You Wouldn't Even Call Me... Teacher Kael!

"Good~"

"That's more like it!"

The smoke screen obscuring the crowd's view slowly dissipated.

The sailors and townspeople at the harbor had not even realized what had happened...

When they saw a handsome, refined young man slowly emerge from the smoke.

But when they saw the girl in his arms with a gun pressed to her head...

They finally understood what it meant to never judge a book by its cover.

"Th-That's Lieutenant Tashigi from the Marine base!"

Someone in the crowd quickly recognized Tashigi, and cries of alarm immediately broke out.

"What is going on!?"

"How did Lieutenant Tashigi get taken hostage!?"

"..."

At the sight of this, the harbor instantly erupted into an uproar.

At that moment, Smoker also slowly emerged from the smoke.

As he and Kael moved, one advancing and the other retreating, they gradually neared the edge of the harbor.

Wave after wave continued tirelessly crashing against the harbor embankment, producing thunderous roars.

Entirely unaffected by the tense atmosphere here.

Arriving beneath the Tiga, Kael saw that he had entered Tiga's ability range at last, and his taut nerves could finally relax a little.

He raised his head, the corners of his lips curling upward slightly as he faced Smoker.

"Alright, Colonel Smoker."

"This is far enough. Seeing me off any farther would be a little impolite."

"It's time for us to say goodbye."

Holding Tashigi's arm, Kael manipulated it like a puppet's and waved farewell to Smoker.

Smoker, whose fury had reached its peak and who was nearly grinding his teeth to pieces, instantly turned livid at the sight.

Behind him, wisps of smoke surged continuously, spreading out in all directions like invisible vapor.

He had not truly given up on saving Tashigi.

Smoker was waiting!

He was waiting for the moment Kael boarded the ship...

As long as the other man revealed even the slightest opening, his smoke could instantly separate Kael from Tashigi.

Without Tashigi as a hostage, that bastard would never escape his grasp!

Smoker viciously swore to himself.

However, just as he focused all his attention, Kael suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"Say, Colonel Smoker~"

"I believe I told you that I'm allergic to secondhand smoke, didn't I?"

"And yet you still had the nerve to use smoke to test me."

"Don't tell me you were planning to rescue this cute little girl while I boarded the ship!?"

"Hahahahaha..."

"Did you really think I'd give you that chance!?"

With Hyper Intuition's acute senses, even the colorless, odorless, invisible currents of air could not escape Kael's perception...

Let alone smoke composed of tiny particles!

Smoker's every move had long been within his control.

He simply had not exposed it because he wanted to reach Tiga's ability range as quickly as possible.

After laughing wildly, Kael's eyes gleamed with mocking disdain.

As a fellow former Marine...

He intended to give Smoker one final lesson before they parted.

Seeing the regret on Smoker's face after his intentions had been exposed, Kael continued to rub salt in the wound.

"Knowing I had a hostage in my hands, you still chose such a flashy entrance..."

"Were you afraid I wouldn't know someone was coming to arrest me?!"

"If you had just used your Devil Fruit ability to scout ahead and secretly set a trap,

things would never have ended up like this!"

"I really don't know why Marine Headquarters chose someone like you to guard the East Blue."

"Smoker, you... are far too arrogant!"

Out of nowhere, a fierce gale rose, forming a roaring tornado beneath Kael's feet.

Carrying Tashigi in his arms, Kael slowly rose into the air amid the storm and landed steadily at the stern.

From beginning to end, his gun never left Tashigi's head.

"You're a Devil Fruit user?!"

Watching Kael rise into the air, Smoker's eyes widened as he stood there dumbfounded.

This sudden turn of events had clearly exceeded Smoker's expectations.

But from the moment Kael stepped aboard the Tiga, the self-aware ship had already begun sailing toward the open sea.

At that moment, a black skull flag slowly rose from the mast, making that unmistakable pirate emblem visible to everyone!

