The cries at the alley entrance abruptly ceased.
Arlong's thick arm shot out, snatching the money bag the trembling village chief offered. His rough fingers weighed the coins inside, a cruel smile spreading across his lips. "You know what's good for you."
Just as he turned to leave, a clear voice suddenly came from the alley. "Wait."
Everyone froze as if under a spell.
"Who's talking shit?"
Arlong slowly turned his head, his serrated dorsal fin gleaming coldly in the sunlight. His bulging eyes scanned the alley entrance before finally settling on Ryan, who was walking out slowly. His pupils narrowed slightly. "You're not from this village, are you?"
Genzo's face paled instantly. He hurried forward, stepping in front of Ryan while bowing apologetically. "He's... just a passing traveler! Doesn't know the rules! Please don't take offense, Lord Arlong!"
"A traveler?" Arlong sneered, his sharp fangs piercing his lower lip as drool dripped from their points. "In my territory, even stray dogs have to pay tolls."
He stared at Ryan with menacing eyes. "Boy, what are you going to offer me?"
Ryan's gaze swept over the cowering villagers, then glanced at Nojiko clenching her fists in the corner. He leisurely raised his hand, his fingertips tracing an almost imperceptible arc in the sunlight. The movement was as light as plucking strings, yet carried an undeniable authority.
"Offer?" His tone remained flat. "I've prepared a 'special gift' for you."
Before the words faded, Ryan had already drawn his sword.
As Wind Splitter cut through the air, a condensed slash shot out like silver lightning, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound. It moved so fast even sunlight couldn't catch its trajectory.
This was the swordsmanship he had honed over two years on the Floating Island—using pure arm strength and wrist power without any Devil Fruit ability, making the blade split the air to form an invisible edge.
The savage grin hadn't even faded from Arlong's face when the slash struck his blue-green neck. He instinctively tried to raise his arm to block, but his fingers only met gushing hot blood. Not a single word could escape his throat.
"Gush—"
Blood sprayed like a fountain onto the cobblestones. As Arlong's head rolled away, his bulging eyes remained frozen in disbelief. His massive body swayed before collapsing with a heavy thud, sending up dust mixed with blood droplets that splattered onto the villagers' clothes.
Ryan's sword sheathing was crisp and clean. The soft click of the scabbard became the final sound marking Arlong's death.
He was never one to waste words with enemies. Two years on the Floating Island had taught him that showing mercy to scum was equivalent to gambling with his own life.
If it could be resolved in one move, he wouldn't waste a single second more.
Dead?
The entire village fell into dead silence, as if even the sea breeze had been choked by the scene.
The villagers stared wide-eyed, their farming tools clattering to the ground. Genzo stood speechless, the red pinwheel under his hat brim stuck mid-turn, its spinning momentum completely gone.
"Boss!"
The Fish-Men finally erupted from their shock, their deafening roars almost lifting the roof. The Fish-Man carrying the shell shield charged forward first, his fist—large as a sand pot—swinging toward Ryan with a whooshing sound. "I'll kill you!"
Ryan lightly tapped his feet, his figure sliding sideways like a ghost as he evaded the punch. At the same time, Wind Splitter swept out again, two slashing waves shooting out one after another.
The first slash struck the shield diagonally—crack—the hard shell shield was split in two. The second followed immediately, slicing along the opponent's arm toward the neck, too fast for anyone to react.
The Fish-Man's arm fell with a thud, and a bloody line appeared on his neck. Before he could even see where the slash came from, he collapsed into a pool of blood, clutching his gushing neck and emitting gurgling whimpers.
Seeing this, the other Fish-Men—some brandishing steel tridents, others baring sharp claws—lunged forward like madmen. Yet, in the face of Ryan's slashes, their proud Fish-Man physique seemed laughably fragile.
Wind Splitter swung repeatedly in his hands, one slash wave after another dancing like silver serpents—sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical, occasionally crisscrossing into a net to block retreats. Each slash landed precisely on vital points: sharp teeth were sheared off, scales were sliced open, and tough skin was torn apart like paper.
In just moments, the rising and falling screams fell into silence.
The ground was littered with the corpses of Fish-Men, the smell of blood mingling with the saltiness of the sea, eerily intertwined with the lingering scent of orange blossoms in the air.
Standing amid the chaos, Ryan sheathed Wind Splitter and lightly tapped the hilt with his fingertip, as if he had just put away a prop after a sword dance.
In theory, his Devil Fruit ability, sharing the same origin as Kaido's, should allow him to spew flames and thunder like the Azure Dragon form, commanding wind and rain like a true Giant Dragon.
That was the authority of a sky overlord, a dragon's absolute control over the elements of heaven and earth.
