Chapter 40

Arlong was sitting on his throne and enjoying the wine which one of his crew had brought from somewhere when someone pounded on his door. That got his attention, specially when after one more punch to the door, the door to his park flew wide open.

"Ohh, so you're back, that was quite a long trip," Arlong said stirring his wine glass and looking at Nami.

"Is that so?" Nami asked with a sarcastic voice.

"I see that you have brought some little friends along with you," Arlong said and wondered how he would be working them like slaves. He lifted his eyes and froze. That was when he noticed that none of his crew was making a movement.

And he knew the reason. It felt like a superior being... a predator was among them... waiting for one wrong move of theirs to snap off their lives from them. Arlong gulped and carefully looked at each one of the friends Nami had brought along with her, when his eyes landed on the little kid with a straw hat on his head. He wasn't able to move for a second with the look the boy clearly looked at him with.

Arlong knew it instantly that the kid was not a kid, heck he wasn't even a human! He felt like the sea which was a home to the fishmen and just like the sun which they had always longed for. And yet, Arlong could tell it was not the sea and the sun in the normal and pleasant days. No, it was the raging sea and the scorching heat of sun which he can feel radiating from the boy. To them. For them. Warning them.

Arlong took a deep breath and gulped down his wine, forcing his heart to get on a steady pace again and not panic. Whatever the boy might be, he is still a kid. A little kid who is... powerless to defeat him, since fishmen are SUPERIOR beings.

"Arlong, enough is enough now!" Nami yelled with a fire in her eyes, which had been eradicated since Bellemere had died. "Take the money and get the hell out of the village!"

That snapped Arlong and the others out of their fear and made them look at the bags which Nami and her little friends threw before Arlong.

The little friends Nami had made were glaring at him and the others, even if one was shaking to his boots. He will admit he was feeling scared of the little kid but not anymore. He looks all weak and scrawny if someone looks him close by. Heck, he can say the blonde and the green haired swordsman who looked the toughest in the group might be the strongest, but they were no match for him.

"Shahahaha!!" Arlong laughed and stood up from his throne, forgetting the danger he had felt. He walked towards Nami and her little friends who had helped her. He placed his hand over Nami's shoulder and the girl didn't even flinch like she used to. Arlong felt disappointed.

Nonetheless, he looked ahead and saw the hopeful eyes of the villagers who had gathered just a moment ago. How good would be crush their hopes in an instant with his words? That thought made him feel so good from inside that he couldn't help but laugh loudly.

"Shahahaha! SHAHAHAHA!" Arlong laughed in a mocking tone. "Money? Village? Free?"

"It's a complete 100 million berry as I promised," Nami vocalized without an ounce of fear.

"Is that so?" Arlong questioned with a dirty smile on his face. "Thanks for the money."

The whole crew of Arlong started laughing after that, making Nami and the villagers look utterly confused. But the straw hats had got what the captain of the Arlong Pirates meant.

"Oh, Nami, you see, I never planned to free your village," Arlong spouted soon enough clearing the confusion from everyone's faces and sat on his throne with a mocking look on his face.

"W-What?" Nami asked in a horrified voice. "B-But y-you pr-promised me!"

"LIAR!"

"GIVE BACK OUR VILLAGE!"

"DON'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH NAMI SUFFERED DUE TO YOU!"

"I'M DONE NOT FIGHTING!"

"WE ARE DONE BEING WEAK!"

"WE WILL TAKE YOU DOWN ARLONG!"

The villagers shouted one by one, making Nami's legs give under her. She couldn't comprehend what she was witnessing. She had known in a part of her mind that Arlong would never uphold the end of the promise and yet she had worked hard in the hope of finishing this, freeing her village... without a fight. 

"Men kill them all. I don't need them anymore, except for her" Arlong ordered, and Nami heard the pounding steps of her people, of Genzo, of Nojiko, of everyone. Their war cries, their anger, everything. She heard it all.

"N-No," Nami whispered. "No, no, no, NO DON'T DO IT! YOU ALL WILL BE K-KILLED!" Nami choked on, but the villagers didn't stop. The fishmen were cracking their necks and knuckles and she could clearly fantom the ending result. But she couldn't lose them. She just couldn't.

