Chapter 23 Finding Arlong

The air was thick with tension as Namor and Enel stepped onto the deck of yet another marine ship, their presence enough to make the soldiers freeze in place. The marines exchanged terrified glances, clutching their weapons but too petrified to act. Namor's black trident glinted in the sunlight, its dark turquoise aura almost pulsing, as if feeding on the fear around it. Enel strolled casually behind him.

Namor stepped forward, his sharp, commanding voice cutting through the air. "I'm looking for information. Speak, and you'll keep your lives. Where is Arlong? He is a tall blue sawshark fishman, recently captured by Garp."

The marines hesitated. One of the younger officers, his hands trembling, finally stepped forward. "W-We don't know for sure, b-but… if he's important enough to you, he's probably been taken to GR66."

Namor's brows furrowed. "GR66? Where is that?"

"It's a Marine base… at the Sabaody Archipelago," the officer stammered. "That's where they take high-value prisoners for transport or interrogation."

Namor's expression softened, a faint smirk curling at the edges of his mouth. "Thank you for your cooperation."

The marines dared to hope that perhaps, just maybe, they'd get out of this alive. Namor turned back to Enel. "We're done here. Let's go."

Enel stretched lazily, his silver eyes scanning the frightened marines. "What a boring lot. Not even worth frying."

Namor raised his trident, whistling sharply into the distance. Moments later, a massive Sea King emerged from the depths, its serpentine body coiling around the ship as it waited for Namor's command. The two men leapt onto the creature's back with ease.

As the Sea King began to move, the marines on the ship collectively exhaled, their nerves frayed but intact. The young officer wiped sweat from his brow, whispering, "Thank god…"

But their relief was short-lived.

The water beneath them shifted, a deep rumbling that made the entire ship shake violently. Before they could react, the shadow of another Sea King—a massive, monstrous figure—rose from the depths. Its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"No… no!" one of the marines screamed as the creature lunged forward, engulfing the entire ship in a single bite. The waters churned with splinters and debris, leaving no trace of the vessel or its crew.

From atop their Sea King, Enel glanced back at the chaos, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't even have to call that one."

Namor smirked, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "The sea takes care of its own."

As they rode away, Namor's focus turned inward. GR66 was their next destination, and it was clear the Marines would be waiting. He tightened his grip on his trident. The thought of Arlong imprisoned lit a fire in him, one that would only be extinguished when the sea answered his call for war once more.

…

Namor stood as they neared the shores of Sabaody Archipelago. The closer they came, the more peculiar the island looked. Enormous mangrove trees loomed overhead, their roots sprawling into the sea like massive fingers. The surface of the island gleamed with bubbles rising from the roots, creating a shimmering, almost dreamlike atmosphere.

"Strange place," Namor muttered, his sharp eyes scanning the grove-lined coast. His trident rested casually across his shoulders, though his grip on it tightened. He could feel something… off. There was an energy in the air that made his skin crawl.

Enel leaned back, resting his hands behind his head as he surveyed the island. "It's just mangroves. What's got you so tense?" He paused, his silver eyes narrowing as his observation haki expanded. "Ah… never mind. I see what you mean. There's something *

wrong here."

The Sea King slowed as it reached the shallow waters near Groves 1 through 29. Namor leapt off its back, landing gracefully on the shore, while Enel floated down on a current of electricity. The Sea King let out a low rumble, watching them with its massive eyes. Namor placed a hand on its snout, nodding once in gratitude. "Wait here. I'll call if I need you."

The two began walking through the grove, the bubbling sounds beneath their feet mingling with the distant chatter of voices. The air was heavy with tension, and the further they went, the more unsettling the atmosphere became.

Namor stopped abruptly, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight before him. A grand building loomed in the distance, adorned with banners and symbols that radiated a twisted sense of power. The structure was surrounded by guards and bustling with activity. Men, women, and even children were being herded like cattle toward the entrance. Shackles gleamed in the sunlight, and cries of despair echoed through the air.

"What the hell is this place?" Namor growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Enel stepped beside him, his usual smirk replaced by a rare expression of disgust. "Looks like slave auctions," he said simply. "This is where the filth of the world comes to trade lives."

Namor's jaw tightened, his grip on his trident firm. He had seen cruelty in his time, but this… this was different. He watched as a child, barely old enough to walk, was dragged toward the auction house, their cries ignored by the guards. A woman begged for mercy, only to be struck down with the butt of a rifle.

Namor's conqueror's haki began to leak out, the air around him growing heavy with pressure. Enel noticed, glancing at him. "You're going to make a scene, aren't you?"

"I'll give them a lot more than a scene." Namor growled as he took a step forward, his eyes locked on the auction house. The world nobles, their twisted sense of superiority, and their disregard for life—it all made his blood boil. "They'll learn what it means to fear the sea," he said coldly.

Enel sighed, sparks crackling around him. "Well, I suppose it's been a while since I had a bit of fun." He cracked his knuckles, his smirk returning. "Let's give the world a show they won't forget."

The two continued toward the auction house, their presence already beginning to draw attention. Namor's aura was palpable, a force that seemed to ripple through the air. As they approached the gates, a group of guards moved to intercept them, rifles raised.

