"Hey, come out!"
Kuina was the first to step onto the deck using Moon Walk, her sword drawn, her face as cold as frost. She shouted sharply:
"No matter who you are, if you come out willingly now, we can still have a proper talk. Otherwise, don't blame us for being rude when we drag you out!"
Xiano followed closely, landing on the main mast, which gave him a vantage point to oversee the entire situation.
Looking down at the silent cabin below, he slightly furrowed his brows.
This guy is really well hidden.
Just yesterday, he had walked through the entire cabin to install the Falcon statue. With his extraordinary hearing and keen insight, he hadn't found any trace.
When did he start hiding...
Could it be that he had sneaked onto the ship when it left the Sherry Island dock?
"He's coming out," Kukalos suddenly said.
Huh?
Everyone immediately became alert, focusing on the doors.
But no one expected that instead of the doors, a wisp of smoke drifted out from the ventilation shaft, landing on the deck and transforming into a human figure.
"Smoker???"
Kuina, who was facing the smoke, was surprised when she saw the face: "Why is it you?"
In the gradually dissipating smoke, Smoker's expression was complex. He slowly raised his hands, signaling that he meant no harm.
"Don't be nervous, I'm no longer a Navy captain. You should have confirmed that from the wanted posters."
Then he looked up:
"Lord Xiano, could you spare some time to come down and talk with me?"
...
Ten minutes later.
Everyone gathered in a circle on the deck, listening to Smoker, who was sitting in front of the mast, recount his experiences.
"So that's what happened between you and Altai," Nami suddenly understood, "The order to fire the cannons was also given by him, right? How despicable, well done!"
She laughed heartily, slapping Smoker on the shoulder:
"Not bad, kid, I approve of you. I didn't expect we had an 'inside man' like you in Loguetown!"
Kid?
Smoker's mouth twitched as he silently lit a cigar. He was already a thirty-year-old man, being called "kid" by a young girl was really...
"Indeed, young man, you have guts."
Crocus stroked his chin, looking at Smoker with interest: "There haven't been many like you who couldn't stand the nobles and defected from the Navy in decades."
The last one, it seems, caused quite a stir, what was his name...?
"That incident was just the final straw."
Smoker puffed on his cigar, shaking his head slightly, "A month before that, I had already had enough. I joined the Navy to uphold the justice in my heart, to protect the people from being bullied by pirates."
"But when the Celestial Dragons, or even just ordinary nobles with Celestial Dragon bloodlines, commit crimes, the Navy can only turn a blind eye, or even protect and flatter them. What's the difference between that and pirates?"
"Even... it's worse, making me feel nauseous every time I recall it, seeing those two words on my cloak!"
He paused, then continued in a low voice:
"Killing Atai'er was an act of impulsive anger, to be honest. At that time, I was lost and fearful—not because I was afraid of being hunted down and wanted, but because I didn't know where my future lay, nor did I understand… what the meaning of all those years of persistence had been."
"It was at that moment, in the square, that I witnessed Lord Xiano's awakening of Conqueror's Haki and heard the words he spoke."
Smoker looked at Xiano earnestly and said, "Those words made me realize a lot."
He took a deep drag from his cigar, and amidst the swirling smoke, his eyes were firmer than ever before.
"Whether it's the Marines or Pirates, those who carry justice in their hearts should never be bound by their allegiances. Since serving under the World Government restricts me from pursuing my own path of justice, I'd rather follow someone who can truly uphold their beliefs!"
The deck fell into a brief silence.
"So you're saying…"
Kuina furrowed her brows and looked at him, "You want to join our Falling Stars Adventure Crew? Then why didn't you come to us directly in Loguetown and say it to our faces?"
"To be honest, it's a bit embarrassing."
Smoker hesitated, "Originally, because I wasn't familiar with everyone's temper, or perhaps… I was afraid you wouldn't accept me, a former Marine, I didn't show myself directly on the night you set sail from Loguetown. Instead, I chose to quietly follow the ship, waiting for the right opportunity."
