Left on the sidelines, Tom bit a finger for a moment, then decided to do what he could—rescue Camie.
When the fight started, the sack containing Camie was set on the ground. She wriggled across the floor like a giant caterpillar.
Tom casually crossed the battlefield and approached the sack, strolling as if in his own backyard.
Pressing Camie's head through the sack, Tom flicked out a claw from his finger and sliced the rope sealing the sack. Up close, his claws glinted like small knives.
A small green-haired head peeked out as the sack was lowered, revealing her human torso and mermaid tail.
"Mmm..." Camie's hands were tied behind her, her mouth sealed, her big eyes full of hope as she looked at Tom.
Tom freed her, then donned his swordsman outfit.
"Ahh… thank you, Tom! I felt like I was suffocating!" Camie panted.
Tom politely removed his hat and began considering which opponent to deal with first.
In truth, Marcolo's crew was already struggling; Tom's help wasn't strictly necessary.
But just then, another group jumped in to stir trouble.
"Ha ha ha, ten-thousand-kilogram pressure!" Miss Valentine aimed at Rui Meng Meng and the fishman Tans below.
Her technique involved first reducing her weight to one kilogram, floating briefly with an open umbrella, then closing it and increasing her weight to ten thousand kilograms as she dropped down.
Though scientifically impossible, it obeyed a kind of physics—she had a free-fall acceleration phase.
The time from her shout to impact allowed Rui Meng Meng to react, a move even Zoro could dodge while chatting.
Rui Meng Meng quickly leapt out of range, but Tans wasn't so lucky and got hit squarely.
With a loud thud, Tans fell, one hand flailing helplessly: "S…so heavy!"
"Ha ha ha!" Miss Valentine perched on Tans' back, introducing her ability like many small-time pirates: "I'm a Kilogram Fruit user. My weight can vary from one kilogram to ten thousand kilograms. Now it's ten thousand—enjoy!"
Tans, crushed under ten thousand kilograms, rolled his eyes before she finished speaking. Rui Meng Meng watched the new enemy warily.
"Don't worry, you two are next!" Miss Valentine laughed and leapt again.
"Tans!" the other two fishmen shouted. Zhang Da Ye also stared in surprise; she looked familiar.
Next, two voices shouted simultaneously:
"Booger Cannon!"
"Extra-Large Candle Wall!"
A torrent of white liquid erupted sideways, solidifying into a wall over thirty meters wide and ten meters high.
The wall blocked Tom and Camie on one side, others on the other side, also giving Miss Valentine a landing platform.
Meanwhile, a small black sphere flew toward Artoria's back.
Sensing danger, Artoria first felled Marcolo, then instinctively swung back with her sword.
The small sphere split in two as expected, flying to either side behind her—a precise, perfect strike.
But seeing what it was, her hand trembled: "I… I just cut boogers…"
Artoria, battle-hardened, had fought humans and tentacle monsters, but never this. Who attacks with boogers?
Boom! Boom!
The halved boogers exploded, hot waves blowing Artoria's hair and skirt, and causing secondary damage to Marcolo on the ground.
Zhang Da Ye felled his opponent, the Goldfish Sword technique full of openings.
Then he saw the afro-sporting glasses-wearing figure striking boogers.
If the two weren't enough to trigger memory, the "3" hairstyle firmly did:
"Mr. 3? Wait… Baroque Works? Mr. 3 and Mr. 5?"
Mr. 3's unique hair and near appointment as vice emperor were memorable. Mr. 5, the booger guy, was distinctive too.
As for the weight-shifting woman, Zhang Da Ye couldn't recall if her codename was Valentine or Christmas.
Surprised at being recognized, the two continued their mission.
"You can recognize us, impressive," Mr. 5 said, picking his nose.
Mr. 3 ignored him, disappearing behind the candle wall: "Candle Shackles! Candle Sphere!"
White wax formed shackles, binding Tom's hands and feet and Camie's hands. Both fell, losing balance, then a white candle sphere encased them.
Tom, poking the sudden wall, didn't notice the ambush. Camie didn't notice either. They were trapped in wax, plunged into darkness.
They didn't scream; Camie had been swallowed by a sea beast before, this feeling was familiar.
Tom, experienced, wasn't worried about such a small-scale scene.
Seeing Mr. 3's actions, Zhang Da Ye understood the target was Tom and Camie. He instinctively reacted, then realized there was no rush.
"Booger Cannon!"
Mr. 5, regardless of urgency, launched boogers toward Zhang Da Ye's direction.
Boom!
The small booger exploded with tremendous force. Zhang Da Ye stepped back, shielding his face.
The heat blew his clothes around. Though unharmed, the thought of booger-air smearing his face was disgusting.
A representative "low damage, highly insulting" move!
Rui Meng Meng wanted to bypass the candle wall to help Tom and Camie, but Miss Valentine jumped: "Ten-Thousand-Kilogram Guillotine!"
She increased her weight to ten thousand kilograms and dropped with a downward leg strike.
Against Brook, he'd gladly stand still and shatter bones under her skirt—but Rui Meng Meng was more careful, easily dodging to prepare for a counterattack.
Zhang Da Ye targeted Mr. 5, recalling his weak martial arts, and charged: "Let's cut this disgusting guy first! Artoria, Tom and Camie are yours."
"Understood." Artoria recovered from cutting the booger with her Victory Sword, her skirt armor glowing with magic, sword enveloped in Wind King Barrier.
These Devil Fruit users were strange. Not knowing the "3" guy's specifics, she stayed cautious, avoiding hitting disgusting things directly.
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A/N: Marcolo's crew weren't original characters—they were actual mermaid traffickers and former Sun Pirates.
After Jinbei became Shichibukai, the Sun Pirates split into three: Jinbei, Arlong, and Marcolo. Marcolo was the weakest, realistically not stronger than Hatchan.
That left most of the Sun Pirates as weaklings.
Marcolo once kidnapped Hatchan while he was injured, threatening Camie, who then encountered Luffy. No need to elaborate further.
The cover story also showed them exchanging Camie for Hatchan using a secret takoyaki map—explaining why Hatchan can make takoyaki.