Raphael: <>
System: []
******
"Yep, all done! Just let me dress for the occasion," Nami grinned, and once again, blue scales rippled across her body as her form began to shift. In the next moment, she had transformed into Kuroobi. "Come on, Luffy. I can't wait to see the look on Arlong's face when one of his own sticks a blade in his back," she added with a low, dark chuckle.
Luffy tilted his head slightly, studying her new form with a thoughtful look. "Hmm... this disguise is good," he admitted. "But I think I've got an idea for one that'll make your revenge even sweeter."
"Oh?" Nami raised an eyebrow, curious. Her form rippled again as she shifted back into her usual self. "Do tell..."
"Not out here," Luffy replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "This one comes with one of my secrets, so you'll have to come with me to find out."
Without waiting for her response, he took her hand and led her quickly toward her house before shutting the door behind them with a soft click, leaving the few curious villagers outside to exchange puzzled glances.
******
Back at Arlong Park, the courtyard was eerily quiet, except for the brutal crack of bone and the wet rip of meat as Arlong sank his jagged teeth into a massive chicken leg, ripping off a hefty chunk with a loud, bone-crunching snap. Grease dripped down his hand, but he paid it no mind, since his sharp eyes were locked on the front gates of the estate, narrowed with simmering irritation.
"Where the hell is Kuroobi?" he growled, his voice low and brimming with impatience. "He should've been back by now."
It had been nearly an hour since Arlong had sent Kuroobi to look into the disappearance of several of their brothers. The task had been simple enough: track down any signs of them and find out if those filthy humans had anything to do with it. Nothing that should've challenged someone with Kuroobi's strength, cunning, and experience.
And yet, the minutes dragged on with no sign of him. No messenger. No report. Nothing. Arlong's scowl deepened, the half-eaten hunk of meat in his hand now forgotten as a slow, unsettling feeling began to creep in. His gut screamed at him that something wasn't right, and for the first time, he found himself seriously considering whether he should send someone else to find out what had gone wrong.
However, before Arlong could make up his mind, the estate's massive steel doors creaked open with a slow, ominous groan. He instinctively turned toward the sound and froze. His eyes widened in alarm, and a jolt of unease shot through him as a lone figure stepped into the courtyard.
The man wore a pinstriped suit, black gloves, and a dark fedora tilted over his eyes, with a white cloak draped over his shoulders, which made Arlong's very soul tremble as he finally recognized who the man was.
"Oohhh~ well, well... so many Fish-men gathered in one place... how scaaary~," the man said, drawing out the words with a lazy smirk as his eyes drifted slowly across the courtyard.
'No... no, no, no, this can't be!' Arlong thought, panic rising like bile in his throat as cold sweat beaded on his brow. His heart thundered in his chest, like it was trying to escape. 'Why would Admiral Kizaru be here... in a backwater village like this?!'
But then his gaze fell on the lifeless bodies of Kuroobi and Marine Captain Nezumi lying behind the Admiral, and the sight hit him like a punch to the gut. His heart sank like a stone, and his fingers went limp, and the half-eaten chicken leg slipped from his hand, landing on the stone with a soft, wet plop.
There was no doubt about it now. The Admiral was here for him.
Meanwhile, Kizaru stepped forward, his footsteps slow and almost lazy as he made his way across the courtyard toward Arlong. "Ooh~ Arlong, Arlong, Arlong... it's been such a looong time, hasn't it?" he drawled, a mocking smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth as he casually slid his hands into the pockets of his pinstriped suit. "From sailing the Grand Line to bullying a tiny little village out in the East Blue... I must say, you've really moved up in the world~."
Arlong's jaw tightened, but he couldn't get a single word out. His thoughts were in chaos, and his body felt like it had locked up as uninvited memories returned to his mind and the scenes he'd buried long ago flashed before his eyes. He saw himself, younger, more reckless, seething with grief after Tiger's death. He remembered the way he'd attacked the Marines in blind fury... and how effortlessly Kizaru had put him down, not even breaking a sweat. The feeling of helplessness, humiliation, and fear from that day returned to him at that moment, all in spades.
"I have to admit..." Kizaru continued, raising a gloved hand and casually inspecting his nails, as if the entire visit were nothing more than a mild inconvenience, "...I didn't expect you to survive this long without getting yourself killed. Especially with that temper of yours~."
