thefictionvixens 21. Go to hell!
21. Go to hell!
Of all the humans Aaron had ever seen, Norton was the most handsome.
But aside from his handsome appearance, Aaron sensed no trace of strength in Norton; he was no different from any other ordinary villager in Cocoyasi Village...
They are even more ordinary than ordinary villagers, as ordinary as the flowers and plants by the roadside.
But this man has so many powerful subordinates!
Arlong couldn't help but doubt Norton's identity. Could he be a high-ranking nobleman from some country? Where did Nami find him?
With the current crisis, Arlong has no time to think too much. The combination of Zoro and Sanosuke is far stronger than the branch's navy, reaching a level comparable to the elite of the Marine Headquarters.
Ah Long's only thought now is to kill all these people who have broken into the courtyard!
With such murderous intent, Aaron lunged at Norton.
However, before Ah Long could even get close, the sharp kunai had already pierced Ah Long's face!
The iron blade clashed with the scales, creating brilliant sparks.
Ah Long wiped the blood from his face and glared menacingly at Sanosuke.
Then, Aaron looked behind him and saw that Croobi was lying in a pool of blood.
"My compatriots!!"
Ah Long roared to the sky, his voice echoing throughout Ah Long Paradise.
Despite his prejudice against humans, Arlong valued his fellow merfolk very much. Seeing his merfolk lying dead in front of him, he was furious!
"Damn intruders! And you... Nami!" Arlong's fierce gaze passed over Norton and landed on Nami.
Nami also looked coldly at Arlong, her face devoid of any pity: "I told you, you'd regret it, Arlong."
"Don't fall back into my hands, Nami! I've been too lenient with you all along!"
"You're overthinking it. Today is your day of repentance!"
Nami pulled out a dagger and plunged it into her arm, slicing open her skin and tearing off the tattoo that represented Arlong's gang. Despite the excruciating pain, she did not shed a tear.
"I've wanted to do this for a long time! From today onwards, I will be reborn!" Nami placed her other hand on Norton's shoulder. "My captain will avenge me!"
"You? A pretty boy?" Aaron looked at Norton with a sneer. "I'll kill him right now!"
"Don't harm my lord!" Sanosuke blocked Arlong's path.
Compared to the ferocious and furious Aaron, Norton appeared remarkably calm, even arrogant.
Rather, Norton never took Arlong seriously from the very beginning. Since entering Arlong Park, Norton had been observing the surrounding buildings.
It was exactly the same as what he had seen in comics, but now that he was actually there, it was a completely different feeling, making him feel dazed.
"Nami, show me around. After tonight, Arlong Park will cease to exist," Norton said to Nami.
Nami was stunned, taken aback by Norton's composure. With a formidable enemy at hand, he treated the enemy as nothing.
Nami never expected that Arlong, whom she had always regarded as a nightmare, was less important than a bunch of buildings in front of Norton.
"Are you fighting now?" Nami couldn't help but ask.
"What kind of battle is this? Let Sasuke and Zoro practice first," Norton said with a smile, completely unconcerned.
"Fine..." Since Norton had said that, Nami had no choice but to accept it.
"Bandage the wound," Norton tore a piece of cloth from his clothes and handed it to Nami, "then show me around this place."
Ignored by Norton, Arlong's eyes bulged with rage, but Sanosuke blocked his way like a wall!
The kunai once again aimed precisely at Ah Long's eye socket, forcing him to turn his head to dodge, the scales making a piercing sound and sparks.
Arlong was forced to stop, and his ferocious fist, accompanied by a whistling sound, slammed towards Sanosuke, but the latter barely dodged it with incredible flexibility and speed.
The force of the punch slammed into the stone pillar beside it, sending the thick pillar flying in fragments!
Aaron roared, but instead of recklessly charging directly at the protected Norton, he suddenly turned around and lunged at the weapon rack in the corner of the courtyard.
There stood a gigantic weapon with a terrifying design!
It was a large saw, its blade not smooth, but rather a jagged network of massive iron teeth like those of a shark, gleaming with a dark, blood-red light in the firelight. The handle was thick and required two hands to grip.
This is Ah Long's signature weapon – "Sword Cutter"! Its name implies that its serrated edges can tear everything apart, even cleave mountains!
Clang!
Ah Long lifted the incredibly heavy weapon with one hand, the saw teeth scraping against the air with a teeth-grinding "crunch." Possessing the superhuman strength of a fishman, he was perfectly suited to wielding this weapon that ordinary people could not control.
With his weapon in hand, Ah Long's aura suddenly surged again, and the ferocity and confidence that belonged to the overlord of the East China Sea seemed to have returned.
"Zhanfeng" was dragged behind Ah Long, its serrated edges scraping against the stone slabs, leaving behind a trail of sparks and a piercing noise.
