The six pirates strode through the dark, torchless night, their conversation surprisingly relaxed. Only Usopp, trailing at the rear, radiated tension, his eyes darting nervously. Luffy, leading with a steely gaze, was the sole figure of unwavering focus. The others—Kiri, Zoro, Sanji, and Silk—walked with light steps, their shoulders loose.
"Kiri, Zoro, you're injured. Don't push it," Silk said.
"I'm fine. Johnny and Usopp told me not to use my left arm, but…" Kiri said.
"No issue. This isn't even a handicap," Zoro said.
"Still, what if something goes wrong? Maybe rest this time," Silk said.
"Rest, huh, Zoro?" Kiri teased.
"Idiot, she's talking to you," Zoro shot back.
"Both of you! You're so stubborn," Silk sighed.
"Don't worry, Silk-chan. I don't care if these guys drop dead," Sanji said, cigarette in mouth, flashing a sloppy grin.
Silk sighed, exasperated. Sanji's personality was intense—chivalrous to women, no doubt, but his antics hinted at trouble for future voyages. "I'm more worried about you, Silk-chan. What if that flawless skin gets scratched?" Sanji said.
"I'm fine. I'm tougher than I look," Silk replied.
"That so? No matter who they are, I won't let them touch you. I'll be your knight!" Sanji declared.
"Uh, thanks," Silk said, flustered but sensing his sincerity.
Kiri and Zoro, without turning, chimed in. "Knight, huh? Light up the dark with your burning love," Kiri said.
"Great idea. Lead the way, knight. Burn out to ash if you want," Zoro added.
"Shut up! Stay out of my talk with Silk-chan! Go die, you injured punks!" Sanji snapped, as Kiri and Zoro chuckled. Silk shook her head, bemused by their lack of tension before a fight. Usopp, cowering until now, raised a hand.
"Hey, Sanji-kun, I need saving! Help me if it gets dicey!" Usopp pleaded.
"Don't care. I protect ladies only. Men fend for themselves," Sanji said.
"What? Don't underestimate my weakness! I can't beat fishmen alone—never! I shine supporting from behind!" Usopp said.
"Confidence in shouting that, huh?" Sanji muttered.
"Please save me!" Usopp begged.
Usopp's earnest panic drew a sigh from Sanji. Luffy's boundless optimism contrasted with Usopp's negativity, making the crew endlessly entertaining. Kiri turned to Usopp, his usual gentle smile unchanged. "No worries. You trained your sniping while I was out, right?"
"Knowing it and doing it are different! Scary's scary!" Usopp said.
"Fair enough," Kiri said.
"You're giving up? Stand your ground," Zoro said, exasperated by Kiri's quick surrender.
The crew's lax demeanor persisted despite injuries, a hallmark of their spirit. Sanji, equally stunned, muttered, "Bunch of weirdos. Good thing Silk-chan and Nami-san are here. I'll protect you no matter what, Silk-chan."
"Sanji being close is scarier—for women," Kiri said.
"Exactly. Oi, Love Knight, you're freaking her out. Back off or get sliced," Zoro said.
"I said stay out!" Sanji yelled.
Their banter flowed as they walked, until Luffy spotted something—torchlights approaching. The crew's expressions sharpened. Luffy, eyes forward, spoke to Kiri. "Hey, Kiri, those guys?"
"Looks like they're here," Kiri said.
"Plan?" Luffy asked.
"Charge in. Need anything else?" Kiri said.
"Shishishi, nope," Luffy grinned, the air growing thick with battle.
The fishmen's army, spotting them, charged with raised weapons and roars, their heavy footsteps thundering toward the six. Usopp shrieked, but the others stood firm. Kiri, smiling beside Luffy, spoke. "Luffy, you're injured too. Save it for the big boss. Keep walking—we'll clear the path."
"Got it," Luffy said.
"Don't think you'll take our captain easily. Act like a captain and stay steady. We'll handle the small fry," Kiri said.
"Alright, I'm counting on you," Luffy said.
