The scorching sun hung high, baking the land of Cocoyasi Village, filling the air with heat and oppression.
The villagers gathered at the entrance of the village, their faces etched with a mix of emotions: anger, fear, and anticipation intertwined.
On one side stood the towering fish-man Arlong, representing years of brutal rule.
On the other was Luffy, wearing a straw hat and a smile, a young pirate who had just arrived.
"Can the Straw Hat kid really defeat Arlong?" a villager whispered, his voice filled with unease.
"Believe in him!" Nojiko replied loudly, her gaze firm.
Nami stood at the front of the crowd, her hands tightly clenched into fists, nails digging deep into her palms.
A complex mix of emotions flickered across her face: hatred for Arlong, but also worry for Luffy.
Although she had absolute confidence in Luffy's strength, Arlong was the nightmare that had haunted her for eight years, filling her with anxiety.
"Bang!"
Their fists collided fiercely; Arlong had a running start, but Luffy relied on sheer power.
With one punch, he sent Arlong flying, slamming him hard against a wall.
After cultivating the Body Tempering Method, Luffy's physical strength and power were incomparable to when he first set sail.
His strength had more than doubled, and his resistance to blows and recovery ability had increased severalfold.
"The Straw Hat kid actually sent Arlong flying!" a villager exclaimed in disbelief.
"He's too strong… Can he really win?"
Genzo, covered in wounds, struggled to stand up, his eyes fixed on Luffy.
"This young man… He's not an ordinary human, he's our hope for resistance!"
Nami stood among the crowd, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She clenched her fists tightly and whispered, "Luffy… you must win!"
"Hmph, I didn't expect you to have some skill, but you've successfully angered me. I'll fight you with all my might!"
Arlong, completely unharmed, let out a roar, leaping from the rubble and declaring a fight to the death with Luffy.
Luffy didn't respond, merely adjusted his straw hat and grinned.
Arlong pushed off the ground, his figure like an arrow released from a bow, instantly appearing before Luffy.
His fist, whistling through the air, slammed towards Luffy's chest.
"Bang!"
Luffy's body suddenly leaned back, Arlong's fist narrowly missing his chest.
The next second, Luffy steadied himself, his right arm rapidly stretching back. The rubber-like elasticity made his movements look comical yet full of power.
"Gum-Gum Pistol!"
"Bang!" With a loud crash, Luffy's fist struck Arlong's chest, pushing the latter back several steps.
But Arlong quickly regained his balance, a hint of disdain on his face.
"Hmph, you think you can defeat me with just this much power?" Arlong raised his head, his teeth grinding.
He suddenly spun around, swinging his arm, creating a strong gust of wind pressure.
Luffy jumped to dodge the attack, his body as agile as a monkey's.
"His arm can stretch that long?" a villager gasped.
"That's… the power of a Devil Fruit!" Nojiko replied, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.
The surrounding villagers gradually grew excited from their initial shock. They saw Luffy's strength in confronting Arlong head-on, and hope ignited in their hearts.
Arlong didn't give Luffy much time to breathe. The next moment, he leaped out from the other side, his sharp, serrated nose gleaming with a cold light, aiming straight for Luffy's back.
"Watch out!" Nami couldn't help but shout.
But Luffy had already anticipated it. He suddenly twisted his body, grabbed Arlong's shoulders with both hands, and slammed him hard onto the ground.
"Bang!"
Arlong created a large crater in the ground, and dust scattered all around.
Arlong stood up awkwardly from the pit, a flicker of anger in his eyes.
He reached out, grabbed a huge rock, and threw it forcefully at Luffy.
"Gum-Gum Rocket!"
Luffy grabbed the ground with one hand, his body springing forward like a coiled spring, dodging the flying rock.
He flipped in the air, kicking towards Arlong's head.
"Gum-Gum Whip!"
Arlong blocked the attack with crossed arms, but the powerful impact sent him staggering backward, his feet dragging deep marks on the ground.
