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The Strongest Frost Loli (154)
🕑 Added 2024-11-09 17:00:03 +0000 UTCChapter 154 - Arlong, the "Saw-Tooth"
Usopp, Sanji, and Jinbe had heard Nojiko’s story about Cocoyasi Village, and Nami.
Usopp seemed to understand, nodding thoughtfully. Sanji, enraged, punched Nojiko, receiving a fist to the face in return. And Jinbe, pale with anger and dismay, clutched his head.
“That fool…!”
It was the worst possible situation.
Queen Otohime, Fisher Tiger, and countless others had strived for peace between humans and Fish-men.
But Arlong’s actions were only creating more hatred.
Arlong hadn’t understood Tiger’s ideals at all.
Jinbe, lamenting his sworn brother’s actions, made a decision.
– He had to stop Arlong, even if it meant killing him.
“…I need to contact Tiger. Can I borrow a Den Den Mushi? Do you have one?”
“A Den Den Mushi? This island has little contact with other islands. And most people can’t afford a radio. Arlong destroyed everything… We don’t have one.”
Nojiko was about to say they didn’t have one, but then she remembered.
– One of the children had said, “The old men in town managed to contact the government!” They had been overjoyed that the Marines were coming to rescue them.
The Marines’ ship had been sunk by Arlong, but… If they had contacted the government, then they must have had a way to do so.
“The survivors of the town Arlong destroyed… They had a way to contact the outside world. It might still be usable."
“Can I use it?”
“It’s not my decision. There are many who lost their families because of Arlong. If you want to use it, then you’ll have to ask them yourself.”
“…You’re right. That’s the right thing to do. Just tell me where the town is.”
Jinbe stood up after receiving directions.
He turned to Zoro, who was still asleep, and Usopp and Sanji, who were talking.
“Thank you for your hospitality. I’ll take care of Arlong. You can talk to your navigator later.”
“Take care of him…? Are you going to fight him?”
“Yes, I have to stop that fool."
He said this with a resolute expression.
He was reluctant to kill his sworn brother.
But he had to stop him. Arlong hadn’t understood Tiger’s ideals, and was causing chaos.
“…Are you sure? You think you can defeat Arlong?”
“Of course. I’ll take care of it myself. But first, I need to make a call.”
He had to tell Tiger everything about Arlong’s actions. And ask him to handle the aftermath.
He had to believe that Tiger would stop Arlong, even if he died here.
Of course, he had no intention of dying, but there were no guarantees in life. He knew Arlong was strong. They had been comrades.
If he had been training diligently, he might even be as strong as Jinbe.
“I apologize for the trouble.”
***
Jinbe, leaving Usopp and the others, followed Nojiko’s directions.
He walked past the fields, through Cocoyasi Village, and arrived at the next town – the town Arlong had destroyed.
It was a devastating sight.
The main street was a crater, as if a giant creature had rampaged through it. The houses on either side were overturned.
“…”
He had to find the survivors.
He could sense them. They were here.
…But their gazes, watching him from the shadows, were cold. They saw him as an enemy, simply because he was a Fish-Man.
It was understandable. They had lost their families and homes because of Fish-men. They had been extorted for years. Their hatred was immeasurable.
That’s why Tiger had forbidden killing. He didn't want to see this.
Jinbe, suppressing a sigh, continued walking.
He felt their gazes piercing through him.
He had to speak to someone, but it was difficult in this hostile environment.
He found a group of people trying to salvage their belongings from an overturned house.
“Excuse me, may I have a word?”
“…What do you want, Fish-Man?”
It was Arlong’s fault.
The man glared at him defiantly, but he didn't attack. He simply clenched his fists.
He knew the difference in their strength.
If he resisted, he would be killed.
So, he wouldn’t fight back.
Jinbe felt another surge of anger at Arlong, but it wouldn't solve anything. He tried to remain calm. “Do you have a Den Den Mushi?” he asked.
“We don’t have one.”
“You must have one, unless Arlong destroyed it.”
“…! What if we do?!”
“I need to borrow it. I have to make a call.”
“Go to Arlong Park! I’m sure Arlong would be happy to lend you one! You’re both Fish-men!”
“I can’t do that.”
Jinbe, to the villagers’ surprise, sat down on the ground and bowed his head.
Those who were watching from the shadows were also shocked.
Arlong would never do such a thing. He saw them as inferior beings.
“Please, I’m begging you. Let me borrow it."
