Chapter 260: The White Hunter's Transformation!
Marine Martial Arts Tournament · Day Two
Morning light spilled over the deserted island's arena, the sea breeze carrying a battle intent that had yet to dissipate.
At the judges' table, Sengoku, Tsuru, Zephyr, and Garp were already in position, with the Three Admirals and Roy still flanking them on both sides.
Sengoku scanned the area, his brow furrowing slightly. "Where are the 11 Vice Admirals who lost yesterday? Even if they lost, they should be here to watch the matches."
Staff Officer Tsuru took a sip of tea, a faint smile appearing on her lips. "Roy went to see them yesterday."
She set down her teacup and spoke slowly:
"He told them—'Do not be discouraged by defeat. Go to the New World and annihilate pirates. After the Martial Arts Tournament concludes, I will grant one small wish to whoever eliminates the most pirates.'"
Hearing this, Zephyr couldn't help but laugh out loud. "BWAHAHA! You should have seen the reactions of those brats! Especially the Giant Vice Admirals. They were already sitting on a belly full of fire from not advancing. After hearing Roy's words, they led their troops out in the middle of the night!"
He imitated Ronse's gruff voice and roared: "'I'M GOING TO FLATTEN EVERY PIRATE ISLAND IN THE NEW WORLD THIS TIME!!'"
Garp spat out a mouthful of rice crackers, laughing until he was out of breath. "BWAHAHAHA! The pirates in the New World are probably going to be crying for their mothers now! Yesterday the Lightning and Fire duo ransacked a whole sector, and today it's a massive Vice Admiral subjugation war. How satisfying!"
Sakazuki let out a snort, his cigar flashing with sparks, but a rare smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "At least they're being put to good use."
At this very moment, pirate crews across the New World were descending into unprecedented panic—
The fleet of the Giant Lacroix swept through a pirate island like a storm, his giant katana cleaving an enemy ship in two, blood raining down;
Comil laughed maniacally as he sliced a pirate captain with a bounty of over a hundred million directly in half, stating coldly: "Veteran Vice Admirals have tempers too!"
Giant Vice Admiral Ronse stood on the deck of his warship, raising his giant axe to the sky and roaring into a Den Den Mushi:
"ALL OF YOU GET OUT OF MY WAY! EVERY PIRATE ON THIS ISLAND BELONGS TO ME!!!"
The pirates wailed to the heavens: "Have the Marines gone crazy?! That Lightning and Fire duo from yesterday hasn't even gone far, and today a whole mob of Vice Admirals is attacking us?!"
...
Back on the deserted island, the atmosphere grew even more intense following this revelation.
The remaining 11 victors stood around the arena, their eyes burning with a battle intent that rivaled yesterday's.
Smoker bit down on his cigar, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Those guys sure got a good deal... But, I won't lose here."
Gion gently stroked Konpira, her gaze icy. "The one who wins to the end gets the richest reward... I won't hold back."
Sentomaru carried his giant axe, a boyish confidence on his face. "This great one won't be going easy!"
Tokikake's usual sleazy smile vanished without a trace. His entire aura was like an unsheathed sword: "Everyone, let's fight with everything we have."
In the corner of the judges' table, Roy quietly watched this blood-boiling arena, spatial fluctuations flowing silently at his fingertips.
"The wrath of the losers should be poured into the pools of pirate blood... And the glory of the victors will illuminate the Marines' new era."
Sengoku glanced at him sideways and said in a low voice, "Roy, you played this move beautifully."
Roy smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Fleet Admiral."
Sengoku immediately stood up, his voice booming like a war drum across the deserted island:
"The Marine Martial Arts Tournament—Round Two Draw, BEGIN!"
The giant screen lit up again, the 11 names rolling rapidly like meteors.
"BEEP—!"
As the draw locked in, the screen displayed five matchup brackets and one bye. The spectator stands instantly erupted in tsunami-like cheers!
Marine Martial Arts Tournament Round Two, Match One: Smoker vs. Dalmatian
On the arena stage, the two figures faced off, a suffocating killing intent filling the air.
Dalmatian grinned, his sharp canines glinting coldly. "Thorny brat, let me see how much you've improved all these years!"
Smoker bit his cigar, his voice cold. "I'm no longer that mad dog from before!"
