The air around Arlong Park felt heavy—humid and thick with tension. Waves crashed against the coral walls, and the smell of salt and fear mingled like an unpleasant perfume. Inside, the ground trembled as shouting erupted from every direction.
"SO, YOU HUMANS THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT US?!" roared Arlong, baring his saw-like teeth. His laughter was so loud it could've scared seagulls miles away.
Across from him, Luffy cracked his knuckles. "Yep."
The simplicity of that reply made every fishman blink. Even Ben blinked. "He's… not one for speeches, huh?" Ben muttered, tightening his grip on the Elder Wand.
From the sidelines, Nami's fists clenched. This was it—the confrontation she'd dreaded.
Around them, chaos bloomed like fireworks. Hatchan, the six-armed octopus fishman, drew six swords at once, spinning them with deadly grace. "You humans tricked me!" he howled. "You said you liked takoyaki!"
Zoro grinned, his bandaged chest rising and falling. "Hey, we did like the takoyaki." He drew his swords, flashing steel under the sun. "We just don't like you."
With a shout, Hatchan lunged forward, all six arms striking in unison. Metal clashed as Zoro parried, sparks flying. "You're still bleeding!" Hatchan jeered.
Zoro smirked. "You'll be bleeding too—just give me a minute."
Meanwhile, Sanji flicked his lighter open, cigarette dangling from his lips. "Kuroobi, was it?" he asked the manta ray–like fishman, who cracked his knuckles with a grin.
"You're gonna regret setting foot here, cook."
"I already regret seeing your face," Sanji shot back, blowing smoke dramatically.
On the far side, Usopp trembled behind a rock, pointing his slingshot at Chew. "D-don't come closer, you water-spitting freak!"
Chew laughed, spouting a jet of water strong enough to split wood. "You think you can defeat me, little human?"
"I'm not little!" Usopp shouted, shaking. "I'm… fun-sized!" Then he fired an explosive star with all the bravery (and panic) of a man who wanted to live.
And in the middle of this chaos, Ben stood with Nami behind him, facing off against a dozen of Arlong's crew.
The fishmen sneered. "You're just another human. What's that stick gonna do, huh?"
Ben twirled the Elder Wand, grinning. "Oh, you'll see. But I'll warn you—things might get a bit magical."
With a flick, he shouted, "Stupefy!"
A burst of red light exploded from the wand, slamming into the nearest fishman and launching him twenty feet into the air. He landed headfirst into a wall, leaving a fish-shaped dent.
The other fishmen froze. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
Ben smirked. "A stunning performance."
"DEVIL FRUIT USER!" someone screamed.
From across the battlefield, Sanji nearly dropped his cigarette. "Oi! Did he just shoot red lightning from a stick?"
Zoro ducked a sword strike and shouted, "You're just jealous he got a cooler power!"
"Protego!" Ben yelled as a fishman lunged at him with a trident. A shimmering blue barrier flared to life, sending the weapon ricocheting harmlessly away.
The villagers outside the gates stared in disbelief. "Is that… magic?" one murmured.
"Yeah," Genzo said, jaw slack. "And thank the seas he's on our side."
Ben turned toward Nami. "Stay behind me. I'll handle these overgrown sushi rolls."
Nami blinked. "Overgrown—what?"
He flicked his wand again. "Expelliarmus!"
The trident flew out of the fishman's hands, spinning through the air and impaling itself in the wall.
The rest of Arlong's crew backed up slightly. "What kind of monster is this guy?!"
Ben grinned. "The handsome kind."
Another group charged, and Ben's wand flared again. "Petrificus Totalus!"
Three fishmen froze mid-leap, toppling over like statues.
"Hey!" Usopp shouted mid-battle. "Save some for me!"
"You sure?" Ben called back. "They bite!"
Usopp squeaked and hid behind a tree trunk. "Never mind!"
Meanwhile, Arlong and Luffy clashed, the ground cracking beneath their blows. Luffy's rubbery fist collided with Arlong's massive jaws, but the fishman barely flinched.
