East Blue.
Cocoyasi Village.
Beyond a steep cliff lay a small, hidden beach—secluded, known only to a handful.
Behind a rock, Nami crouched, peeking cautiously over its edge as she scanned the sea.
"They… are they really coming?"
Memories of the fish-men's terror resurfaced, and doubt lingered in her heart. Could Luo Lan and his people truly defeat Arlong?
Just then, a flicker of light appeared several hundred meters offshore, flashing intermittently.
A signal.
The agreed-upon signal!
They were here. They actually came!
But… where was their ship?
Perplexed, Nami didn't waste time. She reached into the grass and dragged out a small wooden raft, pushing it into the water and hopping on. With steady strokes, she rowed toward the flashing light.
Night had fallen, making it difficult to see clearly. Only when she drew close did the scene become visible.
Floating atop the sea was part of a massive metallic structure. Standing atop it was a young man, his navy justice coat fluttering in the wind.
Nami's heart tightened.
A Marine…
Nojiko's words echoed in her mind—
"If there's any organization Bell-mère ever served… it would have to be the Marines."
But… the Marines?
Could they really be trusted?
Not just Nami—even the entire Cocoyasi Village and dozens of others nearby had long lost all faith in the Marines.
After all, the crimes committed by the 16th Branch over the years…
"So, you're really with the Marines?"
"I already told you, didn't I?"
"When?"
"I mentioned it before—Bell-mère once served our organization."
He had said that. But who would've connected that to the Marines?
Well… Nojiko did, apparently.
"Enough, we'll talk later. Ian!"
"Yes, Colonel!"
A voice echoed from a circular hatch nearby. One by one, fully armed marines began to climb out.
"Split into teams and start ferrying people ashore."
"Understood!"
The raft Nami brought could only carry 7 or 8 people at a time.
After four trips, the entire group had reached the beach.
Aside from Luo Lan, Ian, and Ace, there were 24 marines, all fully armed.
"Hey!!"
"My name's Luo Lan, not 'hey.'"
"Alright, Luo Lan…"
"Hm? What is it?"
"Can you guys… really defeat Arlong?"
Nami's tone was filled with skepticism.
Only twenty-some men. And aside from their slightly different firearms, they didn't look much different from the average marine she'd seen before.
Those kinds of marines wouldn't even last a second against Arlong's officers—let alone Arlong himself.
"Relax," Luo Lan said casually. "Arlong's nothing. See that guy over there?"
He pointed to Ace.
"He alone is more than enough."
Nami looked toward where Luo Lan pointed.
A young man, maybe just a year or two older than her, stood there. He didn't even carry a gun.
This guy? Defeat the entire Arlong Pirates alone?
What a joke!
Luo Lan could clearly guess what she was thinking, but he didn't bother explaining any further.
At this point, Nami's perspective was simply too limited.
"Lead the way. Let's get this done before sunrise—we've got more to handle by then."
"…Fine. But let's be clear—I won't admit I had anything to do with you if you fail!"
Clenching her teeth, Nami finally nodded.
---
Arlong Park.
The fish-men were scattered across the ground, limbs splayed in drunken stupor.
Of course, a few were still upright.
"Boss Arlong, this tax collection went smoothly, but thinking about tomorrow…"
Kuroobi frowned, half-drunk, bitterness rising to the surface.
"We earned those berries fair and square. Why do we have to hand over half to that useless rat?"
Arlong let out a coarse laugh.
"Sha-ha-ha-ha! Brother, that rat's just a clown on stage. You really think it was him alone keeping us hidden in East Blue all these years?"
"You mean…"
"Exactly. The berries just pass through his hands. Most of it ends up in the pockets of powerful marine officers."
"Ah… that explains it."
Kuroobi sobered up a bit.
He'd always wondered—how could the Arlong Pirates rule over more than 20 villages for years without marine HQ stepping in?
So the real protectors… were the corrupted high-ranking marines themselves.
Humans… truly inferior beings. Willing to sell out their kind for mere money, letting them be enslaved, even killed.
With that clarity, Kuroobi finally relaxed.
He no longer felt so angry about giving half their loot to that rat.
He raised his cup, ready for another swig—
BOOM!!
A deafening blast tore through the air.
Shards of wood, iron, and stone rained down in all directions.
A stray rock flew with pinpoint precision, shattering Kuroobi's cup mid-sip.
The wine splattered onto the ground.
"Who's there!?"
"Who dares to break into Arlong Park!?"
"Are you looking to die?!"
Fueled by alcohol and fury, Kuroobi leapt to his feet, roaring with rage.