An Invitation from Smoker

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three months had gone by.

Smoker looked at Tashigi with a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. He had noticed that she had frequently taken leave over the past three months.

Especially during the past half month, even when she was here, she was often distracted.

She was completely out of sorts!

"Tashigi, what's wrong with you?" Smoker finally couldn't hold it in any longer and asked.

Normally, as long as it did not affect work, he would not interfere in his subordinates' private affairs. But now... it was already affecting work.

Upon hearing that, Tashigi shook her head. "It's nothing, Captain Smoker."

"Nothing?" Smoker's eyelid twitched.

His eyes were not blind. How could he possibly fail to see it?

So he pressed further, "What exactly happened to make you so absent-minded?"

But as soon as the words left his mouth,

he could not help thinking of the rumors circulating around the base lately. They said Tashigi had been dating a man. Could it be true?

Was she in love?

But Tashigi answered a different question. "Captain Smoker, do you think women are inherently inferior to men in swordsmanship?"

Smoker could barely keep up with her train of thought and was clearly stunned for a moment. But he seemed to understand something and comforted her. "Women may lack physical strength compared to men, but that is all... After all, strength is only one factor in swordsmanship. So you don't need to be discouraged. If you lack strength, make up for it in other areas. As long as you keep working hard, the ranks of swordmasters will surely bear the name Tashigi someday."

"Really?"

Tashigi's eyes lit up at first, but they quickly dimmed again.

She muttered, "But how do I explain that guy? It's only been three short months..."

"What?"

Smoker had not heard her clearly and looked confused.

At that moment, Tashigi turned and walked out, her eyes carrying a trace of disappointment.

Smoker: "..."

Could this girl really have fallen in love?

No matter how he looked at it, Tashigi now resembled a woman nursing a broken heart. But why would a heartbroken woman be asking about swordsmanship?

As a man who had been single for decades and handled everything with his own two hands, Smoker felt like his head was about to split in two.

He stood up, having made a decision. He had to figure out what was wrong with Tashigi. He did not want a subordinate he thought highly of to waste away like this.

So he followed her.

In a small forest on the outskirts of Loguetown, Moke stood there polishing Sandai Kitetsu.

Yubashiri was leaning against a tree nearby.

He and Tashigi had made an agreement. Tashigi would teach him swordsmanship for three months, and once those three months were over, Yubashiri would be hers.

Today was the last day of those three months.

If Moke had initially practiced swordsmanship only to make up for his own shortcomings, then now he was already a qualified swordsman. Because over these three months,

he had completely integrated into this world and gained the Hero's Heart, the Strongman's Heart, and the Swordmaster's Heart.

He was no longer that college student who ate instant noodles in his dorm and watched porn.

"Hmm?"

Moke's ears twitched. He turned to the side and could not help smiling. "Tashigi, you're here!"

Tashigi's grip on Shigure tightened involuntarily. During these three months, she had taught Moke the basics of swordsmanship in the first month. For the next two months, the two of them had continuously sparred.

As a result, Moke's combat experience had skyrocketed.

Tashigi pursed her lips. "Moke, you are the most talented swordsman I have ever met. In just three months, you achieved what took me six years. No... you have already found your own path in swordsmanship, while I am still bound by the sword techniques I learned. So you have already surpassed me... Today is the last day. It is time to end this."

As she spoke, Tashigi walked over to Yubashiri and picked it up.

As someone obsessed with swords, she also felt a bit of joy because of Yubashiri.

Because from today onward, Yubashiri would belong to her alone. It was what she deserved, because she had taught Moke swordsmanship without holding anything back over these three months.

Then she looked at Moke again. "I know that you have been holding back for the past half month. Before you leave, can you show me a move that belongs to you alone?"

Moke nodded at her words. He bent his knees slightly and assumed an iaijutsu stance.

The next second, both he and Sandai Kitetsu released ghostly energy. Even his eyes had turned dark green.

"One-Sword Style—Ghostflame Flash!"

In an instant, Moke vanished from before Tashigi. When he appeared again, he was already three or four meters behind her, slowly sheathing Sandai Kitetsu.

Boom...

At the same time, a three-meter-tall tree beside Tashigi was cut in half. Purple flames tinged with green ignited across the severed trunk.

They began to burn fiercely.

Of course, those ghostflames were formed from ghostly energy.

Tashigi's eyes widened, filled with shock. Three months ago, this guy had not even known the proper stance for swinging a sword. Yet now... he could already unleash such a powerful sword technique.

He was probably only one step away from the Swordmaster Realm.

Not to mention Tashigi—even Moke himself was often puzzled. Why did he possess such outrageous talent for swordsmanship? After thinking it over,

he could only come up with one rather unreliable possibility.

That was, he had absorbed Sandai Kitetsu and become a "Kitetsu Swordman," which gave him such exceptional talent in swordsmanship.

Of course, there was another possibility.

Perhaps he had always possessed such talent for swordsmanship. He simply had never had the opportunity to practice in his previous life...

But he leaned more toward the former.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Footsteps sounded at that moment, and Moke and Tashigi both looked over.

When they saw who it was, they were both stunned. The newcomer was none other than Captain Smoker.

Although Moke knew he would meet him sooner or later, he had not expected it to happen here, in this manner.

Tashigi, meanwhile, felt a little guilty.

But in the next moment, both of them were dumbfounded. Smoker first said to Tashigi, "So this is your boyfriend?"

He gave Moke an appraising look, then said coldly, "Kid, since you're with Tashigi, go easy on her. What kind of man argues with his own woman?"

"Ah???"

Moke was utterly baffled.

Tashigi was equally baffled, but her face soon turned red. She glanced at Moke first, then immediately ran over to Smoker and explained, "Captain Smoker, it's not what you think. I'm only here to teach him swordsmanship!"

"You're teaching him swordsmanship?"

Smoker looked completely unconvinced. He had seen that brat's sword strike just now.

It was remarkably impressive.

Even at Marine Headquarters, it would be enough to earn him a solid position as a major. Tashigi had considerable talent in swordsmanship as well, but she was still too inexperienced.

With her current strength, it would make more sense for that brat to teach her instead.

Smoker's expression stabbed deeply into Tashigi's heart. Still, she explained the entire situation to him.

"What?"

After hearing it all, Smoker could not help crying out. When he looked at Moke again, his gaze had completely changed.

With an incredulous expression, he said, "So this guy is also a Devil Fruit user? And he went from knowing nothing about swordsmanship to this level in just three months?"

Well then!

Moke's talent in swordsmanship had truly stunned him. After all, he was Zephyr's student. As far as he knew, neither his class nor the classes before and after his had ever produced such a freak.

Among all of Zephyr's students, only Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji from back then had possessed such monstrous talent!

"Phew..."

Smoker took a deep drag of his cigar, then exhaled. Smoke swirled around him... but it also calmed him down considerably.

At this moment, when he looked at Moke, it was as though he were looking at a priceless treasure.

"Are you interested in joining the Marines? If you are willing, I can personally recommend you to Marine Headquarters. With your talent and strength, I can't guarantee much, but a headquarters major's position should be possible. Of course, that would only be your starting point..."