One Piece: Gawain The Knight Of The Sun

In mid-air, Gin's body blocked Gawain's view, obscuring Krieg's vicious grin.

Krieg clutched his wound with one hand while his uninjured arm curled, fingers triggering a hidden mechanism.

Bang!

A piercing armor-piercing round shot from his armguard, moving so fast it caused a sonic boom.

Designed to breach armor or even warships, it could penetrate ten centimeters of steel.

Krieg didn't believe anyone could survive this sneak attack.

He aimed to pierce both men!

"Die!" he roared, grinning.

Gawain vanished.

A silver blade flash cut through the air, slicing the bullet in half. The slash continued, piercing Krieg's body and parting the sea before vanishing.

Only then did Gin's body hit the ground with a thud. Seeing Krieg split in two, he lost consciousness.

Gawain's attention fixed on Wado Ichimonji.

Its seamless control, unmatched by his old knight's sword, resonated deep in his soul.

"It's not Krieg's armor being weak—it's Wado Ichimonji's sharpness. Even a flying slash has such power!"

"Cutting iron like mud, slicing gold and jade."

"From today, we're partners!"

The blade hummed faintly.

Gawain grew convinced that the revered blades of this world held a form of will.

And Wado Ichimonji had chosen him.

Swish!

Flicking off the blood, Gawain faced the distant fleet.

On the sea, dozens of pirate ships halted the moment Krieg fell.

Lookouts, stunned into silence, stared at the port's gruesome scene—a corpse neatly bisected.

"Captain… Captain's dead!"

"Gin's down, fate unknown. What do we do?"

"Fight or flee?"

Panic spread from the port to the ships. Krieg, once invincible in their eyes, died so miserably that each feared being next.

In an instant, the fleet turned, fleeing faster than they'd arrived, only to see thick smoke rising ahead.

White smoke blocked their view, engine roars growing closer.

"Wait!"

"What's that? Fog on the sea?"

"No! Smoke!"

"No, a man—a man on a watercraft, made of smoke!"

Amid the Krieg Pirates' cries, a sleek, metallic watercraft roared across the sea, kicking up waves meters high.

The figure aboard became clear: sharp features, fierce expression, white short hair, no eyebrows.

Two cigars in his mouth, open shirt revealing a muscular frame, and a massive jutte tipped with Seastone on his back.

It was White Hunter Smoker!

Years ago, he graduated from the Marine Headquarters Academy but chose not to stay. Instead, he went alone to Loguetown, the East Blue's final Marine bastion.

Watching the fleeing Krieg Pirates, Smoker frowned, puzzled, until his gaze met Gawain's, sparks flashing in the air.

"Knight Gawain? Mouse caught a big fish!" Smoker realized why the Krieg Pirates fell so swiftly.

Bounties often equaled strength.

When a 17-million-Berry Krieg faced a man with nearly triple his bounty, the outcome was clear.

After a moment's thought, Smoker decided: prioritize the bigger threat.

Without Krieg, his crew was no threat.

But Gawain alone outmatched every pirate present.

As Smoker's Marine-marked watercraft sped by, the pirates felt a fleeting relief.

They recognized him.

"That's Smoker, White Hunter Smoker, Loguetown's monster!"

"No pirate has reached the Grand Line in years because of him!"

"Survivors say he ate a Devil Fruit, turning into smoke. He's untouchable!"

"Swords, guns—nothing hurts him. We can't fight!"

"We… we…"

"Run!"

Already broken by Gawain, the Krieg Pirates scattered in panic.

…

Gawain looked up, his eyes fixed on the approaching Smoker.

If anyone in the East Blue could spark his fighting spirit yet remain untouchable, it was Smoker.

A Logia user!

Even the weakest Logia could dominate without Haki.

In the original story, the first two bosses in the Grand Line were Logias, their presence far more oppressive than Lucci or Moria later on.

If not for Luffy exploiting their weaknesses—one through strategy, the other as Nika's natural counter—the Straw Hats wouldn't have passed.

Smoker's Logia power was undeniable.

"A troublesome guy," Gawain muttered, frowning.

Alone, he could escape easily.

But with Kuro injured and his crew, disguised as Marines, in the port, he couldn't let Smoker take control.

Gawain pulled out a Den Den Mushi and called Kuro. "Listen, Kuro. Krieg's dead, but the Marines sent a tough one. I can only hold him off."

"A Marine even you can't handle?" Kuro, freshly bandaged, frowned, sensing the gravity.

Gawain continued, "Without Armament Haki, his ability is a dimensional advantage."

"What do you need?"

"He's at the port. Our ship's burned, so you can't sail."

"Find Lord Gaza. She'll help you hide."

Kuro nodded. "Got it!"

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