His bloodshot eyes locked onto Sasuke in front of him—this slippery ninja who had injured him must be the first to be sawed to pieces!
"Die, you insect!"
Ah Long strode forward, his speed increasing three times faster due to his anger. The heavy "Cut Peak" followed his momentum from below, a simple yet terrifying diagonal slash!
The enormous serrated blades tore through the air, producing a terrifying sound like a train roaring past.
The area covered was extremely large, not only targeting Sasuke, but also including the left and right directions where he might dodge!
Sanosuke's expression turned serious. Faced with this attack that was purely overwhelming in terms of strength and weapon scale, his exquisite close-quarters combat and kunai skills were no match for it.
Without hesitation, he chose to retreat, his body moving rapidly backward while his hands waving repeatedly.
"Whoosh whoosh!"
Several shuriken were fired in a triangular formation toward Ah Long’s face and the joint of his arm holding the knife, in an attempt to disrupt his attack.
Ah Long neither dodged nor evaded, but roared and raised his "Slashing Peak" with unwavering momentum. The broad and terrifying blade was like a moving iron wall, directly deflecting and shattering all the incoming shuriken!
With a series of crisp clangs, he took a huge stride to keep up, and with a second step, his body spun around, using centrifugal force to change his "Slash" into a sweeping attack!
As the blade passed, a nearby stone pillar that required two people to hug was easily sliced into by the serrated edge as if it were tofu!
The rubble and dust exploded with a deafening roar, and a corner of the courtyard corridor collapsed, creating an extremely terrifying scene.
Sanosuke had retreated to the edge of the courtyard, with the wall behind him.
Seeing that the serrated blade sweeping across the space had blocked off a large area, he suddenly kicked off the wall behind him and climbed several meters upwards like a gecko, narrowly avoiding the terrifying blade that could have cut him in half.
"boom!"
The serrated blade swept away the target and slammed into the wall where Sanosuke had just been standing. The thick brick wall was torn open like paper, leaving a huge serrated gap, and bricks shattered and flew everywhere.
"Are you just going to run away like a rat?!" Ah Long roared.
Seeing that Sanosuke was clinging to the wall, he gripped the end of the hilt of the "Zanfeng" sword with both hands and unleashed a violent upward slash, aiming straight at Sanosuke on the wall!
Just as the serrated blade was about to strike, Sanosuke kicked off the wall with both feet. Instead of moving backward or upward, his body was strangely deflected horizontally, like light bouncing off a mirror. The speed was extremely fast and the trajectory was tricky!
It was the ninja's superb taijutsu—"dodge"!
The "Slash" cleaved deep into the wall, sending shards of stone flying, but only managed to snag a piece of Sanosuke's clothing.
Ah Long forcefully pulled the saw blade embedded in the wall and turned to look for his target.
But Sanosuke didn't go far. Instead, taking advantage of the slight hesitation when he drew his sword, he came close to him again like a ghost!
This time, Sanosuke thrust his right kunai straight at Arlong's exposed right ribs from swinging his sword, while his left hand secretly gripped the hilt of the ninja sword at his waist.
"Annoying trick!"
Despite his large size, A-Long reacted quickly, immediately parrying with his sword while simultaneously slamming his left fist into Sanosuke's head, forcing him to abandon his attack.
However, Sanosuke's kunai attack was just a feint!
In the instant Ah Long returned to defend, his right hand, which had been thrusting out, suddenly released the kunai, his five fingers spread open, and a smoky jewel silently landed on the ground between the two of them.
"puff!"
Thick, pungent purple smoke exploded instantly, completely enveloping Ah Long's head!
"Cough cough! What is that?!"
Ah Long's vision was obstructed and his sense of smell was intensely stimulated, causing him to lose control of his movements.
He hurriedly swung "Slashing Peak" wildly in front of him, creating a jagged storm to prevent a sneak attack.
But that's exactly the kind of disruption that Sasuke wanted!
In the smoke, he lowered his body, like a venomous snake slithering close to the ground, slipping through the insignificant blind spot beneath Ah Long's wildly swirling "Sword Cutter" blade, and instantly infiltrated Ah Long's inner circle!
"Ninja Technique·Shadow Seam!"
With a low shout, Sasuke finally drew his ninja sword, which had been resting on the hilt of his left hand!
This time, the blade flashed with a sharp, cold light, piercing straight into the center of Ah Long's chest, which had relaxed slightly due to the smoke!
This is a fatal blow unleashed by the ninja after a long period of lurking!
Although Ah Long was distracted by the smoke, his beast-like instincts made him feel a deadly threat!