"The right opportunity, meaning?" Xiano raised an eyebrow.
"Well…"
Smoker turned his face away, coughing awkwardly, "For example, if you all encountered a powerful enemy and were struggling due to a lack of manpower, I could pretend to have just happened to pass by, lend a hand, and then naturally join…"
"Quite the plan."
Nami scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Unfortunately, with my brother around, you'll probably have to wait a long time. What kind of situation would even require you to play the cliché hero-saving-the-day role?"
That… was hard to argue against. Smoker smiled bitterly and took another puff of his cigar.
As one of the top graduates from the Marine Headquarters' elite training camp, he had his own pride.
Aside from the words Xiano spoke when he pulled down the execution platform, the terrifying strength Xiano displayed when he defeated Vice Admiral Onigumo was also one of the key reasons that drove Smoker to want to follow him.
In this world, words alone are never enough.
Only true strength can make people genuinely submit.
"Brother, what do you think?" Nojiko quietly nudged Xiano's arm and whispered, "Should we let this guy join the crew?"
Her impression of Smoker wasn't bad.
He dared to stand up against corrupt nobles, dared to oppose the World Government in pursuit of justice, and answered all questions honestly…
And, most importantly, he deeply respected and admired her brother!
All things considered, he seemed like a reliable guy.
"…"
Xiano pondered, not immediately answering.
To be honest.
He was still a bit stunned.
Especially when Smoker personally expressed his desire to follow him, the level of surprise in his heart was no less than when he first saw Aokiji joining the Blackbeard Pirates in the manga.
It just goes to show.
Both the Marine Headquarters and the World Government are deeply flawed, forcing these two individuals—who were clearly the most qualified to take on the future of the Marines—to leave and pursue a completely different path.
"Have you been hiding in the ventilation ducts all these days?" he suddenly asked.
"Yes, my lord."
Smoker's face turned red with embarrassment, a rare sight. "To be precise, it was the duct above the kitchen. It was the only option since your ship has a wolf with a keen sense of smell. The kitchen is the only place it's not allowed to enter. Plus, hiding there meant I didn't have to worry about food..."
"Arf!" Agin barked at Zeff, as if to say, "See? This is the consequence of you not letting me into the kitchen!"
"Oh, no wonder!"
Zeff ignored Agin and slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, "No wonder the ingredients have been disappearing these days, and the cooking fumes have been so heavy. It wasn't because the exhaust fan was broken—it was because of you?"
"Yes," Smoker admitted. "The cooking fumes were a bit overwhelming, so I had to use Elemental Transformation to avoid them... But the exhaust fan was indeed broken at first. I fixed it during the night."
"You have that kind of skill?" Xiano was surprised.
"I've always liked tinkering with things since I was a kid, especially during my teenage years when I was obsessed with motorcycles. I learned all about mechanics just to modify my beloved bike."
As Smoker spoke, he suddenly remembered something. "Lord Xiano, if I recall correctly, you mentioned before that the ship is still in need of a shipwright, right?"
"I may not be as skilled as a professional shipwright, but I'm confident in handling daily maintenance and repairs. How about... letting me take on that role?"
"..."
Xiano still didn't respond. Instead, he stood up and stretched toward the rising sun.
"Lord Xiano?"
Smoker nervously watched his back.
"Everyone must be hungry since we haven't had breakfast yet, right? Uncle Zeff, how about throwing a feast?"
Xiano laughed heartily. "It's both a farewell for Crocus and Laboon and a welcome for our new shipwright, officially joining our crew as a comrade in our adventures!"
"——Ohhhhhhh!"
"Let's have a feast!!!"
The deck, bathed in the morning light, immediately erupted in cheers.
"Well, I guess there's no helping it."
Crocus also turned to Laboon and smiled.
"It seems you'll have to wait a little longer, Laboon. I'll be protecting you along the way, and it's risky to set sail on an empty stomach in these seas."
Laboon shook his head, indicating that he understood.
Crocus chuckled and patted Laboon's cheek, then suddenly remembered something and shouted, "Hey, Big Nose Hair, don't forget to add salt this time!"
