Chapter 50: A New Resolve
The storm had dissipated, leaving behind the fresh scent of rain and the occasional distant rumble of thunder. The streets of Logue Town were slick with water, puddles forming in the cracks of the cobblestone road as the last rays of the setting sun broke through the clouds. But the tension in the air remained thick, as Smoker stood in the center of the square, fists clenched, his mind racing.
"Damn it," Smoker cursed again, his voice low and seething with frustration. He stared at the place where Goku had vanished into the sky just moments before. His chest heaved, and his mind was a whirlwind of confusion and anger. The man who had intervened—Dragon—had robbed him of his victory, and worse, he had let Goku slip through his grasp.
Smoker's fingers dug into his palm, drawing blood. He had nearly won. He had Goku wrapped in his smoke, his jitte ready to finish the job. And then, Dragon had appeared out of nowhere. No Sea Prism Stone, no tricks, just sheer, overwhelming power that had forced Smoker to stop in his tracks. That man—Dragon—was something else entirely.
But the fact that Goku could fly, breaking through the clouds as easily as a bird on the wind… that infuriated Smoker even more. "How is that even possible?" Smoker muttered, his mind scrambling for answers. Goku didn't have a devil fruit ability, yet he defied gravity as if it were nothing. Smoker shook his head, trying to suppress the boiling rage within him. He would need to regroup. His quarry had escaped for now, but Smoker was not one to give up easily.
"Captain Smoker!" A group of Marines rushed to his side, their faces marked with concern and confusion. One of them, clearly panicked, spoke up. "Sir, we saw him—he flew right into the sky! How are we supposed to deal with someone like that?"
"Shut up!" Smoker barked, silencing them. He turned his gaze toward the horizon, where the last vestiges of the storm were clearing. His eyes narrowed. "Straw Hat Goku... You can fly all you want, but I'll hunt you down. No one escapes justice forever."
The Marines stood frozen, unsure whether to move or speak. Smoker's anger was palpable, but something in his demeanor had shifted after Dragon's appearance. One of the younger Marines finally mustered the courage to ask the question on everyone's mind.
"Sir… that man... Dragon… why did he interfere?"
Smoker's jaw tightened as he looked out over the harbor, the waters now calm after the storm. He didn't have an answer for them. All he knew was that this wasn't over. Dragon's involvement, Goku's unnatural abilities—there were too many unknowns in play. But one thing was clear: the Straw Hat crew had just gotten a reprieve.
"It doesn't matter why Dragon interfered," Smoker finally said, his voice like gravel. "The next time I see Goku, I'm taking him down. No matter who gets in the way."
Without another word, Smoker turned on his heel and walked away from the square, his long white coat trailing behind him. The Marines hesitated for a moment before following their captain, though the questions still hung in the air, unanswered.
***
The Going Merry sat peacefully in the middle of the ocean, a good distance from Logue Town, where just half an hour ago, the crew had fought tooth and nail against Buggy's fleet. The ship rocked gently on the waves, the storm long behind them, but the tension still thick in the air. Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Gin were on deck, tending to the ship and quietly going about their business. The fight had been fierce, but their escape had been successful.
Out of the clear sky, Goku descended from above, landing on the deck with a heavy thud. His clothes were torn in several places, and dried blood streaked his arms and legs, but what stood out most was the look of frustration etched across his face. His brows were furrowed, and his usual carefree demeanor was replaced with a tense, quiet fury.
"Goku!" Nami exclaimed as she rushed toward him, her voice filled with concern. "Are you okay? You're bleeding!"
Sanji's cigarette dangled from his lips as he approached. "Looks like you had a rough time with the Marines, huh?"
Zoro glanced up from his position, sharpening his swords. He noted Goku's injuries but remained silent, waiting for him to speak.
Usopp, however, couldn't contain his nervous energy. "What happened up there? Did you fight Smoker? Are we going to be followed?"
Goku, clearly annoyed, waved them off. "I'm fine. Just… got caught off guard, that's all." His voice was steady, but his clenched fists betrayed his frustration. He shook his head as he brushed past them, moving toward his chambers. "Don't worry about it. I just need to rest."
The crew exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond. Nami stepped forward, eyeing the blood staining Goku's arms and legs. "But you're hurt—"
"I said I'm fine," Goku snapped, though his voice wasn't angry, just exhausted. "I'll be good after some rest. Just let me think for a while."
With that, Goku disappeared into his quarters, leaving the rest of the crew on deck, still concerned but respecting his need for space.
Inside his chambers, Goku slumped down onto the floor, his back resting against the wall. His muscles ached from the intense battle with Smoker, and the dull throb of pain from his injuries reminded him of how close he'd come to losing. He glanced at the blood running down his arms, but his mind was elsewhere—on the fight, on Smoker, and more importantly, on how he had been unable to land a proper hit on him.
Sea Prism Stone… Goku thought, his eyes narrowing. It's rare, and he had to use it just to touch him. But something about that feels wrong. His pride as a Saiyan, the warrior blood in his veins, screamed against the idea of using a trick like the Sea Prism Stone to gain an advantage in battle.