“…Why… are you doing this?”
“I want to stop Arlong.”
Could they trust him?
The man hesitated. He could hear the others saying, “He’s a Fish-Man! Don’t trust him!”
They had suffered for years under Arlong’s rule. Could they really believe that another Fish-Man wanted to stop him? It was a gamble.
Fifty-fifty? Or less?
The man, seeing Jinbe bowing his head, pleading with them, finally relented.
“…Follow me.”
“Thank you.”
Jinbe followed the man to a house where a Den Den Mushi had been repaired.
The equipment was crude, cobbled together from spare parts salvaged from the wreckage. It was a far cry from the sleek Den Den Mushis used by the World Government.
It must have been a last resort.
Jinbe sat down before the Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
After a few rings, the other end picked up.
“– It’s me.”
“It’s me, Brother.”
Fisher Tiger, the hero of Fish-Man Island.
“Jinbe, did you find Arlong?”
“Yes… but the situation is… dire, to say the least.”
“…What happened?”
Jinbe summarized Nojiko’s story.
That Arlong controlled Cocoyasi Village and the entire Conomi Islands.
That he had been extorting money from the villagers, calling it a “tribute.”
That those who couldn’t pay were killed, or their towns destroyed.
Jinbe reported the facts calmly, without embellishment.
Tiger listened in silence.
“That’s… what’s happening on this island, and the neighboring islands.”
“…That fool… How could he…”
“The Marines must know about it. They’re probably working with him.”
“Probably. There are a few who would sell out for a quick buck. It’s difficult to control everyone, even in the Marines or Twilight.”
“I’m going to stop Arlong, even if I have to kill him. Can I ask you to take care of the aftermath, Brother?”
“Do you think you’ll lose?”
“The possibility… is not zero.”
“No, it’s zero.”
Jinbe frowned at Tiger’s words.
Why was he so certain, even though they hadn’t met?
“That fool wouldn’t go to the East Blue if he thought he could train to defeat someone stronger than him."
The East Blue was known as the weakest sea. Even if he wanted to avoid Twilight, Arlong wouldn’t choose to hide in a sea where he couldn't find anyone to train with.
He knew who was at the top of this sea. He was hiding in the East Blue because he knew he couldn’t win.
Jinbe nodded, understanding Tiger’s reasoning.
“But I can’t take all of them back to Fish-Man Island on my own. Can you arrange a ship?”
“Of course. I’m involved in this as well.”
But sending a Fish-Man to a place where Fish-men had caused so much damage would only lead to more conflict.
Tiger understood that. And it would take too long to travel from Fish-Man Island to the Conomi Islands. They needed another option.
They couldn't just leave Arlong and his crew in Cocoyasi Village. And they couldn’t trust the Marines.
Which meant, they had to rely on Twilight, the organization Tiger belonged to.
“I’m counting on you, Jinbe. Stop that fool, even if you have to beat some sense into him."
“Leave it to me, Tiger. I’ll bring him back, even if I have to drag him.”
Jinbe hung up the Den Den Mushi.
He turned to the villager who had been listening and bowed again.
“Thank you for letting me use it. You’ve been a great help.”
“Yes… You think you can stop Arlong?”
“Of course.”
He said this confidently.
The villager, his eyes wide with disbelief, made a complicated face.
A Fish-Man was going to liberate the island from Fish-Man rule. It was a good thing, but to them, Fish-men were no longer trustworthy.
They probably wouldn't thank him.
They might even blame him for letting Arlong run wild.
But Jinbe had to do it. He stood up.
He could reach Arlong Park quickly if he swam along the outer edge of the island, starting from Gosa Village. The sooner, the better. He dived into the sea, entering through a massive trench that looked like something had crawled out of it.
***
He reached Arlong Park.
He was about to pass through the gate –
“Hmm?”
He noticed something strange.
Something was extending diagonally from the seabed towards the surface. He looked closer, and saw Nojiko doing something.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
Nojiko, unable to speak underwater, gestured for him to look.
It was a human body, buried up to the ankles in concrete. But its head was extending towards the surface.
Jinbe’s eyes darted back and forth between the body and the surface. Nojiko pointed at something.
Her feet were stuck in the concrete – or rather, it looked like she had gotten her feet stuck in a crack in the concrete.
He didn't know what had happened, but she seemed to be trapped underwater because of it.
He thought the clothes looked familiar, but Nojiko was trying to tell him something. He focused on her gestures.
“You want me to break it?”
