Nami and Carina walked at the front of the group, leading everyone back into Arlong Park once again.
Looking at this place that had once been their worst nightmare, the villagers took in the devastation and ruins with a mixture of awe and satisfaction. Debris lay scattered everywhere from the earlier battles.
Arlong, Captain Nezumi, and their subordinates were still sprawled unconscious across the grounds in various states of defeat, while the captured Arlong Pirates and Marine soldiers remained bound and piled together where the crew had left them.
Although the villagers had tried to prepare themselves mentally for this moment, they still couldn't help but cheer loudly at the sight of their oppressors rendered so completely helpless.
When the townspeople learned that these tied-up pirates and corrupt Marines could be dealt with personally by them, their long-suppressed anger finally boiled over.
Driven by years of accumulated rage, they didn't hesitate to pick up the farming tools—hoes, shovels, and rakes—that they had brought along, wielding them as makeshift weapons to strike the defenseless fishmen.
Suddenly, a low and strange bellowing sound echoed from the sea beyond the park's walls. It resembled the call of some enormous bovine creature, but not quite like any ordinary animal.
SPLASH!
Water erupted in all directions as a gigantic sea cow emerged from the harbor, towering more than ten meters above the people on shore as it looked down at them with obvious hostility.
When the massive sea cow witnessed the tragic scene within the park and saw the defeated state of the Arlong Pirates, it bellowed again with even more fury. Its eyes turned sharp and dangerous, as if preparing to attack the humans directly.
This unexpected development frightened several villagers so badly that their legs gave out, and they collapsed to the ground involuntarily.
"That's Momoo! He's also a member of the Arlong Pirates!" Nami called out anxiously, stepping protectively in front of the other villagers while gripping a wooden staff tightly in her hands. She opened her mouth as if to try reasoning with the sea cow, hoping to calm it down and buy time for everyone to escape.
Just when the villagers were paralyzed by fear and uncertainty, they noticed that Deuce and the other Black Star Pirates remained completely calm, watching the enormous sea cow with casual, almost bored expressions.
A loud BANG suddenly erupted nearby, startling the already panicked townspeople.
They saw only a blur of movement, and when they looked more carefully, they realized it was Jerry—the pirate captain who had arrived with the liberation force—leaping high into the air to face the hill-sized sea cow directly.
Jerry walked through the sky using Moonwalk, his raised fist suddenly turning black with Armament Haki. The corner of his mouth curved into a teasing grin as he called out, "Oh, are you here to deliver some beef?"
Under the stunned gazes of the villagers, Jerry—who looked like a tiny insect compared to the massive sea cow—exuded a breathtaking aura of power and delivered a devastating punch to Momoo's head.
BOOM!
A tremendous gust of wind swept outward in all directions from the point of impact, carrying Jerry's overwhelming force.
Accompanied by a deafening roar that shook the very ground, the sea cow's eyes rolled back as it was struck with such incredible force that it plummeted into the harbor like a falling meteor, creating enormous waves that crashed against the shore.
This display of casual, overwhelming power left Nami and the villagers trembling with shock and awe.
They stood with their mouths hanging open in stunned silence, watching Jerry dive into the sea and drag back the unconscious sea cow—which occupied nearly as much space as the entire park—before casually tossing it aside like a piece of furniture.
The townspeople couldn't help but question everything they thought they knew about the world. If pirates possessed such incredible power, how could ordinary people like themselves ever hope to survive in this harsh reality?
Several villagers then turned to look at Arlong, who was still lying motionless in his crater, with expressions that mixed relief and vindictive satisfaction.
Any lingering doubts about whether this damned fishman could truly have been defeated by the pirate crew before them had long since evaporated.
"Alright, now all the members of the Arlong Pirates should be accounted for. Don't worry about us—you can do whatever you want with them." Jerry clapped his hands with the satisfied air of someone who had just finished a simple chore, then smiled warmly at the assembled villagers.
Genzo and the other townspeople looked at each other meaningfully, then nodded with heavy gratitude and offered their sincere thanks to Jerry and his crew.