"You're strong, human," Arlong sneered, "but you'll never surpass a fishman!"
Luffy grinned. "I don't need to. I just need to beat you!"
He stretched his arm back. "Gomu Gomu no—"
He froze mid-sentence.
Because out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ben levitating a fishman upside-down and spinning him like a top.
"WHOA!" Luffy's eyes sparkled. "You can do magic! Like—real magic!"
Ben, still flicking his wand, grinned. "Yup. Pretty neat, huh?"
Arlong took advantage of the distraction. His powerful tail slammed into Luffy's side, sending him crashing through a coral pillar.
"LUFFY!" Nami and Ben shouted.
Luffy got up, wobbling slightly. "Ow… okay, that hurt." Then he beamed. "But that magic was so cool!"
Ben sighed. "Focus, Straw Hat!"
Luffy grinned, cracking his neck. "Right! I'll do the punching—you do the sparkly stuff!"
"Deal!" Ben called back.
Arlong snarled, veins bulging on his forehead. "Enough games!" He charged at Luffy with terrifying speed, teeth bared, jaws wide enough to bite through stone.
"Gomu Gomu no… PISTOL!"
Luffy's punch met Arlong's teeth midair, creating a shockwave that shattered coral debris. Water splashed up as the two forces collided, their strength shaking the entire park.
The fight roared on—Zoro's swords clanged against Hatchan's, sparks lighting the sky; Sanji kicked Kuroobi into the pool with a flaming heel strike, shouting, "Deep-fried manta ray, anyone?"; Usopp screamed triumphantly as one of his explosive shots sent Chew flying into a wall.
And through it all, Ben moved like a blue streak of light, spells bursting from his wand one after another.
"Lumos Maxima!" he cried, blinding several fishmen.
"Reducto!" — a blast shattered the coral archway, collapsing over two enemies.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" — he lifted a massive anchor and threw it at another group.
Everywhere he went, chaos followed—beautiful, magical chaos.
Nami stood near the gate, clutching her staff, eyes wide with disbelief. "He's… unbelievable."
Ben smirked at her. "I do my best to impress."
In the midst of the madness, he flicked his wand toward her, murmuring, "Protego Totalum." A transparent bubble of protection shimmered around Nami.
"Now stay in there," Ben said. "Magic bubble—fishman-proof edition."
Nami rolled her eyes, but smiled faintly. "You're insane."
"Yeah," Ben said, "but charmingly so."
The battlefield looked like a carnival gone wrong—flying fishmen, glowing spells, and Luffy laughing like he'd just found a new toy.
Arlong growled, throwing off pieces of rubble as he stormed toward Luffy again. "You dare mock me, human?! I am the strongest creature in the East Blue!"
"Cool," Luffy said, grinning. "I'm the hungriest."
He stretched his arm back. "Gomu Gomu no—Bazooka!"
The hit landed squarely in Arlong's chest, launching the fishman backward into his own throne. The massive coral structure cracked.
Ben whistled. "I should've brought popcorn."
But Arlong wasn't done yet. With a roar that made the air vibrate, he lunged again, his jaws snapping dangerously close to Luffy's head.
Luffy dodged, barely. "You bite too much!"
From the sidelines, Zoro grunted, clashing blades with Hatchan, all six swords spinning. "That idiot is still making jokes?"
Sanji ducked a flying fist from Kuroobi.
Ben, meanwhile, had his hands full with a final group of fishmen. "Stupefy! Petrificus Totalus! Protego!" His voice rang like an orchestra of chaos.
Each incantation flashed brilliantly—one fishman froze, another went flying, a third got knocked out by a levitating barrel that Ben casually flicked at his face.
"Alright," Ben muttered, spinning the wand. "Anyone else want to test the wizard?"
Silence.
Even the bravest fishman decided he'd rather live to regret it later.
Ben looked back at Nami, who was still standing inside her shimmering shield. "All good?"
