128. Smoker

Kairoseki training Room.

Leo was going through the dragon-tiger forms. After he was done a frown was etched on his face.

Too weak. The forms can't keep up with my intent.

After he had reached the pinnacle of sword intent he couldn't fully release his power through the dragon-tiger forms.

The dragon-tiger forms were a door that led him to understand the essence of sword and to create his own domain.

My sword will is stronger than the dragon-tiger forms, I need to create something better if I want to unleash my full strength.

As he left the training room he came across Mace.

"Captain, when are we setting out?"

Leo said, "Tomorrow."

Mace nodded. He glanced at Leo's sword and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Captain, I know you are a swordmaster but I have never seen you use your sword seriously."

Leo smiled traced the hilt of the sword, "Cause I haven't met an enemy I have to take seriously."

Mace asked no more and left.

Leo was walking back to his quarters when he saw a man with white hair with two cigars in his mouth. He walked towards him.

"Back from a mission, Smoker?"

The white haired man was called Smoker. He was also a captain like Leo. He had a natural angry looking face but he was a chill guy.

Smoker nodded, "What about you?"

Leo shrugged, "My enemy seems to have vanished."

Smoker puffed out a cloud of smoke and grinned, "You got guts. To mess with Doflamingo's forces like that. Aren't you afraid he is gonna come after you personally?"

Leo smiled when he heard him, "I sure hope so. That guy sounded very arrogant. I want to see if he has the strength back it up."

Smoker shook his head. He got to know Leo some time ago. His initial impression was that he was like a scholar, a well educated man.

However later he heard about him running everywhere and capturing pirates left and right. He even messed with Doflamingo and smashed one of his cadres into pulp.

He was nothing like the scholar he looks to be.

"Wanna have a spar?"

Smoker asked.

Leo nodded, "Why not?"

Both of them went to the training room and got ready.

Leo flipped a coin. The moment the coin landed both of them attacked.

Smoker turned his entire body in smoke. The training room was blanked by smoke and limited Leo's vision.

However it couldn't deceive his spiritual sense. Leo found out his position and pushed forward.

Armed!

His hands turned black and he punched out.

Smoker hidden inside the cloud of smoke raised his fist. His fist also turned black as he punched back.

Fists collided.

Leo stood tall like a mountain while Smoker was thrown back.

He used this chance to disperse his body.

Leo turned his head and punched out again. Smoker emerged from that direction and blocked it.

They threw out punches back and forth.

Smoker was using his Logia smoke-smoke fruit's ability to aid him in the battle.

However Leo was able to locate him.

They fought for half an hour and stopped.

Smoker was slightly panting while Leo wasn't even sweating. Though it wasn't a life and death battle the winner was obvious.

"You win."

Leo corrected, "That was a spar, not a match."

Smoker looked at him oddly and said, "You improved your haki mastery again."

Leo laughed, "I have been stuck for a long time before I got the haki training notes. So I am bound to have exponential growth. But you, you should really consider mixing up your fighting style."

"By dispersing your body you are painting a bigger target on your back."

Smoker shrugged and said helplessly, "My fruit doesn't have any offensive ability."

Leo didn't argue and said, "You should try to grasp the core of your ability."

Smoker frowned and asked, "Core?"

Leo nodded, "Devil fruit ability can be developed, right? Their development is related to understanding the nature of their fruit. Say, Aokiji's Ice-Ice fruit, he can freeze the sea for miles. In my opinion he must have grasped the core of his fruit, temperature."

Smoker asked back, "Then what about mine?"

Leo rubbed his chin and said a while, "I don't know, suffocation? Hey, how about this, lock yourself in a room and fill it with smoke. That should give you an idea about what smoke is."

Smoker asked back dubiously, "You want me to lock myself in a room full of smoke?"

Leo shrugged and said, "There is no need to think so deep into what your core is, just experience it yourself and understand through that experience."

Well... Smoker didn't find anything wrong with what he said. It did sound reasonable.

Leo suddenly said, "Oh, and remember to not use your haki or your ability. In fact shut down even your logia body as well, otherwise the experiment would be a waste."

Smoker nodded and left. He didn't hold any hope but he wouldn't lose anything by trying. So, why not?

Leo went back to his quarters and washed up. He changed into some casuals and went out to the lawn. Shinobu was sitting under a shade and reading like usual.

However the title of the book caught his attention.

Sky Island, A Myth?

"Interesting title."

Shinobu raised her head and said, "I thought the same. However the book is simply fantasy, it describes about an island up in the sky."

Leo shook his head, "This world is different from ours. Maybe it does exist."

Shinobu commented, "Maybe."

They brushed aside the topic and talked about simple matters.

The day went by.

A warship was traveling on the vast sea.

Leo and Shinobu sat under an outdoor umbrella on the deck. They were comfortably resting on reclining chairs.

Suddenly a shadow covered their ship.

Leo noticed the change and looked up. His eyes could see very far and he saw what it was.

It was a huge ship.

His eyes shrunk. It would be disastrous for that thing to fall on them.

He took out his sword. Black colour climbed on his red sword and turned it black with a red hue on it's edge.

The crew went pale when they saw a giant ship falling from the sky.

Leo took action. He jumped up, however he didn't fall down. He kicked the air and rushed into the sky.

Geppo!

He raised his sword and harshly pulled it down. A large sword ray flew from his blade and struck the ship.