"Impossible… How can this guy have such great strength?" Arlong muttered, a look of disbelief on his face.
Luffy stood firm, adjusted his straw hat, his tone relaxed yet resolute.
"Nami's hometown isn't somewhere you can just occupy!"
These words seemed to ignite the villagers' fury, completely unleashing their emotions.
"Defeat Arlong!"
"Luffy, go for it!"
Arlong was completely enraged, his eyes bloodshot as he entered a berserk state, his sharp teeth bared, fiercely biting at Luffy.
Luffy didn't dodge. His right hand rapidly stretched out, then slammed down hard.
"Gum-Gum Spring!"
Arlong's body was sent flying again, crashing into a nearby wall, which instantly collapsed.
"You've angered me!" Arlong roared, climbing out of the rubble, his anger transforming into a sinister smile on his face.
Arlong vanished from his spot, reappearing at Luffy's side. He slammed his single hand down, his palm carrying a fierce wind pressure, aiming directly for Luffy's shoulder.
"Fish-Man Karate: Torrent Palm!"
"Boom!"
Luffy was struck by the palm, his body crashing directly into the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust.
"Luffy!" the villagers exclaimed, but laughter soon erupted from the dust cloud.
"Hahaha, that much power isn't enough!" As the dust cleared, Luffy slowly stood up, a bloodstain on his shoulder.
But he seemed to feel no pain at all, a smile still on his lips.
The bloodstain also slowly healed under his powerful physical constitution.
"You die!" Arlong suddenly grabbed the nearby well with both hands, lifting it along with the stone bricks around the wellhead.
"Fish-Man Karate: Water Pillar Frenzy!"
Arlong forcefully drew the well water, stirring up a massive swirling current that rushed towards Luffy like a beast, engulfing him whole.
The swirling current was mixed with countless stones, each capable of smashing human bones.
The villagers were terrified by the sight and retreated repeatedly. Some even closed their eyes, unable to watch.
"Luffy…" Nami whispered, her eyes full of worry.
However, just when everyone thought Luffy would be defeated, a resolute voice cut through the roar of the swirling water.
"Gum-Gum Axe!"
In the current, Luffy leaped high, his right leg stretching into the air, then he chopped down fiercely. The immense force directly split the whirlpool in half.
The resulting shockwave also violently pushed Arlong back.
Arlong staggered back several steps, a look of shock on his face.
He looked up at Luffy, only to see that the other's eyes were filled with unwavering determination.
"No matter how much you struggle, you can't win." Luffy's voice was low, but it carried an irresistible power.
Luffy stood still, took a deep breath, and raised both hands high.
"Gum-Gum Gatling!"
Countless fist shadows rained down on Arlong like a storm, each punch carrying immense power.
Arlong's body fell to the ground, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
He tried to stand up but ultimately collapsed powerlessly.
"It's over!" Luffy said, his voice not loud, but it echoed throughout the entire village entrance.
The villagers initially stood stunned, then erupted into thunderous cheers.
Their eyes were filled with excitement and tears, cheering for Luffy's victory and for finally being free from Arlong's rule.
Nami walked up to Luffy, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Thank you, Luffy." She choked out.
Luffy grinned, gently patting Nami's shoulder.
"From now on, I won't allow anyone to make my navigator cry!"
"Well done, Luffy!" Kai and Zoro's group also came forward, praising Luffy.
Luffy and Arlong were not on the same level of strength; victory was a given.
Luffy hadn't even been serious, not even fully unleashing his true strength.
"Zoro, don't forget the 20 million Berry bounty on his head!" Kai reminded Zoro.
"Don't worry!" Zoro gave Kai a look that said, "You can trust me to handle it."
The villagers of Cocoyasi Village swarmed around Luffy, tossing him high into the air.
"Get ready for a feast!"
With Arlong's defeat, the gloom hanging over Cocoyasi Village completely dissipated.
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