If You Need Encouragement

Days passed, and those who gradually made a name for themselves in the Elite Training Camp earned their own epithets through successive missions.

They were—

The Logia Smoke-Smoke Fruit user, always charging to the front in every operation: "White Hunter Smoker."

The Paramecia Cage-Cage Fruit user, who would ruthlessly lock anything passing through her body with massive shackles, and had vaguely become the dream lover of many trainees: "Black Prison Hina."

The one who despised crooked swordsmanship, terrifying in appearance yet brimming with justice. In the last battle, he used his original Right Angle Sword Style to cleave apart an enemy Pirate Ship: "Ship-Slicing Hero T Bone."

The one who fully relied on his father, aspiring to become the king of navy doctors: "Little Rosinante Rosinante."

"Leon, why did you refuse the epithet Lieutenant Colonel Natsu gave you?"

"Having your own epithet is a symbol of strength!"

"And I heard even Vice Admiral Sakazuki's epithet was given by Lieutenant Colonel Natsu!"

Leon rolled his eyes at Rosinante.

"Didn't you refuse the title 'Death Doctor' and change it to 'Little Rosinante' yourself?"

"I'm different," Rosinante argued. "I did it to match my father's old codename..."

"And besides, your 'Bandage Iron Fist' epithet sounds like it has real potential!"

"Hmph."

Leon lay on the ground, hands behind his head.

"If I were to name epithets..."

"Smoker would be 'Smokey' or 'Big Smoker.'"

"Brother T Bone would be 'Great Sword Zombie.'"

"Since Hina likes bondage, she'd be 'S&M Queen.'"

"As for me..."

"How about 'Cosmic Super Invincible Thunder Dragon Warrior'?"

"What kind of nonsense is that..."

Rosinante muttered while glancing around to make sure no one was watching, then furtively pulled a cigar he'd scrounged from Smoker from his chest.

Rosinante clumsily lit the cigar, not forgetting to ask Leon with an eager tone.

"What about me?"

"You..."

"..."

"Rosinante... your uniform is on fire."

"Huh?"

Slow on the uptake, Rosinante turned his head and saw the cheerful flames dancing on his navy uniform.

"My freshly issued uniform!"

"Dammit!!!"

A plume of white smoke shot over from afar, extinguishing the flames on Rosinante.

"You two were hiding here."

Smoker appeared in their line of sight.

"Thanks, Smoker."

Rosinante, half his face blackened by smoke, didn't forget to thank Smoker.

Leon looked curiously at Smoker, who was puffing two cigars with his chest bared. "No extra training today?"

"That's rare for you, Smoker."

"Hmph."

"Even though it's a day off, I finished my extra training before coming here. Not like you two..."

"Oh?"

Rosinante eagerly cut Smoker off, pointing at the distant dormitory building. "You came here to run into girls too?"

Smoker's expression shifted, a scene flashing in his mind of his body hung like laundry on a drying rack by Vice Admiral Tsuru...

"I have no such intention!"

He'd been searching for Leon and the others for ages before thinking of this secluded, undisturbed "smoking area."

Smoker took a deep breath and looked at Leon with serious gravity.

"Leon, I came specifically to find you."

After months of constant practice, Smoker believed he'd mostly mastered his Smoke-Smoke Fruit's abilities, but he'd never had a chance to spar with Leon in the training camp.

The only option was to take the offensive.

"I want you to fight me at full strength!"

"That's not a good idea... we're classmates. If someone gets hurt by accident..."

Leon refused without hesitation. But when Rosinante heard the word "hurt," a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Hurt? Perfect!

Just what I need to treat...

"I just bought a batch of top-quality cigars."

Smoker spoke softly.

"But then again, an occasional spar helps us all grow, right?" Leon changed his tune. "Smoker, let me see how strong you are now!"

Leon stood up. Rosinante, already standing far off to the side, shook his head with some regret.

We're all classmates—I won't cheer for Leon today.

Smoker stared solemnly at Leon before him.

When they first met, he could still sense the astonishing power within Leon.

But later on, he could no longer see through the strength hidden beneath Leon's bandages—just how immense it truly was.

"White Hurricane!"

Smoker went all out from the start, turning his entire body into smoke and releasing a massive cloud of it, trying to trap Leon.

Having exhausted every effort yet still unable to keep up with Leon's growth, Smoker had ultimately chosen to eat a Devil Fruit.

This rare Logia-type Devil Fruit power, scarce even across the entire world, was the source of Smoker's confidence in defeating Leon today.

But Smoker's opening move didn't achieve the result he wanted.

Leon leaped high into the air, dodging the incoming smoke.

"It's not over yet!"

"White Vine!"

The smoke beneath Leon's feet spiraled upward, trying to catch him in midair.