Nojiko nodded.
Jinbe destroyed the concrete, and the freed body, pulled by its neck, shot towards the surface.
She must be a Devil Fruit user, he thought. It must be difficult for the head to support the entire body. He had seen many Devil Fruit users, but they always fascinated him.
He followed Nojiko to the surface, and a man noticed them.
“Gah! Huff… Huff… Thank you! I couldn’t break that rock!”
“It was nothing.”
“Nojiko! He’s a Fish-Man?!”
“It’s okay, Gen-san. He came to the island with that Straw Hat kid.”
“With that kid?”
The man, Genzo, looked at Jinbe.
He asked him what he was doing here. It was a valid question. This was Arlong’s territory. He could be attacked at any moment.
Why would he risk his life to come here?
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later. We need to get that Straw Hat kid to spit out the water.”
“Straw Hat… You mean Luffy?!”
That’s why the clothes looked familiar.
Luffy, a Rubber Human, had been thrown into the air, but since his entire body was made of rubber, he hadn't been injured.
Genzo was desperately trying to get him to spit out the water.
“His crewmates defeated two of Arlong’s executives. If he can just spit out the water and regain consciousness…!”
“His crewmates…?!”
It had taken a while to get him to spit out the water, since his head had been so far below the surface.
But he was above water now. It wouldn't take long.
But he couldn’t leave Arlong to Luffy.
“This is my problem as well. I apologize, but I have to –”
Luffy, coughing violently, spit out the water and regained consciousness.
“Gah!!! Huff… Huff…!!”
“You’re awake! Thank goodness!”
He continued to cough for a while, then noticed the three people around him.
“Hey, old man, Nami’s sister, Jinbe, what are you doing here?”
“You were drowning, so they rescued you.”
“Really? Thanks, you two!”
“That Fish-Man saved you. We couldn’t break the rock.”
Genzo and Nojiko, relieved, sat down.
Jinbe, however, remained standing, staring at the gates of Arlong Park.
“Alright! Now, I’m going to take care of that pointy-nosed bastard–!”
“Wait, Luffy!”
“What? I’m in a hurry!”
“I’ll deal with Arlong.”
“Why?”
“He’s my sworn brother. It’s my responsibility to stop him. You stay out of this!”
“…………”
Luffy had a brother.
A strong, reliable brother who was always on his side.
He knew his brother would always support him, no matter what. But even then, perhaps one day, he might have to fight him, like Jinbe and Arlong.
Even brothers clashed sometimes.
But…
“No.”
Luffy, understanding Jinbe’s words, said this.
“No? I’m not asking for your opinion. I’m going to defeat him. You just watch!"
“No! He made my navigator cry! I’m going to make him pay!”
“You stubborn fool…!”
“I challenged him first!”
“…!!”
They glared at each other, and Jinbe finally relented.
Luffy had challenged Arlong first. He wouldn't interfere in someone else’s fight.
Jinbe sat down, cross-legged.
“Do as you please. But if you lose, I’m next.”
“Yeah!”
Luffy stretched his arm, grabbed the gate of Arlong Park, and leaped inside.
A moment later, Zoro, covered in wounds, was thrown out. Jinbe immediately rushed to his aid.
He didn’t know if the wounds were from Arlong, or if his old wounds from Mihawk had reopened… But they were serious.
Jinbe, treating his wounds, muttered, “You’re a reckless man.”
“You’re still trying to fight with these wounds?”
“Shut up… It’s my decision…”
He wasn’t intimidated by Zoro’s defiance, even though he was on the verge of death. Nojiko rushed to get a doctor, and Zoro, Jinbe, and Genzo were left alone.
Genzo, wary of Jinbe, continued to observe him.
“Jinbe… That name sounds familiar. You’re one of the Seven Warlords, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you on this island?”
“I came to stop Arlong… But Luffy took that opportunity from me.”
“He was a step ahead,” Zoro said.
It would have been better if he had defeated Arlong immediately after hearing Nojiko’s story, without contacting Tiger, but… What-ifs were meaningless.
Luffy was the one fighting. Jinbe was sidelined.
He didn’t know why he had come here if he couldn’t even redeem himself after causing so much trouble.
If Luffy lost, then it would be Jinbe’s turn. But he wouldn't lose.
Arlong, who was stuck in the past, had chosen to hide in this sea.
Luffy, who dreamed of becoming the Pirate King, was striving for the Grand Line.
The outcome was clear from the start.
