Chapter 117 117: Smoker’s Justice!
CRACK—!
The violent clash between the Tremor-Tremor Fruit and magma shook the battlefield, turning the surrounding ten thousand meters into a deadly no-man's-land.
"So… that's the World's Strongest Man, Whitebeard?!"
"Thank goodness we have Admiral Akainu… otherwise—!"
The Marines stared in shock, fear written all over their faces.
But war offered them no time to breathe.
A massive wave of pirates surged forward, morale at its peak!
With new allies joining them and Whitebeard himself leading the charge, the pirates fought with everything they had.
CLANG!
Black and blue streaks crossed as steel clashed loudly.
Vista, Flower Sword, wielded his twin rapiers, both blades coated in jet-black Armament Haki as several sword slashes flew toward Admiral Aokiji.
Aokiji stepped back slightly, lifting the ice blade in his hand. The freezing aura seemed capable of freezing even the air itself.
Just then—
A gigantic figure slammed toward him like a speeding truck.
The entire right half of the man's body had transformed into dazzling diamond, coated with powerful Armament Haki.
"Brilliant Crash!"
"Ah la la…"
Aokiji crossed his arms, his own Armament Haki hardening instantly.
BOOM!
Aokiji was blasted back more than ten meters—only to shatter into fragments of ice the moment he landed.
"Not good!"
Diamond Jozu activated his Observation Haki to the limit as a sense of danger surged through him.
"Ah la la…"
Aokiji's freezing hand gently rested on Jozu's left shoulder.
A burst of extreme cold erupted instantly.
"Ice Time!"
Jozu was frozen solid into a towering ice statue!
Just as Aokiji was about to finish him—
A figure wielding twin swords rushed forward.
Vista's rapiers flashed rapidly, sword light weaving into a dazzling storm.
CRACK!
Aokiji's body shattered into ice fragments.
But in the next moment—
Several icy projectiles shot toward Vista.
"Ice Time Capsule!"
Vista dodged repeatedly, struggling under the relentless attack.
CRACK!
Jozu suddenly broke free from the ice, powerful Armament Haki blasting away the freezing cold within his body.
"Ah la la… what a troublesome pair."
Aokiji rubbed his forehead helplessly as he faced the two commanders standing side by side.
Meanwhile—
High in the sky, Kizaru and Marco the Phoenix clashed repeatedly like streaks of lightning.
Lasers and blue flames collided endlessly, their shockwaves striking countless unfortunate soldiers below.
But while Marco fought with everything he had—
Kizaru looked almost relaxed.
Sometimes he lazily fired a laser from his finger.
Sometimes he casually swung his Ama no Murakumo Sword.
Sometimes he scattered light bullets randomly through the sky.
All while delivering sarcastic commentary—
As if he were simply entertaining himself.
In an instant, the battlefield had been split apart.
The strong fought one-on-one.
The weak fought in chaotic clashes.
The sounds of battle shook the heavens.
Koby trembled uncontrollably.
Watching comrades fall one after another filled him with terror.
"So this… is what pirates are like?"
"This… is a real battlefield…"
"I can't… my legs won't move!"
Behind him, Helmeppo collapsed onto the frozen ground, despair covering his face.
"It's impossible!"
"There's no way we can defeat monsters like these!"
"You think the same thing, right, Koby?!"
"Everyone here is a monster… this isn't a battlefield rookies like us can survive!"
"Let's run!"
"But…" Koby hesitated.
"Are you an idiot?! If we start fighting now, we won't even last one second!"
"You know that, right?!"
"…You still want to become an Admiral someday, don't you?"
Koby's expression twisted with conflict.
Becoming a Marine Admiral was his dream.
But…
Helmeppo grabbed his shoulders anxiously.
"That's exactly why!"
"Neither you nor I can die here!"
"This isn't the place where we're meant to die!"
Koby wavered.
BOOM… BOOM…
A colossal figure emerged from the sea.
His body was as massive as a mountain.
Pale green skin.
Two horns on his head.
Long red hair flowing over his shoulders.
Fangs protruding from his mouth.
Samurai armor covering his body.
