Chapter 25: Arlong Pirates (Part 3)
The moment Nami laid eyes on Ryu, she instantly recognized him. It was no surprise—his exploits had graced countless newspaper headlines. Even someone as knowledgeable as Nami would naturally be familiar with his name.
The next second, her expression shifted to one of astonishment and hope. She'd read numerous reports about Ryu—how he effortlessly dismantled even the fiercest pirates.
At one point, she had hoped he might come to rescue her. But the seas where Ryu operated were far from Cocoyasi Village, and over time, she'd abandoned that dream. Now, here he stood before her, making her feel as though she were dreaming.
"You know me?" Ryu asked, slightly amused.
"Yes! I've seen your picture in the papers! Are you here to defeat Arlong?"
"Indeed. Though defeating Arlong isn't my primary goal. My main objective is to save you—and defeating Arlong is just a bonus." Smooth talker, as always.
"Save me?" Nami's cheeks flushed for a brief moment.
The next instant, Ryu noticed something on the table. Leaning closer, he remarked, "What an exquisite map! Did you draw this?"
Nami nodded shyly. "Yes."
As expected, Ryu's tone turned serious. "Nami, after I deal with Arlong, would you consider joining my crew as our navigator? Of course, I'll compensate you handsomely."
"A navigator? M-Me? Do you really think I'm qualified?" Though her words sounded modest, Nami's eyes gleamed with dollar signs. Greed, it seemed, was ingrained in her nature.
"Absolutely. These maps alone speak volumes about your exceptional talent for navigation. If you're willing, you'll make an outstanding navigator. But first, we need to resolve a minor issue."
As Ryu spoke, his gaze shifted toward the doorway. Standing there was a towering shark-man, two meters and sixty centimeters tall, with a grim expression etched onto his face.
Seeing Arlong, Nami's demeanor immediately grew anxious.
Power Level: 450, Ryu assessed silently. So this is the big boss of East Blue? Pathetic. Even Kaku could trounce him.
"Those outside… Was that your doing?" Arlong's voice was eerily calm, but his bloodshot eyes betrayed his seething rage.
"Yes, it was me. You must be Arlong."
Before Arlong could respond, he charged like a torpedo, aiming to obliterate everything in his path.
"Danger!" Nami cried out.
But Ryu remained unfazed. With lightning speed, he unsheathed Blood Drinker and delivered a single decisive slash.
The most feared pirate in East Blue—the man with the highest bounty—was cleanly bisected. Yet, contrary to expectations, no geyser of blood erupted. Ryu's precision ensured minimal mess, preserving the "ingredients." Moments later, the medium-sized blood pouch he'd left outside rushed in, greedily slurping up the spilled blood. Stronger individuals harbored more potent energy in their blood, and Arlong's quality wasn't half bad.
Simultaneously, Ryu swiftly covered Nami's eyes with one hand.
Instantly, Nami felt the cold touch of his palm against her face. How could anyone's hands be so icy? Yet, strangely, warmth filled her heart. Perhaps Ryu assumed she was an innocent girl unaccustomed to witnessing death.
Little did he know, she had already endured the agony of watching loved ones perish before her very eyes.
Though tempted to peek at Arlong's gruesome end, Nami refrained from prying Ryu's hand away. For some reason, she didn't want him to realize just how deep her thoughts ran.
In truth, Ryu simply wanted to shield her from the sight of the blood pouch. And honestly, watching the blood pouch feed was far more horrifying than any act of violence.
Cradling Nami in one arm while keeping her eyes covered with the other, Ryu carried her away from Arlong's domain. This trip had been fruitful—his medium-sized blood pouch was now completely full. All that remained was to fill the small blood pouch with Devil Fruit user blood, and he'd meet the requirements for his next evolution.
When they returned to Cocoyasi Village, the villagers erupted into cheers upon seeing Nami safely returned.
Officer Ken approached Ryu in disbelief. "You really saved Nami! What about Arlong? What happened to him?"
"Arlong? Dead."
The news took a moment to sink in, but soon the villagers erupted into jubilation. Amidst the celebrations, however, not all emotions were joyful. Some, like Nami and Nojiko, wept openly.
Ryu quietly slipped away, giving them space to process their emotions. Meanwhile, he set out to hunt down the remnants of Arlong's crew. Buggy and his group had drawn fire earlier, leaving some fish-men scattered outside. If left unchecked, these stragglers might retaliate against the villagers once Ryu departed. He needed to eliminate this threat swiftly.
The cleanup operation went smoothly.
By nightfall, Ryu's body glowed with an unnatural flush, his eyes hazy from overindulgence. He was utterly stuffed—eating any more would have made him sick. Despite his best efforts to gorge himself, nearly 500 units of blood had gone to waste. Such a pity.
When Ryu finally returned to Cocoyasi Village, he found Buggy and his crew waiting there. Surprisingly, they hadn't attempted to flee. Perhaps they were smarter than he'd given them credit for. No punishment necessary, then.
The villagers showered Ryu with gratitude, and Nami hurried over to thank him personally.
"Miss Nami, have you considered my offer?"
"Please take me with you, Master Ryu!" Nami exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement.
Though they'd only met twice, Ryu—at twelve years old—exuded both charm and maturity. To thirteen-year-old Nami, he felt like a warm, protective older brother. Being around him gave her an unparalleled sense of security. Coupled with her passion for navigation, this opportunity was a dream come true.
That evening, the village held a grand feast in Ryu's honor. After transplanting an orange tree onto the Black Magic , they prepared to set sail.
As they boarded, Nami glanced curiously at the two ships docked nearby. "Master Ryu, isn't that Buggy's ship? Is Buggy here too?"
"Yes, that's Buggy," Ryu replied casually.
The Buggy standing before them now looked markedly different from the flamboyant clown pirate they'd encountered earlier. Stress and exhaustion had aged him visibly, streaks of white threading through his hair.
Compared to his usual self, the transformation was stark. It was no wonder Nami hadn't recognized him at first.