Chapter 17: The Smoker—Smaug's Challenge! (Please support and recommend!)

Chapter 17: The Challenge of Smoker the White Hunter!

"Good morning, Cui Ze! This is Smoker, a fellow recruit who joined the Marines at the same time as me."

Hina introduced her two friends with a beaming smile.

"Hello, Mr. Smoker."

Cui Ze nodded toward Smoker, then immediately turned his gaze back to Hina.

"Hina, is there something you needed me for this early? Don't you have training today?"

"The instructor said we have the day off," Hina explained. "As for why we came to find you... it’s actually because Smoker has something he wants to discuss with you."

Smoker?

Cui Ze raised an eyebrow. He did not recall having any prior interaction with this chain-smoking marine.

"Well, Mr. Smoker..." Cui Ze looked at the intense, glowing gaze of Smoker, a sinking feeling of unease rising in his chest. "May I ask what this is about?"

Smoker looked Cui Ze straight in the eye and got straight to the point.

"I want to challenge you! Do you have time now?"

"..."

The bad premonition had come true!

The corner of Cui Ze's mouth twitched slightly. Just yesterday, he had been mentally ranking the strength levels within the Marine training camp. At the time, he had considered Smoker—who had consumed the Smoke-Smoke Fruit—to be a powerful opponent that was "fundamentally impossible to deal with" at his current stage. He hadn't expected the smoker to show up on his doorstep today!

Looking at the fierce intensity in Smoker's eyes and Hina’s curious expression, Cui Ze knew there was no avoiding this "challenge." Furthermore, with his enrollment in the Elite Training Camp imminent, he did indeed need a suitable "demonstration of power" to ensure that he wouldn't be pestered by small-fry extras later on.

It was just that the "target" who had shown up on his own seemed a bit out of his league...

The target Cui Ze had originally intended to use for his display of power was Vergo, the future undercover agent sent into the Marines by the Warlord of the Sea, Doflamingo! He had even prepared his opening line: "Mr. Vergo, you wouldn't want Admiral Zephyr to discover your identity as an undercover agent, would you?"

It was a line dripping with villainous coercion! But before Cui Ze could put his plan into motion, Smoker had taken the initiative to challenge him.

According to the intelligence he had gathered over the past two days, besides his prickly personality, Smoker’s raw strength was firmly established as the top of the training camp, and it was a position that remained unshakable. There was no way around it; in the early stages of development, a Logia-type Devil Fruit was truly a "cheat code" that made one want to give up on thinking, unless one could find a specific weakness for that elemental ability.

Smoke... it must have a weakness, right?

Cui Ze looked at Smoker, his eyes seemingly able to perceive the most subtle details.

"I accept your challenge!"

...

The location for the challenge was the front deck. This wasn't something Cui Ze had requested. Rather, Smoker felt that since he was facing a "peerless powerhouse" capable of challenging Kaido, he needed a spacious area to fully utilize the properties of his "Smoke-Smoke Fruit."

Cui Ze felt a vein throb in his temple. *Smoker thinks he’s the one at a disadvantage...*

On the flat, open front deck, Marine soldiers crowded together in a dense circle, leaving only a wide "battle arena" in the center. These people had swarmed over after hearing that Smoker intended to challenge Cui Ze, and many more were still arriving.

It wasn't just the soldiers; most of the training camp instructors, including Zephyr, had heard the news and were casting their attention toward the scene.

"What a bunch of energetic children..."

In the highest office of the battleship, Zephyr stood by the window, looking down at the bustling deck. The failure of his mission to recruit the two captains of the Giant Pirates yesterday hadn't affected him in the slightest. He had never liked the Seven Warlords system, and he hadn't held much expectation for recruiting pirates anyway. As for the two giants who had rejected the Admiral, they were currently healing on the Island of Antiquity. With the constitution of the giants, those kinds of injuries would take at least ten days to two weeks to heal.

Behind Zephyr stood several high-ranking Marine officers wearing coats of "Justice." Aside from the adjutant who had been by his side for years, there was another man, a Rear Admiral of Marine Headquarters. This man was a rare "long-headed person," possessing a skull far longer than the average human, forcing him to wear a specially made bearskin Marine cap to fully conceal it. Beneath the cap was an expressionless middle-aged face with half-closed eyes, and at his waist hung two slightly ornate long swords.

Rear Admiral of Marine Headquarters, Strawberry!

Because of his promotion to Rear Admiral, Strawberry had specifically requested to join this year's Elite Training Camp, intending to pick out one or two suitable recruits to serve as his adjutants.

"Strawberry, the training camp is already halfway through. Have you found any suitable children?" Zephyr glanced at Strawberry, his attitude not particularly welcoming.

Strawberry naturally understood why. After all, he was a follower of Vice Admiral Borsalino (Kizaru). The entire Marine Headquarters knew that Instructor Zephyr did not like Vice Admiral Borsalino!

"I have already found a suitable candidate, Instructor Zephyr." Strawberry’s attitude was impeccably respectful.

