Chapter 147: One Strike
As the saying goes, when the leader is corrupt, the subordinates follow suit. Captain Nezumi was a cowardly leader, and his soldiers were no better.
And they'd just witnessed what happened to their comrade—reduced to dust!
As Captain Nezumi fell to his knees, the entire orange grove instantly erupted with the sound of Marines collapsing and trembling in submission.
Genzo gaped in utter disbelief!
Nojiko covered her mouth, staring at the scene in astonishment.
Nami, while equally shocked by Rhodes's power, found herself drawn to Captain Nezumi's desperate words.
Arlong... orchestrated this?!
All of this was actually orchestrated by Arlong?!
As if unable to believe it, Nami rushed forward, grabbed Captain Nezumi's collar, and demanded:
"You just said Arlong ordered you to do this?! You came to confiscate my treasure because Arlong told you to?!"
Facing this woman who appeared to be with a Shichibukai, Captain Nezumi didn't dare show any disrespect. He stammered repeatedly:
"It was Arlong! Really, it was Arlong!"
"He told me you had 100 million berries, and if I confiscated it, I'd get a third!"
What?!
Nami was completely stunned. Her beautiful eyes trembled violently as she stumbled backward twice, nearly collapsing to the ground. Her delicate face darkened—as if a dream had shattered, a belief she'd held for eight years overturned in an instant.
Nojiko rushed forward to support her, and Genzo couldn't help but look worried.
They both understood Nami's desperate persistence and could imagine what she must be feeling at this moment.
Rhodes shook his head faintly.
Pinning one's dreams on the mercy of others was undoubtedly naive and foolish.
"Captain Nezumi, is it? You're quite... memorable."
He slowly walked up to Captain Nezumi and examined him with detached interest.
Captain Nezumi, as his name suggested, truly lived up to it.
He wore a comical mouse-ear hat, his slender figure resembling a weasel, with two lopsided whisker-like mustaches...
His eyebrows drooped submissively, his expression brimming with ingratiation, a fine sheen of sweat streaking across his forehead.
He gave a dry, nervous laugh and stammered: "Thank you for the... compliment, sir. I apologize for being such a pathetic sight..."
The power of the Shichibukai was absolute.
Captain Nezumi understood this perfectly.
Despite his considerable authority in these waters—his ability to decide life and death with a single word—he could be casually eliminated by Rhodes without consequence!
Even if Rhodes killed him, neither the Marines nor the World Government would confront a Shichibukai over a mere branch captain.
Seeing his trembling expression, Rhodes suddenly smiled with cold amusement and said:
"You've offended me. I could kill you right now, and the Marines wouldn't say a word about it, correct?"
"No! Sir, it was really that bastard Arlong who instigated me—no, who forced me!"
"I had no idea these two ladies were under your protection!"
Captain Nezumi immediately kowtowed frantically, tears and snot streaming down his face.
He was genuinely terrified of death. If Rhodes weren't so obviously disgusted by him, Captain Nezumi would have wanted to cling to Rhodes's legs and sob.
"Well then, don't say I didn't give you a chance..."
Rhodes said slowly. Captain Nezumi's eyes suddenly lit up as he said repeatedly: "Sir, please tell me what you need! Whether it's money or women, I can provide them!"
"I need neither of those things."
Rhodes smiled. "Arlong has committed countless atrocities, and justice demands punishment. Now is your chance to redeem yourself."
"This..."
Captain Nezumi was certainly shrewd enough to have risen this far, and he easily understood Rhodes's intention. But asking him to provoke the powerful Arlong Pirates was pushing things too far.
However, choosing the lesser of two evils, Captain Nezumi decided to risk facing Arlong rather than the world-renowned Dragon Slayer swordsman.
"I'm willing to serve as the vanguard!"
Captain Nezumi declared boldly—but cautiously. Since he was the vanguard, naturally there needed to be a main force.
And with Rhodes backing them, he calculated his life wouldn't actually be in danger.