After exchanging some brief pleasantries, the villagers quickly gathered together and began seriously discussing how to deal with the captured members of the Arlong Pirates.
"In my opinion, they should be executed on the spot!" someone suggested through gritted teeth, years of suffering evident in their voice.
"I think we should turn them over to the Marines..." Having said this, the more rational villager glanced at the bound Marine soldiers nearby. Thinking about the corrupt character these particular Marines had displayed, he opened his mouth but found himself unable to continue that thought.
"I don't care about the details! I just want to beat them up first!" With a resounding CLANG, one villager picked up a shovel and began striking without any further consideration.
"That's exactly right! They've kept us living in fear and oppression for so many years—we can't let them off easily!"
This sentiment was enthusiastically agreed upon by most of the villagers, and the atmosphere on the scene grew heated once again.
The captured members of the Arlong Pirates who regain consciousness could only stare with wide, terrified eyes as they watched these humans—whom they had always regarded as insignificant ants—waving various farming tools and striking them repeatedly.
They desperately wanted to protest or threaten, but their efforts were completely futile.
To prevent fishmen like Chew from using their species' special abilities to harm others through water bullets or other techniques, Deuce and the others had thoroughly gagged and sealed their mouths when binding them earlier.
After the villagers had vented the worst of their accumulated anger, they finally decided to hand the matter over to proper Marine authorities after all.
Ultimately, these people still retained fundamental kindness in their hearts.
While their anger might drive them to strike their former oppressors without considering the consequences, once the initial fury had cooled somewhat, their natural compassion reasserted itself.
The basic decency and moral boundaries that remained in the villagers' hearts prevented them from committing serious violence against prisoners who could no longer resist.
Faced with this situation, Skull felt somewhat conflicted but still provided contact information for higher-ranking Marine officials.
He suggested that the villagers unite with all the other oppressed communities throughout the Konomi Islands and report both the Arlong Pirates and the corrupt local 16th Branch together through proper channels.
Since becoming a pirate, Skull had never imagined there would come a day when he would have to provide Marine contact information to civilians... It truly felt like a case of the thief shouting "stop thief!"
Stars dotted the night sky above Cocoyasi Village, their twinkling light complementing the warm glow of lanterns and torches on the ground below, creating a dreamlike atmosphere of celebration.
Under the brilliant starry canopy, an enormous liberation banquet was being held throughout the village center.
Starlight and lamplight, delicious food and joyous laughter, traditional music and spontaneous dancing—all of these elements combined to form a beautiful and deeply moving scene.
After years of desperate hope and patient endurance, the villagers had finally witnessed the day when Arlong's tyranny came to an end.
Whether young or old, every person in the community was eager to display their brightest smile, their eyes filled with infinite longing and hope for the better future that now seemed possible.
At this moment, the entire village was immersed in a genuinely joyful atmosphere, as if the world itself had become brighter and warmer because of their happiness.
During the height of the festivities, in a specially cleared open area, Jerry and many villagers stood closely gathered around the makeshift stage, watching Brook and several local musicians fully display their talents, adding endless joy and enthusiasm to the celebration.
On the other side of the square, a mixed crowd of young women and middle-aged ladies had formed their own circle of admiration, with their focus entirely centered on Cavendish, who was constantly striking elegant poses and displaying his characteristic combination of grace and theatrical flair.
At the end of one particularly moving song, Brook raised his skeletal hand slightly amid the enthusiastic cheers of the audience, stood up from his position, and walked over to Nojiko, who was sitting in the front row of the gathered crowd. He bowed with exaggerated gentlemanly courtesy.
"Yohohoho! Before we continue with the next song, I have a rather personal request, beautiful lady. I do hope you'll consider granting it."
Nojiko pointed at herself with obvious confusion and uncertainty. "Uh... me? What exactly are you asking for?"
Brook cleared his throat and spoke in his most serious tone: "Ahem! May I have the honor of seeing your panties?"
Nojiko's response was immediate and decisive—a lightning-fast punch delivered with surgical precision, accompanied by some friendly advice:
"Get lost, you perverted skeleton!"
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