Chapter 337: The Golden Finger White-Bearded Old Man

Just thinking of Smoker's expression after waking up made Saint Saint Saiwen unable to hold back his laughter.

Perhaps it was fate that the Smoke-Smoke Fruit belonged to Smoker; Saint Saint Saiwen even smashed the fruit straight into Smoker's mouth.

Just like Buggy accidentally eating the Chop-Chop Fruit, Smoker swallowed the Smoke-Smoke Fruit directly, then closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Kizaru was right—

Smoker was indeed a severe victim of Inazuma's storybooks, actually mistaking Saint Saint Saiwen's disguised White-Bearded Old Man for his Golden Finger.

Since he needed to use the Year-Year Fruit to mimic the Mirror-Mirror Fruit's ability, Saint Saint Saiwen only altered his size by returning life and put on a fake beard.

Had it been Garp or Sengoku, they would surely have spotted some clues.

But it just happened to be a drunk Smoker, and most of the Navy's high command were drunk too.

At this moment, fooling Smoker meant having heaven, earth, and man all on one's side; this was precisely why Saint Saint Saiwen did not expose the Navy's little schemes.

You have your Zhang Liang's strategy; I have my wall-climbing ladder. Everyone has countermeasures, and no one yields.

It was simply that the Navy's attempt to get Saint Saint Saiwen drunk ended in failure, while Saint Saint Saiwen's scheme had clearly succeeded.

Now, they just had to wait for Sengoku's move.

Originally, Saint Saint Saiwen had wanted to meet Enel, but thinking that Enel lived with Zephyr, he had to put aside this dangerous thought.

It was not easy for Enel to be a spy within the Navy; his mistake must absolutely not lead to Enel's identity being exposed.

Returning to the Donghai Dihuang via the Mirror Space, it was not until the next day, when the sun was high, that Saint Saint Saiwen lazily got out of bed.

If you're going to act, you must act the whole thing.

Leisurely taking a bath and changing into fresh clothes, Saint Saint Saiwen came to the bow and followed the gaze of several trainees.

There he saw Blackbeard being held in Garp's hand, while Garp seemed to be explaining something to Aokiji.

Moments later, Aokiji followed Garp aboard the Dog-Head Warship; accompanied by the engine's hum, the Dog-Head Warship sped away from the New Marineford port.

"Stop looking; we should set off too."

"Yes, Captain."

The several trainees quickly scattered, some dropping anchor, others raising sails; in no time, the Donghai Dihuang vanished over the sea like an arrow leaving the bowstring.

On the port watchtower, Zephyr lowered his telescope and silently took out a small notebook to write: The Donghai Dihuang is extremely fast, comparable to the Navy's steam warships.

Enel, who had been following Zephyr since last night, stole a glance.

"Teacher Zephyr, why write these things down?"

Zephyr shook his head: "I'm not even sure if writing these down is useful; I just have an inexplicable feeling that the Navy will sooner or later have to fight Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen."

Enel knew it would be like this; the task the Captain gave him was truly as difficult as climbing to the sky.

Given Teacher Zephyr's level of hostility toward the Captain, there was no way he would ever lean toward the Morning Star Group; after all, the Captain had destroyed Marineford before.

"Isn't he a Celestial Dragon?"

"Celestial Dragon?" Zephyr sneered.

"Ever since Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen executed those one hundred Celestial Dragons in front of the Navy, Celestial Dragons are nothing in my eyes."

"Sengoku has also been very dissatisfied with the Celestial Dragons lately."

"Why?" Enel expressed his confusion.

Could it be that the advisory council, led by Admiral Tsuru and Admiral Aokiji, had already solved the Navy's military funding troubles?

"Why?" Zephyr let out a cold laugh.

"Just after Blackbeard was captured, Saint Saturn subtly told Sengoku that the World Government intends to cut Navy military spending to save on fiscal expenditures."

"Those five onions, ginger, and garlic must think that with Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and the Morning Star Group around, no one on the seas can threaten the World Government's rule anymore."

Enel really wanted to ask another question: Teacher, isn't that exactly the case?

Given the Captain's strength and the Morning Star Group's personnel configuration, even the Four Emperors of the New World would probably not be a match for the Morning Star Group, let alone the Revolutionary Army, which is chased by the Navy.

Enel admitted that if he were one of the Five Elders, he would certainly be bold and unafraid too.

"Foolish apprentice, do you think Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen really wears the same pants as the World Government?"

Zephyr patted Enel's shoulder: "A man like Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen would never submit to another; perhaps before long..."

Realizing these words were somewhat irrational, Zephyr did not continue.

"Let's not talk about that; go train quickly."

As soon as the master and apprentice arrived at the headquarters training camp, the first thing they saw was Smoker, whose lower body had turned into smoke, wrapping around Hina.

"Little Hina, do you submit?"

Perhaps because their posture was too ambiguous, Hina's face had long turned red with shame.

"Smoker, get off me immediately."

"I won't; let you bully me for not being a Devil Fruit user before. Today, this peasant will turn the tables and sing..."

Smoker was halfway through his sentence when his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of Zephyr's cold face; frightened, he stumbled and fell off Hina.

"Teacher Zephyr..."

Zephyr looked expressionlessly at the trainees: "How many times have I told you not to over-rely on Devil Fruit abilities?"

"Smoker, do you think that after eating a Logia-type Devil Fruit you are invincible?"

As a Navy Admiral, Zephyr naturally saw that the Devil Fruit Smoker had eaten was the Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit.

"Elementalization is nothing in the face of Armament Haki; body techniques and Haki are the stepping stones to becoming a top-tier powerhouse. With your current strength, you don't even have the qualification to stand before Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen."

Having just unexpectedly obtained the Smoke-Smoke Fruit, Smoker was not only bursting with confidence but firmly believed he was the chosen one of Inazuma's storybooks.

Otherwise, how did he get the Smoke-Smoke Fruit? And what about the White-Bearded Old Man?

Smoker, who should have been full of spirit, was scolded so severely by Zephyr and immediately muttered in dissatisfaction.

"Teacher, you are underestimating us too much."

"Underestimating you?" Zephyr laughed in anger.

"Even a Vice Admiral of the Headquarters couldn't last three seconds against Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's Conqueror's Haki. Who do you think you are? You're not even as good as a Captain."

"Showing off just because you have a little ability. Can't you learn from Enel?"

"All personnel, listen up! Today's training is doubled for everyone. Smoker, yours is quadrupled."

Smoker made a pained face, really wanting to argue with Teacher Zephyr about who was right and who was wrong.

It is well known that Zephyr's previous disciple, who relied too heavily on his Devil Fruit ability, was Kizaru, and Kizaru is now the Navy's highest combat power, an Admiral.

But after seeing Enel's eye signal, Smoker forcibly suppressed the impulse to argue with his teacher.

Forget it, forget it. The teacher is old; what if his asthma attacks him?"

He, Smoker, is the protagonist of destiny; he won't hold it against the old stubborn Teacher Zephyr.

Instead of wasting this time, he should think hard about how to dream of Grandpa Whitebeard again, to ask Grandpa for more miraculous pills to improve his physique.

Also, why hasn't his cheat, Grandpa Whitebeard, assigned any missions?

Isn't that how Inazuma storybooks are written? Complete a mission, get a reward, then crazily increase your strength to do new missions and get new rewards.

It can't be a fake cheat, right?