Chapter 40: A Distant dream

The captured murloc also spotted Nami, realizing these people were brought by her without any consideration.

Faced with this situation, he could only threaten Nami.

"Don't spout nonsense! You'll only spend the rest of your life rotting in Impel Down. I hope you'll enjoy your stay!"

Luo Ning didn't waste time with pointless conversation, not even bothering to wait as someone gagged the murloc.

As the ship docked, the imposing Arlong Park loomed before them.

Arlong and his men naturally noticed the arrival of such a colossal warship, all the murlocs gathering under Arlong's command.

"What is a warship doing here? And judging by its size, it's far superior to anything that rat could possess!"

Arlong's expression darkened at the sight of the massive warship. He was familiar with Colonel Mouse's ship.

Warships, like most things, came in various grades, and such a large one was a rare occurrence. Appearing in his territory now, a sliver of worry crept in, wondering if he might be facing a formidable foe.

"Nami?!" Arlong's voice boomed as he spotted a group disembarking from the warship. Among them, his eyes landed on Nami.

"Arlong!" Fear, a primal terror ingrained in her very being, caused Nami to recoil several steps.

"So it was you who brought these damned fools here–" Arlong's words were cut short by a terrifying wave of pressure radiating in all directions. Every murloc except Arlong crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Even Arlong, though awake, found himself trembling and unable to move, forced to his knees.

Luo Ning, disdainful of idle chatter, simply unleashed his Reiatsu to subdue them. He deliberately left Arlong conscious, his strength insufficient to withstand the full brunt of the attack.

"How... how is this possible..." Arlong stammered, a tremor in his voice. "Conqueror's... Why would Conqueror's Haki appear in a place like East Blue?!"

Having spent time with Fisher Tiger in the Grand Line, Arlong had witnessed Conqueror's Haki on a few occasions. The overwhelming coercion he felt now mirrored those experiences perfectly. Yet, he couldn't comprehend its presence in a backwater like East Blue.

His astonishment mattered little. The jailers had already begun their task, efficiently apprehending the incapacitated murlocs one by one.

"How can it be ending so easily?!" Arlong's roar echoed in vain.

Nami remained in a daze for a while, only waking when several murlocs were carried away. She'd expected at least a fight between Arlong's crew and Luo Ning's group, a victory or defeat for one side.

This one-sided encounter, however, was completely unexpected.

"I told you," Luo Ning said, "these guys are just arrogant fools from the East Blue. They're nothing compared to the Grand Line."

"Want to vent some anger? That's why I kept that guy conscious" He pointed towards the immobilized Arlong.

Seeing Arlong's state, Nami's eyes reddened. Bell-mère, though not her biological mother, held the same place in her heart. Yet, Arlong, this monster, had taken her life.

Luo Ning, noticing Nami's expression, simply handed her a knife. The time for catharsis had come.

Nami snatched the knife and charged at Arlong, slashing wildly. When someone reaches the peak of anger, they become capable of anything. The guards surrounding them remained unfazed. As Impel Down jailers, they'd witnessed far worse displays of rage. In fact, they'd seen plenty more horrifying scenes within the prison walls.

"Hahahaha, Nami! So what if you hack me to death here? That trash woman is dead, dead! There's no bringing her back!"

Arlong, crazed after being slashed, taunted Nami relentlessly.

"Death isn't that easy for you" Luo Ning countered, placing a hand on Arlong's body. The power of his fantasy coursed through Arlong, completely healing the gash Nami had inflicted. If not for the blood staining Arlong's body, Nami might have believed the entire scene was an illusion.

"Chop him to bits if you want. I'll watch from the sidelines. Don't worry about killing him," Luo Ning said with a chilling smile. Sometimes, death is a privilege denied.

The realization dawned on Arlong, his face contorting in terror. He had goaded Nami in an attempt to provoke her into killing him, but Luo Ning's unexpected ability to heal shattered that hope. Now, death seemed like a distant dream.

Nami, conflicted after hearing Luo Ning's words, wrestled with her emotions before finally discarding the knife. Kindness is ingrained in her nature, and the prior frenzy was a result of years of pent-up rage clouding her judgment. Now, with her mind clear, she could not bring herself to use the weapon.