章節 317: Chapter 317: Long Time No See, Smoker!
"(Oh no, I forgot to update today again... My apologies, everyone. Even though I know not many are following this, I still wanted to say sorry first!)"
Wait a minute... If this guy really is Wood, the ex-Marine traitor, how could Luffy, who's always seen him as a target, not recognize him?
Then again, considering Luffy's "unique" ability to remember faces and the fact that Wood's wanted poster was from over a decade ago... it's actually not impossible that he wouldn't recognize him.
"Captain, the Navy has already entered Alubarna. Given our current status, it might not be wise to interact with them."
Robin, now soaked from the heavy downpour, her clothes clinging to her figure, flew down and landed beside Wood.
"If you don't mind, you're welcome to take shelter in our palace," Princess Vivi offered.
King Cobra, standing nearby, looked like he wanted to say something, but seeing the firm determination on his daughter's face, he remained silent.
Vivi had grown up. To be honest, if it hadn't been for her recruiting the Straw Hats to help, the Nefertari dynasty might have been completely destroyed under his watch.
Cobra respected her judgment, and although he was unsure of Wood's true motives, there was no denying that he had just saved their kingdom.
Vivi had a similar thought. She had confidence in her ability to judge people, just like when she first trusted the Straw Hat Pirates.
To her, Wood was different from Crocodile. He didn't seem like one of those ambitious, evil pirates.
And given the sheer power he displayed, if he really had ill intentions toward Alabasta, there wasn't much they could do to stop him.
So instead of showing fear, Vivi thought it better to display the dignity of the Nefertari royal family and extend gratitude to their savior.
"Former Warlord Crocodile, we've gathered enough evidence to prove your violation of the World Government's rules and your illegal actions against the Kingdom of Alabasta.
"Under orders from Marine Headquarters, your title as a Warlord has been revoked, and you are hereby placed under arrest!"
Captain Smoker leaped onto the palace balcony, clutching his dual long-handled jutte, a soaked cigar hanging from his lips, as he recited his official lines. But then he froze.
The sight of a particular figure standing before him caused Smoker's body to tremble uncontrollably.
"Captain Smoker...?" his subordinate, Tashigi, noticed something was wrong. Smoker's reaction was anything but normal.
Before she could ask, Smoker's lower body transformed into white smoke, and he charged forward, gripping his jutte tightly.
Sanji and Zoro immediately moved to protect the unconscious Luffy.
They recognized the Marine officer—Smoker, from Loguetown. For reasons they never fully understood, the man had been hounding them like a mad dog, determined to take Luffy down.
But just as Sanji and Zoro, both injured, prepared to fend off Smoker's attack, they realized his target wasn't them—it was someone else entirely.
"Well, well, Smoker, long time no see," Wood said, his expression calm. "Still stuck as a captain after all these years? You were once my little underling, weren't you?"
With no visible effort, Wood stood his ground as Smoker hurtled toward him, jutte aimed at his chest.
Smoker thought he had him, but just before the jutte made contact, Wood casually raised two fingers and stopped the weapon in its tracks.
"White Snake!"
Realizing his initial attack was blocked, Smoker quickly abandoned one of his jutte and activated his Smoke-Smoke Fruit powers, turning his arm into a giant white smoke serpent that wrapped itself tightly around Wood.
Seeing this, both Sanji and Zoro winced. They had been on the receiving end of that same move before, back in Loguetown. The smoke looked harmless but was surprisingly difficult to escape.
If it hadn't been for the sudden storm back then, they likely wouldn't have been able to leave Loguetown at all.
"Do you really think a move like this can hold me?" Wood asked, his voice steady.
A powerful burst of energy erupted from Wood's body, and the smoke constraining him was instantly scattered into the air.
Before Smoker could react, he found a black fist speeding toward his face, growing larger in his field of vision with every passing second.
"Still aiming for the face, just like old times..." Smoker thought bitterly before Wood's fist connected with his cheek, sending him flying like a cannonball.
The impact was brutal, and Sanji and Zoro, watching from the sidelines, were completely stunned.
The Marine captain, who had given them so much trouble and seemed practically invincible, had been blown away with a single punch.
"Smoker, after all these years, you still haven't improved one bit," Wood taunted. "If anything, you've become too reliant on your Devil Fruit powers. Your physical abilities have actually regressed."
"Shut up!" Smoker roared, blood trickling from his face as he struggled to get back on his feet. "Don't talk down to me like you're my superior! Ever since you betrayed the Marines, we've been on opposite sides!
"You, of all people, were expected to become someone great in the Navy, so why did you throw it all away? What do you even know, Wood? I had no choice but to eat the Devil Fruit to try and catch up to you!"
