Chapter 92

Luffy manages to successfully counter Arlong's attacks and pummels the fish-man, but Arlong only enters an enraged state and attacks with his sword Kiribachi. Luffy and Arlong's fight takes them into the cartography room inside the main building, and Luffy becomes enraged when Arlong talks about using Nami for his personal gain.

Happiness

Luffy goads Arlong to come out of the pool despite the beatings the fish-man gave him, and Arlong laughs at Luffy's tenacity, wondering if Luffy realized that running away is futile. Usopp yells at Luffy to hide, saying that he'll die if Arlong lands a direct hit on him. However, Luffy makes a shield by horizontally stretching the fingers of his left hand, and Johnny and Yosaku wonder what Luffy is thinking with that. Arlong goes twice as fast as last time as he swims toward Luffy, aiming to skewer his heart, and he sends Luffy flying as he hits him directly, to Johnny and Yosaku's horror. However, Luffy barely manages to stop Arlong's nose from striking him by using his finger shield to block the fish-man's face, and bounces away from Arlong onto the wall of the main building. Luffy tells Arlong that that attack won't work on him anymore, however Arlong catches Luffy by surprise as he jumps up from the collision site (although Luffy just says he got lucky), and leaps at the Straw Hat again in midair. Luffy responds by stretching his fingers to form a net, which catches Arlong, and Luffy then stomps Arlong's chest and sends him crashing into the ground below.

The onlookers rejoice, and Luffy wonders if Arlong is dead, but Arlong's eyes quickly reopen and they are now intense and wild looking. Genzo and Nojiko are unnerved by the sight, and even Nami says that she has never seen his eyes like that before. Sanji notes that they are the same eyes a Sea King has when it goes berserk, and that Luffy's attack just enraged him. Arlong grabs Luffy by the head and slams him into the foot of the building before charging at him. Luffy barely manages to jump over Arlong's punch, but as Arlong punches through the wall of the building, he grabs a giant Zanbato named Kiribachi and pulls it out. Arlong swings Kiribachi at Luffy, and Luffy dodges, but the sword plants itself into the building and allows Arlong to flip and pursue Luffy up the main building. Arlong manages to corner Luffy on an upper level, and Luffy leaps into a window as the fish-man attacks.

Arlong climbs into the room, and Luffy wonders what all the papers around him are. Arlong replies that these are maps that Nami has spent the last eight years drawing, and he praises Nami's ability, but Luffy notes that the pen on Nami's desk is encrusted in blood. Arlong holds Luffy's head between two of Kiribachi's blades as he says that there is no greater happiness for Nami than to make maps for the fish-men to use to conquer the world, and asks Luffy if he could use her any more effectively. In response, Luffy grabs onto one of Kiribachi's blades, rendering Arlong unable to move his sword. Luffy shatters the tooth-like blade with his bare hand, growing angry about Arlong using Nami like a tool.

Mission 73

Going back in time, a younger Billy Squire confronts his daughter, Biddy, about going to a Red Circus protest. Fearing that the group is shady and the government's intolerance for protests, Billy worries his daughter will get hurt or worse. Biddy declares that while she is not scared to die for what she knows is right, she is scared of living in a world where no one is allowed to criticize what is wrong, notably with the government. Billy tells her the real world is not that simple, and Biddy brushes him off. Billy states that he wants to keep their family safe and asks what is wrong with that. Afterward, a stunned Billy finds Biddy's corpse from the aftermath of the protest while a Red Circus member consoles him. As her father, Billy becomes marked by the SSS, and is offered help by the Red Circus to get out of the country.

In the present, Anya has read Billy's mind and witnessed the past he recalls from seeing the children. Tired of waiting like sitting ducks, Vadim suggests to Billy that they get their partner, Bruce, to get moving with the second bus. Because they are avoiding radio contact to prevent giving away his location, Bruce's hostages are their trump card.

