Cursed Seas and Slashing Tides

At Arlong Park, the fishmen stood gathered around Arlong, tense and uneasy.

"What's taking the navy so long?" Arlong growled, impatience clear in his voice. "Did she do something?" His eyes narrowed, suspicion rising.

Before anyone could respond, the front gate exploded into splinters, shocking the fishmen. They turned to see a young man with a straw hat, grinning confidently, walking through the wreckage. Beside him were a few unfamiliar men, and behind them, the villagers armed and ready for battle.

"Which one of you...is Arlong?" Luffy asked, his eyes scanning the group.

"Who are you?" Arlong demanded, his teeth bared in a menacing snarl.

"I'm Luffy." He said casually, still walking toward him.

"And what's a 'Luffy'?" Arlong snarled in disbelief.

"A pirate." Luffy barely got the words out before two fishmen rushed to block his path, but with a single blow, he knocked them out cold, leaving the rest stunned.

"What business do you have with me, pirate?" Arlong's voice trembled with a growing fury.

Luffy stopped right in front of him. "You made our navigator cry!" He said darkly, and in an instant, he punched Arlong square in the face, sending him crashing into the wall.

"Lord Arlong!!" The fishmen yelled, startled by the speed and power of the attack.

They rushed forward to attack Luffy, but his crew swiftly intercepted them. Zoro, Sanji, and Ryomen leaped into action, taking down the fishmen with ease.

"You always have to dive right in, huh?" Sanji said with a smirk as he kicked a fishman aside.

"Just the way I like it." Zoro added, slashing through another enemy with a grin.

"H-Hey, maybe I'll just keep the villagers safe! You guys can handle this!" Usopp stammered, ready to flee, but Ryomen grabbed his arm.

"It's gonna be fine, Usopp. I'm not gonna let any of you be in danger." Ryomen's voice was calm, but his eyes held a steely resolve.

"Alright! Let's save Nami!" Usopp shouted, trying to muster some bravery.

"So, you came here for Nami?" Arlong spat as he got back to his feet. "Hahahaha! You're just five humans from an inferior species! What could you possibly do?"

One of his men, Hachi, pulled out a horn. "Arise, giant warrior!" He called, summoning a monstrous sea cow from the pool in the center of Arlong Park. "Come on out, Momoo!"

The giant sea cow charged at the crew.

"Here it comes!!" Usopp screamed.

"I'm done wasting time!" Luffy shouted, grabbing Momoo by the horns. "Gomu-Gomu no...Windmill!" He spun the sea beast around, knocking out fishmen left and right before flinging it into the sky.

"I didn't come here for small fry! I came here to beat you!!" Luffy pointed toward Arlong.

"Perfect. I was thinking the same." Arlong replied with a menacing smile.

Hachi then prepared to attack the group. "Hachi ink jet!" Ink started spraying from his mouth, but everyone beside Luffy dodged.

"Why didn't you jump out of the way!?" Zoro asked in confusion.

"I can't! My feet are stuck!" Luffy replied.

The group looked at his feet, which were embedded into the ground from spinning.

Hachi then threw a giant piece of debris at Luffy but Sanji got in between and destroyed it.

Usopp tried to free Luffy but his feet simply continued to stretch.

Hachi tried attacking again but this time the debris was destroyed by invisible slashes.

"Hey, octopus. They're busy right now. How about fighting me?" Zoro asked with a smirk.

"Grrrr, get out of my way!" Hachi tried to hit him but missed.

"Alright Zoro! You can deal with him!" Usopp gave Zoro a thumbs up but in the process let go of Luffy, who was sent flying into a fishmen with big lips.

The fishman looked darkly at Usopp then began charging at him. "You must really want me to hurt you!"

"Aaaahhhh!!" Usopp yelled as he ran away.

The two went past the villagers at the entrance. The fishman noticed their weapons.

"What is this? Are you rebelling? Seems I'll have to–" He was then interrupted by Usopp.

"Fire star!!" The fishman was engulfed in flames.

"I'm your opponent! Got that!?" Usopp shouted at him.

"Okay, now you're really a goner!!"

"Aaaahhhh!" The two resumed their chase.

…

Meanwhile, back at Arlong Park

"Luffy, I've got an idea, but don't move your feet, or I might accidentally cut them off." Ryomen told Luffy seriously.

"What!? Leave my feet alone!" Luffy started wriggling around with a scared expression.

"I said stop moving!!" Ryomen hit him in the head angrily.

