Chapter 49: Goku vs Smoker
The storm raged on, as fierce as ever, as Goku and Smoker stood across from one another, rain pouring down their faces, thunder booming overhead. The swirling winds tore through the streets of Logue Town, but the two warriors remained steadfast, locked in an intense standoff. Smoker's jitte gleamed under the occasional flashes of lightning, the Sea Prism Stone at its tip shimmering ominously, while Goku clenched his fists, his Saiyan blood boiling with anticipation for the fight to come.
Smoker's eyes were fixed on Goku, his expression hard and unreadable. "You're fast, Straw Hat. Faster than anyone I've fought in a long time. But speed won't save you here."
Goku said nothing, his mind already racing with strategies. He could tell from their earlier scuffles that Smoker's devil fruit powers made him nearly untouchable. Every time Goku had attempted a direct hit, Smoker's body turned into smoke, slipping through his fingers like air. The Sea Prism Stone on Smoker's jitte was dangerous, but Goku had already freed himself from its grip before—it wasn't the real threat. No, the real challenge lay in finding a way to land a solid blow on Smoker.
Lightning cracked the sky, and in the blink of an eye, Goku launched himself forward, a blur of motion that sent a gust of wind in his wake. His fist shot out, aimed directly at Smoker's chest. But just as before, Smoker's body dissolved into thick, swirling smoke, letting Goku's punch pass harmlessly through him. Smoker reformed behind him, swinging his jitte with precision.
"Too slow!" Smoker growled as his jitte came crashing down toward Goku's back.
Goku barely managed to sidestep the attack, the Sea Prism Stone whistling past his ear. He spun around and lashed out with a powerful kick, but Smoker dissolved again, his smoky form swirling around Goku before reforming a few meters away.
This back-and-forth continued, Goku darting in with his incredible speed, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks, only for Smoker to dodge or dissolve into smoke each time. Every strike Goku threw missed its mark, and every counterattack from Smoker was narrowly avoided by Goku's quick reflexes. The street around them began to bear the marks of their battle, with craters and cracks forming where Goku's blows had landed, and the occasional burst of smoke left lingering in the air after Smoker's evasions.
Goku's mind raced as he dodged another swing from Smoker's jitte. There has to be a way to touch him… If I can't hit him, I can't win. And if I keep this up, I'll just wear myself down. He thought back to how the Sea Prism Stone net had trapped Smoker earlier, how the Marines had needed to pull it off him. That's it! The Sea Prism Stone cancels devil fruit powers. If I can get him under it again...
But the thought left a sour taste in Goku's mouth. Using a trick like that to win a fight felt wrong. His Saiyan pride demanded a straight-up, fist-to-fist battle, but against someone like Smoker, that simply wasn't possible. Goku gritted his teeth, hating the idea, but knowing he had no choice.
As Goku prepared his next move, Smoker's body surged forward, his arms morphing into long tendrils of smoke that whipped toward Goku. One wrapped around Goku's ankle, yanking him off balance. Smoker grinned, pulling Goku closer, swinging his jitte toward his chest. But in a split second, Goku twisted his body mid-air, bringing his hands down to break free of the smoky tendril. His instincts kicked in, and with a burst of speed, Goku dashed toward the net that had earlier trapped Smoker.
Smoker's eyes widened in realization, but it was too late. Goku had grabbed the tattered remains of the Sea Prism Stone net, its metallic strands still glistening with water from the storm. With a swift motion, Goku hurled the net directly at Smoker.
The Marine captain barely had time to react before the net wrapped around him, entangling his limbs and instantly nullifying his smoke abilities. His body, which had started to dissolve, snapped back into solidity, and he stumbled, his jitte falling from his hand.
Goku wasted no time. With a powerful leap, he closed the distance between them and landed a brutal punch directly to Smoker's gut. The Marine gasped in pain, doubling over as Goku's fist connected. For the first time in the battle, Smoker was solid—vulnerable.
