Commander Smoker was rushing back anxiously because the Marine squad sent earlier to "reinforce" him had arrived and informed him of Gin's instructions.
Smoker was acutely aware that he didn't need reinforcements at all, nor had he seen Lieutenant Commander T. Penn. Sensing that something was amiss, his deep impression of Morgan William's cunning immediately made him suspect a plot. He couldn't allow Gin, who was inexplicably lying, to guard William alone. After notifying Vice Admiral Dalmatia via Transponder Snail, Smoker hurried back, only to encounter Vasco leading a mob.
One of the lieutenants beside Smoker instinctively raised his rifle upon seeing the crowd ahead, but Smoker immediately pushed the barrel down with a firm hand.
Exhaling smoke, Smoker glared at the lieutenant sternly and asked in a deep voice, "What are you trying to do? These are civilians!"
If someone like Vice Admiral Doberman, known for his hardline stance, were present, he likely wouldn't care about the lives of the civilians before him. However, despite his stern and intimidating appearance, Smoker wasn't a ruthless individual.
"Commander!" Another officer beside him, a midshipman, pointed toward the crowd, clearly uneasy.
Following the midshipman's gesture, Smoker looked toward the center of the mob and couldn't help but curse under his breath.
In the middle of the crowd, several individuals were holding Transponder Snails, accompanied by uniformed garrison soldiers. Judging by the state of the snails, they were clearly broadcasting live.
The chaos in Kalmar City would no longer be hidden from the world.
"That makes it even more imperative not to fire!" Smoker declared. He knew he couldn't delay any longer. Bending his knees slightly, he shot forward like a bolt of lightning, charging into the crowd alone.
The civilians, armed with makeshift weapons like stones and wooden planks, attacked Smoker. He didn't bother dodging, allowing the strikes to pass through his body, which transformed into billowing smoke. At the same time, he used his Jitte to strike at their vital points, rendering them unable to fight and leaving them writhing in pain on the ground.
To defeat a Logia Devil Fruit user like Smoker, one needed either Haki or Seastone, neither of which these civilians possessed.
Their attacks proved ineffective, and anyone struck by Smoker was quickly incapacitated. The civilians, untrained and unprepared for such an extraordinary ability, were overwhelmed with fear and began retreating in panic.
Smoker moved swiftly through the crowd, ignoring the terrified civilians who were backing away. His sharp eyes locked onto Vasco, a garrison sergeant wearing a military uniform and insignia. Smoker accelerated, his right arm transforming into a long plume of smoke with a loud boom, extending his attack range by several times. His Jitte, still held in his smoke-formed hand, pierced toward Vasco's chest with force.
Vasco, though brave and respected among his peers, was merely a regular garrison sergeant. Against an elite Marine like Smoker, he was no match. He hadn't anticipated Smoker's Devil Fruit ability to enable such attacks and was caught off guard, taking a direct hit. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he fell backward.
Smoker wanted to press the attack further but suddenly halted, his expression turning grim as he looked toward the prison.
It felt as though the air around him had frozen. Though still some distance away, Smoker could hear the prison gate creak open, pushed by someone inside.
Many people instinctively turned toward the prison, and under countless watchful eyes, Morgan William stepped out. Gin followed closely behind, noticing William's worn and dirty clothes. Without hesitation, Gin removed his Marine coat and draped it over William's shoulders.
The young man responsible for unlocking the cell showed remarkable attentiveness. Not only had he concealed lock-picking tools, but he also produced a cigar from his pocket. With a flick of a blade, he neatly cut the cigar and handed it to William.
William glanced at the young man, tilted his head slightly, and bit down on the cigar. "What's your name?"
The young man had overly expressive eyes that constantly darted around, as if assessing potential dangers. This gave him a shifty appearance. Like a magician, he deftly produced a lighter with a flick of his fingers and lit William's cigar. His tone remained excited and reverent as he replied, "Ronnie, Your Majesty!"
"I'll remember you," William said with a smile before turning his gaze to Smoker, who stood out in his white Marine uniform amidst the crowd of civilians.
"Morgan William..." Smoker growled, forcing the name through gritted teeth.
William exhaled a puff of smoke. A gust of wind swept through, scattering the smoke and causing the Marine coat draped over him, emblazoned with the word "Justice," to flap dramatically.
In the next moment, Ronnie and Gin both felt a wave of heat surge toward them. Gin squinted, while Ronnie staggered back until he was pressed against the prison wall. Suddenly, a dense white mist rose around them, obscuring their vision.
From Smoker's vantage point, William seemed to explode into a massive cloud of steam, which surged forward like an unstoppable tidal wave, engulfing the Marines stationed outside the prison gates.
The steam moved as swiftly as galloping horses and rolled like ocean waves. In the blink of an eye, it enveloped the Marines, leaving them trapped in a dense cloud. Unable to see clearly, Smoker and the others could only hear the Marines' anguished screams echoing from within.
Smoker's pupils contracted as he abandoned Vasco and the civilians, leaping forward with jets of smoke propelling him toward the steam cloud.
As Smoker approached the cloud, William's figure suddenly emerged, his fist striking out with such force that it created a series of sonic booms.
Confident in his Logia Devil Fruit abilities, Smoker didn't attempt to block the attack. But he quickly felt a sharp pain in his chest as William's punch landed squarely, sending him flying like a cannonball.
Boom!
Smoker crashed into the sturdy wall of a nearby villa, demolishing it entirely. When the dust settled, he was revealed sitting amidst the rubble, gasping for air and coughing up blood.
"Commander Smoker!" The Marines were stunned, their faces filled with disbelief as they looked at William.
Back at the prison gates, the steam, like a whale drawing water, returned to William's body, leaving the ground littered with unconscious Marines.
The civilians led by Vasco finally broke the tense silence that had gripped them since William's appearance, erupting into cheers.
Meanwhile, across the East Blue, citizens watching the broadcast on giant screens were equally astonished.
Morgan William—the man had walked out of the prison!
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