Chapter 96: Soaring Dragon (2)

"...You're kidding me."

From the sixth level of Impel Down where the water has now reached the knee level, Shiryu said in hilarity.

"Heh, what even is that man... is he an immortal or what? And that strange form of his... I don't understand a single thing..."

Clang. Leaning his head back and slamming against one metal bar, he sighed. Looking down, he saw the bleeding legs—ones that probably won't be able to support his weight.

"...Man, I tried, but that woman... she was stronger than I expected."

Shiryu made a hollow chuckle, "But still, this is better than being bored."

Closing his eyes, he awaited for his death—whether by bleeding or by drowning. Then,

"Do you wish to live?"

a voice—deep and masculine, was suddenly spoken from his back. Shiryu, slowly opening his eyes back up, turned back and faced the cell.

From within, one huge and red-skinned man revealed himself, grinning in a psychotic manner.

Clang—! Clang—!

As he moved, the thick metal chains on his cuffs clanged and splashed against the floor. Shiryu's mouth slowly opened agape as the man's visage came into his view,

"Dou... Douglas Bullet."

Bullet, looking down at Shiryu's waist, where the keys were found attached, held his cuffed hand out,

"Kahahaha... how about we make a deal, weakling?"

__________

"Arcane Storm."

With his held hand out, Smoker's statement induced the subtle shakes onto the air surrounding him. Flowing akin to that of a river, the gray smokes around him became more defined. The cape of gray smoke fluttered out—resembling that of a Marine Officer's justice coat without the word justice engraved on it. His currently gray hair, fluttering and behaving like the smoke does, eventually solidified into the characteristic of long and solid features.

Smoker then turned his hand, such that the palm was facing up. From the sky, a gigantic smoke-hand dropped, mimicking Smoker's action. On the palm of the smoke-hand, the frightening storm of smoke and ocean water swirled with its rotational velocity accelerating at every second.

Swoo...

Hina and Gion, watching the view with nothing but amazement, then heard through the wisps of smoke brushing past their ears—the melody of a flute, one that soothed their minds down. Smoker, in this state, muttered,

"Pesado."

And at the next moment, the said storm suddenly blasted toward the floating form of Blaise like an atomic bomb, bombarding the entirety of space in its path.

BOOOOOOM!

The smoke exploded with immense pressure. The water sprinkled all around, generating mesmerizing twinkles up high in the sky. Blaise, having received the immense storm that was far too gigantic and quick for him to dodge, was blasted miles away—such that his figure was now a size of dot from everyone in the Marine Warship's view.

Simultaneously, the distant Gate of Justice slowly opened, earning the attention from Hina and Gion. They, squinting their eyes, then saw the countless number of Marine Warships entering through.

Plop Plop Plop. Barely managing to prevent his fall into the water by operating Geppo at the last second, the blood dripped into the sea from Blaise's nose. His bloodshot eyes were shaking from the impact of the previous strike, trying to process what just happened. His heart thumped from the rising nervousness, and his eyes then locked onto the arrival of Marines,

'...What is happening...?'

Smoker, with his grin intensified, rolled his shoulder, without an ounce of care for the arrival of more spectators. He crouched down slightly, and as his gray cape shifted in accordance,

SWOOSH!

with the generation of strong gust and no damage inflicted on the deck he's been standing on top of, he shot himself across the sky, right at the distant Blaise.

"I-Is that..." From one of the ships, Kujaku whispered, rubbing her eyes to ensure that she wasn't hallucinating, "...H-huh?! That man looks like Vice Admiral Smoker, but at the same time, different!"

"Smoker...!" Robin, relieved by the fact that Smoker was alive and well, took a sigh. Then, holding her mouth, she hid her mouth that had its corners slowly rising.

"I-Impel Down..." Zephyr, frowning with a sweatdrop, mumbled, "It seems to be in a nigh-destroyed state."

"Hm...!" Doberman, Yamakaji, Momonga, and many other Vice Admirals expressed disbelief—shocked by that fact that Smoker, the youngster regardless of his rank and fame, was overwhelming the former Admiral Blaise, one whom all of them knew how strong he was.

