Smoker directly addressed Mosen, “So, Ensign, do you have a problem?”
Mosen felt speechless. Was it his perfect looks that drew attention? Why else would the White Hunter, whom he had never met, immediately confront him?
Sure enough, being too dazzling was troublesome.
He wondered how long he could hold his own against Smoker. With Armament Haki, Logia users were more accessible.
Plus, Smoker had sea stone weapons that were highly effective against Devil Fruit users.
However, Mosen’s strength mainly lay in his physical and swordsmanship skills. It wasn’t that frightening as long as Seastone didn’t touch him.
“Captain Smoker, you’re a distinguished Marine from Headquarters, the strongest Logia user, a rising star. How could a lowly division ensign like me dare to have an opinion? I’m terrified, really,” Mosen said, sarcasm dripping from his words.
Indeed, he was ready to stand his ground.
Young Smoker, even as a Captain, wouldn’t be overwhelmingly strong. Mosen wasn’t afraid to challenge him.
Plus, Smoker had picked a fight with him right away. If there’s one thing Mosen was known for, it was his stubbornness.
Facing Mosen’s sarcasm and challenging gaze, Smoker narrowed his eyes. The smoke from his cigars obscured his expression, making it hard to read.
Franca, standing nearby, was nearly in tears. What was with these two? They didn’t even know each other but were already at each other’s throats. He tried to intervene, “Ensign Mosen, show some respect. Captain Smoker is here on duty. Apologize to the Captain!”
Franca frantically signaled Mosen with his eyes.
However, Mosen ignored him. There was no better opponent than a Logia user without Haki to test his current level.
Understanding his position would give him the confidence to take risks. He had plenty of experience in avoiding unnecessary danger.
Smoker sensed the fighting spirit in Mosen’s eyes and was slightly surprised.
“Arrogant kid, you don’t seem scared. If you can take ten of my attacks, I’ll hear you out,” Smoker said. He then gestured to Franca, “Don’t worry, Captain Franca. I’ll go easy on him.”
“Well, kid, do you dare to accept?”
Mosen wasn’t sure why Smoker seemed to have it out for him, but he wasn’t about to back down. A fight was a fight; whoever backed down was a coward.
“People always get jealous of my looks. Captain Smoker, I don’t blame you for envying my handsome face. But be careful in our fight. It wouldn’t look good if you lost,” Mosen taunted.
Smoker’s face turned dark with anger. He was determined to teach this vain, sharp-tongued kid a lesson.
“Don’t be too cocky, kid. I’ll show you that your mouth won’t save you,” Smoker retorted.
“Oh, so scary. Isn’t the Headquarters’ rebellious youth more arrogant than a pretty boy like me? And don’t forget, my skills might surprise you too,” Mosen replied, his tone dripping with confidence.
The smoker was already fuming. Smoke swirled around him, indicating he was ready to attack.
“Wait!” Mosen called out.
“What? Are you scared now? It’s too late to beg for mercy,” Smoker said, eager to start the fight.
“Are you an idiot? Fighting here would destroy the port. Let’s go to the training ground where there’s more space and less to worry about breaking,” Mosen suggested.
Smoker thought this kid was good at grandstanding. Was he worried about the port when he’d be taken down in a few moves?
Still, the training ground would allow more people to see this kid get what was coming to him. He nodded in agreement.
…
In the center of the training ground, Mosen and Smoker stood facing each other.
About 20 meters away, Marines from Headquarters and the base gathered to watch.
Headquarters Marines looked relaxed, eager for the spectacle. They pointed at Mosen, mocking him for overestimating himself.
Base Marines, knowing Smoker’s reputation, were visibly worried. Although Mosen was strong, the legend of the most potent Logia user left many doubting his chances.
Mosen held his sword, Koi, ready in the middle of the training ground. Usually talkative, he was all business when it came to fighting.
In the end, battles were settled with strength. Trash talk had its place, but relying on it too much could insult the opponent and lower one’s intelligence.
“Kid, I’ll show you through this fight that skipping out on new recruit training isn’t something you can just do,” Smoker said.
Mosen realized Smoker’s animosity stemmed from respect for their instructor, Zephyr. As Zephyr’s disciple, Smoker had a lot of respect for him.
In truth, Zephyr, the former Admiral and current Chief Instructor of the recruit camp was a tragic hero deserving of respect in the Marines.
Mosen wanted to join the recruit camp mainly because of Zephyr’s teaching. A mentor like that, combined with talent and hard work, would naturally increase one’s strength.
Respect for one’s teacher was something Mosen understood, but respect aside, a fight was a fight.
A dangerous aura emanated from Mosen, contrasting his earlier lazy, harmless demeanor.
Seeing Smoker still had his weapon strapped to his back, Mosen warned, “Be careful, Captain Smoker.”
Mosen, always straightforward in battle, immediately went all out. He stomped on the ground, creating a loud rumble.
Boom!!
The hard ground of the training field bore a deep footprint, and Mosen’s body, propelled by his strength and Devil Fruit’s ability to glide through the air, reached a speed comparable to the Six Powers’ Shave.
Gale Slash!
In an instant, Mosen appeared before Smoker, swinging his sword. The blade flashed like lightning, creating a chilling, wintry atmosphere. The razor-sharp Koi cut through the air, only the blade’s light visible.
Danger!!
At the moment Mosen struck, Smoker’s instincts screamed danger. He hadn’t expected this Ensign to be so fast; the blade was already descending before he could react.
Feeling the deadly threat, Smoker instinctively transformed into smoke. The blade cut through, slicing the smoke without resistance, showing its incredible speed.
Mosen wasn’t surprised his attack didn’t land. Without Armament Haki, it was tough to threaten Logia users unless they failed to transform in time.
The plot armor is unbeatable when Crocodile defeats him with a simple water barrel.
Mosen withdrew, tossing aside the sword’s sheath, which landed several meters away.
“Captain, underestimating your opponent isn’t a good habit,” Mosen advised.
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