Chapter 95: From White Hunter to Odd-Job Worker

"Hey, get out here!"

Sister Sister Guyina drew her sword from its scabbard, the first to step onto the deck using Moon Walk, her face cold as frost as she shouted sternly:

"No matter who you are, if you reveal yourself voluntarily now, we can still talk this over properly; otherwise, when we drag you out, don't blame us for being ruthless!"

Siano immediately followed, stepping onto the main mast, a position advantageous for him to overlook and control the entire situation.

Looking down at the silent cabin below, he frowned slightly.

This fellow is truly hidden well enough.

Just yesterday, in order to install the Falcon Statue, he had toured the entire cabin; with his superhuman hearing and keen insight, he hadn't been able to discover the slightest clue.

Exactly when did he start hiding...

Could it be that he was already secretly hiding on the ship when it left the Sherry Island shipyard?

"He's coming out," Kukalos suddenly said.

Hm?

Everyone immediately became alert, fixing their gaze tightly on the positions of the several doors.

But no one expected that while the doors remained still, a wisp of smoke instead drifted out gracefully through the ventilation shaft, landed on the deck, and transformed into a human shape.

"Smoker???"

Facing the smoke directly, Sister Sister Guyina, upon clearly seeing the face, immediately showed surprise: "Why is it you?"

In the gradually dissipating smoke, Smoker's expression was complex; he slowly raised both hands to indicate he had no hostile intent.

"Don't be nervous; I am no longer a Marine Colonel, something you should have already confirmed from the wanted poster."

Then he lifted his head:

"Lord Siano, could you spare some time to come down and talk with me?"

Ten minutes later.

The group gathered in a circle on the deck, listening as Smoker, sitting before the mast, finished recounting his experiences.

"So that's what happened between you and that Altair," Nami said with sudden realization. "The order for the Marines to fire cannons was also given by him; truly detestable, what a beautiful kill!"

She laughed heartily and suddenly slapped Smoker's shoulder:

"Not bad, kid; I acknowledge you now. I didn't expect that back in Loguetown, we had someone like you as an 'inside man'!"

Kid?

The corner of Smoker's mouth twitched; he silently lit a cigar. He was an uncle in his thirties, yet being called "kid" by a yellow-haired girl felt truly...

"Indeed, young people really have courage."

Crocus rubbed his chin from the side, looking at Smoker with great interest: "In several decades, I haven't seen many who defected from the Marines because they couldn't endure the nobility like you."

The last one seems to have stirred up quite a significant career, called... eh, what was his name again?

"That incident, in the end, could only be considered the trigger."

Smoker, holding the cigar in his mouth, shook his head slightly. "A month even earlier than that, I had already endured enough. I joined the Marines to practice the justice in my heart, to enable myself to protect the common people from being bullied by pirates."

"But if the Celestial Dragons, or even ordinary nobles with merely Celestial Dragon bloodline, commit atrocities and punish the wicked, yet the Marines can only turn a deaf ear and blind eye, or even conversely protect and flatter them, then what difference is there from pirates?"

"Even... more vicious; just recalling it, seeing those two characters on the great cloak I wear makes me feel nauseous and retch!"

He paused for a moment, then continued in a low voice:

"Killing Altair was also a momentary surge of anger; to be honest, at that time I was lost and fearful—not afraid of being wanted and hunted, but unsure of where my future lay, and even more unsure... of what meaning my persistence over so many past years held."

"It was precisely at that time that I witnessed Lord Siano awakening his Conqueror's Haki in the square, and also heard those words he spoke."

Smoker looked at Siano and said seriously: "Those words allowed me to figure out many things."

He took a deep drag on his cigar; amidst the swirling smoke, his eyes were firmer than ever before.

"Whether Marines or pirates, those who harbor justice should never be bound by stance; since under the World Government, practicing one's own path of justice is restricted at every turn, then I would rather follow someone who can carry out their own convictions!"

The deck fell into a brief silence.

"Does this mean you..."

Sister Sister Guyina frowned slightly, looking at him as she said, "Want to join our Sunsets Adventurer Group? Then why didn't you come find us in Loguetown to say it face-to-face?"

"To speak of it is shameful."

Smoker showed hesitation on his face. "Originally, because I was unfamiliar with everyone's temperaments, or perhaps... fearing that you couldn't accept me who was once a Marine, so on the night you set sail from Loguetown, I did not reveal myself openly but chose to quietly follow aboard, waiting for a suitable opportunity."

