Genzo stared at Kuroobi's defeated form—his head still embedded deep in the cracked earth. The sight felt unreal. The very same Fish-man who had carved those scars across Genzo's body, the one whose brutality had haunted his nightmares for years… had just been crushed by a young boy. Crushed completely, effortlessly.
His breath trembled.
At that moment, Nojiko hurried to his side, a folded sheet of paper in her hand. She pressed it into Genzo's palm. "Don't you remember this?" she said softly. "Or have you forgotten already? That young boy who just left—he's Gojo Satoru."
Genzo blinked, then looked down at the paper. It was the same newspaper he had read a few days ago. The headlines came rushing back: a young boy annihilating the entire fleet of the infamous Krieg Pirates… killing their captain and officers… claiming their massive bounty. The image printed there showed the same white-haired boy with black glasses.
The moment Genzo saw it again, the realization hit him hard. So that's why he looked familiar…
All this time, ever since Gojo had appeared in the village, Genzo had felt a strange familiarity—like he had seen the boy somewhere before. But that feeling had been buried under his fear of the Fish-men and the shock of an unfamiliar, impossibly powerful stranger showing up uninvited.
Now, with Kuroobi defeated and the danger momentarily lifted, his memory finally clicked into place.
Genzo stared at Gojo's picture in the newspaper for several long minutes. Slowly, a new expression formed on his face—determination, firm and unshakable. He rose to his feet and turned toward the villagers still clutching their makeshift weapons—sticks, kitchen knives, farming tools, anything they had found earlier when they believed they needed to attack Gojo.
Genzo took a deep breath. "I know what all of you are feeling right now," he began, his voice steady despite the tremor in the air. "I know you're afraid. Afraid of what will happen when Arlong finds out someone killed so many Fish-men."
He looked around, meeting their eyes one by one.
"And yes… he will definitely be angry. But I don't care." His voice hardened. "We've lived long enough under the suppression of the Arlong Pirates. If things continue like this, we won't even be able to gather enough money for their tribute. And all this time… a young girl has carried the burden of trying to free us." His jaw tightened at the thought of Nami.
"I say—now is our chance." He lifted his chin. "Whatever you have in your hands… use it. Stand with that young man who, by fate, came here today. Support him, so that we can finally become free. Let's help him fight Arlong and defeat him!"
Silence fell over the village.
For a few seconds, no one spoke, no one moved. The villagers looked at each other, uncertainty written across their faces. Genzo felt his heart sink. Are they still too afraid? Have they been beaten down for too long?
But even if they couldn't move past their fear, he could.
Genzo had already made up his mind.
Without another word, he turned and marched to his house. Moments later he emerged again, gripping his old sabre—polished, sharpened, and ready. His stance said everything: he was prepared to fight the Arlong Pirates, even if he had to stand alone.
…
Genzo stepped out of his house, sabre in hand, ready to stand alone if he had to. But the moment he looked up, he stopped in his tracks.
All the villagers were already gathered. Every single one of them. They held their makeshift weapons—sticks, kitchen knives, farming tools—and though their hands trembled, their eyes no longer carried hopeless fear. They carried conviction.
The same timid man who had earlier revealed Gojo's presence out of fear stepped forward. His voice shook, but it was steady with resolve. "We may fear the Arlong Pirates… but Genzo, we are not spineless. If you're going to fight them, then I'm right behind you."
He swallowed, guilt flashing across his face. "I only told them about that boy because I didn't want Nami's hard work—her sweat, her tears, everything she's endured to gather that 100 million Beli to free us—to go to waste. At first, I doubted that any boy, no matter how strong, could stand against the Arlong Pirates. But when he defeated one of their strongest men in a single blow… I realized this is our chance. Our best chance."
A chorus of voices rose around him—the villagers agreeing, their earlier fear replaced with something fiercer.
Genzo's eyes stung. He blinked rapidly, but tears still formed, tracing down his cheeks. He lifted his sabre, fire burning in his gaze. "Then let's go. Today… either we die, or we become free!"
With Genzo at the front, the people of Cocoyashi Village rallied behind him, stepping forward together toward the path that would decide their fate.
…
Chew sprinted down the road toward Arlong Park, his breaths ragged and uneven. Every few seconds he looked over his shoulder—and every time, Gojo was there. Always at the exact same distance. No matter how much Chew sped up, slowed down, stumbled, or pushed forward, Gojo remained fixed behind him like a shadow that refused to be shaken.
It wasn't an accident. Chew knew it. Gojo was deliberately letting him run.
He stayed far enough behind to avoid pushing Chew into despair and making him fight… yet close enough that the message was clear: If you don't keep running, you die.
And for the sake of protection from his captain, Chew had no choice but to run with everything he had left.
Finally—breath burning in his chest, legs aching—Chew burst through the entrance of Arlong Park.
…
Inside, Arlong was lounging in his usual place, speaking with Captain Nezumi of the local Marine base. Nezumi's voice was dripping with irritation as he adjusted his coat. "The young boy who destroyed your scout ship still hasn't been caught by your subordinates? It seems he's gone into hiding the moment he heard your name."
Arlong was already in a foul mood, his sharp teeth grinding together as he remembered the report: three of his Fish-man brethren dead, and even his pet Momoo injured. His voice was low and simmering with anger as he replied to Nezumi, "He won't escape from me. I've sent my officers to capture that boy immediately. I'll show him the consequences a filthy human faces for daring to lay a hand on us Fish-men."
Nezumi twitched slightly at the word filthy, clearly not liking the insult toward humans. But the stack of money he regularly received from Arlong mattered far more. So he simply nodded, pretending to agree.
At that moment, the peace of Arlong Park shattered.
Chew came bursting in, running at full speed before collapsing to his knees in front of Arlong and Nezumi. They were seated casually with a pot of tea between them, but the sight of Chew's panicked, trembling form made Arlong shoot to his feet.
"What happened to you?" Arlong demanded, eyes narrowing.
Chew gasped for breath, every word shaking out of him. "H-He destroyed all of us… killed the Fish-men… h-he's following me…" His voice cracked, terrified and broken.
Arlong leaned forward. "Who are you talking about?"
The answer didn't come from Chew.
A calm voice rose from behind him—steady, clear, and close.
"It was me," Gojo said.
He stepped into Arlong Park, following the exact path Chew had taken, his presence filling the space like a sudden shift in pressure.
Arlong turned toward Gojo, his glare sharpening. Gojo stood there calmly—sunglasses on, black shirt and pants perfectly in place, his black coat hanging loosely in his hand. He had opened it earlier while running behind Chew, and now it swayed lightly at his side.
Gojo tilted his head. "I mean, you really are quite worthless, right?" he said to Chew, voice almost casual. "You took so long to run here."
Before Chew could even react, Gojo simply… vanished.
In the next instant, he was behind Chew, one hand clamped firmly around the Fish-man's neck.
Arlong's pupils shrank. He hadn't seen the movement at all. He's fast, Arlong thought, a rare sliver of unease settling into his chest.
Gojo tightened his grip, pressure building against Chew's throat as the Fish-man kicked and clawed helplessly.
"Let him go!" Arlong roared, rage surging through him at the sight of one of his officers being handled like prey.
Gojo didn't even glance at him.
With a sharp twist—crack—Chew's neck snapped. His body went limp, and Gojo released him without ceremony. Chew collapsed onto the ground at Arlong's feet, lifeless.
----
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