Bang!
Liepard tilted his head and immediately threw Smoker's Jitte deep into the dense forest. In this clash of two agile fighters, Kuro and Liepard, Smoker had almost no chance of retrieving his weapon.
Unfortunately, Kuro was unaware that Smoker's Jitte were embedded with Sea Prism Stone, a material that could neutralize him. Otherwise, Liepard would have never discarded the weapon.
"Come on, Colonel Smoker," Kuro taunted. "Let's see how strong I've become!"
Kuro brandished his ten-blade cat claw with a newfound, radiant smile. He had expected to be overwhelmed by his opponent, but as the battle progressed, it was clear that Smoker was actually at a disadvantage. It was only then that Kuro realized just how powerful he and Liepard had become without even noticing.
"Damn it!" Smoker cursed as his weapon vanished into the bushes. His anger flared even more, but he had come to understand that Kuro was no simple foe. Since the arrival of the dimensional merchants, the very fabric of this world's order and concepts had been shattered, and the elemental powers he had once relied upon seemed far less effective against Pokémon from other dimensions.
In a moment of realization, a giant wave of smoke erupted from Smoker's body, instantly obscuring Kuro and Liepard's view.
"White Out!"
Originally a power-boosting move, Smoker now used his Devil Fruit ability as an auxiliary to obscure the enemy's vision. He moved swiftly within the layers of smoke, planning to take down the leader first.
Although Liepard was the more formidable fighter, Smoker decided to strike Kuro with a heavy smoke fist, aiming to shatter the resolve of his cunning opponent.
Boom!
The smoke fist, charged with immense power, shot towards Kuro. Despite being a top graduate from the naval training camp, Smoker's overall strength was beyond comparison to Kuro, a minor pirate from the East Blue.
The unexpected blow stunned Kuro momentarily. The next instant, the powerful force catapulted him backwards.
"Cough!"
A mouthful of blood spewed forth as Kuro felt his chest roar in agony, as if his very engine had broken. "You're not to be underestimated!" Kuro quickly wiped the blood from his mouth, his face still lit with a smile.
Despite the blood dripping from his mouth, he quickly shouted, "This is it! Liepard, use *Howl*! "
"ROOAAR!!!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Liepard's voice echoed. A twisting and tearing howl resonated, forming sound waves that surged through the smoke towards Smoker. Smoker's eyes, hidden in the smoke, froze for an instant.
Suddenly, a piercing sensation shot straight into his mind, leaving him momentarily dazed. Such a sound-based attack, which targets the mind, is a devastating blow to someone like Smoker, who had never trained his mental fortitude.
"Perfect timing!"
Noticing Smoker's silhouette re-emerging from the smoke, Kuro's eyes glinted with excitement. The ten blades in his hands shone with a sharp, cold light. Simultaneously, Liepard began to sharpen his claws.
Without needing to communicate, Kuro and Liepard both knew what to do.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the midst of the smoke screen, two figures dashed forward at breakneck speed towards Smoker. The thick smoke parted as their bodies sliced through it, revealing a clearer field of vision.
By then, Smoker had recovered from the effects of the howl, but it was too late.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Ten razor-sharp blades and ten deadly claws simultaneously struck Smoker, who had no time to transform into his elemental state. Blood splattered, tainting the surrounding smoke with crimson.
Under the barrage of dozens of wounds, Smoker became a bloody mess and collapsed onto the ground. As he fell, the thick smoke that filled the air gradually dissipated, revealing the forest's original appearance.
"Damn it!" Smoker cursed once more as he struggled to support himself with his arms, attempting to stand again. Although his strength and talent might not match the true elite of the world, his willpower, honed in the Navy training camp, was unrivaled.
Even with his body covered in blood and his skin torn, Smoker still had the will to fight.
However, at that moment, the two Rotom phones hovering in the air issued a voice broadcast:
"Ding! It has been detected that Pokémon Ghastly has lost its fighting consciousness, and trainer Smoker's injuries have reached 80% of his physical limit. The winner of this qualifying match is…"
"Trainer Kuro and his Pokémon— Liepard!"
"The battle is over!"
Whoosh!
The two Rotom phones swiftly returned to their respective owners. On the screen of Smoker's Rotom phone, the word "Defeated" was displayed. In contrast, Kuro's phone showed "Victory" in large letters.
Kuro's ranking advanced from zero win points in the "Black Iron" tier to one win point.
"We… we won…" Kuro murmured, staring at the notification on his screen, disbelief written all over his face.
Initially, Kuro had only intended to distract Smoker and buy time for the Revolutionary Army. He had never expected to actually defeat the "White Hunter," a renowned figure in the East Blue.
"It's unbelievable," Kuro whispered. He clutched his chest and fell to the ground.
Meanwhile, after seeing the word "Defeated" on his phone, Smoker abandoned his efforts to stand. His arms gave way, and he collapsed into a pool of his own blood. Looking at Kuro, who was not far away, Smoker asked in a strained voice, "Who… who are you?"
"Me?" Kuro grinned, taking out a Poké Ball to return Liepard and help it recover. "I am Kuro, Captain of the 26th Detachment of the Revolutionary Army's Special Operations Team!"
"Revolutionary Army?" Smoker took a deep breath, which was followed by a faint chuckle. "So, the Revolutionary Army has finally made its move."
With Smoker's last words, both wounded fighters closed their eyes and passed out.
Ten minutes later, Sabo came rushing through the woods, finally reaching the battlefield.
"Captain Kuro! Hold on! I'm coming!" Sabo, wielding his metal pipe, smashed through the trees in his path. The lingering smoke from the battle had not yet dissipated, leaving Sabo uncertain of the battle's outcome.
Thud!
