Nami, we've come to save you!
"Let's fight Arlong together!"
Outside Arlong Park, crowds of villagers poured in, faces grim, clutching crude weapons in their hands.
Hearing the commotion, the group turned to look.
At the front was a man in a dark brown guard's uniform, a windmill fastened to his police cap, his body stitched with countless scars.
"Genzo?"
Nami spun around in shock. "Why are you all here? Could it be Nojiko—"
"That old guy's weird… he's got a windmill growing out of his head."
Luffy tilted his head curiously.
Reiner, already guessing their intentions, turned toward Arlong's tower.
"Nami, you deal with this for now. I'll go see what I can loot."
A while later, inside Arlong's quarters—
Reiner stared at the scattered piles of cash he had gathered, tallying them up. Around 400 million Berries.
Scratching his blond hair, he sighed. "Tch, way less than I expected."
It was a massive sum, sure, but considering Arlong's operations, it was disappointing.
Arlong's crew had ruled over more than twenty villages. Aside from the few that were destroyed, the rest had been under his extortion for years.
Every adult was forced to pay 100,000 Berries per month, and children 50,000. Even the smallest village had over a hundred people.
And after all these years, he only saved up this much?
"These bastards really know how to burn through cash, huh…" Reiner muttered.
"Whatever. At least it's enough to feed Luffy."
He couldn't help remembering how Luffy could wipe out a hundred million just in a single banquet.
Sighing again, Reiner packed up the money and slung the bag over his shoulder.
As he stepped out the door, he ran straight into Nami coming in.
"Nami? What are you doing here?"
"I came to get the maps I drew before. And that bag you've got there…"
Her eyes locked onto the backpack, a fiery glint in them.
Reiner chuckled nervously. "…Hehe."
"Fifty-fifty split?"
"Nope."
"Sixty-forty?"
"Nope!"
Soon, the group returned to Cocoyasi Village with the villagers. Reiner and the others were invited into Nami and Nojiko's house to rest.
"This is dried orange peel we made ourselves. Try some tea."
Nojiko served them cups of chenpi tea with a warm smile.
When Nami had led them to Arlong Park earlier, Nojiko had rushed to find Genzo, leading to the villagers' arrival.
"It's delicious!"
"Yeah, really good."
"I'm glad you like it. Our poor little village doesn't have much to offer, but I'll pack some dried peel for you to take with you."
"There's no need to thank us. We've already received the greatest treasure."
"…I see. Then Nami will surely be happy with you all."
Satisfied, Nojiko left to prepare the gift.
The group slumped on the sofa, drained after the battle.
Grrr—
"Ughhh, I'm dying of hunger…" Luffy groaned, collapsing flat.
The villagers were already cooking, preparing a feast to reward their saviors.
Reiner lit a cigarette, deep in thought about Arlong's template.
He raised his hand, conjuring several flickering green flames. Two in particular—Arlong's and Zoro's—seemed to tug toward each other.
"Should I fuse them?" he muttered.
Yes—when two templates had high compatibility, they could be fused. The result didn't stack stats, but rather took the stronger traits of each.
Both Arlong and Zoro had monstrous arm strength.
Arlong's bite force was also legendary, while Zoro's jaw was trained from his Three-Sword Style.
Hence their compatibility.
"…Forget it. Not worth it just for a slight boost. Zoro's improving so fast anyway, his template will surpass this soon."
Still, Reiner had another idea. More valuable than Arlong's strength were his iron-hard nose and rock-crushing jaws—especially his teeth, which could regenerate endlessly.
An idea sparked. He focused, and a rift split open in the air.
"Wahahaha! Reiner, are you making another monster!?"
Luffy's eyes lit up instantly. "Make a robot this time! A robot!"
"…I told you, I can't make robots."
"Then what are you making?"
"A weapon."
"Laser gun!?"
"…"
From the rift, a silver hilt emerged. Reiner grasped it and drew forth a weapon: a silver-white double-edged sword, lined with serrated teeth on both sides.
At its tip was a grisly skull, with Arlong's jagged nose-bone jutting forward.
"…Eh, looks kinda lame," Luffy frowned.
But Reiner smirked. "What if I told you it could extend?"
"Extend!? Just like me!?"
He aimed the bone sword at a boulder outside, focusing his will.
In the next moment, the blade shot out, elongating like a whip, the serrated nose-bone smashing into the rock.
Boom!!!
The boulder exploded into shards.
"Wait—that move…?"
"Yeah. Based on Arlong's Shark On Darts. But that's not all."
The sword bent, curving like a serpent, then whipped around, its snarling skull-tip snapping back toward Luffy.
"He's undead, after all. You could think of it as a bone snake—I just shaped the tail into a hilt."
To be exact, it was a chain sword.
Its length came from the interlinked teeth of Arlong, endlessly regenerating as long as energy was supplied.
A chain sword was a tricky weapon to master—but the undead didn't need practice. Controlled by Reiner's will, it could shift forms freely: sword, whip, even—
The weapon coiled, forming a silver shield covered in spikes, the skull glaring from the center.
If anyone mistook it for a simple shield and got close, Reiner could show them what "Shoot him, Sniper!" really meant.
"Wahaha, it transformed! Reiner, make me one too!"
Reiner: "…"
He tossed the bone chain-sword at Luffy and ordered the undead bound to it to obey him.
Luffy dashed off, thrilled, playing with it nonstop. Three minutes later, he trudged back, dejected.
"…I'm hungry…"
"…."
"Dinner's ready, everyone!"
"Yahoo! Feast time!"
Luffy bolted outside, the rest following.
"Reiner, wait. I want to talk to you."
Reiner turned to Nami, surprised to see her cheeks slightly red.
Could it be…?
"That money… from Arlong…"
"…Nope."
"No, not that! I mean, could you leave some for Cocoyasi Village?"
"Sure. How much?"
"…Fifty million?"
"Take it."
"…A hundred million?"
"Fine."
"Then maybe—"
"Hold on. You're not just planning to line your own pockets, are you?"
Nami's face flushed deeper.
"Cough… cough… then just a hundred million."
"…Right. Sure."
Clever little thief, hiding your schemes, huh?