The first half of the Grand Line, Carnival City.
Young Smoker walked down from the port, a cigar clenched between his teeth, dragging an unconscious bounty hunter by the collar. Behind him followed a large group of rough-looking pirate underlings.
Compared to when he'd been in the Marines, Smoker's image had changed dramatically.
First, he was no longer wearing his favorite Marine vest with the word "Justice" emblazoned on the back. Instead, a black captain's coat was draped over his shoulders.
At the same time, two intersecting scars now marked his chest in a cross pattern, making him look much more intimidating.
Not only that, his entire demeanor had shifted.
While at Marineford, Smoker had been a bit of a troublemaker, but he'd still carried himself with a sense of righteousness.
Now, he looked exactly like a vicious pirate.
Especially his eyes, which had grown cold and fierce.
Throwing the bounty hunter to the ground, Smoker stretched his neck slightly. "Deal with this idiot. Go find the person in charge of the Donquixote Family here and tell them I want to see him."
"Yes, Captain!" A young pirate standing behind Smoker said with a sinister grin.
But before the man could leave, Smoker added, "Tell the head of the Donquixote Family to restock my ammunition first, then come see me with a price. Give him time to think it over on the way and decide how much he wants to offer me."
"Understood, Captain!" The young pirate responded quickly, then left the port with a group of his crew.
Smoker slowly exhaled another puff of smoke, his gaze drifting to the electronic calendar hanging on the tall tower of Carnival City. He murmured softly, "Three years…"
In truth, Smoker was quite confused these days. He'd recently discovered, much to his surprise, that he had a genuine talent for being a pirate.
Perhaps it was his bad temper and unconventional way of doing things.
In any case, the pirates under his command were all quite convinced by him as their captain.
In just about a year, he'd gathered more than two hundred elite pirates.
If this trend continued, he'd almost have to form a large fleet.
He'd already made some mature considerations about this plan. He would use the elite pirates he'd brought under his command as small-scale officers. Using them as a framework, he'd recruit new members. With a base of two hundred people, he could form a pirate crew of two thousand in no time.
At that point, it could already be called a large fleet.
However, he still lacked some ships, especially powerful ones.
As someone who'd come from Marine Headquarters and participated in several actual combat exercises, compared to the Marines' standard warships, Smoker held pirate ships in utter contempt.
Whether it was firepower ratio or tonnage, there was a massive difference.
"I have to find a way to get two warships," Smoker muttered, touching his chin.
At that moment, the Den Den Mushi he always carried with him suddenly rang.
Smoker's expression turned serious. He had two Den Den Mushi: one used specifically for pirate business, and another that was a secret Den Den Mushi whose signal frequency was only possessed by a few high-ranking figures in the Marines.
Smoker looked back and told his subordinates to rest. Then he walked a few steps toward the shore. Seeing that no one was around, he took out the Den Den Mushi.
Looking at its appearance, his eyes flashed with joy. He picked it up. "Admiral Finn?!"
When Smoker had left the Marines, Finn had still been a Vice Admiral.
As a result, less than half a year after he'd left, Finn had become an Admiral.
Smoker had been genuinely happy about that. On one hand, it was because he admired Finn. On the other, it was because Finn was the initiator of his "Pirate Plan." The higher Finn's status and authority in the Marines, the more hope Smoker had, and the safer he'd be, right?
"Oh, Smoker. I haven't been in touch with you for a while. How are you? How are things going recently? Does the pirate industry have a bright future? Hahahaha," Finn asked with a booming laugh on the other side of the Den Den Mushi.
Smoker smiled as well, exhaling a puff of smoke. His tone was slightly helpless. "The pirate industry really does have a bright future."
"Hehehe. Because of the chaos, there's no need for other rules. As long as you're strong, you can seize high positions and control the lives and deaths of countless people. That's certainly very promising. But precisely because of the chaos, you can rise rapidly, yet it's also possible that one day, you'll quietly disappear like a shooting star," Finn said with a chuckle.
"Like Golden Lion Shiki?" Smoker asked suddenly.
Finn hadn't heard Shiki's name in a long time. He was momentarily stunned, a hint of nostalgia flickering in his eyes. "Yes. Just like Shiki."
Finn didn't linger on pirate philosophy with Smoker. After a pause, he asked, "How's it going? Are there any problems you need our help with recently?"
"To be honest, my pirate ship is really too shabby. Admiral, is there any way to support me with two warships or something?" Smoker asked with a hopeful smile.
After leaving Marineford's order and becoming active on the seas as a pirate, Smoker had been somewhat tainted with the pirates' carefree attitude.
When he'd been at Marineford, even though he'd been a bit of a troublemaker, he'd still been quite serious when talking to Finn.
