In the East Blue, within the sea area of the island where Cocoyasi Village was located.
Marine Warships from various Marine branches converged in this sea area to form a massive fleet. Elite forces drawn from different Marine branches gathered here, forming a force of over two thousand people.
It could be said that if this force were completely lost here, the Marine power in the surrounding seven or eight sea areas would enter a vacuum period lasting several years.
And the one leading this force was Smoker, who had been granted the authority to initiate the 'encirclement' by Vice Admiral Tsuru of Marineford.
'We're almost there. Hiroto, you won't have a chance this time.'
Smoker looked at the outline of the island appearing in the distance, a look of determination welling up in his eyes.
This time, he was fully prepared. The Sea Stone weapon that could restrain him had been left in Loguetown. The advantage of the Logia type wouldn't be restrained again.
He had even mobilized seven nearby Marine branches, sending their elite forces to drown the enemy in sheer numbers.
Though these men were considered the cream of the crop in their own branches, before that terrifying man, they were nothing but cannon fodder. But for chipping away his stamina, they were perfect.
To strangle the future threat of Hiroto while he was still in East Blue, Smoker had cast aside his pride, sparing no cost in this encirclement.
As for his chances... he was ninety percent certain.
'Even if that monster keeps growing, there's no way he can raise his Armament Haki to a level that lets him grind through me and this pack of veterans in a battle of attrition. Zephyr-sensei said Armament Haki isn't infinite, everyone has a limit.'
So the core of the plan was simple: drain him, keep draining him.
'Vice Admiral Tsuru mentioned a place called Cocoyasi Village—our final battleground.'
Smoker's hand unconsciously brushed the spare jitte at his waist, his fighting spirit rising.
According to Tsuru, the Hiroto Pirates were sure to be tangled up with the Arlong Pirates right now. The window left to him wasn't large, but it wasn't small either.
Although the Arlong Pirates were Fish-Men who had retreated from the Grand Line, in Smoker's eyes, they still wouldn't be a match for that man. But buying time would be no problem.
That gap was more than enough for the Marines to set their trap.
At this moment, the fleet had converged and was heading for the closest landing point to their target.
'Hiroto, I won't let you take another step forward.'
After confirming everything was in order, Smoker glanced at a Warship not far away—Marine Branch 16's vessel.
Leading it was Nezumi, but after the end of the battle, Smoker would personally root out this rot within the Marines.
Right then, the oncoming sea-breeze suddenly strengthened, carrying an unexpected warmth.
Smoker froze.
On the horizon in his line of sight, a vigorous dragon leapt from the sea, blood-red from end to end, claws bared, flames blazing so brightly they burned the eyes. It rode the waves, the scorching wind at its head like a straight thrusting dagger.
Instantly, Smoker was reminded of that fearsome man.
It was Hiroto!
They'd been discovered?
Impossible!
They hadn't even neared the island yet... No, now wasn't the time to wonder why.
How they'd been found or what the enemy intended no longer mattered. What mattered was the killing intent carried on that wind—it was crystal clear.
Without hesitation, Smoker stamped his foot, shot into the air, then let smoke burst from his lower body to propel him.
He would block the enemy, buying time for the main force to land.
Hiroto had come for his comrade born in Cocoyasi Village. As long as the village stood, he would hesitate. He would seize that chance for a close fight, without a Sea Stone to counter him.
Judging by the amount of Armament Haki Hiroto had shown last time, there was no way he could defeat him quickly.
Far away, the wind-and-fire dragon surged onward, and within it, Hiroto sprinted across the wave-crests toward the Marine fleet at terrifying speed.
Seven Warships had gathered, all aiming to land at the same point—giving him the perfect opening.
As for Smoker...
Of course Hiroto noticed him, but he had no intention of dueling with him now.
Fingers tightening around the hilt of Shigure, the swirling wind-and-fire shrank inward, the massive crimson dragon fading into nothing.
At the same time—
Fish-Man Strength + Flying Slash (5X Boost)!
A light as bright as the sun coiled around the sword and with a flick, it erupted into a violent, sky-splitting slash.
A crimson arc hundreds of meters long raced across the sea and was on Smoker in an instant.
When the blinding sword-flare lit up Smoker's face, he instinctively raised his jitte to parry.
Crack—
The jitte snapped, its break instantly molten.
Screeching, the crimson slash swallowed Smoker and slammed him deep into the sea.
Tangle him up? Buy time?
This time, Smoker didn't even catch a glimpse of Hiroto's face.
"Arghhh!!!"
Smoker roared, turning his body to smoke, yet the wind-and-fire still pinned him down. He couldn't resist a power far beyond his own.
The careful plan dissolved in that instant, replaced by the seawater closing around him. In the blink of an eye, his struggles lost all strength.
Swoosh!
The long slash was unstoppable. With a shrill cry, it cleaved through a Warship, carving a savage wound across the rolling sea.
The ocean split left and right.
A deep, lengthy chasm appeared, the surging walls of water on either side lifting the remaining Marine ships.
"T-the sea was cut!"
"Enemy attack!"
"Damn it, I should never have listened to Vice Admiral Tsuru!"
"Run for it!"
Chaos and terror turned to suffocating despair the next second as their warship slid back with the returning water.
Boom!
A torrent of seawater surged back, the waves closing the abyss and burying more than two thousand elite Marines in the merciless deep.
One blade splits the sea!
With a single strike, the fight was over.