Smoker looked at the tall man before him. He didn't salute, only ground his cigar between his teeth.
Kuzan.
The Marines' ultimate combat power, Admiral Aokiji.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku had actually sent this guy.
"It seems the old man is really panicking this time."
Smoker exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, his tone stiff.
Kuzan scratched his messy hair, yawning repeatedly.
"Arara, don't say that, Smoker. Sengoku-san hasn't closed his eyes for three days. A lot of big things have happened in Marineford lately."
Kuzan stepped aside, revealing several individuals in black suits with cold, murderous expressions behind him.
The leader wore a white coat and a bizarre mask, revealing only a pair of sinister eyes.
Smoker's pupils shrank sharply.
CP0.
The strongest shield of the Celestial Dragons, the secret intelligence agency directly under the World Government.
After Sengoku reported the information about Abel to the Five Elders, a dispute broke out among them regarding their attitude toward Abel.
The final result was this: the World Government supported the actions of the Marines and Abel, but they had to be conducted under the supervision of the Cipher Pol organization.
"Don't look at me with those eyes, Smoker."
Kuzan scratched the back of his head, spreading his hands helplessly.
"This is an order directly from Mary Geoise; even Fleet Admiral Sengoku couldn't refuse. After all, this matter has become too big."
Smoker spat out his cigarette butt, his military boot grinding out the sparks heavily.
"The World Government's nose is quite sharp, even sending out these watchdogs of the Celestial Dragons."
The CP0 agent wearing the bizarre mask took a step forward, his white trench coat fluttering in the sea breeze.
"Watch your words, Marine Colonel. We are the highest intelligence agency directly under the World Government. Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku has no right to interfere with our actions."
Smoker snorted coldly, a faint white smoke beginning to drift around his body.
He had no favorable impression of these guys.
So-called justice was nothing more than a tool to maintain the rule of the Celestial Dragons in their eyes.
Kuzan scratched his head and stood between the two with a helpless look.
"Arara, are young people nowadays so hot-tempered?"
He waved his hand lazily, signaling both sides to calm down.
Kuzan turned his head and glanced at the CP0 agents behind him.
"Since I am in full charge of this mission, please return to the cabin for a cup of tea or count some seagulls. Don't interfere with the frontline command here."
The masked man snorted coldly.
Though his expression couldn't be seen, his displeasure was almost overflowing.
But in the end, he didn't lash out.
Facing the highest combat power of the Marines, even CP0 didn't dare to be too presumptuous, especially at such a critical juncture where a major war could break out at any moment.
Several men in white turned and left, the sound of their military boots on the deck fading away.
Not until the heavy cabin door closed again did Smoker exhale a thick cloud of smoke, his face still grim.
"What exactly is the old man thinking?"
Smoker pointed to the dense fleet on the surrounding sea.
Besides the ten heavy Marineford warships Kuzan brought, there were even several black-painted ships with no markings following behind.
He had seen that ship type before; it was a transport ship for the Science Division.
Add to that an Admiral's presence and CP0's escort.
This configuration was more than enough to attack the territory of one of the Four Emperors.
"Smoker, the things involved in this mission... might overturn your understanding of this world."
Smoker frowned.
Overturn understanding?
"Has Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally come to his senses and is preparing to lead the Marines in a rebellion to overthrow the World Government?"
Smoker's rebellious streak flared up, always ready to offer his loyalty to the Fleet Admiral!
The air suddenly went silent for a second.
Beside him, Tashigi was so frightened that the sword in her hand almost dropped to the ground, her face pale.
"Co... Colonel Smoker! You can't just say things like that!"
Kuzan scratched his head, his expression a bit stiff.
"Ahem."
He coughed heavily twice to cover the embarrassment.
"Arara, Smoker, your jokes are still so cold, not funny at all."
Kuzan's embarrassment lasted only a moment, then his lazy expression slowly faded, replaced by a solemnity Smoker had never seen on the man's face before.
"Smoker, the following conversation is classified as an SSS-Rank Marineford secret."
Kuzan reached out, pulled over a folding chair, sat down broadly, and pointed to the empty seat beside him.
Smoker's eyelid twitched.
SSS-Rank.
That was the highest level of security, only activated for matters involving Ancient Weapons or the void century.
Tashigi nervously gripped Shigure.
Smoker looked at Kuzan's uncharacteristically serious face, and the sense of unease in his heart grew stronger.
He waved his hand, signaling all the Marine soldiers nearby to retreat ten meters away.
"Speak."
Smoker exhaled a smoke ring, his voice raspy.
"What exactly is it that could make Marineford send a lazy Admiral like you and bring along those mad dogs from CP0?"
Kuzan didn't answer Smoker's question directly.
He just turned his head slightly and called out toward the closed cabin door.
"Come out."
Click.
The heavy metal cabin door handle turned.
A suffocating scent of blood filled the entire deck, arriving even before the figure did.
Kuzan scratched his head and pointed at Abel.
"Let me introduce you. This is the Captain of Mobile Task Force Omega-7 from the 'SCP Foundation', Mr. Abel."
"As for why we reached a cooperation... you can understand it as... the enemy of my enemy. Not quite friends for now, but at least not enemies."
The moment the cabin door opened, there was no imagined gale or Haki.
Out walked a shirtless man.
His bronze skin was covered in bizarre black tattoos that seemed alive, slowly moving with the rise and fall of his muscles. Around his neck hung a necklace made of unknown animal bones, making a dull clashing sound with every step.
What made Smoker feel most uncomfortable was the man's gaze.
Abel strode to the center of the deck, walked straight to the side of the ship, and reached out to grip the cold iron railing.
"A ridiculous blockade."
"Ridiculous?"
Smoker spat out his cigarette butt, his military boot grinding out the sparks heavily.
"Ten Buster Call-level heavy warships from Marineford are gathered here, plus all the forces from three North Blue branches. Even if a Four Emperors' fleet wanted to force their way through, they'd have to leave behind a few corpses."
Smoker's voice carried a hint of gunpowder.
He didn't like this man.
He disliked him to his core.
That high-and-mighty gaze, as if looking at a group of ants struggling in a mud pit, reminded him of those fools in Mary Geoise wearing bubble helmets.