Kuzan fell silent.
The lazy, indifferent demeanor of Admiral Aokiji had vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp focus.
He had rarely heard Smoker sound like this.
The branch Captain who single-handedly held the line in the East Blue for years, who rarely even sought advice, was now expressing a profound, almost reverent awe for a newly promoted Captain and his single technique, "Mugetsu."
'That slash must have been truly breathtaking', Kuzan mused, his brow furrowing slightly as his mind involuntarily drifted to the personnel file he had recently reviewed.
'Captain Mike. Formerly a Captain at Branch 186. According to every evaluation, the man had a lax attitude, earning the playful nickname "the best boss" from his subordinates.'
'Yet, under his jurisdiction, everything remained peaceful.'
This contradiction inevitably reminded Kuzan of one person: Kizaru.
Slacking off was an attitude, but stepping up when it mattered—that was their unique, and often infuriating, style.
A faint smile tugged at Kuzan's lips, a glimmer of genuine interest flashing in his eyes.
It had been years since he last encountered someone this intriguing.
"Anyway, Smoker," he said, his voice regaining a hint of its usual levity, "it's good to see you've reignited your fighting spirit."
He remembered when Smoker had voluntarily requested a transfer to the East Blue.
For a man of his ambition and strength, it was a sideways, if not, a backward step.
A life of stagnation.
"It seems you're now willing to return to Headquarters and reconsider your own strength," Kuzan said, an unmistakable note of relief in his tone.
In this chaotic era, strength was everything.
"Hey!" Smoker's voice suddenly sharpened on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
"I've always been full of fighting spirit, alright? If anything, it's you, Kuzan! Ever since the Ohara incident, you've been getting lazier and lazier."
"Me? I'm just waiting for the right opportunity," Kuzan replied, lazily stretching.
His eyes, however, darkened slightly.
'Perhaps one day, if I become Fleet Admiral... I might finally have the chance to realize my own justice.'
The Den Den Mushi fell silent for a moment.
"Forget it," Smoker's voice came through again.
"That guy Mike follows 'Slacker Justice.' You follow 'Lazy Justice'—maybe the two of you would have something to talk about."
"Is that so?" Kuzan exhaled a frosty breath, his tone laced with amusement.
"Then I suppose I wouldn't mind meeting this Captain Mike."
His mind began to work, the pieces of a new plan clicking into place.
The upper echelons of the Marines were a delicate balance of power.
There was his own Dove Faction, Sakazuki's hardline Hawk Faction, and Borsalino's Neutral Faction.
This Mike, as Kizaru's new adjutant, could become a significant wildcard in the future.
'Might as well go take a look,' he decided.
'And I can visit an old acquaintance along the way.'
A familiar, dark-haired figure surfaced in his mind—Nico Robin.
The last he'd heard, she had joined forces with Crocodile in Alabasta.
"You'll be returning via the Grand Line, right?" Kuzan said into the receiver.
"I'll meet you there."
"What?" Smoker's tone was laced with confusion. "You're leaving Headquarters?"
"Yeah," Kuzan replied casually.
"Kizaru is on his way back. I just finished a mission. Perfect time to slack off a little."
And then he hung up.
He stood, draping his coat over his shoulders.
First, a stop in Alabasta to check on Robin.
After that, he'd go find Mike and see for himself what kind of man could leave Smoker so thoroughly shaken.
...
In the Captain's office in Loguetown, Smoker leaned back in his chair, leisurely puffing on a cigar after ending the call. Suddenly, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Captain Smoker?" Warrant Officer Tashigi's voice came from outside.
She pushed the door open gently, her eyes locking onto him with a trace of anxiety.
"You wanted to see me?"
"I already know," Smoker said, cutting her off before she could even begin her report.
He glanced up at her, exhaling a slow ring of smoke.
"You already know?" Tashigi asked, surprised.
"Yeah. Not only do I know that kid Mike is the one Mihawk was talking about, but I saw it with my own damn eyes." Smoker took a deep drag from his cigar.
"That kid's real strength... is monstrous." He looked at his subordinate, his expression firm.
"Tashigi, get ready. We're boarding Mike's ship to Headquarters."
"Huh?" Tashigi blinked, momentarily stunned. "But... what about the defense of Loguetown?"
"Don't worry about it," Smoker responded calmly, an unshakable determination in his eyes.
"I've already made the arrangements with Admiral Kuzan."
"But will Captain Mike agree to let us hitch a ride on his ship?" she asked, her voice full of doubt.
A knowing, almost cunning smile curled at the corners of Smoker's lips.
"Don't worry," he said. "I've got a trump card."
He took a deep breath and slowly patted his nearly empty wallet, feeling a sharp twinge of reluctance, yet his eyes brimmed with absolute confidence.
He had spent the last hour on the phone, not just with Kuzan, but with a certain custom motorcycle shop.
'Mike, you damn brat,' he thought, a smirk on his face.
'You always had your eye on my Billower Bike.'
'This time, I've gone all out. I've commissioned a top-of-the-line, custom-built version, just for you. The shop owner is already waiting for your specifications.'
'It cost me half my life savings, but for a guaranteed ticket to watch a monster up close... and maybe learn a thing or two... it'll be worth it.'
'This ship ride—I'm definitely hitching it!'