"Unforgivable."
Arlong's sharp teeth clenched in rage as he glared at Rin and his crew.
They weren't afraid.
They weren't even acknowledging him.
For years, Arlong had ruled this sea unopposed.
The Marines feared him.
The humans bowed to him.
And yet
These three dared to act as if he was nothing?
His eyes darkened, his anger boiling over.
"You little shits!"
His voice echoed through Arlong Park.
"Kill them!"
The Fish-Men grinned viciously.
"You heard the boss!"
"Tear them apart!"
"Make them suffer!"
They didn't hesitate.
A wave of monstrous figures surged forward.
Unlike humans, Fish-Men were naturally stronger—at least ten times stronger on average.
They didn't need weapons.
They were weapons.
Their thick skin, sharp teeth, and overwhelming strength made them superior in raw combat.
But—
Casa simply exhaled.
His golden eyes glinted as he took a step forward.
"You're in my way."
"Arashi Ken!"
With a flicker of motion, Casa swung his leg sharply—
And from that kick—
A compressed air blade shot forward.
Slicing.
Tearing.
Shredding.
A blue arc of energy ripped through the air, moving faster than the eye could track.
The Fish-Men barely had time to react before—
"GURK—!"
Blood sprayed across the ground.
Several of them collapsed instantly, their bodies split apart, deep gashes running through them.
The surviving ones staggered back, eyes wide.
Casa slowly lowered his leg.
His expression was unmoved.
"Next?"
Artoria, too, had already moved.
The Fish-Men turned to attack—
But—
They couldn't see her weapon.
Before they could process what happened—
Slaughter.
Their necks split open, blood spraying into the air.
The invisible blade of Excalibur cut through them like paper.
She stepped over their bodies, her cold blue eyes emotionless.
Meanwhile—
Rin didn't even glance at the battlefield.
Casa and Artoria had one job—
And they were doing it well.
His target was only one.
He walked forward.
Straight toward Arlong.
Any Fish-Men that rushed toward him were immediately intercepted by his crew.
He never broke stride.
Stopping three meters from his opponent, Rin finally raised his sword—
And pointed it directly at Arlong.
"Fight me."
A moment of silence.
Then—
A low, rumbling chuckle.
"Heh. You really wanna die that badly?"
Arlong's yellow eyes gleamed with bloodlust.
Yet—
For the first time, there was a hint of caution in them.
That kick from Casa—
That swordplay from the woman—
It wasn't normal.
And if they were that strong—
Then their captain had to be even stronger.
Arlong's fingers flexed.
He reached behind him—
Through a cracked section of the wall of Arlong Park—
And pulled out his signature weapon.
The Kiribachi.
A massive serrated blade, made from his own shark teeth, designed to grind and tear through flesh with every strike.
It had ended countless lives.
And now, it would end one more.
He swung the weapon onto his shoulder, grinning.
"Boy."
His muscles tensed.
His shark teeth gleamed.
"DIE."
With a burst of speed, Arlong lunged forward, swinging his massive Kiribachi toward Rin's skull.
Rin's eyes narrowed.
His sword flashed upward.
CLANG!
The two blades clashed violently, the force sending shockwaves through the air.
Sparks flew as metal met metal.
For a moment—
They were evenly matched.
But Rin's arms trembled.
Arlong's raw strength was monstrous.
Even with his training, Rin could tell—
They were physically equal.
But—
That was fine.
Because power alone wasn't enough to win.
His grip tightened.
His voice grew cold.
"You're strong."
His sword pulsed with energy.
"But you're not stronger than me."
He pushed forward—
And forced Arlong back.
For the first time—
Arlong's eyes widened.
"What?!"
Rin's blade darkened—
A deep purple-black aura wrapped around it, swirling with raw malice.
It was a technique he had been refining—
A cut meant to tear through all defenses.
He exhaled.
Then—
"Ghost Slash."
The blade tore forward, its aura expanding outward.
A crescent of destruction exploded toward Arlong.
"DAMN IT!"
Arlong's instincts screamed at him.
His teeth clenched.
He threw up the Kiribachi in defense.
The attack collided violently.
And then—
CRACK.
The impact surged through his arms, his chest burning with pain.
"GUHH—!"
A spray of blood erupted from his mouth.
His entire body was sent flying, crashing through the air—
And slamming into the ground with a deafening boom.
A deep gouge was carved into his face, blood trickling down his jagged teeth.
The Fish-Men stared in horror.
"BROTHER ARLONG!!"
From the side, Chew's eyes widened in shock.
But then—
His gaze hardened.
He turned toward Casa, snarling.
"You bastards are DEAD!"
Casa raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Chew grinned cruelly.
"Boss Arlong is pissed now. And when he gets angry—"
His eyes gleamed with confidence.
"You humans are finished."
Casa sighed, unimpressed.
"I don't believe he's scarier than an Admiral."
Then—
He disappeared.
A blur of motion—
And before Chew could even react—
Casa was above him.
His right leg coated in Haki.
"Shigan!"
He brought it down violently—
"BOOM!"
The impact shattered the ground beneath them, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
As the dust settled—
Chew lay in a crater, his eyes rolled back, unconscious.
Casa exhaled.
"Who's finished now?"
And with that—
The tide of battle began to turn.
---
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