"We can't let you fight this fight anymore!" It was Genzo who shouted.

"Run Nami while you can!" Nojiko yelled the next.

"Luffy!" Nami mumbled, knowing he was the only last hope left, who could save everyone. Who would bring freedom to the village.

Genzo and Nojiko went past her, but none of the strawhats even moved a muscle except for Yosaku and Johnny who were torn in their own battle of what to do and what not to.

"Luffy!" Nami shouted with tears flowing from her eyes. "Help me! Help them! Please! I can't let them be kill-"

A hat was plopped on her head and in an instant Luffy stretched his arms to catch the villagers who had ran ahead to tackle the fishmen on their own.

"Of course, I will help you Nami!" Luffy yelled and his arms snapped back throwing the poor villagers back, making them shout in fear. "Take care of the hat for me till then." He said giving her his signature D grin.

Nami nodded while hiding her face with the strawhat to hide her tears. 

"Finally, we are doing it, huh?" Zoro asked with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Yosh!" Luffy stated with his hands in the air. "Johnny and Yosaku, keep the villagers at the bay!"

"Aye, aye!" Johnny and Yosaku replied instantly and turned on their heels to not allow any villager to pass through them.They crossed their swords, which acted as a barricade to prevent the villagers to get anywhere near the fight. 

"Usopp give us cover!" Luffy commanded Usopp the next. "You can do it!" He added with his sunny grin.

"Alright!" Usopp replied taking out his slingshot and adjusting his goggles on his eyes. He will show his shooting skills to save his friend. He can do it! 

"Zoro and Sanji, we are on!" Luffy said with a feral grin and made a beeline for the main person.

"Roger!" "Aye Captain!" 

Luffy grinned as he started walking towards the man who had boiled his blood. The one who was sitting on his throne like a king. 

"Arlong," Luffy stated in a chilling voice. His anger was completely directed on Arlong as he started approaching the said fishman. "You are so dead."

"I see," Arlong replied nonchalantly, ignoring the chill which was running through his spine. "Just what the hell are you, kid?" He couldn't help but question it. 

"I'm not a kid, I'm a pirate!" Luffy replied with his glare fixated on Arlong. 

That was a surprise to the fishmen and the people who were listening on. The fishmen 'cause they couldn't believe a little kid was a pirate and the villagers 'cause Nami had brought pirates in their island. But they trusted Nami and her choices. 

"Hey, you stop," A fodder fishman said standing in Luffy's way. 

"Heh, heh where d'ya think you're going, kiddo?" Another said, blocking Luffy's way. 

Luffy was pissed off. These fishmen were the most ignorant ones he had ever seen. 

"Move it!" Luffy growled lifting his head and aiming daggers at the fishmen. But he didn't need to move a muscle as Zoro and Sanji both slashed and kicked the fishmen out of Luffy's way. 

"Didn't you hear what he said?" Zoro asked with a feral grin, jerking off blood from his blade. 

"Deserves right for you shits," Sanji said the next taking a swig from his cigarette. 

That was surprise to the fishmen as their brethren fell with one move. 

"Just what the hell are you even trying?" Arlong asked with a smirk next, avoiding to look at the steely look which he was getting. Even if the swordsman and the blonde was tough they couldn't hurt him. 

Luffy didn't reply and steadily kept walking to Arlong, with his eyes glaring at the fishman. With one last step, Luffy stopped before Arlong, who still refused to acknowledge his presence. 

Lightning cackled in the sky as Luffy let lose his anger by punching Arlong. Arlong crashed straight to the wall and beyond. 

"AGGHHHHH!!! ARLONG?!" The fishmen shouted in confusion, seeing Arlong crashed on a tree, bleeding from his mouth and his face distorted. 

The villagers watched with shocked expression as Arlong didn't make a single move. He was not moving. 

"DON'T YOU DARE MAKE MY NAVIGATOR CRY!" Luffy yelled with the thunder which made it's presence in the midst of the battle. His face was nothing sunny yet he looked liked he had emanated from hell itself. Like the devil or a force of nature waiting to bring judgement on the fishmen. 

