On the island's western shore, Smoker stood, two cigars jamd in his mouth, his face a thundercloud of displeasure as he glared at Roya.
Roya sighed inwardly. Smoker always looked like soone had stolen his last coin , making him seem unapproachable.
He took off his sword, Rain Cutter, and tossed it towards Lu Yun, who stood a short distance away.
"Keep this safe for ," he said.
"Okay," Lu Yun replied, hugging Rain Cutter to her chest, the scabbard pressing slightly into her. As Roya's second-in-command, she was here to carefully docunt their fight.
Smoker's scowl deepened.
"Are you underestimating ?!" he barked.
"No, I just think fighting with my bare hands will work better against you," Roya explained calmly.
Smoker, with his Smoke-Smoke Fruit, was a Logia-type, a master of smoke. To actually grab him, speed was key. Swords were powerful, but not as quick as hands, and this was just a friendly spar, after all.
"Hmph!" Smoker scoffed, throwing his jitte, a specialized truncheon, onto the beach behind him. He clearly didn't want an unfair advantage.
Roya grinned. Smoker was reacting exactly as he'd expected. His fiery temper was famous throughout the Marines; there was no way he'd try to cheat.
Good. Neither of us really needs a weapon anyway.
Roya casually slipped one hand into his pocket and beckoned at Smoker with the other.
"Co on!"
"..."
Smoker was beyond furious. Did this guy get too arrogant after the training camp? He's completely ignoring !
Huge clouds of smoke exploded from beneath his feet!
Smoker shot forward, his lower body turning completely into smoke, propelling him ahead at incredible speed, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.
"Unprepared?"
Seeing Roya standing still, Smoker could no longer contain his anger. He clenched his right fist, putting all his strength into the blow, and aid it straight at Roya's face.
"White Fist!"
"Iron Body: Steel!"
"Bang!"
The fist connected with Roya's face, producing a dull thud, as if hitting solid stone.
Roya didn't even flinch!
Smoker's eyes widened in disbelief.
Clap!
His wrist was caught!
Roya gripped Smoker's wrist, the pressure increasing steadily. The grip was strong enough to crush steel, making it impossible for Smoker to escape.
"Hey, Smoker, is that all the power you've got?"
"What?!"
Before Smoker could react, Roya's fist appeared before his eyes, slamming right into his face!
"Bang!"
Smoker felt a jolt of pain. The force of the blow sent him flying backward, crashing heavily onto the beach.
"Boom!"
Dust billowed around him!
Smoker, clutching his now bleeding nose and mouth, scrambled to his feet, looking disheveled.
Roya approached, step by step.
His indifferent voice cut through the air. "Smoker, you graduated from the Headquarters New Recruit Camp years ago, right? In all that ti, have you really gotten any stronger?"
"..."
Veins popped out in Smoker's eyes. He clenched his fists and charged at Roya with a roar, his arms completely transforming into smoke.
"Don't underestimate !"
"Then show so real strength!"
Roya clenched his fist and t him head-on!
"Bang!"
Their fists collided with a deafening crash, sending out a shockwave of air!
Roya felt Smoker's power and his suspicions were confird. Based on Peacock's fighting ability, this mad dog from Headquarters hasn't improved much since graduating.
He didn't know the exact reason. Maybe the office politics have held Smoker back, or maybe he hasn't t Luffy yet and had his fighting spirit awakened.
But one thing was certain. Smoker's growth had stalled! Even the Smoker who t Luffy three years later was ridiculously weak, repeatedly being used as a stepping stone.
As an elite Marine trained by Headquarters, and a Logia-type Devil Fruit user, this man shouldn't be this weak!
"Let wake you up," Roya said, his gaze sharpening. The muscles in his punching arm tensed, increasing his power, forcibly pushing Smoker's fist down!
"Damn!"
Smoker's heart leaped. His fist was being forced down, making him lean forward and almost lose his balance.
"Danger!" Sensing an attack coming from above, Smoker, at the last second, transford his entire body into smoke.
Almost at the sa mont, a Haki-infused kick ca down from the sky, cutting through the smoke and slamming heavily into the sand.
"Boom!"
Like an explosion, sand shot into the air!
Smoker gasped, creating so distance between them. If I had been a split second slower, the consequences would have been dire. This guy's Haki is stronger than mine.
Shave!
Seeing Roya suddenly appear right in front of him, his right leg sweeping out in a horizontal arc, Smoker abruptly crouched down, dodging the kick.
Imdiately afterward, a large cloud of smoke erupted from beneath Smoker, using the propulsion to launch himself into the air, landing a powerful uppercut on Roya's chin!
With a muffled thud, Roya staggered back, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of his mouth, losing his balance.
It worked!
"Aaargh!!!"
Smoker's eyes widened with fury. Seizing the opportunity, he pressed forward, roaring and throwing a series of punches, forcing Roya to retreat again and again.
The final blow!
"White Snake!"
"Bang!"
Roya flew backward!
"Ha... ha..."
Smoker gasped for breath, his eyes fixed on Roya lying on the sand. Even if Roya's Haki is stronger than mine, after taking so many heavy blows, he can't possibly be unscathed.
"Yare yare, that really hurt."
Roya lay sprawled on the ground, pressed his palms against the sand, and pushed himself up with a burst of strength.
It had an effect, but it wasn't enough.
"Ptooey!"
Roya spat out a mouthful of blood, then brushed the dust off his body. "I've been cooped up on the warship for days, my body's gotten a little rusty. I feel much better now."
"..."
Smoker's gaze was intense. This man completely defended against my attacks!
"Still don't understand, do you?"
Roya explained calmly, "Whether it's basic combat power or Haki strength, I'm better than you!"
"Your only advantage is the power of your Devil Fruit."
"But your use of the smoke abilities, apart from increasing the attack range and the impact of your punches, has almost no other enhancents. Instead, it's full of weaknesses because of the increased volu."
"The Logia is known as the strongest of the three types, but the smoke ability you've shown is not even as good as an ordinary Paracia. It's truly embarrassing."
"A disgrace to the Logia, what do you think of that title?"
A disgrace... to the Logia???
Damn it, I'm going to kill you!
Smoker's face darkened with rage, his eyes blazing. With every sentence Roya spoke, another vein popped out on his forehead. As a fellow Logia-type Devil Fruit user, he also dread of having the terrifying destructive power of the Three Admirals. But smoke itself lacked offensive power, and couldn't be compared to ice or magma. What could he do?!
Roya felt that he had gone a little too far. If I make this guy depressed, I'm not doing my job as Base Chief.
"Let's save the victory or defeat for next ti."
"Lu Yun, you should have so books about physics, right?"
"Put together a file of information about smoke, especially knowledge about changes in its properties, and give it to Colonel Smoker."
"Smoker, don't end up always doing White Fist and White Snake."
"Keep it up!"
Roya waved his hand and turned to leave.
Smoker stayed on the beach alone, staying until dark.
His eyes were full of confusion.
In this battle, I lost.
These years after graduation, it seems I've really been standing still!
"Damn it!!!"
*
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[T/N:
Latest Chapter translated on Patreon - Access up to Ch 252
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