Chapter 369: The Fall of Arlong Park

“Nami, I don’t know where you found these helpers, but you can’t handle something like this alone.”

Kensuke adjusted his hat and took off running toward the village, determined to gather everyone.

Everyone had seen everything Nami had done for the village over the years. Now, seeing it come to this, no one could bear the thought of Nami dying out there.

When the dust finally cleared, only Arlong was left standing in the ruins of Arlong Park.

Everyone else was either killed or knocked out.

“You filthy humans just don’t understand. Fishmen are the most precious race in the world.”

“Lowly creatures like you should serve as my slaves for life!”

Arlong’s eyes bulged with bloodshot fury as he glared at Luffy and the others—Zoro, Sanji, and the rest—behind him.

“Wait, wait a second. Tell me, exactly where do you get the idea that humans are less than you?”

“Weren’t we—the humans—the ones who just beat you Fishmen?”

“So if you’ve been defeated by us ‘lowly’ humans, doesn’t that make you even lower than us?”

Usopp waved his right hand in the air, mockery all over his face as he stared down Arlong.

Hearing Usopp’s words, Arlong’s pupils shrank. By that logic, wasn’t he just insulting himself?

“No matter what you say, humans are still inferior.”

Arlong twisted what was left of his shattered teeth, spat them all out, and in the next moment, grew a brand new set.

“This is one of the advantages of being a Fishman. No matter how many times my teeth are broken, they’ll just keep growing back.”

Even in the rubble, Arlong picked up his signature weapon—a Shark Tooth Blade.

“Seriously, why do you have to talk so much?”

“You’re making me hungry over here.”

By now, Luffy had a solid read on Arlong’s strength. He wasn’t worried. Arlong only managed to say this much because Luffy had shown him mercy.

If he hadn’t wanted Nami to see Arlong’s defeat for herself, Luffy could’ve finished him off in just a few hits.

“Hmph, let me end your little pirate dream right here.”

Arlong charged at Luffy, blade in hand, moving with blinding speed.

He gripped the weapon tight with both hands and slashed up at Luffy with everything he had.

Smack!

But up against absolute strength, it was hopeless. Once Luffy felt Arlong’s real power he no longer saw him as a threat. With barely any effort, he reached out and caught the Shark Tooth Blade.

“Nani? How…? No way!”

“How could you just stop my attack so easily?”

Arlong was dumbfounded. Just moments ago they seemed evenly matched, but now it was all one-sided.

“Earlier, I was only focused on smashing that tower. I wasn’t even paying attention to you.”

“And now? This is all you’ve got? You really think you can look down on humans?”

Listening to Arlong constantly insult humans, Luffy couldn’t help but get angry.

No one could stay calm after being repeatedly humiliated like that.

Luffy shouted, “Gum-Gum Headbutt!”

His head jerked back, then shot forward, slamming straight into Arlong’s stunned face. The impact sent Arlong’s head flying backward, but with one hand locked to his blade, his body stayed anchored in place.

With a sickening crack, Arlong’s spine snapped, twisting his head at an unnatural angle.

The brutal injury left him paralyzed—there was no chance of recovery.

Arlong’s entire body went limp. His hand finally let go of the blade as his body crashed backward into the wreckage.

“Waaah!”

Watching the tower crumble and Arlong defeated, Nami could only sit on the ground, crying her heart out.

Thud, thud, thud…

Kensuke and the villagers finally arrived, but all they found was the ruined shell of Arlong Park.

“Nami, are you okay?”

Nojiko spotted Nami in tears and rushed over, worried she was hurt.

She knelt beside Nami, gently helping her up. After making sure Nami wasn’t injured, she just pulled her into her arms. “It’s over… It’s all over now.”

Her gaze swept over Luffy and his friends and the devastation before her.

That pile of rubble was proof—the nightmare that had hung over them for more than a decade was finally gone.

Seeing the Fishmen lying on the ground, the villagers got even angrier. They surged forward, swinging their weapons at the bodies. Some were so furious they even bit into the Fishmen’s flesh.

It was clear these Fishmen had terrorized the village for years, killing countless innocent people.

“Honored guests, please, let us escort you back to the village. We’ll handle things here.”

Kensuke respectfully addressed Luffy.

After all, defeating the Arlong Pirates showed just how powerful Luffy and his crew were—way beyond what the villagers could manage.

So Kensuke made sure to treat them with the utmost respect.

“Got it! Heeheehee. Everyone, let’s go!”

Kensuke led the way as Luffy and the others walked toward Cocoyasi Village, leaving hundreds of villagers behind to clean up what remained of the Arlong Pirates.

“Kensuke, some Navy officers just arrived in the village. Looks like they’re heading for Nami’s place. You’d better check it out.”

“What?”

Nami knew exactly what she had hidden at home. The moment she heard that, she dashed toward her house.

Luffy and his crew glanced at each other, then quickly followed.

…

“It should be here. Start digging.”

Captain Nezumi of the Navy’s 16th Branch—a corrupt officer in league with Arlong—was one of the worst of them all.

Arlong had done the math. He knew Nami was close to saving two hundred million Berries, so he’d tipped off Nezumi. They planned to steal Nami’s fortune, making it impossible for her to buy freedom or reclaim Cocoyasi Village.

But when they reached Cocoyasi Village, Kensuke had just led the villagers out. Nezumi and his men almost missed them.

Though they hadn’t caught any villagers, Nezumi had a map. It was easy enough to find Nami’s tangerine orchard. After searching, they found a spot where the earth was especially fresh.

Two Navy soldiers, following Nezumi’s orders, grabbed their shovels and started digging through the newly turned soil.

Nezumi thought to himself, “How much of this money should I take for myself?”

“I guess I’ll give Arlong a cut, but if I skim some off the top, he’ll never notice.”

“Captain, we found it!”

Moments later, the two Navy men hauled up a huge wooden chest.

When they opened it, dazzling gold light spilled out—inside was a fortune in gold, jewels, and a handful of Berries.

Nezumi reached in, picked up a golden necklace, and sniffed it with a greedy grin. “Ah, nothing smells sweeter than gold.”

Some of the gold was still stained with blood—a sign of how hard Nami had fought to collect it.