6. Is This Cat A Monster?
"Boom!"
A massive mushroom cloud rose high into the sky, its dust blanketing the entire horizon!
Powerful tremors rippled from the mountain's peak down to its base.
In Cocoyasi Village, startled villagers rushed out of their homes, thinking an earthquake was upon them.
Their hearts sank at the sight of the colossal mushroom cloud billowing from Nami's direction.
An overwhelming sense of worry gripped them all.
Something had happened to Nami!
Fear gripped everyone, sending shivers down their spines!
Just as they were gearing up to rush to Nami's aid, the sudden appearance of several fishmen dashed their plans.
Meanwhile, at Arlong Park, jubilation reigned.
Arlong stood tall, arms raised triumphantly, as he gazed upon the mushroom cloud with a sinister grin.
"Did you see that? You lowly scum! This is the fate that awaits those who dare oppose the Arlong Pirates!"
His laughter echoed through the air.
....
As the dust settled, Nami emerged from the yellow sand, staring in disbelief at the massive crater before her.
Al watched as she sat on the ground, her hand covering her mouth, paralyzed with disbelief. Her voice quivered as she uttered, "You're lying!"
"The three top members of the Arlong Pirates were actually defeated!"
In her line of sight, Tom stood triumphantly, baseball bat held high, while Chew, one of the Dragon Pirates' top members, lay beneath his feet, defeated. A victorious smile adorned Tom's face.
Beside Chew were Hatchan and Kuroobi, seemingly unconscious from the impact.
However, Colonel Nezumi was nowhere to be found in the deep crater, likely blasted away by the shockwaves.
"Tom!"
Al jumped down from the nearby tree with a somber expression, shouting, "Could you give me a heads up next time, seriously!"
"It nearly caught me off guard, but luckily I was quick on my feet."
Glancing at the sailors buried under the crater, Al wiped the sweat from his brow.
Tom scratched the back of his head, sheepishly twisting his foot twice, and offered an embarrassed smile. 'Yeah, next time.'
"Do you really want there to be a next time?" Nami interjected, watching the playful banter between the two.
Nami couldn't help but burst into laughter, gaining a newfound appreciation for the strength of Al and Tom.
If it were them, they might actually stand a chance against Arlong.
As Nami pondered this, Al suddenly shouted, "Tom, watch out!"
He saw Hatchan charging towards Tom with two long knives.
Nami's eyes widened in disbelief, and a sense of powerlessness immediately quenched the hope that had just ignited within her.
Confronted by Hatchan's sudden attack, Tom's heart leaped into his throat!
Hatchan grinned and yelled, "No matter what kind of monster you are, as long as I cut out your heart, you're finished!"
Under Nami's desperate gaze, Hatchan swung his long knife wildly, slicing Tom's heart into countless tiny pieces.
"How could a dumb cat like you defeat me!" Hatchan raised his arms triumphantly and shouted.
Tom clutched his chest, swaying as if intoxicated, then pulled out a rose from behind, assumed a praying posture, and collapsed.
Nami's face drained of color as she clenched her fists, pounding the ground in frustration. "Why is this happening?" she shouted, unwilling to accept it.
Al, directly across from Nami, maintained a calm expression, almost wanting to chuckle.
"Tom, how much longer are you planning to act? Deal with that foolish octopus quickly, I'm getting a bit hungry," Al remarked.
Hatchan burst into laughter upon hearing this. "Fool! Didn't you see that I chopped this foolish cat's heart into pieces?"
Nami couldn't help but think that there was something off about Al's reaction; Tom's death seemed to have hit him too hard.
Just as she was about to comfort Al and pull him away from the misunderstanding, Tom suddenly stood up, patting himself all over with a puzzled expression, as if to say, 'I'm actually okay?' )
Before Hatchan could react, Tom swiftly produced two slices of bread, pieced his broken heart back together, made a sandwich, and gulped it down in one bite.
In the next moment, it was evident that Tom's heart was beating again in his chest.
This sight completely terrified even the well-informed Hatchan! (T/N: Brain not Braining)
He looked as though he had seen a ghost, dropping the long knife in his hand and fleeing to the corner in a panic!
Simultaneously, he screamed hysterically, "Monster! Mom, I want to go home!"
Nami's worldview shattered. Her hand trembled as she pointed at Tom, speechless.
With a smile on his face, Al explained, "Tom isn't a monster."
"It doesn't quite add up. Tom defies normal logic, but calling him a monster feels off..."
"Hmm... let me think..."
Seeing Al still pondering seriously, Nami suddenly stood up and exclaimed, "Now's not the time to dwell on this! What matters is that despite his heart being cut, he's still alive and well!"
Al waved his hand dismissively, grinning. "Because he's Tom!"
Nami paused, the words echoing in her mind: "Because he's Tom."
He glanced at the terrified Hatchan and the two unconscious officers still lying in the enormous pit.
Nami gritted her teeth, as if she had made a major decision, and dashed towards the orangery on the hillside.
Al didn't inquire further. He simply sat cross-legged on the ground, activating his system to check the EP he had gained this time.
Tom, feeling mischievous, pulled out a white sheet from behind and covered his head to scare Hatchan, who promptly fainted from fright!
But Tom wasn't done yet. Once Hatchan passed out, he doused him with a basin of cold water, causing him to faint once more.
After several minutes of toying with Hatchan, he remained unconscious and couldn't be roused.
Only then did Tom, with a hint of regret, proceed to tie up the three officers.
Immediately afterward, he retrieved a cigar from behind, deftly cutting it open with a clip. The cat's claws gently rubbed against his body, and he sat atop the cadre with a melancholic expression, as if life had lost its spark.
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