Luffy maintained his pace, unshaken. Kiri's words spurred Zoro, Sanji, and Silk to quicken their steps, while Usopp, clenching his fists for courage, lagged behind, his seriousness clashing with the crew's resolve. The fishmen's shouts grew louder, their bloodshot eyes fueled by vengeance for their fallen comrades. But the crew had their own reason to fight—Nami's tears were enough.
Luffy's aura shifted, his focus locking onto the enemy. The five around him moved, ready for the onslaught. Silk leapt forward first, sword raised. "Found 'em!" a fishman yelled.
"Kill them!" another roared.
They charged with torches, the darkness obscuring distance. Silk, unfazed, swung her blade, unleashing a wind-formed blade. "Kamaitachi!" she shouted.
The invisible gust sliced through the unaware fishmen, sending several airborne with screams, blood spraying. The rear ranks gasped, stunned, unable to grasp what hit them. As bodies hit the ground, realization dawned—Silk had struck.
"What'd they do?" a fishman shouted.
"That woman!" another said.
"She's a Devil Fruit user!" a third cried.
Their advance faltered, their instincts sharp, minimizing losses with practiced coordination. Silk hesitated, debating another strike, when a booming voice rang out. "Shell Shield Unit, forward! Form ranks!" shouted a giant over two meters tall—an aori squid fishman named Aoka, wielding a spear, clearly a commander.
Silk paused, noting Aoka's distinct presence, likely an officer. His orders swiftly organized the fishmen, with turtle-shell-shielded warriors forming a wall against her kamaitachi, backed by ranks of others. Their discipline set them apart from typical pirates, a formidable force.
"They've got a Devil Fruit user! Attacks come from the front! Block with iron-hard shells and strike their gaps!" Aoka commanded.
"Yes!" the fishmen roared.
Silk's kamaitachi had two modes: wide-ranging but weak, hard to dodge but lacking punch, or concentrated for power but predictable. Aoka's quick analysis was spot-on. A wide attack wouldn't stop their advance; a focused one would be blocked. As she weighed her options, a figure dashed past, trailing cigarette smoke—Sanji.
"These the bastards who made Nami-san cry? Ugly mugs," Sanji said, charging the shield unit alone.
"He's coming solo!" a fishman shouted.
"Gunnery unit, fire!" Aoka ordered, waving his spear.
But Sanji reached the shields first, stomping the ground and swinging his right leg. The kick cracked a shell shield, the fishman unable to withstand the force, flying backward. Sanji pressed on, shattering shields and sending fishmen soaring, their formation crumbling. The gunnery unit raised bazookas too late.
"Compared to those scum, these guys are better," Sanji said.
"Nice one, Sanji!" Kiri called.
"Hmph," Zoro grunted.
"That guy's insane!" Usopp gasped.
Sanji dodged aside, clearing the center. Silk, sword raised, unleashed another powerful kamaitachi. "Take this!" she shouted.
"Watch out! It's coming!" a fishman yelled, but too late. The gust slashed through, toppling more. The fishmen teetered on panic, especially the grunts, ignoring Aoka's attempts to rally them. Chaos reigned.
Luffy walked on, ignoring the fishmen, his steady pace unnerving them. They regained their nerve, shouting, "Take them one by one! Start with him!"
"Charge!" they roared, surrounding Luffy. Bazookas aimed, sabers and spears readied, they flanked him to cut off escape. As a bazooka's trigger was pulled, Luffy, unfazed, stared ahead. Usopp, goggled and ready, fired first. "Special Attack: Flame Star!" he shouted.
The bullet ignited midair, a fireball slicing the dark, striking a bazooka's barrel. The explosion engulfed the gunner, who collapsed, unconscious. The fishmen faltered, shaken. A sniper's shot could shift a battle, as Usopp's mentor, Daddy, taught. Aiming for leaders caused chaos; here, the explosion served that purpose. Usopp, surprised by his own success, raised a fist, his confidence rattling the enemy further.