"BWAHAHA!!! You haven't changed at all, Smoker!"

"Haven't changed at all...?"

Garp laughed boisterously as he sat on the rail of one ship, and Tsuru sweatdropped from the side, not agreeing with his words. On Garp's other side was Sengoku, who narrowed his eyes at the Warship nearby the Impel Down,

"...Rosie?!" Sengoku's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, "W-What are you doing there?!!"

"Ha..." Tsuru, sighing with her arms crossed, said sternly, "Gion... looks fine also."

"Now, now, that's not that point, Sengoku, Tsuru! Focus on the fight! Hey, Zephyr! You want some rice crackers?!"

Garp, unwrapping a rice cracker that he brought out from somewhere, called out to Zephyr who ignored him in response. Shrugging, Garp began munching on the snack while spectating the battle,

'...So you've improved by a lot in a short period of time, eh, brat.'

Meantime,

As Blaise gritted his teeth in panic as approaching Smoker was sighted, Smoker, crossed his arms before spreading them out wide,

"Black Wings."

The wing-like black smoke thinly spread out from Smoker's arms, covering the vast surface area of the ocean. Upon their contact with the water after the combustion into the red-hot fire,

Tsssss...

a great volume of steam arose from the surface of the sea, one that contributed to raising the humidity and fogginess of the atmosphere around the Impel Down.

"Huff... huff..." Blaise, overwhelmed by the situation, slowly moved back while sweating all over his body. Grinding his teeth without a sense of calmness in him, he growled, glaring at the flying Smoker right in front of him.

"CONSPICUOUS SUPPRESSION!!!"

With the loudest scream that Blaise could muster, he sent his hand forth—one that zipped open into numerous pieces of a jacket, attempting to lock Smoker in his grasp just like the last time around. However, Smoker suddenly vanished from his vision, and all that his technique managed to grasp was formless steam.

"Do you think I'll fall for the same trick twice?"

Smoker, in a calm manner, was now standing on Blaise's back. Blaise's neck stiffened, unable to believe that he's lost sight of the former even with the 'Observation Haki: Future Sight.'

'The steam, smoke, and any other form of gas that's currently spread out... they are connected to my very nerves.' Smoker grinned, filled with confidence to the brim, 'Senses with their range and reactivity invigorated to an extent far greater than that of the average Observation Haki. By analyzing the present, defeat those who can see into the future. This is...'

Observation Haki: Hyper Sense. It was Smoker's alternative development of Haki to counter the troublesome Future Sight.

Swoo...

Becoming the smoke itself and flowing among the rushing volume of smoke, Smoker was right in front of Blaise, with his right fist cocked back.

Blaise, having foreseen the attack, tried to retaliate with the Haki-imbued kick of his own,

Puff!

but Smoker's form fluidly dispersed into smoke and reformulated behind him. Blaise's punch missed, but not bothering himself with it, Blaise quickly turned back to be ready for the incoming attack from Smoker—

—BOOOOM!

Only for Smoker's kick to land on his back after having turned back, and sending Blaise down toward the ocean—one that he had to widen his eyes in desperation to decelerate his falling speed.

'...DAMN IT!!!'

Blaise, while huffing in exhaustion, thought as he looked up.

'I clearly saw that one coming! I knew that he will disperse into smoke and attack me from the back. But he... his body moves like the smoke itself! When his body reformulated from my behind, his foot remained in the same position, waiting for my opening to attack!!'

"Huff... huff... wahaha..."

Smoker, looking down at him plainly, was taking a breather of his own, for his body wasn't in an optimal condition either. Up at the sky, the gradually darkening cloud swirled, and as the steam from the ocean continued to rise up to the sky, the rain of white smoke from the above dropped down—painting the entire surrounding into a chaotic white and gray.

'What even is this...?'

Blaise couldn't help but question, feeling a dread slowly creeping into him,

'Affecting its environment like a Paramecia, receiving a vast enhancement in physique and regeneration like a Zoan, and changing the surrounding atmosphere into the optimal condition for one's element like a Logia... just what even is that Smoke Smoke fruit?!!'

"I think," Smoker then stated, "It's time to end this."

PAZZZZ!

