Chapter 72: Arlong and Nami

Inside the Arlong Park, the battle between the marines and the Arlong Pirate Regiment was fierce.

It was inevitable for both sides to suffer several injuries in the battle, but in general, the Marines still has a huge advantage. They have a large number of people. Once some of them were injured, other marine soldiers will cover them up and let the wounded retreat. On the contrary, the pirate side, under the bombardment of warship cannons, many fish-men have been killed because of being hit by bullets or shells.

Marine soldiers were aware of this. In the beginning, they were afraid, when they have gained the upper hand now, their morale has naturally risen. They do now consider this battle as a practical exercise.

Ian saw such a scene beside the warship, which reassured him a lot. As long as no one died in the marines, as for injuries, hah! That’s a joke. Don’t forget that Ian has Yukina’s card. Even if they get injured, he can treat these soldiers. That’s why he promised Smoker that he would bring all the marine soldiers back intact.

However, Ian came to the warship for a while, originally to guard it against Momoo’s attack, but as a result, he kept looking for him, left and right, but he didn’t come.

“What the heck! This guy, Arlong is not playing with me, is he? Did he make me come over to the warship so that he can take the opportunity to escape?” Ian thought about it, but then shook his head and concluded that this was impossible. Arlong cherished his fellow fish-men, believing that they were the best race. He could not escape alone without his fellow fish-men.

So, Ian did not care anymore. If he didn’t come, he would continue attacking Arlong, so he shouted to the marine soldiers on the ship: “Aim your cannons toward the pool and fire!!!”

“Hai! Hai! Instructor!” When the soldiers in charge of shooting heard this, they immediately saluted Ian under the ship, then turned the muzzle, aimed toward the pool and bombed out.

The shells whistled and fell into the water, and a high wave burst with a bang.

The shock wave of the explosion spread to the water and made Arlong, who was hiding in the swimming pool feel uncomfortable. He didn’t expect that Ian would make the marines bombard him with shells. This kind of repeated provocation made Arlong more and more angry. He originally wanted to relax and wait for Momoo to destroy the warship and see the horror expression of their faces, but Momoo has not appeared, and he was under attack by the marines’ shells. Arlong did not know what went wrong on the other side of Hachi, so he simply emerged from the water.

At this time, just as a shell was about to hit the swimming pool again, Arlong suddenly came out revealing his mouth full of sharp teeth, and caught the shell with his mouth!

The round shell was bitten by Arlong’s mouth, and his jaws forced to explode in his face.

With a thunderous sound, Arlong’s mouth was blown up, but when the smoke dispersed, Arlong was unharmed, and he opened his mouth and spit out a mouthful of smoke.

This scene of him biting the cannonball then chewing it was seen by many marine soldiers, and they were immediately frightened and scared!

Arlong burst out laughing and said, “See, silly humans! The biggest difference between you and us is the race. In a world full of oceans, only us fish-men are the natural rulers!!”

He jumped out of the water and onto the shore, then rushed towards Tashigi.

“Shit!” Ian was shocked and rushed to Tashigi’s position.

This was a good thing that Arlong wasn’t hiding in the water anymore, but he chose to attack the marine soldiers when Ian was far away from them, and his first target was Tashigi. Ian knew that Tashigi was not Arlong’s opponent now, so he had to rescue her.

When she saw Arlong rushing towards her, Tashigi reacted swiftly and immediately slashed her sword at him. However, Arlong did not avoid her swing. Suddenly, his neck stretched out, and he bit Tashigi’s slashing sword.

With a “Ding!” Tashigi’s sword was broken to pieces in Arlong’s mouth. The strength of Arlong’s jaws was beyond Tashigi’s imagination, even the steel was crushed by his teeth.

Despite the fact that Tashigi was not holding a great weapon, but when her sword is broken, she will not have any weapon to fight with. At the same time, she became so frightened, causing her to fall down on the ground.

Arlong, however, did not hesitate at all. He opened his mouth again, then he lowered his head with a high speed to bit Tashigi’s shoulder.

