TO EACH HIS OWN POSITION

The title page for Chapter 72, "TO EACH HIS OWN POSITION". The cover story, "ADVENTURES OF THE BUGGY CREW VOL. 25 'THE SILHOUETTE SHINING AGAINST THE SKY'", shows Buggy's crew and Alvida gathered on the shore, sweating as they look toward a high rocky pillar in the distance. Three small silhouettes stand on top of the pillar, shining against the sky.

The story begins with Usopp hiding behind a wooden wall, his eyes wide with shock. He thinks, "ARLONG EMPIRE!? HE'S TRYING TO BUILD HIS OWN NATION...!?" Usopp turns to Nojiko and asks, "SO THEN, HE'S GONNA TURN ALL OF EAST BLUE IN TO HIS 'FISHMEN EMPIRE'!?" Nojiko replies, "BUT THAT WOULD INCLUDE MY HOMETOWN TOO! WHAT-EVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS. ALL WE CAN DO IS QUIETLY SIT STILL AND ENDURE IT. FOR NOW, THAT IS..." Usopp questions her, "FOR NOW...?" Suddenly, Nojiko looks up in alarm, shouting, "AGHHH! WHAT'S THAT!?" She then sees what is happening and yells, "GEN!?"

Genzo is confronted in the village square by Arlong, who is accompanied by his officers Kuroobi and Chew. Genzo's coat is open, revealing several swords and guns strapped to his body. Arlong looks down at him menacingly and declares, "POSSESSING A WEAPON, IS A CLEAR SIGN OF REBELLION, THE CAUSE OF ANY UNREST AND DISTURBANCE IN MY LANDS." Arlong's sharp teeth form a cruel smile as he continues, "AND SO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE AREN'T ANY MORE REBELS LIKE YOU, I'LL KILL YOU TO SHOW THE OTHER VILLAGERS WHAT HAPPENS TO REBELS!"

Usopp is seen running away in a panic, thinking, "WHA!? ALL HE DID WAS COLLECT SOME WEAPONS! HE'S SERIOUSLY GOING TO KILL SOMEONE OVER THAT MUCH!?" Nojiko angrily yells after him, "THAT SON OF A...! H-HEY, YOU! COME BACK HERE OR YOU'LL BE KILLED!" Meanwhile, the villagers gather around Arlong, protesting. "WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS, ARLONG!? ALL OF US HERE HAVE LOYALLY PAID THE TRIBUTE WITHOUT ANY COMPLAINTS FOR THE PAST 8 YEARS! THERE'S NO WAY ANY OF US HAVE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST INTENTION OF REBELLING AGAINST YOU!" Nojiko runs toward the commotion, shouting, "SO LET GO OF GEN!" A villager tries to stop her, "NOJIKO! WAIT!" Arlong ignores their pleas, stating firmly, "I'VE ALREADY STATED THAT THE MERE ACT OF POSSESSING WEAPONS IS A CLEAR INTENT TO REBEL. I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KILL THIS MAN FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF MY LANDS!"

Arlong glares fiercely at the gathered villagers, threatening them. "ANY COMPLAINTS? YOU WOULDN'T RATHER HAVE ME DESTROY THIS ENTIRE VILLAGE, WOULD YOU...?" The villagers, including Nojiko, look terrified. Arlong continues his warning, "KNOW THIS, HUMANS! IF YOU LAY EVEN A FINGER ON ANY ONE OF US, YOUR VILLAGE WILL BE DESTROYED! THAT'S FINAL!" Genzo, still in Arlong's grasp, speaks up to his people. "EVERYONE GO INSIDE YOUR HOMES...! IF WE REBEL NOW, THEN OUR LAST 8 YEARS WILL COME TO NOTHING! IF WE WANTED TO REJECT THEIR RULE BY FIGHTING TO OUR DEATHS, WE SHOULD'VE DONE IT LONG AGO! BUT WE ALL SWORE, DID WE NOT? WE SWORE TO A FIGHT OF ENDURANCE! IN ORDER TO LIVE ON!"

