Seeing that Zero had finished his task and the only people still alive were Nezumi, Nojiko, Genzo, and his group, Austin canceled his 'Predator Mode'.
After letting go of Nezumi's neck, prompting him to fall to the ground, still trembling from what he had just witnessed, Austin smirked and said, " Now, let's start from the beginning."
" I will be asking questions, and you have to answer them. Is it clear ?!" Austin stated while looking down at Nezumi. The latter quickly nodded, indicating his understanding.
" Good!" Austin nodded in approval, " Now, why are you here ?!"
" I...have come to .. confiscate all the property stolen ...by a thief living here," Nezumi answered with a trembling voice.
" Humm," Austin looked at Sebas and said, " Get me some chair. This is gonna be long."
Sebas nodded and went to Nojiko's house. He found three chairs inside, so he took one for Austin and left.
" Here, my lord," Sebas said as he positioned the chair for Austin to sit on.
" Thanks!" Austin sat on the chair while Sebas stayed on his left, and Zero stood close to Nezumi. As for Brain, he was ordered to guard the area around the orchard, so he wasn't present at the scene.
" I will ask again " Austin glanced at the trembling Nezumi and questioned, " Why are you here ?! "
" As I said, I have come here...to confiscate all the property stolen ...by a thief living here," Nezumi replied nervously.
" I see, " Austin looked at Zero, saying, " Break his arm."
Before Nezumi could even respond or protest, Zero grabbed his right arm and broke it easily. Nezumi started screaming as he held his broken arm while Nojiko and Genzo trembled at this sight.
" From now on, every time you lie, one of your limbs will be broken. And if all your limbs are broken, your head will be next!" Austin grinned evilly and said, " Which means you have only 3 other chances left before you die... So, think carefully ... before you reply next time!"
" The Navy...will definitely not... let you off," Nezumi screamed hysterically.
" Wrong answer again!" Austin narrowed his eye and nodded at Zero again, and the latter broke the left arm of Nezumi, who started screaming more as he cried from the pain.
" Now, I will ask again," Austin asked in a deep voice " Why are you here ?!"
This time Nezumi was truly frightened and knew there was no way out, so he told the truth, stating that he was sent by Arlong to take Nami's collected treasures to prevent her from redeeming her village freedom.
This, however, made Nojiko and Genzo very angry as this confirmed their previous doubts when they heard Nezumi mention precisely 100 million. Clearly, he knew beforehand how much money he was looking for.
" I see! What were you gonna do with all that money?!" Austin asked while smiling, which made Nezumi swallow his saliva as he responded nervously.
" I...was going to give it...all to Arlong," Nezumi said, sweating all over his body, clearly lying again.
Austin smiled in response and nodded at Zero, but before Zero could do anything, Nezumi yelled, " Wait!.. Wait!... I lied...I lied"
Zero glanced at Austin, who shook his head as he looked at Nezumi and asked, " So ?"
" We were going to split it between us, .... 30% for me and the rest for Arlong!" Nezumi yelled desperately, " I swear it's the truth."
" Hmm, good!" Austin asked the last question, " When did you start working with Arlong, and what did you get in return?"
" 8 years ago!" Nezumi hesitated before adding, " I get 5 million Berries monthly."
" Hmm, I see " Austin nodded before stating, " Any last words ?!"
" Huh?!" Nezumi responded with confused gazes.
Just as he understood what those words meant, and before he could yell or beg for his life, Zero broke his neck, killing him on the spot.
" A scum will always be scum," Austin said with disdain as he looked down at Nezumi's corpse. " It will be a sin toward this world if I let someone like you live any longer."
Austin then glanced around and found Nojiko and Genzo still standing on their spot, petrified and looking at him with disbelief and fear.
" My lord, what do we do with the corpses? " Zero asked.
" Take care of them, " Austin glanced at Zero with a knowing look, prompting the latter to smile and nod in response before leaving to gather the corpses so that he could 'destroy' them.
Just as Austin was about to talk to the terrified Nojiko and Genzo, he sensed something with his 'Observation Haki', which made him smile and look at the orchard's entrance.
It didn't take long before Brain appeared dragging three fishmen. Two were already dead, while the last one was heavily injured.
" My lord, I found these three spying on this place, " Brain said as he pointed at the two bodies and the injured Fishman.
" Hoo!" Austin exclaimed, glancing at the injured one, asking playfully, " Why were you coming here ?!"
