Chapter 55: It's a Nice Day When the Clouds Turn Sunny

Bang!

The ground beneath Arlong trembled violently as dense cracks spiderwebbed outward, with Arlong himself at the epicenter. The earth seemed to rebel, tearing apart in response to the tremendous force unleashed at that very spot.

Beneath Arlong's massive frame, a cavernous pit yawned open, swallowing the earth as if to devour him whole.

"What?!" Arlong's voice was sharp with disbelief, his face contorted in pain as agony spread across his entire body. His limbs trembled uncontrollably; the crushing force from behind his head pressed him into the ground with merciless weight, immobilizing him completely. He couldn't even lift himself up.

"This can't be!" he growled in confusion and frustration.

Arlong's mind raced. He had always known Nami was clever and resourceful, but now… she was different—stronger, fiercer. Perhaps the long voyage had transformed her, or maybe those years of servitude under his tyranny had pushed her to a breaking point. She had dared to rebel, and in doing so, had surpassed his expectations, shattering the balance of power between them.

But this overwhelming force—this one-sided dominance—was something Arlong had never encountered before. The strength he had proudly wielded, the power that once made him feared, now seemed insignificant compared to the crushing weight bearing down from behind his head. Along with the dizzying pressure clouding his mind, it was a sensation that shook his very core.

Yet, even in this dire moment, part of him felt a strange relief—fainting and succumbing to unconsciousness might be better than enduring this humiliating defeat in full awareness.

"Eight years... Do you know how I spent these eight years?" Nami's voice cut through the chaos, calm yet carrying an undercurrent of fierce satisfaction as she stared down at the broken and helpless Arlong.

She spoke with a quiet intensity that echoed like winter's chill. "Ever since you killed Bell-mère, I have wanted to kill you. Every day, every night. You are scum—the lowest kind of scum. You have no heart, no humanity. No right to walk this earth."

Arlong's face twitched at her words, but he was unable to respond. He lay crushed, powerless.

Nami continued, her voice steady, unforgiving. "A brave man, when enraged, draws his sword against a stronger foe. A coward, however, attacks the weak. You… you are nothing but a coward, a pathetic creature who takes pleasure in tormenting those weaker than yourself. You hide behind lies and conspiracy, but no matter how much you bare your fangs, you will never become strong."

She leaned closer, her breath cold against his ear as she whispered, "Go to hell with your beautiful dreams."

The last words slipped out like a quiet curse, soft yet filled with icy malice.

Arlong shuddered—shame, anger, and a raw fear tangled inside him. His mind reeled, trapped and helpless as Nami's voice filled the void, drowning out his own desperate thoughts.

Before he could gather his strength, a violent Bang! erupted. A massive force struck him, sending him flying through the air.

His body rolled uncontrollably across the cracked earth, crushing everything in its path—the remnants of the once-proud Arlong Park now scattered and broken before him. Finally, his battered form slammed against a tall building, burying him beneath a pile of rubble.

Nami's gaze followed him, unwavering.

"Don't pretend," she whispered quietly to herself, her voice filled with hard-earned resolve. "We've been through eight long years together."

She watched the ruins where Arlong lay trapped, her eyes cold but resolute. "During all that time, I have wanted to kill you countless times. I know your strength, your weaknesses... I know you."

The rain began to fall harder, each drop a sharp drum against the shattered ground.

A grim figure crawled out of the debris—Arlong, battered but alive.

After eight years of living side by side, Arlong knew Nami's heart well. There was no hiding from her.

Despite rising, his injuries were clear—blood smeared his face, mixed with the relentless rain as it trickled to the earth. His iconic nose was nearly shattered beyond recognition.

"Heh... hahahaha... cough... cough!" Arlong laughed bitterly, choking on his own coughs. "That little mouse has really grown up."

His voice was ragged, filled with both spite and disbelief.

"It's ridiculous... that I would die for you two fools."