The villagers watch helplessly, crying out, "GEN...!" "BUT...!" Arlong tightens his grip on Genzo's neck, lifting him off the ground. "WELL SAID! LIVING IS IMPORTANT! IT IS BECAUSE ONE LIVES, ONE CAN ENJOY THINGS!" Genzo chokes, "UGH!" Arlong continues his cruel speech, "EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN DESIGNATED PLACE AND POSITION IN LIFE! THIS MAN UNDERSTANDS THE FUTILITY OF RESISTING AGAINST THAT FACT!" Arlong throws his head back and laughs maniacally, "YOU SEE, NOT ALL LIVING THINGS, ARE BORN EQUAL! SHAHAHAHA!"

Arlong violently throws Genzo to the ground, declaring, "HUMANS ARE BEST LIVING LIKE HUMANS!" The villagers are outraged, yelling, "WHY YOU...!" Genzo lies on the dirt, coughing heavily. The villagers plead with Arlong, "STOP IT!" "GEN... BUT HE...!" Arlong warns them, "DON'T YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON THEM! YES, WHAT HE SAID." The villagers continue to beg, "BUT IT'S NOT AS IF HE USED HIS WEAPONS! PLEASE DON'T KILL HIM!" Arlong looks annoyed by their noise and says, "A LOUD BUNCH, AREN'T THEY. I WONDER IF I SHOULD TAKE THIS AS A SIGN OF REBELLION..."

Genzo, still on the ground and sweating profusely, looks up and tells the villagers, "IF WE DIE HERE, EVERYTHING WILL COME TO AN END! YOU MUST KEEP ON FIGHTING EVEN IF I DIE!" Arlong prepares to strike Genzo, raising his hand. "LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO HARBOUR ILL THOUGHTS... WATCH CLOSELY, HUMANS! LET THIS BE, A WARNING TO THE REST OF YOU!" The villagers scream in despair, "GEN!"

Suddenly, an explosion hits Arlong directly in the face. A voice shouts, "GUNPOWDER STAR!" Arlong is knocked backward by the blast, grunting, "UGH!" His fishmen crewmates are startled. "W-WHAT WAS THAT!? ARLONG!?" As the smoke clears, one of them points up. "LOOK! OVER THERE! THERE'S SOMEONE STANDING ON THE ROOF! IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"

Usopp stands proudly on the roof of a nearby building, his slingshot drawn back and ready. He strikes a heroic pose and announces, "I AM THE BRAVE AND HEROIC WARRIOR OF THE SEAS! CAPTAIN USOPP!" The fishmen look confused. "....HUH? USOPP...?" "NEVER HEARD OF 'IM..." Usopp continues his bluff, shouting, "FEARED BY THE ENTIRE WORLD AS THE MAN FROM HELL, THEY CALL ME 'USOPP THE WICKED DEVIL KING!' I HAVE 8000 SUBORDINATES AT MY COMMAND! FLEE AT ONCE AND I SHALL CONSIDER FORGIVING YOU!" Down below, Nojiko recognizes him, saying, "IT'S HIM...!" The other villagers wonder, "WHO IS THAT...!?"

One of the fishmen points at Usopp and tells Arlong, "ARLONG, IT'S HIM! HE'S THAT GUY I TOLD YOU ABOUT EARLIER WHO ESCAPED FROM ME!" Arlong, recovering from the attack with smoke still rising from his face, cracks his knuckles. "I DON'T CARE IF YOU'VE GOT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS... JUST TRY ME! I'LL CRUSH EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF 'EM!" Usopp's confident facade crumbles, and he panics, "AGHHH! HE'S NOT SCARED AT ALL AND MY GUNPOWDER STAR DIDN'T WORK AT ALL!" Arlong glares up at him, furious. "EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE JUST A PUNY HUMAN...! LOWLY HUMAN SCUM! YOU DARE ATTACK ME!?"

With incredible strength, Arlong smashes the base of the building Usopp is standing on. The entire structure begins to collapse, and Usopp screams in terror, "AGHHHHHHH!" The other fishmen panic, trying to stop their captain. "A-ARLONG, WAIT! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DESTROY ANOTHER VILLAGE, ARE YOU!? HUMAN VILLAGES ARE EASY TO CRUSH BUT OUR GOAL'S TO RULE OVER THEM! IF WE TURN THIS TOWN INTO ANOTHER GOSA VILLAGE, THEN OUR TRIBUTE FUNDS WILL DECREASE AGAIN!" Arlong answers coldly, "IF OUR FUNDS DECREASE, THEN ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS CONQUER ANOTHER VILLAGE!"

