"White Hunter Smoker, the final opponent before the Great Line," Kuina declared, stopping four or five meters from Smoker. "Fight me with everything you've got, or someone's getting hurt."
She and Sora had planned this. Smoker, a "Natural-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit" user, was perfect for gaining experience against Logia users and honing her Observation Haki.
Fresh from Sora's advanced Haki training tips, she was itching to test them.
Smoker glanced at Tashigi, then locked eyes with Kuina, veins bulging on his forehead.
"One after another, treating me like I'm nothing," he growled. "Think my White Hunter title is self-awarded?"
He shot a look at Sora.
"Don't worry, I'm staying out of this," Sora said, leaning against his motorcycle, raising his wine gourd for a swig.
"Hm…"
He shook the gourd upside down—one drop, two, nothing left.
"Ugh, that's rough."
Turning to Ahua, Alo, and Ata, he called, "Hey, let's go. Time to stock up on supplies."
"Oh! Right, right!" The trio snapped to attention, hurrying toward Sora.
"Freeze! Who said you could move?" Marines swiveled their rifles, aiming at Ahua's group.
"Pretty scary, huh?" Sora turned to Smoker, chuckling lightly. "Colonel Smoker, mind telling your men to lower their guns?"
"Weapons are dangerous, you know."
"Pirate, know your place. Don't get cocky," Smoker roared, his face fierce. "Move out! Open fire, arrest these pirates!"
The impatient Marines, at Smoker's command, pulled their triggers.
Bang—!
Crack…
A hail of solid black bullets rained down like a net, blanketing Ahua's trio.
Sora's brow furrowed, anger flashing in his eyes. "I said no dangerous weapons. Why won't you listen?"
"Do you think I won't kill?"
A tyrannical aura swept the docks, and bullets entering Sora's 20-meter spatial domain froze in midair.
The docks fell silent.
Marines and onlookers rolled their eyes back, collapsing with a thud.
"Conqueror's Haki!" Smoker stared at Sora, eyes wide with shock.
It was unmistakably Conqueror's Haki, a rare trait—only one in a million possessed the kingly disposition to wield it.
Sora retracted his Haki and domain.
Amid a clink-clink of falling bullets, he fixed Smoker with a stare. "I told you, but you wouldn't listen. Can't you just behave?"
Smoker, suppressing his shock, glared back. "A man like you—why only set sail now?"
How could someone with kingly potential and such strength wait this long?
"Me?" Sora grinned. "I wasn't an adult yet."
He looked at Smoker, puzzled. "Don't people usually set sail as adults?"
He recalled Luffy, Ace, Zoro—all waited until adulthood.
"An adult?" Smoker's mouth twitched. He hadn't expected that answer, leaving him speechless.
"Exactly!" Sora nodded. "The moment I hit 17, I sailed. I Didn't waste a day."
Staring earnestly at Smoker, he asked, "What, you wanted me to sail sooner so you could beat me?"
He slapped Smoker's shoulder, laughing. "Haha! Come on, even at 10, I'd have crushed you."
"You—!" Smoker swatted Sora's hand away, drawing his jutte and thrusting at him. "Don't get too cocky!"
"Embarrassed, huh?" Sora teleported to Ahua's trio, grinning. "I'm just stating facts. Don't be so petty!"
"And your opponent isn't me."
"Get careless, and you'll get hurt."
As Smoker attacked, Kuina had already drawn Wado Ichimonji, gripping it two-handed above her head. With a quick step, she vanished.
Whoosh!
"Shave: Forward Slash!"
In an instant, Kuina appeared at Smoker's side. Smoker, mid-jutte swing, couldn't block, taking her slash head-on.
Wado Ichimonji sliced through Smoker, circling beneath him before Kuina sheathed it.
"Hm!"
No substance. Kuina looked up, seeing white smoke billowing from Smoker's sliced form, not a drop of blood.
"So this is a Natural-type?" she mused. "Fascinating."
Smoker calmly holstered his jutte, spat out his cigar butt, and pulled two fresh cigars from his chest, lighting them.
Taking a deep drag, he frowned at Kuina. "Shave! You know the Navy's Six Powers?"
His gaze hardened. "Who taught you?"
He suspected a rogue high-ranking Marine behind Silver-Hair's crew.
"You mean this high-speed move?" Kuina said coolly, her tone dripping with mockery. "Didn't I just train and figure it out?"
"Don't mess with me!" Smoker snapped. "Only senior officers can learn and master those techniques!"
"Enough! Are you fighting or not?" Kuina huffed. "Stop stalling. If you won't come, I will!"
Her eyes flashed red. She drew her blade in a blur.
"One-Sword Style: Draw Slash!"
A blade of light slashed toward Smoker. Sensing Armament Haki, he didn't dare tank it.
He pulled back, raising his jutte to block. Clang!
It met her blade just in time.
Sparks flew as Smoker twisted his jutte, locking Wado Ichimonji in its prongs.
"Don't think beating that fool Tashigi means you can ignore a Headquarters Colonel like me!"
His free hand elementalized, shooting a smoky fist at Kuina's head. "White Snake!"
Kuina's eyes flared red, dodging with a tilt to the left.
She pushed down, loosening Smoker's jutte. Freeing Wado Ichimonji, she spun, slashing at the returning smoky serpent.
Shff—!
The snake's head parted, but, like before, hit nothing solid.
(End of Chapter)
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Translator's Note: Yeah ... Author did mention motorcycle in this chapter.