Shua! The blood splashed in all directions, because she did not avoid it, what she did was rising her hand to protect her shoulder. As a result, Arlong bit her left wrist, not her shoulder, making her scream loudly with pain.

However, this girl also has a solid heart. When she recovered, the first thing she did was not pulling her wrist. If she did that at this time, she might lose her wrist, but she was still holding the residual sword handle in her right hand, which she smashed it on Arlong’s eye.

As soon as Arlong’s eye was damaged sharply, he immediately loosened his mouth with a scream. Tashigi was stunned after she ruptured the corner of his eye, and blood was flowing out.

“You…!” Arlong was so mad that he was beaten like this by a woman. He was no longer merciful. He opened his mouth and bit into Tashigi’s throat.

“Sergeant Tashigi!!!” The soldiers who saw this scene screamed. If she was bitten by this attack, she would die, but they were a little far away from her and could not save her.

Tashigi seemed to see her own death coming and could not help closing her eyes.

However, at this moment, a long sword suddenly came out from the side, blocking Arlong’s sharp teeth, and saving Tashigi’s life!

“How can you close your eyes when you see your opponent coming for you?” A voice was ringing in Tashigi’s ear: “I don’t remember teaching you like that!”

Opening her eyes, Tashigi saw Ian holding his large sword and resisting Arlong’s bloody mouth. For a while, she felt a mixture of sadness and joy.

“Damn it!” Arlong didn’t expect Ian to rush that fast. When he saw Ian’s sword in his mouth, he wanted to bite down and break his blade, just as he had broken Tashigi’s sword.

But how could Ian give him this opportunity? The next second, Ian’s sword burst into blazing flames, and then he pulled it violently!

The principle of the Sword of the Darkness Flames was to condense the fire around the blade to form a sharper flame front. Ian’s pulling force was equivalent to his last Flying Slash, which causes Arlong to scream so loud.

His lower and upper jaw were pulled and broke by this blow. Arlong was able to chew the shells, but that doesn’t mean that his mouth could resist fire. The sharp pain came and made Arlong lose his mind. After recovering, Arlong reached out, pulled out a set of teeth from his mouth, and held them in his hand. Then a new set of teeth grew quickly in his mouth. Arlong was a saw-shark fish-man. His teeth can be regenerated indefinitely and extracted again, so after a couple of seconds, he held two sets of solid shark teeth in his hands and attacked Ian.

Ian waved his sword and kept blocking his attacks. Arlong’s teeth and Ian’s sword kept colliding with each other, making clanking noises. Arlong wanted to use these two sets of teeth to hold Ian’s weapon and then crush him violently. But Ian did not give him any chance. Whenever he wanted to clamp his blade, he flips his wrist and unloading Arlong’s force, it was very skillfully way to get loose.

Those marine soldiers who followed Ian’s ways to learn swordsmanship finally saw that their instructor, Ian, was really a swordsmanship master. Yeah, as he said, all the movements were just basic movements, but they were handy and skillful in an actual battle. The wrist rotation matched the waving of the sword seamlessly. There was nothing added to his slashes. What a splendid swordsmanship, making Arlong’s attacks looks useless.

After dozens of collides between the two, Arlong also found that his tactics would not work with Ian, so suddenly changed his mind and used his pointed serrated long nose to stab Ian.

However, this was a slow move for Ian, who was concentrating on the battle. Ian dodged his attack, then suddenly grabbed Arlong’s nose with his felt empty hand. Although his hand was slashed by Arlong’s sharp nose and started bleeding, Ian did not care for the pain and clenched it so hard!

The scorching flame flew out from his fist while he was holding Arlong’s nose, and Ian madly released a huge amount of Nen. The Fist of the Mortal Flame began to rise, and the color of the flame gradually turned blue, then began to shift towards white.

Arlong immediately screamed out loudly. Although Ian only pinched half of his nose tip, Arlong felt that he was being held in position, and his bones were about to melt!

When Ian finally let go of his hand, Arlong’s nose was half-gone, and the front part of his nose was burnt black. Then he fell down and slammed his hand on the ground.

