Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
When Roy's warship docked at the port, it naturally attracted a considerable amount of attention.
After all, the massive carcass of a Sea Beast strapped to the rear of the vessel was hard to miss.
"I'm going to find Vice Admiral Billos to report on the mission," Roy announced, adjusting his uniform.
"Hans, take the men from the Second Squad and escort that guy to the prison. Once Headquarters verifies his identity, send him to Impel Down along with the other criminals currently in custody."
"Val, take the First Squad into town and sell the Sea Beast meat. While you're at it, arrange a celebration banquet at the old place."
Roy's tone was practiced and familiar; clearly, this wasn't the first time he had made such arrangements.
"Yes! Sir!" the two subordinates responded in unison.
Upon hearing the words "celebration banquet," the eyes of the Marines from the Detention Unit instantly lit up.
Satisfied, Roy disembarked from the warship alone, intending to find his superior to file his report.
However...
"Oi!"
He had just stepped onto the Oris Plaza of Marine Headquarters when a familiar voice rang in his ears.
Not good, Roy thought to himself. He immediately turned around, intending to flee.
But before he could take a step, plumes of white smoke surged around him, blocking his path.
"The matter I mentioned before—have you considered it?"
Accompanied by the question, a figure slowly coalesced from the smoke.
Hearing this, Roy answered without hesitation, "I haven't considered it at all—Smoker, I have no intention of leaving the Detention Unit!"
Standing before him was a man with iconic white hair, knotted muscles, two cigars permanently clamped in his mouth, and a specialized "Jitte" weapon strapped to his back.
He was a Marine Headquarters Captain, a user of the Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit, the "White Hunter," Smoker.
"Roy Amos!"
Hearing the rejection, Smoker bit down on his cigars and roared, "You bastard... don't joke with me!"
"Who's joking with you?" Roy rolled his eyes at him.
He knew exactly what Smoker wanted.
In fact, Smoker and Roy were colleagues who had joined the Marines at the same time.
Naturally, with a Logia-type user right in front of him, Roy hadn't let the opportunity slip. During their recruit training and probationary missions, Roy had made sure to build a solid friendship with Smoker. They were bona fide close friends.
However, after recruit training ended, their paths diverged completely.
Relying on his Logia ability and outstanding combat prowess, Smoker naturally became a prime candidate for the Marines' elite training, eventually entering the Elite Camp led by the former Admiral, "Black Arm" Zephyr.
Roy, on the other hand, had decisively chosen to join the Detention Unit.
As a result, even though they were from the same graduating class, there was now a two-rank difference between them.
Smoker's visit today was precisely about this gap.
Smoker was already a Headquarters Captain. According to Headquarters regulations, once an officer was promoted to Captain, they faced two choices:
Join the fleet of a Vice Admiral—or even an Admiral—or head to the Four Blues to command a branch base.
The former was the choice of most ambitious officers, as following high-ranking generals on missions offered a faster track for promotion.
But as a notoriously stubborn hardliner within Headquarters, Smoker had no desire to serve under some random Vice Admiral.
He had already made his choice: he requested a transfer to his hometown, Loguetown, to serve as the base commander.
And that was why he was looking for Roy.
"I told you, I need a competent Vice-Commander," Smoker said, his expression darkening.
"And I told you, I'm not going. I recall recommending Lieutenant Tashigi to you; she's a fine Marine..." Roy replied with a straight face.
Leave the Detention Unit?
If he did that, who would supply him with his steady stream of Devil Fruits?
But just as the words left his mouth...
BOOM!
A tremendous sound of breaking wind assaulted Roy's ears.
Whoosh!
Roy's figure vanished from his spot instantly. A split second later, Smoker's Jitte smashed violently into the ground where Roy had just been standing.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The pristine white tiles of Oris Plaza shattered under Smoker's immense strength, leaving a massive crater.
Passing Marines jumped in fright. "What's happening?!"
"Enemy attack?"
Some instinctively unslung their flintlock rifles and clicked the safety off. But then, they witnessed a shocking sight.
Smoker, having just increased the difficulty of Marineford's ground maintenance, didn't pause for a second.
"White Blow!"
He shouted, and countless fists formed of dense smoke flew from his body, bombarding Roy from every angle.
"Oi, oi, oi! Smoker—what are you doing? Have you lost your mind!?"
amidst the barrage of smoke fists, Roy's figure twisted and turned, dodging with impossible fluidity.
Despite the density of the attack, not a single smoke fist could touch him.
[Rabbit-Rabbit Fruit · Snow Rabbit Form (LV1) - Loaded]
(Passively gain partial characteristics of the Snow Rabbit. Comprehensive physical enhancement. Bonus traits: Enhanced Hearing and Speed.)
[Rat-Rat Fruit · Grey Rat Form (LV1) - Loaded]
(Passively gain partial characteristics of the Grey Rat. Comprehensive physical enhancement. Bonus traits: Enhanced Agility/Sensitivity.)
Smoker ignored Roy's complaints entirely.
"White Launcher!"
While continuing the bombardment of smoke fists, Smoker's lower body dissolved into billowing smoke, propelling his upper torso toward Roy at breakneck speed.
He raised the Jitte high and swung it down at Roy once more!
"You're actually serious?!" Roy exclaimed.
He raised his hand. Inside his mind, the Fruit Encyclopedia shifted gears.
[Ox-Ox Fruit · Giant Rhino Form (LV1)]
[Strong-Strong Fruit (LV1)]
The terrifying power that had allowed him to one-shot the Sea Beast flooded his body again. Roy reached out with his bare hand and caught Smoker's Jitte directly!