"What do you mean by a 'suitable opportunity'?" Siano raised an eyebrow.

"This..."

Smoker turned his face and coughed awkwardly. "For instance, if you all encountered a powerful enemy and fell into a bitter struggle due to lacking manpower, at that moment I could pretend to have just happened to pass by and stumble upon you, step forward to help, and then naturally join..."

"Your thinking is quite beautiful."

Nami sneered and rolled her eyes. "Pity; with my brother here, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a long time. Under what circumstances would it ever be your turn to enact that old cliché of a hero saving a beauty?"

This statement truly couldn't be refuted... Smoker smiled bitterly and took a puff of his cigar.

As one of the outstanding talents emerging from the same class of the Headquarters Elite Camp, he also possessed a sense of pride.

Besides those words spoken when drawing the execution platform, the terrifying strength Siano demonstrated in defeating Ghost Spider was also one of the important reasons that prompted him to develop the desire to follow.

In this world, one can never rely solely on verbal arguments.

Only true strongmen can make people convinced from the heart and submit willingly.

"Brother, what do you say?" Nojiko quietly poked Siano's arm and whispered, "Should we let this guy on board or not?"

Currently, her impression of Smoker was not bad.

Daring to resist royal nobles with vile conduct, daring to become an enemy of the World Government in pursuit of the path of justice, answering everything honestly...

Mm, and there is the most crucial point of all: he greatly respects and admires her own older brother!

Taken together, he seems like a reliable fellow.

"..."

Siano fell silent, not answering immediately.

To be honest.

He still hadn't quite come to his senses.

Especially when Smoker himself had said he wanted to follow him; the surprise in his heart was no less than when he first saw Aokiji join the Blackbeard Pirates in the manga all those years ago.

One could only say.

Both Marine Headquarters and the World Government were too deeply sick, forcing these two, who were most qualified to take up the Navy's future, to leave and pursue a completely different path.

"Have you been hiding in the ventilation ducts all these days?" he suddenly asked.

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Smoker's old face rarely flushed red. "To be precise, it was the duct above the kitchen. This was my only option, because there's a wolf on your ship with a keen sense of smell, and the kitchen is the only place it isn't allowed to enter. Plus, hiding there meant I didn't have to worry about food..."

"Awooo!" Ah Gin howled at Zeff, See that? This is the consequence of you usually forbidding me from entering the kitchen!

"Oh, no wonder!"

Zeff ignored Ah Gin, slapped his forehead, and suddenly realized: "I was wondering why the ingredient consumption didn't add up these past few days, and why the cooking fumes always felt so heavy. It wasn't because the exhaust fan was broken, but because of you?"

"Yes," Smoker admitted. "The cooking fumes were a bit choking, so I could only use my Logia transformation to avoid them... Though the exhaust fan was indeed broken at first; I fixed it while everyone was asleep at night."

"You have that kind of skill too?" Siano asked, somewhat surprised.

"I liked tinkering with things since I was a child. Especially during my youth, when I became obsessed with motorcycles; to modify my beloved bike, I learned every bit of knowledge related to mechanics."

Speaking of this, Smoker suddenly remembered something: "Your Excellency Siano, if I remember correctly, didn't you say before that the ship is still missing a shipwright?"

"Although I can't compare to a professional shipwright, I am very confident in daily maintenance and repairs. Why not... let me take up this position?"

"..."

Siano still did not answer; he simply stood up and stretched toward the rising morning sun.

"Your Excellency Siano?"

Smoker watched his back with some unease.

"Everyone hasn't had breakfast yet; your stomachs must be hungry, right? Uncle Zeff, why not hold a banquet!"

Siano laughed heartily. "It is both to see off Crocus and Laboon, and at the same time, to welcome our new shipwright, Mr. Smoker, officially joining our adventure crew as a companion!"

"—Oooooooh!"

"Let's have a banquet!!!"

On the deck bathed in the morning light, an immediate, thunderous response rang out.

"There's no helping it."

Crocus also turned to look at Laboon and smiled:

"It seems I'll have to make you wait a little longer, Laboon. I must protect you all the way; if we set sail on an empty stomach in this great sea, it's quite risky."

Laboon shook its head, indicating it understood.

Crocus smiled brightly as he stroked its cheek, then suddenly remembered something, turned his head, and shouted: "Hey, Big Nose-Hair, don't forget to add salt this time!"