"Halt! State your business!" one of them barked.

Namor didn't bother responding. With a single swing of his trident, he sent a powerful slash of water crashing into the guards, sending them flying like ragdolls. Enel stepped over their unconscious bodies, yawning. "Try to leave a few for me, will you?"

Namor's focus remained on the building ahead. He could feel the weight of the atrocities within it, and he wasn't going to leave until it was dismantled piece by piece. The seas had brought him here for a reason, and he intended to make good on that purpose.

As they crossed the threshold, the crowd inside turned to look at them. Gasps and murmurs filled the room as people recognized the two infamous figures: Namor, with his piercing gaze and commanding presence, and Enel, with his godlike aura and faint crackle of electricity.

The room erupted into chaos, guards scrambling to subdue the intruders. Enel rolled his eyes. "I warned you about making a scene," he muttered, raising a hand as lightning began to arc from his fingertips.

Namor twirled his trident, the now black trident's faint turquoise glow intensified.

Then, his patience ran thin. The chaotic noise of the auction house was grating, the stench of fear and arrogance filling the air. He glanced at the terrified faces in the crowd, then locked his eyes on a small group near the back—Celestial Dragons. Their bloated, pompous figures waddled toward an exit, their grotesque helmets bobbing as they tried to flee.

His grip on the trident tightened. "No good person would sit and watch this filth," he muttered, the disdain clear in his voice.

"Finally deciding to destroy this shithole?" Enel asked lazily, sparks flickering around his body as he dispatched a few guards with an effortless zap.

Namor didn't answer. He took a deep breath, then hurled his trident forward with terrifying force. The weapon whistled through the air like a harbinger of death. Namor launched himself forward in pursuit, his small wings flapping fast enough to be considered a blur.

The trident struck the first Celestial Dragon in the chest with a sickening crunch, shattering his elaborate helmet and pinning him to the ground. Before anyone could react, Namor landed beside the corpse, gripping the trident and tearing it free with one swift motion. Blood sprayed the pristine white floor, staining it red.

"Monsters wearing crowns," Namor said coldly, glaring at the rest of the Celestial Dragons as they screamed in terror. "You've lived above the law for far too long."

One of the Celestial Dragons tried to run, but Namor was faster. He lunged forward, his trident slicing clean through the man's neck. The headless body collapsed to the ground, eliciting horrified gasps and shrieks from the crowd.

On the opposite side of the room, Enel wasn't idle. With his hands in his pockets, he strolled through the panicking crowd, bolts of lightning arcing from his body. He targeted guards, wealthy bidders, and anyone else who dared to move against them. "Namor," Enel called casually, "I see a few cockroaches trying to scurry out the back. Shall I handle them?"

"Leave none alive," Namor replied, his voice icy. "No one here is innocent."

Enel's smirk widened, and with a snap of his fingers, a bolt of lightning struck a group of fleeing nobles. The sheer force of it left nothing but charred remains in its wake. He sighed. "Humans are so fragile."

Namor continued his slaughter, his trident carving through Celestial Dragons like a scythe through wheat. Their cries for mercy fell on deaf ears. He impaled another, lifting the squirming figure into the air before hurling the body into the crowd. A hush fell over the room as he spoke, his voice booming with authority.

"Your titles, your wealth, your status—it all means nothing. The ocean doesn't discriminate. It swallows all equally."

The surviving nobles and guards scrambled for cover, but there was nowhere to hide. Namor and Enel moved with terrifying efficiency, their combined power overwhelming any resistance. By the time the chaos subsided, the auction house was unrecognizable. Bodies littered the floor, and the once-grand structure was marred with blood and scorch marks.

Namor stood in the center of the carnage, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. His trident dripped with blood, the turquoise haki still faintly glowing. Enel appeared at his side, brushing ash off his shoulder.

"Well," Enel said, surveying the destruction, "that was satisfying. Brutal, but satisfying."

Namor glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "They deserved worse."

Namor quickly then pushed through the bloodstained hallways of the auction house. The muffled cries and whimpers of slaves echoed around him, but his focus was singular. He threw open door after door until he found the back holding area—a cold, dark room filled with cages and shackled figures.

His heart stopped for a moment when his eyes fell on Arlong. The proud fishman lay unconscious, bound in thick chains and riddled with wounds. His usually sharp features were bruised and swollen, his gills barely fluttering as he clung to life.

Namor's fists clenched, and an unrelenting wave of conqueror's haki seeped out of him, shaking the walls and sending nearby slaves into unconsciousness. The chains around Arlong rattled violently as Namor's aura intensified. He knelt down, carefully lifting Arlong's battered form onto his shoulder.

"This is unforgivable," Namor muttered, his voice laced with venom. His grip on his trident tightened as he turned back toward the exit.

When Namor emerged from the ruined auction house, Enel was waiting, electricity crackling around his body. He raised an eyebrow at the unconscious Arlong. "You found him. That's good. But what now?"

Namor said nothing at first. He floated into the air, rising high above the Sabaody Archipelago with Arlong slung over his shoulder. The sight of the slave auction, the cages, and the remnants of the Celestial Dragons' cruelty filled him with a rage so potent it felt as though his blood was boiling.

