"Who're you?" Xiaoliang asked, feigning ignorance at the girl.
"I'm Nami, from Cocoyasi Village—and an officer in the Arlong Pirates. Stop asking. Leave. This isn't your place." She grabbed his arm like Ajian had, dragging him out.
He yanked free. "I'm here to repay the patrolman's money—my way." He brushed past her, heading straight for Arlong's base.
"That idiot!" Nami fumed, chasing after.
Xiaoliang inhaled deep, bellowed: "Arlong! I'm here to take something!"
Arlong emerged, spotting the tavern kid. "Lowly human. Know whose HQ this is? SHAHAHA! Whatever you want, I want your head."
"Heh. Same here, Arlong. Came for yours."
"SHAHAHA! Fish-Men are ten times stronger than humans. What've you got, trash?" Arlong sneered.
His crew swarmed, boxing Xiaoliang in.
"Let me play, smooch." Kiss-lips Choo stepped up, venom in his eyes.
"Fine. I'll clear the appetizers first—then take the main course."
Instant chaos. Steel flashed. Sun and moon vanished.
Amid the corpse pile, a boot crunched a Fish-Man skull. "Arlong, sides are done. Main dish ready?" Xiaoliang smirked.
"Filthy human! Don't you know Fish-Man superiority? Lift that vile leg!"
"Oh? Vile human?" Xiaoliang mocked. "Ex-Sun Pirate, huh? Forgot Fish-Men are slaves in the Grand Line?"
Arlong's eyes blazed. "You've pissed me off. Been to the Grand Line, eh? Can't let you live. Ready for my teeth to crush every bone?" M.
DING. "System—you're back!" Xiaoliang cheered inwardly.
Host, System-sama has upgraded to v2.0.
DING.Detecting mass Fish-Man corpses. Absorb ASAP.
Xiaoliang spun, dashed to the bodies under Arlong's stunned glare.
Absorb.Absorb ×2.Absorb ×3.…
Absorbed Item:
Fish Liver Oil 8%(Rise up, young man! +1% to all base stats per 1% absorbed; 1-hour duration)
"Yo! So every stat gets +8 for an hour, right?"
Bingo, Host is sharp.
"Current base is low, but at 1,000… 10,000? One percent could decide battles," Xiaoliang muttered, giddy.
"Hey, human—what are you doing to my kin?!" Arlong barked.
"Heh. Hell's waiting, Arlong." Crimson fox claws erupted from his arms. He charged.
"Mythical Zoan user? Not just some punk," Arlong growled, meeting him fist-for-fist.
Fists flew, kicks cracked—until Arlong feinted, low-kicked Xiaoliang airborne. Xiaoliang saw the shark grin, turned—face went black. The sea.