As he landed on the soft earth and surveyed the cracked ground, Sabo could almost visualize the ferocity of the battle. His observation haki immediately came into play.
And then…
"Huh?" Sabo stopped dead in his tracks.
He waved his hand, creating a powerful gust that instantly cleared the surrounding smoke.
As the smoke dissipated, it revealed an unconscious man in a suit and a burly man, bloodied and tattered, lying on the ground.
"What… what happened here?" Sabo gasped, stunned by the scene.
——
At the same time, on the eastern coast of the central town...
Nami and Carina, leading a group of revolutionary troops, cautiously poked their heads out from behind the trees.
"That's definitely a naval battleship!" Nami said with a smile as she lowered her telescope, her wrist ready to spring into action.
Carina, standing beside her, also put away her telescope and pulled out the Poké Ball for her Fennekin, smiling.
"Are we moving forward?" Carina asked.
"Let's do this!" Nami replied without hesitation. She waved her arm, signaling the revolutionary soldiers hidden nearby to advance.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out in the quiet port. A naval soldier on the watchtower clutched his abdomen and collapsed in pain.
All of a sudden, gunfire erupted from all directions in the forest.
Flames burst out, and gunshots echoed!
In just a few seconds, the naval soldiers guarding the deck were overwhelmed and fell.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The entire naval warship was thrown into a panic. The navy soldiers hurriedly sought cover and returned fire against the revolutionary army concealed in the forest.
The brutality of war was evident.
The revolutionary army, intent on toppling the World Government and its naval forces, faced an opponent they could not reconcile with.
Once the battle began, neither side had room for hesitation!
"What's happening?" Tashigi, who was in the cabin, was startled by the sudden gunfire on the deck. She quickly grabbed the famed sword, Shigure, hanging on the wall and rushed toward the deck.
With Colonel Smoker on a solo mission, Tashigi, as his deputy, naturally assumed the role of the battleship's highest commander.
Reaching the deck, she immediately halted a panicked naval soldier and inquired, "What's going on?"
"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!" The soldier replied, hurriedly loading his musket. "The enemy's firepower is overwhelming. There are at least a hundred of them. They have the advantage of higher ground. We can't target them effectively from the ship, and our soldiers are taking heavy casualties!"
"An enemy attack?" Tashigi murmured in disbelief. "Is there really a large force of the Revolutionary Army here?"
Seeing the wounded naval soldiers near the ship's railing, Tashigi drew her sword. A flash of steel cut through the air, deflecting the incoming bullets. She then commanded the navy soldiers, "The terrain is against us!"
"Order all the navy soldiers to return to the cabin and randomly fire artillery shells into the forest!"
Although lacking command experience, Tashigi had observed countless battle scenarios and quickly chose the safest strategy.
"Understood!" The naval soldier nodded and relayed Tashigi's orders.
Suddenly, the panicked navy soldiers found their footing, retreated while firing, and gradually moved back into the cabin.
Meanwhile, the revolutionary army, fresh from capturing the Kingdom of Goa, was not well-supplied.
Seeing the navy's strategic shift, Carina raised her arm and ordered the revolutionary troops to cease fire. She then reported to Nami, "Nami, I spotted the enemy's commander near the cabin door."
"As our intel suggested, it's a young woman wielding a famous sword!"
"Is that Tashigi?" Nami confirmed as she observed the movements on the warship through her telescope. She nodded, retrieved a special den-den mushi, and instructed, "All units, retreat immediately!"
"Pull back as far as possible! The enemy has heavy artillery, and the area is about to be shelled!"
The moment Nami issued her command, the forest was filled with the rustling sounds of soldiers retreating.
Once all the soldiers were at a safe distance, Nami smirked and turned her attention back to the battleship, her eyes shining with anticipation.
Before setting out, Sabo had specifically told her that all the spoils from this operation would belong to her.
A naval battleship of this size could be worth 200 to 300 million Baileys!
Including all the materials on board, the total valuation could be at least 500 million Baileys!
In other words...
After this battle, Nami could make a huge profit, bringing her closer to reviving her mother!
A glint flashed in her eyes.
In a heartbeat, Nami stepped out of the forest and sprinted towards the naval battleship.
As she ran, she pulled out Pikachu and Butterfree's special Poké Balls from a hidden pocket.
These were new, luxurious homes she had arranged for her Pokémon.
It was said that Pokémon residing in these balls would be more comfortable than in regular Poké Balls.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dozens of cannons fired simultaneously.
The thunderous cannonade shook the very sky.
Artillery shells rained down into the forest, setting off massive fires and engulfing the area in flames.
"Perfect!" Nami exclaimed, watching the trajectory of the cannon fire. By running towards the battleship, she ensured that the cannons aimed at the forest wouldn't target her.
And now, she could infiltrate the battleship and engage the navy in close combat.
This way, she didn't have to worry about Pikachu's powerful electric shocks damaging the battleship and diminishing its value!
Given Pikachu's current strength, Nami was genuinely concerned that it could destroy the battleship in one strike.
From the very start, everything on the battleship was considered [personal property] by Nami.
She wouldn't allow her property to be harmed!
A flash of red light, and the agile yellow mouse appeared on Nami's shoulder.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried out, full of fighting spirit.
Beside Nami, Butterfree's figure also materialized.
"Butterfree-sensei, it's up to you!" Nami said, extending her arm to grab Butterfree's leg.
"Butterfree~" Butterfree sighed softly.
As Pikachu's power had grown, Butterfree's role was mainly to serve as transportation now.
Thanks to Butterfree's assistance, Nami successfully avoided the artillery fire and landed safely on the deck of the battleship.
Surveying the empty deck, she licked her lips seductively, then smiled.
"Time to seize it all!"
(End of this chapter)