Arlong Park.
Since the Fish-Men took over Cocoyasi, they spent their days feasting or preparing to feast, living lavishly off the villagers' extorted wealth.
Morpheus entered to find them eating barbecue and playing water volleyball, carefree and indulgent.
Nami's eyes reddened at the sight, but fear kept her silent.
Arlong noticed her and was about to speak when he saw the strangers behind her. Frowning, he asked, "Nami, who are these two?"
Nami said nothing, still under Morpheus's control.
Morpheus scanned the area. "Is everyone here?"
Regaining control, Nami nodded, resigned. "Yes, all the Fish-Men are here."
"Good." Morpheus nodded, addressing the Fish-Men. "Kneel, slaves. From now on, you're my merchandise."
The words "slaves" and "merchandise" ignited fury among the Fish-Men, reopening old wounds.
"I'll kill him!" one roared, PTSD triggered, charging at Morpheus with a weapon.
Before he reached Morpheus, arms sprouted from his body, pinning him to the ground with such force his bones cracked.
The sudden attack stunned everyone, including Nami.
Morpheus glanced at Robin, half a step behind him. "Go easy. These are my slaves. If you break them, they lose value."
Robin, knowing how to twist the knife, chuckled. "I'll try, Boss. They're just too weak."
Arlong's teeth ground audibly, veins bulging. He hadn't been this humiliated since his capture by the Navy. These years in the East Blue had been smooth, and he'd nearly forgotten the humans' past abuses.
"Die, die, die!" Arlong leapt at Morpheus, but arms sprouted mid-air, slamming him to the ground.
No matter how he struggled, he couldn't move.
The other Fish-Men suffered the same fate, pinned by sprouting arms, instantly becoming prisoners.
Nami was dumbfounded. This was the invincible Arlong Pirates? Subdued in an instant by one woman?
No, she realized. It wasn't that Arlong's crew was weak—these two were just too strong.
Looking at Morpheus and Robin, she asked, "Who are you people?"
Robin smiled. "Ask the Boss."
Morpheus said calmly, "Just a god walking this world."
Nami froze, thrown by the absurd answer. "A god?"
Her eyes lit up. "You're a Celestial Dragon!"
Morpheus's composure cracked. A Celestial Dragon? "I'm helping you take down Arlong's crew, and you call me that?"
Nami blinked, confused. "You're not a Celestial Dragon?"
"You're the Celestial Dragon! Your whole family's Celestial Dragons!" Morpheus snapped. "Do I look like those brainless idiots?"
Robin stifled a laugh. As expected, her Boss, a true god, despised the Celestial Dragons. A clash was inevitable. The World Government's days were numbered.
True gods would topple false ones.
Nami, realizing Morpheus loathed the Celestial Dragons, quickly changed the subject. "What's your plan? Taking these Fish-Men away?"
Morpheus nodded. "They'll fetch a good price in the Grand Line. But if you want them dead, I'm fine with that."
Nami hesitated. The Fish-Men deserved death for their crimes, and the village would rejoice. But…
"You captured them, killing them doesn't feel right."
Morpheus smiled. "Don't worry, I'm generous with my people."
"Your people?" Nami pointed at herself, bewildered. Since when was she his?
Robin caught on. "Boss, you've taken a liking to her?"
"Yeah, she's too pretty not to be one of mine," Morpheus said candidly. "I'm a god. It'd be a disgrace not to have beauties around me."
Nami was speechless. Was he some kind of lecherous god?
She didn't dare say it aloud, only grumbling inwardly.
Morpheus caught her thought and chuckled. "I can be a lecherous god, a god of wealth, a god of strength, a god of resurrection, or even a god of death."
As he spoke of wealth, he conjured a pile of gold.
As he spoke of strength, he snapped his fingers, creating a heap of Devil Fruits.
"I can be whatever god I want."
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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