"Y-You..." Arlong finally managed, his voice hoarse with disbelief and buried fear. His fists trembled at his sides, webbed fingers curling into claws, but he didn't move an inch.
Kizaru tilted his head ever so slightly, the brim of his fedora shifting to reveal one half-lidded eye beneath. "Still as stubborn as ever... or is that fear I see~?" His tone dropped just enough to feel colder. "Oohhh~ that's right... you do remember that day, don't you?"
Around them, the rest of Arlong's crew stood frozen in place, their expressions mirroring their captain's horror. They were proud Fish-men who believed in their racial superiority, but that pride meant nothing against a man like Kizaru. Because how could they even think about fighting an Admiral... when even the Yonko didn't engage them lightly?
But then, without warning, Kizaru burst into sudden, uncharacteristic laughter. "Hahaha~ so this is the real face of the so-called proud Fish-Man Arlong!" he sneered.
And then, right before their eyes, blue scales rippled across his body. In a blink, the tall man shrank and shifted, his sharp features softening until, standing in his place, was a small girl with an icy glint in her eyes and a twisted, amused smirk on her lips. "No wonder you only ever picked on weak civilians... You couldn't handle going up against real powerful humans, do you?"
"Nami!?" Arlong muttered, eyes wide in disbelief as his brain struggled to catch up with what he had just seen. For a moment, all he could do was stare. But the shock didn't last long. It curdled quickly into rage, his bloodshot eyes twitching as fury surged through him. The realization hit him that this girl, the one he had kept caged under his heel for years, had outsmarted him, and it hit hard. She had tricked him, humiliated him in front of his crew, and worst of all, made him relive the shame of being brought low by a human.
"Nami!" he bellowed, the veins in his neck bulging as he clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth audibly ground together, and by now, the rest of his crew had also realized they'd been tricked. Weapons were already drawn, and the murderous intent on their faces made their intentions clear: they were ready to cut her down.
But Nami didn't back down, "Arlong," she said, steady and calm, meeting his gaze without a hint of fear.
That alone threw Arlong off. This was the same girl he had once cowed into silence with nothing more than a glare. The same girl who had joined his crew out of fear, endured the scorn of her own village, and clung to the hopeless promise of buying their freedom with a deal he'd never intended to honor. And now, she was standing in front of him, calm, steady, and completely unafraid. Not even a twitch. Not even a flinch.
But his confusion soon turned into fuel, which only made his hatred burn hotter. How? How could she look him in the eye like that? Where was this confidence coming from? What gave her the right to raise her head high in front of a superior species like the Fish-Men?
"Hahaha! So it was you who tricked me, huh?" Arlong growled, cracking his knuckles as a twisted grin spread across his face. "And I see you had a hand in Kuroobi's death... along with whatever happened to the rest of my brothers."
"Hmm, yes, I did have a hand in killing Kuroobi," Nami replied, smirking coldly. "And as for the others? I've got a pretty good idea what happened to them," she added, her smile darkening. "Let's just say... they're back where they came from. Sinking somewhere deep underwater. Not moving, of course. I hope that's not a problem."
The moment Nami confessed, the hostility in the air thickened. The Fish-Men surrounding her bristled with rage, their eyes burning with murderous intent. But none of them were more furious than Arlong himself. His fury wasn't just about betrayal; it was personal. He had been the one who chose to spare Nami's life when they first took over the Conomi Islands, ignoring Kuroobi's warning not to trust a human. And now Kuroobi was dead... killed by the very girl he had warned him about.
"So," Arlong growled, his voice low and full of venom, "it looks like you've grown some sharp fangs, Nami." He took a slow step forward, eyes narrowing into cruel slits. "Tell me... have you stopped caring about those pathetic humans in your village? What do you think will happen to them now that you've killed one of my brothers?" His lips curled into a twisted smile, and his eyes gleamed with cold malice. "Do you really think you can protect all of them... especially your sister? Or will she end up just like your pitiful mother: a bullet in the head, buried deep in the dirt?"
"You're right, Arlong. But just a slight correction, I haven't stopped caring about people. I've just stopped giving a shit about you and your threats," Nami replied, staring straight into his eyes. "The three months I spent rotting in that dungeon, I came to realize that no matter what I do, no matter how many times I pay you 100 million beli to free my village, no matter how many maps I draw for you or how long I keep doing it, you were never going to let them go. And at the rate you're exploiting people, I doubt they'd even live long enough for me to make a difference."