With one foot resting on the railing, Kael looked down on Loguetown Harbor and said in a warning tone:

"The East Blue is not a gathering place for the weak. It is the birthplace of miracles!"

"If this is still your attitude, I suggest you get the hell back to Marine Headquarters and find yourself a desk job!"

"Killing and fighting really aren't for you."

"Oh~ right, this is today's final lesson!"

Kael suddenly drew his gun and used Hyper Intuition to aim at Smoker's shoulder.

A heavy gunshot rang out!

This was the third bullet this gun had fired today!

Though it looked no different from an ordinary, common flintlock.

After being enhanced by the Marine research division, its practical value far surpassed even the Fine Grade Blade Frost!

Because this gun had originally been developed by the Marines to deal with the monsters in the latter half of the Grand Line!

The spiraling bullet instantly left the barrel, like a black ray. Before anyone could react, it pierced directly into Smoker's left shoulder.

Pfft!

A scarlet spray of blood splattered out.

Smoker's eyes widened as he looked in disbelief at the blood flowing from his shoulder.

"Hahaha..."

"Smoker, relying too much on your Devil Fruit ability is not a good thing."

"Remember my name. I am Kael, captain of the Dusk Pirates, and the man destined to become the king of the world!"

"If fate allows, we'll meet again!"

"Class dismissed!"

Kael laughed loudly, carrying Tashigi's slender body into the cabin.

Running after showing off was damn thrilling!

Whoosh~!!!

A terrifying storm suddenly surged through the tranquil harbor.

Driven by the gale, the Tiga's speed abruptly increased dramatically, and it sped away from Loguetown at an unimaginable pace.

Leaving behind only a devastated harbor.

More than ten minutes later, an emergency-assembled Marine unit hurried frantically to the harbor and found Smoker sitting atop a crate, staring blankly ahead.

"Colonel Smoker!"

The leading Marine sergeant hurried over and snapped to attention in salute.

The next second, he noticed the bloodstain on Smoker's left shoulder.

The Marine sergeant's expression changed drastically.

"Colonel Smoker, you're injured!!?"

He immediately began shouting.

"Medic! Medic! Hurry!!!"

However, Smoker raised a hand to stop the alarmed Marines and snorted coldly.

"No need."

As he spoke, he tore away the cloth around his shoulder, revealing a wound that had already scabbed over.

Although the Seastone bullet had pierced his body, fortunately it had not struck anywhere vital and had only caused a flesh wound.

With his physique, the wound would heal completely within a few days.

What truly had him sitting here in despair was...

He had lost a capable subordinate!

Tashigi was someone he had brought from Marine Headquarters to the East Blue.

Yet she had been taken right from under his nose.

For a moment, Smoker felt too ashamed to show his face.

He even began wondering whether he truly was unsuited for the job of guarding a Marine base.

More importantly...

As he recalled the things Kael had said before and after boarding the ship, the more he thought about them, the more they seemed to make sense.

His hatred for Kael had even diminished considerably because of it.

If he had not been so arrogant and had acted more cautiously, perhaps Tashigi...

Suddenly.

The silent Smoker abruptly slapped himself hard across the face, startling the Marines beside him.

"Damn it! What the hell am I thinking!"

He sprang to his feet, dispelling those distracting thoughts from his mind, and ordered the Marine soldiers:

"Prepare the warship immediately!"

"Full speed ahead! Pursue that pirate ship!"

"Also, send a report to Marine Headquarters and have them issue a new bounty poster!"

"Dusk Pirates captain, Kael."

"Suspected Devil Fruit user with wind-related abilities. Possesses a Seastone pistol. Cunning and treacherous. Exact combat strength unknown..."

"Crimes: causing havoc at Loguetown Harbor, kidnapping a Marine officer, and..."

"Whew~..."

Smoker took a deep breath, looked at the wound on his left shoulder, and said in a grave voice:

"Wounding Marine Headquarters Colonel Smoker, then escaping unscathed."