"SWISH—!"
Dalmatian erupted abruptly, pouncing at Smoker with the speed of lightning! His giant claws tore through the air, carrying the whistling sound of sonic booms!
Smoker's arms simultaneously jetted high-pressure smoke. He crossed his hands and pulled:
"Smoke: VOID SEVER!"
"BOOM—!!!"
Smoke compressed to its absolute limit shot out like an incomparably sharp white blade, slicing the air wide open!
Dalmatian's pupils shrank. Relying on his agile beast-form body, he forcefully twisted to dodge, but a bloody gash was still sliced open on his shoulder!
"Hss—! Smoke... can actually cut through Armament Haki defenses?!"
Smoker didn't stop. He clapped his palms together and pulled them apart. The smoke rapidly solidified and compressed, forming a pitch-black longsword whose edge gleamed with Armament Haki:
"Solid Smoke: BLADE!"
Dalmatian roared, his dog claws striking down like a violent storm!
"CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—!!!"
The black blade and sharp claws clashed continuously, sparks flying everywhere. The deafening sound of metal striking metal echoed across the entire arena!
Just then, Smoker's gaze focused, and he suddenly crushed the smoke longsword:
"SMOKE EXPLOSION!"
"BANG—!!!"
Ignited by the sparks of their collision, the compressed smoke instantly triggered a dust explosion. The high-temperature airwave was like a volcanic eruption. Dalmatian's entire figure was blown away by the shockwave, crashing heavily and awkwardly into the ground, his chest charred black!
"Cough, cough...!" Dalmatian propped himself up on one knee, panting heavily. "You brat... your smoke can explode?!"
Smoker approached step by step, smoke churning around him. "I'm not done yet!"
He leaped up abruptly, his whole body erupting with smoke, smashing down like a meteor—
"SMOKE CRASH!!!"
"RUMBLE-RUMBLE—!!!"
A giant crater was smashed into the arena, smoke and dust soaring into the sky!
In the spectator stands, the Marine soldiers were dumbfounded.
"When did Vice Admiral Smoker... get so strong?!"
"That smoke... it's practically like a physical weapon!"
"Even Senior Dalmatian is being suppressed?!"
From within the dust, a bloodstained figure charged out once more!
Dalmatian's eyes were scarlet, his battle intent burning even fiercer. "Brat... you've grown a bit!"
His entire aura suddenly exploded. His five claws turned into afterimages, Armament Haki whipping up a storm:
"Shigan (Finger Pistol): FRENZIED FANG DANCE!!!"
"SWISH-SWISH-SWISH—!!!"
Hundreds of afterimages attacked Smoker like a torrential downpour!
Smoker huffed coldly. Clapping his hands rapidly, the smoke condensed into a black barrier in front of him:
"Solid Smoke: SHIELD!"
"CLANG-CLANG-CLANG—!!!"
The frenzied claw strikes bombarded the shield violently, splashing countless sparks!
Smoker gritted his teeth and held on. Amidst the violent assault, his left hand suddenly shot out an extremely thin beam of smoke:
"Smoke: PIERCE!"
"PFFT—!!!"
The smoke spear pierced through a gap in the defense, striking Dalmatian straight in the abdomen!
"GAAH—!"
Blood sprayed as Dalmatian stumbled backward, dropping to one knee.
Smoker didn't press his advantage. Instead, he slowly retracted his smoke.
Cigar in mouth, his voice was cool. "Senior, yield."
Dalmatian was silent for several seconds before suddenly throwing his head back and laughing loudly: "BWAHAHAHA! Good lad, nicely done! Consider this your win!"
He then raised both hands high: "I SURRENDER!!!"
"The Winner—SMOKER!!!" Sengoku's booming voice rang out across the venue.
The spectator stands instantly erupted into tsunami-like cheers!
Luffy jumped up, pointing excitedly at the arena: "WOW! Smoky Old Guy won!!!"
Veins popped on Smoker's forehead as he roared coldly: "SHUT UP! LUFFY!!!"
At the judges' table, a look of gratification flashed in Zephyr's eyes. He whispered, "Not bad. This is the correct way to use a Logia."
Roy smiled faintly. "He finally understands that smoke isn't only good for choking people."
"As long as the development direction is right, there are no weak Logias."
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