At the warehouse hiding the second bus, an SSS agent counts how many people are inside. He makes orders to wait until all six are outside to strike, pointing out Bruce as the leader. Outside the building, a squad consisting of Yuri and two other members wear gas masks while preparing some tear gas, then get orders to move in. Two members are immediately shot and killed, and the tear gas is thrown into the building. As more Red Circus members continue to fall, Bruce attempts to retreat to the bus. Yuri grabs and punches Bruce, then gets shot in the shoulder. He then expresses his disgust with Bruce for hiding behind kids and hits him with a knee strike. The agents report the hostages safe and one wounded, as Yuri's wound gets treated. While screaming out in pain, Yuri questions why he must suffer like this for Anya of all people. As the young man was lacking in motivation, he had an absurdly low threshold for pain.

Back at the first bus, the SSS captain learns about the results of the other bus. The disgruntled police chief gets off the phone and informs the captain that he has transferred command of the situation over to him. The captain thanks him and assures him that they will resolve this quickly. He then sarcastically remarks about laying the groundwork to claim they attempted a peaceful solution. The captain announces to the Red Circus members that their comrades from the second bus are all dead. He then tells them to surrender if they do not wish to meet the same fate as them, giving them until dawn to make their choice.

Vadim bursts out in anger, while Billy simply says they failed. Vadim and their partner tell him not to give up already, Vadim reminding him of their friends, goals of reviving the Red Circus and teaching Ostania a lesson, and his daughter. While Billy agrees to keep going, Vadim sees that he is completely shaken and cannot be counted on anymore. Vadim thinks that in the worst-case scenario, he will use their last resort: blowing up the bus and all the hostages with it.

Hearing his thoughts, Anya is shocked by this plan. Vadim plans on timing the blast to blow away the strike force as soon as they come charging in. Anya also hears the thoughts of the SSS guard regiment outside, ready to kill the Red Circus members in the bus. The SSS captain orders them to prepare to storm the bus, but the police chief protests, as he had told them they had until dawn. The captain states they will be attacking during the night, sick of playing games with the terrorists. He then orders the teams into positions, telling them to keep hostage casualties to a minimum.

As the Secret Police get closer to the bus, Anya worries they will all explode when the terrorists find out. Determined to do something about this, Anya bravely gets up from her seat with Billy Squire set in her sights, surprising her classmates.

Achilles

King Agamemnon brought his fury to bear against gilded Troy, for Prince Paris had stolen his Helen, his wife, whose beauty rivaled that of Athena and Aphrodite. To famed Achilles, invincible warrior, the king gave command of a thousand ships.

Across stormy seas and salted beach, soldiers sieged the city. Arrow and stone, blade and barb bounced from Achilles' skin. Bathed as a babe in the River Styx by his Nereid mother, his hide was hardened, imperviously made. Through every charge, every death-defying battle, Achilles was at the fore. Troy hung poised to crumble.

Until Agamemnon gave slight to the mighty myrmidon. In grave offense, Achilles pulled his forces from the field. Hector, boldest, bravest, eldest of the Trojan princes seized the chance to push the Greeks to the sea. Water's reflection mirrored scorching sails as Hector fired their ships. All seemed lost until Achilles rose to meet him. Fierce and fast the two titans fought, but Hector's spear felled Achilles fair. Though Patroclus, it was, in the armor of Achilles, not Achilles who lay dead.

Wrathful at the loss of his faithful lover, Achilles donned armor newly-made and challenged Hector alone. Spear and blade and amor rang, but Achilles could not be harmed. Hector, prince of Troy, died in battle that day.

Paris, brother lost, tearful-eyed, let arrow loose, guided by divine envy. For there were Gods that could not suffer Achilles to survive. Straight and true the arrow flew and harpooned Achilles' heel, where his mother held him when submerged. The wound was deep, his weakness found, Achilles met his end.

A decade thence, from Hades' depths, Achilles has been drawn. Armored now, upon the heel, revenge his only aim. For envious Gods stole from him his glory and his life. Now they tremble at the wrath of the man who cannot be harmed.