This was the time when the Strawhats were forced to acknowledge that Luffy hadn't sprouted any lies. He can control lightning and will thunder. They were after all seeing it all in action. The winds which were howling in rage, the thunder which represented Luffy's anger were cackling madly in the sky and the clouds which rumbled beyond their comprehension. 

If that spectacle was not enough to make the fishmen falter then the conqueror's Haki, which was bleeding out of Luffy sure made the fishmen take a step back. 

If someone asked where the fishmen would likely want to be right now, then they would probably say that anywhere but not near the kid. But they refused to let go of someone who disrespected their captain and hence they ignored the dread which crept on their backs. 

"W-Why you!" "How d-dare you!"

The fishmen yelled as they charged directly to Luffy, but that was of no use. They couldn't even bypass Zoro and Sanji who slashed and kicked them aside without wasting a second. 

"Jeez, running in head first alone like that," Sanji stated with his hands stuffed inside his pocket. 

"Don't worry, I ain't gonna lose," Luffy said with a grin, feeling Sanji's worry clearly. 

"Dumbass! When did I ever say I was worried for you?" Sanji asked looking away. "I only meant that you shouldn't hog all the glory for yourself." 

"Oh," Luffy said cracking his fingers. But he could tell Sanji was lying. Well, he wouldn't extend this conversation. 

"I d-don't particularly mind either w-w-way, Luffy," Usopp stated with his hands on his hips, and sweating with fear. 

"Ain't you gusty?" Zoro sweat dropped. But inside he was worried for Luffy just like Sanji was. He didn't want Luffy falling, with all the thunders and lightnings which were cackling in the sky. 

"Isn't that Roronoa Zoro?" One of the fishmen asked clearly recognizing the pirate hunter. 

Meanwhile, the villagers were shocked to their core. 

"Just who exactly are those guys?" A villager asked. "To be able to send Arlong flying back with a punch...! That's not something a normal human could do!" 

"The heavens..." An old lady whispered looking at the glorious sky which was rising hopes within her heart. "They want to exterminate our suffering today." She cried as she witnessed the fury of the nature itself taking revenge in their place.

"Those guys..!" Nojiko whispered under her breath holding onto Nami who was clutching on her like a baby. "Who are they?" 

"If even those guys can't do anything about these fishmen," Yosaku started. 

"Then East Blue has no hope!" Johnny finished it. They were itching to fight but they knew they can't beat a single one in the state they are right now. "If you wish to interfere with this fight, then you'll have to kill us first!" 

That was the only thing they could do. Protect the villagers. 

"For what reason do they go so far?" Genzo asked with gritted teeth. 

"'Cause they made sister Nami cry," Johnny said without missing abeat. 

"Is this not the best reason to risk our lives?" Yosaku asked as he added onto Johnny's words. 

Nami couldn't help but cry on those words. She trusted that Luffy, Zoro, Usopp and Sanji can defeat the fishmen and yet there was a sense of fear within her for them. After all they were doing these all for her. Risking their lives. 

The villagers couldn't help but feel hope grow inside them, which they had thought that they had lost it. Hope that they would be free once again. Free to do anything which they want and not pay for their lives. 

"Shashashasha!" Arlong, the shark fishman laughed even if he coughed out some blood. "Just how could 4 measly humans defeat me?"

But before the strawhats could reply, a fismen who looked like and octopus yelled out, "You idiots! As if Arlong would fight the likes of you! I'll turn you all into fish food!"

"COME OUT, BEAST!" 

"It can't be..." The villagers said with anguish. Their hopes felt like slipping away from them once again, if what they thought was going to arrive. Some even fell on their legs not able to move as the water level started rising, announcing the arrival of the sea beast. 

"W-W-W-What's going on?" Usopp asked in fear, but the others didn't even break a sweat as they stared at the rising waters. 

"COME OUT, MOHMOO!" The octopus fishman yelled out, announcing the arrival of Mohmoo. 

"The sea cow," Usopp said in relief, wiping down his sweat. 

"Moo-" Mohmoo mooed, but the next second it froze and started sweating heavily.

"You again?" Luffy asked crossing his arms. 

"So he's one of them, huh," Sanji asked through his cigarette. 