He roared, unable to fully reverse the blade, and could only try his best to bring the heavy "Zhanfeng" hilt horizontally to his chest, while his muscles tensed and his scales bristled!
"clang--!!!"
An extremely loud and piercing collision!
The tip of Sanosuke's ninja sword pierced the end of the hilt of Arlong's "Zanfeng" sword with perfect accuracy!
That was the joint of the metal casting, exceptionally sturdy.
The sparks exploded like miniature fireworks!
The immense recoil caused Sanosuke's arm to tremble violently and his hand to go numb, but his eyes remained sharp and his sword momentum undiminished. Using the force of the impact, he slid the blade, changing his thrust into a slash, and swept it forward along the thick hilt, aiming directly at Arlong's fingers gripping the hilt!
Ah Long was both shocked and furious, never expecting this ninja to be so troublesome and to change his moves so ruthlessly and swiftly.
If he doesn't loosen his grip, his fingers will be in danger; if he does loosen his grip, his weapon will fall off, greatly reducing his fighting ability.
In a flash, Arlong released his left hand, holding the end of "Slash Peak" with only his right hand, while simultaneously bringing together the five fingers of his released left hand and thrusting it toward Sanosuke's throat!
Attack where the enemy must defend!
If Sanosuke insists on severing Arlong's right hand fingers, his own throat will surely be pierced.
Without hesitation, he instantly sheathed his sword and leaned back. The thrust of his left hand grazed the skin of his Adam's apple, and the force of the wind made his throat sting.
The two separated immediately after touching each other, each taking a few steps back.
Ah Long held "Zhanfeng" in his right hand, while his left hand trembled slightly. His palm was painfully pricked by the sharp edge at the end of the hilt, and his fingers were almost injured. His anger burned even more fiercely.
Sanosuke was breathing slightly rapidly.
The continuous high-intensity dodging and burst attacks, especially the final head-on collision with the hilt of the "Slaying Peak" sword, had taken a toll on his stamina. The web between his right thumb and forefinger, which was holding the sword, had split open and was bleeding.
Just as the two were locked in a standoff and their breathing eased slightly, a piercing scream and the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground came from the other side of the courtyard.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ah Long saw that Kissing Fishman Chu had been completely defeated by Zoro's fierce "Three-Sword Style: Demon Slash," lying on the ground covered in blood.
Meanwhile, most of the other fish-man subordinates had fallen under the organized attack of the pirates, and defeat was inevitable.
"Chirp!!"
Arlong's eyes were bloodshot. He was already consumed by rage when Croobi fell, and now Chiu's defeat only made things worse.
He knew he had to break the deadlock as soon as possible! Capture the leader first! Kill the silver-haired man, kill Nami, and these invaders would naturally collapse!
A-Long's gaze suddenly swept past the panting Sanosuke and locked onto the other side of the courtyard once more.
Norton and Nami are walking towards the main tower, seemingly heading into the building!
Norton even turned around and glanced casually toward the battlefield.
This utter disregard for Ah Long was more humiliating and infuriating than any insults or mockery!
It was as if his desperate battle was nothing more than an insignificant monkey show in the eyes of the enemy!
"You bastard! Stop right there!"
Arlong has completely lost his mind, ignoring the injured but still threatening Sanosuke in front of him, and also ignoring Zoro, who just defeated Chu and is now casting a cold glance at him.
All I wanted to do was rush over and use "Slashing Peak" to saw those two guys into mincemeat!
"Waaaaaahh ...
Arlong let out a roar that was not human, dragging the "Sword Cutter" behind him with one hand, like a completely out-of-control steel bull, smashing through the stone slabs in the way, and charging wildly toward Norton and Nami's back!
"Stop him!"
Despite the pain in his right hand and the exhaustion, Sanosuke hurriedly gave chase, but Arlong's reckless charge was incredibly fast.
However, a green figure was faster than Sasuke!
Just as Arlong was about to cross the center line of the courtyard, Zoro appeared as if teleported directly in front of his path!
Zoro's eyes were sharp as a drawn blade, his fighting spirit boiling – the warm-up of defeating Chu had made him crave an even stronger opponent!
......
The sounds of fierce fighting, roars, and clashing weapons were incessant.
Norton, led by Nami, strolled leisurely through the corridors of Arlong Park, occasionally pausing to admire the rough decorations on the walls or peek through the windows at the battle outside.
His relaxed demeanor was completely out of place with the somber atmosphere around him.
Nami's arm wound had been hastily bandaged with the strips of cloth Norton had given her. The pain persisted, but a strange feeling was churning within her.
The man beside her was so strong and composed that she seemed to be temporarily pulled out of the shadow of fear that had lasted for many years.
After strolling around for a while, they climbed the tower and arrived at the "measuring room" that Arlong had prepared for Nami.
