One Piece: From Pirates to the Strongest Soul Reaper in Soul Society

Although Smoker's words sounded more polite than literal, Ben decided to give it a try—after all, it never hurt to ask.

"Well, if there's anything I'd like help from the Marines with, I do have a small request," Ben said, sitting upright, looking at Smoker with anticipation.

Smoker froze for a moment. Wait… you're actually asking?

But remembering Fleet Admiral Sengoku's earlier orders, he nodded.

"What kind of help are you looking for?"

"It's like this," Ben began, first laying on the flattery. "As I've said, I've always admired the Marines and dreamed of one day joining this great cause of justice. But for now…"

Then he shifted gears.

"I'm not fully confident in my own strength yet. I hope to improve over the next two years. I've heard that the Marines have a powerful fundamental martial art—Rokushiki. If possible… ahem… I'd love the chance to study it. Would that be alright, Colonel Smoker?"

"…Huh?" Smoker stared at Ben, baffled.

He had assumed that anyone who could defeat Thatch must already be incredibly strong, so why was Ben asking to learn something as basic as Rokushiki?

Still, while Rokushiki was powerful, it wasn't exactly a secret. It was standard training for Marine officers. Not everyone mastered it, but most knew at least the basics. And because so many Marines had learned it over the years, and because deserters inevitably spread it across the seas, it was no longer tightly guarded.

Nowadays, you could even buy a full Rokushiki manual on the black market if you had the money.

So although Smoker found Ben's request odd, it wasn't unreasonable.

After a brief moment of thought, Smoker nodded.

"Normally, Rokushiki is only taught to Marines, but I can make an exception and teach it to you. I hope that once you've strengthened yourself, you'll help rid the seas of more scum."

Ben grinned.

"No problem. I plan to travel around the East Blue for a while anyway. If I run into pirates or villains, I definitely won't sit back and watch."

Satisfied, Smoker nodded.

"Well then—"

But before he could finish, Ben leaned forward again, eyes gleaming.

"Speaking of which, I've also been very curious about Haki. Colonel Smoker, would you be willing to give me some guidance?"

"…Haki?"

Smoker hadn't heard that word in years. His time in the East Blue had been spent chasing nothing but small fry. Between that and his daily administrative duties, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd seriously trained his own Haki.

He rubbed his nose awkwardly.

"So… you haven't learned Haki yet?"

Smoker was genuinely puzzled.

You don't know Haki… and you don't know Rokushiki… then how on earth did you kill Thatch?!

Ben noticed the suspicion in Smoker's eyes but didn't mind. He knew the truth would come out eventually anyway. Better to use this chance to get some benefits.

"I have… a little understanding," Ben said modestly. "I've developed a few unorthodox training methods for Haki…"

He mixed in knowledge from his previous life with his own theories and explained.

"But in the end, they're just crude methods. That's why I'd like to compare them to the Marines' training and refine my understanding."

Smoker listened and sighed inwardly.

Indeed, Ben's methods were a patchwork of odd ideas. But for someone his age, with no teacher, to have reached this level… and to still hold on to a sense of justice? That was rare.

"I understand your situation," Smoker said, "but unlike Rokushiki, Haki isn't something I can just hand out."

He had to draw the line somewhere.

Ben only smiled. He hadn't really expected Smoker to agree. Besides, he could always try Koshiro later. This was just a bonus.

But then, Ben raised his hand. A ripple of darkness spread, and one of the suitcases he'd previously stored reappeared on the table.

"Regarding Haki," Ben said, "I don't want to take advantage of the Marines. There's 100 million berries in this case. I'd like to donate it to the Loguetown Marines as a gesture of goodwill. Please, Colonel Smoker, don't refuse."

Smoker: "…"

This guy… using my own payout against me?

But the truth was, Loguetown's Marine base was always short on funds. No military unit ever had enough money. And while Smoker was a stickler for rules—never misusing official budgets—there were plenty of needs that HQ never covered.

The base had injured Marines and bereaved families waiting for support. There were outdated firearms Smoker wanted to replace. He even wanted to expand his personnel.

And now, Ben was basically offering him unrestricted funds.

Smoker hesitated. His pride made it hard to accept, but his conscience knew he couldn't turn this down.

Ben, seeing his hesitation, smirked.

Without waiting, he waved his hand again—another suitcase appeared.

"This is…" Smoker stared in shock.

"Another 200 million," Ben said earnestly. "I heard that since you became the commander here, no pirate has ever escaped you. I'm sure your Marines have sacrificed a lot for justice. I may just be an ordinary man, but I want to do my part. I believe that if everyone contributes even a little, this age of pirates will come to an end!"

He patted the suitcase.

"These 200 million berries are for justice. Under your leadership, I know they'll become bullets against evil walls to protect civilians. For justice, for the people—please don't refuse!"

Smoker's chest tightened.

…He really couldn't refuse.

After a long pause, Smoker nodded solemnly.

"Your sense of justice is admirable. On behalf of the Marines in Loguetown, I accept."

Then, almost as if it was only fair, he added:

"And… as a friend, I'll share my personal notes on Haki with you. I hope they'll be useful."

Ben grinned.

"Much appreciated! Truly!"

Who said Smoker was impossible to deal with? He was practically cooked and served!

(End of Chapter)