But now, listening to his tone, he seemed much more relaxed.
"You're just daydreaming, kid. As a pirate, do you know what kind of impact it would have if you used a warship? It would be an insult to the reputation of the Marines, and they'd definitely find a way to destroy you. So don't even think about warships. I can approve some operational funds for you instead," Finn said, rolling his eyes.
Smoker replied with a bit of helplessness, "I don't need funds. I can just rob what I need myself. To be honest, I really don't need money right now. Those damn nobles are far richer than I ever imagined."
"Ah, not bad. You're sounding more and more like a pirate now," Finn laughed.
After a brief pause, Finn continued, "I've secretly stored a batch of arms on Java Island. If you need them, go rob that place."
"I understand, Admiral," Smoker said with a grin.
This was the advantage of being a pirate with an official background. Other pirates had a great demand for gunpowder and shells but were limited to the black market.
But Smoker was different. He could have it both ways. This time, he'd come to Carnival City to replenish his ammunition reserves, and he was looking to the Donquixote Family for that.
But if he failed to reach an agreement with them, he didn't have to worry, because the Marines would arrange things for him anyway.
He wouldn't starve, no matter what.
"Although warships and the like can't be arranged, where are you right now?" Finn asked again.
"Carnival City. I'm planning to take my people here to relax and replenish ammunition," Smoker said without hiding anything.
"Carnival City isn't too far from Water 7. Let me give you some good news. There's a powerful shipwright in Water 7 named Tom, a fish-man. He once built a ship for Pirate King Roger. Around 1500, he was sentenced to death by the World Government for that crime. However, for various reasons, he's currently on probation. You can find him there and ask him to build you a powerful ship," Finn said with a smile.
"Roger's shipwright?" Smoker said in surprise.
"No, he's not Roger's shipwright. He just built a ship for Roger," Finn corrected softly.
"I know. Thank you for the news, Admiral," Smoker said, nodding.
After a brief pause, Smoker asked in a deeper voice, "Is there something you need me to do for you, Admiral?"
"You've been out there for a while now, and you've become quite perceptive," Finn praised. Then, before Smoker could respond, he said, "Yes, there's something you need to handle. King Kuletask, the ruler of the Maugorila Kingdom, a member nation, intends to slander and attack the Marines at this World Conference. He's hoping to use it to depose Vice Admiral Jonathan, the G-8 base commander. I'll send you the relevant intelligence later. Find a way to silence that fool."
Smoker was stunned for a moment. "Can royal families of member nations even interfere in the internal affairs of the Marines?"
"Of course. They're not qualified at ordinary times, but at the World Conference, the royal families of various nations have the power to raise various issues. Once an issue is passed, all organizations under the World Government must obey the decision. From a legal perspective, the issues discussed at the World Conference, once recognized by all nations, carry extremely high legal authority and have more weight than even Headquarters' orders. Therefore, during this period, member nations can use this method to interfere in Marine affairs," Finn explained calmly.
This was also a very normal thing, and it was one of the various means the World Government used to check and balance the Marines.
From an objective perspective, this phenomenon was actually quite reasonable.
Of course, the member nations also hoped to have some means of influencing the Marines.
However, for many years, no one had used this power. On one hand, the Marines' might was undeniable, and no one dared to offend them. On the other, they were naturally afraid of Marine retaliation and being made an example of.
Smoker wasn't overly surprised after hearing this. He simply complained, "Are all the royal families of these member nations so idle?"
"Haha. Do you think the World Conference is so high-minded? Maybe some of it is, but the World Conference often lasts one to two months. Do you really think these kings only focus on those grand issues? No. As far as I know, these petty squabbles and obstructions are the actual mainstream of the World Conference. In short, this matter is left to you," Finn said with a laugh.
"No problem, Admiral," Smoker responded without hesitation.
"Regarding the matter of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, once you've completed this task, the Marines will begin helping you. Work hard, and don't get defeated by your peers during this period. That would be embarrassing for us," Finn reminded him softly.
Smoker said seriously, "According to your instructions, Admiral, I won't stay in the New World permanently until I've earned the title of Warlord, so it shouldn't be a problem."
"Good. That's it. Contact us if you have any questions. Be careful," Finn finished making these arrangements and prepared to end the call.
Smoker said simply, "Understood, Admiral."
As soon as he finished speaking, they both hung up their Den Den Mushi.
Smoker flicked the ash from his cigar, couldn't help but laugh, and said self-deprecatingly, "Only at times like this can I truly remember that I'm actually a Marine."
Not long after that, Smoker took care of the matter. Two months later, the World Conference was officially convened in Mary Geoise.
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