【One Piece】Dawn in the Darkness

"What are you doing?"

"Sir! Now that the tanker is under our control, we need to draw a new boundary line here!"

"Yes! We need to draw a line!"

"We need a dividing line! From now on, only our people are allowed to cross, and pirates are not allowed to cross!"

On the snow, shouts echoed through the swirling snow, growing louder yet weaker, whether from the fragrance in the air or from the pirates' indifference to the boundary line.

“You bunch of idiots!” Smoker shouted, frowning. “Why are you doing such stupid things!”

"But, Boss Yan, didn't you tell us not to associate with pirates?" the marines asked.

"I didn't tell you to do something so stupid!" Smoker looked at his men's expectant eyes, took out two cigars and lit them. After he finished speaking, they jumped off the tanker one by one and ran excitedly in one direction, shouting "Cigarette!" as they ran. He was speechless, but he didn't stop them. He just didn't understand why these soldiers could enjoy the disappearance of boundaries so much.

"Brothers! The party's starting!!"

He remembered that this kid was the bastard who loved to break the boundaries between the Navy and pirates. Smoker covered his face with a headache.

Hearing footsteps on the snow, Smoker looked up at the person approaching, narrowed his eyes, and asked the question that had been on his mind, "Law, you had no reason to save me when we were in the cage. If you wanted to shut me up completely, you had several chances... What exactly are you planning to use Straw Hat Luffy for?"

"Used...who is being used, really..." Luo sipped his hot soup, recalling the Straw Hat leader's boastful words, a smile playing on his lips.

"Saving you didn't mean anything by it, don't overthink it, White Hunter... By the way, I was originally planning to go to Grin Bit... Alright, now let's see if I can handle these Straw Hat crew guys!"

Luo finished his soup and left, as if he had only come to say that one sentence.

Smoker frowned as he watched the Straw Hat crew leave, then looked at the two Whitebeard pirates sitting next to the Straw Hat, Monkey D. Lucci and Portgas D. Ace. His questions were growing. This kid was not only hanging out with the Seven Warlords of the Sea, but also getting involved with these two Whitebeard pirates with special identities.

Smoker downed the slightly cooled soup in one gulp, and then picked up two cigars again between his fingers. The quiet coast covered by ice and snow was suddenly filled with the sounds of children laughing and playing. Pirates and marines were all making a ruckus, and he could hear the noise no matter how far away he was.

"Hey, smoker! Let's have a party!"

"You guys play," Smoker said casually, though he wondered if his refusal had been swallowed by the snowstorm. Otherwise, why would the Straw Hat Boy be running towards him with the meat in his arms? But perhaps his question would be answered. He was certain that the Straw Hat Boy would reveal invaluable information... But deep down, he hoped that the brat wouldn't say anything too troublesome.

"Hey, smoker, why aren't you coming over to play?"

Smoker looked at the straw hat boy standing in front of him, who was stuffing food into his mouth while talking.

"You've gotten involved with the Seven Warlords of the Sea again." Smoker said, a cigarette dangling from his lips, as he looked at the Straw Hat Boy, whose cheeks were puffed out as he chewed.

“We’re allies now,” Luffy said lightly. “But things are really complicated and messy. Traverse says we have to head west, we can’t go straight to fight Kaido…”

"Kaido?" Smoker looked at Luffy in shock. He really hadn't expected that their goal was this. This plan was truly insane.

"Ah, Trafalgar Law won't let me say anything..." Luffy looked around and saw Trafalgar Law talking to Lucci. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"I heard."

"Oh! Never mind what I said, Smoker. I didn't say anything." Luffy stammered, sweat rolling down his forehead, his eyes stubbornly refusing to look at Smoker.

"This kid can't even lie properly," Smoker thought to himself, taking a drag of his cigarette. Then, noticing a gaze sweep over him, he narrowed his eyes and stared at the blond youth who was talking to Fire Fist Ace.

Smoker looked back at Luffy, who was stuffing meat into his mouth, and asked, "Are you also an ally of Monkey D. Lucci?"

"Huh?" Luffy covered his mouth, which was stuffed with meat, and looked at Smoker in confusion. "Traman and we are allies."

Miraculously, Smoker understood what the Straw Hat Boy meant, recalling the headlines from two years ago where they appeared together twice: "...What is your relationship?"

"My brother," Luffy said, chewing with his hand over his mouth, "is also my first mate."

Perhaps it was because Punk Hazard was too cold, but Smoker felt his thoughts were frozen. Otherwise, how could he have heard the Straw Hat Boy say those things? Finally, when Smoker realized that all the big shots—Fire Fist Ace, Monkey D. Lucci—were connected to the Straw Hat Boy, he felt a headache coming on. Moreover, judging from the name, this kid should also be Dragon's son. He should have realized that this explained why Dragon appeared in Loguetown and saved this kid.

Smoker sighed; the kid had already revealed enough information to give him a headache.

Luffy quickly stuffed the rest of the meat into his mouth, while Nami was already calling out to him, "Goodbye, Smoker, we're setting sail!"

White naval canvas billowed amidst the white snow and ice, blocking the oil tanker. The marines, as if trying to block something, shouted one after another, raising the line between the navy and the pirates.

"Pirates are the scum of this world, we, the Navy, are the true justice!"

"Don't let the kids see these guys!"

"Anyone who thanks a pirate is a bad kid!"

"Pirates are evil, the Navy is righteous!"

"Oppose pirates! Pirates are scum!"

Smoker lowered his head and took a drag of his cigarette. He knew that these marines shouting were holding guns, but their faces were covered in tears and snot.

On this island, which was destroyed by admirals who advocated extreme justice and lazy justice respectively, they seemed to have betrayed justice. Some were rescued by pirates, and some ran after pirates, but none of them went up to capture them. When they parted, they could only seek psychological comfort through their actions and emphasize the boundary between the Navy and the pirates.

"Shut up!" Tashigi shouted at the Marines below, but tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, and she cried out in a sob, "This is so shameful!"

"But..." The marines who were shouting fell silent, and then more and more sobs came out. "But if we don't keep talking bad about them, we'll start to like these bad guys!"

"They're clearly pirates..."

Hearing the marines crying, Smoker helplessly covered his face. These idiots…