"Thank you?"
The words froze the entire Arlong Pirates crew for a moment.
Then they exchanged glances and erupted into laughter.
"Hey! This kid actually thinks we're complimenting him!"
"No wonder he's so naive—he thinks a few chopped trees could stop us!"
A salmon fishman named Shioyaki stepped forward impatiently, reaching for Shanu's arm. "Enough, kid. Move out of our way. We don't have time to play house with you…"
Huh?
Shioyaki looked down at his hand, puzzled. Why couldn't he pull him?
He was the Arlong Pirates' Banquet Chief, a senior officer. Just a human—how could he resist his strength?
"Move—!"
Shioyaki growled from deep in his throat, applying more force step by step.
Eventually using both hands and his shoulder to push, veins bulging and eyes bloodshot, the human still didn't budge—as if rooted to the ground.
"What's going on, Shioyaki?"
"Is this the strength of a senior officer?"
"Are you performing a one-man show?"
The surrounding fishmen laughed. Shioyaki's title carried little weight; he was only slightly above a regular fishman on the ship.
"Silence!"
Kuroobi barked, and the area fell silent. "Idiots! Don't you see? It's not Shioyaki—it's this human boy. He's not ordinary!"
Within the Arlong Pirates, Kuroobi's authority was second only to Arlong, effectively the vice-captain.
At his words, the other fishmen eyed Shanu warily, their expressions shifting to unease.
"Step back, Shioyaki. You really can't handle this kid."
Kuroobi cracked his neck, fists clashing lightly. "Looks like my luck's not too bad. In this backwater village, I actually get to meet someone capable of challenging me. Let's see how much weight you carry, kid!"
"Really? Too bad—you're not worthy in my eyes."
Shanu smiled faintly. "Why don't we let that purple-skinned little shark behind you take over?"
A purple-skinned little shark?
The fishmen froze, instinctively looking back.
When they noticed Arlong's suddenly darkened expression, they realized with horror that Shanu was talking about their captain.
"Shahahaha—" Arlong laughed, a cruel grin plastered on his face. "Hey, Kuroobi, did you hear what this kid just said?"
"Don't show disrespect to Captain Arlong!"
Kuroobi roared, stepping forward. "And you, brat! I showed you courtesy, and you dare belittle me? I'm a 40th-degree Fishman Karate master!"
"Fishman Karate?"
Shanu tilted his head in confusion, as if hearing the term for the first time. "What hand?"
Kuroobi's gaze darkened, ready to attack, but then his eyes caught two bloodied severed hands on the ground.
A stabbing pain shot through him.
He realized the truth, trembling as he lifted his arm—only the portion above the elbows remained.
When did this happen?
The surrounding fishmen went silent.
Many had been watching but hadn't noticed when the black-haired human struck.
Arlong, at the back, narrowed his pupils, his face even darker.
He had seen clearly—Shanu had twisted Kuroobi's arms off in an instant, barehanded, without weapons!
Even in the East Blue, such a dangerous opponent shouldn't exist.
At that moment, Shanu stood up, stretched his neck slightly, and calmly advanced toward the fishmen.
Each step forward made Kuroobi tremble and retreat. The bigger the step, the faster he backed away, nearly stumbling.
This supposedly tough fishman officer, claiming to be a martial artist, had been terrified by a single display and lacked the courage to face Shanu head-on.
"Why are you running?"
Shanu's voice was soft. "I asked you—why are you running?"
"Y-y-you…"
Kuroobi screamed, rolling and crawling backward, leaving a trail of blood. "Don't come! Stop! Don't come near me!!!"
"Forty-degree Fishman Karate?"
Shanu paused, shaking his head. "Too many. When I eat fish, two degrees is always enough."
Whoosh!
In the next instant, Shanu vanished and reappeared in front of Kuroobi, easily lifting him overhead.
Looking down at the struggling, muscular fishman, Shanu grinned cruelly, grasping Kuroobi's waist and neck in each hand, and pulled forcefully in opposite directions.
"Kuroobi!"
Arlong's face changed drastically. He stepped forward to intervene—but was too late.
Slash—!
"No!!!"
Arlong's roar coincided with the tearing of flesh.
Kuroobi's body split in midair, dark blue entrails spilling across the rural dirt road.
Some organs flew and landed on other fishmen, who froze, staring at the chunks on their faces, smelling the familiar yet alien stench of blood.
"Ugh—" They bent over, vomiting violently.
Shanu remained indifferent, tossing the body aside like garbage.
Looking up, he calmly faced Arlong in the distance.
"…Despicable humans, disgusting humans. The lowest, most worthless species."
Arlong glared, bloodshot eyes wide. "How dare you… how dare you kill my comrades in front of me!"
Clang! Arlong drew his giant saw, swinging and roaring, "Everyone, attack! Kill him!"
"Yes, Captain Arlong!"
Chiu and the other fishmen charged forward, with Arlong closely behind.
"Kobachi will avenge Kuroobi!"
The six-blade octopus swordsman threw aside his wine gourd, leading the charge, tears of rage streaming. "Kuroobi was a good man—he was kind to me and the other fishmen. You monster, why kill him?!"
Swish swish!
Six heavy blades struck from different directions. Shanu caught two in his hands without evading.
The other four hit his neck, clanging like metal but leaving only faint white marks.
You dare try to harm me without reaching master swordsman level?
Shanu sneered, palms surging with force. Gripping Kobachi's hands, he drove a knee and elbow into the octopus man's abdomen.
Boom!
Kobachi was sent flying, letting out a pitiful cry.
Shanu didn't relent. Using Geppo, he flashed above Kobachi, precise and deadly.
"You ask why I killed him?"
"Before you stormed my homeland, did you ever think you might die? And now you ask me this?!"
Shanu's grip tightened. He glared at the struggling octopus fishman, his six tentacles thrashing wildly, all his strength concentrated in his right hand choking the neck.
"Cough… cough…" Kobachi's face flushed from red to purple, veins pulsing, eyes rolling white.
At the moment he hit the ground, Shanu yanked Kobachi's head with the spine attached, the blood splashing onto Arlong charging forward.
He swung the head like a pendulum, hitting nearby fishmen, gouging long furrows in the ground.
"Kob… Kobachi?!"
Arlong froze, staring in disbelief, his body trembling with fury.
"You despicable—"
Arlong's eyes turned crimson as he looked up. Reflected in his pupils was the muscular terror rapidly closing in.
Shanu grinned, arms outstretched, and slapped toward Arlong's face from both sides like swatting mosquitoes in summer.