Mohmmo began crying. He couldn't stand anymore of the pirates and the little king, who was throwing his glare at him. So, he did what he felt was the best. He turned tail and started going. 

"Mohmoo, wait!" The fish octopus man yelled out. "Where are you going?!" 

But Mohmoo didn't want to wait a second here. He shook his head relentlessly as he started going away. He didn't want to acquire the wrath of-

"Mohmoo..." Mohmoo froze once again when Arlong called out his name in a low and threatening voice. "The hell do you think you're doing? Well, if you are going to-"

"Momo," Luffy cut out Arlong's words and made Mohmoo bow to Luffy in an instant. That shocked most of the fishmen who didn't anticipate this at all. "You are free to do whatever you want." 

Mohmoo started tearing up and replied, "Mooo?" 

"I won't be angry," Luffy replied nonchalantly, waving his hands. The events were shocking most of the fishmen along with the strawhats who didn't know what was happening at all. Even the villagers were shaken to the core. 

Mohmoo didn't need to think much after that. Little king was the strongest one and he knew it. Stronger than Arlong and his words. So, he chose to run away and never do anything that will piss off Little king. 

The fishmen were not feeling good about it. They had known from the starting that the kid was different but with the sea cow taking the kid's side instead of Arlong's, that was a big issue. 

"So be it," Arlong stated, with his eyes shadowed. He can see fear taking root inside of his men due to the events. Due to the kid, who single handedly drove them to be anxious. "Don't be afraid of the kid, men! He is nothing but a kid!" He said standing up and dusting his pants. 

"Aye, aye captain!" The fishmen responded. 

"Men charge!" A fishmen yelled as everyone started charging towards the 4 measly humans. 

Sanji gave a grin, Zoro gave a smirk as his hand went to the hilt of his sword ready to take it out and Usopp raised his slingshot high in the air ready to attack. But they didn't need to. 

"Don't waste my time! Gomu Gomu no..." Luffy growled as he flung his leg, which in turn stretched taking down the fishmen easily. "Fling!"

The attack flung the fishmen here and there like meteors, making the villagers shout when one of the fishmen fell near their vicinity. 

"A devil fruit user, huh?" Arlong muttered. 

"I didn't come here to fight these small fries!" Luffy announced standing his ground. "The one I want to beat up is you!" He pointed his finger and turned his gaze to Arlong. 

"How excellent!" Arlong stated. He was pissed off. "I was thinking of finishing you myself." 

"Seems like we have no choice but to fight," A grayish fishmen, whose name was Kurobi said with his hands crossed over his chest. 

"How dare you hurt our brethren!" The octopus fishman said getting all riled up. His name was Hachi. 

"Looks like we need to teach these humans the difference between our races," A fishman with big lips said. His name was Chew. 

"Looks like the main force is out to meet us," Zoro said with a smirk, happy to finally get someone who can be worth fighting. He had been itching for a fight. 

"That was way too dangerous?!!!" Sanji yelled as he had seen a fishmen just fall over his beautiful Nami-swan. He had been on time there to kick the fish away and hence protecting the defenseless ladies. 

"Are you trying to kill us even?!" Usopp shouted the next. A fishman had landed directly on him, making him scream for his life, until he realized that the said fishman was unconscious. But that experience had literally had his soul come out of his mouth. 

"Oops?" Luffy said with a little giggle. He didn't look sorry at all for the mistake, pissing off Sanji and Usopp more in the process. 

"How the hell did he command that monster from the Grand Line?" A villager spoke in complete shock. 

"What a power!" 

"Those guys bet the fishmen like this..." Another said in shock, seeing the strength of Zoro and Sanji. Even Usopp's shooting skills had impressed them to their core. 

"To think that there would be humans who can handle fishmen," Another villager spoke in disbelief. 

"Is this really a battle of our world...?!" Genzo asked in shock. He couldn't believe how the events were turning just before his eyes. 

"If this was how things were going to turn out, we should have fought from the beginning," Kuroobi said crossing his arms. He could care less about the humans standing before him, except the kid who he didn't want to mess up with yet. "Arlong, please just sit right there."

"If we let you fight while that much anger, all of Alrong Park will end up destroyed!" Chew said looking at Arlong, who was gritting his teeth. 

