CHAPTER 12 - ARLONG PARK: THE STRAW HATS UNLEASHED
The fragile peace of Cocoyasi Village shattered as Arlong unleashed his full fury. "KILL THEM ALL!" he roared, pointing his saw-like nose at the Straw Hats. His Fish-Man crew charged, eager to prove their superiority.
Luffy, naturally, met the charge head-on, stretching his arm for a "Gum-Gum Pistol." Sanji launched into a flurry of "Black Leg Style" kicks, effortlessly deflecting attacks and sending Fish-Men flying. Zoro, eyes narrowed, drew his three swords, a silent promise of destruction.
Adam, however, had a different approach. He was still focused on infuriating Arlong, chipping away at his already fragile ego while simultaneously aiding his crew. "Alright, Arlong. Let's play a game. It's called 'How many times can Adam make you spontaneously combust with rage before you finally realize you're out of your league.' I'm going for a new record."
He dodged a lunging Fish-Man, then used his "Gum-Gum Pistol (stable)" to snatch a small, ornamental fish statue from a nearby pedestal within Arlong Park. He then, with surprising accuracy (thanks to his "Slingshot Accuracy (Improved)"), pelted Chew, the blowing Fish-Man, square in the face with it. The statue, though harmless, clearly startled Chew, who stumbled, allowing Sanji to land a decisive kick.
"Oops! Butterfingers again!" Adam called out, a triumphant grin on his face. "You know, Mr. Chew, for a Fish-Man, you have remarkably poor reflexes. Maybe you should stick to blowing bubbles. Or, you know, blowing kisses. I hear you're quite good at that."
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: CHEW][LIKE METER: 0%][HATE METER: 10%][ACQUIRABLE SKILLS: WATER SHOT (BASIC)]
"Ten percent hate. And 'Water Shot (Basic)'? So I can probably spit a small stream of water. Excellent. Very useful for... well, for spitting. My skills are becoming truly terrifying."
Arlong roared, enraged by Adam's antics. "STOP PLAYING AROUND, HUMAN! I'LL KILL YOU SLOWLY!"
"Oh, is that a promise or a threat, fish-breath?" Adam retorted, effortlessly dodging a sweeping tail attack from a passing Fish-Man. "Because, honestly, your threats are as dull as your personality. You need to spice things up! Maybe some dramatic lighting? A villainous monologue that doesn't sound like it was written by a disgruntled teenager? Just a thought."
He then noticed Kuroobi, Arlong's second-in-command, engaging Zoro in a fierce exchange of blows. Kuroobi, a master of Fish-Man Karate, was fast and powerful. Adam saw an opportunity. He subtly activated his "Full Body Armor (Temporary Weakness Exposure)" skill, focusing it on Kuroobi's left side. For a fleeting moment, a faint, almost invisible shimmer appeared.
"Hey, Zoro!" Adam yelled, pointing. "Looks like Kuroobi's left side has a serious case of... existential dread! It's practically begging to be punched!"
Zoro, focused, didn't consciously register Adam's words, but something in his peripheral vision, perhaps the subtle shimmer, caused him to shift his weight. He delivered a powerful "Oni Giri" that connected with surprising force, sending Kuroobi staggering back.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: KUROOBI][LIKE METER: 0%][HATE METER: 20%][ACQUIRABLE SKILLS: FISH-MAN KARATE (PALM STRIKE)]
"Twenty percent hate. And 'Fish-Man Karate (Palm Strike)'? So I can probably slap someone with more force. Excellent. My martial arts repertoire is expanding. I'm basically becoming a walking, talking, incredibly annoying martial arts encyclopedia."
As the chaos continued, Adam spotted a group of weaker Fish-Men converging on Usopp, who was trying to provide support with his slingshot from a distance. Adam knew Usopp could handle himself, but a little extra encouragement never hurt.
"Alright, Adam. Time for a truly disgusting, yet highly effective, tactic. Prepare for the smell of victory. And possibly regret."
He quickly focused his will, activating his "M.H.5 Gas (improved range)" skill. A small, almost invisible cloud of acrid, incredibly foul-smelling gas slowly drifted towards the unsuspecting Fish-Men. It wasn't harmful, just... really, really bad.
The Fish-Men, who had been advancing confidently, suddenly recoiled, clutching their noses and gagging. "BLARGH! WHAT IS THAT STENCH?!" one of them shrieked.
"Oh, just a little something I cooked up!" Adam called out, covering his own nose with a theatrical flourish. "It's called 'Essence of Regret and Yesterday's Sushi'! Guaranteed to clear a room, or, in this case, a battlefield! You're welcome!"
The nauseated Fish-Men stumbled back, allowing Usopp to land a few well-aimed shots with his slingshot, sending them scattering in disarray.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: HATCHAN][LIKE METER: 0%][HATE METER: 5%][ACQUIRABLE SKILLS: SIX SWORD STYLE (BASIC GRIP)]
"Five percent hate for Hatchan. He's not as easily enraged as the others. But I'll get there. 'Six Sword Style (Basic Grip)'? So I can probably hold six things at once without dropping them. Excellent. Very useful for carrying multiple snacks. Or, you know, actual swords. Details, details."
Arlong, witnessing the disarray among his ranks, turned his attention fully to Adam. "YOU! YOU ARE A MENACE! I'M GOING TO TEAR OFF THAT SMUG LOOK ON YOUR FACE!"
"Oh, really?" Adam challenged, easily sidestepping a lunging attack from Arlong. "And how are you going to do that, fish-face? Are you going to bore me to death with your self-importance? Or perhaps you'll try to out-sarcasm me? Because trust me, you'll lose. I've been honing my sarcasm for years. It's a black belt level skill, practically."
He continued to dance around Arlong, narrowly avoiding his attacks, while keeping up a relentless barrage of insults. He was pushing Arlong, deliberately enraging him. Every taunt, every dodge, every sarcastic comment was a calculated move to push Arlong's "Hate" meter higher and higher. He needed Arlong furious, unhinged, making mistakes. For Nami. And for the shiny new skills he was about to acquire.
Luffy, meanwhile, was engaged with Hatchan, the octopus Fish-Man, in a surprisingly acrobatic battle. Sanji was still dealing with Kuroobi. Zoro, despite his injuries, was a force of nature, cutting down any Fish-Man who dared to approach him.
Adam, however, was the constant thorn in Arlong's side, a relentless buzzing fly that simply would not be swatted. He even "accidentally" knocked over a bucket of water near Arlong's feet, making the fish-man slip and slide for a moment.
"Oops! Watch your step, Mr. Arlong!" Adam chuckled. "Wouldn't want you to trip and break that magnificent nose of yours! Though, I suppose it wouldn't be much of a loss, aesthetically speaking."
Arlong roared, his face a terrifying mask of incandescent rage. His attacks became more reckless, more powerful, but also more predictable. Adam smiled. He was getting there.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: ARLONG][LIKE METER: 0%][HATE METER: 40%][ACQUIRABLE SKILLS: SHARK ON DARTS (IMPROVED AIM)]
"Forty percent hate. And 'Shark on Darts (Improved Aim)'? So I can probably hit a bullseye now. Excellent. My bar game skills are off the charts. This is almost too easy. Almost."
The stage was set. Arlong was enraged. The Straw Hats were fighting their hearts out. And Nami was watching, her fate hanging in the balance, a desperate hope flickering in her eyes.