"Big Nose Hair?"
Zeff was furious. "Don't worry, I'll double the amount of salt I forgot last time just for you!"
"Hahaha, that's fine. I'm old and prefer stronger flavors!"
For a moment, the deck was filled with chaos and laughter.
Only Smoker stood there, stunned.
This... this...
Had they really accepted him?
A smile spread across his face as he exhaled a large puff of smoke. But his joy didn't last long before Kuina's voice, soft and eerie, came from behind him.
"Hey, Smoker, let's get one thing straight. Smoking is fine, but when there are ladies around, especially Nami—she's still underage—you need to keep your distance if you're going to smoke. If she picks up the habit and starts imitating you, the Captain will definitely give you a good beating."
"No problem."
Smoker quickly extinguished his cigar and apologized, "My apologies. And also, for making you all so tense earlier, I sincerely apologize for that as well."
"Tense? Not really."
Kuina expressionlessly sheathed her Wado Ichimonji. "If anything, everyone was a bit on edge, but as soon as you showed up and we realized it was just you hiding on the ship, we all relaxed immediately."
Nojiko and Nami nodded vigorously in agreement.
Huh?
Smoker was taken aback.
What did that mean…
Why did it sound so insulting?
"And by the way, verbal apologies are something only kids take seriously."
Kuina added sternly, "You've been stalking us for days, eating our food, and you really scared everyone. So, if you want us to fully accept you, you'll need to work hard and prove yourself with actions in the coming days."
"Of course…"
Smoker started to speak but suddenly felt something was off.
The ship was fine. The only thing that had broken was the exhaust fan, which he had already fixed. What else could they possibly need him to do as a shipwright?
…
In the blink of an eye.
The party came to an end.
After everyone had drunk their fill and had a good time, they all returned to their rooms to rest.
Only Smoker was left on the deck, broom in hand, staring in disbelief at the mess left behind.
—So this was what they meant by "working hard"!
He had watched as Kuina handed the broom to Nojiko, who then passed it to Nami, who forcefully shoved it into Agin's mouth.
Finally, Agin trotted over, holding the broom in his mouth, and dropped it into Smoker's hand. Agin even gave him a pat on the shoulder with his paw, as if a senior encouraging a newbie…
Well, he was the one at fault here.
It seemed that for the next few days, he wouldn't be working as a shipwright. His current task was to dutifully serve as a handyman. He sighed, bent down, and began cleaning.
As he swept, he suddenly felt a sense of familiarity.
It was something from many years ago.
Back when he was just a teenager, full of dreams, having just joined the Navy.
He hadn't eaten a Devil Fruit yet, nor had he been selected for the elite training program at headquarters. He was just a new recruit, doing the menial tasks required of him at the Roguetown branch.
Back then, even though he spent every day dealing with brooms and mops, he was filled with hope for the future, never doubting that he could walk the path of justice.
And now, it seemed like everything had come full circle.
Smoker grinned, lit two cigars, took a deep puff, and glanced up at the second floor of the ship's cabin—the direction of Captain Xiano's bedroom.
He just hoped that this time, the man he had chosen to follow wouldn't let him down again…
——————
Meanwhile.
Not far from the Twin Capes, on a tropical island.
"Did you hear the request, especially the last two points?"
In a dimly lit room, a tall woman sat across the table. She wore a wide-brimmed cowboy hat and a veil, obscuring her face.
Similar to her overall demeanor, she seemed shrouded in dark shadows.
"Understood, everything is clear."
The man with the afro on the left nodded nervously: "No inquiries about the Boss or the identities of other important officers."
The girl holdin
g an umbrella on the right added with a smile: "During missions, real names must not be used. We will address each other by code names."
"Very well, then sign the agreement, Gem, Mikita."
The woman in the shadows smiled faintly, "This will also be the last time I address you as such. Welcome to Baroque Works. From now on, you will be the High-Ranking Officer MR.5 and Miss. Valentine, respectively."