He then put his palm on the ground. "Cleave." The ground around Luffy became slashed in the form of a spider web, freeing him.

"Ah! Freedom! Thanks Ryomen!" Luffy exclaimed happily.

Ryomen simply nodded with a smile.

The two then went toward Arlong, ready to fight.

…

Zoro and Hachi stood in front of each other.

Zoro charged toward the octopus, but had to evade an ink jet, then striked toward Hachi's head who ducked under, having part of his hair cut off.

"You cut my hair!" Hachi exclaimed in annoyance.

"Relax, it'll grow back." Zoro said plainly.

"Yeah, you're right! It will grow back!" Hachi's tone completely changed.

"Um…alright." Zoro looked at the octopus weirdly, then striked again.

Hachi tried to catch the sword with his palms but Zoro slashed right between them.

"yoww!" Hachi shouted in pain.

"Tsk. Hurry up and die!" Zoro charged again but was blocked by Hachi's swords. "Huh!?"

"Surprised? I'm a six sword style swordsman! You will never defeat me now!" Hachi shouted confidently.

"Six sword style? Are you cutting vegetables with those?" Zoro taunted him. "Listen up…even if I'm at a disadvantage, I won't lose, until I defeat him!" He exclaimed, determined.

Hachi attacked but Zoro weaved through the swords, and cut him on the chest.

"You bastard! You're starting to make me mad!" Hachi put the tip of his swords together and striked.

Zoro blocked with his sword, but the fishmen applied more pressure and pushed Zoro, leaving him open then Hachi slammed into him, throwing Zoro into the air.

Hachi then started spinning his swords above his head. "Prepare to die!"

Zoro went right through the attack, completely fine then slashed Hachi's hands, causing him to drop the swords.

"W-Wha! That human matched the rotation of my attack!" Hachi shouted in shock.

The fishmen then threw a barrage of punches at Zoro which didn't have any effect.

Zoro finally ended the fight by cutting Hachi's chest, knocking him unconscious and shocking everyone else.

"Roronoa Zoro, how dare you do that to Hachi!?" The Ray fishmen came behind Zoro and tried to punch him, but was kicked away by Sanji.

"Didn't need help, you stupid cook." Zoro told him.

"Yeah,yeah. Stay there and catch your breath. You had a pretty tough fight." Sanji said with a mocking smile.

"The hell did you say!? I easily beat that octopus without even going all out!!" Zoro angrily exclaimed.

"Hm. Whatever." Sanji then went off toward the fishmen. "C'mon, let's end this."

"Your struggle is futile, you'll never defeat–"

"Collier Coup!!" Sanji interrupted him with a kick to the face, knocking him down.

"Epaule Sprawl!!" He followed with a kick to the shoulder.

"Cotelette Kabosh!!" And to the knees.

"Poitrine Treader!!" To the gut.

"Gigot Charlie Lei Horse!!" The legs.

"Why you little human!! The ultimate punch, the thousand brick–"

"Mouton Mallet!!" And face.

"I guess you won't be needing dessert."

…

On the outskirts of the village, Usopp laid on the ground with blood all over.

"Pathetic. Hachi and Kuroobi should be done by now." The fishmen said then turned to leave.

'Seems my Ketchup star worked.' Usopp secretly smiled.

"Well…I already have this ketchup blood on me. I should make it look like I was in a fierce battle. That's right! I'll cover myself with dirt!" Usopp started to dirty his clothes.

"What should I say when I get back…«My bad but I ended up losing»."

"We're a team, aren't we?"

"Or maybe «That guy barely got away from me. Don't cry Nami, it was only natural for us to try and fight.»

"I'd rather die"

«We've all fought well.»

"We both have foolish dreams, so I'll chase mine too."

«It was a really close fight.»

"I'm not gonna let any of you be in danger."

«No, no. My wounds are nothing to worry about!»

"Please…help me."

«Well if I was to seriously fight…» Usopp's eyes were overwhelmed with tears.

'I'm so pathetic!' He then raised to his feet. "Stop right there you fish!!"

The fishmen with big lips turned around. "Hm? You were still alive?"

"As if a little attack from a half fish bastard could kill me! Flame star!!" Usopp tried shooting, but the fishmen blocked it.

He then punched Usopp in the face, knocking him to the ground. "You should've pretended to be dead. But I guess you're too dumb for that."

"Usopp hammer!!" The fishmen was struck by a hammer in the knees.