She nodded, eyes flicking between him and Luffy's ongoing brawl. "He's… he's still fighting."
Zoro, with one final roar, slashed Hatchan across the chest, sending him crashing to the ground. "Six swords or sixty—still not enough," he said, sheathing his blade.
Nearby, Sanji spun in midair, his leg igniting as he kicked Kuroobi squarely in the face. The fishman dropped into the pool with a sizzling splash.
"That's for hurting my Nami-Chan," Sanji muttered, lighting another cigarette.
Usopp, bruised and panting, pointed at Chew, who lay unconscious with burn marks from an exploding star. "Told you!" he gasped between breaths. "I'm the great Captain Usopp! Sniper of the seas! …Oh god, my back hurts."
Ben grinned. "Nice shot, Captain Courageous."
Usopp blinked. "Wait, did you just compliment me?"
"Don't get used to it," Ben replied.
All that remained was Luffy and Arlong.
The fishman's muscles rippled as he tore a jagged saw blade. "You're strong for a human, Straw Hat. But this is my world. The sea belongs to us!"
Luffy wiped the blood from his mouth. "You're wrong. This isn't just your sea—it's everyone's."
Arlong charged, jaws wide, screaming, "DIE!"
Luffy planted his feet, stretching both arms out. "Gomu Gomu no… GATLING!"
A storm of fists erupted. The air boomed with the speed of his strikes. Arlong tried to block, but the onslaught was too fast, too relentless—each punch crashing like a cannonball.
Ben stood back, wand ready, eyes narrowing. The magic around him hummed like static.
Then he noticed Arlong grabbing debris to hurl at Nami's direction. "Oh no, you don't."
Ben raised his wand high. "Protego Maxima!"
A golden dome flashed into existence around Nami just as a slab of coral shattered harmlessly against it.
Arlong turned, glaring at him. "You!"
Ben smirked. "Sorry, fish-face. She's off-limits."
Luffy grinned. "Heh… nice timing!"
"Less talking, more punching!" Ben shouted back.
"Right!"
Luffy slammed another fist into Arlong's jaw, sending him flying through the air. The fishman crashed through the second floor of his tower. Luffy followed, leaping high into the crumbling structure.
The sounds of battle echoed inside—punches, shouts, and the splintering of coral walls. Everyone watched in tense silence as the tower shook, dust filling the sky.
Finally, a massive explosion of debris burst from the top.
Luffy emerged through the smoke, standing on what remained of Arlong Park's roof. Below him, the iconic shark-headed building collapsed.
"Arlong Park…" Ben whispered, lowering his wand. "...is done for."
Luffy stood at the top, chest heaving, bruised but smiling. He raised his arm high in victory, shouting, "NAMI!"
The tower crumbled completely, revealing Luffy standing amidst the ruins, sunlight glinting off his straw hat. "YOU'RE ONE OF US!"
The words echoed through the air like a promise, like a declaration to the world.
Down below, Nami's hands trembled. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the boy who had shattered her chains with nothing but willpower and rubber fists.
"I know…" she whispered, voice breaking. "I know…"
Ben smiled faintly, lowering his wand. The protective barrier around her dissolved in golden sparkles.
Behind them, the villagers erupted into cheers. Genzo wept openly, Bell-mère's spirit seemed to hover in the wind, and even Usopp managed to shout through his tears, "We did it!"
Sanji stretched his arms, grinning. "About time, huh?"
Zoro smirked, slumping against a wall. "I could use a nap."
Ben chuckled, brushing coral dust from his coat. "Well," he said with a grin, "that's one way to redecorate a park."
Nami turned to him, tears still shining in her eyes. "Thank you, Ben… for protecting me."
Ben twirled his wand and winked. "Anytime. Wizards are good at cleaning up messes."
Luffy jumped down from the rubble, landing with a thud. He looked at Ben with wide, starry eyes. "That was AWESOME! You did magic! Join my crew?"
Ben laughed. "Sure."
Luffy then says. "Yahoo."
Everyone groaned.