BOOM!
The immense kinetic force instantly pulverized the ground beneath Roy's feet.
Yet, despite the crushing weight of the attack, Roy's body remained immovable, like a statue rooted in the earth.
He looked at Smoker and said in a low voice, "If you keep this up, I won't be polite anymore!"
"Bring it on!" Smoker roared.
His arm dissolved into white smoke again, preparing to surge forward.
Seeing this, Roy gritted his teeth. "You bastard!"
He stopped holding back. With one hand still gripping Smoker's Jitte, he curled his other hand into a palm strike.
Inside the Fruit Encyclopedia, the active ability changed again.
[Human-Human Fruit · Model: Daibutsu (Great Buddha) (LV1)]
(Comprehensive physical enhancement. Ability to emit minor shockwaves from the palms.)
A golden shockwave erupted from his palm.
BOOM!
A deep trench was instantly gouged into the earth. Smoker's smoke form was blasted apart by the impact, sending him flying backward.
He didn't reform his human body until he landed far in the distance.
Nearby Marines were blown off their feet by the sheer pressure of the blast. Some, confused and panicked, raised their weapons, thinking the base was under siege.
It wasn't until they saw that both combatants were wearing Marine officer uniforms that their jaws dropped.
"So strong... they're like monsters... Who are those two?!"
"I know the white-haired one! That's 'White Hunter' Smoker!"
"The Mad Dog of Headquarters who ate a Logia fruit and never listens to orders?"
"Who is the other one? He can actually fight him on equal footing?!"
"Is he an officer from the Elite Unit?!"
The Marines buzzed with discussion.
The strong always commanded attention. Even in Marine Headquarters, a duel of this caliber was not a common sight for the average soldier.
Smoker ignored the surrounding noise. He chewed on his cigar, his face grim. "Your physical strength and your 'Wave Boxing'... sure enough, you've gotten stronger again!"
Smoker considered himself the person who knew Roy best in the entire Navy.
He knew just how terrifying Roy's talent for speed, strength, and reflexes truly was. In fact, if he hadn't seen Roy swimming in the ocean with his own eyes, he would have suspected Roy was a Devil Fruit user.
He had also seen this "Wave Boxing" before.
According to Roy, it was a martial art that "uses the unseen fluctuations of the air to trigger a shockwave when the fist is thrown." Smoker had tried to learn it privately many times but couldn't understand the mechanics at all.
But that didn't matter right now.
The seas were full of strange people with strange abilities. He had even heard of a Revolutionary Army officer who could shatter rocks just by winking.
What mattered to Smoker was... he couldn't understand Roy's choices!
Most Marines believed that anyone who volunteered for the Detention Unit was a coward trying to avoid the dangers of the front line.
But Smoker knew Roy wasn't like that.
"Do you remember that little girl in Keshiila Village?" Smoker asked, his voice low and gravelly.
" back then, just to get back the money meant for her mother's medical treatment, you and I chased those pirates across an entire sea zone. You carved a bloody path through a pirate-infested town with your own hands to catch them!"
"I have seen your Justice with my own eyes, Roy... Tell me, what the hell are you thinking?!"
"With your strength, why won't you go to the front lines and make a name for yourself? Why rot away as a lowly Captain in the Detention Unit?"
Smoker roared the question.
Facing the interrogation, Roy remained calm. "Justice?"
He pulled a flask from his sleeve and took a long swig. Gulp, gulp.
It looked heroic, like a warrior drinking hard liquor.
However, judging by the fizzy black liquid spilling from the corner of his mouth, it was obviously Cola.
He wiped his mouth and grinned. "What you saw wasn't my Justice, Smoker. That was just basic conscience."
"Besides, I don't have that kind of ambition. I think the Detention Unit suits me just fine!"
Hearing this, Smoker was furious.
"You guy..."
White smoke billowed violently from his arms. He was ready to fight again.
If words couldn't get through to him, he would communicate with his fists. That was Smoker's way!
But just then...
"Smoker."
A sudden voice made Smoker freeze.
"Oh!"
"Who is that beauty?"
"It's Colonel 'Black Cage' Hina!"
Excited whispers rippled through the crowd of Marines, and pink hearts practically floated out of some of their eyes.
A tall, slender beauty with pink hair, dressed in a burgundy suit and Marine coat, walked out from the crowd.
"Hina just returned from a mission only to find you causing trouble again. Hina is disappointed," she said, a cigarette dangling from her lips as she looked helplessly at Smoker.
"Your punishment from last time hasn't even been lifted yet, has it?"
As Smoker's close friend—and the one who constantly had to clean up his messes—she had plenty of complaints.
Although Smoker's aura weakened significantly in her presence, he still tried to defend himself. "Hmph! This time it's not my fault. It's this bastard..."
He decisively tried to shift the blame, turning his head to point at the unmotivated slouch who deserved the scolding.
But when he turned around...
The spot where Roy had been standing was empty. There wasn't even a shadow left.
"That bastard ran away again!"
Realizing Roy had bolted, veins popped on Smoker's forehead, and he clenched his fists.
But before he could give chase, a ring of black iron bars sprang up, encircling him completely.
From behind him came Hina's voice, now tinged with danger. "Trying to run? Explain yourself clearly—what kind of madness are you indulging in this time? Otherwise... Hina will be very angry!"
Finally, a look of genuine panic appeared on Smoker's face.