The building crashes to the ground in a massive cloud of dust and debris. Arlong stands amidst the destruction, roaring, "WE ARE THE SUPREME BEINGS!" The villagers watch in shock and horror. "OUR VILLAGE IS...!" Nojiko stares wide-eyed, exclaiming, "HE'S...!"

Usopp emerges from the dust cloud, running for his life and crying, "CRAP!!! HE'S GONNA KILL ME! HE'S GONNA KILL ME!" The fishmen spot him. "HE'S STILL ALIVE! AFTER HIM! DON'T LET HIM ESCAPE!" Arlong orders his crew, "CATCH HIM AND KILL HIM!" His crewmates urge, "LET'S RETURN HIM TO ARLONG PARK FOR NOW! AT THIS RATE, HE'S GOING TO ANNIHILATE THIS ENTIRE VILLAGE!" Kuroobi looks back at the villagers and says, "WE'LL BE BACK. BUT IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE MANAGED TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY." The Arlong Pirates begin to leave the village.

Usopp continues to sprint away, screaming, "AGHHHHHHHHH!" A fishman chases closely behind him, yelling, "HEY YOU! WAIT RIGHT THERE!" Usopp quickly turns around and fires his slingshot. "CERTAIN KILL... EGG STAR!" The projectile hits the fishman squarely in the face with a splat. "UGH!" The fishman stops, wiping the mess from his face. "GUH! UGH, IT REEKS! THIS EGG IS ROTTEN!" Usopp wonders, "D...DID IT WORK...?" The enraged fishman yells, "YOU BASTARD!" and Usopp resumes his frantic escape, screaming, "AGHHHHHHH!"

Back in the village, the dust has settled. Genzo is sitting up, battered but alive. A villager tells him, "GEN, WE NEED TO GET YOU TREATED." Genzo refuses, "NO, I'M FINE. I CAN MANAGE ON MY OWN. SORRY FOR ALL THE TROUBLE I'VE CAUSED, EVERYONE." The villagers reassure him, "WHAT'RE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU'RE NOT THE ONE AT FAULT HERE. THAT'S RIGHT. AS IF ANYBODY COULD ABIDE ALL THEIR IRRATIONAL RULES!" They then ask, "BUT WHO WAS THAT GUY EARLIER.. DO YOU KNOW HIM, GEN?" Genzo replies, "NO... CAN'T SAY I DO..." Suddenly, a familiar voice calls out, "LONG TIME NO SEE, EVERYONE." The villagers turn to see Nami standing there. "NAMI..." "NA-CHAN..."

Nami looks at the villagers with a serious expression. She then walks casually through the village, carrying a bag. The villagers watch her with mixed feelings. "WHAT IS IT? TO THINK THAT YOU OF ALL PEOPLE WOULD DECIDE TO STROLL THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF TOWN..." Nami replies nonchalantly, "OH NOTHING, JUST CURIOUS WHAT ALL THE RUCKUS I HEARD WAS ABOUT. GUESS IT WAS ARLONG..." Genzo watches her silently.

Nami is now sitting alone by a simple wooden cross on a cliff overlooking the sea, Bellemere's grave. She looks thoughtful. "ONLY 7 MILLION BELI LEFT..." She then smiles, speaking to the grave. "YOU'RE AS INFAMOUS AS EVER. WELL, I AM A PIRATE. BUT ARLONG KNOWS WHAT'S WHAT. HE KNOWS MONEY CAN GET ANYTHING DONE. SO IT'LL ONLY BE A LITTLE MORE UNTIL HIS PROMISE!" Nami's smile grows wider and more determined. "NO MATTER WHAT, I'M GOING TO RAISE 100 MILLION BELI, SO I CAN BUY THIS VILLAGE!"

The scene shifts to Arlong Park. Roronoa Zoro is sitting on the ground with his hands behind his head, surrounded by several unconscious fishmen. He thinks to himself, "EVEN IF SHE TELLS ME TO LEAVE, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO OUTSIDE OF HERE..." He looks across the courtyard and continues, "AFTER ALL, I PROMISED LUFFY TO BRING HER BACK..." Zoro then leans back, looking exasperated. "JEEZ... SEEMS LIKE I'VE GOT MYSELF TIED UP IN A COMPLICATED MESS...."

No description for this page.