Smoker was stunned.
He already knew that Luo Ye had come to East Blue. He was also aware of the incident involving the execution of Colonel Nezumi, the corrupt head of the 16th Branch of the Marine forces. Smoker had already resolved that, when he encountered the infamous Silver Eagle Admiral Luo Ye, he would question him directly. Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku hadn't sanctioned such an action, so what gave Luo Ye the authority to execute a fellow Marine?
However, what Smoker never anticipated was that Luo Ye would be the one standing atop the very execution platform where Gol D. Roger had been executed. This was the same Luo Ye he had briefly met at Marineford years ago. If not for that past encounter, Smoker would never have believed that the young man before him was now an Admiral of the Marines.
Smoker could at least keep his composure, but the surrounding Marines were visibly shaken.
"What did Colonel Smoker just say?"
"Admiral…? He's an Admiral?"
"No way! He looks too young to be an Admiral!"
"But Colonel Smoker said it himself… We have no choice but to believe it."
"Good thing we didn't attack him earlier… or we'd be finished."
Smoker ignored the murmuring of his subordinates, keeping his intense gaze fixed on Luo Ye.
"Silver Eagle Admiral, I have a request. Would you be willing to spar with me?"
The Marines behind Smoker were shocked.
Why was the Colonel challenging the newly appointed Admiral? Did he think Luo Ye wasn't as strong as they had assumed? Maybe Smoker could actually defeat him?
Their expectations grew as they watched the tense exchange. If Smoker knew what they were thinking, he would probably have smacked them all upside the head. He had grown much stronger since leaving Marineford, but he had no illusions of being able to defeat Luo Ye. Years ago, Luo Ye had sparred with Aokiji and held his own, whereas Smoker had been utterly crushed by the same man. This wasn't about victory—it was about gauging the gap in their abilities.
Luo Ye, reading the intent behind Smoker's request, smiled faintly.
"Alright. Let's see if your strength has dulled from being stationed in East Blue."
Hearing Luo Ye accept, Smoker couldn't hide his excitement. The pirates in East Blue were pitifully weak. Being stationed here meant he had only been dealing with small-time criminals, and it left him doubting whether his strength had actually progressed. Now, with the chance to fight someone like Luo Ye, he wouldn't let it go to waste.
"White Fist!"
Smoker launched his attack, his arm transforming into thick white smoke and shooting forward like a piston. The speed of his strike was nearly instantaneous, giving his opponents little time to react.
Smoker felt a surge of confidence—Logia-type abilities were difficult to counter. Over the years, he had taken down countless foes using this technique. He wasn't expecting to defeat Luo Ye, but at the very least, he hoped to land a hit.
But what happened next was beyond his expectations.
Luo Ye didn't even bother dodging. Instead, he casually raised his hand and swatted at Smoker's attack as if brushing away a mere annoyance.
Bang!
Under the stunned eyes of the gathered Marines, Smoker's own attack rebounded violently, nearly hitting him instead. Had it not been for his refined control over his Devil Fruit abilities, that single counter could have seriously injured him.
Luo Ye sighed, staring at Smoker with mild disappointment.
"Smoker… Have you really been stationed in East Blue for so long that your strength has not only stagnated but actually declined?"
Smoker gritted his teeth, a bitter expression crossing his face.
It wasn't that his strength had regressed—Luo Ye had simply become too strong.
Still, he refused to admit defeat. He grabbed his jitte, its Seastone tip gleaming, and propelled himself forward with a burst of smoke. Even if Luo Ye wasn't a Devil Fruit user, a true swordsman like him would still find it difficult to ignore Seastone's properties.
Luo Ye sighed again. Had Smoker really fallen so far?
He couldn't allow Ace, Sabo, or Luffy to end up like this. If they spent too much time outside the Grand Line, they might end up just like Smoker—stagnant.
Bang!
Luo Ye landed a decisive kick to Smoker's chest, sending him flying backward.
"Smoker, let's end this. I have a task for you. If you complete it, I'll personally request Sengoku to transfer you back to the New World. If you stay in East Blue any longer, you'll be useless."
Smoker clutched his ribs, feeling the dull pain spread through his body. He knew Luo Ye wasn't mocking him—his words carried genuine concern. Only in the New World, where the strongest pirates roamed, could he continue growing.
But still…
"I was one of the Headquarters' top talents…" Smoker muttered under his breath. He couldn't accept such a humiliating defeat so easily.
"Again!"
Bang!
Bang!
Again and again, Smoker charged at Luo Ye, and again and again, he was knocked down. Luo Ye didn't stop him—he had met plenty of so-called "geniuses" who needed to experience overwhelming defeat before they could truly push themselves to improve. If Smoker needed to feel that gap, Luo Ye was more than happy to oblige.
"Colonel Smoker, please stop!"
"Yeah, Colonel! Silver Eagle Admiral isn't an ordinary fighter!"
"You can't win against Admiral Luo Ye!"
The Marines tried to intervene, but Smoker ignored them. He wiped the sweat and blood from his face, ready to charge again.
Then, another group of Marines rushed onto the scene.
"Colonel Smoker!" a female Marine shouted, drawing her saber. "You damned pirate! How dare you cause trouble in Loguetown!"
She lunged straight at Luo Ye.
Luo Ye's expression darkened slightly.
"This farce should end, Smoker. I still have business for you."
Hum…
As soon as those words left his mouth, a powerful aura radiated from him, spreading outwards like an invisible tidal wave.
Boom!
The Marines felt it instantly—a suffocating, overwhelming pressure. For a brief moment, confusion flickered in their eyes.
Then—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One by one, the weaker Marines dropped to the ground, unconscious.
The execution square fell silent.
Smoker, still standing, wiped his brow as he exhaled sharply. He had only felt this kind of power a handful of times before.
"Damn it… Conqueror's Haki… And not just any Conqueror's Haki… A monstrous one."
Luo Ye glanced around at the unconscious Marines before returning his gaze to Smoker.
"Now, are you ready to listen?"
Smoker spat to the side, looking back at Luo Ye with a mixture of frustration and admiration.
"Fine… You win. What's the mission?"