"Take this!" Hachi announced. "Zero field of vision...!" 

"That octopus is doing something," Zoro said nonchalantly. 

"First boil the octopus in salt water, slice it up, and add some olive oil and paprika to make an excellent side dish while drinking," Sanji said nonchalantly. These two didn't look like they were about to battle the commanders of the Arlong Pirates at all. The only one who looked like he had an idea of the situation was Usopp who was far away from the fishmen with his slingshot. 

"That would taste awesome!" Luffy replied to Sanji's words with drool dripping from his mouth. 

"Takohachi Black!" Hachi shouted his attack as black ink targeted the Strawhats. "Octopus Ink!" 

But unfortunately, Hachi's attack didn't work at all, as Luffy, Zoro and Sanji managed to dodge the ink easily. 

On the sidelines, Arlong was getting pissed off. Hatred was making its place in his heart stronger than ever. These humans were not ordinary humans who shitted in their pants with just the name of the fishmen or the Arlong Pirates. No, they were insane. Specially the kid, who didn't appear to be human at all, except for his appearance. 

He felt like the sea and yet he refused to cooperate with them. He smelled like the sea and yet he had devoured a devil fruit, to make the sea hate him and refused to accept it and chose humans. He was a traitor to Arlong. And yet, Arlong couldn't help but acknowledge that the kid was stronger. The punch he got square on his face proved it. 

Arlong's heart wanted nothing more than to hear the painful shrieks of the kid's when he will tear his heart from his very own hands. He wanted nothing else than to break the kid and make him his slave, to torture him for the eternity. Hatred. Anger. Greed. Disgust. They were clouding his vision, his heart and his mind as he stood up. 

He saw Hachi beat Roronoa Zoro, and yet he saw how the kid was the one who was changing the flow of the battle, even if Hachi looked like wining. He saw how Kuroobi faced bravely against the blonde guy and the kid support him. He saw Chew running after the long nosed teen and how the kid gave his best wishes to him. He couldn't handle anymore. 

He didn't know what was wrong, but he felt that the battle would change and it would be all 'cause of the kid. He deserves to die. DIE. 

"YOU SON OF A DEVIL!" Arlong yelled, as he let his madness and insanity take over him and charged head on to the kid. He had a plan in his mind, which he was committed to do. He would drag the devil fruit user to the very sea which hates him. But he would not let him die. He will torture him for eons. 

"So you are finally ready, huh?" Lufy grinned as he saw Arlong and felt his rage all directed towards him. He couldn't help but learn his plans due to sheer instinct and his observation haki. 

"Humans are weak! They are inferior to us, the fishmen, who are superior!" Arlong yelled as he dashed and dashed towards Luffy, who couldn't help but burst out laughing at his thoughts alone. 

Zoro's eyes landed on Luffy for a second, while he was blocking the eight blades of the octopus with his single blade. Sanji stopped mid air for a second in his fight with Kuroobi to glance at Luffy and then Arlong. They both can feel the blood lust coming from Arlong, which was solely directed towards their captain, who was laughing in the face of the present situation. 

"Don't interfere," Luffy said cracking his knuckles and with a wide grin stretched on his face, specially to Sanji and Zoro. 

"DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK YOU CAN WIN AGAINST US?!" Arlong shouted in fury, while his eyes changed. 

"Arlong Park is done for," Kuroobi stated with a sigh, punching Sanji away who was distracted, but Sanji did a back flip and stood his ground, ready to tackle the fishman again. He is done giving up. 

"You bet I think so, you idiot!" Luffy said with a smirk as he punched Arlong straight in his jaw, shattering his teeth completely. 

"Arlong's eyes changed!" The villagers yelled. 

"They're the same eyes that a sea king has when it goes berserk!" Sanji said looking away from his fight. 

"That's the first time I've seen those eyes!" Nami said in shock, holding Luffy's strawhat. 

Arlong started laughing as new set of teeth started growing shocking every human further. "How dare an inferior human to this to me, a fishman?! Do you know what hopeless difference is there between you and I?" He asked rushing towards Luffy in fury. 

"Nose? Or jaw?" Luffy asked cocking his head. 

