Kael's brows furrowed, his smile growing increasingly crazed.
"So that means…"
"Even if I kill this little girl, in the end, I'll probably just end up serving time in prison."
"Jie jie jie jie... What a wonderful law this is!"
"Damn it!!!"
Every word Kael uttered hit like a hammer.
Smoker clenched his fists tightly, his eyes bloodshot!
"If you dare harm even a single hair on Tashigi's head, I swear you'll regret ever stepping into this world!"
"Oh~? Still acting tough?"
Kael sneered with his twisted grin.
"So this is the extent of the Navy HQ's so-called elite?"
"You bastard!"
Smoker's rage continued to grow.
But seeing the flintlock aimed at Tashigi's head, he dared not make any reckless moves.
After a moment, he exhaled a puff of smoke through his nose, but eventually waved it away and reluctantly turned aside.
"Good boy~"
"That's more like it!"
The smoke that had obscured the view of the crowd slowly dissipated.
The sailors and citizens at the port hadn't even fully grasped what had happened...
When they finally saw a handsome young man walking calmly out of the smoke—
And the girl held in his arms with a gun pointed at her head—
Only then did they truly understand the meaning of "don't judge a book by its cover."
…
"That… that's Officer Tashigi from the Navy base!"
Someone in the crowd quickly recognized her, triggering a wave of gasps and murmurs.
"What's going on!?"
"How did Officer Tashigi end up being held hostage!?"
"..."
The port immediately burst into an uproar.
Just then, Smoker's figure also emerged from the smoke.
Kael was moving backward, Smoker forward—both gradually nearing the port's edge.
Waves continued to crash tirelessly against the shore, undisturbed by the tension in the air.
Reaching the Di Jia ship, Kael—finally within range of its abilities—allowed his nerves to relax slightly.
He looked up, smirked, and met Smoker's eyes directly.
"That's far enough, Captain Smoker."
"Any further and you'd be crossing a line."
"It's time we said goodbye."
Kael lifted Tashigi's arm, manipulating her like a puppet, and mockingly waved at Smoker.
Smoker, his teeth practically cracking from fury, turned pale.
Behind him, smoke billowed, spreading stealthily in all directions.
He hadn't truly given up on saving Tashigi.
Smoker was waiting—for the moment Kael set foot on the ship…
The moment Kael slipped, even slightly, the smoke could instantly sever the connection between him and Tashigi.
Without the hostage, that bastard wouldn't escape Smoker's grasp!
Smoker gritted his teeth, fiercely determined.
But just as he focused fully, Kael let out a mocking chuckle.
"I say, Captain Smoker~"
"Didn't I mention I'm allergic to second-hand smoke?"
"And yet you still had the audacity to test me with your smoke."
"Could it be… you were planning to rescue this cute little girl the moment I boarded the ship?"
"Hahaha…"
"You really think I'd give you such a chance?!"
Thanks to his hyper-intuition, even the subtlest movements of air—colorless, scentless, and invisible—couldn't escape Kael's perception…
Let alone smoke, made of visible particles.
Every move of Smoker's had been well within Kael's grasp from the start.
He simply hadn't called it out earlier because he was focused on reaching Di Jia's range.
With a laugh full of disdain, Kael shot him a final, contemptuous glance.
As a former Navy comrade…
He decided to give Smoker one last lesson before parting ways.
Seeing Smoker's frustrated expression, Kael poured salt into the wound:
"You knew I had a hostage, yet you still made such a grand entrance..."
"Were you afraid I wouldn't notice someone was coming to catch me?!"
"If you had just used your Devil Fruit powers to scout and set a trap beforehand, things wouldn't be like this now!"
"I seriously wonder why the Navy HQ entrusted the East Blue to someone like you."
"Smoker… you're far too arrogant!"
Whoosh—
Suddenly, a gust of wind howled from beneath Kael, forming a roaring vortex that lifted him up.
In the storm, Kael rose steadily into the air, still holding Tashigi, and landed on the rear deck of the ship.
His gun never once left her temple.
"You're a Devil Fruit user?!"
Smoker's eyes widened in shock.
This unexpected turn completely caught him off guard.
At the same time, the moment Kael boarded Di Jia, the ship—with a will of its own—began sailing toward the open sea.
A black skull-and-crossbones flag rose high on the mast, clearly declaring its pirate identity to all!
With one foot on the railing, Kael looked down over Loguetown's port and said with a warning tone:
"The East Blue is not a cradle for the weak—it's the birthplace of miracles!"
"If that's the best you can do, I suggest you run back to Navy HQ and find yourself a desk job."
"Fighting clearly doesn't suit you."
"Oh~ and here's your last lesson for the day!"
Suddenly, Kael pulled out his pistol and, guided by his super intuition, aimed straight at Smoker's shoulder.
Bang!
A heavy gunshot rang out!
It was the third bullet fired from that gun today.
Though it looked like an ordinary flintlock pistol, it had been enhanced by the Navy's scientific research unit—its effectiveness far exceeded even a top-grade sword!
It was developed specifically for battling monsters from the New World.
The spiral bullet shot out like a streak of darkness, piercing Smoker's left shoulder before anyone could react.
Splat!
A spray of crimson blood burst forth.
Smoker stared wide-eyed at his bleeding shoulder in disbelief.
"Hahaha…"
"Smoker, relying too much on Devil Fruit powers isn't a good thing."
"Remember my name—Kael! Captain of the Dusk Pirates, and the man destined to become King of the World!"
"Until we meet again!"
"Class dismissed!"
Kael burst into laughter, carrying Tashigi's delicate figure into the ship's cabin.
What a thrill—finish the act and make a flashy exit!
Whoooosh!!!
Suddenly, a terrifying storm swept across the once-peaceful port.
Propelled by the gale, the Di Jia surged forward at incredible speed, vanishing from Loguetown's sight.
Only chaos remained in its wake.
A few minutes later...
A hastily assembled Navy squad arrived at the harbor, only to find Smoker sitting dazed atop a crate.
"Captain Smoker!"
The lead sergeant quickly approached and saluted sharply.
The next second, he noticed the bloodstain on Smoker's left shoulder and gasped.
"Captain Smoker, you're hurt?!"
He shouted in alarm.
"Medic! Medic! Quickly!!!"
But Smoker raised a hand to stop him and snorted coldly:
"No need."
As he spoke, he tore off the fabric around his shoulder, revealing a scabbed wound.
Although the Sea Prism Stone bullet had pierced his body, it luckily hadn't hit a vital spot—just a flesh wound.
With his stamina, it would heal in just a few days.