-----
-----
When Nami suddenly took the initiative to attack, Arlong realized that his threats no longer worked on her.
"Use seawater to hit her! Everyone, attack!" he roared.
Seawater—the natural enemy of every Devil Fruit user, even the Logia types.
"Kill her!!"
"Nami, you damn traitor!!"
"RAAAAHHH!!"
The fishmen howled furiously, slapping the seawater around them and sending it flying toward Nami.
Up till now, she'd always been their little clown, a plaything. How dare she act all high and mighty before them?
"Thunderbolt!"
Nami's voice was cold and emotionless. As her hand pressed down, streaks of silver lightning split the sky.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Bolts of lightning crashed down out of nowhere, frying the fishmen charging toward her. The weaker ones rolled their eyes back and fell belly-up instantly.
"Arlong!" Nami screamed, her voice trembling with rage. "The pain you gave me these eight years—I'm giving it all back today!"
"Die!! All of you!!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Thunder roared again and again, lightning flooding Arlong Park and sealing every escape route. There was nowhere left to run.
"Captain, help me!!"
"Shit—run for it!!"
The silver lightning slithered through the air like venomous snakes, striking wherever Nami directed. One by one, the fishmen fell screaming.
The air was filled with shrieks of agony echoing over the ruins of Arlong Park.
The commotion was so loud it drew the attention of Cocoyasi Village.
When the villagers saw what was happening, their eyes went wide in disbelief.
That person... was Nami?!
Arlong Park had become a graveyard for fishmen.
In just a few moments, more than half of them were dead—burned, blasted, or buried by falling debris.
Against the fury of lightning that fell like a divine punishment, they had no power to resist.
"It's not enough… it's still not enough!" Nami muttered, her eyes icy and distant. She poured even more strength into her power.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Bolts as thick as tree trunks came crashing down, splitting walls and leveling buildings, sending dust and rubble flying everywhere.
The few fishmen still alive were too terrified to fight back. They scrambled desperately to escape, only to be crushed under the collapsing ruins.
"Looks like Nami's really pissed," Kaya murmured from the Merry.
She and Makino could only stare in awe at the scene below—it was their first time seeing Nami so violent, so ruthless.
"Let her vent," Logan said quietly.
He understood her too well.
Eight years of pain and hatred… all finally released in this storm of thunder.
By the time the lightning faded, Arlong Park was nothing but a smoking ruin.
Curious villagers began gathering at the gate, whispering among themselves.
Nami stood there, face flushed, breathing heavily.
A few minutes later, the thunder stopped. The world fell silent again, and the ground was charred black.
"Arlong!! Get out here!!"
Her voice rang through the wreckage. She knew he wasn't dead yet.
"Cough… cough…"
A ragged cough came from beneath the rubble.
"Nami!!!"
A hoarse, hate-filled voice answered.
Arlong clawed his way out from under the debris, covered in dust and blood. His jagged nose was snapped in half, his eyes bloodshot.
Even after surviving that barrage, he was barely standing—his body beaten, his pride shattered.
"Heh… Arlong, you really don't die easy, do you?"
"All your friends are dead, and somehow you're the one still crawling."
Nami's tone was mocking, her voice dripping with cold amusement.
Arlong panted heavily, his gaze sweeping over the ruins.
His crew—gone. Every last one of them. Most were fried by lightning, others crushed by debris. Even poor Hachi, who had been hiding in the pool, hadn't survived.
Only Arlong remained, a wreck of his former self.
"Nami!!" he bellowed, his voice cracking with hatred. "You'll pay for this!!"
Nami walked toward him slowly, her expression blank. A cold smile tugged at her lips.
"Pain? You think you know pain?" she said softly. "What I've felt because of you doesn't even compare."
"Lightning Spear!"
A concentrated bolt of lightning formed in her hand, shaping into a glowing spear that crackled with energy.
"Nami! I'll kill you!!!"
With nothing left to lose, Arlong roared and charged at her.
Nami's eyes flashed. She didn't hesitate.
She hurled the spear.
It sliced through the air and pierced straight through Arlong's chest.
Lightning surged through his body, tearing him apart from the inside.
He convulsed violently, then fell backward into the pool of blood beneath him, twitching weakly.
Nami walked up to him, looking down from above like a thunder goddess staring at a broken insect.
"Arlong… look at you now. Pathetic."
He couldn't even speak, but his eyes still burned with hate.
"Go to hell," she whispered. "Beg forgiveness from my mother and everyone you murdered."
She raised her hand. Lightning flared once more—
BOOM!
Arlong's head exploded, scattering sparks and blood into the air.
For a long moment, Nami just stood there, dazed.
Had she really done this?
The monster she once thought unbeatable… was gone.
Crack.
It was as if something deep inside her heart finally broke free.
Nami lifted her head, tears shining in her eyes as she whispered, "Mom… I killed Arlong. You can rest now."
At that moment, Logan descended gently with Kaya and Makino beside him. The Going Merry still floated above on a drifting sea cloud.
Logan walked up to Nami and wrapped her in a light embrace. His voice was soft. "It's over."
Nami nodded hard, looking up at him with gratitude.
Meeting Logan—was the best thing that had ever happened to her.
He had given her a new life.
"Logan," she said with a faint smile, "come with me to my house. My sister's gonna be so happy when she hears Arlong's dead."
Logan chuckled, shaking his head. "Not just yet. There's still one fish left hiding."
His eyes turned toward the ruins.
"Come on out."
"....."