"Smoker?"
From the man smoking a cigar, who practically radiated an aura of strength, Luffy indeed sensed the air of a powerful fighter.
Not like Buggy, who he'd just sent flying—someone who looked comical and whose strength was equally laughable.
The surrounding citizens were cheering. The sudden appearance of two pirates with bounties in the tens of millions had terrified them.
Smoker's appearance was like a shot of adrenaline for them. Since he became the Marine Captain stationed in Loguetown, any pirate who tried to cause trouble in this town had been thrown in jail by Smoker.
Now, more and more Marine reinforcements have arrived. The sight of soldiers armed with guns provided a sense of security.
Smoker stared at Luffy. He saw a quality in this man different from other pirates—an indescribable aura, much like when he'd seen the Pirate King, Roger, walking to his execution here in this very town.
That first and last, sight.
On the broad avenue leading to the execution platform, though shackled, that man had strode forward like a triumphant general returning home.
The man who possessed wealth, status, fame... the man who possessed the whole world was a proud king under any circumstances.
Smoker held complex feelings towards Roger.
"Straw Hat brat. Should I call you lucky or unlucky? Anyway, thanks for dealing with the Buggy Pirates for me."
Smoker blew out a puff of smoke. "But your journey ends here. You, the highest-bounty pirate in the East Blue, will be personally captured by me."
Luffy adjusted his hat, not paying much mind to Smoker's words.
Under his Observation Haki's perception, Smoker's strength was indeed not weak.
But within that near-beast-like intuition, Luffy sensed another, almost terrifyingly powerful presence.
Just a trace of it made his whole body tremble with excitement.
So, in a word, Luffy wasn't taking Smoker seriously.
This disregard was naturally noticed by Smoker.
"Are you planning to run?"
"Is your goal the Grand Line? I won't let you set sail. If you want to go to the Grand Line, you'll have to defeat me here."
"Straw Hat brat! Look me in the eyes!"
Luffy couldn't understand why Smoker was so worked up.
A light, sporadic drizzle began to fall from the sky.
He didn't know when this "Pirate Combat Practical Training" time would end.
He had to finish this quickly!
"There's one thing I need to correct," Luffy said, clenching his fist with his trademark grin. "My goal isn't just the Grand Line. I'm going to become the Pirate King!"
The next second, Luffy was already in front of him.
Smoker's heart skipped a beat. That speed was incredible.
Almost as fast as... no, it was faster!
"Gomu Gomu no... Bullet."
Luffy now stood right before Smoker, throwing a close-range punch. Even with his arms crossed in a guard, the weight and hardness of the blow forced Smoker back several steps.
This guy was a Devil Fruit user, yet his physical skills were this strong? Smoker had thought he could handle Straw Hat even without using his Devil Fruit powers.
The reality was, in terms of physical combat, he was being mercilessly suppressed by Luffy.
A faint memory surfaced in Smoker's mind—an old man's voice.
"I warned you not to rely too heavily on your Devil Fruit power. Haki and physical skills are the true foundation. You'll pay for this someday."
No, Teacher Zephyr, you're wrong.
Smoker needed to prove himself.
Luffy soon saw Smoker adopt an expression of supreme confidence.
"Straw Hat brat, I acknowledge you. But I said I'd stop you, and I will. You will not enter the Grand Line," Smoker declared.
"Then I'll just beat you, right?"
"No. You can't."
At the same time, Luffy saw Smoker's body gradually turn into smoke. His eyes lit up immediately.
This was just like his own body turning to rubber!
"So you're a Devil Fruit user too," Luffy said.
Honestly, he'd encountered quite a few Devil Fruit powers along the way: Buggy's Bara Bara no Mi, the woman who went from fat to thin—the Sube Sube no Mi (Smooth-Smooth Fruit), and Uta's Uta Uta no Mi.
The onlookers also cheered.
Because they knew: in this state, Captain Smoker was invincible.
"Ah, my Devil Fruit power is considered top-tier, even in the Grand Line."
"It's a Logia-type Devil Fruit, at the very top of the Devil Fruit hierarchy. I am the user of the Moku Moku no Mi (Smoke-Smoke Fruit)."
Smoker drew his weapon, grinning at Luffy. "Just surrender and let me arrest you. I'll consider giving you a decent cell."
"Let me remind you: my weapon is tipped with Seastone—the natural enemy of Devil Fruit users. Your chance of winning is zero."
No sooner had he spoken than Luffy, already in his steam-powered state, aimed at Smoker. "Gomu Gomu no... Jet Pistol!"
The air bullet struck Smoker's body, passing right through the smoke.
Luffy felt like he'd punched smoke itself.
"Missed?"
"It's useless. The reason Logia-type Devil Fruit powers are considered invincible is that ordinary attacks cannot hit our true form," Smoker explained.
"Hey, that's cheating," Luffy couldn't help but complain.
Faced with Smoker's aggressive attacks, he could only dodge and weave. Gear Second had enhanced Luffy's core physical abilities so much that Smoker seemed to be the one being toyed with.
Even without Smoker saying it, Luffy could feel the threat from the so-called Seastone on that weapon.
His attacks couldn't land effectively, so he could only evade and keep his distance.
Play to your strengths, avoid your weaknesses.
Luffy began trying all sorts of methods, even gulping down a mouthful of Smoker's smoke at one point.
Smoker was clearly getting worked up. With an angry shout, he unleashed his signature move: "White Blow" (Shirohebi).
"It's pointless!" Smoker tried to pressure Luffy psychologically. "My soldiers are all around you! In that form, your stamina will drain very quickly. Just surrender quietly and let me arrest you!"
"All your methods are countered by me. If you entered the Grand Line later and learned Armament Haki, then maybe you'd have a chance to fight me."
"Unfortunately, I'll be taking that future from you!"
Hearing this, Luffy suddenly stopped. A layer of pitch-black Armament Haki rapidly coated his fist.
"Smokey. You mean this?" Luffy grinned.
"That's...!" Smoker's pupils instantly contracted as if he'd seen something unbelievable.
Haki?!
"Gomu Gomu no... Jet Gatling!"
"Tekkai (Iron Body)!"
In his haste, Smoker made the worst possible decision.
***
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