"I-Is he joking around?" Yosaku yelled in panic, afraid about Luffy. 

"No I think he's serious!" Johnny said confidently with a sweat drop. 

"Webbed hands!" Luffy said pointing his finger. 

"IT'S OUR RACE!!" Arlong yelled as he attempted on biting Luffy, and yet Luffy danced around those easily. Arlong wanted nothing more than to pull or push Luffy in the sea, for mocking him. He will show who is the strongest of all to the puny human. 

"He bit off the pillar!!" Yosaku yelled, as he saw Arlong snapping the pillar by his jaw alone. 

"If he got bit by it, his bones will be crushed," Sanji stated through gritted teeth, but he couldn't focus on that fight when he himself had a fishman who was looking for opportunities to snap his neck off. 

"This is the power that we fishman are born with. A power that the heavens did not bestow upon your race-" 

Arlong was cut off by Luffy. "Jeez, you speak a lot. Fishman this, fishman that. Heavens this, heavens that. Man I'm tired of your ramblings." Luffy said cleaning his ear with his finger and punching a pillar just like Arlong did to show case his power. The pillar broke in an instant, throwing the debris far away. 

"Nice one, brother!" Yosaku yelled. 

"That's right! The end result is all the same!" Johnny supported.

"You humans truly are idiotic! Weak pathetic race! What can you do?!" Arlong asked in fury as he dashed towards Luffy furiously. "You can't even save yourself from drowning!"

"It's because I can't do anything that I need help," Luffy replied nonchalantly but he meant each word. "I don't know to fight with swords!"

Zoro stood up again after falling to his knees, due to the dizziness and fever he felt. 

"I don't know a thing about navigation either!" Luffy yelled, catching Nami's attention. 

"I can't cook!" Luffy yelled, making Sanji stand up again, after getting a taste of the fishman karate, which made him fly past the villagers. 

"And I can't lie either!" Luffy shouted, making Usopp look at Chew with determination, who was about to attack Zoro. He raised his slingshot and shot the fishman, making him the center of his attention. 

"I'm confident that I wouldn't be able to survive if other people aren't there to help me!" Luffy yelled out loud, making Arlong laugh.

"Aren't you quite honest admitting how worthless you are?" Arlong shouted. "You call yourself a captain and yet you don't even have an ounce of self confidence! Just what the hell can do you, kid?!" 

"I can beat you," Luffy stated with a confident grin as Arlong attacked him. Luffy punched him back, but in the mishap, Arlong did the one thing he had planned to. He caught Luffy's hand and dragged him to the waters as he fell to it. 

"LUFFY!" Zoro shouted immediately. He knows that Luffy can swim, but his swimming isn't good enough to compare to a fishman. Luffy can barely stay afloat in the water for a few minutes. That was the main problem. 

"You bastard!" Sanji growled, as he turned his heel from the fight. Ready to go after Luffy. "I'll go s-" 

Zoro caught Sanji just at the right moment. "Wait, you dumbass!" Zoro yelled stopping him. "Don't act rashly. Going into the sea is exactly what these guys want. There's only one way to save Luffy right now!" 

"You mean we have to beat these guys to a pulp on land first and then jump into the sea?" Sanji asked taking a swig from his cigarette. "Fine by me." 

"LET'S DO THIS!" Zoro and Sanji said together, as they charged to their opponents. 

The remaining fishmen pirates started laughing loudly as they saw Arlong's fin swimming rapidly in the ocean moments after. 

"You think Arlong will be defeated?" Kuroobi asked dashing towards Sanji, who raised his leg. "Don't let your guard off!" 

"Your opponent is here!" Hachi said attacking Zoro, who slashed him making him bleed instantly. 

On the other side, 

Yosaku yelled to his friend, "This is bad, Johnny! Brother Luffy's in trouble!" 

"He won't be able to do anything in that situation!" Johnny replied back. 

"Luffy," Nami whispered. "H-He will be fine." She said remembering that Luffy knows to swim. He has been training with Zoro ever since she had met them. He has to be fine. She trusts him. 

A/n:

So, the finale between Arlong and Luffy is coming soon! What do you guys expect to happen? 

I hope the chapter was interesting! 

Have a good day/night!