"Kuroobi... was defeated?"
Nami stared blankly at the orange figure before her, her expression somewhat dazed.
Among the Arlong Pirates, if Arlong was the person she feared most, Kuroobi was a close second.
Because Kuroobi was naturally vigilant, he had constantly watched her every move while she was forced to draw charts at Arlong Park. He kept her on pins and needles, making her skin crawl and leaving a massive psychological scar.
And whenever she showed any suspicious behavior, he would grab her with his incredibly powerful arms, leaving red marks on her young self that took a long time to fade.
...
Grind! Grind!
"Kuroobi..."
Arlong glanced at the unconscious Kuroobi, the veins on his forehead bulging as his face darkened until it looked as though it might drip ink.
He never imagined that the consistently powerful Kuroobi would actually lose to a human kid, and lose so quickly!
"Big Brother Arlong, this kid is definitely no ordinary human brat. Let me and Hachi deal with him together."
Chew spoke with a heavy, solemn expression.
Beside him, Hachi—who had returned to the crew long before Goku arrived—drew his six swords with a metallic clang, staring at Goku with eyes full of hostility for striking down his kin.
"Nyu, Big Brother Arlong, Chew and I will definitely take him down."
The two were about to step forward, but Arlong extended his arm to block them.
"Back down. He is my prey."
Arlong stared coldly at Goku, an uncontrollable killing intent radiating from him that seemed to lower the surrounding temperature by several degrees.
He viewed the lives of lower humans as mere trash, but for his fellow fishmen, he had always been protective.
Seeing several of his kin harmed by Goku one after another, an overwhelming murderous intent had already surged within him, placing Goku at the top of his death list.
"To dare hurt my kin... I hope you're prepared for what comes next."
He cracked his knuckles and walked slowly toward Goku, looming over him with a piercing gaze.
Goku, however, was entirely unfazed. He looked up, his fierce gaze clashing with the other's icy stare in mid-air, almost igniting sparks between them.
Standing nearly three meters tall, Arlong looked like a giant in front of Goku; Goku's head barely reached the level of his knees.
Viewed from the side, the difference in their builds was vast. At first glance, anyone would assume the small Goku was at a total disadvantage.
But upon closer inspection, one would be surprised to find that although Goku was as small as a three-year-old child compared to Arlong, his aura didn't lose an inch of ground.
"I should be the one saying that to you. For hurting Nami like this, I will never forgive you," Goku said coldly.
"Shahahahaha!"
Arlong let out a loud laugh, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.
Without warning!
He suddenly lashed out with a kick, aiming a powerful strike at Goku!
But Goku, already prepared, didn't fall for it. With a simple backflip, he easily evaded the kick.
Immediately after, he lunged off the ground. Like an arrow shot from a bow, he closed the distance to Arlong in the blink of an eye and threw a heavy punch toward his face!
Boom!!!
In an instant, Arlong was sent flying backward like a cannonball, knocking several terrified fishmen aside before slamming heavily into the outer wall of the park.
With a thunderous crash, the battered wall finally gave way, collapsing into a pile of rubble that buried Arlong completely.
"Big Brother Arlong!!"
Chew, Hachi, and the other fishmen gasped, their pupils shrinking in shock.
"Damn it! Everyone together!"
Chew turned back, glaring at Goku with a murderous look.
His cheeks suddenly puffed out, and from his protruding lips—which resembled those of an archerfish—he spat out a high-pressure jet of water, shooting toward Goku as fast as lightning.
Pfft!!
Goku darted to the side. Seeing a finger-sized deep hole left in the ground where he had been standing, his eyes narrowed.
'That packs a punch! If that hit me, it would definitely hurt!'
The thought flashed by as he blurred to the other side again, just as Chew's next water jet shot toward him.
Not only that, but Hachi had already closed in. His six long swords blurred into a flurry of afterimages, hacking down like a violent tempest: "Six-Sword Style! Octopus Foot Odd-Sword!!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Goku's gaze sharpened as he lightning-fast drew the Power Pole from his back, accurately parrying every single strike.
Instantly, a fierce wind erupted as the shadows of the Power Pole and the six blades intertwined, creating a dizzying spectacle.
While the two were locked in combat, a fierce light shone in Chew's eyes. He locked onto Goku again, preparing to launch a sneak attack to deliver a heavy blow!
But before he could fire his water jet, a black shadow rushed from a distance, carrying immense momentum. A flying kick slammed into him, sending him tumbling away!
"Goku isn't the only one here to protect Nami-san's smile, yaaaa!!"
Sanji, arriving late, landed stylishly in a cool pose, his cold eyes sweeping over the fishmen.
Then he suddenly turned around, hearts appearing in his eyes, as he waved frantically at Nami behind him.
"Nami-san!! I'm here!! Did you see my incredibly cool moves just now?!"
