Smoker, I Didn't Expect You to Be Like This

After spending a considerable amount of time disembarking, Tashigi led the thirty elite Marines of Smoker's unit in a formation straight from the docks to the Loguetown Marine Base.

Garen and Nami followed closely beside Tashigi, appearing from a distance to be the leaders of this Marine squad.

The Marines didn't seem to mind, as Garen was a righteous comrade who could chat and laugh with Vice Admiral Garp, and a highly respected senior to their superior, Sergeant Tashigi.

The Marines marched quickly, and no one with any sense dared to block the path of this elite group. Garen and the others soon arrived at the Loguetown Marine Base.

Before arriving, Tashigi had imagined that Smoker, in a fit of rage, would have turned the place into a battlefield. But instead, she saw...

The Loguetown Marines lined up in neat double columns in front of the base, putting on a welcoming display.

Standing in front of the Marines was a middle-aged Marine officer wearing a justice cloak, none other than Commander Hammer, the head of the Loguetown Marine Base.

He wore a kind and harmless smile, with a hint of flattery hidden within it.

"You must be the Marine Headquarters soldiers here to replace us in Loguetown!"

Commander Hammer casually glanced at the Headquarters Marines before him, his gaze immediately settling on Garen, who was wearing a white Captain's uniform.

He slowly walked up to Garen and gave a polite salute with a gentle expression:

"I am the current commander of the Loguetown Marine Base, Commander Hammer!"

"Huh?"

Tashigi felt a little strange and spoke up from the side:

"I am Sergeant Tashigi from Marine Headquarters."

"We are subordinates of Captain Smoker of Marine Headquarters."

Hammer looked at Tashigi in response:

A quiet little girl, with neat, short hair and unfashionable square glasses. She doesn't look like a Marine officer at all.

Hammer looked down on her, but still nodded politely in response.

Then, an awkward silence fell over the scene...

Tashigi was secretly wondering about Captain Smoker's whereabouts, while Hammer was waiting for the "Smoker" in front of him to respond.

But of course, Garen had no intention of stepping forward to exchange pleasantries with Commander Hammer.

Hammer looked at Garen's impassive face, and his heart sank:

This guy is so unsentimental...

It seems that this "Smoker" has indeed seen the problems in Loguetown, and isn't even willing to make superficial polite gestures?

If I'm not careful, we might start fighting directly.

Commander Hammer wasn't confident that he could win against a Logia-type Captain from Headquarters in a direct fight.

He had no choice but to try to muster his emotions and put on a warm, even fawning smile:

"Captain Smoker!"

"I apologize for not welcoming you properly!"

With that, Commander Hammer bowed slightly to Garen in a rather servile manner, and reached out his hand to shake hands with "Smoker" as a greeting.

"Huh?"

Garen was slightly stunned.

Tashigi and the other Marines also showed strange expressions.

Commander Hammer's outstretched hand remained awkwardly suspended in the air, and his flattering smile froze on his face.

He felt even more flustered:

This Smoker is really not giving me any face at all?!

No!

I have to trick him into sitting down at the negotiating table, or I won't even have a chance to resist!

"That..."

Tashigi was about to explain and ask about the real Smoker's whereabouts when...

The smile on Commander Hammer's face became even more amiable.

He wasn't annoyed by "Smoker's" rudeness. Instead, he lowered his posture like a servant:

"Lord Smoker!"

"Let's go inside and talk about any problems!"

Commander Hammer had cold sweat on his forehead, but he gritted his teeth and insisted:

"I have prepared some 'small gifts' for you, and I hope you will do me the honor of taking a look."

This was blatant bribery.

But Commander Hammer, driven to the brink by "Smoker's" repeated cold treatment, could only resort to the most clumsy methods.

"Small gifts?!"

The one speaking was not the "Smoker" that Commander Hammer had in mind, but a beautiful orange-haired girl beside "Smoker".

Her eyes were already sparkling with excitement.

Nami had changed into a Marine's plain white shirt uniform on the warship. Compared to Tashigi, who was wearing her usual clothes, she looked more like a Marine.

