I'm Not Interested in Devil Fruits

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"If you're referring to how much of a coward Gecko Moria is, who shares the title of Shichibukai with you, then yes, I can say with absolute certainty that I understand it completely," Sengoku stated bluntly, eyeing the man lounging on the sofa, cigar in hand.

Crocodile remained silent, visibly displeased but at a loss for words.

Most of his abilities were tied to the development of his Sand-Sand Fruit powers, which made sense. Logia-type Devil Fruits were inherently powerful, and honing those abilities was the most logical path forward. 

Besides, who could have predicted that a monster capable of stealing someone else's Devil Fruit powers would emerge in this world?

Crocodile had pushed his Sand-Sand Fruit abilities to the brink of "Awakening," allowing him to transform external objects into sand. As Moria had mentioned during their call, the Marines still had no clue how Giorno's power to steal Devil Fruit abilities worked or why he could use them after taking them.

With no clear understanding of the situation, they expected pirates like him to risk losing their own Devil Fruit powers just to serve the Marines.

What a joke!

If it weren't necessary, Crocodile wouldn't even want to lay eyes on Giorno. Bad luck, that one!

After dismissing Crocodile, Sengoku let out a soft sigh and muttered to himself, "Why do these monstrous pirates keep appearing one after another in these seas?"

Garp, munching on senbei, laughed heartily. "What can you do? The sea's never short of tough guys!"

Sengoku, annoyed, shot back, "Why are you still here?"

KāHahahahahaha. Garp ignored him, grinning as he said, "Didn't we do the same? We rose through the ranks quickly in the Marines and made names for ourselves across the Four Seas! A tough kid like Giorno just happened to choose a different path!"

Sengoku shook his head, then suddenly asked, "By the way, where's that grandson of yours who fell from the sky three years ago?"

"He was sent back to East Blue a few days ago," Garp replied, scratching his head with a troubled look. "Making me take care of such a fragile little thing is ridiculous!"

That brat Dragon probably didn't want to deal with the kid, so he dumped him on me…

"Hmph... My adorable grandson has caused me so much trouble and made a fool of me. I'd better keep a close eye on him from now on!" Garp suddenly perked up, his face breaking into a grin that radiated "killing intent" as he stared at his senbei.

Sengoku shook his head. "You look so sweet, like a real grandfather!"

Garp quickly made his exit. Sengoku sat alone for a moment, then grabbed a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.

"Is this Morgan? This is Sengoku..."

......

Marine Headquarters, training grounds.

An eighteen-year-old Marine captain with long, pink, middle-parted hair, Hinata, wiped the sweat from her brow as she watched two Marine officers sparring bare-chested in the center of the training ground.

The scene was bizarre. One of them, smoking a cigar, turned into a cloud of smoke whenever attacked, effortlessly evading strikes. Meanwhile, his own attacks seemed to erase all sound in the training grounds.

His punches struck the air silently, and the smoke he transformed into rose without a whisper. Even seasoned fighters like Smoker found themselves increasingly tense in such an unnatural environment.

The Marines watching from the sidelines could only see their mouths moving and arms swinging, but not a single sound reached their ears.

His opponent mouthed silently: "Don't get distracted, Smoker!"

As he spoke, he swung his sword at Smoker.

Smoker narrowed his eyes and growled silently: "I'll win, Rosinante!"

Smoker raised his jitte, now coated in black Haki, and swung it at the edge of Rosinante's blade.

'Bang!'

The entire training ground, which had felt eerily muted, suddenly erupted with sound as the final clash between Smoker and Rosinante let out a deafening bang. The Marines on the sidelines, who had grown accustomed to the silence, were startled.

"Hina was really shocked," the pink-haired Marine Captain remarked. "Rosinante, your fighting style leaves quite an impression…"

"Haha, is that so? My apologies!" Rosinante laughed loudly, standing up and brushing off his pants before helping Smoker to his feet. "Since you learned Haki, you've gotten stronger, Smoker!"

Smoker exhaled a puff of smoke. "I just wanted to learn that guy's moves…"

After his battle with Giorno, Smoker had been utterly stunned by Giorno's explosive combat style and Jolyne's sheer strength.

When he returned to Marine Headquarters, he couldn't stop thinking about it. Unexpectedly, he didn't master Rokushiki but instead learned how to train Haki. Over the past three to four years of grueling practice, he had gradually honed it.

"That guy?" Rosinante didn't know the full story.

Smoker didn't feel like explaining.

Hina coughed a few times and waved her hand to disperse the thick smoke as Smoker approached. "Is smoking really that good? I don't get it."

"It's not," Smoker replied, three thick cigars in his mouth as he exhaled more smoke. "But I'm a Smoke-Smoke Fruit user, so it doesn't matter. And you're a Lock-Lock Fruit user, so it probably does."

"The Lock-Lock Fruit is the strongest. How could it lose to your smoke?" Hinata shot back. "I don't believe it."

But Smoker and Rosinante both turned their attention to the other side of the training field.

"Is that Vice Admiral Momonga?" Hina asked in surprise.

"Rosinante is surprised too," Rosinante teased.

Smoker, still gripping three cigars in his teeth, watched as Vice Admiral Momonga slowly approached and asked, "What's up?"

"Didn't you say you were interested in that Giorno?" Vice Admiral Momonga said, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his voice low. "Do you want to come with me to South Blue?"

Smoker's eyes lit up, and with the cigars still in his mouth, he grinned. "Oh? That guy showed up in South Blue? Naturally, I'm going! This time, I won't let him escape!"

Vice Admiral Momonga wanted to say, Admiral Sengoku sent me to handle this, Smoker. Do you still think you're the main force against Giorno?

But in the Marines, rank and strength were two different things. Though Smoker was only a Lieutenant Commander, as a Logia-type Devil Fruit user, his strength rivaled that of many Colonels and even Commodores.

"Hina will go too."

(End Of The Chapter)