One Piece: Nobody knows Devil Fruits better than me.

Chapter 3 Roy's Hadouken
Naval Headquarters, Marinevando.

When Roy's warship docked at the port, it naturally attracted a great deal of attention.

After all, the huge sea monster carcass placed behind the warship was quite eye-catching.

"I'm going to report to Lieutenant General Bilos."

"Hans, take the men of the second squad and take this guy to the prison—once headquarters verifies his identity, send him to Impelton along with the other prisoners held in custody."

"Fal, take a small squad of brothers to town and sell the sea monster meat. Also, arrange a victory celebration at the usual spot."

Roy spoke fluently, clearly indicating that this wasn't the first time he had arranged something like this.

"Yes, sir!" *2
Upon hearing about the 'victory celebration banquet,' the eyes of the detained marines immediately lit up.

So Roy disembarked from the warship on his own, intending to go and report to his superiors.

But
"Hey!"

He had just arrived at Oris Square at the Marine Headquarters when he heard a familiar voice.

The sound made him realize something was wrong, and he quickly turned to run away.

But before he could run away, he saw that he was surrounded by clouds of white smoke.

"What have you thought about what I mentioned before?"

As the question was asked, a figure slowly materialized from the smoke.

Upon hearing this, Roy replied without hesitation: "Not good—Smoker, I don't plan to leave the detention center!"

That's right.

His signature white hair, bulging muscles, the ever-present cigar in his mouth and chest, and the unique weapon on his back, the 'Jite', all speak volumes about his identity.

Navy Headquarters Lieutenant Commander, Logia-type Smoke-Smoke Fruit user, 'White Hunter' Smoker.

"Loy Amos!"

Upon hearing this, Smoker, with a cigar in his mouth, roared, "You bastard, don't joke with me!"

"Who's kidding you?"

Roy gave the other person a disgruntled look.

He certainly knew the other party's purpose.

In fact, Smoker was a colleague who joined the Navy in the same period as him.

And it's easy to imagine that with a Logia-type Devil Fruit user in front of him, Roy certainly wouldn't let his ability go.

So during the time after joining the Navy and undergoing training and apprenticeships, Roy and Smoker got along well and were true friends.

However, their choices changed drastically after basic training.

With his Logia-type Devil Fruit ability and outstanding strength, Smoker naturally became an elite member of the Navy, and even entered the elite training camp of former Navy Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr.

Roy, on the other hand, decisively chose to join the detention force.

So much so that even today, although they were contemporaries, their military ranks are now two levels apart.

Smoker's purpose in coming here was precisely for this reason.

He was already a lieutenant colonel at headquarters, and according to headquarters rules, once an officer at headquarters is promoted to colonel, he faces two choices.

You can either join the fleet of a vice admiral or even an admiral, or go to the four seas to manage the naval branches of the four seas.

The former is the choice of most colonel-level officers, as following senior generals on missions can lead to faster promotion.

However, as a notorious hardliner within the entire Navy Headquarters, Smoker had no desire to serve under a vice admiral.

So he has made his choice—he will go to his hometown, Loguetown, to serve as the manager of the naval branch.

This is why he came to find Roy at this moment.

“I’ve said it before, I need a good enough adjutant.”

He looked at Roy with a gloomy expression.

“I already said I’m not going—I remember recommending Lieutenant Tashigi to you; she’s a good naval officer.”

Roy said with a serious expression.

Leave the detention center?

Who will make up for his missing Devil Fruit?
But it was precisely at the moment he uttered those words that...
"boom!"

A loud whooshing sound reached Roy's ears.

then
"Fuck!"

Roy's figure vanished from his spot in an instant, while Smoker's 'Ten Hands' slammed violently into the ground.

"Kakaka!"

The pristine white pavement of Oris Square cracked instantly under Smoker's immense power, creating a huge gash.

The marines who were passing by were even more startled: "What's going on!?"

"Enemy attack?"

Some sailors even instinctively cocked the flintlock muskets behind them.

But then they saw something that shocked them.

At this moment, Smoker, having added difficulty to the ground restoration work in Marineford with a single blow, did not pause in his movements at all.

"White Fist!"

He gave a low shout, and then countless fists made of smoke flew out of his body and kept swinging towards Roy!

"Hey! Smoker—what are you doing? Are you crazy!?"

But amidst those countless swinging fists, Roy's figure kept shifting and dodging.

Smoker's countless punches couldn't even touch him in the slightest.

[Rabbit-Rabbit Fruit - Snow Rabbit Form LV1 - Equipped - Grants access to some of the Snow Rabbit's characteristics, enhancing all aspects of the body, with additional boosts to hearing and speed]

[Mouse Fruit - Gray Rat Form LV1 - Equipped - Grants access to some of the characteristics of a gray rat, providing comprehensive physical enhancements and additional agility boost]

But Smoker completely ignored him.

"White Impact!"

As he relentlessly pounded Roy with fists formed of smoke, his lower body transformed into a swirling cloud of smoke, allowing his upper body to suddenly appear before Roy.

He raised his ten hands high and brought them down on Roy again!

"Are you serious?!"

Upon seeing this, Roy exclaimed in surprise and then raised his hand.

The abilities listed in the Fruit Encyclopedia are switched again.

[Ox-Ox Fruit - Rhinoceros Form LV1] [Strong Fruit LV1]

The power that was enough to send a sea monster flying with a single punch reappeared in Roy's body, and Roy simply reached out and blocked Smoker's Jite!

