Chapter 52

There was also a black-haired boy of about eleven or twelve, wearing a black T-shirt and white shorts.

A little brat he'd never seen before…

Who?

Smoker, puzzled, glanced at the black-haired boy, then looked toward Sengoku and asked, "Marshal, was there something you called me here for?"

"Smoker, there is indeed a mission to hand to you."

Sengoku gazed at him.

Smoker's expression grew slightly serious and solemn.

What kind of momentous mission could it be, that it required these four great figures of the Navy to issue it together?

Sengoku pointed at the black-haired boy standing off to one side, and said to Smoker:

"Your mission is to go all-out and spar with him!"

"... Eh?"

Smoker froze for a moment, a little slow to catch on.

The mission jointly issued by four great figures was just to have a fight with that little brat over there?

This can't be a joke, can it?

"Lieutenant Commander Smoker."

The voice of the Navy's great strategist Tsuru sounded in his ear, snapping him back to his senses.

He looked toward Vice Admiral Tsuru, and met a pair of eyes full of wisdom and calm.

"Don't be doubtful for now — we'll explain everything to you shortly. All you need to do right now is obey orders and carry out the mission."

Smoker's eyes flickered slightly.

Then he scratched at his hair, turned his head toward the black-haired boy, and said:

"Got it. I just have to fight that little brat for a round, right?"

"Mm."

Sengoku nodded.

Garp, arms folded across his chest, grinned at him and said, "Smoker, don't underestimate him, or you'll definitely suffer for it."

Black Arm Zephyr said nothing, only stared hard at the black-haired boy inside the ring.

Although Smoker wasn't his most prized disciple, he was still an outstanding one who had endured and emerged from his devil training — a rising force of the Navy that he himself acknowledged.

That guy Garp.

He doesn't know where he dug up some little brat, and claims the kid's strength is a match for Smoker — and he's not even a Devil Fruit user.

Hmph!

Even a joke has to have its limits!

Smoker stepped into the ring, looked at the black-haired boy whose head didn't even reach his waist and whose thighs weren't as thick as his arm, and the corner of his eye twitched slightly.

A little brat like this…

And they want him to go all-out, or whatever it was.

Is Mr. Garp really not joking?

Or does he have some grudge against this little brat, and is deliberately trying to get him killed?

"Ready?"

The black-haired boy opposite him looked at him and asked.

Smoker let out a light breath. Forget it — no point thinking about all that.

Better wrap up this boring sparring match as quickly as possible…

"Come on."

Smoker looked at the black-haired boy and said.

The moment his words fell.

The floor tiles beneath the black-haired boy opposite him shattered, and his figure vanished in an instant.

So fast!

Smoker's pupils contracted slightly.

That speed…

Not far off, Zephyr, Sengoku, and Tsuru also widened their eyes slightly.

Garp laughed heartily, "That kid's speed has gotten a lot faster again compared to a year ago."

Smoker sensed the gust of force coming from his left side and immediately raised his left arm.

The next second.

A whip-kick, accompanied by a fierce gust, came crashing down, and Smoker instantly felt a terrifyingly heavy force transmit through his arm.

Not good!

Just as Smoker was about to be kicked flying by that enormous force, he activated his Logia fruit's elementalization in time, his body turning into a cloud of smoke, dispersing that force into nothingness.

"He forced Smoker to use his elementalization in a single strike — how could such a tiny body possibly contain that kind of power?!"

Zephyr stared wide-eyed at the ring, his face full of shock.

44, The Shock Brought by Haki (2/5)

"Astounding."

Vice Admiral Tsuru, usually composed and unflappable, was also somewhat moved.

"Hahaha, Sengoku, what do you think?"

Garp laughed loudly at Sengoku.

"It's still too early to call. Smoker's strength is far more than just this."

Zephyr said, watching the two inside the field.

The strike completely changed Smoker's dismissive attitude.

This black-haired brat in front of him was strong!

"Brat, what's your name?"

"Luo En."

"Luo En, I'll remember that."

Smoker got completely serious. Part of his body turned into white smoke, constantly shifting.

"I'm a Logia Smoke-Smoke Fruit user, Navy Lieutenant Commander, Smoker."

Luo En didn't waste words with him. With a stomp of his foot, he darted in front of him and threw a straight punch.

Bang!

The air itself let out a heavy crack from the blow. A large hole appeared in Smoker's chest, but not a drop of blood.

"It's useless. Right now I'm a smoke man. No matter how strong your power is, it's useless against smoke!"

The hole in his chest quickly filled back in with smoke as Smoker raised his fist and punched toward Luo En:

"White Fist!"

Luo En's figure flashed aside, but Smoker's arm instantly turned to smoke, then stretched and curved. That fist was like a homing shell, chasing after Luo En.

Luo En spun back and threw a punch.

Smoker's fist was instantly pierced through, breaking apart into wisps of smoke, which then condensed into a giant hand that tightly gripped Luo En's arm.

"Got you."

A cloud of smoke appeared in front of Luo En, coalescing into Smoker's tall figure.

Zephyr saw this scene and spoke up: "The winner is decided. Although that brat's speed and strength are absurdly strong, he's still no match for Smoker."

"Hahaha."

Garp laughed out loud.

"What are you laughing at, Garp?"

Zephyr turned his head and said irritably.

"As long as that brat has no way to deal with a Logia Devil Fruit's elemental ability, he can't possibly beat Smoker."

"That's true enough."

Vice Admiral Tsuru, chin in hand, pondered aloud: "But what if... he's holding a weapon made of Seastone in his hand?"

Zephyr's expression froze.