Even after ruling more than twenty nearby villages after years of extorting ten thousand Berries per adult and five thousand per child after bribing the Marines and maintaining his sprawling empire—
Arlong had only managed to save a little over two billion Berries.
And now this human—this man who appeared from nowhere was demanding half of it in one breath?
That was absurd.
"Hmm?"
Ron's smile faded in an instant.
"Is that… a problem?"
His tone was calm, but his gaze turned sharp—like the flash of a blade.
Arlong's fins twitched. His instincts screamed danger.
Without thinking, he nodded so fast it looked painful.
"N-no! No problem at all! Ten billion Berries—it's only right!" he stammered.
He turned sharply toward Chew, his voice cracking.
"Go! Bring ten billion Berries! Now!"
Ron's smirk returned.
He gave a slow, approving nod.
"Good answer."
The villagers and Nojiko could only stare.
They had never imagined that Arlong—the tyrant who ruled their lives for eight long years—would so quickly fold before another man's will.
Ten billion Berries, given up like spare change.
Just how much blood had he spilled to hoard such a fortune?
Ron turned his gaze to Nami, his voice taking on a teasing lilt.
"Nami… what do you think? Satisfied with ten billion Berries in compensation?"
Nami's eyes shimmered with tears.
She couldn't even find the words to respond.
Her nightmares were over—because of him.
He had done what she never dared to dream possible.
Her heart trembled.
He'd demanded ten billion Berries over her tears…as if to say every drop she shed had value.
She bit her lip softly, a faint warmth rising in her chest.
"Am I really… that important to him?" she thought.
But Ron wasn't finished.
"Alright," he said, his tone turning calm again.
"That settles the matter of making Nami cry…"
"…but there's still one more thing."
Arlong froze.
That single word—but—made his blood run cold.
He glared upward, teeth bared.
"You—!"
"What about me?" Ron cut him off.
His voice turned to ice.
"The debt of a mother's blood… how shall we settle that?"
The words struck the courtyard like thunder.
Every villager fell silent.
Even Nami stopped breathing.
"Since Nami is my navigator," Ron continued,
"then her family… is my family."
"And her family's killer…"
He pressed his boot harder against Arlong's chest.
"…owes me an answer."
It wasn't rage that drove his voice—it was conviction.
For Ron, killing Arlong would be simple.
But letting him off lightly?
That would insult everything Nami had endured.
He wanted every ounce of pain, fear, and arrogance in Arlong's heart to be ground into dust.
Arlong's face twisted.
"What do you want now?" he spat, hatred burning behind his eyes.
"Simple," Ron said.
"Another ten billion Berries—for the emotional damage you caused Nami and Nojiko."
The courtyard went dead silent.
"W-what!?"
Arlong nearly choked on his own fury.
But Ron's expression didn't change.
He wasn't bargaining. He was declaring.
"Ten billion," he said again. "That's my final offer."
Arlong wanted to scream, to fight, to kill.
But Ron's foot was still crushing his chest, pinning him like a bug.
He knew.
One wrong move and he was dead.
His pride warred with his survival instinct—and survival won.
"I'll… I'll pay!" he hissed through clenched teeth.
"Hatchan! Bring another ten billion Berries!"
Nami and Nojiko stood frozen.
Ron turned to them, smiling faintly.
"So? Does that feel more fair?"
The sisters could only nod, eyes glistening.
Gratitude flooded their hearts.
They didn't know how to thank him and Ron didn't expect them to.
"For now," he said quietly, "this matter's settled."
Arlong exhaled shakily, relief flooding his body.
It was over. Finally—
"Or is it?"
The cold voice froze him in place.
"Hmm," Ron murmured. "You humiliated my navigator. You dared to make her cry."
He tilted his head, eyes glinting with amusement.
"Tell me, Arlong… doesn't that mean you've disrespected me?"
Arlong's veins bulged.
He could no longer contain his fury.
"Enough!" he roared.
"Kill me if you dare! Jinbei will—"
He didn't finish.
Ron's foot came down, slamming into his chest with crushing force.
CRACK!
Blood sprayed from Arlong's mouth. His body convulsed violently.
"Jinbei?" Ron said flatly.
"What is he to me?"
He leaned closer, his eyes like steel.
"You take people's hope… and destroy it with your own hands."
"Now tell me—doesn't that sound familiar?"
He smiled faintly.
"I'm simply returning the favor, Arlong. That's all."
"YOU—!"
Kuroobi roared from the sidelines.
Watching his captain humiliated before everyone's eyes snapped the last thread of his restraint.
He lunged forward, muscles bulging, fists clenched.
"You'll pay for this, human!"
He charged, unleashing a barrage of strikes each one faster, stronger, and heavier than the last.
"Fishman Karate—Forty Styles!"
His blows rained down like cannon fire.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
But Ron didn't move.
Didn't dodge.
Didn't even blink.
Nojiko gasped.
"Ron—why isn't he moving!?"
Nami's voice was calm, steady.
"Don't worry."
She wiped her tears and looked up, a small, confident smile returning to her face.
"For someone like him… that's just a light breeze."
And she was right.
Each strike landed harmlessly, not even denting Ron's coat.
Meanwhile, Kuroobi's fists began to swell and throb in pain.
Every blow he landed only hurt him more.
"Come on," Ron said lightly. "Don't stop now."
His tone was almost encouraging—mockingly so.
"Keep going. Don't hold back."
Kuroobi's eyes went red with rage.
"Damn you!" he shouted, throwing his entire body into one last punch.
"Thousand-Fist Strike!"
The blow slammed into Ron's chest with an earth-shaking crack!