Staring at Smoker, who was right before his eyes, Ryuuto hesitated. Should he retreat now, or…?
In his mind, Ryuuto was looking at the Call the Wind and Summon the Rain Experience Card in his inventory.
One more try!
"Use!" Ryuuto thought.
[System Notification: Host is using the Call the Wind and Summon the Rain Experience Card. Time remaining: 15 minutes.]
[System Notification: Due to the host's low development level, the effective range and power of the Call the Wind and Summon the Rain ability are limited.]
The system's mechanical voice echoed in his mind. Instantly, the experience card in his inventory dissolved into motes of light, and an unknown energy surged into Ryuuto's body. The energy coursed through his limbs, bringing with it an indescribable change.
A moment later, Ryuuto clenched his left fist. A small tornado materialized out of thin air between his fingers. He could also feel that, if he wanted to, he could summon a localized downpour in a small area.
"What is this kid doing?" Smoker's expression grew grim as he saw the phenomenon around Ryuuto's left hand. "Another Logia-type? Something related to wind?"
Smoker felt the situation was becoming troublesome. The kid's origins were a complete mystery. First, he demonstrated the Six Powers, and now he was showing what looked like a Logia-type Devil Fruit ability.
He took a long drag from the cigars in his mouth, then exhaled a massive cloud of smoke. Under his control, the smoke coiled around him like a great white dragon.
On the other side, Ryuuto pushed those thoughts aside and focused on his left hand. He clenched his fist, and the small tornado dissipated. He then stomped his foot, and a powerful current of air erupted from beneath him.
Bang!
The air cracked. The blast of wind acted like an air cannon, launching Ryuuto forward. Combined with his Soru technique, his speed increased by a noticeable margin. In an instant, Ryuuto was right in front of Smoker, swinging his jitte.
"Captain Smoker, here I come!"
Ignoring the surprise in Smoker's eyes, Ryuuto brought the jitte down on him.
"White Dragon!"
But Smoker was clearly prepared. He leaped backward as the smoke dragon that had been behind him instantly moved to his front. The dragon, as if alive, coiled its body to dodge Ryuuto's attack, then swiped down viciously with claws formed of dense smoke.
Ryuuto remained calm. He sheathed his jitte and leaped to the side of the White Dragon.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His right hand shot out several waves of compressed air, striking the smoke dragon. Under the powerful impact of the air waves, the dragon was quickly dispersed. But before Ryuuto could catch his breath, Smoker was already sending a barrage of smoke fists hurtling toward him.
"White Bullets!"
This was getting relentless.
Ryuuto's heart pounded. He had no choice but to use Soru again, vanishing to put distance between himself and Smoker, barely dodging the fatal attack. But he had clearly underestimated Smoker's resolve.
"Face the judgment of justice!"
Ryuuto had just landed when Smoker materialized from a cloud of smoke behind him, his right hand already a massive white fist of smoke, preparing to smash down on Ryuuto's head.
Ryuuto didn't have time to react consciously. Acting on pure instinct, he swiped a hand behind him with all his might.
An invisible wall of wind materialized from nothing.
BOOM!
Smoker's giant smoke fist collided with the wind wall and was slowly ground away, unable to even touch Ryuuto.
"What is this?"
Stunned, Smoker blasted a jet of white smoke backward, choosing to create distance between them.
"Looks like I'm still lacking in combat experience," Ryuuto mused to himself, finally realizing what had happened. He then broke into a grin. "I'm a perfect counter for Smoker, aren't I?"
All his previous attacks had focused on using wind for speed and explosive force. He had completely forgotten about its other functions: defense and restraint.
Looking at Smoker, Ryuuto's confidence returned. Now he knew how to fight.
With a casual gesture, Ryuuto created six small tornadoes that hovered by his side.
"Captain Smoker, I just thought of a new move. Allow me to demonstrate," Ryuuto said with a faint smile.
"Not good!" Seeing Ryuuto's confident smile, Smoker felt a sense of foreboding, his expression turning grave.
"Soru!"
As the word left his lips, an air cannon erupted from under Ryuuto's feet, accelerating him toward Smoker in a fierce charge. As Ryuuto shot forward, the six tornadoes at his side kept pace, growing larger and larger under his control.
"This is taking a lot of stamina," Ryuuto noted, feeling his energy rapidly draining as he maintained control over the multiple tornadoes. But the fight should be over soon.
By the time Ryuuto reached Smoker, the tornadoes on his left had already grown to half the height of a man. With a powerful swing of his left arm, he hurled one of the tornadoes at Smoker. His right hand wasn't idle either, gripping his jitte and thrusting forward.
"This kid's fighting style has suddenly gotten so aggressive!"
Facing the incoming tornado and the Seastone-tipped jitte, Smoker knew he was in trouble. He immediately turned into smoke to retreat further.
"You finally took the bait!"
Seeing Smoker's reaction, Ryuuto laughed aloud. Gripping his jitte, he leaped high into the air. At the same moment, the five remaining tornadoes that had been at his side had already positioned themselves at various points around Smoker.
"Bind!"
Ryuuto clenched his left fist. The six tornadoes suddenly shot out in different directions before crashing into one another, weaving together to form an inescapable vortex of wind.
Unfortunately for Smoker, he was right in the middle of it.
He was a fraction of a second too late. As the cyclones converged, he instantly dispersed his body into countless small white smoke snakes, trying to escape. But it was too late. The small snakes were shredded and dissipated by the churning winds of the tornado prison. Smoker had no choice but to reform his body, trapped within the vortex.
"Compress!"
Seeing his strategy succeed, Ryuuto ignored his rapidly depleting stamina. He clenched his fist, controlling the tornado prison to shrink and tighten.
Bang! Bang!
Smoker didn't give up, turning into smoke again to try and force his way out. But Ryuuto gave him no such chance. The tornadoes relentlessly shredded any wisp of smoke that tried to escape, leaving Smoker to struggle like a caged beast.
"Damn it! Damn it all!" Smoker cursed in fury, unable to break free no matter which way he charged.
"Not feeling so good, are you, Captain Smoker?" Ryuuto said with a light chuckle.
Deciding it was time to end the fight, Ryuuto used Soru, instantly appearing in front of the trapped Smoker. With his right hand, he thrust the jitte he was holding forward.