Although Headquarters had dispatched Admirals Kuzan and Sakazuki, the sudden appearance of Kaido at Whole Cake Island and the mysterious movements of the Red Hair Pirates left no room for negligence. Without hesitation, Gion left the office, swiftly leading her Momousagi Army toward the port.
"Fuffuffuffuffu," Donquixote Doflamingo laughed, perched nonchalantly on a set of parallel bars at the training grounds of the Loguetown Marine Base. "It seems something big is brewing. Even Gion is on the move."
As he watched Gion's hurried departure, his wicked grin widened. "Why is Fleet Admiral Xayuki making such a big fuss over the East Blue? Based on what I know, there aren't any strong pirates here—just a bunch of small fry!"
Crocodile narrowed his eyes slightly, speaking in a calm tone, "Admiral Gion is one of Fleet Admiral Xayuki's most trusted confidants. If she's being deployed at this moment, either something has happened at Headquarters, or it's an issue in the New World."
"Hmm?" Doflamingo's pupils contracted, his expression turning serious. "Could it be—"
Crocodile shot him a sidelong glance, a hint of mockery in his voice. "The members of the Donquixote Family aren't significant enough for Fleet Admiral Xayuki to dispatch Gion back to Headquarters. Don't forget, Vice Admiral Tsuru, Garp, and Gunshi from the Holy Knights are all stationed at Headquarters. What kind of waves could your so-called family possibly stir up?"
After finishing his remark, Crocodile instinctively reached for a cigar, only to find his pocket empty. Feeling slightly awkward, he glanced at Dracule Mihawk, who stood nearby, exuding an air of elegance with his Yoru, one of the Supreme Grade Blades, strapped to his back.
It wasn't that Crocodile admired Mihawk, but among those who had accompanied Xayuki, Mihawk was undoubtedly the wealthiest.
As if sensing Crocodile's gaze, Mihawk turned slightly, giving him a look that seemed to say, Figure it out yourself. Without a word, Mihawk rose and began walking toward the office building. "Doflamingo, if war breaks out, I'm curious—what choice will you make?"
Before Doflamingo could respond, Gecko Moria, who had been standing silently nearby, suddenly let out a sinister laugh. "Hehehehehe! If it's a war against Kaido, I'll follow Fleet Admiral Xayuki without hesitation!"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Moria turned and followed Mihawk into the office building.
Seeing this, Crocodile didn't hesitate either. He left Doflamingo behind and quickly caught up.
At that moment, Smoker entered the base with his subordinates, his arrival catching Doflamingo's attention. Smoker, however, ignored the gaze and headed straight for the office building, overtaking Crocodile in the process.
Catching a familiar whiff of cigar smoke in the air, Crocodile's eyes lit up. Without thinking, he called out, "Smoker?"
"Hmm?"
Smoker, who had just stepped into the office building, paused and turned back to look at Crocodile. "What is it?"
Crocodile didn't reply. Instead, he walked straight up to Smoker, and before the latter could react, Crocodile reached into Smoker's chest pocket, pulled out a pack of cigars, and took one for himself. As he placed it in his mouth, he muttered, "Got a light?"
"???"
Smoker's head filled with question marks. The two cigars dangling from his own mouth nearly fell out in disbelief.
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Smoker regained his composure. He pulled a lighter from his pocket and tossed it to Crocodile, then turned and walked away, grumbling as he went, "Since when did the Seven Warlords of the Sea become so broke?"
Crocodile pretended not to hear the comment. Taking a deep drag from the cigar, he exhaled a cloud of smoke and closed his eyes in satisfaction.
Finally, some relief!
Since joining Marine Headquarters, he had been deprived of his cigar freedom—a torment only someone like Smoker could truly understand.
After indulging in a few puffs, Crocodile glanced back at Doflamingo, who remained in the training grounds. Adjusting his coat, he quickened his pace to catch up with Smoker.
Soon, Mihawk, Moria, Smoker, and Crocodile all arrived at Xayuki's office.
Smoker ignored the three Warlords, who had made themselves comfortable on the sofa as if they owned the place. Instead, he strode straight to Xayuki, saluted crisply, and handed over a report. "Fleet Admiral Xayuki, Smoker reporting for duty!"
Xayuki glanced at the report briefly, his brows furrowing slightly. "You only took down one pirate crew? Captain Smoker, are you slacking off? Or are you dissatisfied with my Pirate Annihilation Order?"
"Neither," Smoker replied, standing straight and speaking loudly, the cigars in his mouth bobbing with each word. "I request a transfer. Anywhere but the Four Seas—the Paradise or the New World will do!"
Hearing this, Xayuki nodded slightly. "Oh, I see. You feel your talents are wasted in the East Blue."
Before Smoker could respond, Xayuki's tone shifted. "During the Headquarters rebellion, you made a very wise choice. For that alone, I should reward you!"
"So, your request is approved!"
Smoker blinked in disbelief, his voice tinged with surprise. "Really?"
His request wasn't born out of dissatisfaction with Xayuki, the young Fleet Admiral who had risen through a coup. In fact, after witnessing Xayuki's decisive actions—such as sending Stoke to the East Blue and issuing a series of commands—Smoker had come to respect him.
Precisely because of this respect, Smoker didn't want to waste his time in the East Blue.
With the Pirate Annihilation Order, the East Blue would soon enjoy a period of relative peace. Staying here would be meaningless.
More importantly, Xayuki's clear stance against pirates indicated that bigger moves were on the horizon. Smoker wanted to seize this opportunity to contribute more to the Marines' cause of justice.
"I never joke," Xayuki replied with a nod. "You'll depart immediately for the G-5 Branch in the New World. You'll take over as the base commander there."
"The G-5 Branch?" Smoker's pupils contracted slightly. "But isn't Vice Admiral Vergo the current base commander? Did he... make a mistake?"
Xayuki's smile was light, his tone calm. "He's the original Corazon of the Donquixote Family. Although Doflamingo is under my watch and can't stir up trouble, during these critical times, I'd prefer to have someone I trust in charge of the G-5 Branch."
Smoker froze for a moment. "Trust? You... trust me? But over the years, we've barely interacted. I'm not one of your confidants. During the rebellion, it wasn't even you who contacted me—it was Vice Admiral Kong."
Xayuki walked over to Smoker, pulling out a box of cigars from his desk. Placing it into Smoker's chest pocket, he patted it lightly and smiled warmly. "I trust your sense of justice."
"Not only am I assigning you to the G-5 Branch, but I'm also promoting you to Rear Admiral of Headquarters."
Smoker glanced down at the cigars Xayuki had given him, his voice trembling slightly. "Fleet Admiral Xayuki, I..."
It wasn't the cigars or the promotion that moved Smoker—it was Xayuki's simple yet profound words: I trust your sense of justice.
For years, Smoker's independent and rebellious nature had led most at Headquarters to overlook his commitment to justice. Former Fleet Admirals Kong and Sengoku had even labeled him a troublemaker, eventually relegating him to the relatively peaceful East Blue under the guise of "training." In truth, they had little hope for him.
"What's this? When did the White Hunter become so hesitant?" Xayuki teased as he returned to his desk. His expression turned serious. "Don't think being assigned to the G-5 Branch is a reward. The New World's current situation is precarious. One misstep, and the G-5 Branch could become the pirates' first target."
"Rear Admiral Smoker, you'll hold the line at the G-5 Branch for me, won't you?"
"I will!"
Smoker's response came almost instinctively, his voice filled with determination. "As long as I'm there, the base will stand!"
To Be Continued...
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