Smoker the White Hunter, male, 22 years old, Marine Lieutenant Commander, Smoke-Smoke Fruit user.
His teacher was none other than the legendary former admiral, Black Arm Zephyr.
As a user of the rare Logia Devil Fruit, Smoker was undoubtedly one of the finest among the younger generation of Marines.
Serious by nature and diligent in training, aside from being a heavy smoker, he was practically the perfect new Marine recruit.
Therefore, when Marine Headquarters ordered Garp to form an elite recruit unit for Rokushiki training, Zephyr naturally recommended Smoker for it.
With the Marine Hero himself about to train him, Smoker was naturally both excited and thrilled.
At least, that had been the case some time ago.
Training had already continued for more than ten days.
Ever since arriving on this Uninhabited Island, he had fallen into a state of questioning his life.
He had personally seen a major criminal with a bounty of over 100 million casually wandering around the island before joining them in Garp's special training.
As for the reason, that major criminal seemed to have made it clear from the very beginning—
To cultivate Haki.
This powerful latent force within the human body was the mark of a true powerhouse.
Even the elites among this batch of Marine recruits were still far from being capable of cultivating Haki.
And now, the Marine Hero was going to teach Haki to a wanted criminal with a bounty of over 100 million?
Most importantly, that wanted criminal looked about the same age as him!
At such a young age, he was already qualified to cultivate Haki?
No matter how much Smoker thought about it, he could not understand. He could only sit cross-legged on the ground and smoke one cigar after another.
It was dusk, the time when the Marine soldiers rested and ate.
A nearby Marine was choked by the cigar smoke and coughed several times, waving his hand repeatedly as he said:
"Hey, Smoker, why do I feel like your smoking habit has gotten worse?"
Smoker frowned and could not be bothered to answer.
Another Marine nearby teased, "Of course, because he's a Smoke Person!"
"Humph!"
Smoker could not be bothered with them. He stood up and picked up the Jitte beside him.
The so-called Jitte was a special weapon specifically used to counter blades.
Using the power of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit in conjunction with the Jitte, Smoker had developed his own unique combat style.
"Smoker, where are you going?" a nearby Marine asked.
"To the forest," Smoker answered.
"Hey, seriously?"
The Marine scratched his head. "I remember you fought those beasts in the forest for an entire day. You're still going? Aren't you tired?"
"Vice Admiral Garp wants us to reach the limits of our bodies. Only then can we break through them." Smoker stared at the Jitte in his hand and said solemnly, "My training is still not enough."
Whenever he thought of that wanted criminal with a bounty of over 100 million, Smoker felt waves of irritation.
He had to surpass him!
Just as Smoker was about to head back into the forest to continue training, bursts of surprised cries suddenly came from the Marines around him.
"It's starting!"
"Ooh, here it comes!"
"Today's really early!"
Hearing the Marines' chatter, Smoker felt even more annoyed.
"What do you idiots take the Marines for? How can you cheer for a wanted criminal!"
"Don't be so serious, Brother Smoker."
A nearby Marine draped an arm around Smoker's shoulders and laughed. "You may not like that wanted criminal, but this is also a rare chance to watch Vice Admiral Garp fight!"
Smoker thought about it and realized that seemed to be true. He could only suppress his irritation and look into the distance.
A figure stood there.
Dressed in a Marine uniform and possessing an incomparably burly build, he was undoubtedly the Marine Hero—Garp!
Beside Garp was a large circle roughly ten meters in diameter, drawn with the tip of his foot.
More than ten days ago, Garp had made Lynn a promise:
"Kid, look closely at this circle."
"Give it everything you've got. The moment you knock this old man out of this circle will be the moment your Haki awakens!"
From then on, Lynn's challenge against Garp had officially begun.
The first few challenges had naturally ended in Lynn's crushing defeat. Garp had not even moved a single step, much less been knocked out of the circle.
At the beginning, the Marines on the island had been quite wary of Lynn. After all, he was a major criminal with a bounty of 100 million Beli.
However, as time passed, the Marines' attitude toward Lynn gradually shifted from wariness to pure shock.