But at this moment, the only element Ryan could freely manipulate was flames. As for wind, thunder, and clouds, they felt more like byproducts of his transformation—wild and untamed, beyond his control.
Not only that, but the hardness of his Dragon Scales was worlds apart—Kaido could withstand attacks infused with Conqueror's Haki, while he could not. Even his size fell short of Kaido's sky-obscuring enormity.
Ryan knew all too well that this was due to his underdeveloped Devil Fruit ability; even his so-called awakening felt half-baked and forced.
But ability wasn't everything. He still had the swordsmanship honed over two years on the Floating Island and the physique tempered by the "IQ" Ferocious Medicine. Combined, these made him far beyond what ordinary strong fighters could match.
He turned his gaze to Nojiko in the corner.
Nojiko remained in her clenched-fist stance, but now her hands were tightly clamped over her mouth, her blue-gray eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
She had held onto a sliver of hope but never imagined the outcome would be like this—this seemingly gentle traveler had, in the blink of an eye, eliminated Arlong and his crew, who had terrorized the entire East Blue.
They were the Fish-Man bullies even the Marine branch found troublesome.
A deathly silence hung over the village for several seconds until someone let out a suppressed sob. Then, thunderous cheers erupted.
"Arlong is dead! He's really dead!"
"We're saved!"
Villagers embraced each other, some weeping with joy, others bowing deeply toward Ryan. A chorus of grateful voices rose and fell.
Genzo stepped forward, the pinwheel on his hat finally spinning again as he looked at Ryan with a complex, emotional gaze. "Mr. Ryan, thank you... thank you for saving our village!"
Ryan waved a hand dismissively, his eyes sweeping over the excited villagers before finally settling on Nojiko, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "They must have a hideout, right? Take me there. I'll help you eliminate the remaining threat."
"We know where it is!" several young villagers immediately shouted. "It's in the eastern bay—they have a base there!"
"We'll take you!"
Surrounded by the crowd, Ryan headed toward the eastern bay. Along the way, the villagers excitedly recounted the atrocities committed by Arlong and his crew, their words filled with gratitude toward Ryan.
Arlong's hideout was a fortress built along the bay, with two Fish-Man guards stationed at the entrance.
As Ryan and the others approached, the guards opened their mouths to shout, but Ryan had already drawn his blade. With two swift swings of Wind Splitter, elegant arcs of slashing waves cut through the air, and the Fish-Man guards collapsed straight to the ground. Blood splattered across the floor, yet not a single drop touched Ryan.
Bam! Ryan kicked the fortress door open. Inside, the Fish-Men scrambled for their weapons and charged at him.
Without hesitation, Ryan swung Wind Splitter repeatedly. One slash after another fell like a torrential downpour. Wherever the blade's light passed, Fish-Men screamed and fell—some with their weapons severed, others with their throats slit.
Occasionally, one slipped through and lunged at him. With a flick of his wrist, Ryan sent a slashing wave skimming past their joints, instantly disabling them, or kicked them away, sending them crashing into the stone walls, unconscious.
Throughout the entire process, his movements were precise and efficient—no unnecessary flourishes, yet every strike was lethal.
Nojiko and the villagers stood outside the fortress, listening to the sounds of battle and screams from within. Their faces were pale, but more than anything, they felt relief.
Suddenly, a series of frantic splashes echoed from deep within the fortress, followed by several dark figures tumbling out the back door and plunging headfirst into the bay before they even hit the ground.
Hearing the commotion, Ryan merely glanced toward the sea. Wind Splitter was already sheathed at his waist as he turned and walked out the main gate. His clothes remained immaculate, not even the cloth at his collar stained by the mist of blood—as if he had just returned from a leisurely stroll rather than a fierce battle.
"It's done," he said calmly.
He knew better than anyone that the sea was the Fish-Men's natural refuge. Once they dove into the depths, their speed would become as swift as swordfish, and their strength would surge with the water pressure. Pursuing them would be a waste of effort.
"A few escaped," Ryan remarked, his tone unreadable as he gazed at the shimmering waves in the distance. "But it's fine. The rest are no longer a threat."
Nojiko walked to his side, looking at the calm sea and then at Ryan's clean attire. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes before she said softly, "Thank you, Mr. Ryan."
Ryan turned to her, a smile tugging at his lips. "Don't forget our deal."
Nojiko nodded, her gaze firm. "I won't forget."
Under the setting sun, the bay returned to tranquility. Only the fortress bore the scars of battle, silently recounting all that had just transpired.
The villagers cheered and celebrated, knowing that Cocoyasi Village had finally found true peace.
And Ryan was about to begin his transaction time with Nojiko.