To defeat a person is actually very simple. It is enough to seize only one chance to stroke him hard enough, and he will be defeated. Ian melted Arlong’s nose with his flame, causing him serious damage. Then, after Arlong lost his resistance, he used The Fist of the Mortal Flame again. The flames attached to his fist began to burn everywhere in Arlong’s body.

Arlong rolled on the ground in pain. Fighting an opponent like Ian, who uses the flame attacks, he really had bad luck. His proud long nose was half-gone, it doesn’t regenerate like his teeth, In other words, Arlong can only live with a half nose. (That’s if he stayed alive XD)

Looking at their leader like a fire-ball, burning and rolling on the ground, the fish-men of Arlong Pirate Regiment also lost their mentality to continue the resistance, staring at Arlong dumbly, listening to his miserable scream.

For every pirate group, their leaders are their pride. In the eyes of the pirates, their leaders are invincible. Now when you see the tragic situation of Arlong, the fish-men pirates have a sense of idol collapse.

This made it easier for marine soldiers to put them down.

Finally, Arlong rolled into the water of the swimming pool and extinguished the flames. Ian went over and pulled him up from the water. He found that the man was dying, burnt black, and in a state of extensive burns.

Seeing Arlong like this, Ian also knew that he can’t resist anymore. The battle was over. Ian wanted to end this fellow once and for all. So, he pointed his sword at his burned body, but when he looked at him, he found himself unwilling to do it.

Tashigi kept a close eye on Ian for fear that he would kill Arlong. When she was in the large Square of Loguetown, Tashigi remembered that terrifying scene. When she saw Ian dragging Arlong along, she sighed, perhaps because of her good nature, even though she knew Arlong was a notorious pirate. She couldn’t bear to see someone die in front of her.

“I’m handing him to you!” Ian threw Arlong to Tashigi and said, “Let him rot in your prison for the rest of his life!”

“Don’t worry, we will punish him for all of his crime!” Tashigi said.

However, at that moment, a loud voice suddenly came, “Kill him!”

Ian looked at the direction of the voice, and his eyes lit up. It was Nami-Swan <3! She was still wondering why he would come to Arlong Park? She might be the reason for his arrival, but even Ian himself didn’t expect her to jump out now.

This voice was naturally Nami’s, the beautiful teenager girl with short orange hair. When she arrived at Arlong Park, she saw the scene of Arlong being burned by Ian’s flame. When she saw the destruction of Arlong’s majesty, she was overwhelmed with excitement and joy. She was hiding and peeking from the outside, but when she saw Ian handing Arlong over to the marines, at that time, she couldn’t help jumping out.

With a stick in her hands and tears in her eyes, she shouted at Ian and Tashigi, “Kill him! Do you know what he did?! Why are you letting him live?”

Tashigi and the marine soldiers stared at Nami in amazement, wondering who was the girl that had suddenly appeared and why she hates Arlong so much.

But the fish-men Pirates looked at Nami grinding their teeth.

Only Ian knew why, so he couldn’t help sighing.

Tashigi said with a straight face, “It’s not up to you to kill him. Us, the Marines will keep him in prison…”

Before finishing her words, Ian suddenly reached out and stopped her. He bent over and picked Arlong. Then he threw him forward and said to Nami, “If you want to kill him, do it yourself!”

Her mother was killed in front of her eyes. Ian knew the pain in Nami’s heart, so he planned to give Nami a chance to get revenge. Tashigi did not understand Ian’s practice. She stood up and tried to stop this strange event, but Ian held her back.

With a face full of tears, Nami walked to the dying Arlong. She raised her stick high and pointed it at his head.

However, for some reason, the opportunity for her revenge was in front of her, but Nami found herself unable to do it.

Suddenly she dropped the stick and sat on the floor with her arms on her knees, and burst crying.

