"So anyway," Gojo continued, folding his arms casually, "I killed them and wiped out the Krieg Pirates. They became my first official pirate hunt—and my first source of income. Honestly, they should feel honored. In the future, when people remember the name Pirate Hunter Gojo Satoru, the story will definitely start with: 'The first pirate group ever destroyed by Gojo Satoru was the Krieg Pirates.' So they're quite famous now, don't you think?"
Smoker let out a small grunt. "When I met you five years ago, you weren't this narcissistic."
Gojo simply shrugged. "You call it narcissism. I call it the truth."
Smoker shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth before his expression turned serious again. He crossed his arms, the atmosphere in the room shifting slightly.
"But based on the assessment from the observers on the shore…" Smoker said, "I don't think you had to kill them. You could've brought them in alive and still collected the bounty. You didn't need to dirty your hands unnecessarily. And I'm not lecturing you about killing"—he raised a hand slightly—"but you should avoid getting blood on your hands when there's no real need for it."
Gojo replied plainly, "I'm not someone who goes on a killing spree for nothing, nor do I enjoy killing or get some thrill out of it, okay? I killed them because they attacked me with the intent to kill. If anyone comes at me with killing intent, I will kill that person—whoever it may be. But of course, there will be some exceptions."
Smoker listened quietly, then exhaled a slow stream of smoke. "Don't you think that kind of thinking will push you toward an extreme, ruthless path? If you keep doing that, your image might end up just like the pirates you disdain."
Gojo didn't even blink. "I don't care much. I live by my values, not by what someone else thinks. I'm not going to change how I act just because someone comments on how I should live or demands explanations."
Smoker shook his head at the bluntness, but then a sudden thought crossed his mind. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he looked directly at Gojo.
"Let's presume that someday I'm ordered to kill you," Smoker said. "Suppose you've committed some crime, and I'm given the mission. If I try to kill you… would you kill me too?"
Gojo answered without hesitation. "Of course that's impossible. I will never kill you. I promise you that." His tone softened slightly. "You were the one who saved me from a predicament that was almost inescapable at the time. You saved my life, and I'll always be grateful for that. If you asked me to spare someone I planned to kill—and if that person can be spared—then I'd definitely listen to you."
He tapped a knuckle lightly on the arm of his chair. "But that's only between you, me, and a few of my friends. Don't expect me to listen to anyone else."
Then he added with a small laugh, "But if you try to kill me, I'll definitely beat you up."
Smoker snorted. "Kid, it seems you've grown wings after getting strong. You really think you can defeat me?"
Gojo shrugged casually. "I'm not boasting, but… yes, I think I can defeat you. Your biggest reliance is your Logia Devil Fruit. And it's not like I've never fought Logia users before. In fact, a few years ago I fought Fire Fist Ace—and defeated him in a one-on-one battle. So you can imagine yourself: would I lose or would I win against you? You judge."
The room fell quiet for a second.
Smoker froze, completely stunned. This was a revelation he had never heard—not from the Marines, not from rumors, not from newspapers. Gojo defeating Ace—Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, one of the strongest pirates in the world—was no small matter.
Smoker's expression tightened in shock, the cigar between his fingers almost slipping.
Gojo ignored Smoker's shocked expression and went on calmly, "By the way, I want to ask you for a favor. Can you give me the bounty posters of the pirates? And if possible, their locations—so I can hunt them."
Smoker finally regained his composure and let out a low sigh. "Why should I help you with that? You'll just end up taking credit that should belong to the Marines. And if you hunt those pirates and the Marines find out I was the one feeding you information, they'll blame me for it."
Gojo shrugged lightly. "Very well. If you can't reveal their locations, at least give me the bounty posters. That much can be done, right? It's not like I can't get them elsewhere—I'm just asking you to hand them over here."
Smoker narrowed his eyes for a moment, then relented with a nod. He turned toward Tashigi. She understood immediately and stepped out of the office without a word. The sound of her hurried footsteps faded down the corridor.
Within a minute, she returned carrying a thick stack of bounty posters. She handed them to Gojo with both hands.
Gojo began flipping through them, the pages rustling softly. There were many pirates based in the East Blue, and a few who had already made their way into the Grand Line. His eyes lingered on several names, a faint glint visible behind his sunglasses.
His current focus would be clear—he intended to hunt the pirates of the East Blue first.
After looking through the last of the bounty posters, Gojo glanced back toward Smoker and asked, "Do you know how to use Haki? Can you use it?"
Smoker shook his head. "No, I haven't mastered Haki yet. But I'm training. I should be able to get it down soon enough."
Hearing that made Gojo sit up straighter, a spark of excitement flashing behind his sunglasses. "Then you must know how to use Armament Haki. Can you teach me how to use it?" His tone carried a rare eagerness. He had already awakened Observation Haki on his own, and now Armament Haki was the next step he wanted to master. As for Conqueror's Haki… he'd see in the future whether awakening it was even possible for him.
Smoker raised an eyebrow at the sudden enthusiasm and said, "Yes, I can definitely teach you how to use Haki…"
The moment those words left his mouth, Gojo shot to his feet. "Then let's go immediately. No point wasting time here—I want to learn Armament Haki right now."
But before Gojo could take a step, Smoker cut him off. "I haven't finished my sentence yet." His voice was firm as he continued, "I can teach you Haki, but for that, you have to join the Marines. I can't teach a non-Marine, can I? So—how about it? Do you want to join the Marines?"
Gojo stopped dead, then slumped back into his chair with a defeated groan. "Not fair. I was happy for almost a second."
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