After chatting with Bell-mère through the night,
Smoker boarded Garp's ship the next day, setting out for Marine Headquarters.
What followed was a long, boring voyage...
But Smoker didn't slack off.
As the training maniac of the 161st base, he stuck to his daily regimen without fail.
"4998, 4999, 5000!"
"Phew... done!"
Smoker finished his boxing routine, peeled off his shirt and wrung it out, sweat poured down like a waterfall. He flung the shirt a few times and threw it back on, then turned to head below deck.
Back at the 161st base, Smoker was a full-blown training fanatic, but on Garp's ship, he didn't stand out as much.
After all, Garp hadn't earned his reputation against the Roger Pirates by going solo.
Most of the crew aboard this vessel were unnamed nobodies on paper, but in reality, they were elites among elites.
Outside of missions, they trained just as hard every day.
So even though Smoker was dripping sweat constantly, he didn't seem all that impressive here.
Except to one person, the perpetually idle Garp.
Munching on rice crackers, Garp strolled over with the swagger of a street thug.
"Yo, Smoker brat, full of energy I see. Want to spar with someone?"
Smoker turned to stare at him, disbelief written all over his face.
Spar?
With you?
Are you messing with me?!
Garp plopped down nearby, pulled out a bag of rice crackers, and started munching.
"Kid, this elite Marine expansion program, it's the first time they're accepting recruits. Just because Kuzan recommended you doesn't mean you're in. You've only earned the right to be tested. You're still far from joining."
He muttered under his breath, "That uptight old guy isn't easy to fool..."
Smoker nodded, his expression unchanged.
"Thanks for the heads-up. I figured if a mere recommendation was enough to get in, it'd be a joke."
Garp grinned. "You're confident, huh, brat?"
"Want me to find you an opponent to warm up with?"
So it wasn't Garp himself, thank god!
Smoker cracked his neck.
"Sure, I never turn down a fight."
"No need to rest first?"
"Pirates won't wait for me to catch my breath."
"Well said!"
A flash of approval crossed Garp's eyes.
By now, a crowd of Marines had gathered to watch the commotion.
Garp scanned the group and pointed at someone. "Well said. Mantis, go a few rounds with him!"
"Yes, sir!"
A hulking brute stepped forward from the crowd.
Smoker caught sight of the epaulets on his shoulders.
Judging by the rank, this man was also a Captain, same as Cole, but the pressure he gave off was on a whole different level.
Garp chuckled. "Brat, take off that pendant. Let me see what you're really made of."
Then he glanced at Mantis and added, "Remember, don't wreck the ship. I don't want to hear Tsuru nagging at me!"
Mantis nodded respectfully. "Understood." He stripped off his jacket and tossed it aside, revealing granite-like muscles.
The Marines crowded around, clearly excited to see the show.
No wonder they were Garp's men...
Smoker removed the pendant and cracked his knuckles.
"Please go easy on me, Captain Mantis."
Smoker wasn't arrogant enough to underestimate a Marine HQ Captain.
In the manga, Captains might seem like small fry, but in the Four Blues, they were already the highest commanding officers.
Roughly speaking,
A Captain was equivalent to a pirate with a 50 million bounty.
A Commodore matched up with a 100 million bounty pirate.
As for a Rear Admiral, Drake was the best benchmark, his bounty at the time was 222 million.
Vice Admirals were harder to pin down due to their wide strength range.
Weak ones like Vice Admiral Maynard were taken out by Bartolomeo, who had a 150 million bounty.
The strong ones? They were Admiral candidates, and the strongest among them casually called Admirals "brats."
Mantis nodded at Smoker, fists bumping together before he shot forward and launched a punch straight at Smoker's chest.
"So fast!"
Smoker was shocked, quickly raising an arm to block.
"Strong too..."
The surrounding Marines were equally stunned.
"This guy's just a Seaman Recruit?! And he blocked Captain Mantis's punch?!"
"Is the bar for Warrant Officer this high?!"
"Damn, good thing I got promoted early..."
As whispers spread among the crowd, only Garp looked serious, eyes fixed on the dent Mantis had just left in the deck.
Seeing his punch blocked, Mantis grabbed Smoker's head and yanked down, slamming a knee into his face.
Smoker managed to guard against it, but the force still staggered him.
Mantis took the chance to smash him away with another punch, sending him crashing into the deck.
"Beautiful!" the Marines cheered.
"Holy crap!" Garp yelled.
