“Ah, I almost forgot.” Luffy swung his arm and said, “Sanji, Kain, you two go back to the ship first.
I’ll be there soon.” He decided that he would just beat this guy up first and then head back to the ship.
“You think I’m going to let you pass?” Smoker snorted coldly as his body began to change.
Large amounts of smoke poured out of him and spread rapidly in every direction.
Not even the rain could affect his abilities in the slightest!
Seeing the smoke rolling towards them, Luffy and Sanji immediately attacked.
“Gomu Gomu no Pistol!” “Collier Strike!” “How naive!” Smoker sneered, making no attempt to dodge.
Their attacks passed right through his body, missing completely and sending them stumbling forward.
“What’s going on?” Luffy asked, confused.
“Why can’t I hit him?” “I have no idea.” Sanji was equally puzzled.
“Is this another Devil Fruit ability?” “Kid, why aren’t you attacking?” Smoker glanced at Kain, who was still standing calmly in the same spot.
“Planning to surrender without a fight?” ‘Or did this guy have some trick up his sleeve?’ The bounty poster described him as a scientist.
There was a good chance he was hiding something up his sleeve.
“I know that physical attacks are useless against you.” Kain calmly pulled a transparent glass sphere from his pocket.
“Logia-type, Smoke-Smoke Fruit.
Am I right?” “As expected of a scientist.
You have some knowledge.” Smoker nodded approvingly, but then his expression turned cold.
“But it doesn’t matter!
Without Haki, that knowledge won’t help you at all!” “White Wave!” Smoker’s eyes narrowed as he activated his Devil Fruit power at full strength, trapping all three of them in swirling smoke.
“Damn it!
I can’t break free!” Luffy struggled desperately, but he couldn’t touch the smoke, so he remained trapped.
“Kain, don’t tell me you’re out of ideas!
If you’ve got something, use it already!” Sanji shouted.
Unlike Luffy, Sanji could see that Kain was still completely confident.
“Relax.
What’s the rush?” Even while restrained, Kain remained perfectly calm.
“The most interesting thing is delivering the finishing blow when your enemy is feeling the most triumphant, isn’t it?” “What are you talking about?” Smoker said darkly.
“I’ve already captured all of you.
Don’t think anyone’s coming to save you!” The only dangerous members of the Straw Hat Pirates were these three, and all of them were trapped.
The rest weren’t worth worrying about.
“Sigh.” Kain let out a long breath, his expression strangely sympathetic.
“What do you mean by that?” Smoker frowned.
“You’re the one who’s been captured.
Why are you looking at me with pity?” “I’m just feeling a little emotional.” Kain looked at Smoker and slowly smiled.
“A certain Marine officer is about to spend the rest of his life in a very small space~” “What?” Before Smoker could ask any further questions, an immense suction force suddenly appeared.
He didn’t even have time to react before he was sucked directly into the transparent sphere in Kain’s hand!
The restraints vanished, and the three of them landed back on the ground.
“What just happened?” Luffy looked around in confusion.
“Where did that old smoker go?” ‘How had he disappeared in the blink of an eye?’ ‘Did he just let them go?’ Huh~ Turns out that guy was actually a good person after all.
“He got sucked into the orb?!” Unlike the clueless Luffy, Sanji had seen exactly what happened.
He had watched Smoker get pulled straight into the transparent sphere in Kain’s hand!
“Yep.” Kain raised the sphere and showed it to him.
“This is the Smoke-Absorbing Orb I invented.
Unless someone breaks it from the outside… That guy will be stuck in there forever.” ‘Well, there was also the possibility that he might eventually starve to death.’ “What do you mean, is it amazing?” Sanji stared at Kain in shock.
“You made this thing?” “Yeah.” “As expected of a scientist…” Sanji said with a sigh of admiration.
Only people like them could come up with such bizarre inventions.
“Luffy, nice job.” With someone like Kain on their crew, their journey would be a lot smoother.
“Hahahahaha!” Luffy proudly puffed out his chest.
“Of course!
He’s a crewmate I personally picked!” “Enough bragging.” Kain rolled his eyes.
“Let’s get moving.
Nami and the others are still waiting at the shore.” “It’ll be trouble if there are Marines over there.” “Ah, good point.
Let’s go, let’s go!” Looking at the Smoke-Absorbing Orb in his hand, Kain’s lips curled into a grin.
“Mr.
Marine, whether you survive or not depends on your luck~” With that, he casually tossed the orb behind him without caring where it landed and turned to run.
From a rooftop, Dragon, who had witnessed the entire scene, looked astonished.
“There are inventions this miraculous in the world?” It seemed he wouldn’t need to intervene after all.
Glancing down at Tashigi, who was hurrying in this direction from afar, Dragon thought that the young woman would probably discover the orb.
Then he dissolved into a gentle breeze and vanished.
On the street, Tashigi was running anxiously toward the harbor.
“Damn it!
I’m definitely going to take those famous swords back!
It should be around here.” Standing at an intersection, she looked ahead.
“The shore is just up ahead.” She wasn’t sure whether she’d make it in time.
Coincidentally, she was standing right next to the Smoke-Absorbing Orb.
Inside the orb, Smoker had already fallen into despair.
There was no way for him to break it from the inside.
But the moment he saw Tashigi, the flames of hope reignited in his heart.
“Tashigi!
Tashigi!” “Huh?” Tashigi looked around in confusion.
“I could’ve sworn I just heard Colonel Smoker’s voice.” ‘Was it her imagination?’ “You airhead!
Look down!
Down!” “Down?” Following the voice, Tashigi lowered her gaze and discovered the Smoke-Absorbing Orb.
“The voice seems to be coming from inside this thing…” What was this?
She picked it up and examined it, only to find it filled with white smoke.
“It’s me!” Smoker’s face suddenly appeared against the inner surface of the orb, nearly scaring Tashigi to death.
“What the heck is that?!” Once she got a better look, she realized… Wasn’t that Colonel Smoker?!
“Quick!
Get me out of here!” “How?” Smoker: …
“Break the orb, obviously!” He was about to cry from frustration at how dense this girl was.
With a sharp cracking sound, the orb shattered, and Smoker finally emerged.
This girl might be a little slow, but at least he’d survived.
Looking toward the distant shoreline, Smoker gritted his teeth and growled, “Don’t think you’re getting away!” (End Of This Chapter)