Ian smiled and found that Nami was still the same, as he remembers. Although her hatred for Arlong made her think of getting revenge all this time, she was not completely blinded by hatred. Her nature was so kind. (Really!!? She is the same devil as Ian)

Whether was the result, good or bad, Ian wasn’t sure about it, he couldn’t guess what was Nami thinking, he did not disturb Nami crying, but he secretly observed.

To be honest, there was a big difference between Nami and Ian at this time, because she was only 15 years old at that time! Now she was just a little girl who’s beginning to develop, completely unpredictable to the kind of choppy figure. She looked very young, which makes Ian slightly disappointed.

Tashigi was relieved to see that Nami could not kick him, and walked over to tie Arlong.

Ian went to Nami, squatted down, and asked her, “What’s your name?”

Although he knows her name, it was impossible for him to call her out directly. Otherwise, it would feel strange.

Nami sobbed and answered Ian without raising her head. “My name is Nami.”

Ian thought for a while and said, “I don’t know what hatred you have against Arlong, but now that he’s caught, you can rest assured. What are you planning to do in the future?”

“I’m going back to Cocoyasi!” Nami finally raised her head, wiped away the tears from her eyes, then she smiled and said, “I’m going to tell everyone this good news! Arlong has been caught. Our nightmare is over!”

Huh! After hearing this answer, Ian felt so upset that he wanted to stab himself. This was not the answer he wanted!!!

In fact, he wanted to ask Nami directly if she would like to go out with him (hihihi to the sea! Not to a date!!!), but this was not easy to ask.

Yeah, Ian’s trouble with the Arlong Pirates was not only for his bounty, but also for Nami. After talking to Johnny and Yosaku, he felt that he needs some partners. So Nami was the best one in the East Blue who deserves to be his partner. Not only will she be transformed into the beautiful women (we all love) in the future, but also she is a gifted navigator, where else would he find such talent?

So, even though he knows that Nami is Luffy’s partner, Ian had to try.

To be honest, Ian also figured out that people are doomed for their own sake. Since he came to the world inexplicably, he naturally had to think about himself. He has become one of the participants in this world, not an onlooker. It is impossible to say that because Nami will become a partner of Luffy in the future, she will deliberately avoid it.

However, the tentative inquiry did not get the result Ian wanted. Just as Ian hesitated how to ask her again, Nami smiled at him and said, “Are you Ian, the famous pirate hunter? I’ve heard your name, and you did really come!”

“Did you know that I was coming?” Ian asked in some surprise.

“Well, when I heard that you have defeated the Buggy and Krieg Pirates in a row, I knew you might not let the Arlong Pirates go!” Nami’s face showed a charming smile and said, “Now that you’re here, I was not mistaken! Thank you!”

Ian slapped his forehead. He felt that something was not right. Now, listening to Nami’s words, he suddenly remembered an important thing!

‘My way of appearance! Damn it, My way of appearing was wrong!’

Nami became Luffy’s companion because he met Nami halfway and then defeated Arlong together, but Ian’s way was different. It was completely heroic, or it was like a savior’s way of appearance. This way made the distance between him and Nami widened, but there was no sense of identity for a partnership!

Ian suddenly felt as if his plan had failed… There was a sense of discouragement.

But he still refused to give up easily, gritted his teeth, and said directly, “I’m preparing to go on an adventure in the Grand Line, but I don’t have any partners. Would you like to go with me?”

Nami was a little strange and asked, “Why are you thinking about inviting me?”

Of course, Ian can’t say, ‘I know you’re a gifted navigator, so I want you on my side.’ This would be too strange, and she will ask him, ‘How did you know?’ Ian might not be able to answer that question.

Nami and Ace are different. Ace is a man. It is easy to reach trust between men, but women are very sensitive to lies. Ian can’t fool Nami the same way he fooled Ace.

So Ian could only come with a thick-skinned old face: “Because I think… You’re my type…”

Even Ian blushed when he said this, and felt that he had really put together a fight to kidnap Nami…

Nami listened to his words, and got stunned for a moment, but the next second, she grabbed Ian’s waist skin and twisted a circle. She said to Ian fiercely, “Are you perverted? I’m just a 15-year-old girl!! Should you say such embarrassing words in front of me??!”