He frowned, thinking back to the mysterious man who had appeared during the fight. That man—Dragon—had grabbed Smoker effortlessly, without using the Sea Prism Stone. Goku's mind raced, trying to piece together what he had sensed in that moment. He remembered feeling something different, a strange energy that emanated from Dragon.
"It wasn't ki…" Goku muttered to himself, furrowing his brow in thought. "It was weaker, more diluted. But somehow, it let him touch Smoker. What was that?"
The more he thought about it, the more Goku's frustration began to melt away, replaced by a growing sense of excitement. "So there's a way," he realized, a small smile creeping onto his face. "In the Grand Line… they've found a way to make devil fruit users tangible without Sea Prism Stone."
The implications of this revelation swirled in his mind. If there was some energy or ability in the Grand Line that allowed him to touch devil fruit users without relying on tricks, then he wouldn't have to rely on Sea Prism Stone ever again. He wouldn't have to fight in a way that felt wrong to him.
Goku's smile grew wider. The thought of facing even stronger opponents, using his own strength, sent a thrill through his body. He leaned back against the wall, his mind racing with possibilities. But the exhaustion from the fight finally caught up to him, and before he knew it, his eyes fluttered shut. His body relaxed, his mind calm as he drifted into unconsciousness, a smile still playing on his lips.
---
The Following Morning in Logue Town
Smoker sat in his office, methodically packing up his few belongings. The fight with Goku still weighed heavily on his mind, and his jaw clenched in frustration as he remembered how the battle had ended. He hadn't won—he had taken advantage of Goku's momentary lapse in concentration and had gotten lucky. That fact gnawed at him.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, and Tashigi stepped inside. Her expression was serious, her posture rigid as she approached.
"Captain Smoker," she began, her voice steady, though there was a hint of hesitation. "I'd like to request permission to accompany you when we follow the Straw Hats to the Grand Line."
Smoker paused, looking up at her, one eyebrow raised. "You want to come along? You know it's going to be dangerous."
Tashigi nodded, her gaze unwavering. "I know. But I want to face Roronoa Zoro again. I have to prove myself, not just to him, but to everyone who looks down on me because I'm a woman." Her grip tightened on the hilt of her sword. "I'll defeat him, no matter what."
Smoker studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. He knew Tashigi's drive, her desire to prove herself as a swordswoman. But after what he had seen from Zoro, and more importantly, from Goku, he knew that both of them were on another level.
"You're going to need to get stronger," Smoker said bluntly. "Zoro's no joke, and neither is Goku. What I saw today… it was more than just strength. They're fighting on a different level, and we'll need to match that if we're going to stand a chance."
Tashigi's face hardened with determination. "I understand. But I'm ready to improve. I won't let them look down on me."
Smoker leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment before speaking again. "You saw how I fought Goku, right? I caught him off guard… that's the only reason I had a shot. That moment where he lost focus—it was pure luck that I could take advantage of it. And that Sea Prism Stone…" He glanced down at his jitte, the tip gleaming faintly. "It feels like cheating."
Tashigi blinked, clearly confused. "Cheating? But it's what evens the playing field against devil fruit users. It's the only way we can fight them, right?"
Smoker shook his head slowly, his eyes darkening with thought. "Goku didn't see it that way. From what I could tell, the very idea of using something like the Sea Prism Stone disgusted him. It's not the same as using a sword or a weapon—those depend on the skill of the fighter. The Sea Prism Stone is a crutch. It's a trick, a way to bypass real strength and skill."
Tashigi frowned, her fingers tapping against the hilt of her sword. "But… isn't that a little naïve? A fight is a fight. You do what you need to win."
Smoker met her gaze, his expression serious. "That's true for most. But Goku's different. He's the kind of fighter who wants to win with his own strength, his own power. No tricks, no crutches. And I get that. There's something about using the Sea Prism Stone… it doesn't sit right with me either."
Tashigi's frown deepened, but slowly, she began to understand. "So… Goku would rather fight head-on, with pure strength and skill."
"Exactly," Smoker confirmed, standing up and grabbing his coat. "And if we're going to take them on in the Grand Line, we'll need to think like that too. No more relying on tricks. If we're going to defeat them, we need to be stronger. We need to fight on their level."
Tashigi's eyes burned with determination. "I won't let them look down on me again. I'll be ready, Captain."
Smoker nodded, a rare smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Good. Let's get going then. We've got work to do."
As they finished packing up, Smoker and Tashigi left the office, the weight of their future battles hanging over them. Together, they made their way toward the port, ready to chase the Straw Hats into the Grand Line.
The wind had calmed, and the sea ahead beckoned, promising new challenges and greater opponents. Smoker's mind remained focused on Goku—on the fight that had ended in frustration. He vowed that the next time they met, it would be different.
As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the harbor, Smoker clenched his fists, his resolve hardened.
"Next time, Straw Hat," Smoker muttered to himself as they boarded their ship. "Next time, I'll face you head-on."
[A/N: Read 15 to 20 chapters ahead available on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]