Chapter 15 – Liberation Day, and a New Invitation
That one sentence—"lowly humans"—included Nami, Izumi, and everyone else.
Hikari's temper detonated instantly.
Her crimson, otherworldly Mangekyō locked onto Arlong.
"Tsukuyomi."
A blood-red illusion world swallowed the Fish-Man whole.
Inside, Arlong was nailed to a cross, panic flooding his eyes.
"Where am I?! Let me out!"
"How can filthy humans have this kind of power?!"
Hikari ignored the screaming and began slowly, methodically breaking him.
Outside, reality turned into a slaughterhouse.
Nami and Carina blitzed through the Fish-Men ranks.
Shunpo made them untouchable blurs; bodies enhanced by Aike's life-force infusions gave them monstrous strength.
Navy Six Techniques—Finger Pistol and Tempest Kick—turned limbs into red mist.
Blood painted the ground in seconds.
Tom, ever the loyal housecat, joined the fray in his little western fencing outfit.
Shaky on his legs, but somehow pirouetting through enemies like a drunken master, stabbing Fish-Men left and right.
The Arlong Pirates dissolved into chaos.
"Damn it, Nami! Do you even know what you're doing?!"
Cadre Kuroobi roared as his men dropped like flies.
"Big bro Arlong!!"
He finally noticed Arlong frozen stiff, lost in illusion.
No amount of shouting woke him.
"Screw it! Hatchan, help me kill that black-haired bitch!"
Kuroobi and Hatchan charged Hikari.
They never saw Izumi.
"Fire Style: Majestic Dragon Flame!"
A colossal fire dragon roared across the courtyard.
When the flames cleared, only charred skeletons remained.
"Hatchan!! Kuroobi!!"
"Monsters! They're all monsters!"
"Everyone into the pool!"
The surviving Fish-Men scrambled for the water—their natural element.
"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
Countless earthen walls shot up, sealing the pool completely.
Izumi dusted her hands and stepped back.
"The rest is yours, Nami, Carina."
From the wall, Aike sensed hundreds of villagers charging toward the park, Nojiko and Genzo in the lead, wielding pitchforks and shovels.
"We can't let Nami fight alone!"
"We've put up with this for too long!"
"Let's end those bastards!"
They had carried guilt for years—leaving everything on a little girl's shoulders.
Today they would stand in front of her, even if it killed them.
They stormed through the gates… and froze.
Bodies everywhere.
Nami and Carina casually mowing down the last Fish-Men like weeds.
"This…"
Nojiko was speechless.
Was that really her little sister?
Genzo and the villagers swallowed hard.
They'd spent years pretending to hate Nami.
…She wasn't going to hold a grudge, right?
Everyone stood rooted, watching the cathartic massacre in stunned silence.
When the last goon fell, only one Fish-Man remained: Arlong, barely conscious after the Tsukuyomi special.
"Enough, Hikari. Leave the finishing blow to Nami."
Hikari nodded and released the genjutsu.
Arlong collapsed, mind shattered.
Seeing his entire crew dead around him broke whatever was left.
"It's over, Arlong."
Nami walked forward, eyes burning with eight years of hatred.
A single vacuum slash from her staff.
Arlong's head rolled.
The nightmare of Cocoyasi Village ended forever.
The moment it hit the ground, Nami felt weightless.
Tears spilled as she threw herself into Aike's arms.
"Thank you… thank you so much!"
For the first time, she was truly free.
Aike—for once—didn't grope. He just gently stroked her hair.
"We… won?"
"Nami and her friends won!"
"We're free!!"
The villagers erupted into joyous, tearful cheers.
Six long years of terror—gone in an afternoon.
Nojiko smiled warmly at her little sister.
"You found some amazing people, Nami."
Cleanup was left to Genzo and the villagers.
"It's the least we can do for our saviors!"
Nami stayed behind to collect her maps and the treasure the Arlong Pirates had hoarded.
…
Night fell. The village threw the biggest party in years.
Where there had been dead silence before, now every house poured out food, music, and laughter.
Tom stole the show with his cooking, leaving villagers gobsmacked that the cat was a master chef.
From noon to midnight, bonfires blazed, people danced, and drunk Tom broke out a saxophone solo that earned roaring applause.
Even ice-cold Hikari cracked a tiny smile.
Then Aike's glass paused mid-sip.
"What's wrong?" Nami asked.
"Nothing big. Arlong's backup just showed up."
"Hikari, go clean them up. Don't want them ruining the party."
Hikari vanished without a word.
"Backup?" Nami frowned. "Did some Fish-Men escape?"
"Nah. The Marines from Branch 16—the ones Arlong was paying off."
Nami's face twisted.
"Those corrupt bastards…"
"I actually thought about begging them for help once."
She started to stand, murder in her eyes.
Aike gently pushed her back down.
"Just one branch fleet. Overkill for Hikari."
Three minutes later Hikari returned, clothes spotless, breathing steady.
The East Blue's weakest Marines hadn't even counted as a warm-up.
As the night wound down, the crew returned to Nami's house.
While everyone slept, Nami slipped out alone to Bell-mère's grave, whispering everything that had happened.
Aike watched from a distance.
Soft footsteps approached.
"Couldn't sleep? Or worried about Nami?"
Nojiko stopped beside him, eyes on her sister.
"It's been years since I've seen her this relaxed."
"She's really happy with you all."
"So… please keep taking care of her from now on."
Nojiko bowed deeply, voice earnest.
Aike smiled.
"And you?"
"Huh?"
"Nami's leaving with us. Won't you be lonely as the only sister left behind?"
He turned to her, grin widening.
"So… want to come too?"
"Eh?"
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