Ian also knows that it is impossible for her personality to make such a shy expression, but he never thought that he would be scolded as a pervert by Nami, and that she would catch him and screw him up regardless of his hero and benefactor status. This made Ian angry for a while.

In fact, Ian did not know, at this time, Nami’s heart was still a little warming, not because Ian said that he likes her, but because she thought of her own dream!

Nami’s dream was to one day she would draw a map of the whole world. To accomplish this dream, she must go out to the sea. So when she heard Ian’s invitation, she was still very heartwarming. She just couldn’t give up her sister Nojiko and everyone in the village of Cocoyasi for a while. So she did not immediately agree, just hesitated.

However, just at this moment, a marine soldier who was in charge of searching the Arlong stronghold came back with a report to Tashigi and said, “Sergeant Tashigi, in the stronghold, we found a safe box of the Arlong pirates, and we did open it. There are about 20 million Berries in cash. Please give us instructions on what to do with it!”

Ian was still immersed in grief and anger. But when Ian heard this, he jumped up and said, “That’s Mine!”

His idea was very simple. Arlong was overthrown and caught by him. Then Arlong’s money should be regarded as his trophy.

But just when Ian shouted out and Tashigi had not yet spoken, Nami stood up and shouted to Ian, “What’s yours? That’s the stolen money that Arlong blackmailed many people of our villagers for!”

Ian did not want to back down. Listening to Nami’s words, did she want to take the money back and return it to the villagers? What kind of joke is this? More than 20 million Berries, which was higher than Arlong’s bounty. In front of such a sum of money, does she want Ian to give it up?

“No! That’s my spoils!” Ian said to Nami.

“What spoils!?” Nami also showed no weakness: “It is obvious that this money is stolen, which must be returned to its owners!”

The two quarreled for a while, and Tashigi could not say a word while they were talking. The marine soldiers looked at Ian in dismay. They thought that their instructor was a rich man.

After the quarrel, Nami finally got so angry. Suddenly, she crossed her arms on her waist and said to Ian, “I was thinking about going out to the sea with you, but now I regret even thinking about it!”

Ian was stunned: “Huh… What did you just say?”

Nami snorted, “Didn’t I make myself clear enough? I refuse your offer, I’m not going with you!”

“Why? For such a trifle?” Ian shook his hands and said innocently, “This is a good matter to discuss. Let’s split it, leave some for me, and take the rest and return it to the villagers?”

Nevertheless, Nami shook her head and said to Ian, “I’ve thought that we might not be able to get along with each other. When we get on your boat, are you willing to let be in charge of the money?”

Ian hesitated, how could that be possible? The reason he decided to catch pirates was to desperately make money! How could he possibly hand over the money to someone else?

Nami understood Ian’s hesitant expression, so she sighed, came up, approached Ian’s face, kissed him gently on the cheek, and said, “Thank you for inviting me, but let’s forget it. This is a thank you kiss for what you did for us! I won’t forget you.”

Ian tried to weep, but failed to shed a tear. Such thanks, he didn’t want her to do at all?

He never expected that Nami had some desire to sail with him. He thought she wanted to be with her relatives. After all, it was understandable that a 15-year-old girl still loves her family. After the wrangle, he was happy to know that Nami had such an idea.

So, this girl’s mind was really hard to guess…

When she said this, it is impossible to invite her again. After that, Ian also found that his thoughts were too simple. His personality was different from Luffy’s. It was impossible to repeat Luffy’s way of collecting partners. Moreover, even as a partner, there is a problem of compatibility between him and Nami. Likewise, he is also a person who likes to take charge of money in his hands. Only a careless fellow like Luffy would not mind Nami’s character. For him, Nami, even a gifted navigator, would not be a compatible partner.

In this way, Ian also decided to look for other partners. He was thinking about going to the Baratie, the ocean-going restaurant, to try his luck and see if he could ask Sanji to join him. But could a fellow like Sanji get along on board with Ian?