Captain Nezumi was startled by Xia Wen’s sudden appearance and instinctively shouted, “Y-you!
Who are you?!
Seize him!” The surrounding Marines reacted on reflex, raising their rifles and preparing to step forward, but in the next instant a dazzling electric light flashed in the stranger’s eyes, followed by a violent current erupting outward with a sharp “Sizzle!” as lightning surged and twisted into several ferocious thunder beasts that roared while coiling around the entire courtyard, their oppressive presence instantly crushing the Marines’ morale and causing some newer recruits’ legs to give out as they collapsed to the ground in fear.
“I surrender!
Sir, please don’t kill me!
It was the Captain who ordered everything!” “Put down your weapons!
Nobody move!” Two officers shouted almost simultaneously, terrified that any reckless action might provoke this unknown powerhouse, while the adjutant who had once gone to the Jar Shop now leaning on a cane lowered his head deeply, wishing he could disappear; if he had known this shop owner possessed such terrifying strength, he wouldn’t have dared extort him even if he had ten lives.
“A Devil Fruit user…?” Captain Nezumi’s expression shifted between shock and confusion as he struggled to understand why someone of this caliber would appear in the East Blue, a place where even at Marine Headquarters such abilities were rare, especially Logia-types that were considered monstrous existences capable of dominating entire seas; yet here this person stood in a small place like Cocoyasi Village.
Xia Wen looked down at Nezumi calmly and said, “You are Captain Nezumi… the one who colluded with pirates?
I can give you a chance to live, and even a chance to earn merit.”
“Th-thank you, sir!” Nezumi immediately forced a flattering smile onto his face and replied, “What do you need me to do?
I swear I will obey your orders completely!”
Xia Wen nodded slightly and said, “Good.
Those who understand the situation tend to live longer.
You should have a way to directly contact Marine Headquarters, correct?”
“Ah yes!
Yes!” Nezumi quickly nodded and answered, “As the commanding officer of Branch 16, I possess a special Den Den Mushi that can directly contact Marineford!” He hesitated briefly before adding in a fawning tone, “I can hand it over to you right now… and I promise I will never reveal your existence!
If you need anything handled in the East Blue, I can cover it up for you, and Marine Headquarters will never know!” After saying this, he secretly relaxed, believing Xia Wen to be some major figure from the Grand Line hiding his identity for a grand scheme, and covering things up, framing others, and manipulating reports were precisely his specialties.
“Cover it up?” Xia Wen’s lips curved into a faint smile as he replied, “No need.
You will contact Marine Headquarters now and report that in your jurisdiction, a merchant capable of providing Devil Fruit abilities has appeared, and that the Arlong Pirates have already been defeated by one of that merchant’s customers.”
“W-what?!
Devil Fruits… being sold?!” Nezumi’s eyes widened in disbelief as his thoughts immediately connected to Nami the Cat Burglar and her sudden transformation and overwhelming lightning power, making it clear that she must have obtained that ability from those jars; if such power could truly be acquired for just 100,000 berries, then once this news spread, the entire sea would descend into chaos, with pirates, Marines, and bounty hunters alike going mad over it.
Yet the man before him showed no fear and even deliberately asked him to report it, making Nezumi wonder whether he simply did not fear the monsters of the Grand Line or possessed the confidence to face them, and for a brief moment, greed flickered in his eyes as he realized that while money was important, power would bring even greater wealth.
“This is your only value,” Xia Wen said as he extended a finger slightly, a thread of lightning flickering at its tip with a dangerous hum.
“You know what to say, and what not to say.
I trust you understand.”
“Y-yes!
I understand!” Nezumi flinched and hurriedly pulled out the special Den Den Mushi, the snail ringing with a “Buruburu—!” before the line connected; he took a deep breath and spoke as steadily as possible, “This is East Blue, Branch 16.
I am Captain Nezumi.
I have urgent intelligence that must be reported immediately to a high-ranking officer at Marine Headquarters!”
A few seconds later, a lazy voice responded, “East Blue?
What urgent intelligence could possibly come from a place like that?
Just report it.
If it’s truly important, I’ll pass it on to Vice Admiral Onigumo.” Hearing the dismissive tone while feeling Xia Wen’s gaze beside him, Nezumi’s forehead veins throbbed as he suppressed his anger and continued, his voice trembling slightly, “In Cocoyasi Village under my jurisdiction, a merchant capable of granting Devil Fruit abilities has appeared!
The Fishman Arlong, formerly with a bounty of 20,000,000 Berries, has been defeated by a villager who obtained such a power!” He swallowed hard before adding, “The Arlong Pirates have been completely destroyed!”
The Den Den Mushi fell silent for a moment before an incredulous roar exploded from the other end: “What did you say?!” Xia Wen glanced at Nezumi’s stiff, forced smile and let out a soft chuckle, saying, “Good,” before his body dissolved into lightning with a sharp “Zzzzt!” and vanished instantly, leaving behind only fading sparks.
The bait had been cast, and now it was only a matter of how many “big fish” would take it.
Instead of slowly building a reputation and waiting for customers, Xia Wen had chosen a more direct method forcing the entire world to notice him because no matter how Marine Headquarters reacted, they would investigate, and once they arrived, his shop would no longer be confined to a single village.
At the same time, he made a mental note that Joseph and Johnny needed to leave quickly and bring that swordsman over.
…
Back at Arlong Park, Nami stood at the edge of the water, looking down at Arlong’s unconscious body sinking beneath the surface, her expression complicated as the nightmare that had lasted seven years finally came to an end, yet she found herself unsure of what to do next.
Her gaze shifted to the enormous sea creature nearby—Moo Moo which let out a pitiful “Moooo…!” as its massive body trembled slightly, tears welling in its eyes as it looked at her.
Nami fell silent, remembering how this creature had once been used by Arlong to terrorize villagers, yet now it seemed more like a frightened animal than a monster.
“This thing… eats a lot, doesn’t it…” she muttered while pressing her hand to her forehead, realizing that keeping it would be troublesome due to its appetite, yet killing it didn’t feel right either.
Moo Moo lowered its head again, as if begging for mercy, and Nami could only sigh softly as much of her anger had already faded after defeating Arlong, leaving the remaining Fishmen to face their deserved punishment.
At that moment, a familiar and anxious voice called out from outside Arlong Park, “Nami!
Nami, are you there?!
Are you okay?!”