Goku followed up with a rapid series of punches, each one slamming into Smoker with bone-shaking force. His fists were a blur, pounding Smoker into the ground, sending cracks through the cobblestone street. Smoker tried to defend himself, but each time he raised his arms, Goku's blows broke through his guard, knocking him back again and again.
Despite the relentless onslaught, Smoker wasn't finished. He gritted his teeth, using every ounce of strength to fight back. As Goku paused for a split second, Smoker managed to break free from the net, pulling the remaining strands off with a grunt. He swung his jitte in a wide arc, catching Goku off guard. The Sea Prism Stone grazed Goku's side, and the Saiyan winced, feeling the sting of the stone's energy.
"You're not invincible," Smoker growled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "You can't win this with brute strength alone!"
But Goku's expression darkened. He could feel the conflict in his chest—the strategy of using the net had worked, but it didn't sit right with him. His Saiyan instincts screamed for a proper fight, a real test of strength and skill, not this underhanded tactic. He wanted to face Smoker head-on, to prove his strength the right way.
That momentary lapse in concentration was all Smoker needed. With a roar, he lunged at Goku, his body dissolving into smoke again, swirling around the Saiyan in a thick cloud. Before Goku could react, Smoker reformed behind him, using his smoke tendrils to wrap around Goku's torso, trapping his arms at his sides.
"Got you now!" Smoker sneered, tightening the grip with his smoke powers. "You're not getting away this time, Straw Hat!"
For a moment, Goku struggled against the binding smoke, his muscles straining as he tried to break free. Smoker's grip was strong, and his smoke powers were tightening with each passing second. Goku gritted his teeth, his Saiyan pride flaring as he pushed against the restraint with all his might.
But just as it seemed Smoker had won, something unexpected happened.
A shadowy figure appeared from the darkness of the storm, moving with lightning speed. Before Smoker could even register the threat, a hand shot out, grabbing him by the shoulder. The grip was firm, unyielding, and Smoker's smoke tendrils vanished instantly as his body snapped back into solid form.
Smoker's eyes widened in shock. He turned his head slightly, his breath catching in his throat as he recognized the figure standing behind him. "You…!"
The figure, a tall man with a dark cloak billowing in the wind, said nothing at first. His expression was calm, his gaze steady. Smoker could feel the immense strength in the man's grip, but what shocked him the most was that the man had grabbed him without using Sea Prism Stone—without any apparent trick to bypass his devil fruit powers.
"Why did you interfere?" Smoker growled, his voice hoarse. "This fight was mine!"
The mysterious figure—Dragon—looked down at Smoker, his face unreadable. "It's not time yet," he said, his voice low and commanding. "You'll have your chance. But not today."
Before Smoker could respond, Dragon released him, disappearing into the shadows of the storm as swiftly as he had appeared. The rain seemed to slow, and the storm that had been raging overhead for hours began to clear. The clouds parted slightly, revealing the soft glow of the late afternoon sun beginning to set on the horizon.
Smoker stood frozen for a moment, his mind reeling from the sudden turn of events. He clenched his fists, his anger rising. "Dragon…"
Behind him, Goku had already recovered, shaking off the last remnants of Smoker's smoke tendrils. His face was set with a mixture of annoyance and confusion. The fight hadn't gone the way he wanted, and he hated that he had been forced to use such tactics. But what annoyed him even more was the interference from the mysterious figure.
"I hate fighting like this," Goku muttered under his breath. "It wasn't a fair fight…"
He turned away from Smoker, his frustration boiling over. Without another word, he launched himself into the sky, flying toward the Going Merry with incredible speed. His mind raced with thoughts of the battle, of Smoker's strength, and the figure who had intervened.
On the ground, Smoker watched in disbelief as Goku disappeared into the clouds. "He… he can fly?" he muttered, his shock quickly turning to frustration. His teeth ground together as he looked at the now-empty sky. The storm had passed, but the bitterness of his defeat lingered.
"Damn it, Dragon," Smoker cursed under his breath, turning his gaze back.
[A/N: Read 20-40 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]