The Daughter of the King (English)

Chapter 23 - Sawnose vs. Rubber Human

~ Underwater ~

Nojiko had replaced Genzo and kept pressing her hands on the rubber girl's chest. "Please! Please! Live! Live! Live!" She squinted her eyes and didn't notice how the younger woman's hand suddenly began to twitch. The lavender-haired woman only noticed this when said hand grabbed her arm.

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~ Above water ~

Protected from the fishman's gaze, Genzo sat onthe rock behind the wall of Arlong Park. He had put his hands around theunconscious woman's head to prevent it from snapping back into the water. Amovement caught his attention before the black-haired woman spat out afountain-like stream of water that reached over the wall. However, this did notgo unnoticed. Arlong turned his head in the direction from which the watersuddenly came before he said, "What is that?" Sanji carefully raisedhis head and grinned. "There she is. Now I just have to take care of thestone block at her feet." "What?" came Zoro's voice, just alittle distance away. He rolled to the side a little and held his head as hestraightened up a little. Now he understood finally what the cook had beentrying to tell him all along without the shark noticing. "I get it now."

On the other side of the wall, Luffy slowlyregained consciousness, still coughing up water. "Hey girl, hang in there! Comeback to us!" After she had gotten the last bit of seawater out of her lungs,she opened her eyes and gasped. Her eyes immediately saw the man with manyscars holding her head. That had been close, even more than close.   

Meanwhile, Sanji and Zoro stood up again. Zoro knelt in front of the cook with his back turned to him. One of the swords served as a support as he said, "30 seconds. I can't give you any more time." He put Wado between his teeth again and stood up. "That's more than enough!" Sanji shouted, running to the water and taking off his shoes again before disappearing into the blue water once more. Arlong's eyes narrowed as he still looked at the spot where the fountain had suddenly appeared and murmured, "I don't remember there being a fountain. Could it be that rubber toad?" He turned completely in that direction when something cut his cheek slightly and the swordsman appeared in front of him. This human really believed he could stand in the way of a fishman? Ridiculous! "You shouldn't worry about that right now, Fishface!" he said, breathing heavily. Arlong monotonously looked down at the swordsman. "Didn't I tell you not to use that word? Looks like you're close to the end, Zoro!" He licked himself the blood, that ran from his small wound, with his tongue.

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~ Underwater ~

Only a few meters separated Sanji from the seabed and his stuck captain. "If I manage to break the block, she will be free again. Luffy, you're the only one who can finish him off now!" He could already see how Nami's sister tried to pull the black-haired woman's legs out of the block, without success.

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~ Above water ~

"Those who have the power of a devil fruit loseall strength as soon as they land in the sea. She should already be dead.However, if she's still alive..." Arlong said, his expression darkening,"...then someone must have botched my little game."

 "Hey, are you okay? Thank God!" said Genzo whilelooking down on the black-haired woman's head. However, she didn't answer andwas taken aback. Genzo panicked a little and asked excitedly, "What? Whatis it?" Luffy was silent for a while before she answered him: "Hey,old man. Where is your windmill? It was so cool." "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? NOWIS NOT THE TIME FOR SUCH THING!" he shouted at her. Somehow his sudden changein mood reminded the black-haired woman of the orange-haired thief. Strange,why did so many people behave like this?