[TL/N: Read my new work - Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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"Straw Hat Boy!" Smoker's voice thundered across the battlefield as he fixed his sharp gaze on Luffy, who stood battered and winded in the distance.
Despite Luffy's disheveled appearance, Smoker didn't dare lower his guard. His instincts screamed caution.
This wasn't just any rookie pirate. Luffy had a connection that could shake the very foundation of the world—a brother whose name alone struck fear into the hearts of even the strongest.
Smoker clenched his jaw, his memories flashing back to the terrifying presence of the man who made even Marine Headquarters tremble.
As if Ace's strength wasn't enough, the world soon learned of his sworn brothers.
The first was Sabo, the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army, now wielding the powers of the Mythical Zoan Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon Form, stolen from Kaido himself. Sabo's power had skyrocketed, earning him the title of Dragon King. Only Kizaru could hope to stand against him, and even then, Sabo was the clear superior in strength.
The second brother was none other than the young pirate standing before Smoker—Monkey D. Luffy.
Although Luffy's current strength paled in comparison to Ace or Sabo, Smoker wasn't foolish enough to underestimate him. To be acknowledged by Ace and Sabo as their sworn brother meant Luffy harbored potential that could one day shake the seas.
For Smoker, that was a risk too great to ignore.
The moment he learned that Luffy planned to sail for the Grand Line from Loguetown, Smoker wasted no time. He raced to intercept the Straw Hat Boy, determined to stop him before he could grow into a threat that even justice could not contain.
Luffy stood defiantly despite the strain, his breathing labored. Beside him, his crewmates—Zoro, the Pirate Hunter, and Sanji, the Black-Leg—struggled to keep up with Smoker's relentless assault.
"Ha… Ha… Damn it," Zoro muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "No attack can even touch this guy."
Sanji, similarly winded, scowled at their opponent. "Is this what you meant, Luffy? A Logia Devil Fruit user?"
Smoker loomed over them, calm and unshaken. His control over the Smoke-Smoke Fruit rendered their physical attacks useless. Without the ability to use Armament Haki, Zoro and Sanji were completely outmatched.
Smoker's piercing eyes remained locked on Luffy. This wasn't just about defeating a pirate—it was about eliminating a growing threat to the world.
Justice demanded it!
And Smoker wouldn't falter!
Among the current Straw Hat Pirates, only Luffy had managed to grasp the basics of Armament Haki—a skill he had learned under Ace's tutelage.
Yet, even with this ability, Luffy was no match for Smoker.
Ace, while a brilliant teacher, had not yet attained the level required to deeply refine Haki at that time. His training methods relied on relentless combat to foster growth in both Luffy and Sabo.
Although Luffy had displayed incredible potential as a child, his talent fell short compared to Ace's or Sabo's. As a result, Luffy now faced an opponent far out of his league. Smoker, who had climbed the ranks to Vice Admiral of Naval Headquarters, was an adversary on a completely different level.
"What do I do? What do I do? A Vice Admiral from Naval Headquarters, here of all places?"
Usopp, watching from a distance, was consumed with panic as he saw Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji being overwhelmed by Smoker.
"The news about Luffy being Ace's younger brother is out. If he's caught, a horde of powerful Marines will be after him from now on! What do we do? What do we do?!"
For Usopp, joining Luffy's crew had been a straightforward decision. After hearing from Ace about Luffy's identity, Usopp—who had long dreamed of becoming a brave warrior of the sea—had eagerly awaited Luffy's arrival.
While Ace's influence had made Usopp much stronger than he was in the original timeline, he was still far from capable of challenging someone like Smoker. At this level, all he could do was observe from a safe distance, playing a minimal role.
Through gritted teeth, Luffy staggered back to his feet, determination blazing in his eyes. He took a battle stance, his breathing ragged but resolute.
"Ha! Ha! I am gonna be the King of the Pirates and Ace's right hand man! How can I fall here!"
"Becoming the right hand man of that man?" Smoker said, narrowing his eyes at Luffy. "You're just as much trouble as your other sworn brother. Dragon King—Sabo—has already become one of Ace's trusted right hands. And now you, Straw Hat, aim to follow in their footsteps?"
!!??
The mention of Sabo hit Luffy like a thunderbolt. His pupils widened in shock.
"S-Sabo?!" Luffy stammered, staring at Smoker as if the world had just shifted beneath him. "Sabo is alive?!"
The words echoed in his mind. So it was true—Ace hadn't lied. Sabo, his long-lost brother, was alive somewhere in the world.
Smoker raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by Luffy's reaction. "Huh, so you didn't know? Not that it matters. You'll never get the chance to see them again."
With that, Smoker activated his Smoke-Smoke Fruit powers, shrouding the battlefield in thick, impenetrable white smoke.
"Your journey ends here!" Smoker declared, his voice a growl.
"I can't fall here!" Luffy shouted, his fists trembling with rage and resolve. "I still have to see Ace! Sabo! And… Shanks!"
Smoker smirked coldly. "This is the end!"
But before Smoker could land the decisive blow, the sky above Loguetown suddenly darkened.
"Boom!"
A deafening crack of thunder roared across the town as dark clouds converged above, transforming into an ominous storm. The air became charged with a supernatural energy as massive bolts of lightning danced wildly among the clouds. The entire sky seemed alive with violent, serpentine arcs of electricity.