They could not help being shocked!
Over these ten-plus days, Lynn charged into the forest every morning to hunt ferocious beasts. At noon, he turned the beasts he had hunted into delicious food and feasted on them.
After eating and drinking his fill, Lynn rushed back into the forest to train.
The training continued until dusk, when the main event of the day officially began:
Lynn would challenge Garp.
And that was the key to the change in the Marines' attitude toward Lynn!
Because Lynn and Garp had very similar fighting styles, both favoring pure, head-on brawling.
Every exchange and every collision produced a muffled boom like beating war drums, making the surrounding air tremble violently.
The grassland where they stood should have been the island's safe zone, but whenever the two fought, even the beast-filled forest seemed safer.
It was simply two monsters beating the hell out of each other!
The Marines on the island had never seen such simple, brutal, even barbaric combat!
Although they were all certain that Vice Admiral Garp had yet to use his true strength, Lynn's improvement was equally obvious.
Without using "Astonishing":
Three days after training began, Lynn made Garp take half a step back.
Seven days later, he took a full step back.
Eleven days later, he took two consecutive steps back!
And now—
The fifteenth day had arrived!
Under the setting sun.
Garp stood within the circle he had drawn, his arms crossed over his chest as he quietly waited for Lynn to arrive.
At the same time, the Marines held bowls of freshly cooked hot soup, discussing today's possible outcome as they rested.
"Can that guy named Lynn really make Vice Admiral Garp leave that circle?"
"How could he? That's Vice Admiral Garp, the Marine Hero!"
"But... which of you is confident you could defeat that guy named Lynn?"
Hearing that, the Marines hesitated for a long time before ultimately shaking their heads.
The strength Lynn had displayed had already far surpassed theirs.
"His strength may already be on par with a Headquarters vice admiral," one Marine suddenly said.
"Idiot!" Smoker interrupted him. "He's a wanted criminal. Your duty is to arrest him, not praise him!"
Another Marine tried to smooth things over. "Brother Smoker, only by acknowledging others' strength can you improve!"
"Humph!"
Smoker gripped his Jitte tightly as a sense of urgency rose within him.
Not enough. I'm still not strong enough!
Meanwhile, the waiting Garp had his eyes closed as he rested.
Suddenly, strange noises came from the direction of the forest.
Rustle, rustle!
It sounded as though something was being dragged along the ground.
Garp opened his eyes and grinned. "You're here, brat!"
One tree after another fell from the edge of the forest, and a huge mouth full of sharp teeth appeared before everyone.
Upon seeing the owner of that enormous mouth, the Marines who had been eating immediately prepared for battle.
It was one of the rulers of this forest, a giant crocodile weighing dozens of tons!
Its speed and strength had reached terrifying levels, and even cannon fire could not pierce its tough hide!
Over the past dozen days, many Marines had been defeated by that crocodile and nearly lost their lives.
Smoker also frowned deeply.
Even as a Logia Devil Fruit user, he had no way of dealing with that thick-skinned crocodile.
The giant crocodile had come out? Weren't the beasts on this island supposed to avoid the grasslands?
But immediately afterward, the Marines noticed something strange.
The crocodile's tongue hung out, its eyes had rolled back, and it was clearly dead beyond any doubt!
Beneath the crocodile, a figure was dragging its massive body forward step by step.
That person was bare-chested, and his muscular body was covered in wounds of every size.
Lynn Barek emerged from the forest!
With a burst of strength from both arms, Lynn tossed the giant crocodile onto an open patch of ground nearby.
Boom!
The Marines all felt the ground beneath their feet shake.
"Marine brothers, let's have grilled meat tonight."
Lynn rolled his neck, bounced lightly on his feet, then fixed his gaze on Garp.
Garp could not help laughing. "Brat, aren't you going to rest a little?"
Lynn shook his head, revealing an intensely excited grin.
"How could I possibly hold myself back!"
Lynn Barek versus Monkey D. Garp—
The fifteenth challenge began!
It was supposed to be two thousand words per chapter, but that was just a feint. Heh, it was twenty-five hundred words.
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