Smoker, as usual, was patrolling the streets of Logue Town, his usual stern expression unchanged. Suddenly, one of his Marine subordinates approached him, saluting with urgency.
"Captain Smoker! There's a new pirate group docked at Logue Town," the Marine reported.
Smoker's brow furrowed as he continued walking, motioning for his patrol unit to follow him toward the docks. "Which pirates are they?" he asked, his voice a gruff command.
"We haven't seen their flag before, sir. It looks like a new crew, but their ship seems unusually advanced," the Marine replied, keeping pace as they moved swiftly through the bustling streets toward the harbor.
Smoker took a drag on his cigar, exhaling a thick cloud as he contemplated this. New pirates with advanced equipment? He quickened his pace, prepared to handle any trouble that might arise from this unknown crew's arrival.
Reaching the docks, Smoker eyed the unfamiliar pirate ship docked there, his gaze scrutinizing every detail of its advanced build. Hmm, this really is a new pirate group, he thought, then grabbed a loudspeaker from one of his subordinates.
"Who's the captain of this pirate ship?!" he yelled out, his voice booming across the harbor.
Trish, lounging casually near the ship's edge, adjusted her sunglasses as she looked down at Smoker with a smirk. "Who are you calling 'old man'?" she called back, strolling toward the edge of the deck. Her relaxed attitude only made Smoker's scowl deepen as he walked forward.
"Is this your ship?" he asked, looking her over suspiciously.
"Yeah. Got any problems with that?" Trish replied, crossing her arms with a lazy grin.
"What do you mean, 'got any problems'? You're a pirate, so as a Marine, I have to capture you!" Smoker shouted, frustration clear in his voice. He wasn't used to pirates behaving so nonchalantly, especially in his jurisdiction.
"Huh? And what crime have we committed?" Trish shot back, raising an eyebrow at him. Smoker momentarily paused, stunned by her response. Most pirates would have either tried to flee or attack him on sight.
What's with her? Smoker thought, watching her with cautious curiosity.
Smoker gritted his teeth, his patience wearing thin as Trish's defiance only seemed to grow. "You're a pirate! That alone makes you a criminal," he declared, determined to assert his authority. He took a step forward, signaling for his men to stand ready.
Trish rolled her eyes, still relaxed. "So, just being a pirate makes us criminals?" she said mockingly. "Last I checked, we haven't done anything wrong here. So why don't you calm down and save the tough act for someone who deserves it?" She gave him a challenging look, her tone daring him to make a move.
Smoker's expression hardened as he struggled to rein in his temper. He wasn't used to being talked to , especially not by pirates. "Listen here! Loguetown is under my watch, and I don't take kindly to pirates wandering around freely," he growled, smoke beginning to curl around his fists, a sign that he was gearing up for a fight.
Just then, Tony, who had been watching the exchange from a distance, walked over and casually called up to Trish. "Hey, you giving the Marine trouble already?" He flashed her a grin and looked over at Smoker with an amused glint in his eyes.
"And who are you?" Smoker demanded, his eyes narrowing as he noticed Tony's calm, confident demeanor.
Tony chuckled. "Just a ship engineer here to grab some supplies. We're not looking for trouble," he said, shrugging casually. "But if trouble's what you want, we're more than happy to oblige."
"So, you're a pirate too?" Smoker asked, his Logia smoke powers swirling around him menacingly.
"Yes, and it's the Marines' fault we're labeled as pirates," Tony replied, crossing his arms with a hint of defiance.
Smoker paused, frowning. "What do you mean by that?"
Tony smirked, and with a flick of his wrist, a floating screen appeared in the air, displaying a recording of Captain Nezumi. "See this? This is your 'Marine justice.'" The video showed Nezumi talking about capturing people to sell as slaves and using his authority for personal gain. "We were just out on an adventure, exploring, when this guy labeled us as pirates. Now we're stuck with that title," Tony explained, a mix of annoyance and mockery in his tone. "He told us there are only two choices on the sea: either be a Marine or a pirate. Since we have no intention of being 'dogs' like him, we chose the pirate path. Simple," Tony finished with a shrug, staring back at Smoker.
Smoker's eyes narrowed as he watched Nezumi's corruption play out on the screen, his usual stern expression softening with disgust. "Nezumi's actions don't represent the Marines as a whole," he muttered, visibly angered by his fellow officer's behavior but keeping his resolve.
"Maybe not," Dave interjected, stepping forward. "But you can see why we'd rather not be affiliated with an organization that has people like him."
"Not to mention," Dave continued as he locked eyes with Smoker, "corruption like Nezumi's usually thrives when higher-ups either ignore it or condone it. If you don't believe me, go ahead and check the islands under Nezumi's control. See if people view you Marines as a sign of justice—or of terror," he added with a shrug, then turned and walked back to the ship. Beside him walked a woman with striking pink hair, her expression was amusing as she looked at Smoker.
Soon, Dave boarded the ship, joining Tony and the others. They all exchanged glances with Smoker as they prepared to depart, calmly undeterred by his scrutiny.
Smoker watched them leave, fists clenched in anger and frustration. "Prepare the ship," he commanded firmly. "I want to see the islands under Nezumi's watch."
Tashigi, also angered by Dave's word, nodded and relayed the orders. Later that day, Smoker witnessed the true extent of Nezumi's corruption. As they visited one of Nezumi's islands, he saw firsthand how the townsfolk cowered in fear, avoiding even a glance at the Marines, some even trembling at their presence. It became painfully clear that Nezumi's influence had turned the Marines into a symbol of oppression rather than protection.
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