Cocoyasi Village.
The lightning storm that erupted in Arlong Park naturally shocked the villagers.
While Sullivan was on his way to the Marine 16th Branch, the villagers, led by Officer Genzo and Nojiko, Nami's foster sister, also rushed to Arlong Park.
When they arrived and saw the scene of devastation, Genzo, Nojiko, and the others were stunned.
What shocked them even more was Nami's presence.
"Nami, why are you here? What did Arlong do to you? Are you hurt?" Officer Genzo, who had always seen Nami as a daughter, immediately bombarded her with anxious questions.
"It's okay, Nami. I'm here, "Nojiko pulled her into a comforting hug, gently soothing her.
"I'm fine, Nojiko. It's over. Everything is over. Arlong and the others are all dead. We... we're free now."Nami shook her head and gave a teary smile.
"As long as you're okay, that's all that matters!" Nojiko gently patted her back.
"Ah... the fishmen... they're all dead!"
One of the villagers suddenly cried out in shock.
"What? Nami, did you just say Arlong is dead? Is... is that really true?" Nojiko's voice rose several octaves in disbelief.
Before Nami could respond—
"These are fishmen's corpses!"
Villagers identifying the scorched remains began shouting in alarm.
"Nami, what exactly happened here?" Genzo asked nervously.
Nami turned back and looked at the large Fairy Tail ship behind her.
"It's all thanks to Fairy Tail..."
Grand Line.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"What? The East Blue's 16th Branch was destroyed?! Who did it?!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku's furious voice echoed through the headquarters.
Even if it was just a small regional base, its destruction was no trivial matter.
Beyond the loss of personnel, this was a blatant challenge to the authority of the Marines.
If not handled properly, it could seriously damage the Marines' credibility in the eyes of the public.
"Based on evidence found at the scene and information from surrounding witnesses...We believe the culprit is this man—Sullivan, the recently infamous leader of the Fairy Tail guild in East Blue. "Brannew, a Rear Admiral, handed over the compiled report to Sengoku.
"Hey, I heard something happened in East Blue. Want me to head back and take a look?" A loud, carefree voice called out from outside the door.
"You showing up will only make things more complicated," a calm, wise voice immediately followed.
"What do you mean by that, Tsuru?" Ignoring the piercing glare from Marine Hero Garp, Sengoku continued the conversation.
"These are all the intel I've gathered on Fairy Tail. I've been watching them since three months ago," Vice Admiral Tsuru explained.
"From my investigation, they aren't exactly a pirate crew. They function more like a bounty hunter organization—earning money by taking on others' commissions. So far, they've—"
She relayed everything she had uncovered about Fairy Tail, including the theory that their leader, Sullivan, might be a Logia-type Devil Fruit user with lightning powers.
"A Logia-type lightning ability?! That terrifying power hasn't shown up in years!" Even Garp couldn't hide his shock.
"Tsuru, are you saying they're a justice-driven group aiming to protect peace on the seas? If that's the case, why would they do something like this?" Sengoku handed several photos to her.
The images showed the aftermath of the Marine 16th Branch's destruction—a massive crater spanning hundreds of meters, with not a single trace of the base or its personnel. Everyone, including the corrupt Captain Nezumi, had been utterly wiped out.
"A mercenary group that works for money, huh? Sure, they might help the poor get rid of pirates...But that also means they might take a criminal's money to attack the Marines!
If money's involved, they'll do anything. This so-called Fairy Tail guild is no different from those bottom-feeders in the underworld—they're all the same kind of scum without morals!" Sengoku concluded harshly.
"Wait a moment, Sengoku. There might be more to this. We still need to investig—"
"No matter the reason, attacking a Marine base is the ultimate provocation.We will not tolerate it!" Sengoku cut her off decisively.
"Understood." Vice Admiral Tsuru sighed.
At this point, she had nothing more to say.
"Then, how much bounty are you placing on this man?" Tsuru asked.
"80 million!!!"