And a giant straw hat strapped to his back.
With every step he took, the ground trembled.
With a casual swing of his blade—
A battleship split in half.
"Nice going, Little Oars Jr.! Go!"
"Little Oars! Crush them and take Ace back!"
The pirates erupted with excitement.
They weren't losing the advantage at all!
"Descendant of the Continent-Puller Oars…?"
Smoker crushed a few pirates with his jitte while smoking his cigar, his brow furrowed.
"Thank you, Rear Admiral Smoker!"
A wounded Marine thanked him while being bandaged.
Smoker looked at him seriously.
"You're badly injured. Stop fighting."
"You still have family. Don't make them bury their own child."
The soldier shook his head.
"Rear Admiral Smoker… you don't know."
"My parents live in Marineford."
"Thanks to Marine Headquarters, our family may not be rich—but we've always had enough to eat."
He looked at Smoker firmly.
"The Marines gave me everything."
"How could I run away from such an important battle?"
"If… if I really die here—"
His eyes turned red.
"My parents will be proud of me!"
Smoker fell silent.
In this damned world…
Good people always had to sacrifice their lives for something greater.
But without power—
Justice, ideals, and words meant nothing.
He looked toward the battlefield:
Kizaru casually playing with Marco.
Aokiji fighting Jozu and Vista.
Akainu ignoring Marine casualties entirely.
Smoker suddenly realized—
The Marines needed change.
And he needed power.
In a daze, he remembered the teachings of Zephyr (Black Arm Zephyr).
"You're a late bloomer after all."
"Smoker, remember this!"
"Ordinary training can make you talented…"
"But true monsters grow through battle!"
"Training the body is important—"
"But training the heart is what allows you to stand at the top of the world!"
"Your heart determines how large your world can become!"
"My justice…"
Smoker gritted his teeth and walked toward the harbor.
Because that place—
Was where the Vice Admirals had gathered.
"Little Oars… a descendant of Oars working under Whitebeard?"
"Fufufufu… I really want that corpse."
Gecko Moria laughed maniacally as he watched Little Oars approach the harbor.
"Ace! I'm coming to save you!"
Little Oars lifted an entire battleship and hurled it toward the execution platform.
"Damn it!"
Sengoku fully activated his Buddha form.
Golden light gathered in his palm while black-red Conqueror's Haki lightning crackled through the air.
He struck forward with a palm.
"Bring it on!"
In midair, Luffy rushed forward instead of retreating and threw a punch.
BOOM!
Luffy was blasted away again.
He wiped the blood from his mouth.
Almost… I'm starting to understand it…
Sengoku glanced at the incoming battleship with irritation.
With a single palm strike—
The warship shattered into countless fragments.
"Buggy! Sabo! Ivankov! Crocodile! Jinbe!"
"Cover Little Oars' advance!"
Luffy shouted before charging toward Sengoku again.
Sabo and Ivankov moved instantly, protecting Little Oars.
Sabo moved like a phantom through the sky.
With Dragon Claw, he crushed the heads of several Giant Vice Admirals one after another.
Ivankov unleashed Death Wink repeatedly, easily knocking down large groups of enemies.
Meanwhile—
Buggy sneered from afar.
"What a joke! Why should I go die out there?!"
But his subordinates began whispering excitedly.
"Even the Fifth Emperor, Straw Hat Luffy, personally asked Captain Buggy for help…"
"And he even mentioned Captain Buggy's name first!"
"What does that mean?!"
"It means even Straw Hat Luffy respects our captain!"
The prisoners' eyes sparkled with admiration.
"That's right, isn't it, Captain Buggy?!"
"Eh?!"
Buggy froze.
Then he scratched his head awkwardly.
"Th-that's right!"
"I'm Buggy—the man who will become the Pirate King!"
He stuck out his long tongue smugly.
Buggy had started floating again…
Standing atop a battleship, Sir Crocodile crossed his arms.
But his gaze remained locked on Whitebeard.
When he heard Luffy's order, he froze slightly.
Then his eyes shifted toward the other Seven Warlords of the Sea, who were watching the battlefield like predators.
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