Arlong Park.
"Brother Arlong, there's something I've never quite wrapped my head around!"
"Is this about Nami?"
As soon as Chew spoke, Arlong knew exactly what he was referring to. After all, Chew had been openly dissatisfied since that decision was made a few days ago.
"Yes! Why would you accept her? You're even giving her the chance to buy back her village... she's just a lowly human woman!"
"Hmph, you don't understand. Sooner or later, we will return to the Grand Line to take our revenge. To achieve that, strength isn't enough—a skilled navigator is absolutely essential."
"A navigator? Nami has that kind of talent?"
"I didn't notice it at first," Arlong said with a smirk. "But a while ago, I saw the charts she's been drawing. She's only thirteen, and she's achieved that level of detail without any formal guidance. Nami's talent is undoubtedly among the best in the world!"
Arlong recalled his time with the Sun Pirates. Back then, they had suffered immensely on the open sea simply because they lacked a navigator. After all, Fish-men generally lacked a natural aptitude for surface navigation. Because of those past hardships, Arlong now placed a premium on the role of a navigator.
"If that's the case, why not just force her into our service? Why bother promising her that she can buy back her village?"
"Well... if we force her, she might just lead us straight into a death trap. Besides, she's still naive and far too young."
"But what if she actually manages to earn 100 million Belly?"
"I only said I would sell Cocoyasi Village back to her 'if' she gives me 100 million Belly. If the money is stolen or snatched away before it reaches me, that's not my problem!"
"I see. I get it now!"
Chew nodded. Arlong intended to plunge Nami into absolute despair, ensuring that she would eventually join the Arlong Pirates of her own free will.
At that moment, Nami's status in Chew's eyes rose slightly. She went from being a "lowly human woman" to... a "lowly human woman with some utility."
Just then...
"Hm? Nami?"
Seeing the girl walk through the gates of Arlong Park, Arlong stood up from his lounge chair. "Nami, have you reached a decision?"
"Of course she refuses!"
Though it was a female voice, these words clearly didn't come from Nami, but from someone standing outside the park.
In the next instant, a man and a woman stepped into view, catching the eyes of every Fish-man present.
"You aren't from Cocoyasi Village. Who are you?"
"Marines!"
Two unsheathed broken swords were already gripped firmly in Ain's hands. Seeing this, Arlong's gaze instantly turned cold.
Ain wasn't in the mood for small talk. She lunged directly at Arlong. However, three figures appeared in a flash, blocking her path.
They were the three top officers of the Arlong Pirates: Kuroobi, Chew, and Hatchan!
Having read the original story, Sean recognized them immediately.
"Ain, do you need help?"
"Shut it! I can handle this alone!" Ain snapped without even looking back.
She had lost to this guy during their previous evaluation battle. To win it back, she had spent three months in grueling, secluded training. If she accepted his help now, wouldn't that just make her look pathetic in his eyes?
She was incredibly stubborn.
In truth, while Ain had been frustrated by her defeat during the evaluation, she didn't harbor any genuine hatred toward Sean. However... some things that happened afterward had left a lingering grudge in her heart.
She viewed Zephyr as a father figure, only to discover that Zephyr wanted to adopt Sean as his son. Most frustratingly, Sean had actually turned him down!
The opportunity she had always craved, and this guy just threw it away!
Yet, Zephyr didn't seem to mind. In fact, he continued to guide Sean as if he were a direct disciple. Eventually, Zephyr and Sean began discussing matters in private—things that Ain wasn't even privy to.
It made her jealous.
Pure, simple jealousy. Even she had never been treated that way by Zephyr.
'Maybe it's because I'm weaker than Sean? Is that why Teacher Zephyr is disappointed in me?'
That thought had driven her to train relentlessly, swearing to surpass Sean and reclaim her position in Zephyr's heart. With that mindset, how could she possibly let Sean help her?
She had to prove that everything Sean could do, she could do as well.
"Is Sister Ain going to be okay?"
While Sean wasn't worried about Ain—at least not in the short term, and he could always step in if things went south—Nami was absolutely terrified.
That was Arlong, and he was flanked by his three top officers. Every single one of them was incredibly strong. Looking at their imposing figures, Nami couldn't imagine how Sean could possibly defeat all four of them.
"Well, how should I put it? Ain might not win, but it'll certainly take them some time to beat her," Sean said, patting Nami's small head with a smile. "Besides, if she really gets into trouble, you still have me, right?"
"Then why aren't you helping her now, Brother Sean?"
"Because this fight is good for her. Clashing with people slightly stronger than yourself is the fastest way to improve. Arlong and his crew are the perfect whetstones for Ain to sharpen her skills."
"I don't understand!"
"Alright, maybe that's a bit too advanced for you. Just remember this: I can easily deal with everyone here, so you don't need to worry."
"Okay!" Nami nodded vigorously. Though she didn't understand his reasoning, she instinctively felt that whatever Sean said could be trusted.
The Arlong Pirates didn't attack all at once; only Hatchan stepped forward. As the crew's swordsman, Hatchan was intrigued by Ain's use of short swords and wanted to test her.
However, it quickly became apparent that Hatchan was no match for Ain, and he soon found himself on the defensive.
Realizing that this woman was not to be underestimated, Kuroobi and Chew joined the fray. Faced with a three-on-one disadvantage, Ain was forced to go all out—though she still refrained from using her Devil Fruit.
"Sister Ain is amazing!"
"She is, isn't she? While Ain isn't stronger than Arlong, she's certainly not someone those officers can easily defeat."
Sean rubbed Nami's hair again, but in the next instant, his expression turned ice-cold.
"Suicidal fool."
A flash of cold steel flickered. By the time the others noticed, Sean's sword had already returned to its sheath.
Not far from Sean and Nami, several fishmen lay slumped on the ground, a thin crimson line etched across each of their throats.
They were... dead as a doornail.
As it happened, a few fishmen had tried to sneak around the perimeter while Ain was preoccupied with the three top officers. Their goal was to seize Sean and Nami, who were hiding in the rear.
After all, Sean looked to be only fourteen or fifteen, and Nami—whom they already knew—was only thirteen and practically defenseless. To them, the two were nothing more than easy targets.
Little did they know, Sean was actually the strongest person in the vicinity.
Elsewhere, seeing his men slaughtered, Arlong's eyes flared a vivid crimson. Despite his cruelty, Arlong was genuinely devoted to the fishmen of his own crew. He treated them like family, constantly referring to them as brothers or compatriots, while the crew in turn looked up to him as "Big Brother Arlong."
At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to charge forward and rip Sean limb from limb. However, he hadn't even seen how Sean had struck.
In his gaze, hatred and apprehension warred with one another.