Coughing again, he gripped the wooden stick tightly in his hand, veins bulging from the strain. Nami's palm holding the other end turned pale from the pressure.

"You dared to mention her," Nami hissed, fury igniting in her eyes.

In a blink, Nami vanished like a gust of wind.

A wooden stick aglow with a bluish-white light shot through the air, smashing against Arlong's left arm with a sickening crack. The blow landed at his elbow joint, instantly rendering the arm useless.

The stick followed swiftly, striking him in the mouth, breaking his remaining teeth and sending a spray of blood flying.

Arlong's body was thrown backward, rolling several times before collapsing to the ground.

A cruel smile tugged at his cracked lips.

"Heh."

Despite the pain, Arlong covered his injured arm, letting out a muffled groan. But then, defiance took over, and his laughter echoed again—harsh, mocking, and bitter.

Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp watched silently from the sidelines, their eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them.

Leo stood quietly nearby, his expression unreadable as he observed Nami's fierce display.

Her reaction was just slightly beyond what he expected.

But it also reinforced a harsh truth: creatures like Arlong—monstrous fish in human guise—were deserving of nothing but death. There was no mercy in their cruelty.

Nami swung the glowing wooden stick gently, shaking off the blood along its radiant surface. Her chest heaved violently—not from exhaustion, but pure, unbridled rage.

In this moment, words had lost all meaning. All that remained was a burning desire to crush this abomination.

"Nami!" Leo called softly, concern evident in his voice. "Sometimes, living can be more torturous than dying."

Leo's words hung in the air. He didn't care whether Arlong lived or died. What troubled him was Nami's relentless fury, the storm raging inside her. He feared that if she continued, she might lose herself to it.

Nami paused, turning to meet Leo's worried gaze. Nearby, Luffy and the others shared the same concern.

Nojigo stood silently outside Arlong Paradise, eyes fixed on Nami, his expression troubled.

Taking several deep breaths to calm herself, Nami's eyes drifted to Arlong's broken form lying on the ground.

Her gaze then shifted toward the building next door, where a room stood dark and quiet.

With deliberate care, she raised the wooden stick.

The wind howled suddenly, gathering speed as thick, dark clouds descended from the sky, sweeping down toward the earth.

"Hahaha... cough... kill me if you dare!" Arlong snarled, struggling as bluish-white ropes of wind wrapped tightly around his body. No matter how he thrashed, he was utterly trapped—helpless and exposed.

Nami lifted the stick and swung it through the air.

The swirling winds responded instantly, forming razor-sharp blades invisible to the naked eye. Dust and sand whipped into a violent storm, obscuring Arlong and the building behind him.

The howls and screams that emerged from the cyclone were chilling—like ghosts trapped between worlds, wolves mourning their lost pack.

The sound of scraping bones accompanied the cacophony, like knives dragging over brittle wood.

Gradually, the screams weakened, fading into silence.

Leo watched in quiet reflection, witnessing the transformation of Arlong from a fierce and arrogant tyrant into a broken, bloodied husk.

Nami hadn't killed him outright. No, she left one last torment.

Every bone in Arlong's body—except for his head—had been crushed to powder. His body was utterly useless, broken beyond repair, and trapped in endless pain.

Perhaps this was the cruelest punishment of all.

Suddenly, a beam of sunlight pierced through the dissipating storm clouds, casting a warm glow over Nami.

She turned her head slightly, meeting the eyes of her worried comrades and Nojigo standing nearby.

A genuine smile blossomed on her lips.

"Victory," she said softly, relief and joy shining in her voice.

"Look," Luffy shouted with a grin, stepping forward. "Arlong Park is gone—completely destroyed!"

As the wind and rain ceased, a clear haze lifted—not just from the sky, but from the hearts of the villagers who had long suffered under Arlong's reign.

The dark clouds that had overshadowed their lives now broke apart.

The day was no longer heavy with despair. It was a nice day, one where the clouds had finally turned sunny.

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

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