"Where do you think you're going?"
High in the sky, Lin En returned to his human form, grabbing Captain Nezumi by the neck. A wicked grin spread across his face.
This rat really had some luck—he actually survived that thunderfire.
"I'm a Captain of the 16th Branch of the Navy! Let me go! I have the backing of the World Government!"
Captain Nezumi gasped for air, trying to sound intimidating, but his trembling eyes gave him away.
"If I was afraid of the government, why would I have ever set out to sea?"
Lin En tightened his grip around the man's neck. His smile widened.
"N-No...!"
In Nezumi's widening pupils, pressure surged like a vice on his throat.
Crack!
With a clean snap, the joint between his neck and skull broke under the force.
The light faded from Captain Nezumi's eyes.His pupils rolled back—dead.
"What a miserable end."
Lin En tossed the corpse onto the deck of the Merry and casually rifled through his pockets. Raising his brows slightly, he turned to Nami and flashed a warm, sunny smile.
"Nami, found 100,000 Beli—use it as pocket change."
"Ugh~"
Nami finally snapped back to her senses. Her nose twitched, and she threw herself into Lin En's arms.
"Thank you, Lin En."
"Hold the thanks for now."
Lin En turned toward the sea, his smile brightening even more.
"You guys hungry? Let's have grilled sea bull."
"What?" Nami and Kaya were stunned.
"Look, there's something big in the water."
Stuffing the money into Nami's hands, Lin En walked to the edge of the ship.
Right at that moment—
The water beside the Merry suddenly bulged, and a colossal figure surged from below the surface.
"That's... a sea beast!?"
Kaya and Nami gasped, covering their mouths as the enormous bull-like head broke through the water.
"No—it's Mohmoo!"
Nami's face changed drastically as she recognized the creature.
"Mohmoo?" Kaya blinked in confusion and looked toward her.
Nami bit her lip. Her pretty face turned grim.
"Mohmoo the Sea Bull… he's a member of Arlong's crew."
"Eh?"
Kaya was stunned. That gentle-looking creature was a pirate's underling?
But Mohmoo didn't seem concerned with Nami's hostility.
Ever since surfacing, its eyes had been locked on Lin En—burning with frustration.
Clearly—
The thunderfire Lin En had launched earlier had singed the beast, and it wasn't about to let that go.
Just then, standing in the shadow of the enormous creature, Lin En tilted his head and asked:
"Hey... what do you think grilled sea bull pizzle tastes like?"
Nami & Kaya: ???
For a moment, the enraged Mohmoo felt a chilling, malevolent intent surge toward it.
A full-body shiver ran down its spine. Cold sweat poured from its massive head.
Then, its vision blurred.
Lin En had vanished.
In the blink of an eye—he appeared above Mohmoo, his body wreathed in radiant violet lightning.
Grilled... Sea Bull!!
Zzzzzt—!!
A torrent of fire and lightning expanded a dozenfold, engulfing the beast entirely.
Mohmoo shuddered violently as arcs of lightning cracked open its flesh in streaks of blood.
Its pupils spasmed wildly.Moments later, its eyes rolled back and its tongue—roasted and limp—lolled from its mouth.Smoke curled from its body.
With a loud crash, it slammed into the sea, creating a mini-tsunami.
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go-go-go!"
Lin En used his water control to keep the carcass afloat, grabbed a long blade, and got to work.
Only after a productive harvest did he return to the ship, smiling as he tossed a perfectly roasted, odorless something onto the deck.
His expression turned serious:
"This part's only good for men. You two—don't even think about touching it!"
Nami's stomach turned. She scowled and retorted:
"Are you a caveman? You'd eat that?"
"Seriously! So gross." Kaya backed her up immediately.
"Tch. What do you two know?" Lin En snorted, igniting a fire with a flick of his hand.
"This is prime protein!"
"Every part of a sea bull is precious. This part's mine. You two can tell me what you want—I'll carve it up fresh."
Both girls waved him off quickly, clearly queasy.
Lin En ignored them and continued skewering roasted bits.
Roast. Skewer. Season. Devour.
He feasted happily.
Nami and Kaya exchanged a helpless look and eventually fetched some salad from the kitchen to sit beside him and eat.
Bellies full and spirits high, the three of them didn't bother with Mohmoo's floating remains and resumed their course toward the Conomi Islands.
But as Lin En glanced back at the frog-like creature doing butterfly strokes in the distance, he clicked his tongue.
"Morgans is a birdman, but he has frogmen under him?"
"No wonder they call it the Beast News Agency."
Marinford, Navy Headquarters – Noon.
The sun beat down on the magnificent and solemn Marine HQ.
Inside the grand building's topmost office—
"What? Aokiji and Akainu are fighting again? Those two bastards..."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku slammed the desk in fury as the officer reported.
"They're always 'sparring'—it's embarrassing! Go stop them!"
"...Me? You want me to stop them?"
Vice Admiral Brandnew twitched visibly. He almost committed seppuku on the spot.
"Hahaha! Who cares? Fighting makes you stronger."
A booming laugh echoed from the sofa nearby.
There sat a towering, muscular man with bronze skin, white hair, and blue eyes.
He chewed on Sengoku's senbei with total disregard.
"Those two always spar—it's a good thing. You need to lighten up, Sengoku."
"A good thing? Fine, let's spar right now!"
Sengoku snarled. "Your damn grandson is causing me enough trouble. I've got a score to settle!"
Garp: "..."