"boom!"

The immense force instantly shattered the ground beneath Roy's feet once more.

Even under such immense force, Roy remained completely still. He simply looked at Smoker and said in a deep voice, "If you continue like this, I really won't be polite!"

"come!"

Smoker let out a low shout, and his arm turned into white smoke again, charging towards Roy.

Seeing this, Roy gritted his teeth and said, "You bastard!"

He then stopped holding back, continuing to grip Smoker's 'Ten Hands' with one hand while turning the other hand into a palm.

At this moment, the abilities within the Fruit Encyclopedia switched once again.

[Human-Human Fruit - Buddha Form LV1 - Comprehensive enhancement of physical attributes, and the ability to emit minute shockwaves from the hands]

Then, a golden shockwave suddenly burst forth from his palm.

"boom!"

Suddenly, a deep ravine appeared on the ground, and the smoke that Smoker had turned into was instantly blasted away by Roy's palm strike.

It wasn't until it landed far away that it transformed back into Smoker's form.

At this moment, almost all the naval personnel in the vicinity of the area where the two were located were blown away!
Some unsuspecting sailors even instinctively raised their weapons, thinking that some attack had occurred.

They were all stunned when they saw that the two people in the center of the battlefield were wearing naval uniforms.

"So strong. They're practically monsters. Who are these two?!"

"I recognize the white-haired one, he's 'White Hunter' Smoker!"

"That mad dog in headquarters, known for its disobedience, who ate a Logia-type Devil Fruit?"

"Who is this other person? How could they possibly fight him?!"

"Is he an officer from an elite unit!?"

The marines were talking amongst themselves.

Strong people always attract attention, no matter where they are.

And without a doubt—even at Naval Headquarters, this level of combat is still uncommon for most marines.

But at this moment, Smoker didn't care about the surrounding gossip.

He simply puffed on a cigar, his face still grim: "Your physical strength and your 'Wave Fist Technique' have indeed gotten stronger again!"

That's right.

Smoker was one of the people in the entire Navy Headquarters who knew Roy best—at least that's what he thought.

Therefore, he had long known how amazing Roy's talent in speed, strength, and reaction was.

In fact, if he hadn't seen Roy swimming in the sea with his own eyes, he would have even suspected that Roy was a power user.

In addition, he had already seen the 'Wave Fist' that Roy was using at this moment.

According to Roy, this is a boxing technique that "uses the invisible fluctuations of air to create a shockwave when the fist is thrown"—Smoker had studied it many times in private, but he could never understand how Roy did it.

But it is not important.

There are many extraordinary people on this sea; he even heard that there was a guy in the revolutionary army who could break through rocks by winking.

For Smoker, the real issue was that he couldn't understand Roy's choice!

Most naval personnel believe that those who volunteer to join the detention force are mostly cowards who are afraid to face danger.

But Smoker knew that Roy wasn't that kind of person.

Do you remember that little girl from Keshira village?

He spoke in a low voice, a cigar between his teeth.

"Back then, to get back the money for her mother's medical treatment, you and I chased them across the entire sea, personally fighting our way through the pirate-infested towns and capturing those pirates!"

"I've witnessed your justice firsthand, Roy. Tell me what you're really thinking!?"

"With your abilities, why are you unwilling to go to the front lines to make a name for yourself, instead choosing to stay in the detention unit as a lowly captain?"

He asked in a low growl.

But when faced with Smoker's questioning, Roy remained calm: "Justice?"

He pulled a wine flask from his sleeve and began to gulp it down.

It looks very luxurious.

However, judging from the black bubbly liquid spilled from the flask, he was clearly drinking cola.

Then he grinned: "What you see is not my justice, Smoker—it's just basic conscience."

"Besides, I'm not a very ambitious person, and I think I'm quite happy in the detention center!"

Upon hearing this, Smoker became even more furious.

"You guy."

White smoke billowed from his arm, clearly indicating that he was about to make another move.

If words fail, then fists will do the talking. That's the kind of guy he is!

But at this very moment...
"Smoker."

The sudden sound made Smoker pause in his movements.

"Oh!"

"Who is that beautiful woman?"

"It's Lieutenant Colonel 'Black Cage' Tina!"

Excitement rippled through the naval ranks, and many sailors' eyes sparkled with heart-shaped glints.

Just then, a slender, pink-haired beauty, also dressed in a navy uniform, walked out from the crowd.

"I just got back from a mission and found you've caused trouble again. Tina is exasperated."

She had a thin cigarette dangling from her mouth and looked at Smoker with a helpless expression.

"Your punishment from last time hasn't been lifted yet, has it?!"

As Smoker's friend, she, who has long been cleaning up after the troublemakers, obviously has a lot of complaints.

Although Smoker's momentum had weakened somewhat, he still forced a smile and said, "Hmph! This time it's not my fault, it's this bastard's fault."

He decisively absolved himself of responsibility for the problem and turned to Tina, trying to get her to join in criticizing the unambitious person.

But when he turned his head, he realized...
Opposite him, where Roy had originally stood, there was no one left.

"That bastard got away again!"

Smoker, realizing that Roy had run away, was so angry that his veins bulged and his fists clenched.

But before he could give chase, a ring of black iron bars surrounded him.

The voice coming from behind him, Tina's, carried a hint of danger: "Trying to run? Explain yourself—what's gotten into you this time? Otherwise, Tina's going to get angry!"

Smoker's expression finally turned panicked.

(End of this chapter)