The sky rumbled, and one by one, the spark of lightning blasted down to the surrounding ocean. In this gloomy and dark scenery, Smoker's eyes glowed in crimson red, exerting dominance onto Blaise's very soul.

"...End?" Blaise scowled, "Yes, end it is. However..."

Erasing all those thoughts from his mind, Blaise reminded himself of who he was.

One who has risen to the rank of CP0 Chief and Admiral in the early thirties. One who has awakened the Jacket Jacket fruit, and applied it to many unimaginable ways. One who has mastered Haki and Rokushiki in various aspects. One who was among the most trusted by the Five Elders.

That's right. He was a genius.

"The result will still be the same, Smoker." Blaise, holding his hands out, scowled, "You won't defeat me. Just because you keep standing back up doesn't prove your superiority over me. On the other hand, such is just proof that my strength lies far above that of yours."

His body morphed—into thousands of jacket snakes that gazed at their prey, Smoker, in a predatory manner. Subsequently, they merged into one gigantic snake,

"Basilisk."

Smoker, standing high in the air, watched as Blaise began his flight upward at him, having morphed his very self into the same technique that brought him down during the last clash.

"Ha..."

Taking in a deep breath, a wisp of smoke exited from Smoker's mouth as if he was smoking. He, then ignoring the rise of 'Basilisk,' lifted his head up and gazed into the gloomy cloud that was swirling right above the two of them.

He raised his right hand up, right at the swirling mass of cloud. Blaise, watching Smoker's action, fastened his speed to his utmost extent.

<Truthfully speaking, it baffles me... how are you planning to match me?>

Time seemed to have slowed down, as Blaise's previous statements flowed through his ears.

<...And that's the end of the story. This time around... even someone of your tenacity won't be capable of getting back up. Die a slow death, dear pompous criminal.>

The smoke, steam, all were rising back up at the sky. The white rain, travelling in reverse, joined the swirling mass of dark cloud, ones that crackled in the bright blue lightning.

<It's over.>

Then, in Blaise's sight, Smoker clenched his hand,

"Descend.

Arcane Judgment."

PAZZZZZZ!

From the gloomy sky, a blue ray of intense lightning descended right onto the rising form of the gigantic jacket snake.

The world watched in silence, flabbergasted by the display. Marines, World Government, pirates, civilians, Revolutionary Army—whoever they may be, they couldn't muster a word upon witnessing… the divine retribution.

"G-GRAHHHHHH!!!!!" Blaise roared from an agonizing pain. However, he didn't stop, having instinctively felt that the moment he releases the current technique, he'd lose.

Smoker, watching Blaise's struggle impassively, said coldly,

"Again."

PAZZZZZZ!

The lightning struck down for the second time,

"Again."

PAZZZZZZ!

Third,

"Again."

PAZZZZZZ!

Fourth,

"Again. Again. Again.

Again.

Again.

Again until he dies."

The sky was filled with countless rays of lightning, all of which bent and struck the airborne form of their foe. They, mercilessly piercing through Blaise's Armament Haki, blasted his internal organs beyond repair and burned him down to the crisp.

Blaise, gone back to human form long before the fourth ray landed, let out a silent scream as his collapsing body sprayed blood all over—ones that splashed into the sea below. With no strength left in him, he slowly began falling.

The self-proclaimed genius, one whose strength was among some of the well-known powerhouses, Blaise or 'Pierro.' The confidence, the ideal, and the faith in himself have absolutely shattered against the man named Smoker,

Splash!

and with a hollow shell of a body, the man fell into the ocean with a small splash—dying a pathetic death.

Garp grinned. Sengoku, Tsuru, and Zephyr exhibited stern expressions, though their eyes held that of approval.

"The winner is..."

Gion, with the Den Den Mushi by her side, mumbled,

"Smoker...!"

Up in the sky, there only remained a lone dragon, far more elegant and mystical than the bronze snake has ever been,

"...For some reason, I feel high. Like, am I smoking from inside my lungs or what? Gah, is this how you felt while smoking, Cancer? Ugh, this is getting dizzy... why am I feeling high when I am the smoke itself? Grahh... don't do smoke kids... ughh..."

Or not.