" 'cough cough' I will...not speak to you...human!" The injured Fishman coughed some blood before spitting on the ground in a clear act of defiance.
" I see!" Austin narrowed his eye in response and said, " So you were coming here to ensure that scum Nezumi has done his job properly, right?"
" How..did..you...know!" The Fishman blurted out quickly, but soon he recognized his mistake and quickly shut his mouth. But alas, he had already revealed his purpose.
" So, I was right " Austin nodded to Brain, who unleashed his sword in response.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Knowing he was bound to die and that there was no other way out, the Fishman yelled, " Arlong...will avenge us!"
" Yeah, don't worry. Where ever the fuck are you going next to ... Arlong will soon be coming to meet you there! " Brain scoffed before beheading the Fishman.
Seeing that even the fishmen were not sparred and died at the hands of these strangers made Nojiko and Genzo more afraid. But they also had some hope, a hope that these monsters would exterminate all the fishmen and free them from their miseries.
Austin suddenly stood up, which gained him the attention of everyone present. He looked at the Fishmen's corpses and declared in a powerful voice. " These fuckers have gone too far in their madness."
" So in my name, Ray D Austin, Captain of Black Storm Pirates and the future Pirates king," Austin stated his verdict in a deep voice, " I declare war on Arlong Pirates!"
" Ho!" Brain and Sebas kneeled in response to their lord's verdict. While on the other hand, Nojiko and Genzo stood rooted on their spot, not knowing how to respond to this bold declaration.
" Brain!" Austin called to which Brain responded, " Yes, my lord!"
" Take care of those scums in Arlong park," Austin said.
Sebas, the most gentle one of Austin's subordinates, stepped forward and interjected, " My lord, please let me take care of this!"
The old butler was truly enraged and disgusted by Arlong pirates, especially after witnessing the tragic state of Gosa village, which is why he stepped forward and pleaded to be the one sent forward for this task.
Sebas wants to be the one who cleans the world of this kind of filth with his own hand and sends them to hell himself.
" Hmm!" Austin thought for a moment before agreeing, as this was an excellent chance to test Sebas' abilities. " Alright, Sebas! But kill every one of them, and don't let anyone escape."
" Thank you, my lord! I will not disappoint you! " Sebas bowed deeply in response before going towards Arlong Park to do his task.
" Brain, take care of the remaining Navy soldiers who are still on their ship, but only knock them out" Austin changed Brain's mission." And after you finish, proceed to Arlong Park and wait for us there!"
" Right away, my lord!" Brain responded and departed to Cocyashi's shore, where the Navy ship was docked.
Just as the two of them left, Zero returned, nodding his head, indicating that he had finished gathering the corpses.
" Good work!" Austin praised Zero, who smiled in return.
Austin glanced at the house on the orchard, looked at Nojiko, and asked, " Is this your house ?!"
Nojiko simply nodded, obviously cautious about this stranger.
" Do you mind if you tell me more of Arlong's deeds inside ?!" Austin smiled as he asked to which Nojiko shook her head, indicating she didn't mind.
" Good! Zero, go inside with them. I will be back soon after getting rid of this trash." Austin said before leaving to where Zero left the corpses while dragging the bodies of the three dead fishmen along.
After Austin left, Zero went inside the house, followed by Nojiko and Genzo, who were very nervous and didn't speak a word since Austin's group arrived.
They know that these strangers are really monsters who don't care about the consequences of their actions which is evident just from the fact that a Navy Captain and fishmen alike were killed at their hands.
.....
In Nojiko's house, Zero was sitting on a chair with his hand folded on his chest, and opposite him sat Nojiko and Genzo, who were nervous and silent.
Suddenly they heard someone entering. Zero stood up right away, startling both Nojiko and Genzo, who hurriedly followed suit and stood up as well.
" I apologize. I have kept you waiting." Austin said after entering.
It didn't take him long to reach where Zero had kept all the corpses at. So after he arrived there, he stored all the bodies of the dead Navy soldiers alongside the three fishmen corpses in his Inventory and returned back quickly to the house.
" Please take your seats," Austin smiled and sat on the chair beside Zero while gesturing to rest to follow suit.
Despite being the house's owner, Nojiko sat nervously alongside Genzo while looking at Zero, who now stood behind Austin like a loyal bodyguard.
" Zero take a seat as well," Austin said to Zero.
" I'm good like this, my lord!" Zero answered respectfully.
