For the Navy, fighting pirates always meant staking their lives on the line.
If they didn't operate at 120% focus, getting killed would be far too unjust.
"Fire!!"
A loud command rang out, followed by the thunderous roar of cannon fire.
A barrage of cannonballs tore through the sky toward Grimmjow and the others.
Boom—!!
Explosions erupted directly against Grimmjow's body.
"Tch. Only this level? Boring."
He didn't dodge—not because he couldn't, but because he didn't even consider it necessary.
Would a person bother dodging when an ant charged at them?
Of course not.
When the smoke cleared, Grimmjow stood there unscathed—not even his clothes were burned.
On the warship:
"That guy… isn't simple."
Smoker's expression sank.
He originally assumed the man's fast aerial movement came from some strange Devil Fruit ability, so he didn't take Grimmjow very seriously.
But the fact he took a cannonball head-on and wasn't even scratched…
This wasn't normal.
In East Blue—this weak little sea—someone of that level shouldn't exist.
Smoker instinctively grew cautious.
And the next moment—
The man vanished from view.
"What?!"
Smoker's eyes widened.
He swept his gaze around in shock, trying to locate the disappeared figure.
"Colonel Smoker—behind you!"
Tashigi's voice sharply warned from behind him.
Smoker instantly spun around—
—and found Grimmjow standing right there.
"I didn't sense him at all!"
Smoker's pupils contracted violently.
Because he didn't know Observation Haki at this point in time, Grimmjow's movements were completely beyond his perception.
"Yo! So you're the strongest one on this ship?"
Grimmjow tilted his chin arrogantly, a feral grin on his face.
"Come on. Show me what you've got."
Every word, every look he gave—
—all of it screamed: You're not worth my eyes.
"You bastard… Don't look down on me, pirate!!"
Smoker roared and thrust out a White Blow, his arm transforming into smoke as he attacked.
But—
snap
Grimmjow casually caught Smoker's smokey fist in his bare hand.
"This is it? That's disappointing."
Smoker froze.
"How—?! He grabbed my arm?! Does he know Armament Haki?!"
That was the only explanation he could think of—
only Armament Haki could strike a Logia user.
"Haki? You mean that black-colored thing that Lucci uses?"
Grimmjow smirked.
"Nope. I don't use that.
I use Reiatsu."
"But whatever. Let's finish this fast.
If I take too long, Lucci will come steal the credit."
He glanced at Lucci, who was using Moonwalk to close the distance, and clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"You arrogant—!"
Smoker whipped out his jitte and swung with all his strength.
But Grimmjow simply lifted his hand.
A mass of swirling black-red energy gathered in his palm—
Cero.
The devastating blast erupted, swallowing Smoker's jitte and tearing through a large portion of the deck before detonating over the sea with a thunderous explosion.
When the smoke cleared—
The jitte was gone.
Only a broken handle with a few pieces of Seastone remained.
"I was originally going to fire this right into your face."
Grimmjow shrugged casually.
"But the boss wants you captured alive, so I held back."
"The boss…? You're not the captain?"
Smoker was stunned again.
"Of course I'm not!" Grimmjow snapped impatiently.
"I'm Adrian's Sixth Espada—Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez!"
Espada…
A ranking system?
Like Admirals?
Disasters?
The Sweet Commanders?
Smoker's brain raced.
"Enough talking."
"You don't look like you plan to surrender, so I'll end this quick."
Grimmjow unsheathed his blade.
"You bastard, don't underestimate—"
He didn't even finish the sentence.
Grimmjow's form vanished.
A flash.
A blur.
Then—
puchi!!!
A spray of blood burst from Smoker's chest.
He had been cut.
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