Chapter 182: Nojiko and Genzo
"So strong!"
"No wonder Luffy is amazing."
"That cook's strength is impressive too?"
Johnny grumbled in frustration.
How can a mere cook have strength on par with Luffy? It's really confusing.
"So this is a Fishman?"
"Not so impressive."
Zoro sheathed his sword coldly. He wasn't interested in cutting everything in sight, and his initial anticipation for the Fishmen was unfounded.
To ordinary people, Fishmen are like monsters. But to Luffy and his crew, besides the Arlong Pirates' officers, the rest of the Fishmen are just minor threats.
The Fishmen, who were unconscious, would probably die soon, Ryujiro estimated.
After entering Cocoyasi Village, the commotion attracted someone's attention.
A woman with blue, short, curly hair and a strikingly attractive figure, accentuated by her outfit, had a unique tattoo below her collarbone.
Nojiko looked at the injured Fishmen with a horrified expression.
"Ugh!"
Seeing the battered Fishmen, Nojiko couldn't help but gasp.
"Who did this to the Fishmen?"
"If Arlong finds out, it will be trouble."
"We must find them before Arlong does; otherwise..."
Nojiko looked at the footprints on the ground and hurried forward.
She needed to stop these people before Arlong found and killed them.
In East Blue, bounty hunters often came seeking a name, but those who entered Cocoyasi Village always met a grim fate under Arlong's rule.
"This is Cocoyasi Village?"
So desolate.
Though the buildings were intact, the empty streets gave a sense of profound desolation.
"Hey! Who are you?"
At that moment, a middle-aged man in a police uniform with a windmill on his hat and several scars on his face appeared behind Ryujiro's group.
"Who are you, old man?"
Luffy walked over and asked curiously.
An unfamiliar face. Is he from out of village?
Genzo, the village's police officer, would know everyone in the village.
"You all follow me. If Arlong sees you parading around, you'll be dead." Genzo said sternly.
Before Genzo could finish, another voice rang out.
"Genzo?!"
Genzo turned, astonished, to see Nojiko.
Nojiko glanced at Genzo and then at Luffy, saying, "I saw heavily injured Fishmen on the outskirts of the village. If Arlong finds out, we're doomed."
"What?! Injured Fishmen?!"
Genzo's expression grew serious.
Suddenly, Genzo's eyes darkened, "Don't tell me it was you guys who did this?"
"It was my companions and me."
Luffy spoke frankly.
Ryujiro, familiar with Luffy's straightforward personality, wasn't surprised. Luffy was always blunt and often single-minded.
Genzo's grim gaze fixed on Luffy, but then he suddenly broke into a smile and patted Luffy's shoulder, laughing heartily, "Well done!"
The villagers of Cocoyasi had no fondness for Fishmen. They had to buy their lives with money each month, laboring under Arlong's oppression and offering tribute.
If they missed a payment, death awaited them.
"This isn't the place to talk. Let's go somewhere else."
"Come to my house."
Nojiko suggested.
Genzo nodded in agreement.
At the location where the Nezumi's ship sank, Hachi saw the sunken warship underwater.
Hachi's expression changed drastically. He dove deeper and found the bodies of the Nezumi and his Marines.
Realizing the situation was serious, Hachi knew something had gone wrong.
The Nezumi was supposed to meet at Arlong Park at the agreed time, but they had waited for him in vain.
Arlong was concerned something had happened, so he sent Hachi to investigate.
It seemed things had gotten beyond their control.
Back on the shore, Hachi saw Ryujiro's ship and his expression darkened.
Someone had arrived.
"That's too much! I'm going to beat that Arlong guy to save Nami!"
Luffy clenched his fists in anger.
Nojiko had already informed them about everything happening in Cocoyasi Village.
Meanwhile, Nojiko's gaze fell on Ryujiro, who remained calm, sipping his freshly brewed tea.
This man's demeanor was completely different from Luffy's crew. He was calm and composed.
"It's impossible. Arlong is a Fishman, a monster. Even the neighboring Gosa Village was destroyed by Arlong's men."
Genzo shook his head helplessly.
Sanji puffed on a cigarette and asked, "What about the Marines? Don't they know what's happening here?"
"Marines? They're unreliable."
"Arlong is so audacious because he's colluded with the Marines. Arlong isn't aiming to control just this small island; he wants the entire East Blue!"
Ussop took a deep breath, shocked.
To control the entire East Blue, Arlong had enormous ambition.
"By the way, you mentioned Nami. Do you know her?"
Nojiko asked.
Luffy grinned, "Nami is our crewmate."
"Crewmate?"
Nojiko's eyes widened in surprise.
So Nami had been talking about these people.
It's a pity...
Nojiko's gaze dimmed.
Under Arlong's control, escaping was like reaching for the heavens.
At that moment, a voice came from outside.
"Arlong's people are here!"
Nojiko and Genzo's faces changed abruptly. They said anxiously, "You must hide quickly. If Arlong finds you, you're done for."
"Arlong's people are already here?"
Luffy seemed to ignore Nojiko's warning. He pushed open the door and walked outside, with Zoro and Sanji following.
"What are you doing?"
"You're no match for Arlong's crew. Those guys are monsters!"
Nojiko and Genzo were frightened by their actions.
Just as Nojiko was about to drag Luffy and the others back, a calm voice reached her ears.
"Don't worry. They're weak."
"Arlong's crew will be handled by them."
"Cocoyasi Village, which has been oppressed for years, should come to an end now."
Ryujiro, sitting on a chair, looked at Nojiko and said calmly.
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