Silk seized the moment, swinging her sword. "Still going! Kamaitachi!" she shouted. The wide gust slashed horizontally, sparing Luffy but toppling more fishmen, deepening their disarray. Even Aoka struggled to stay composed, closing his eyes against the stronger wind—Silk's training paying off.
Silk and Usopp's ranged attacks stalled the fishmen, hinting at an easier victory than expected. But one fishman stepped forward—Kurura, a pirarucu fishman, over two meters tall, broader than Aoka, clad in bulletproof scales. Crossing his arms, he blocked Silk's kamaitachi, unscathed. "Leave it to me. I'll crush them!" Kurura roared.
"It… stopped?" Silk muttered, lowering her sword.
Her wide-ranging, unpredictable attacks were hard for allies to anticipate, limiting teamwork. She stepped back, eyeing Kurura. Seeing his chance, he charged, aiming to crush her and overwhelm with numbers. But Sanji intervened. "Leave Silk-chan alone, fish bastard!" he shouted, kicking. Kurura blocked with his left arm, sliding back but unharmed. Sanji's cocky demeanor belied his skill. Kurura, wary, took a boxing stance, fists as weapons.
"Wanna play? I'll entertain you. You're not touching Silk-chan," Sanji said.
"Fool. No one defies Arlong-san and lives. You'd have been fine staying quiet. You're done," Kurura said.
"Nah, not quite," Sanji said, stubbing his cigarette in a portable ashtray. Smirking, he added, "Our captain'll wipe out you fish freaks. No big deal."
"Mere human! Don't get cocky!" Kurura growled.
"Watch your mouth. Fish don't defy cooks," Sanji said.
As they faced off, Luffy strolled past, ignoring both. Kurura, stunned, let him pass. But others moved—Tsubo, an eel fishman, lunged with an extended neck to bite, while Aoka thrust his spear. Luffy didn't react, but Kiri and Zoro intervened. Kiri punched Tsubo's jaw shut; Zoro parried Aoka's spear with his white-sheathed sword. Both grinned at their foes as Luffy walked through.
"Brats, stay out!" Tsubo yelled.
"Heading for Arlong-san? Not happening!" Aoka said.
"Don't be like that. What's wrong with bosses clashing?" Kiri said.
"If you think you won't lose, let him pass. It'll be over quick," Zoro said.
Ahead, three figures blocked Luffy's path—the final line. Chu (right), Hachi (center), and Kuroobi (left), Arlong's officers, stood arms crossed, staring him down. Kuroobi, a ray fishman skilled in Fishman Karate, advanced, confident his water-based techniques would overpower any foe, even Devil Fruit users. Luffy, unfazed, kept walking.
No interference this time—or so it seemed. Usopp, from afar, fired again. "Triple Gunpowder Star!" he shouted. Three bullets hit the officers' faces, small explosions staggering them. One fell, the others stumbled. Luffy passed them, unruffled.
The path was clear, carved by his crew. Luffy didn't look back, pressing toward his goal. Seconds later, Chu and Kuroobi recovered, Hachi bouncing up energetically. Their glares fixed on Usopp, who paled. "S-Sorry…" he stammered.
"Nice one, punk! I'll kill you!" Chu roared.
"Nooo! I'm sorry!" Usopp wailed.
Kuroobi, noticing Luffy nearing Arlong Park, turned to chase. "Wait! No one passes!" he shouted.
Kiri dropped from the sky, paper floating around him, blocking Kuroobi with a grin, right arm raised, left limp. "Hold up. No one's getting through," Kiri said.
"Tricky human!" Kuroobi growled, fists ready.
"Don't look so scary. Let's have fun—it's a festival," Kiri said, pointing a finger skyward. The paper swirled, a surreal sight. Another Devil Fruit user. Kuroobi faced him, but Kiri's stillness froze the moment.
Clouds parted, moonlight illuminating the field. The battle paused, leaving three officers—Chu, Hachi, Kuroobi—and three sub-officers, including Aoka and Kurura, against the Straw Hats, minus Luffy. Five against six, they faced off on a road flanked by rice paddies, tension thick.
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