Enel joined him, his lightning crackling louder as he grinned knowingly. "You're going to make a statement, aren't you?"

Namor glanced at him. "Together."

The two of them floated side by side, their powers building in perfect harmony. Namor raised his free hand, summoning a massive sphere of water from the surrounding air. It swirled violently, a perfect representation of his anger and strength. Beside him, Enel's hands crackled with raw electricity, a storm forming in his palms. As their energies grew, Namor's conqueror's haki began to seep into the water sphere, its faint turquoise glow mixing with the deadly lightning. The air itself seemed to tremble under the weight of their combined power.

Below them, the remnants of the crowd scattered in terror, their screams barely audible over the deafening roar of power.

"This world is rotten," Namor declared, his voice booming like thunder. "And it's time to wash it clean."

With that, the two unleashed their attack. The massive, haki-infused water-lightning bomb plummeted toward further side of the island, tearing through the air with unimaginable force. The moment it struck the ground, an explosion of catastrophic proportions erupted, shaking the entire Sabaody Archipelago.

The shockwave leveled buildings, uprooted trees, and sent debris flying for miles. A colossal plume of water, smoke, and electricity rose into the sky, visible from every corner of the island cluster. Half of Sabaody was reduced to rubble in an instant, the once-thriving grove now a smoldering wasteland. The seas around the archipelago churned violently, the power of the explosion creating massive waves that crashed against the remaining groves.

(A/N : Opposite side from Rayleigh don't worry…)

Namor hovered in the air, breathing heavily as he stared down at the destruction. Arlong remained unconscious on his shoulder, but his grip on the fishman was firm and protective.

Enel floated beside him, his grin wide and satisfied as sparks continued to dance across his body. "Now that," he said, "is how you make a statement."

Namor didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed on the devastation below, his expression a mixture of anger, sorrow, and resolve.

"We're not done," he finally said, his voice low but determined. "This is only the beginning."

Namor descended from the sky, he landed amidst the rubble of Grove 1-29. The scene was a shattered reminder of the chaos he and Enel had unleashed. Smoke still rose from the destruction, and the cries of terrified and confused slaves echoed faintly through the air.

He moved swiftly, walking back into the ruins of the holding areas. The remaining slaves sat silently in their cages, some trembling in fear, others unconscious from the overwhelming burst of his conqueror's haki earlier. The faint sound of Enel's lightning crackling overhead reminded Namor he wasn't alone in this endeavor.

Namor stood tall before the enslaved captives, his voice echoing with authority. "Your torment is over. I will not allow any of you to suffer under the heel of this vile world any longer."

He raised his trident, and the chains binding the cages snapped apart as though they were nothing. Some slaves looked up at him with awe, others with fear, unsure whether they'd been freed by a savior or a conqueror.

Namor turned to the conscious few who were still lucid despite the destruction and his haki. "You," he said, gesturing toward a tall, scrawny man with a sunken face who seemed to have retained some composure. "Help me gather everyone. We're leaving this place. All of you."

The man hesitated, staring at Namor's commanding presence, then nodded quickly and began helping the unconscious slaves onto their feet. Namor worked beside him, lifting those too weak to stand and carefully placing them outside, where the rubble-lined path led toward the water.

Enel floated down from above, his usual smirk tinged with faint exhaustion. "You're really going out of your way for these people," he remarked. "Not exactly the brutal King I'm used to seeing."

Namor didn't respond at first. He simply hoisted another unconscious slave over his shoulder. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm but firm. "No one deserves this. Not even humans. I've seen enough of this world's cruelty."

The two continued their work in silence, moving dozens of slaves until all had been freed from the remains of the auction house. Namor stepped into the open air and raised his trident high, sending a resonating pulse into the ocean. Moments later, two massive sea kings surfaced, their enormous heads breaking through the water's surface as they gazed at Namor with what could only be described as adoration.

"Bring them here," Namor commanded, his tone soft yet authoritative. The sea kings eagerly obeyed, lowering their massive bodies against the shore so Namor and Enel could begin loading the freed slaves onto them. The conscious captives moved slowly, carrying their unconscious companions as they stepped onto the beasts' slippery scales.

Namor stood at the edge of the shore, addressing the few who could still understand him. "I'll take you all to safety. You'll be free to live your lives without chains, without fear."

One of the slaves, a young woman with a mix of gratitude and suspicion in her eyes, looked up at him. "Where will we go? What place could be safe from the World Government?"

Namor's gaze was distant for a moment before he replied. "I will find you a place. And if there is none, I will create one. A home where no one will ever hurt you again."

Enel, leaning against his staff, arched an eyebrow. "You're talking about your underwater kingdom, aren't you?"

Namor glanced at him briefly. "Perhaps. Or somewhere else entirely. But wherever it is, it will be a sanctuary."

With all the slaves loaded onto the sea kings, Namor climbed onto the back of the largest one. He turned to the remaining conscious captives and said, "Hold on. They'll carry you safely."

A/N : check the author's thoughts… anyways, goodnight 😴