19. Sea Beast Momoo, The Boat Puller Is Here?

Nami stopped in her tracks, picked up the newspaper lying on the ground, and whispered to herself:

"The Arlong Pirates got taken down by Tom and his crew, huh?"

"Could the Marines have messed up?"

Feeling a sense of dread creeping over her at the mention of Al, Nami immediately suspected that the Marines had made an error.

It wasn't just Nami who thought this; Al shared the same sentiment.

But upon further reflection...

During the battle with Arlong, Al didn't really join in the fighting much.

The Marines might have mistaken him for one of Tom's crew, which would make sense.

Though Tom wasn't sure what exactly had happened, he could tell that Al had been mistaken for one of his men, and it struck him as quite funny!

After receiving a stern glare from Al, Tom chuckled nervously and hurried away.

Nami feared that Al would be devastated by the mix-up, as she only wanted to console him.

Suddenly, Al's demeanor shifted, and he wore a sinister grin as he remarked:

"Don't you think it's clever of me to pose as one of Tom's crew?"

"This way, I can conceal my true strength and catch our enemies off guard!"

"I'm a genius, aren't I? Hahaha..."

Nami couldn't help but cover her face in disbelief. Then, recalling her original purpose, she shouted:

"Captain Al, that's beside the point!"

"The real issue is that both you and Tom are now wanted criminals, hunted by the entire world!"

Al seemed a bit confused and countered, "But isn't it normal for pirates to be wanted?"

Nami sighed in frustration.

"Alright, Nami, no need to look so frightened."

Al flashed a confident smile and declared:

"Let's make a move, Nami."

Nami, feeling a bit puzzled, inquired, "Where are we headed?"

"Don't be dense," Al retorted. "We're setting sail, of course!"

...

Over the next two days, Al and Nami tirelessly managed the factory and restaurant.

These establishments served as their primary sources of income for their upcoming voyage, leaving no room for error.

Meanwhile, Tom rallied a group of villagers to construct boats at a rapid pace.

However, news spread among the villagers of Cocoyasi Village and more than twenty surrounding villages and towns that both Al and Tom were now wanted criminals.

This sparked concerns about potential riots breaking out!

Al and Tom, these two were hailed as heroes by the villagers!

After enduring years of oppression under Arlong's rule, the Marines' authority seemed insignificant now.

Having been rescued by someone, why would they still want to be considered criminals?

It's hard to fathom what drastic actions the villagers might have taken if Al hadn't intervened to handle the situation.

This further solidified Al's standing in their hearts!

As news spread that Al and the others were preparing to depart, villagers from over 20 surrounding villages and towns came to bid them farewell.

The send-off was grand, with a tremendous outpouring of support from the coastal community.

Amidst the warm farewells of the villagers, Al, Tom, and Nami set sail on their journey.

"Captain Al, you seem to be in high spirits," Nami remarked with a playful grin, looking oddly endearing.

Al grinned, "You're not feeling the same?"

The two exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.

It would be dishonest to claim they weren't pleased with the enthusiastic send-off.

"Tom, prepare to set sail!" Al commanded.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Nami looked at Tom skeptically and remarked incredulously, "Can Tom even do that?"

Tom felt slighted by her doubt and let out a soft snort.

With assured strides, he hoisted the anchor.

Then, he expertly maneuvered to the boat's mast, unfurled the sail with finesse, clapped his hands together, and relaxed into a chair, sipping a drink leisurely.

The entire sequence of movements flowed seamlessly, reminiscent of an experienced sailor who had spent countless years at sea.

Nami rubbed her eyes, feeling as though she was witnessing something surreal. Despite her years of experience at sea, she couldn't guarantee executing those maneuvers with such grace.

Al suppressed his laughter, knowing that Tom's longest stint had been as a sailor.

For Tom, these actions were as simple as they could be.

After lounging for a bit, Tom sensed the boat's slow pace. He trotted to the back, firmly gripping the stern with his claws before extending his tail into the sea.

Then, with a swift motion, Tom's tail transformed into a propeller, churning the water madly!

It was actually propelling the entire triangular sail!

Nami sensed something amiss with the ship's speed and dashed out of the cabin, calling, "Captain Al, there seems to be an issue with the ship's speed!"

Upon hearing her, Al gestured toward Tom, who was exerting himself, and burst into laughter.

"If this is the case, it's quite the sight!"

Nami glanced at "Propeller Tom," patted her chest in relief, took a deep breath, and chuckled as she remarked, "And here I thought the wind had shifted because of Tom's antics."

Just as the two shared a laugh over Tom's antics, an angry roar echoed from the depths of the sea!

The once tranquil sea erupted into turmoil!

Moments later, a colossal figure loomed into view, sending shockwaves through everyone present.

The villagers, who moments ago had been bidding farewell, now wore expressions of pure dread upon seeing the massive monster.

"That's... the Arlong Pirates..."

"Sea Beast—Momoo!!!"

"Al, Nami, Tom, run!!!"

...

Al glanced at the panicked villagers along the coast and questioned, "What are they shouting about?"

Nami suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

In a moment like this, there was hardly any time to spare worrying about the villagers!

The massive sea beast looming before them was the immediate concern, understood?

Nami, being well acquainted with Arlong's crew, immediately recognized the behemoth before her!

Simultaneously, she was acutely aware of the formidable combat prowess possessed by the sea beast, Momoo!

Nami anticipated that Al would enlist Tom's help in dealing with Momoo, the sea beast.

However, upon seeing Tom's condition, Nami couldn't help but feel distressed.

Tom's tongue hung limply, his breaths labored, resembling someone on the brink of collapse.

Al stretched his muscles and suggested with a grin, "How about grabbing hold of him and using him to pull the boat, Tom?"

In Tom's mind's eye, he envisioned himself atop the crow's nest, feeling the rush of the sea breeze, and eagerly nodded in agreement!

Seeing the two's excited expressions, Nami forced a stiff smile, raised her hand in surrender, then hurried into the cabin to hide.

Feeling slighted by the disregard, the sea beast Momoo's eyes turned pure white, and its forehead contorted into a twisted ╬ shape.

"Tom, remember to tie a rope around its horns later, don't let it escape!"

Tom vigorously nodded in agreement, donning his denim attire and brandishing a cow rope in his hand.

Al drew his Western sword and twirled it effortlessly.

With a mischievous grin, the duo exchanged glances, ready for action!

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