"Usopp rubber band!!" Usopp aimed a rubber band at the fishman causing him to close his eyes in fear, but the attack didn't come.

"Dammit, now he hid himself." A bottle was then thrown in his direction, and he instinctively caught it.

"Lead Star!!" He was then struck in the face.

"You're starting to annoy me!!" The fishmen began sucking up the water around him. "Water cannon!" The attack destroyed part of the forest but barely missed Usopp.

Usopp then revealed himself and shot the fishmen. "Flame star!!"

The fishmen caught fire and tried to run toward the water but Usopp prevented him from doing so. "Usopp hammer!!"

"You bastard…" The fishmen weakly exclaimed.

"Usopp hammer! Usopp hammer! Usopp hammer!..."

After some time the fishman was knocked unconscious. "I beat him…hahaha! Don't underestimate me again!"

…

Back at Arlong Park, Luffy and Ryomen stood face to face with Arlong.

"You think you can defeat me?" Arlong snarled arrogantly.

"That's right! Let's do this!" Luffy shouted.

Ryomen didn't waste time. "Dismantle." He flicked his fingers, sending a slash across Arlong's chest, but it only left shallow cuts.

Arlong grinned. "Is that all you've got?"

'Damn, he's tougher than I thought.' Ryomen reflected.

"Gomu-Gomu no…Rocket!! And…Bullet!!" Luffy's arm stretched, grabbing hold of a pillar behind Arlong. With a powerful snap, he rocketed forward, his fist colliding with Arlong's chest, sending him crashing into the wall.

"Was that supposed to hurt?" Arlong plainly asked.

"No! I'm just warming up! I didn't fight for some time!" Luffy replied, grinning.

"What a pathetic excuse!" Arlong shouted, then went to bite Luffy's neck, but missed.

"Whoa! That was close!" Luffy shouted.

"Be careful, Luffy! If he bites you, then it's over!" Ryomen exclaimed warily.

"It's useless, I'll kill all of you!" Arlong continued with his attacks but didn't manage to hit Luffy.

"Clench your teeth!" Luffy exclaimed, then spined kicked Arlong in the jaw, destroying his teeth.

"You bastard!" Arlong exclaimed as his teeth grew back, surprising the two.

"What the!?" Luffy shouted in shock.

"Hahaha! Surprised? My teeth will always grow back! An endless amount of times!" Arlong said while taking a pair of teeth in each hand. "Now do you see, how superior I am?"

Arlong started attacking with the teeth, Luffy tried his best to dodge but one of the attacks went right for his face.

"Luffy!!" Before anyone could react, Nami stepped in, her body effortlessly deflecting Arlong's teeth as they slid off her skin. Ryomen seized the moment and appeared next to Arlong in a flash.

"Cleave." He cut straight through his chest leaving a gaping wound.

"Aaahh! How!?"

"Does it have enough kick for you now?" Ryomen questioned with an arrogant smirk.

"You–" Arlong got interrupted by Kuroobi flying into the wall beside him.

"What!?" Arlong exclaimed in shock. He then looked toward the battlefield and saw Hachi and Kuroobi knocked out with his third commander nowhere in sight.

"You puny humans!! I'll slaughter all of you!!" Arlong charged toward Ryomen.

"Flame Star!!" Flames quickly engulfed Arlong leaving him blinded.

The group then saw Usopp hurrying over.

"Ahaha! Captain Usopp is here! Are you ready to be defeated!?" He asked while standing behind Zoro and Sanji.

"Let's just end this already." Zoro said with a sigh.

"Aaaah, fighting alongside Nami-san is truly an honor!" Sanji exclaimed, lovestruck.

"Nami!! Are you really going to help these imbeciles!? If you surrender now, I'll at least spare the villagers." Arlong looked menacingly at her.

"I'm not gonna live under your rule anymore Arlong. I'll finally take control of my life." Nami replied determinedly.

"Is that so? Fine then!!" Arlong yelled in anger.

Arlong charged forward with his sets of teeth but each of his arms were restrained by Zoro and Sanji.

"Egg Star!!" Usopp then quickly hindered his sight.

"Cleave." Ryomen touched the ground and slashed apart the tiles Arlong was standing on, making him lose his footing.

Nami then used her staff and tripped Arlong, fully putting him on the ground.

With a battle cry, Luffy lifted his foot high above his head. "Gomu-Gomu no… Axe!!" His foot crashed down with thunderous force, shattering the ground and Arlong beneath it, knocking him unconscious.