"Hahaha! Now you get it!" Arlong bellowed, his laughter echoing across the courtyard. His crew quickly joined in, their cruel cackling ringing out as they mistook Nami's words as if her spirit had finally been broken. "Weaklings were born to be ruled by the strong! And you humans! You're nothing but bottom-feeders compared to superior beings like us Fish-Men!"
"No, you dumb fuck! I'm saying there's no reasoning with a monster like you!" Nami snapped, her voice cracking with raw fury as the dam finally broke. The memories surged all at once, showing her her mother, Bell-mère, getting shot by Arlong; the Fish-Men harassing, extorting, and killing villagers; Nezumi and Arlong conspiring to have her arrested after she'd finally managed to gather the 100 million beli; and the three months she spent rotting in a dungeon because of it.
"And you know what? You're the same kind of monster that's been oppressing your own kind for centuries," Nami continued, and in the next moment, a deadly silence spread across Arlong Park, as if the temperature had suddenly dropped. "And that symbol on your chest," she added, pointing at the sun tattoo inked across Arlong's left side of his chest. "My friend told me what it really means, and let me tell you, you bring nothing but shame and disgrace to that symbol. Fisher Tiger must be rolling in his grave, seeing how you embody everything he fought against."
"How dare you..." Arlong growled, his voice low and seething with menace. His entire body shook with barely contained fury, and his bloodshot eyes burned into Nami like a brand. "How dare a filthy, inferior human like you even speak Tiger's name! What right do you have to compare me to him, when it's your kind, your pathetic, murderous kind, that got him killed?! If he'd treated humans the way they deserved, he'd still be alive today!"
"You know, Nami, I gave you too much leeway because you were a useful tool to me," he snarled. "But today... today, you've crossed the line. Not only did you kill my brothers, but you committed a sin against my entire race by comparing me to those disgusting humans. For that, I'm going to execute you first, then I'll massacre your whole village afterward!"
With that, Arlong's hands shot up, ripping his massive teeth from his mouth with a sickening crack, wielding them like twin bear traps before lunging at Nami, aiming to kill.
But just before his hand could reach her, the ground rumbled beneath their feet, and in the next instant, before Arlong had time to react, studs of green crystal burst from below, slamming into his chest and launching him through the air. He crashed hard into the wall of the main building with a thunderous crack, sending dust and rubble flying.
"Well, Arlong, why are you snapping at Nami like a rabid dog?" Luffy said as he walked into Arlong Park, the rest of his crew following close behind. "She only said the truth. But hey, I get it, must've hit a nerve. Truth hurts, doesn't it?"
Rising from the rubble, Arlong gritted his teeth as he pushed himself to his feet. Dust and cracked stone falling from his shoulders as his sharp and venomous glare locked onto Luffy. "I get it now... you're the reason Nami suddenly sprouted wings. You're the one who filled her head with all this rebellious nonsense."
"Yep, that's me," Luffy said with an easy grin and hands in his pockets. "I'm also the one who told her about your little history with Kizaru... the heroic tale of Fisher Tiger... and how you're just a pathetic little coward who couldn't handle the Grand Line, so you ran here, to the East Blue, the weakest of all the seas, just to assert your dominance over defenseless civilians. You even paid off the Marines like a little bitch because you didn't even have the guts to defend your territory on your own."
"And Nami wasn't wrong, Arlong," Luffy added, his voice growing colder. "You're a disgrace to the name of the Sun Pirates and to every Fish-Man and merfolk trying to live peacefully. You're a filthy, rotting stain on Fisher Tiger's legacy... a selfish coward dragging his name through the mud... and on everything Jinbe's tried to protect by becoming a Shichibukai. Even Queen Otohime's dream of coexistence, you've spat all over that too."
Meanwhile, Arlong trembled with rage, each word that came from Luffy's mouth striking him like a dagger to the heart. But unlike with Nami, he didn't rush to attack Luffy. He'd already deduced that it was Luffy who had saved Nami earlier, which meant he was most likely a Devil Fruit user. That, however, wasn't a problem; after all, they were surrounded by the sea. The real issue was that Arlong didn't know how strong Luffy was. And based on what he knew about him, his knowledge of Fisher Tiger, Jinbe, and even Queen Otohime, Arlong realized this boy was far from some simple, ordinary brat.