Nami, who was slightly dazed by his sudden arrival, blinked and gave an awkward smile. "Yeah, yeah, I saw you."
Sanji's head felt like it exploded with excitement; he was so thrilled he looked ready to burst.
"Aaaaah!! Nami-san said she saw me!! Does this mean Nami-san has already fallen for me?!"
...
Nami put her hand to her forehead and her lip twitched.
As expected, she probably shouldn't have responded like that.
After seeing Chew kicked away by this unknown human, the ordinary fishmen's eyes turned red as they roared and charged at Sanji.
"Kill him! How dare he lay a hand on Big Brother Chew!!"
"Kill!!"
Sanji instantly snapped out of his excitement. He put his hands in his pockets and watched the enemies with a blank expression.
As they reached him, he spun on the ball of his foot, his black leather shoe drawing a cold arc that struck the face of the leading fishman with a heavy thud.
Foaming at the mouth, the fishman was sent flying.
Sanji didn't stop. Like a black butterfly dancing, he plunged straight into the group of fishmen. His long legs alternated with extreme speed, blurring into a rain of kicks that landed precisely on every fishman's vital points.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Accompanied by a continuous series of dull impacts, it didn't take long for the attacking fishmen to be sent flying in different directions, landing in various positions with their eyes rolled back, stripped of all combat ability.
Click!
Once finished, Sanji took out a lighter and unhurriedly lit a cigarette. He placed it in his mouth and slowly exhaled smoke.
"Whew... you guys aren't quite as tough as the legends say."
...
On the other side, Hachi, unable to break through Goku's defense, finally unleashed his secret technique.
"Six-Sword Waltz!!"
He leaped high into the air, dropping toward Goku upside down. The six swords in his hands spun rapidly in front of him like a meat grinder, intending to shred Goku into mincemeat.
Seeing this, Goku remained calm, already having a plan.
He shouted, "Extend, Power Pole!"
Then, holding the Power Pole, he thrust it with all his might toward the incoming Hachi!
Clang!! Crack!!
Hachi's momentum came to a dead halt. Those six blades that seemed capable of cutting through anything shattered into pieces as if they had hit the hardest substance in the world.
"H-How is this possible?!"
Hachi's eyes widened in shock, his mind going blank for a moment.
Goku didn't stop after violently crushing the attack. He swung the Power Pole in mid-air, slamming it into Hachi and sending him flying!
Splash!!
Hachi drew an arc through the air and crashed heavily into the swimming pool inside Arlong Park.
After a few seconds, he surfaced from the water with his injured body, forming a trumpet shape with his large mouth and blowing a summoning call.
"Ba-ba-ba... Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba!!"
Soon, the sea connected to the pool began to boil, and the surrounding buildings trembled slightly, as if a massive creature was about to emerge from the depths.
"Could it be?!"
Nami's pupils shrank as if she had realized something.
"Nyu, I can't beat him alone, but with Mohmoo's help, maybe it'll work."
Hachi, who had climbed out of the pool, stared at Goku with a grim expression.
In the next second, Mohmoo's massive figure emerged from the sea. It first looked at Hachi, who had summoned it, then subconsciously scanned its surroundings.
At the same time, Goku, standing outside the park, looked up and his eyes happened to lock with Mohmoo's.
!!!!
Mohmoo's face instantly twisted into an extremely human-like expression of pure terror.
Without hesitation, it plunged back into the sea, disappearing from everyone's sight in an instant.
Hachi: "???"
'Wait, I haven't even said anything yet, why are you running??'
Just then, the sound of shifting rubble reached everyone's ears.
Arlong, who had been punched away by Goku earlier, sat up from the pile of stones.
He shook his head and felt the swollen area on his face, looking at Goku with eyes full of darkness. "For a mere human brat to possess this kind of power... I underestimated you."
"Big Brother Arlong! It's great that you're okay!" Hachi's excited voice came from behind.
Arlong was about to turn his head when he froze, looking in disbelief at the fellow fishmen lying motionless all around him.
"You... you actually did this to my kin..."
Crunch!!
He crushed a stone next to him into fine powder, his eyes turning blood red.
Hachi walked to his side and said solemnly, "Big Brother Arlong, that blonde man is the new helper of the tailed brat. Chew and many of our fallen brothers were taken down by him."
Although he had been fighting Goku, it didn't mean he hadn't noticed Sanji's arrival; he had seen Sanji taking down the crew from the corner of his eye.
Because of that, he had tried to use his secret technique so quickly to defeat Goku in one go.
"Good, very good. You inferior humans... if I, Arlong, don't tear you to pieces, I'll be failing my brothers!"
Arlong stood up and glared at Goku and Sanji, the veins on his forehead throbbing. He was in a state of absolute rage.