"Big Nose-Hair?"

Zeff flew into a rage. "Rest assured! The amount of salt I forgot last time, I'll double specifically for you this time as compensation!"

"Hahaha, that's fine then; I'm old and have a heavy taste for salt!"

For a moment, the deck became a noisy, chaotic mess.

Only Smoker remained standing in place, staring blankly in a daze.

This, this is...

They've truly accepted me?

The corners of his mouth curved upward as he exhaled a large cloud of smoke, but he hadn't been happy for long before Sister Sister Guyina's faint voice sounded from behind him:

"Hey, Mr. Big Smoke, let's get one thing straight first. Smoking itself isn't a problem, but in the future, wherever there are ladies, especially Nami—who isn't an adult yet—if you want to smoke, stay far away. If she learns bad habits and imitates you, the Captain will beat you senseless."

"No problem."

Smoker immediately extinguished his cigar and apologized: "My apologies. And regarding earlier, making you all act as if facing a great enemy, causing you to worry in vain for so long—I sincerely apologize to you all for that as well."

"Worried? Not really."

Sister Sister Guyina expressionlessly sheathed Wado Ichimonji. "If anything, everyone was quite tense at first, but the moment you showed yourself and we saw that the person hiding on the ship was just you, we immediately relaxed."

Right, right, Nojiko and Nami nodded vigorously in agreement.

Hm?

Smoker froze for a moment.

What does that mean...

Why does it sound so hurtful?

"Also, verbal apologies are something only children take seriously."

Sister Sister Guyina spoke seriously again: "You acted as a stalker for several days, stole a lot of our food, and indeed gave everyone quite a fright. So, if you want us to fully accept you, you must work hard over the next few days and demonstrate your worth through actual actions."

"That's a given..."

Smoker had just started speaking when he suddenly felt something was off.

The ship was perfectly fine; the only broken item, the exhaust fan, had already been fixed by him. Where else could they possibly need him, this shipwright?

In the blink of an eye.

The banquet ended.

After everyone had drunk themselves drunk and enjoyed themselves to the fullest, they each returned to their rooms to rest.

Only Smoker remained, holding a broom, staring open-mouthed in shock at the complete mess covering the deck.

—So this is what "working hard" really means!

He watched with his own eyes as Sister Sister Guyina handed the broom to Nojiko, who flicked it to Nami, who then forcibly stuffed it into Ah Yin's mouth.

In the end, Ah Yin came trotting over eagerly, took the broom in his hand, and with an air of a senior mentoring a newcomer, extended his paw to pat Smoker's shoulder meaningfully...

Well, who could blame him when he was clearly in the wrong?

It seemed there would be no shipwright duties for him these few days; his current task was simply to behave himself and serve as a proper miscellaneous laborer. Shaking his head helplessly, he bent down and began cleaning.

As he swept, he inexplicably found a familiar feeling arising within him.

That had been many years ago.

He was only in his teens then, full of longing as he had just joined the Marines.

He had not yet eaten a Devil Fruit, nor been selected for the Headquarters Elite Training Camp; he was simply staying at the Loguetown Branch, diligently performing the miscellaneous chores every recruit had to do.

Back then, even though his days were spent dealing with brooms and mops, he was filled with hope for the future, never doubting for a moment that he could walk the path of justice.

And now, it seemed everything had returned to that very starting point.

Smoker curled his lips, lit two cigars, took a deep drag, and looked up toward the second floor of the cabin—the direction of Siano's bedroom, the captain.

He could only hope that this time, the man he had chosen to follow would not disappoint him again...

——————

At the same time.

In the seas not far from Twin Cape, on a certain island brimming with tropical charm.

"You heard the requirements just now, especially the last two points?"

In the dimly lit room, the woman sitting across the table was tall, wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat and a veil that obscured her features.

Her entire aura was similar, as if she were shrouded in dark shadows.

"Y-yes, we heard them clearly."

The afro-haired man on the left nodded nervously: "We must not inquire about the identities of the Boss or the other important executives."

The girl holding an umbrella on the right added with a giggle: "During normal missions, we must not use our real names; we shall contact each other solely by code names."

"Very good, then sign the agreement, Gem and Miss Doublefinger."

The woman in the shadows smiled faintly. "This will also be the last time I address you by those names. Welcome to Baroque Works. From now on, you shall be Senior Agent Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine, respectively."

More updates tonight.

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(End of Chapter)