Namor McKenzie In One Piece

A shadow fell over the ruins of Arlong Park. The once-imposing fortress, a symbol of tyranny for Cocoyasi Village, now lay in shambles. The gate was broken, the walls cracked, and the main building had partially collapsed.

The scattered remnants of the Arlong Pirates began to return one by one, their bodies bruised and battered from battles elsewhere in the sea. Their leader had summoned them days ago, but they had been delayed, unaware of what had transpired.

As the first group reached the gates, they froze in shock. One of the larger fishmen, Chew, stepped forward, his eyes wide as he took in the destruction. "What... what happened here?"

Kuroobi, ever stoic, followed behind him, though even he couldn't mask the unease on his face. "This… this can't be right. Arlong wouldn't let this happen."

The smaller members of the crew began to panic, whispering among themselves. "Where's Arlong?" "Who could've done this?"

Chew clenched his fists, his sharp teeth bared. "This wasn't just a raid. Someone took him down."

As they ventured further into the ruins, they saw more signs of devastation. Splintered wood, broken weapons, and faint scorch marks littered the grounds. The air still carried the faint smell of burning, mixed with the salty tang of the sea.

Then, they found the spot where Arlong had fallen—where Namor's final blow had destroyed the foundation of his reign.

One of the younger fishmen, a timid boy barely into adulthood, dropped to his knees. His hands shook as he pointed to the ground. "Blood... there's blood here."

Chew's jaw tightened, and he glanced toward the water. "If Arlong were alive, he'd have surfaced by now."

Kuroobi placed a hand on Chew's shoulder. "Don't jump to conclusions. He's strong. He's—"

"He's gone," Chew interrupted, his voice trembling despite his best efforts to sound composed. "Look at this place. Look at what's left. Whoever did this... they weren't ordinary."

The younger members of the crew began to cry, their sobs echoing in the silence of the ruined park. Arlong had been their leader, their symbol of strength, and now he was gone.

"We failed him," one of them whispered, tears streaming down his face.

Kuroobi, usually the voice of reason, clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Arlong was our leader, our protector. And now… we don't even know who did this."

Chew growled, his sharp teeth glinting in the fading light. "Someone will pay for this. Whoever they are, we'll find them. And we'll make them suffer."

Despite his words, there was an undercurrent of fear in Chew's voice. Whoever had destroyed Arlong Park and defeated their leader was clearly no ordinary foe. And deep down, even Chew wondered if they were chasing a ghost they couldn't hope to match.

The crew lingered in the ruins, their grief and anger mingling with the oppressive weight of their loss, as for Chew and Kuroobi, they had left to search for the man who had killed their leader.

As the night deepened, the sea breeze carried their cries out over the ocean, a mournful dirge for the end of the Arlong Pirates as they had known them.

Unbeknownst to them, far out in the Calm Belt, their leader swam alongside a man who had brought this devastation to their home. And in his heart, Arlong wondered if he had made the right choice to follow Namor.

…

The Straw Hat Pirates approached the ruins of Arlong Park as the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon. Luffy marched at the head of the group, his usual carefree grin replaced with a furrowed brow. Behind him, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Nami walked in silence, each lost in thought.

When they reached the crumbled gate, Luffy paused, tilting his head. "Huh? This place looks even more busted than when we left it."

"That's because it is," Zoro muttered, scanning the wreckage. "Looks like someone took care of whatever was left standing."

Sanji lit a cigarette and took a slow drag. "Yeah, but who? We wiped the floor with them before we left. Who could've done this?"

Before anyone could speculate further, a group of Arlong's remaining pirates appeared from within the ruins. At first, they froze, their wide eyes locking onto Luffy and his crew.

"You!" one of the fishmen shouted, his voice trembling. "You're the ones who—"

"Wait," another interrupted, noticing Nami among them. His expression softened immediately, and he pointed toward her. "Nami! You're alive!"

The group of fishmen surged forward, relief washing over their faces as they crowded around her. "You survived! We thought the worst happened!" one of them said, tears streaming down his face.

"Nami!" another cried. "You're safe! Does that mean you're still with us?"

Zoro reached for his swords, and Sanji stepped protectively in front of Nami, but she raised a hand to stop them. "It's okay," she said, her voice calm but firm.

She looked at the fishmen, their faces a mix of desperation and hope. These weren't Arlong's top fighters—they were the lower-ranking members, the ones who had likely stayed because they had nowhere else to go.

"I'm fine," she said, her voice steady. "But things are different now."

The fishmen looked confused. "Different?"

Nami nodded. "Arlong is gone. They're not coming back. And after everything that's happened, there's no point in continuing like this. The people of Cocoyasi Village deserve peace. You deserve peace."

The fishmen exchanged uncertain glances. "But... what do we do now?" one of them asked hesitantly.

"You can start by making amends," Nami said. "You've hurt a lot of people here, but you can work to fix that. Help the village rebuild. Show them you're not their enemies anymore."

The fishmen hesitated, but her words seemed to strike a chord. Slowly, they nodded, murmuring among themselves.

Luffy, who had been watching quietly, finally spoke up. "Hey, where's Namor?"

The fishmen turned to him, confusion written across their faces. "Namor?" one of them asked.

"Yeah, the guy with the wings on his ankles," Luffy said. "He was here, right? He fought Arlong or something."

The fishmen shook their heads. "We don't know anyone named Namor," one said.

"But you clearly weren't the ones who wrecked this place further," Zoro pointed out.

"That... wasn't us," another fishman admitted, his voice shaky. "We don't know what happened here after Arlong summoned us. When we got back, everything was like this."

Luffy scratched his head, looking genuinely confused. "Huh. Guess he left."

"Figures," Zoro said, crossing his arms. "A guy like that doesn't stick around."

