As Armament Haki coated Smoker's brown glove, it gradually turned pitch-black, giving off a faint sheen.
At the same time, his entire arm turned into smoke and abruptly extended, reaching Luffy's face in the blink of an eye.
Luffy's eyes narrowed slightly. He hadn't expected this smoking old guy to attack so quickly.
He likewise coated his right arm with Armament Haki. His entire arm instantly took on a red-and-black coating, and he raised his fist to meet Smoker's.
Bam!
The two fists collided with a thunderous metallic clang.
Luffy felt a tremendous force surge toward him, making him slide half a step backward.
Then he exerted force through his right hand and knocked the fist away.
Smoker was thoroughly shocked. He had put almost all his strength into that punch, yet it had only forced this Straw Hat kid back half a step.
Even more unbelievably, his fist had actually been knocked aside.
"Hahaha! That much isn't enough to stop me, smoking old guy." Luffy couldn't help laughing.
Furious at his words, Smoker shouted, "Don't underestimate me, Straw Hat! This is the town in the East Blue closest to the Grand Line. If I let you leave and enter the Grand Line, what right would I have to call myself a Marine?"
As he spoke, he tightened his right hand around his Jitte and shouted:
"Smoke Launcher!"
His entire lower body turned into smoke, while the recoil from the jets of smoke propelled his upper body toward Luffy at tremendous speed.
His right hand turned into smoke, accelerating the Jitte even further and bringing it before Luffy in an instant.
Before Luffy could react at all, the Jitte struck him in the chest.
With a bang, Luffy went flying backward.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Clutching his chest, he coughed violently.