Near the border of the East Blue and the Grand Line, a pirate ship sailed steadily toward the Calm Belt.
It was the Shark Superb, the flagship of the Arlong Pirates. Its bowsprit featured a jagged, saw-toothed nose, perfectly matching its captain.
"Boss Arlong! We're about to hit the Calm Belt!" a fish-man shouted from the rigging. "There's an island just up ahead. Let's pillage it and restock our supplies!"
Since fish-men could communicate directly with marine life, locating islands across the open ocean was effortless for them.
Arlong took a heavy swig from his bottle of booze. "Shahahaha! Then what are we waiting for? Boys, let's make a massive haul!"
"YEAH!" the crew roared in unison.
The Shark Superb swiftly adjusted its course.
Ever since Fisher Tiger succumbed to his severe wounds—choosing death over accepting a blood transfusion from a human—Arlong's hatred for mankind had festered into an obsession. He had always been a radical fish-man supremacist, but Tiger's demise pushed him over the edge. To Arlong, human lives were worthless weeds, meant only to be trampled.
Driven by a thirst for vengeance, he had once launched a solo crusade to slaughter the humans who tipped off the Marines about Fisher Tiger. Unfortunately, he ran straight into Vice Admiral Borsalino. The future Admiral effortlessly swatted him down and shipped him straight to Impel Down.
It was Jinbe who ultimately accepted the World Government's invitation, leveraging his newly acquired Warlord title to pardon and release Arlong from the underwater prison.
But Arlong felt no gratitude. In his twisted mind, Jinbe had submitted to the very humans who murdered their beloved big brother. He viewed Jinbe as a disgrace to their race and refused to sail under his banner any longer.
Splitting off, Arlong gathered his own loyalists and formed the Arlong Pirates. His new master plan? Head straight to the East Blue and rule as an untouchable tyrant.
Despite his arrogant boasting, Arlong secretly understood his own limitations. Borsalino had crushed him without breaking a sweat, proving the Grand Line teemed with monsters he couldn't handle. Therefore, conquering the weakest of the four seas suited his ambitions perfectly.
Truthfully, the overall quality of his crew left much to be desired. His three top officers—Kuroobi, Choo, and Hatchan—possessed mediocre combat skills. Hatchan, in particular, was merely a budget substitute recruited because Arlong refused to pay Hyouzou's exorbitant mercenary fees.
As for the rest of the crew, they excelled at bullying defenseless civilians but became instant liabilities the moment they faced a genuine fighter.
Worth noting, however, was their pet: Mohmoo. The giant, cow-like Sea Beast didn't offer much in terms of combat power, but it possessed a bottomless appetite.
"Boss Arlong, we're here!" "Boss, look! A bonus prize! There's a massive ship docked at the port!" "Give the order, Boss! Let's tear them apart!"
The fish-men clamored, their eyes gleaming with predatory excitement.
Arlong squinted toward the harbor. The galleon was huge. No Marine seagull. No pirate Jolly Roger. Perfect.
"Approach from underwater! Seize the ship first, then we raid the island!" Arlong commanded.
If they stormed the island right away, the crew might panic and sail off. By capturing the vessel first, they would trap the humans like rats in a barrel.
"YEAH!"
Dozens of fish-men dove off the Shark Superb, plunging into the waves and surging rapidly toward the docked galleon.
Fish-men always held the upper hand in naval warfare. They moved like phantoms beneath the surface. If a battle dragged on, they could simply bore holes through the enemy hull and drag the fight into the ocean, where their natural physical advantages multiplied. Against Devil Fruit users, a coordinated fish-man squad could orchestrate effortless massacres.
This time, however, the Arlong Pirates kicked a steel plate.
When they vaulted over the railing and landed on the deck, they froze in utter bewilderment. Instead of a panicking crew, they found a lively, extravagant banquet in full swing.
Taking a massive bite out of a roasted shank, Bardock casually swept his gaze over the intruders. He noted Arlong, the three officers, and the vanguard of grunts. His Observation Haki also picked up the silhouettes lurking beneath the waves—the backup squad waiting to ambush anyone who fell overboard.
"Hey, octopus guy," Bardock called out, pointing a bone at Hatchan. "Do you know how to make takoyaki? How about cooking up a batch for me?"
"Huh? How did you know I love making takoyaki? Nyū," Hatchan scratched his head, genuinely eager to take over the ship's grill.
"Shut up, Hatchi!" Arlong bellowed, snapping his officer out of his daze.
Hatchan blinked, remembering why he was there. "You bastards! Hand over all your treasure! Nyū."
"Sigh," Bardock shook his head, looking directly at the captain. "You share the same blood, but compared to Jinbe, you guys are just pathetic."
Jinbe possessed the strength and conviction to stand face-to-face with an Emperor of the Sea. Arlong and his thugs, at best, barely measured up to a Warlord's low-ranking subordinates.
Bardock's casual dismissal struck Arlong's deepest, rawest nerve.
"I was going to let you live as my slaves!" Arlong roared, his face contorting with rage. "But now you're leaving your lives right here on this deck! If you want to blame someone, blame your own loud mouth!"
Arlong drew his massive, jagged saw-sword, Kiribachi, and lunged viciously at Bardock. Hatchan drew his six cutlasses, charging the banqueting crew. The rest of the fish-men shrieked and swarmed the deck.
Bardock didn't even bother standing up. He simply raised a single finger, coating it in dense Armament Haki to intercept Arlong's heavy blade. Glancing at his crew, he gave a lazy order:
"Entertain them for a bit."
Instantly, the deck erupted into chaos.