Sanji blew out a cloud of smoke, his gaze narrowing as he looked at the ruins. "Whoever he was, he clearly left his mark."

The fishmen turned back to Nami. "If Arlong's gone, does that mean you'll lead us now?" one of them asked.

Nami sighed. "No, I'm not your leader. I'm not on your side, either. But that doesn't mean we can't move forward together."

The fishmen looked at one another, their expressions uncertain but hopeful.

"I suggest," Nami continued, "that you forget about the past and start fresh. You're not Arlong's crew anymore. You're free to choose what kind of lives you want to live. And if you want to stay here, then stay as friends to the village, not as oppressors."

The fishmen nodded slowly, their collective mood shifting from despair to cautious optimism.

Luffy grinned. "Sounds good to me!"

"Let's hope they actually stick to it," Zoro muttered.

As the fishmen began discussing amongst themselves how to approach the villagers, Nami turned to her crewmates. "We've done what we came here to do. Let's move on."

Luffy nodded enthusiastically. "Alright! On to the next adventure!"

The crew turned and began walking away, leaving the ruins of Arlong Park behind. As they reached the outskirts of Cocoyasi Village, Nami glanced back one last time, her gaze lingering on the fishmen.

…

…

The moment Namor and Arlong crossed into the Grand Line, the seas erupted into chaos. The calm, glassy waters of the Calm Belt gave way to roaring waves and erratic winds. Storm clouds rolled in from nowhere, splitting open with thunderous cracks that made the ocean tremble.

Namor stood atop a wave crest, his wings fluttering as he hovered effortlessly above the waters. His face was alight with excitement, a grin spreading across his lips.

"This is magnificent!" Namor shouted, his voice cutting through the storm. "The sea is alive here, wild and untamed!"

Below him, Arlong swam with ease, his powerful strokes cutting through the raging water. He looked up at Namor with a mix of confusion and mild annoyance. "What are you so happy about? The Grand Line is dangerous. This isn't something to celebrate."

Namor laughed, spinning in the air as lightning forked across the sky. "Danger? Ha! I've lived my entire life in danger, fishman. This sea will bend to me, just as all others have!"

Arlong rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, "Crazy surface-dweller..."

Before their banter could continue, a cannonball ripped through the air, the explosive roar barely audible over the storm. The projectile slammed into Namor's chest, sending him tumbling from the sky and into the water with a massive splash.

Arlong froze, his heart skipping a beat. But then, the water around where Namor fell exploded upward, and he emerged, entirely unscathed. His dark turquoise hair was slicked back, his muscles taut with fury as he hovered in the air once again.

Namor's electricity silver-blue eyes burned with rage as he spotted the ship responsible. A large galleon sat atop the waves, its flag bearing the symbol of a skull with crossed tridents. Pirates.

"Humans!" Namor snarled, his voice thunderous. "Ignorant, arrogant surface-dwellers! You dare attack me?"

The crew of the ship shouted in confusion, some yelling, "A devil fruit user!" while others panicked at the sight of a man flying out of the water.

Namor's fury boiled over as he dove toward the ship. He landed on the deck with enough force to splinter the wood beneath his feet. The pirates scrambled for their weapons, but Namor was faster.

He tore through them with savage precision. His bare hands were a blur as he punched a hole through one man's chest, sending his lifeless body flying into the mast. Another pirate swung a sword at him, but Namor caught the blade mid-swing and snapped it in half before crushing the man's skull with a single punch.

"You FILTHY Air-Breathers!" Namor roared, grabbing two pirates by their throats and slamming them into the deck so hard it shattered beneath them.

Blood sprayed across the ship as Namor moved like a storm incarnate. He didn't need his trident. His bare hands were enough to wreak havoc. The deck ran red as Namor ripped through the crew, his movements swift and unrelenting.

Arlong finally pulled himself aboard, shaking the water off his fin. He stood at the edge of the carnage, watching Namor with a mix of awe and unease.

Namor grabbed the last pirate by the collar, holding him up as if he weighed nothing. The man begged for his life, tears streaming down his face.

"Mercy?" Namor spat, his voice dripping with disdain. "Your kind showed no mercy to my people. You deserve no less."

He tossed the man overboard as if discarding garbage. The pirate screamed as he hit the water, disappearing beneath the waves.

Namor stood amidst the wreckage of the ship, his chest heaving as he glared at the remains of the human crew. "Let this be a lesson to all who dare challenge the king of the sea!"

Arlong approached cautiously, stepping over broken wood and bodies. "You didn't have to go that far, you know."

Namor turned to him, his anger subsiding just enough for him to smirk. "Didn't I? They attacked first. They paid the price for their insolence."

Arlong sighed, looking out over the sea as the storm began to calm. He thought of his crew back in Cocoyasi Village. He had left them behind, but he couldn't help but wonder how they were faring, Were they safe?

"Thinking about your old crew, fishman?" Namor asked, his tone surprisingly calm.

Arlong nodded, crossing his arms. "Yeah. They were idiots sometimes, but they were my idiots. I hope they're doing okay without me."

Namor chuckled. "A leader's burden. But if they're anything like you, I'm sure they'll survive."

Arlong glanced at Namor, his curiosity getting the better of him. "You... you don't hold back, do you? Against anyone."

"Why should I?" Namor said, gesturing to the wreckage around him. "Strength is the only language these surface-dwellers understand. And I have no intention of letting them forget it."

Arlong didn't respond. He simply stared at the horizon, where the endless waves of the Grand Line awaited them.

As the two of them prepared to leave the ruined ship behind, Namor looked up at the sky, a small smile playing on his lips. The Grand Line was already proving to be exactly the kind of challenge he had hoped for.