The room was filled with various nautical instruments and drawing tools, and detailed nautical charts of the East China Sea were hanging on the walls, many of which were drawn by Nami.
"Do you like these things?" Norton asked, picking up a half-finished nautical chart from the table.
Nami looked at everything in the room, familiar yet suffocating, remained silent for a moment, and then shook her head.
"I don't like it at all. This is not what I want to do at all. Every second I spend here... is torture."
Norton smiled and said calmly, "Is that so? In that case..."
He pulled a delicate metal lighter from his pocket, lit it with a "click," and then casually held the unfinished nautical chart to the flame.
The edges of the paper quickly turned black and curled up, and bright flames suddenly shot up!
"Then let's burn it."
The flames licked at the nautical chart, quickly spreading to the nearby papers, books, and wooden table...
Thick smoke began to rise, and the orange-red flames gradually illuminated the room, also reflecting on Norton and Nami's faces.
......
In the courtyard, the battle between Arlong, Sanosuke, and Zoro has reached its climax.
The courtyard was a mess.
Like a persistent ailment, Sanosuke, with the extraordinary speed and agility of a ninja, used kunai and ninja swords to leave fine wounds on Arlong's hard scales.
Zoro, like a tiger unleashed, unleashed a ferocious and precise three-sword style attack. Having already defeated Chu in his battle, his addition to the siege of Arlong only added to the pressure.
Arlong roared repeatedly, his body already bearing many wounds. Sanosuke's kunai was tricky, and Zoro's slashes were heavy, leaving him exhausted.
Just as he finally managed to find a tiny opening in Sasuke's defenses and force him back, he suddenly caught a glimpse of thick smoke and flames coming from the window at the top of the tower!
That's... his tower! Nami's room!
"No--!!!"
Ah Long let out a heart-wrenching roar.
He took a direct hit from Zoro's sword, his shoulder scales shattered and blood spurted out, but he used the force of the impact to smash through the two men's blockade like a torpedo and shot straight to the top of the tower!
However, when he smashed through the burning window and rushed into the room, which was already engulfed in flames, it was already empty.
Only the rampant flames devoured everything he had once regarded as "trophies" and "tools".
"Nami—!!!"
Ah Long's roar echoed through the fire, filled with endless resentment and madness.
However, at this moment, Norton had already brought Nami back to the center of the courtyard.
The firelight illuminated half the night sky, and also the fishmen lying haphazardly in the courtyard—Aron's men had all been defeated.
Ah Long leaped from the tower like a meteorite, crashing into the courtyard and cracking the ground.
He was covered in soot and wounds, his eyes bloodshot as he stared intently at Norton and Nami standing side by side, his last shred of reason consumed by rage.
"I want you all dead!!!"
Ah Long wielded "Slash," abandoning all techniques and pouring all his remaining strength and life energy into this strike, slashing fiercely at Norton!
Sanosuke and Zoro exchanged glances and were about to step forward.
Norton gently raised his hand to stop them.
Faced with Aaron's desperate charge, Norton casually slapped him.
"Snapped!"
Time seemed to freeze for a moment, and then Ah Long suddenly turned and flew out! As if struck by an invisible giant hammer, he slammed hard into the thick brick wall surrounding Ah Long Paradise!
"BOOM—!!!"
Bricks and stones collapsed, smoke and dust filled the air, and an entire section of the wall was reduced to ruins by the impact, burying Ah Long inside.
The courtyard was deathly silent, save for the crackling of the flames.
A moment later, the ruins shook, and Ah Long struggled to crawl out.
Half of his face was swollen, scales had fallen off, his mouth was full of blood, and his eyes were filled with extreme bewilderment, shock, and...fear.
He shook his head, trying to steady himself, but staggered a few times and almost fell again.
"...How is this possible?" Ah Long murmured hoarsely, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
That seemingly casual slap contained a power he could neither imagine nor resist.
Norton slowly walked forward, with Sanosuke and Zoro following closely on either side. They looked at Arlong as if he were already dead.
Nami followed, her fists clenched tightly.
Norton stopped and glanced at Nami beside him, whose body was still trembling slightly, but who was trying her best to straighten her spine.
Norton bent down, picked up a pistol, and handed it to Nami.
Nami gripped the cold gun handle tightly, her fingers turning white from the force. She raised her arm, aiming the gun at Arlong, who was struggling to get up a few meters away.
Arlong looked up and met Nami's eyes, only to see a cold, indifferent gaze!
"Go to hell, Arlong," Nami whispered.
"Bang!"
Gunshots echoed through the silent courtyard.
The bullet pierced Ah Long's forehead with pinpoint accuracy, freezing the ferocious expression on his face forever. The light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and he fell backward.