Before Wood could respond, Smoker charged again, weapon raised, refusing to give up.
"Alright, then," Wood sighed, "I'll show you just how vast the gap between us still is, even with your Devil Fruit powers.
"In the New World, Haki is what separates the strong from the weak. Devil Fruits? They're just tools—secondary to real strength."
Drawing his sword, Wood's demeanor shifted entirely.
Zoro, being a swordsman, instantly felt the oppressive energy radiating from Wood. It was a familiar sensation, one he had only experienced once before: in the presence of the world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk.
The air itself seemed heavier around Wood, the same way it had with Mihawk. Back then, Zoro had struggled just to draw his sword in front of that overwhelming force.
Now, he felt the same pressure from Wood. But unlike Mihawk's sharp, exposed killing intent, Wood's energy was more contained—dangerous but controlled.
"Hyakki Yagyo Sword Style—One Sword Technique: Kamaitachi!"
A fierce gust of wind howled from Wood's blade, forming a crescent-shaped slash that shot toward Smoker. By the time it reached him, it had grown into a massive blade of wind, several dozen meters wide.
Realizing the danger, Smoker immediately raised his twin jutte in defense.
But when the blade of wind reached him, he finally understood just how vast the difference between them was. The force of the attack sent Smoker flying backward, his feet carving deep trenches in the ground as he tried in vain to hold his ground.
The crescent slash barreled through the courtyard, eventually crashing through the palace walls and out into the city. Smoker's jutte flew from his hands, and his body was sliced clean in two.
Fortunately for Smoker, Wood hadn't imbued his attack with Haki, so when the crescent slash bisected him, Smoker's body simply turned into smoke.
The slash flew out of the palace and landed in a deserted part of the city, carving a massive trench into the ground that stretched for miles.
The Straw Hats, Princess Vivi, and the others stared in shock at the devastation left in the wake of Wood's attack.
Zoro, in particular, was both amazed and excited, his hands instinctively gripping the hilts of his three swords. The urge to challenge Wood surged within him.
Ever since his battle with Mr. 1, Zoro had gained new insights into swordsmanship, reaching the level of being able to "cut steel." He had become a true swordsman, but now, standing before Wood, he sensed the same level of mastery that Mihawk had displayed.
Smoker's body reformed on the ground, his face pale, as he coughed up blood. Though Wood hadn't used Haki in his attack, Smoker's attempt to block the slash had caused internal injuries.
As he struggled to stand, his subordinate, Tashigi, drew her sword, ready to fight. But before she could act, several arms sprouted from her body, disarming her and binding her arms to her sides like shackles.
"Smoker!" Tashigi called out, struggling against the restraint, but she was helpless.
Smoker, seeing his subordinate captured, was about to attack when suddenly, Wood appeared behind him, a sword now pressed against Smoker's throat, its blade covered in Haki.
None of the Straw Hats had even seen him move. One moment he had been standing far away, and the next, he was right behind Smoker, faster than their eyes could follow. To them, it was almost like teleportation.
"Smoker, how about we end this fight here? If I remember correctly, the World Government stopped pursuing me a long time ago.
"You're a Marine, and I'm a pirate, but you don't really have any reason to arrest me, do you?
"Besides, if I kill you here, it'll just cause me a lot of trouble with the Government. I'd rather avoid being put back on their wanted list."
Naturally, Smoker, who had always followed his own path and often disregarded orders, had no intention of backing down. But before he could respond, Wood's hand struck the back of his neck, knocking him out cold.
Turning to Tashigi, Wood spoke with a calm tone, "Smoker's always been stubborn. He never listens to reason. So, Tashigi, right?
"You were ordered to help Alabasta deal with the rebellion and capture Crocodile, correct?
"Well, the man lying over there—yes, the one with the scar—is Crocodile. The situation in Alabasta is already resolved, and Crocodile's been defeated.
"Just take him back to Marine Headquarters, claim your victory, and let's pretend this encounter never happened. Deal?"
Tashigi, bound and conflicted, hesitated. Her sense of justice was strong, but the situation was grim. Wood had them completely outmatched, and even if they wanted to arrest him, they didn't have the power to do so.
It wasn't just Smoker who was outclassed. If Wood wanted to, he could wipe out the entire Marine force stationed in Alabasta in an instant.
Reluctantly, Tashigi agreed. Smoker, still unconscious, and the defeated Crocodile were taken away, as the Marines began their retreat.
Soon after, Marine Headquarters dispatched Vice Admiral Momousagi to Alabasta to oversee the situation and personally escort Crocodile to Impel Down.
Though Alabasta had been saved, the World Government sent reinforcements to ensure stability, as Crocodile's defeat was a serious matter.
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