A moment later, as all the smoke and dust were blown away by the sea breeze—
At the center of the smoke, however, it wasn't the pirates attacking the port that appeared…
But someone they revered…
"Colonel Smoker!?"
People stared at the burly man emerging from the smoke, eyes filled with confusion.
But the imposing Smoker ignored their curiosity. His sharp gaze swept quickly across the scene.
Soon, he spotted a young man not far away, shouldering a sack and deliberately avoiding eye contact.
Smoker's eyes narrowed, and he walked straight up to block the man—Kale.
"Hello, I need to check the sack you're carrying."
As he spoke, he reached toward the sack behind Kale.
But how could Kale possibly comply?
He suddenly twisted his body, dodging Smoker's outstretched hand.
"Going through someone's stuff without warning…"
"Isn't a Navy officer supposed to respect others' privacy?"
Kale raised his head and met Smoker's eyes with a cold expression.
But inside, he was cursing.
"Damn it, how did he end up showing up here!?"
Kale had anticipated the possibility of encountering Smoker during the operation—he had even considered the plan failing and being captured…
But he truly hadn't expected that just as he was about to return to the Diga and escape over the waves—
He'd be blocked at the port by Smoker!
He quickly realized where things had gone wrong.
It was those two Navy soldiers!
If they had returned with Tashigi as planned, Kale could've taken them out together...
Then the message wouldn't have reached Smoker so quickly.
"A miscalculation~"
He muttered inwardly, but outwardly he began scanning the area, quickly calculating an escape plan.
At this moment, the Diga was only a few hundred meters away.
But the range of the Diga Fruit's power was limited to 50 meters.
If he could get past Smoker and cover that last stretch, he could escape safely.
The only problem was…
The gap in strength between him and Smoker was far too great.
Unless he was willing to use seastone bullets to seriously injure Smoker…
But that clearly wasn't an option.
Though Smoker had plenty of flaws, he was one of the rare good-hearted Navy officers who genuinely cared for people.
Kale actually admired the man.
Of course, if he weren't standing in his way, Kale would admire him even more.
And technically speaking, Kale was half a Navy man himself.
So they were kind of colleagues~
Kale's mind raced with possibilities.
But his darting eyes made Smoker even more certain the guy was hiding something.
Smoker's eyes widened in anger, glaring at this brazen kidnapper.
"Cut the crap, kid. You dare cause trouble on my turf!?"
"Tired of living, are you!?"
White smoke surged and spread, quickly pushing unrelated bystanders away, forming a circular wall of smoke around Kale and Smoker.
"…Was all this really necessary…"
Seeing his escape route completely sealed, Kale gave a bitter smile in his heart.
But giving up Tashigi was clearly not an option.
Kale subtly reached for his waist, disengaging the safety on his flintlock.
Then, in a cold voice, he said to Smoker:
"Sorry, officer, I have no idea what you're talking about…"
"Also, could you please keep your distance? I'm allergic to secondhand smoke. Thanks."
"Allergic to secondhand smoke?"
"Well then!"
Smoker let out a mocking laugh, mouth wide.
"I'll make you a smoky cage to spend the rest of your life in!"
"White Fist!!!"
No more words. Smoker roared in anger.
His muscular arm swung toward Kale, the joints disconnecting mid-motion.
A stream of smoke burst from the joint, adding terrifying force to the blow.
"Ugh, seriously… I don't want to fight anyone right now."
Kale narrowed his eyes.
With his ultra-intuition, he even anticipated Smoker's strike a moment in advance.
A sidestep—clean and precise—let him dodge the roaring smoke-enhanced punch.
Using the momentum, Kale widened the gap between them.
"Huh?"
Smoker frowned.
His attack being dodged didn't surprise him too much.
But what caught his attention was that Kale had anticipated the strike before it was thrown.
That was... interesting.
Could it be—some East Blue pirate had started cultivating Haki!?
That was very bad news for someone like Smoker, who ruled Loguetown largely thanks to his Logia-type powers.
Smoker's gaze turned dangerous.
With a thought, he activated his Smoke-Smoke Fruit again, billowing more white smoke from his waist downward.
"White Vines!"
With the smoke propelling him, his upper body lunged rapidly at Kale.
But just then—
Bang!
A flash of fire burst from the smoke!
Smoker's face changed. His charging body halted.
On the other side—
Kale slowly lowered his pistol after firing into the air, aiming it at the sack now held protectively in front of him.
He drawled:
"Whoa~ whoa~ whoa~"
"That was scary~"
"Attacking someone without even saying a word—is this how Loguetown's Navy operates?"
"That's just plain rude~!"
"If that's the case, then don't blame me for using some dirty tricks."
With a wicked grin, Kale loosened the sack's mouth.
He wrapped his arms tightly around the unconscious Tashigi, holding her as a human shield.
And the cocked flintlock was now aimed at her head.
"Don't move a muscle, Colonel Smoker."
"I'm sure you wouldn't want your subordinate to die so young and beautiful, would you?"
"What are you doing!? Put that gun down!"
Smoker's eyes went bloodshot, shouting furiously.
"Tsk tsk tsk~"
"That's not how someone being threatened should talk."
Kale shook his head gently and waved his gun slightly, the threat clear.
"You… what do you want!?"
For a moment, even Smoker lost his composure.
Seeing his threat had worked, Kale revealed a classic villainous grin, sneering:
"Hahaha…"
"That's more like it, Colonel Smoker."
Then his tone dropped cold:
"Let us leave."
"I promise not to harm the girl. Who knows—maybe someday, you'll even get to see her again."
"No way!"
Smoker shouted.
"You must let Tashigi go first!"
Bang!!!
A gunshot rang out, causing Smoker's heart to skip a beat.
Kale pulled up Tashigi's collar and pressed the barrel directly against her pale neck.
"Do I look like I'm playing games, Navy man!?"
"Either you believe me…"
"Or I die here—with this little lady in tow!"
"Oh~ sorry, I forgot!"
**"According to your laws, even if I murder and pillage and commit every atrocity—"
"As long as I surrender, you're only allowed to arrest me—not execute me."**