Act 2

Patchy prologue

After finishing his story, Patchy has to deal with Potty perching on his head. However, it turns out the parrot merely lays him a gift of goodwill, which touches Patchy's heart. Patchy then proceeds to step under the mistletoe, inviting the ladies to come by for a smooch, only for Potty to start swooping after him. With Patchy preoccupied, the narrator rounds things off by wishing a "Good night, and Happy Holidays," to end the special.

Chapter 2

Blue-green seafoam stirred in the morning light, drawn outward toward the submerged palace of Ao Kuang. Building and stacking, the waves converged, ever slowly, ever surely constructing a tower of destructive force, a tsunami to crush the Jade Empire once and for all. All this, under the unnaturally bleak black clouds that had settled above the Dragon Lord's keep. Undoubtedly, Ao Kuang was now victim to its malicious influence - and the great wave, a calling of his creation.

Susano set foot upon these foreign shores, uncertain of the welcome he would receive, but determined to find the source behind the evil cloud. Spurred by haste, the ship that carried him from his homeland, rose anchor and made for safer harbor, but the towing sea dragged it out and crushed it under the growing waves.

City streets were bare. Susano heard no sound of crowds or commerce. Only eerie silence. Then, a guttural animal growl. Susano drew his blade, red morning light gleaming on its surface. From behind an empty hut lurched a celestial hound, back arched, fangs bared, eyes black as oil. It stalked slowly, herding its prey, slavering in anticipation of the kill.

Possessed, the beast was, as Xing Tian before. Susano breathed deep and prepared to fight.

Hound and God circled each other. Beast with head low, spines raised, teeth bared; God with jaw set, twin fisted grip locked white-knuckle firm on the handle of his blade. Snarling, the dog leapt. Fueled by the darkness' evil, it covered the distance with impossible speed. Susano was taken to the ground, the hound's foaming maw snapping just inches from his face.

"HEEL!" boomed the voice of Erlang Shen.

Yet the hound did not obey its master.

"HEEL!" came the command again, this time deep enough to rumble the earth. Whimpering, the canine tucked tail and fled. Gone was the rabid gleam to its eye, replaced by remorse. The spell broken.

Ruefully, Susano regained his feet, though his weapon, he found, had been retrieved by Erlang Shen.

"You are far from home," said the warrior-sage. "The sky darkens and all manner of beasts have grown hostile at your coming. Why should I spare your life."

Susano snorted. "Slay me if you wish, but I do not come to quarrel. I come only to stop that evil which plagues your shores. For it once plagued mine. Will you aid me or hinder me?"

As he spoke, a dark shadow was cast over the pair. Looking up, the great tsunami had come.

"I will aid you," whispered Erlang Shen.

Erlang Shen raced up the side of a nearby building as though the pull of the earth had no say. Leaping from the great height, his form shifted into that of a massive bird. Facing the oncoming tidal wave, he swept his wings in huge arcs, drawing a torrent of wind to push back the tsunami. Against this gale, the wave paused, halting at the apex. But for Erlang Shen, the tidal force was too strong and on it came again.

"Best flap harder," chortled Sun Wukong. "Or you could ask for help."

"From you?" grunted Erlang Shen. "Never!"

"Don't be a fool," the Monkey King retorted. "Lives are more important than your pride!"

Without further askance, Sun Wukong too leapt into the air and transformed into an enormous bird. Together, the two gods flapped their wings, straining against the oncoming tide and, at last, countered the tsunami.

"Impressive," Susano begrudged as the shapeshifting Gods returned to their humanoid forms. Above, the dark cloud twisted, abandoning Ao Kuang, and sped overhead. Westward, again. "But I cannot linger," he told them. "I have a cloud to catch!"

Susano sprinted West.

Diary of Koby-Meppo

Vol.9 : "The Delivery of Morgan"

コビメッポ奮闘日記vol.9「モーガンの引き渡し」

Oda Eiichiro

About the novelization of One Piece that came out on June 3rd. If you can believe it, there's a flip book comic in it!!

6月3日に出たONE PIECEの小説版。なんとパラパラ漫画がついてるぞ!!

Chapter 93