"Whatever. My words are wasted on you," Luffy said, shaking his head. "No matter what I say, you're not going to suddenly grow a conscience and have a change of heart. And even if you did, there's no forgiveness for what you've done to the people of the Conomi Islands for the past eight years," he said, and the next moment, a massive hand made of green crystal erupted from beneath Arlong's feet, clamping around him like a trap.
"Let me go, damn it!" Arlong roared, thrashing violently. But no matter how much he struggled, the grip didn't loosen.. "You! Human brat! If you really think humans are equal to Fish-Men, then come and release me, and let's settle this fair and square, like real men!"
"A fair fight?" Luffy laughed. "That's rich coming from you, Arlong. You want fairness now? After years of enslaving an entire village, murdering, torturing, and extorting—now you talk about honor?" He stepped forward, eyes shadowed beneath the brim of his hat. "But... it's not really my call. You didn't do all that to me. You did it to her. Nami's the one who suffered most under you. So it's not my place to decide your fate. Whether you live or die... that choice belongs to her."
"Bastard! You really think we're just gonna stand here and watch you kill our captain?!" Chew shouted, his voice cracking with fury. Behind him, the rest of the Fish-Men roared in agreement, grabbing their weapons and readying for a fight.
Luffy turned his head slightly, casting them a glance full of complete disinterest. "Oh yeah... I almost forgot about you guys." Then, without missing a beat, he called out, "Zoro, Kuina. You mind?"
"Sure." "Why not? I was getting bored anyway," Zoro and Kuina replied in sync before immediately springing into action.
5 minutes later
"Ugh~" With a loud groan, Chew collapsed, a deep, bleeding slash carved across his torso as Zoro flicked the blood off his blade and calmly sheathed his sword. On the other side, Kuina had made quick work of the rest of the nameless grunts without even breaking a sweat.
Meanwhile, still trapped in the clutches of the massive crystal hand, Arlong seethed in frustration. Helplessly suspended in the air, he could only watch as his comrades fell, cut down one after another by the very people he hated most. Everything he had spent years building... was crumbling in seconds, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to stop it.
"Now that that's taken care of..." Luffy said, brushing the dust from his hands as he made his way toward Nami. He stopped in front of her, took one of Jett's kunai from Uta without a word, and gently held it out to her. "It's your turn now, Nami. Do whatever you want with Arlong. Whether you end his sorry, miserable existence, or spare him and let the Marines drag him away in chains, that's fine too. Whatever you decide... it's your call... it's your choice."
Nami took the kunai without hesitation and walked toward Arlong, who was still struggling in vain against the unyielding grip of the crystal hand. She stopped just a few feet away from him with a steady and cold smile. "What's there to think about, Luffy? I already have the blood of one monster on my hands... I don't think they'll start trembling when I cut down another."
"That said..." Nami murmured, and blue scales rippled across her skin as her body shifted. In an instant, she transformed into a tall, slim woman with long fuchsia hair tied into a ponytail, piercing gray eyes, and a distinct Chelsea hawk hairstyle, taking on the appearance of none other than her adopted mother, Bell-mère, "... this is the face I want you to see and rembere before you take your last breath," she said and without giving him the chance to utter a single word, she slashed his throat.
A moment later, the green crystal hand crumbled away, and Arlong collapsed to the ground, clutching his bleeding neck, hatred burning in his eyes even as the life drained from them. But Nami didn't flinch. She stepped forward, knelt beside him, and without hesitation, drove the kunai straight into his heart, ending him once and for all.
For a moment, there was only silence as Nami sat beside Arlong's lifeless body. Then, the weight of it all finally sank in... she was free. Truly free. Both of her tormentors were gone. Her village was no longer under Arlong's iron grip. And most of all, she had finally avenged her mother.
She sniffled, trying to hold back her tears, but then Luffy walked over and gently placed his Straw Hat on her head. "It's okay, Nami," he said softly. "You don't have to hold it in anymore. You're free now."
Those words shattered the last of her restraint. Clutching the hat tightly, Nami burst into tears, sobbing like a child as years of pain, grief, and anguish poured out of her all at once. Luffy and the others quietly turned away, gazing out at the sea in silence, giving her the space she needed to cry her heart out and finally let it all go.
To be continued...