Smoker stood up, clutching his chest and gasping for air.
These past years, most of his focus had been on training his endurance.
The blow hadn't really injured him, it just hurt like hell thanks to the Dark-Dark Fruit's side effects.
However, the strongest on board frowned slightly.
Bogard stepped beside Garp. "Vice Admiral Garp, Smoker's aura..."
"Yeah, I feel it too."
Though Garp looked casual, his Observation Haki noticed everything.
"His aura spiked hard, but it didn't weaken at all."
"That means he's not injured, but he's in tremendous pain..."
Suddenly, Garp shouted, "Hey, you two! Quit playing around, start using your abilities!"
Both Smoker and Mantis stiffened, then responded in unison, "Yes, sir!"
Mantis immediately activated his Devil Fruit. His body swelled as long antennae sprouted from his head, and his eyes turned into massive compound eyes.
His arms thickened and grew jagged edges, transforming into two massive scythes.
A tough carapace formed across his body, and translucent wings spread from his back. With a flutter, he soared into the air.
Marines around them roared with excitement.
"There it is! Captain Mantis's ability, Zoan-type, Bug-Bug Fruit: Mantis Form!"
"Insects are way stronger than normal animals! And mantises are one of the strongest!"
"Yeah! Not only does he have crazy speed and strength, he's got bladed attacks, armored defense, and flight, no weaknesses at all!"
Garp chuckled.
"Smoker brat, when Mantis uses his powers, he's strong enough to rival a Rear Admiral!"
"If you can't handle it, don't force it! I'll be the one suffering if you get hurt, ahahahaha!"
Smoker rolled his eyes.
You're the one who told us to go all out...
Such a drama-loving geezer.
Locking eyes with Mantis circling in the air, Smoker muttered, "Here it comes!"
Mantis shouted and dove at him, moving twice as fast as before. His bladed limbs cut through the air, aiming right for Smoker's throat.
"So fast! And vicious!!"
Smoker twisted to the side just in time.
The blade skimmed past his scalp, sending a wind slash slicing through a section of the railing.
"That hit harder than Bell-mère's wind blades!"
Smoker quickly countered, landing a punch to Mantis's gut and sending him flying.
But Mantis somersaulted midair, flapped his wings, and stabilized.
Smoker clenched his tingling fist, wide-eyed. "Armor?!"
"Insects have exoskeletons!" Mantis shouted back, then launched a flurry of wind blades from his limbs.
Smoker was shocked. "Tempest Kick?!"
The transformation must've boosted his physical strength enough to use Rokushiki.
He dodged as best he could, but couldn't evade them all, his body took several cuts.
"Damn... that hurts like hell."
His teeth clenched tight, veins bulging on his forehead from the pain.
The pain was so intense that cold sweat poured from his body.
Marines scattered to avoid stray attacks.
Garp's eyes bulged as he muttered, "My deck..."
Bogard silently stood behind him.
Some wind blades came their way.
Bogard flicked his sword lazily, parrying the attacks like brushing aside leaves.
Garp casually swatted a few aside like smacking flies.
Under intense pain, Smoker stopped holding back and charged at Mantis.
They brawled fiercely, one punch, one slash, blow for blow.
But it was clear to everyone that Mantis had the upper hand, thanks to his flight, armor, and blades.
As time passed, Smoker accumulated more and more wounds, staining the deck with blood.
Yet his eyes only burned brighter.
Garp, now munching on rice crackers, spoke to Bogard. "I see it now... the pain's a side effect of his Devil Fruit!"
Bogard narrowed his eyes. "He hasn't used his ability this whole time... Why? Is it useless?"
Garp shook his head slowly.
"What Devil Fruits still have side effects? Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Magellan's Venom-Venom Fruit..."
"Even those three, uh, four little monsters don't have side effects."
"If it does have side effects, that means it can't be simple."
Bogard frowned. "Then why doesn't he use it?"
Garp snorted.
"Cocky brat. He's using Mantis as a whetstone."
"Which means, once he does use his power, he's confident he can end it quickly."
Suddenly, Mantis hovered in midair.
He had a few injuries, his carapace chipped in places, but compared to the bloody Smoker, he was in far better shape.
"Smoker-kun, you're tough. But you can't beat me... just admit it."
Smoker endured another wave of searing pain and slowly straightened up.
"Thanks for the concern, Captain Mantis. But mind games won't work on me. And besides..."
He smiled confidently and raised a pitch-black hand toward Mantis.
"This fight is over."
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter