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Chapter 57: Zoro vs. Smoker
"Who are you..."
Zoro narrowed his eyes, looking at the white-haired man in front of him. His gaze fell on the man's dark blue coat, different from that of an ordinary Marine soldier, and his muscles tensed involuntarily.
This man had a strong aura, definitely not an ordinary Marine officer.
At this moment.
"Captain Smoker!"
Tashigi trotted past Zoro, saluted the white-haired man, and asked with a puzzled expression, "Why are you here?"
"There are pirates causing trouble at the plaza. Tashigi, take some men and capture them!" Smoker commanded in a low voice, his eyes fixed on Zoro.
"Yes, Captain Smoker!"
Tashigi immediately straightened her back, preparing to obey the order and lead her team into action, but the strange atmosphere made her realize something was wrong.
She glanced at Zoro, who was standing in front of Smoker, and asked hesitantly, "Captain Smoker, is he... a pirate?"
She hadn't heard Smoker speak to Zoro, but she could feel Smoker's hostility towards this swordsman she had just met.
The only thing that could make this upright and incorruptible Marine Captain show such hostility was a pirate.
Smoker glanced at Tashigi with some surprise, wondering how she knew him, but he didn't pursue the matter. He said, "I am Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro, a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, with a bounty of 15 million Berries."
"What?!"
Tashigi's eyes suddenly widened, filled with shock and disbelief.
She whipped her head around, staring intently at Zoro. Seeing his silence and lack of denial, she felt utter despair.
The swordsman she admired was actually a pirate!
She pointed at Zoro, her body trembling, her voice filled with suppressed shame and anger. "Roronoa, you've been toying with me all this time!"
"I haven't told a single lie, except for not revealing my identity." Zoro's tone was calm, but seeing that familiar face show such an expression, his gaze couldn't help but waver.
This is troublesome.
Not only do they have to face a Marine Captain of unknown strength, but also an emotionally distraught woman.
"But you still deceived me. I thought those three swords would shine in your hands, but now it seems you're not worthy of them at all!" Tashigi reprimanded, her pretty face filled with anger.
Zoro frowned, clearly annoyed. "Are you playing house? Whether someone is worthy... isn't something you can decide just by talking."
Swish!
"Then I'll take them myself!"
The words had been spoken.
Tashigi drew her sword, her eyes determined, the tip pointing straight at Zoro.
She was determined to take back the Wado Ichimonji and the Sandai Kitetsu from this man.
However.
A wisp of white smoke drifted over from behind her, quickly wrapping around her waist like a rope and pulling her backward.
"Huh?"
Tashigi looked bewildered and instinctively tried to struggle.
A large hand landed on her shoulder, followed by a stern voice:
"Tashigi, my order was for you to lead a team and arrest the pirates. Did you not hear me?"
I heard this voice.
Tashigi's eyes immediately brightened. She looked at her direct superior beside her and said with some reluctance, "But, Captain Smoker, I want to..."
"No buts! Get to work immediately!"
Smoker cut her off sternly again, giving her no chance to continue.
He waved his hand, and the white smoke carried Tashigi away at astonishing speed.
He said to the Marines behind him, "Follow Tashigi, let's get to the mission!"
"Yes!"
The Marines responded in unison, and Tashigi, carried by the white smoke, quickly disappeared around the street corner.
"A smoke user...?" Zoro watched the scene calmly, not feeling particularly surprised.
After all, there were already two very capable companions on the ship, so this wasn't strange.
After dispersing the onlookers, Smoker refocused his full attention on Zoro.
"Roronoa, I don't want to waste words on you."
He said in a low voice, simultaneously reaching out and slowly drawing the jitte weapon, wrapped in white bandages and slightly taller than him, from his back.
"I'll give you two choices: either surrender, or be subdued and thrown in prison."
Even he, a Marine Captain stationed in Loguetown, had long heard the name "Pirate Hunter." Despite his youth, he had an extraordinary reputation in the East Blue.
Now he had become a pirate with a bounty of 15 million.
If he and his captain were allowed to enter the Grand Line, they would likely become a major threat to the Marines in the future.
Therefore, it must be nipped in the bud!
Zoro shook his head, gripped his hilts, and drew Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri at the same time. This action showed his attitude: "Sorry, I don't want to choose between them."
"Fine."
Neither of them was a man of many words. Just as Smoker said "Fine," he swung his jitte weapon straight at Zoro.
The blow was powerful and extremely fast; the weapon even hissed as it cut through the air!
Clang!
A crisp metallic clash rang out.
Zoro reacted with lightning speed, crossing his two swords in front of him to block the swift attack, but he felt a terrifying force. His body trembled slightly, the muscles in his arms bulged, and the veins on his arms were clearly visible.
"Oh? You actually caught it?"
Smoker was somewhat surprised. He felt the resistance from that rope-like hand, and it was far greater than he had expected. It definitely wasn't something he could just casually overwhelm.
"Then, let's try this."
As he spoke, his free hand clenched into a fist and suddenly shot out like a cannonball, straight at Zoro's chest!
Zoro had anticipated this. Almost at the same time as Smoker punched, he raised his other sword, blocking the fist steadily with the back of the blade, his body as stable as a rock.
He chuckled, his expression calm. "Nothing special."
This Marine Captain in front of him was powerful with every move, far surpassing any opponent he had met before.
However, in a contest of strength, he had never feared anyone, except for one person.
"It's not over yet!"
Hearing this, a fierce light flashed in Smoker's eyes.
Then, with a loud boom, the clenched fist suddenly exploded, turning into a violently churning, compressed cloud of white smoke!
The white smoke instantly generated propulsion, pushing the still-solid fist in front of it, giving it a second acceleration, and once again slamming heavily into the back of Zoro's blocking Yubashiri blade!
"What!"
Caught off guard, Zoro felt an unexpectedly huge force surge from the sword, crashing into him like a tsunami.
"Urgh!"
Zoro grunted, unable to maintain his balance any longer, and was sent flying into the air by the impact, along with his sword.
At this moment...
Smoker's entire lower body instantly turned into a surging cloud of white smoke, like a jet propulsion system, pushing his upper body towards Zoro at astonishing speed!
Zoro, suspended in mid-air, his pupils suddenly contracted, and a chill ran down his spine.
Not just his arm, but his whole body turned to smoke?
This ability seems completely different from Luffy's and Ganyu's.
"Roronoa, do you still have time to think?!"
In the blink of an eye.
Smoker had already flown in front of Zoro, raised his jitte horizontally, aimed at Zoro's head, and then, with the combined force of his descent and charge, he chopped down!