However, since the commanding officer "Smoker" hadn't spoken, it seemed unreasonable for a female Marine to interrupt so impolitely.

Hammer was a little puzzled, but he could only say to Nami in a roundabout way:

"That's right!"

"It's been hard on you all to come so far. I've prepared some small gifts especially for Captain Smoker to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."

Hammer glanced at "Smoker" again, and said slowly:

"Captain Smoker, please don't worry."

"These are just some 'local specialties' I collected in East Blue, nothing of value, nothing of value..."

"This..."

Garen still couldn't react; he wasn't ready to play the role of a Marine Captain.

Garen's "indifferent" reaction left Commander Hammer at a loss for words, and he was further suffocated by the oppressive atmosphere.

Fortunately, an angel-like orange-haired girl came to Commander Hammer's rescue.

Nami walked up to Garen with a beaming smile, and patted "Captain Smoker" on the shoulder in a very disrespectful manner:

"Captain Smoker~~"

"Since they're being so kind, we shouldn't let them down!"

Garen's mouth twitched slightly, and he looked at Nami with some helplessness.

The Cat Burglar's amber-like light orange eyes were as bright as LED lights, sparkling with dazzling gold.

"Hey!"

Tashigi walked over with a look of astonishment and questioned:

"What do you want to do?"

Nami gave Tashigi a deep look, and said meaningfully:

"I understand what you're thinking."

"But these issues are best resolved once we're inside."

"Leave things here to me and 'Captain Smoker'!"

Commander Hammer immediately understood the situation:

The orange-haired girl with a bit of playfulness was probably the true confidante of "Captain Smoker"!

And that quiet girl with glasses was still a bit rigid in her ways, probably hadn't been "trained" well by "Smoker" yet.

You sly Smoker!

Hammer cursed inwardly:

Putting on a cold face and acting high and mighty, while waiting for your subordinates to say all the dirty words!

But his face bloomed into an even more flattering smile:

"This lady is right!"

"Whatever the problem is, let's go inside and sit down and talk about it slowly!"

Tashigi remained silent, her eyes flashing with complex meaning, obviously scrutinizing the current situation.

And the Marines behind her also knew better than to step forward and say anything.

The real Captain Smoker had set off in advance and hadn't been heard from since, so this Marine base probably had some problems.

Rushing in rashly would probably put the soldiers in a crisis they couldn't handle.

Letting the powerful "Ippon Ken Dou Swordsman" Garen-senpai go in first to scout out the situation was a good choice.

"Alright then..."

Tashigi's expression hardened, and she said seriously to Nami:

"We'll wait outside for now. You go in and have a good talk with Commander Hammer."

"No problem!"

The smile on Nami's face became even more charming.

She walked to Garen without any hesitation and gently took his arm:

"Captain Smoker, let's go!"

Garen hadn't fully gotten into character yet, and Nami impatiently tugged at his arm and walked towards the base gate.

"Uh, okay."

Garen had no choice but to be led into the Marine base by Nami, playing the role of Captain Smoker.

Commander Hammer was shocked by the irregular intimacy between Nami and "Captain Smoker."

He kept a flattering smile on his face as he softly asked, "May I ask, madam, who you are?"

"Me?"

Nami wasn't intimidated in the slightest, casually making up a title for herself: "I'm Captain Smoker's adjutant."

"I see."

Commander Hammer responded verbally, but inwardly, he sneered.

Adjutant?

You, a low-ranking Marine wearing the most basic white shirt uniform, can be the adjutant of a Captain from Marine Headquarters?

But looking at "Captain Smoker's" behavior, he seemed to subtly dote on and comply with this pretty female soldier.

Commander Hammer had another realization:

Smoker's two adjutants are both charming young women, one quiet and meek, the other lively and playful.

They don't have the aura of elite Marine Headquarters soldiers at all; all their stats are allocated to feminine charm.

What adjutants? They're clearly...

I didn't expect this of you, Smoker!

Thankfully...

As long as a person is greedy and lustful, they are not difficult to deal with.

Commander Hammer felt much more relaxed and secretly sighed with genuine admiration:

That Captain sure knows how to have fun!

PS: A new week, please vote for recommendations~