Seeing this, the other Marines realized this was their only path to survival.
"We will fight to the death to destroy Arlong!"
"Arlong has committed countless evils and deserves execution!"
"Long live Justice!"
Amidst passionate slogans, Captain Nezumi led his men and charged toward Arlong Park with sudden fervor.
Rhodes followed behind leisurely, hands clasped behind his back.
As Rhodes walked further away, Nami finally snapped out of her daze and hurried after him.
"Please... please wait a moment, Mr. Rhodes!"
Catching up quickly, Nami gritted her teeth and said: "Arlong broke his agreement. I no longer have any illusions about him. Please let me fight alongside you!"
Rhodes glanced at her and nodded noncommittally. "As you wish."
Arlong Park.
Arlong and his fellow fishmen were enjoying the sunshine in their domain when they suddenly heard shouting and commotion from outside. Then, with a thunderous crash, the gates were thrown open by several fierce-looking Marines.
Finally, Captain Nezumi—draped in his Justice coat—strutted in with exaggerated bravado and roared dramatically: "Arlong! One year from today will be the anniversary of your death!"
"Open fire!"
Fearing Arlong would expose their corrupt dealings, he abandoned all pretense of negotiation and simply ordered his Marines to shoot.
Bewildered, Arlong watched as the Marines—with whom he'd always maintained friendly business relations—suddenly attacked.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets rained down in volleys.
However, the strength of these Marines—who only knew how to oppress civilians under Captain Nezumi's command—was truly pathetic. Their marksmanship was substandard, and while their volley looked impressive, it only wounded a few fishmen superficially.
Whoosh!
Almost instantly,
a towering sawshark fishman—taking advantage of their reload time—suddenly charged across more than ten meters, violently knocking away the front-row Marines. He then appeared directly before Captain Nezumi and grabbed him by the throat.
"Pathetic human! Who gave you the courage to betray our arrangement?!"
With icy murderous intent, Arlong's tone was frigid, his eyes gleaming with killing intent.
He assumed that Nami's accumulated 100 million berries had simply awakened Captain Nezumi's greed, prompting him to try monopolizing it.
Being seized by Arlong, Captain Nezumi could barely breathe, utterly terrified. But even more than this fishman, he feared the Dragon Slayer swordsman behind him.
So at this moment, Captain Nezumi showed exceptional bravery—because he had every reason to.
He glared at Arlong, and though unable to speak, he managed to spit directly in Arlong's face.
Arlong wiped his face, looking at the saliva on his palm, instantly erupting with rage.
"Kill them all!"
With a roar, Arlong bit Captain Nezumi's rat-like head clean off.
Splat!
Like a watermelon exploding, a shower of red and white matter splattered across the ground.
Watching this scene from a distance, Nami's eyes flickered with grim satisfaction—but simultaneously, she glared at Arlong standing proudly among his crew with deep-seated hatred.
Had Rhodes not been standing before her, with her fiery temper, she would have rushed forward, grabbed Arlong by the collar, and cursed him to his face.
The distance was only a few dozen meters.
Rhodes walked slowly, and by the time he arrived at the scene, the Marines in Arlong Park had been decimated—falling heroically in battle.
The fishmen had suffered virtually no casualties.
The fishmen—originally from the Grand Line—were formidable warriors with incredible physical strength. These branch Marines, neglected in training and corrupted by easy living, were no match whatsoever.
"Well, they served their purpose adequately. Saved me the trouble of dirtying my hands."
Rhodes remarked casually.
Before he even finished speaking,
Nami felt only a blur before her eyes—Rhodes's figure suddenly vanished, appearing directly before Arlong, then casually striking out with his palm.
Buzz!
A surge of devastating impact force erupted outward.
With the point where Rhodes struck as the epicenter, a massive, gaping hole appeared in Arlong's lower abdomen almost instantly—nearly splitting the entire fishman in two!
(End of Chapter)
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