"Boom!!!"
The battlefield, once shrouded in Smoker's white smoke, was obliterated in an instant by a mystical wave of power emanating from the storm.
"What… What is this?!" Smoker gasped, his body tense as he stared at the ominous scene above.
His eyes locked on the lightning tearing through the heavens, his mind racing. A cold sweat began to bead on his forehead as realization dawned.
This phenomenon—this terrifying display of raw, destructive power—was all too familiar.
There was only one woman on the seas capable of commanding such a storm.
"Usopp, you haven't changed a bit."
A soft, teasing laugh echoed across the battlefield, causing Usopp to freeze, his eyes widening in shock.
"Buzz!"
The air shimmered slightly, as if reality itself rippled, and two figures emerged from the space's distortion.
"N-Nami?!"
Usopp gasped, recognizing one of the figures instantly. Memories flashed back to their time in Syrup Village, where Ace had used his unique power to help Usopp craft the Clima-Tact.
But the second figure…
Zoro's attention shifted entirely to the person standing beside Nami. His gaze fixed on the newcomer—a familiar face wielding an extraordinary sword.
"K-KUINA?!"
Zoro's voice trembled with disbelief as his eyes widened.
"T-That's t-the second-in-command of the Entei Pirates, 'The Flame - Thunder Cat Burglar' Nami, with a bounty of 3.5 b-billion berries!"
The Marines surrounding the scene erupted into fearful murmurs, their attention drawn to the infamous figures who had just arrived.
Nami's bounty had soared after the events in Wanokuni, and over the past year, her actions had cemented her reputation as a force as formidable as the Four Emperors themselves.
"And alongside her is none other than the cadre of the Entei Pirates, 'The Flame—Silent Swordsman' Tashigi, with a bounty of 850 million berries!"
The Marines were visibly shaken.
"Why... Why are the Entei Pirates here?!" a Marine Colonel stammered. "And not just any members—but her?!"
The fear was palpable. Even Admirals of the Marine Headquarters were wary of these two. This wasn't a fight they were equipped to handle.
"3.5 billion berries?!"
Sanji, hearing the astronomical number, forgot his awe at Nami and Tashigi's beauty. His eyes widened in sheer disbelief as cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
"In East Blue, 20 million berries is already a big deal... 3.5 billion?!" he stammered. "What kind of monster is she?!"
Meanwhile, Zoro's attention remained locked on Tashigi. Her name stirred memories.
"Tashigi?" he muttered, frowning. "Isn't she… Kuina?"
But it couldn't be. Kuina had died before his very eyes. Even if Tashigi bore an uncanny resemblance, it had to be a coincidence.
Interrupting his thoughts, Tashigi stepped forward and fixed her gaze on Zoro's sword.
"Excuse me," she said, her tone calm but direct, "is that Wado Ichimonji?"
Zoro stiffened. After a brief pause, he nodded. "Yeah. It's Wado Ichimonji."
He glanced down at the blade with a mixture of pride and sorrow. The sword carried his promise to Kuina—his vow to become the world's greatest swordsman so she could hear his name, even from heaven.
"It really is one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords," Tashigi murmured, her eyes lighting up with admiration.
"Tashigi, we'll discuss that later," Nami interrupted, her sharp gaze turning toward Luffy.
"Luffy," she said slowly, "this is something Ace wanted you to have."
"Ace?" Luffy exclaimed, realization dawning. "You're part of Ace's crew?!"
Luffy's poor memory rarely served him well, but he'd never forgotten the name of Ace's pirate group: the Entei Pirates.
"That's right," Nami confirmed with a faint smile. "Ace asked us to deliver this to you."
Before Nami could continue, Smoker, standing nearby, suddenly roared in fury.
"Don't you dare!" he bellowed, launching himself toward Nami and Tashigi with full force.
"Clang!"
The unmistakable sound of steel rang out as Tashigi drew her blade, Enma, effortlessly parrying Smoker's attack. Her sea-stone katana gleamed ominously.
"If you continue, Colonel Smoker," Tashigi said coldly, her voice steady, "I won't hold back."
Smoker's face twisted in defiance. "Don't look down on me, Tashigi!"
"Is that so?" Tashigi sighed. Her expression darkened as her eyes sharpened with lethal focus.
"Dwish!"
In a blink, Tashigi's figure vanished.
The world fell silent.
"Pshhh!"
A deep gash suddenly appeared across Smoker's chest. Blood sprayed as the Vice Admiral staggered backward, his body collapsing under the devastating strike.
"In a single blow…"
The Marine Colonel in Logue Town fell to his knees, trembling. "The rumors were true. This is the terrifying strength of the Flame Silent Swordsman, Tashigi, cadre of the Entei Pirates!"
Sanji, Zoro, and Usopp stood frozen, stunned by the effortless defeat of a Marine Vice Admiral.
Zoro's gaze locked on Tashigi, his forehead drenched in cold sweat. "Her swordsmanship…"
Unfazed, Tashigi sheathed her blade and stepped aside, ignoring Smoker's fallen form.
"This is for you, Monkey D. Luffy," Nami said, her expression softening as she handed Luffy the item Ace had entrusted to her.
She smiled faintly. "Ace has high hopes for you."