"Amazing..."
Staring at Luffy's slender yet dashing silhouette, Nojiko stood with her jaw dropped, her hand still frozen mid-air as if to grab him.
Earlier, when she saw Luffy effortlessly take down a few Fish-man grunts, she thought he was impressive, but it hadn't fully sunk in. After all, those grunts weren't particularly strong; Bell-mère could have handled two or three of them single-handedly.
But this was different.
Who was Kuroobi? He was one of the three top officers of the Arlong Pirates. She didn't know exactly how strong "Grade 40 Fish-man Karate" was, but she had seen the man flatten a dozen healthy villagers in seconds.
And yet, such a terrifying Fish-man had been put down by a single punch from the small, scrawny Luffy.
Nojiko turned her gaze toward Rowan, who was calmly puffing smoke. Looking at that broad, unyielding back, the last of her doubts evaporated. A profound sense of security filled her heart.
Six years. They had been ruled by the Arlong Pirates' brutality for six long years. Today, it was finally coming to an end. A long-lost feeling of lightness bubbled up in her chest, and a faint, genuine smile finally touched her lips.
This guy is an officer, yet the Faith Points he gave me are barely more than what that brat Helmeppo provided,Rowan mused, glancing at the unconscious Kuroobi. He couldn't help but complain to the system in his head.
Then again, he was just an officer. Rowan didn't place the entire Arlong crew in his eyes. If it were the Sun Pirates in their prime, he might have spared them a second glance.
"So this is Ace's brother..." Jinbe murmured, watching Luffy's battle-hungry expression with growing wonder.
His bond with Ace was forged through fire and fists. When he heard Luffy call Ace "Brother," he knew this child was the younger sibling Ace constantly bragged about. While he wasn't clear on the exact relationship between the two brothers and Vice Admiral Rowan, he could judge the level of Rowan's mentorship by looking at their strength.
Truly worthy of the legendary Marine who raised Sengoku and Garp, Jinbe thought.
However, even though he was facing his own personal nightmare in the form of Rowan, Jinbe couldn't just stand by. Even if the root cause of this mess was his own lack of oversight, he had to try and manage it.
Arlong, standing in front of him, wasn't thinking about legacy or logic. Seeing his brother beaten like a dog, his mind was consumed by primitive rage.
"All together! Kill these two!"
At Arlong's roar, the other two officers—the six-sword-wielding octopus Hatchan and the archerfish Chew—along with the rest of the grunts, prepared to charge.
But Jinbe suddenly flickered, appearing in front of the group. He raised his massive arms to block their path and barked:
"Everyone, stop!"
Regardless of whether he could convince them to return to Fish-man Island, he couldn't stand by and watch his former brothers rush to their deaths one by one. The moment Luffy struck, Jinbe understood: with that level of Rokushiki mastery and Devil Fruit control, Arlong's crew didn't stand a ghost of a chance.
"Arlong-san?"
Chew and Hatchan hesitated, looking back at Arlong for guidance. Their respect for Jinbe had plummeted, but they still couldn't bring themselves to strike him.
"Shahahahaha! Since Boss Jinbe wants to be the hero, let's see just how powerful a Warlord of the Sea really is." Arlong let out a cold laugh and stepped aside, crossing his arms and leaning against a pillar with a mocking, spectators-only expression.
At Arlong's words, Chew and Hatchan waved the grunts back.
"Great-Grandpa?"
Watching Jinbe step forward, Luffy turned to Rowan and scratched his head, unsure. If it were just Arlong's crew, he'd have kicked them all into the sea already. But this blue fatso was an old friend of his Great-Grandpa's. If he went all out and hit the wrong person, it would be awkward.
"So, your plan is to interfere after all?" Rowan asked, flicking a piece of tangerine peel into the air. He looked at Jinbe's grim, stout face.
According to the World Government's rules, a Warlord and the Navy were technically on the same side. Conflict was strictly prohibited.
But to Rowan, a Warlord? So what?
Jinbe's expression grew even more solemn. "Mr. Rowan, please... give me face!"
"Luffy!" Rowan didn't bother answering Jinbe. He barked: "Don't you dare lose face for me."
Luffy's eyes sparked. "Got it, Great-Grandpa!"
He slowly crouched, one fist pressed to the ground, the other on his knee. He looked up, his gaze locking onto Jinbe. A wide grin spread across his face as he whispered:
"Second Gear!"
As his legs pumped, Luffy's skin flushed a deep, vibrant pink, and clouds of steam erupted from his body. Compared to when he first started, his stamina had surged due to Rowan's special training. The strain of Second Gear was now manageable.
Since his Great-Grandpa told him not to lose face, he was going to use his strongest form immediately. After all, this blue fatso held the title of a Warlord of the Sea.
Seeing the transformation, even the experienced Jinbe grew cautious.
"Soru: Flash!"
Luffy didn't waste another breath. He vanished, turning into a blur that the naked eye couldn't track, and rocketed toward Jinbe.
"What is that? He disappeared!" "So fast! I can't see his movement at all!" "Did he not even use his full strength against Kuroobi-san?!"
The Fish-men erupted in a wave of panicked chatter. Shock was written across every face. If they could explain Kuroobi's defeat as being caught off guard, Luffy's current display was telling them the brutal truth: Kuroobi was defeated in one hit simply because he was only worth one hit.
Not just the grunts—even Hatchan and Chew exchanged looks of genuine terror. The strength of this youth had surpassed their wildest imaginations. If Jinbe hadn't stepped in, they'd likely be "dead fish" on the floor alongside Kuroobi by now.
Even Arlong's mocking smirk had vanished, replaced by a flicker of hidden dread.
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