"What?" Ivan's pupils suddenly contracted, his tone instantly turning grim. "With Smoker stationed there, pirates still dare to launch a full-scale attack on Loguetown? Are they pirates who've returned from the Grand Line, or scum like Arlong and his crew?"
Tashigi, however, wore a strange expression. Holding binoculars and staring at Loguetown ahead, she hesitated for a moment before speaking haltingly, "Lieutenant Ivan, I don't see any sign of attackers. Instead, the marines stationed at the port have already aimed their cannons at us. They... they seem to think we're pirates!"
Black lines appeared on Ivan's forehead. He quickly said, "Tell the two ships ahead to slow down. Our ship will take the lead—raise the seagull flag immediately!"
After a moment's thought, he realized what had happened: the port guards must have mistaken them for invading pirates. Not daring to delay, he hurriedly commanded adjustments to their formation, trying to remedy this misunderstanding.
Fortunately, they were still some distance from Loguetown.
Once the formation was swiftly rearranged, the naval flag was immediately spotted by the port's lookouts.
When Ivan and the others docked, they saw a silver-gray-haired, tough-looking man with two cigars clenched between his teeth. Frowning, he strode over and, upon reaching Ivan, roared in displeasure, "Damn it, Ivan, it's you again causing such a commotion! Take this!"
Looking at his superior, Ivan grinned and said, "Hahaha, Colonel Smoker, I'm not afraid of you now! Take this... Iron Fist: Azure!"
A brilliant azure light gathered on Ivan's fist, a terrifying gravitational field distorting the air. His punch, wrapped in lightning-like blue light, collided head-on with Smoker's fist.
Since this was a friendly spar, Smoker didn't use his Smoke Fruit's elemental transformation ability.
Their fists met solidly.
In the next instant, a terrifying shockwave spread outward from the two of them.
The stone pavement beneath their feet instantly cracked, spiderweb-like fissures spreading several meters.
Smoker and Ivan each staggered back several steps—this clash ended in a draw!
Witnessing this, the surrounding marines stared at Ivan in disbelief.
Although Lieutenant Ivan had earned the nickname "Butcher of the East Blue" among pirates for his ruthless methods, in everyone's memory, his strength had never reached this level.
In past spars with Colonel Smoker, he had always been at a disadvantage, getting thoroughly beaten.
No one expected him to hold his own so completely against Colonel Smoker this time.
Smoker also looked at Ivan in surprise, clearly not anticipating such a significant improvement in Ivan's strength.
Growing more excited, he threw another punch. "Good kid, let me see just how strong you've become! White Snake!"
Smoker finally used his Smoke Fruit ability. His arm transformed into white smoke, suddenly elongating like a coiled white serpent ready to strike, instantly wrapping tightly around Ivan.
Facing Smoker's attack, Ivan didn't dare be careless. The azure light on his fist intensified. "Iron Fist: Distortion Field!"
The gravitational force on his fist erupted, sucking in and compressing all the swirling white smoke around him into the gravitational field.
Ivan suddenly threw a punch at Smoker, and a distorted force field shot from his fist, landing beside Smoker and exploding violently.
The forcibly confined smoke surged outward in an instant, and the violent shockwave sent Smoker flying several meters away.
The two went back and forth like this, the collisions of fist winds and smoke causing the port to hum with the noise.
An hour later, both were panting heavily, drenched in sweat, and collapsed together on the cracked stone pavement.
Smoker took a deep breath of smoke, pushed himself up from the ground, and turned to look at Ivan beside him, his eyes filled with complexity.
That once weak child had now grown up!
But what the hell was that strange ability of Ivan's? Was it a Devil Fruit?
Smoker asked curiously, "Ivan, your strength has improved a lot. What's that azure glow? Is it a Devil Fruit ability?"
Ivan nodded and admitted:
"That's right, it's a Devil Fruit ability.
I obtained a Devil Fruit earlier and ate it while being chased by Alvida, gaining the ability to control gravity.
Thanks to this ability, I was able to turn the tables on Alvida, and my strength improved by leaps and bounds."
"Gravity?" Smoker was utterly astonished. "Could it be the Gravity Fruit? No, that's not right... But this is definitely a top-tier Devil Fruit ability. You're one lucky kid!"
Ivan chuckled lightly but didn't respond.
This was just the beginning. Wait until he "researched" Celestial Obstruction Shock Star and Planetary Devastation—then you could talk about luck.
As the intense battle came to an end, the two walked side by side toward the Navy branch in Loguetown.
The streets were bustling with people, shops lined the roads, and the sounds of hawking and waves intertwined.
This place, known as the Town of Beginnings and Endings, was far more prosperous than ordinary towns in the East Blue. Rather than a small town, it was more like a modestly sized port city.
It was precisely because it had to govern such an area and guard the entrance to the Grand Line that the Navy branch in Loguetown was exceptionally powerful.
Its permanent garrison alone numbered two thousand.
For this reason, the Navy branch in Loguetown had always been well-funded, with military supplies prioritized for allocation in the East Blue.
Even something as rare as a Devil Fruit was listed among the branch's exchange options.
On their way back to the Navy branch in Loguetown, Ivan suddenly turned to Smoker and asked:
"Colonel Smoker, with the military merits I've accumulated so far, I should have enough to exchange for a Devil Fruit, right?"
Smoker paused mid-step, turning his head to look at Ivan with a puzzled expression:
"Haven't you already eaten a Devil Fruit? Why would you want to exchange for another one?"
Ivan grinned casually and replied lightly:
"It's true I've eaten one, but the exchanged fruit could be used by someone under my command.
Besides, I'm quite interested in Devil Fruits. Who knows what secrets I might uncover by studying them?"
Smoker didn't press further, only furrowing his brow and warning:
"Ivan, you must remember, a person can only eat one Devil Fruit. Eating two will cause your heart to rupture and kill you!"
After a pause, he continued:
"With the military merits you've accumulated, I can help you apply to headquarters for a Devil Fruit.
"But you know the rules: if you exchange military merit for the fruit, you can no longer claim the bounty on those pirates. You must choose one or the other."
For the Navy, captured pirates can be exchanged for military merit or for bounty, but only one of the two can be chosen.
Ivan had anticipated this and nodded without hesitation:
"I know!"