Marine’s 16th Branch.
“Blurp Blurp~ Blurp Blurp~”
“Squeak squeak squeak, this is Marine’s 16th Branch, Captain Nezumi, is there anything to report?”
“Captain, the Krieg Pirates have been annihilated by another pirate crew.”
“Oh, the Krieg Pirates?”
Captain Nezumi stroked his mouse-like whiskers and pondered for a moment.
In his eyes, the Krieg Pirates were one of the strongest pirate crews in the East Blue.
It must be some emerging pirate force, but even so, they are quite powerful.
“What do they look like?”
“The leading Captain wears a Straw Hat.”
A Straw Hat Captain Pirate Crew? They must be a fan of Pirate King Roger. Roger also wore a Straw Hat when he first set sail.
“Understood. Is there anything else to report?”
For him, the number of pirate crews in the East Blue didn't really matter. He wasn't going to go after them anyway; he preferred money.
“There’s also a big matter… The Vice Captain on that ship took five slashes from Hawkeye completely unharmed.”
“Are you dreaming?”
“No, Captain, I saw it with my own eyes! Hawkeye even admitted his own defeat!”
“This is getting more and more ridiculous. Do you think I’d believe such an obvious lie? Don’t report anything else if there’s nothing else.”
Captain Nezumi hung up the phone.
How could that be true?
Why would Hawkeye come to the East Blue instead of staying in the Grand Line?
Even if he came, how could anyone in the East Blue withstand five slashes from Hawkeye?
That’s the strongest slash in the world.
This Marine must have eaten something bad and is hallucinating.
He didn’t pay attention to the soldier’s delusion. He still had to go to Arlong Park to collect money, and he couldn’t be delayed by a babbling Marine.
-----------------
Inside Arlong Park, Arlong, with his light blue skin and a long, saw-like nose, was chatting happily with Captain Nezumi.
Their location was Arlong Park on the Conomi Islands.
The Conomi Islands have excellent weather, and the islands are rich in fruits and rice crops.
Arlong and his Fishman companions managed over twenty villages on Conomi Island, and every year they collected extremely high management fees, or tributes, from the local villagers.
An adult was charged 100,000 Berries, and a child was charged 50,000 Berries.
For villages that couldn't pay, Arlong would use violent means to suppress them to maintain his reputation.
Some villages were even razed to the ground by Arlong. Arlong continuously amassed wealth and experienced the pleasure of oppressing humans during this process.
“Oh my, our best partner has arrived.”
“Squeak squeak squeak, if I weren’t so busy with official duties, I would definitely have a drink with you.”
Although their conversation sounded like two good partners, both of their eyes hid contempt and disdain.
Neither of them thought highly of the other, but both had to cooperate for different reasons.
Captain Nezumi liked money, but the Marine did not allow private collection of money from citizens. However, Arlong, as a pirate, could brazenly exploit the island's residents.
Nami had returned to the Arlong Pirates by this time. Seeing the Marine and the pirate colluding, she felt helpless.
It was precisely because of the collusion between pirates and Marines that her village, Coco Yashi Village, received no outside aid.
And Arlong, with a bounty of 20 million Berries, was not someone she and the villagers could defeat by uniting.
Captain Nezumi and Arlong began small talk before their transaction, while Arlong ordered his subordinates to fetch the money.
“Squeak squeak squeak, recently my subordinate told me that the Krieg Pirates seem to have been annihilated.”
“The Krieg Pirates?”
Arlong had a strong impression of the Krieg Pirates. After all, his own bounty was 20 million Berries, while Krieg’s bounty was 17 million Berries.
Although his strength was certainly not as good as his own, he was not to be underestimated.
“Hahahahaha, partner, there’s no need to be nervous. The subordinate who informed me also said that among the people who annihilated the Krieg Pirates, there was one who could withstand five slashes from Hawkeye.”
He was slightly puzzled at first, but upon hearing this, Arlong burst into laughter.
“Hahahahaha, Captain, you really need to teach your subordinates well. Do daydreams also need to be reported?”
Arlong had never actually seen how strong Hawkeye was, but he knew one thing.
He was a Seven Warlords of the Sea, on the same level as Jinbe.
Jinbe was the most powerful Fishman.
“Squeak squeak squeak, I’m just saying, if you see a pirate crew wearing Straw Hats, remember to pay attention.”
“A pirate crew wearing Straw Hats.”
Hearing something familiar, Nami’s body suddenly trembled. A pirate crew wearing Straw Hats.
Could it be Luffy and them?
She had sailed the ship away when everyone wasn’t paying attention that day and hadn’t noticed what happened afterward.
Do they have the ability to defeat Krieg? Krieg is a great pirate with a 17 million bounty.
Actually, Nami didn't quite believe that Luffy and Lin En had the ability to defeat a great pirate.
However, what if they really defeated Krieg?
Lowering her head, Nami looked at the doran's shield pendant on her chest.
No, no, no, it’s impossible. No one can defeat Arlong.
In the decades that Arlong had ruled the island, countless people who wanted to resist him had all, without exception, become corpses.
For Nami, Arlong had left an unshakeable impression of invincibility since her childhood.
While Nami was thinking, Arlong’s subordinate had already given the briefcase full of Berries to Captain Nezumi.
Captain Nezumi opened the briefcase, scanned it with greedy eyes, then closed it, and he and Arlong exchanged knowing smiles.
“Squeak squeak squeak, well, I’ll be going now. It wouldn’t be good if other patrolling Marines discovered us.”
“Oh my, oh my, won’t you stay for a drink? If any Marine dares to report me, I’ll definitely kill him.”
After a perfunctory attempt to keep him, Arlong had Hachi take Captain Nezumi back to his ship.
“Yo yo yo, isn’t this Nami?”
After seeing Captain Nezumi off, Arlong finally noticed Nami’s arrival.
Concealing the disgust in her eyes, Nami’s face was once again full of smiles.
“Looking at your expression, you had a fruitful trip.”
“I met some honest and rich guys.”
“Oh~~ It seems we are one step closer to fulfilling our promise!”
Nami didn’t reply. This was all the effort she had made to protect her village: save up 100 million Berries and buy this village.
People can only accomplish what they want to do by relying on themselves.
For so many years, she had always wanted to defeat Arlong, but reality was cruel. The ruins of Gosa Town were the result of unified resistance against Arlong.
Unified resistance would fail, and partners who came to help would be killed.
Ultimately, this was her war alone.
Arlong looked at Nami, who seemed to be full of longing for her future life again, and couldn't help but laugh inside.
How could he let Nami escape from his grasp? For so many years, this was how he had controlled Nami.
He waved his hand, summoning his Fishman companions.
“A banquet for our Nami!!!”
His tone was affectionate, yet still insincere.