The thunderous crash behind her didn't faze Kuina.
She stepped forward, passing under Arlong's arm, her sword arcing upward toward his exposed chest.
Arlong knew he was in trouble the moment his strike missed. A veteran of the Grand Line, his battle instincts screamed that dodging Kuina's blade was impossible. So he didn't try.
Eyes blazing with malice, he lowered his head, aiming to impale Kuina with his serrated nose. "Die!"
If he could land this, her slash would be worth it.
But Kuina wasn't giving him the chance.
Her eyes flashed red, halting her charge. Spinning right, she stepped back, positioning herself at Arlong's left flank. Her sword, mid-swing, circled back into its scabbard.
Arlong couldn't fathom it—how she stopped mid-rush, predicting his nose strike like a seer. No time to think, his momentum carried his head crashing toward the ground.
Kuina raised her right foot. As Arlong's head dipped, she delivered a skyward kick to his chin.
WHAM!
A shockwave rippled outward from the impact.
The blow rolled Arlong's blood-red eyes white, lifting his massive frame off the ground.
As he ascended, Kuina retracted her right foot, pivoted, and twisted her waist. Her left foot whipped out, slamming into Arlong's side.
BOOM!
A louder thud echoed, a fiercer shockwave surging.
"Pfft!" Arlong spewed blood.
The kick redirected his rising body, hurling him toward the tower building. He crashed through the structure, slamming into the rear wall.
"Pfft!" Another blood spray marked the impact.
Slumped against the wall, Arlong coughed violently, clutching his side, head shaking. "Cough, cough, cough!"
The kick had caused internal injuries and jogged his memory—her uncanny dodging was no fluke. Lifting his head, the red in his eyes faded, replaced by shock.
Through the gaping hole in the building, he stared at Kuina. "Observation Haki, isn't it?"
Kuina frowned, puzzled. Had the blow rattled him? His voice was faint. "What'd you say?"
Arlong, recovering, stood straighter, reaching into his mouth to yank out his teeth. Each new set grew sharper than the last, until his jaws gleamed with steel-like fangs.
He glared at Kuina, roaring, "Think Observation Haki makes you untouchable? One bite from these teeth, and I'll crush you instantly!"
Bending his knees, he launched forward, headfirst like a torpedo.
Kuina's cold eyes flicked with disdain. To others, Arlong's speed was blinding, but to her, it was sluggish. She sidestepped effortlessly, dodging the charge.
Unbeknownst to her, Arlong wasn't aiming for a fight to the death.
The moment he realized she wielded Haki, he knew even burning his life wouldn't win. A Grand Line veteran, he understood Haki's dominance—untouchable foes who could strike you down. Against a swordmaster, no less.
Seeing the waterway near, Arlong's heart eased. The sea was his domain. Fish-Men doubled in strength and speed there. He'd hide in the deep, wait out these monsters, and reclaim his island tyranny.
"Hm?" Confusion hit. The waterway, moments ago at hand, remained distant. He felt like he was flying, yet stuck in place.
Then he noticed the silver-haired human from the wall, now beside him.
"Whoops, almost let you slip away. That was scary!" Sora feigned shock, eyeing Arlong, trapped in his spatial domain.
"What's this ability?" Arlong realized the issue. He was moving, but space itself stretched, keeping him in place—not frozen, but endlessly distant from his goal.
He halted, standing at the pool's edge, one step from the sea. Yet that step was an uncrossable chasm. Facing Sora, his arrogance vanished, replaced by terror.
At that moment, a bull-bodied, fish-tailed Sea King erupted from the ocean, roaring, charging toward Sora at the pool's edge.
Arlong's eyes lit up, hope flickering. But the next instant crushed it.
Sora didn't glance at the Sea King. He drew Zankuu, slashed, and sheathed it in one fluid motion. A silver-gray flying slash cleaved the beast in two.
Arlong's pupils shrank, speech stuttering. He knew what such a colossal slash meant. "G-G-Great… Great swordsman."
Sora grinned, voice teasing. "Guess what this trapping ability is. Get it right, and there's a prize!"
"S-Spatial… Devil Fruit," Arlong stammered, trembling.
Sora stroked his chin, then smiled. "Wrong. Time for a penalty."
"What penalty? How about… death? Sound good?"
His playful tone carried cruel finality.
Arlong didn't respond, silenced by the crushing spatial pressure. Sora nodded. "No answer? Guess you agree."
"I agree to nothing!" Arlong's eyes mixed terror and fury, but he thrashed like a drowning man, helpless.
"Kuina, your turn!" Sora called, grinning.
Kuina pouted, glaring at Arlong. This jerk nearly embarrassed me in front of Sora. If he'd escaped, I'd never hear the end of it.
She approached, drawing her sword, angling it for Arlong's neck—a beheading.
Arlong felt the blade's approach, struggling harder, his once-ferocious gaze now pitiful and humiliated. Dying like this, trapped, was worse than falling in battle.
The blade flashed across his neck. His thrashing stopped, eyes clinging to life, but it was futile.
Sora, confirming Arlong's death, released the spatial domain. Arlong's massive body slumped into the pool.
Splash!
A modest splash—Arlong would've scored high in a water-carrying contest. His head and body parted.
He'd never imagined dying in East Blue, beheaded like a fish on a cutting board. Such was the fate of a fish.
(End of Chapter)