29: Smoker's Unique Approach

"Mhm, mhm! Tony, you really thought ahead, leaving us those Berries. But our adventure is only just beginning," Nami said with a proud nod. "So... as the navigator of this ship and its only woman, I have a duty to manage our daily expenses properly."

"Men can be so careless with money. So, let a delicate young woman like me handle the finances. It's much more appropriate," she declared.

Tony couldn't help but smile at Nami's little scheme to gain control of his finances. But he didn't mind; he'd already thought of leaving it up to her. With more crewmates joining in the future, daily management would require someone dedicated, and there was no one better suited than Nami. Her intense dedication to money made her the perfect choice to handle their expenses.

Of course, Tony didn't just want Nami to become the best navigator. As their journey would bring tougher battles, her combat skills would need improvement, too. In this world, one of the fastest ways to enhance power was undoubtedly the Devil Fruit, hailed as the sea's greatest treasure. An intriguing idea crossed Tony's mind: what if Nami ate a Devil Fruit?

He couldn't help but grin at the thought, although he'd respect her choice. If Nami didn't want it, he'd never force her. After all, Devil Fruits had a severe drawback—anyone who consumed one would become unable to swim for life.

Meanwhile…

Smoker, having received a direct order from Sengoku himself, had already begun his mission. All forces from East Blue's 16th branch were at his command, determined to apprehend the one who had dared challenge the Marines' justice.

Tony's recent actions had left the 16th branch humiliated. Lacking substantial strength, these soldiers had already been relegated to East Blue, the so-called weakest sea. And even there, someone had wiped out an entire squad with no trace of the culprit—an embarrassment they couldn't shake.

For the ambitious captains and colonels who'd hoped for promotions to Marines HQ, this incident had dashed their hopes. They'd be stuck in East Blue for good.

With a fleet of warships and a hundred Marines, Smoker began patrolling the waters around Loguetown, forming a blockade, inspecting every merchant ship and smashing pirate ships on sight. The gap in skill and strategy between Smoker, an HQ captain, and the branch forces was immediately apparent.

Smoker's approach was unique. While most would investigate the scene of the incident for clues, he had instead set up ambushes in the waters around Loguetown.

He put himself in Tony's shoes, thinking from the perspective of a wanted man. If he were a fugitive responsible for killing dozens of Marines, what would he do next? It wasn't hard to guess. Following the incident at Cocoyasi Village, Smoker was convinced the culprit would have left immediately to avoid capture. Rushing to the crime scene would only waste time and allow the true criminal a chance to flee East Blue.

Loguetown, known as the "Town of Beginnings and Ends," was the gateway from East Blue to the Grand Line. Based on his calculations, if the fugitive intended to enter the Grand Line, they would inevitably cross paths with him soon.

Smoker was confident that if he monitored everyone passing through Loguetown and thoroughly inspected merchant vessels, he'd uncover some leads. His years of Marines experience had honed his instincts, and he trusted he'd sense the presence of the Cocoyasi Village perpetrator if they crossed paths.

One day…

two days…

finally, on the third day, Tony and Nami arrived at Loguetown, just as Smoker had predicted.

As soon as they entered Loguetown's waters, several Marines warships surrounded Tony's small powered sailboat from all directions. Although Nami had been at sea for years, she had never encountered such a display of force. Her face was filled with terror, and she was momentarily paralyzed.

"...Tony, are all those Marines here to capture us? They found out about the Marines deaths in Cocoyasi Village?" she whispered, panic-stricken. "How did they find out so fast?"

Hiding on the deck, Nami stole nervous glances at the Marines ships, thinking her life must be cursed. After years of being oppressed by Arlong, she'd finally defeated him, only to have the Marines stand in her way. Was she destined to spend the rest of her life in prison? Inside, Nami was screaming every expletive she could think of.

Tony, on the other hand, showed no surprise. When he'd killed those Marines scoundrels in Cocoyasi Village, he had anticipated this very moment. By attacking the Marines, he knew he'd be hunted.

But this was East Blue. Tony's eyes held no trace of fear. He was certain the Marines wouldn't send anyone capable of using Haki—not yet, at least. The incident was still vague, and deaths during missions weren't unheard of in the Marines. Knowing Sengoku's cautious nature, Tony assumed he'd gather more intel before sending a powerful force.

The soldiers here were likely just East Blue's stationed forces, led by the strongest among them—Loguetown's Captain Smoker, a wielder of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit.

And sure enough, on the deck of a nearby warship, Smoker was glaring at Tony with narrowed eyes, two thick cigars clenched between his teeth. Tony couldn't tell what he was planning, but he felt Smoker sizing him up carefully.

Tony had no real concern. They were both Logia-type Devil Fruit users, meaning physical attacks would be useless against them, but Tony had something Smoker didn't—Armament Haki. Smoker didn't pose much of a challenge.

He was confident he could wipe out Smoker and his soldiers on this very ocean if necessary. After all, he'd already taken lives; what difference would a hundred more make?

Smoker ordered the warships to move closer. Standing on the prow, he took in the sight of Tony's calm demeanor and the trembling Nami beside him, sensing something was off. One of them was far too calm, and the other far too afraid.

"It's you again…"

Smoker locked his gaze onto Tony, frowning deeply. Something about this man struck him as unusual the first time they crossed paths in Loguetown—especially his apparent wealth, which had piqued Smoker's interest. But even more notable was Tony's confidence; he'd openly taunted Smoker back then. And now, standing before a hundred Marines and Smoker himself, he was as composed as ever. Smoker couldn't help but feel suspicious.

"What's your name, and where did you come from?" Smoker asked, scrutinizing Tony's every move.

Tony's answer left Smoker stunned.

"Tony. Just came from Cocoyasi Village. Is there something I can help you with, Captain?"

Tony said it casually, without a hint of concealment. He was ready for a fight.

…Silence.

Smoker's eyes widened, trying to make sense of this man before him. News had spread that someone in Cocoyasi Village had killed Marines, and now, here was a man named Tony who didn't hesitate to mention Cocoyasi Village to his face. If he were the fugitive, how could he be so calm in front of the Marines?

Smoker found himself at a loss, unsure how to respond to Tony's brazen reply.

Beside him, Nami nearly choked. She looked at Tony, bewildered that he hadn't tried to lie his way out of this. Instead, he'd practically given them away on a silver platter! Now it seemed her prison sentence was inevitable.

~----------------------------------------------------------

T/N:

Access 30 chapters in advance on my Patreon: p@treon.com/dreamer20 (Replace @ with 'a')