Zephyr nodded slightly, his gaze shifting to the deck below. Seeing the young man standing opposite Smoker, he asked as if casually.

"I heard that little brat Borsalino is planning to take over some secret special forces recently, like the Marine Science Unit, or the SWORD unit... Does he have any arrangements for you in that regard?"

The Marine Science Unit was a cutting-edge technological force built by Dr. Vegapunk! The SWORD unit was a top-secret Marine special force dedicated to monitoring the movements of pirates across the sea!

Strawberry shook his head. "I am not aware of that, Instructor Zephyr."

Zephyr nodded lightly, then crossed his arms and looked at the battle below, as if he hadn't mentioned anything at all.

...

On the front deck, Smoker focused his mind, completely ignoring the surrounding onlookers and concentrating entirely on Cui Ze. Without waiting for any signal, he instantly activated his Smoke-Smoke Fruit!

Smoker’s wheat-colored arms transformed into two swirling, amorphous white wisps of smoke, with only his fists retaining their solid form.

"White Blow!"

Smoker roared, thrusting his arms forward. The two trails of smoke detached from his body, whistling through the air straight toward Cui Ze.

Cui Ze’s reaction was not slow. His nostrils flared slightly as he silently employed the "Total Concentration" level of his *Beast Breathing*, instantly boosting his physical capabilities significantly. He raised his left arm, blocking Smoker's incoming white smoke-fists.

The slight tremor in his forearm didn't affect his next move. With a slide and a grasp, Cui Ze caught the solid surface of the smoke-fist, then suddenly swung his right hand, a sharp, cold glint flashing between his fingers.

*Dissection Mother: Imitation!*

The cold light flashed, and the white smoke-fist was severed by the light!

In a flash, Cui Ze repeated the maneuver, swinging his scalpel again to cut off the other incoming smoke-fist.

Smoker let Cui Ze cut through his "White Blow." This level of destruction meant nothing to a Logia-type user. With a flicker of thought, he manipulated his smoke again.

"White Vine!"

The two arms that had been severed by Cui Ze suddenly expanded and diffused, forming two giant white vines floating in mid-air. Claws and tentacles extended from the smoke vines, dancing wildly in the air as if to bind Cui Ze until he lost all ability to resist.

In his mind, Cui Ze recalled his experience cleaning fish in the cafeteria over the past two days. The *Dissection Mother: Imitation* in his hand moved rapidly, slicing through the "White Vine" smoke mass as if he were chopping octopus tentacles.

Taking advantage of the brief moment Cui Ze was delayed by the vines, Smoker’s eyes flashed with intensity.

"White Launcher!"

Smoker's lower body suddenly turned into a formless mass of white smoke, instantly spraying out large clouds of smoke particles. Using the explosive recoil from the smoke, Smoker moved rapidly across the deck as if flying just above the ground!

At the same time, Smoker manipulated the scattered smoke from the "White Vine," instantly expanding its range to create a small "fog of war" zone on the deck. He merged his body into the smoke, intending to use the wide-area attack power of his fruit to win the battle!

The surrounding Marines let out a soft gasp. They were no stranger to Smoker’s performance; in previous assessments, many had fallen to this very combination. Hina, in the crowd, couldn't help but clench her hands, biting her pink lips as she stared into the chaotic mist.

Little did they know, this was exactly what Cui Ze had been waiting for!

"Beast Breathing: Total Concentration!"

Before being engulfed by the smoke, Cui Ze inhaled a deep breath of fresh air. Two thin, solid trails of mist entered his nasal cavity, instantly amplifying his physical explosive power.

"Eighth Form: Explosive Rush!"

His soles stomped on the wooden deck with a teeth-grinding creak. With his full power unleashed, Cui Ze’s movement speed blurred into a shadow. Like a rampaging beast, he dove headlong into the fog of war!

Once inside, Cui Ze held his breath to avoid inhaling the smoke particles, but his speed did not slow down in the slightest. His *Heightened Hearing* was fully active, and every movement within a fifty-meter radius appeared in his mind, allowing him to lock onto Smoker's position instantly!

The next second, Cui Ze held the handle of the *Dissection Mother: Imitation* in his left hand, while his right palm pressed against the thin blade.

The blade sliced into his skin, making a nearly imperceptible sound. Blood gushed from the wound, instantly dyeing Cui Ze’s right fist into a crimson, dripping hand!

The essence of smoke is solid dust particles floating in the air. Facing things like smoke or sand, Luffy had taught all fans a lesson with the defeat of Crocodile—dust is afraid of water!

At this very moment, Cui Ze, having dashed forward through his *Explosive Rush*, had reached Smoker. Gathering all his strength, he raised his blood-soaked right fist and unleashed a strike!

The punch was ferocious and wild, chilling to the bone!

"Beast Breathing: First Form: Piercing Slash: Modified!"

*Thud!*

That was... the sound of a punch connecting with flesh!