"Hey, Goku. Leave the boss to you, and I'll handle that octopus," Sanji said calmly, his hands in his pockets and a cigarette in his mouth.
"Okay," Goku replied concisely.
For him, as long as he could personally defeat Arlong, he would have avenged Nami.
Whoosh!!
A gust of wind suddenly swept through, kicking up dust and making the four men's clothes flutter loudly.
The four stood in pairs, staring coldly at their opponents. The atmosphere was so tense it was on a hair-trigger.
Behind them, Nami subconsciously clenched her fists. Sweat slid down her cheek, but she didn't think to wipe it away, her eyes filled with nervous intensity as she watched Goku and Sanji's backs, praying for them with all her heart.
...
As another gust of wind passed, Arlong suddenly turned and jumped into the swimming pool without hesitation.
At the same time, Hachi moved as well, charging at Sanji with his six fists.
Goku ignored the fight between Sanji and Hachi, blurring to the edge of the pool and scanning the water.
"Hey! Are you trying to run away?!" he shouted at the pool.
However, a second later, he sensed something was wrong and leaped away from his spot without thinking.
Zip—!!
Just as he left the spot, Arlong shot out of the pool like a projectile, his saw-like nose pointing forward like an indestructible blade!
Boom!!
Since the target was gone, Arlong shot into the tallest and most magnificent building in the park—the only one of its kind—smashing through countless walls.
'That guy's speed just now was incredible!'
Goku kept his eyes on the spot where Arlong had entered, his guard fully raised.
The water in the pool was too dazzling under the sunlight, so he couldn't see the situation inside clearly; he could only judge the other's movements by the slight ripples on the surface.
And now, the other had shot into the building and was covered by billowing dust, making it equally hard to see his figure.
Zip—!!
Just then, he caught another unusual movement and, once again, leaped away without a second thought.
An instant later, Arlong's rocket-like figure passed through where he had been standing and dove straight back into the pool.
"I can't give him any more chances," Goku muttered to himself, a plan forming.
He bent his legs and pushed off with all his might, soaring into the sky like a rocket.
In the air, he kept his eyes fixed on the pool below, as if anticipating exactly what would happen.
Sure enough, just as his speed slowed and he was about to fall back down due to gravity, Arlong—who had been waiting in the pool—also shot into the sky, flying toward him like a lightning bolt.
"Shahahahaha! What a foolish move! Let's see how you dodge now!"
Arlong's undisguised sneer grew louder as he approached, his laughter full of triumph.
In his mind, Goku, being in mid-air with nothing to push off of, was a sitting duck!
But he seemed to have forgotten there was something called Moonwalk, and Goku happened to have learned it.
Bang!!
With a loud explosion of air, Goku timed it perfectly. Just as Arlong was about to reach his feet, he kicked the air to the side, forcing his body out of Arlong's flight path.
Arlong's face froze, unable to believe Goku could dodge his attack like that.
And then, he felt a strange sensation on his ankle.
Looking down, he saw that Goku's tail had somehow wrapped around his ankle!
"Now you can't run!"
Goku met his gaze, a hint of triumph in his own eyes.
In the next second, using his tail as leverage, he swung himself around right in front of Arlong.
Before Arlong could react, Goku's small face tightened, and his fists fell upon Arlong like a rainstorm.
"Ata-ta-ta-ta!!!"
Thump! Thump! Thump!!
Arlong's chest sank in.
Thump! Thump! Thump!!
Arlong's back bulged, his whole body arching like a cooked shrimp.
Thump! Thump! Thump!!
Arlong's nose went crooked, teeth flew out, foam sprayed, and his eyes rolled back.
Goku pulled back his fists and, seeing Arlong flying further up from the momentum of the punches, he pulled out the Power Pole.
"Power Pole! Extend!"
Swoosh—!!
Under his command, the Power Pole rapidly extended dozens of meters.
Then, he swung the Power Pole in a wide semi-circle, striking Arlong with pinpoint accuracy.
Immediately after, he slammed it down toward the ground!
In the next instant, the Power Pole, carrying Arlong with it like a strike from a god, tore through the air with a piercing scream and smashed into the main building of Arlong Park, splitting it in half!!
Rumble!!!
The cage that had imprisoned Nami for eight years collapsed in a heap. Falling stones buried the Arlong trapped within, burying Nami's eight years of hardship and pain along with him!
At the same time, Sanji pulled back his foot, and Hachi fell over with his eyes rolled back.
At this moment, as far as the eye could see, every fishman had been defeated.
Goku landed on the ground, turned around, and gave Nami a pure smile. "Nami! I've avenged you!!"
Nami's eyes had long since turned red, large tears falling continuously.
She wiped away a handful of tears, a brilliant smile breaking across her face as she nodded heavily. "Yeah!!"
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]