Following Smoker's lead, Bane arrived at the Marine base's administrative office. Smoker had already sent someone to fetch the reward money.
As Bane had expected, Smoker was fair and principled. He had no intention of pocketing the bounty or demanding proof of the kill. There was no hostility either.
This attitude seemed to suggest the Marines, at least for now, were friendly toward Bane.
That impression was immediately reinforced.
With three cigars clamped between his teeth, Smoker poured Bane a cup of tea before sitting down on the opposite couch, straight to the point but casual.
"So," Smoker began, "that darkness-based power you used earlier... was it from a Devil Fruit you took off the Whitebeard Pirates?"
He was probing, casually, but also fishing for intel.
Bane sipped his tea calmly, showing no signs of defensiveness. He wasn't trying to hide anything. The powers of the fruit would eventually be noticed anyway, and since the Marines seemed open to him, a little transparency might help build goodwill.
"Yeah," Bane admitted freely. "It's a Logia-type—the Yami Yami no Mi, the Dark-Dark Fruit. I took it from Whitebeard's crew."
"...A Logia, huh?" Smoker raised an eyebrow.
As a Logia user himself, he knew just how rare and dangerous they were. That alone made Bane a person of serious interest.
But Smoker didn't press further. Pushing too hard would just be rude. Instead, he shifted the conversation.
"Funny thing is, we've never heard anything about you until recently," Smoker said. "Sounds like you've lived an honest life until now. Only recently started working as a bounty hunter?"
"Pretty much," Bane replied with a smirk. "Thatch was... my first job."
Smoker paused. "Impressive first showing."
It was clear he wasn't great with compliments. He meant well—but praise just wasn't in his nature. He couldn't find a better way to say it.
After an awkward beat, Smoker decided to cut to the chase. He leaned forward, his tone growing serious.
"To be honest, Bane, we Marines hold men like you in high regard—independent, righteous types with the strength to back it up. You've already proven your capabilities, and your heart seems to be in the right place."
He took a slow breath and added:
"Look, bounty hunting isn't a bad line of work, but it doesn't compare to the future the Marines can offer. You're a Logia user. You've taken down a division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. If you're willing to enlist, I guarantee Marine HQ will offer you a very generous package."
Bane blinked. That was fast.
He hadn't been here more than an hour, and Smoker was already trying to recruit him.
Not that he wasn't interested. Far from it.
The Marines were a global power with military reach across every sea. If he joined, it would be a massive deterrent to enemies like the Whitebeard Pirates. It'd be like hiding behind a fortress.
They also had access to elite training: Rokushiki, swordsmanship, Haki, and all kinds of combat arts. With enough time, he could level up safely within their system.
But... Bane wasn't ready to say yes. Not yet.
The Marines talked a lot about justice, but their hands weren't exactly clean. Underneath all the rules and medals, they still answered to the Celestial Dragons—the so-called gods of the world. The Marines might have power, but at the end of the day, they were still watchdogs for the World Government.
Plus, now wasn't the best time.
Smoker made it sound like HQ would give him a "great deal," but how great could it actually be? What would they offer him—a captain's rank? Maybe a commander's?
Would they give him a vice admiral's position right off the bat?
Not a chance.
And even if they offered it... would Bane dare to accept?
The reality was that everyone—Smoker included—believed Bane had taken down Thatch in a head-on fight. It was what gave him this aura of power. That he could defeat a top division commander from one of the Four Emperors made people assume he was already on that level.
But Bane knew better.
His real combat strength? A rear admiral might be able to crush him with one hand.
Still, he had one thing going for him—potential.
Given time to train and develop, especially once he mastered Haki, and coupled that with his Dark-Dark Fruit and naturally enhanced physique, he could absolutely climb the ranks. He just needed time.
Besides, even though he'd eaten the Yami Yami no Mi, and technically disrupted canon events, there was still room for maneuvering.
For example, if the story proceeded close to the original timeline, and Luffy set sail next year, Bane could help nudge the world toward the Marineford War.
Because after that war, something amazing happened:
The World Military Draft.
To make up for the huge losses suffered during the Marineford incident and to confront rising global threats, the Marines launched a worldwide recruitment campaign. They offered the most generous enlistment terms in history.
That's how Issho (Fujitora) and Aramaki (Ryokugyu)—both civilians with no prior Marine background—became Admirals.
That was the kind of opportunity worth waiting for.
If Bane joined now, he'd be buried in the ranks—maybe a lieutenant or captain—and would have to grind for years. But if he waited for the draft, built up his strength, and timed it right… he might rise to vice admiral, maybe even Admiral someday.
Dream big, right? Why be a sardine when you could be a shark?
And if he did reach admiral status, who knew? Maybe he'd help stabilize the New World, overthrow the Celestial Dragons, and seize control of the entire world government system.
And maybe—just maybe—one day he'd take a battalion of Marines back to his old world and raze that empire to the ground.
...Or maybe he'd decide being a pirate had better perks.
Who could say?
Smoker, meanwhile, sat quietly, watching Bane's expression. The bounty hunter seemed to drift into thought, his face at times excited, then contemplative, then focused again.
Smoker misread it as enthusiasm.
He thought he had him.
But Bane eventually looked up, calm and composed. His voice was steady.
"I appreciate the offer, Captain Smoker. Really. But for now, I'll have to decline."
"I'm only twenty," he added with a small smile. "I've just started this journey. I want to see more of the world before I commit to one path. But maybe in a couple years… I'll reconsider. I do like the Marines, after all."
Smoker exhaled through his nose—he'd hoped for a yes, but he understood.
Bane's tone was sincere. There was no hostility. In fact, the way he spoke showed respect for the Marines. That was enough.
"I respect that," Smoker said after a pause. "And I can promise you this—if you continue to walk the path of justice, our doors will always be open to you."
Bane nodded, smiling."Thanks. I appreciate that."