Chapter 41: Aftermath

"It's alright if you can't, but his future's bleak. He'll spend the rest of his days rotting in Impel Down. How long that second half of his life lasts? Depends on his survival skills in that hellhole."

Seeing Arlong's sigh of relief, Luo Ning wasn't about to let him off the hook. These fishmen deserve their demise, but Impel Down is their true destination. Not a single one here is innocent, including Hatchan.

Nami, in the original story, could even forgive Hatchan. It was surprising that following Arlong, there would be a single decent one.

Even if this guy saved Rayleigh, so what? Does Rayleigh even dare to intervene now?

"Shove him to Impel Down"

The name sent shivers down Arlong's spine. No wonder the uniforms of this crew seemed vaguely familiar, yet different from the Marines. These were the people from Impel Down.

He knew Impel Down all too well. He'd been imprisoned there himself, released only when Jinbe became a Warlord.

The thought of those horrific tortures had Arlong trembling uncontrollably, fear etched on his face.

"Why's he so scared?"

Nami was confused. While she knew of Impel Down's existence, her knowledge was limited.

She had no idea about the horrors within.

"You'll find out soon enough. In Impel Down, living is far worse than dying."

Luo Ning directed Arlong onto the ship, and then the group set sail for Cocoyashi Village, where they'd be handing over the criminals.

Truthfully, Luo Ning felt like he was becoming a Marine, but with a key difference. He captured pirates simply because they irked him.

Furthermore, the deep sea prison had already become his own domain in his mind. Later after a full-scale war with the World Government, he'd directly incorporate Impel Down under his command, transforming it into a truly terrifying prison.

Back in Cocoyashi Village, Nami explained the fate of Arlong and his crew to the others, returning all the stolen money over the years.

Luo Ning held no resentment towards the villagers, even though they hadn't spoken out before Luffy and his crew arrived.

They had even badmouthed Nami, but realistically, everyone understood her reasons. Ultimately, the villagers who dared confront Arlong in a desperate fight did possess a sliver of conscience.

Therefore, Luo Ning felt neither strong animosity nor particular attachment towards them.

News of Arlong's capture ignited a joyous celebration throughout the village. Luo Ning and his crew remained on their ship, showing no intention of leaving.

While many villagers offered the ship a bounty of food, the jailers politely declined. The reason was simple; they had access to superior fare. The food Luo Ning produced on board was top-notch.

Accustomed to Luo Ning's cuisine, they weren't averse to other food, it just paled in comparison.

So the food was politely declined, and Luo Ning, with these jailers being his temporary crew, wouldn't be stingy. Of course, that frugality would return once they were back in Impel Down.

"What brings you here? Aren't you celebrating with the villagers?"

The village carnival was still in full swing, yet Nami found herself on the ship.

"I can't explain it, but I just feel out of place with them"

Nami shook her head. There was undeniably a sense of estrangement. Though the villagers knew Nami had been playing a double agent to help them, Nami herself couldn't hurdle that mental block.

"Because of the tattoo?"

Luo Ning gestured towards the symbol of the Arlong Pirates tattooed on Nami's arm.

"Tattoos... I'd forget them if I could!"

Nami shot a glance at the tattoo on his own shoulder, then impulsively grabbed a dagger and made a move to scratch it off.

"Hold on, don't be rash. I understand you hate the thing, but there's no need for such brutality. Those tattoos are easy to remove"

Luo Ning was stunned. This girl was a bit reckless. In fact, there was a tattoo removal method available in Nami's village.

It was simply Nami's extreme hatred for the Arlong Pirates' mark, coupled with her impulsiveness, that led her to consider using a dagger.

Grasping Nami's hand, Luo Ning channeled his illusory power into her body, directly eliminating the tattoo.

"See, there's no need to be so impulsive in the future. Problems can be solved in many ways; there's no need to choose the most drastic one," Luo Ning said after finishing with Nami's tattoo.

"This... vanished?"

Nami stared in disbelief, then suddenly recalled what happened to Arlong earlier. She had slashed him repeatedly, leaving him near death, but Luo Ning had inexplicably saved him.

"Yep, gone. By the way, any thoughts on my offer?" Luo Ning asked with a smile. Honestly, even if Nami rejected him, he wouldn't make a fuss about it. He'd consider it charity this time, seeing as he disliked Arlong anyway.