Chapter 40 Target TashigiThe naval base, the naval port, was now in sight.
Luffy looked at the warship flying the flag of a naval captain.
Naval soldiers were drilling on the deck, displaying impeccable discipline.
In the East Blue, this might be considered elite, but in Luffy's eyes, they were no different from the Buggy Pirates he had previously trampled underfoot—just slightly larger ants.
Luffy, carrying two enormous meat buns, walked straight to the warship as if taking a leisurely stroll after a meal, stopping a few meters from the gunwale.
The busy fishermen and merchants on the surrounding docks, as well as some soldiers on the warship, noticed the strangely behaving straw-hatted boy and cast questioning glances.
Luffy ignored them all.
He slightly bent his knees, lowered his center of gravity, and spread the fingers of his free right hand. His arm muscles instantly stretched and hardened, like a giant python arching with immense power, before he suddenly pressed forward!
His hand didn't touch the hull, but the instant his arm reached its full extension, the air in front of his palm compressed and solidified, unleashing a tremendous force from afar!
BOOM—!!!
The massive warship was shoved violently, its enormous hull tilting sharply to one side!
The angle of tilt increased rapidly: thirty degrees, forty-five degrees, sixty degrees!
"Ah—!!!"
"The ship's going to capsize!"
"Grab something!!"
Caught off guard, the navy soldiers tumbled to the ground on deck, screams of terror rising and falling. Countless figures slipped and tumbled on the tilting deck, plunging into the sea like dumplings being dropped into a pot.
Ropes snapped, and unsecured crates cascaded down.
The entire port erupted in chaos, a cacophony of screams, splashes, and the thud of objects hitting the sea.
Luffy slowly withdrew his arm, as if he had merely waved it casually.
He stared blankly at the nearly capsized warship and the soaking wet soldiers thrashing about on the surface, his expression unchanged.
He simply flicked his wrist and commented, "Lighter than it looks."
This casual remark, coupled with the surreal and terrifying scene before them, left everyone who witnessed it—civilians and sailors from other ships—frozen in stunned silence.
One hand…remotely…triggered the warship?!
What kind of monster is this?!
"Enemy attack! It's an ability user!"
"Fire! Fire!"
The officer on the warship, who had miraculously escaped the water, snapped out of his shock and roared hoarsely.
The terrified sailors instinctively raised their guns, some even rushing towards the ship's broadside cannons.
Bang bang bang bang—!
A chaotic barrage of gunfire erupted, bullets raining down on the straw-hatted boy who still stood calmly on the shore.
Luffy didn't even bother to dodge.
He raised his left arm, shielding the paper bag containing the meat buns, slightly adjusting the angle of the rest of his body.
The bullets struck him with muffled thuds, like hitting tough leather, barely tearing any holes in his clothes, let alone injuring his skin.
A few stray bullets occasionally grazed the meat buns, which he deftly deflected with his fingertips.
"My clothes are torn again."
Luffy looked down at the new, charred holes in his chest and sleeves, frowning slightly, his tone carrying a hint of genuine displeasure.
He quite liked this outfit.
The gunfire ceased, and smoke filled the air.
The naval soldiers, gripping their scorching gun barrels, stared at the unharmed boy emerging from the smoke, their faces filled with fear and disbelief.
What kind of body is that?!
Luffy's gaze swept over the soldiers, finally settling on a plume of white smoke rapidly billowing from the naval base.
The smoke moved with incredible speed.
"The main character is here," Luffy muttered to himself, carefully placing the two meat buns on a clean stone stool at his feet before calmly turning to face the direction from which the smoke had come.
The smoke suddenly condensed in the open area of the harbor, transforming into a tall, muscular man.
His short white hair stood on end like a hedgehog's quills, two cigars dangling from his mouth, and he wore a naval cloak.
His face was ashen, his eyes fierce, and he gripped a black jitte with a sea-stone inlay at the tip tightly.
The White Hunter, Smoker.
Behind Smoker, as the smoke dissipated slightly, a young female officer wearing round-framed glasses staggered before regaining her balance.
She had short, dark purple hair, wore a naval uniform, and clutched a katana. Her pretty face was pale, and she stared in shock at the ravaged harbor.
Her eyes were filled with anger, and a hint of…fear.
It was Tashigi.
Smoker's voice was forced out through clenched teeth, the smoke from his cigar billowing with each heavy breath:
"Straw Hat Boy…Monkey D. Luffy! Attacking a naval warship, injuring naval soldiers…you're declaring war on the Navy!"
Luffy showed no reaction to the accusation. His gaze swept past Smoker, landing on Tashigi's face, scrutinizing her carefully, as if assessing the quality of a shipment.
Then, Luffy nodded, speaking calmly, uttering the words that made every naval member present, including Smoker and Tashigi herself, doubt their ears:
"Give me your first mate, and I'm leaving now."
Luffy pointed at Tashigi.
Dead silence.
Then came Smoker's furious roar: "You're asking for death—!!"
Before the roar even finished, Smoker's right arm transformed into billowing white smoke, instantly expanding into a gigantic smoky fist, which slammed down towards Luffy's face with overwhelming force!
A White Fist!
This attack was fast, wide-ranging, and the swirling smoke completely blocked any room for maneuver—Smoker's invincible opening move against East Blue pirates.
However, Luffy didn't even consider dodging.
He even took a small step forward, raised his right arm, clenched his fist, and without dodging or blocking, met the gigantic smoky fist head-on with a simple punch!
Instantly, jet-black Armament Haki spread and covered his fist!
Giant Smoky Fist vs. Jet-Black Fist!
There was no earth-shattering explosion.
The instant their fists clashed, the seemingly massive, smoky fist, like snow striking a red-hot iron, was instantly dispelled by the condensed, jet-black Armament Haki from the point of contact!
Smoker's pupils constricted!
He could feel a sharp pain shooting through his elemental arm the moment it touched the opponent's fist!
That black fist contained a power capable of directly harming his physical form!
Armament Haki!
And a high-level one at that!
Smoker's fist was easily deflected, but Luffy's black fist, covered in Armament Haki, remained undeterred, piercing through the dissipating smoke and striking Smoker squarely in the chest.
Smoker, at the last moment, elementalized his chest as well.
Even so, the terrifying power of the fist still penetrated the smoke, causing Smoker's blood to surge, and he groaned, staggering half a step backward.
Luffy withdrew his fist, shaking his hand, seemingly dissatisfied with the feel of the blow.
Luffy looked at Smoker, seemingly casually commenting, "Your reaction was alright, your elementalization was fast enough, but smoke is just smoke."
This condescending tone, like a drill sergeant commenting on a student, completely ignited Smoker's rage.
"Don't underestimate me! Pirate!"
Smoker roared, his entire body erupting in smoke, transforming into a white whirlwind. He gripped his jitte, inlaid with Seastone, imbuing it with the power of the smoke, and charged towards Luffy.
With a piercing whistling sound, the Jutsu swept across the waist!
This strike, combining the propulsion of the smoke with the properties of Seastone, was powerful enough to bend even steel!