" Alright!" Austin shook his head and glanced at the nervous Nojiko and Genzo.
" You don't have to be nervous," Austin said, " I'm sorry you had to witness what happened before." Austin paused, adding, " I just hate those kinds of scums."
"It's...Okay," Genzo was the first to speak.
" Good!" Austin nodded before introducing himself " My name is Ray D Austin, Captain of Black Storm Pirates." Austin then pointed at Zero, " This is Zero, one of my crew members. As for the other two, the swordsman is Brain, while the old man's name is Sebas."
Zero nodded at the duo as a gesture of greeting.
" I'm Genzo, the representative of Cocoyashi Village," Genzo said.
" My name is Nojiko," Nojiko answered briefly.
" Nice to meet you," Austin said as he stretched his hand toward the two of them, to which Genzo shook his hand while Nojiko hesitated a little before doing so as well.
" Now, I have some questions I would like to be answered, " Austin said to which both Nojiko and Genzo nodded.
" But before that, I heard that Navy Captain mentioned a girl named Nami," Austin questioned. " So, who is she ?"
" She is ... my sister," Nojiko replied cautiously.
" Ho! Does she perhaps looks like ..." Austin described Nami's features to Nojiko.
" Yes! She is Nami," Nojiko said before remembering something and asking nervously, " Did she steal something from you?!"
" HAHAHA! What do you think? Do you really believe she could steal something for me ?!" Austin laughed and asked playfully back, to which Nojiko shook his head with a bitter smile.
" I have met her before. She is a good girl." Austin paused and smiled gently, " But I didn't expect her hometown to be this island and you to be her sister."
Nojiko was stunned momentarily by Austin's handsome face and charisma, but then she regained her composter after remembering his previous deeds.
" Now, tell me what happened here before and what made a girl like Nami out on the sea, alone and stealing from other pirates," Austin said seriously.
Nojiko sighed as she started narrating Nami's story and what occurred on this island, which Austin already knew from the anime.
" It all goes back to eight years ago...to that day when we were still little children... she was in this village...Nami and I will never forget her as long as we live...her Name was Bellemere..." Nojiko started recounting Nami's story, which Austin already knew.
.....
While Nojiko was narrating her story to Austin, Brain arrived at Cocoyashi village's shore and spotted the docked Navy ship.
He walked toward the ship and was soon stopped by a Navy soldier.
" Oy! where are you going ?!" The Navy soldier asked with a frown on his face.
" Gather all the soldiers on the ship's deck. I have an urgent message to deliver from Captain Nezumi," Brain responded, which made the soldier tense up.
" What message ?!" The soldier questioned cautiously.
" I was told to deliver the message to an officer, and that's also only after all the soldiers gathered together to listen as well, " Brain stated.
" But what message? I can relay it to Lieutenant Commander Rayan," The soldier questioned, apparently suspecting Brain's claim.
" So you are disobeying Captain Nezumi's orders, huh?" Brain narrowed his eyes as he asked back.
The soldier was stunned for a moment before he replied in panic, " No! I don't. Wait here. I will go call everyone!"
The soldier hastily left, not wanting any unnecessary trouble, especially with someone as corrupted as Nezumi.
Moments later, Lieutenant Commander Rayan's team gathered on the deck of the Navy ship, with Rayan at the front.
Brain got on the ship, glanced at the assembled Navy soldiers, 11 in total, including their commander, and smirked slightly, thinking. - ' A bunch of idiots.'
" I'm Lieutenant Commander Rayan!" Rayan looked at Brain from head to toe before asking with a threatening tone, " Now that everyone is here, tell us the Captain's message, and you better not be lying."
" You are really a bunch of idiots, " Brain stated with a smirk.
" Huh? What did you say?!" Rayan looked at Brain in disbelief, but before he could do anything else, Brain slammed his head to the floor, leaving the other 10 soldiers stunned, as they didn't even know what had happened.
Brain then used 'Soru', moving fast and knocking the other soldiers out quickly in a matter of seconds.
After knocking out everyone, Brain stood on the Navy ship's deck, looking down at the unconscious soldiers before shaking his head.
" If it wasn't for my lord's orders, I would have killed you all here." Brain scoffed at these soldiers' idiocy. " What kind of soldiers let themselves get fooled easily like this!"
He shook his and began his other task, which was to move the Navy ship and dock it close to Arlong Park as per his lord's orders.
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