39. Ah Long: I’m falling apart!

Arlong the Fish-Man was stunned.

Octopus Hatchan had clearly been summoning the sea cow Moo-Moo, so how did he suddenly summon such a terrifying monster? It was a beast hundreds of meters tall, possessing the body of a python and the head of a bull. Just one glance at it caused Arlong to tremble from the very depths of his soul.

This was the terrifying suppression of bloodlines. One must realize that within the Azure Bull-Python flowed the mottled blood of the Dragon clan. Let alone Arlong, even the most powerful Sea Kings would be forced to bow and submit when faced with the blood of a true dragon.

"What on earth is going on? Where did Moo-Moo go? And where did this bull-headed, python-bodied monster come from?!"

Everything about this left Arlong in a stupor. But before he could recover his senses and formulate a countermeasure, he felt as if his entire world were falling apart.

In the eyes of Arlong and his crew, the Azure Bull-Python suddenly transformed into a young woman, who then addressed Chu Bawang as her master.

This... this...

Arlong and his men nearly had their eyeballs pop out of their sockets. He had originally assumed the Azure Bull-Python was a pure-blooded Sea King, but it appeared to be of a much higher order. After all, he had never seen or even heard of a Sea King capable of transformation.

What terrified Arlong even more was that the transformed woman addressed Chu Bawang as "Master." Arlong stared fixedly at Chu Bawang.

Xiaoqing, looking displeased, cast a glance back at Arlong and whispered, "Kneel when you speak."

"You..." Arlong was seized by terror. He wanted to retort, but his knees felt as heavy as if they had been filled with lead.

*Thump.*

Arlong collapsed to the ground, falling flat on his face. Xiaoqing nodded with slight satisfaction, then turned to look at Chu Bawang with an expression of utmost reverence.

"Damn it... what kind of power is this? Why am I kneeling before a human?" Arlong thought. "This fear from the depths of my bloodline leaves me with no power to resist." He could not comprehend what earth-shattering feat Chu Bawang had performed to make such a monstrous entity acknowledge him as her master.

Chu Bawang, showing no mercy, stepped directly onto Arlong's face. "What, you seem rather unconvinced?" he taunted. "Are you bitter about being crushed by your own companion?"

Companion? What companion?

Arlong suddenly understood. The disappearance of Moo-Moo... the birth of the Azure Bull-Python... there had to be a deep connection between these events. And the mastermind behind it all was surely this human before him. Could it be that the Azure Bull-Python had killed Moo-Moo?

Arlong struggled to stand, but it felt as if a great mountain were pressing down on him, filling him with despair. "What did you do to Moo-Moo? I will never forgive you for laying a hand on my companion!"

Kuroobi, Chew, Hatchan, and the other officers were all dumbfounded. Their boss, the captain of the Arlong Pirates, was actually being trampled under someone's foot? Kuroobi’s eyes turned blood-red, and he charged at Chu Bawang, brandishing his blade. He had yet to realize the chasm in strength between them.

*Clang!*

Chu Bawang didn't even need to move. Zoro had already blocked Kuroobi's ferocious attack. "Leave this little rat to me. It’s a perfect chance to test the results of my training these past few days."

With a subtle flick of his blade, Zoro assumed his Three-Sword Style stance.

"Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro? It’s unimaginable—even you have become someone’s lackey?!"

Zoro’s reputation in the East Blue was significant. When he drew his three blades, the Arlong Pirates recognized him immediately. But what surprised them was that, instead of the usual three, he was carrying four blades.

*Hiss.* Could it be that Zoro was now proficient in Four-Sword Style? This was truly terrible news.

"A lackey? Hah, you are truly ignorant and fearless," Zoro scoffed. "I am now an unofficial disciple of Master Bawang. I will cut down anyone who dares to insult my master!"

Kuroobi paused. An unofficial disciple? A renowned Pirate Hunter had actually become someone’s unofficial disciple! It sounded absurd. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Kuroobi would never have believed that the prideful Zoro would ever declare such a thing with such pride. It was as ridiculous as a king acknowledging a beggar as his foster father.

"I don't care who you are! You insulted Boss Arlong, and all of you must die!" Kuroobi lunged forward at top speed. *If you want to stop me, I’ll start with you!*

In Kuroobi’s eyes, the woman in green was the most dangerous existence. Even Boss Arlong had been forced to his knees by her. But Kuroobi believed it was some kind of sorcery; if he could just force the woman to act, Arlong would break free from his restraints and win the battle!

Zoro cast a disdainful look at him and adopted an *iaido* stance. "Let me use you to test my blade."

*A sword comes from the West, a flying immortal from beyond the heavens!*

The elegant and stunning swordsmanship was like a deity descending to the mortal realm—truly miraculous. Although it appeared to have "form," it had transcended the boundaries of "having form" and "having no form." It was a peerless strike that could be described as the "unity of man and sword" and "harmony between man and nature," reaching a state of perfection. At that moment, Zoro appeared noble, lonely, persistent, and coldly detached from the world.

Though Zoro had only learned the basics of this technique, it was enough to slay Kuroobi instantly.

"If you want to learn the sword, you must know that one who learns the sword need only be true to the sword, not to others," Chu Bawang had once taught him.

The latter sighed softly, and the sword in his hand turned into a flying rainbow.

*A sword comes from the West, a flying immortal from beyond the heavens.*

Blood splattered everywhere. Kuroobi was defeated, kneeling on the ground like a condemned sinner. The surrounding crowd erupted into a chaotic frenzy of excitement.

"One strike! Just one strike to kill Kuroobi?!"

"This man is too terrifying. It’s unbelievable that such a formidable swordsman is merely an unofficial disciple of Chu Bawang!"

"I can't imagine—if even an unofficial disciple is this strong, what kind of earth-shattering scene would occur if the master, Chu Bawang, were to act?"

Hatchan, Chew, and the other high-ranking officers stared in horror at the tragic scene. Kuroobi had been defeated, instantly killed by the man they had despised! Trembling with fear, they looked toward Chu Bawang as if gazing upon the Grim Reaper himself.