullet only entered his body before being squeezed and blocked under his skin by the powerful muscles beneath his skin, unable to go any further. For Vic, it was no different from not being injured at all. Vic simply controlled his muscles to squeeze the bullet out and it fell to the ground.
"It's you?"
Arlong's expression changed when he saw Vic's face. He had seen that face countless times in Impel Down; it was the culprit who had forced him to work on the sewing machine, and the murderer who killed his older Fisher Tiger. He felt both hatred and fear. Now that he had met his enemy, he was naturally filled with rage. Hatred had overcome his fear, and he continued to pull the trigger, firing all the bullets in his gun at Vic.
"Bang bang bang..."
Even someone with only basic Observation Haki could easily dodge bullets, let alone someone like Vic who had mastered the Future Sight. He simply raised his right hand and casually made a few grabbing motions in the air, catching all the bullets in his hand.
Then, in front of Arlong, he scattered the bullets on the ground. This action made all the Fish-Man's expressions change. Although Fish-Man are stronger than humans, they cannot withstand bullets, let alone catch them, unless there are bones there, and they can use bone injuries as a price to block them.
So they were stunned when they saw Vic catch the bullet with his bare hands, but after seeing Vic's face, they understood. He was a great pirate recognized by the World Government, just like their Jinbe! What kind of Shichibukai would he be if he didn't have this much strength?
However, they were more curious about how Vic ended up here. Vic hadn't shown up when they were extorting the villagers. Could he be related to this family? They'd heard Vic was from the East Blue, which seemed very likely. Could he be his wife and children?
Thinking of this, they felt fortunate that Vic had returned in time. Otherwise, if Arlong had killed his wife, none of them would have been able to leave this place alive. However, the atmosphere was too oppressive. Vic's presence alone brought them immense pressure. They didn't know if Vic would attack them, and they were all extremely nervous!
" Arlong! For the sake of being colleagues with Jinbe, I'll give him face. Now return the money to the villagers and go back to Fish-Man Island. I won't pursue what you did today!"
Otherwise, none of you should leave. That orange grove will be your burial ground. The East Blue is not a place for you to run wild. You can try to kill me, but once I start, I won't hold back. Think it over carefully!
Because Vic arrived in time, none of the villagers in Cocoyasi Village died; they were only injured. Arlong's Crew had just started their mischief but hadn't caused any deaths yet. So, out of respect for Jinbe and Fisher Tiger, Vic didn't plan to kill Arlong this time, as long as he went back to Fish-Man Island and stayed there.