"Strength..."
Finn's expression turned odd, as if he had an inkling of what Smoker was planning.
With a smirk, Finn looked at Smoker and said, "Smokey, are you implying that if I can beat you, I'll prove my qualifications?"
Smoker seized the moment. "Exactly! You got it!"
Tashigi, sensing the tension, quickly interjected, "Colonel, Master Finn is just asking a question, not challenging you..."
She knew all too well the strength Smoker possessed—he was a Logia-type Devil Fruit user! Even notorious pirates with bounties in the tens of millions were no match for him. Only those trained in Armament Haki could hope to stand against a Logia user, and mastering Haki was no easy feat. At Finn's age, it seemed impossible for him to know Haki. Smoker wanting to fight Finn? That was just bullying.
Realizing this, Tashigi's dissatisfaction with Smoker grew. Was he really going to take advantage of his Logia abilities to make things difficult?
But Smoker remained unyielding. "It doesn't matter whether he said it or not! The fact is, in the Marines, strength speaks louder than anything else. If he can really prove himself in a fight, I won't have anything more to say. But if he can't even beat me, then it's clear that Tashigi would be better off staying under my command!"
Smoker was determined not to let Tashigi slip away. He might not be ready to "consume" this opportunity, but he certainly wasn't going to let anyone else have it.
Finn, undeterred, shrugged. "Alright, since that's how you want to play it, let's fight."
Smoker couldn't hide his satisfaction. With Finn agreeing to the duel, the outcome seemed inevitable—after all, without Armament Haki, Logia users like Smoker were invincible.
Tashigi sighed, her frustration evident. She knew Finn didn't understand what he was up against.
"Finn," Garp's expression darkened as he prepared to intervene. He knew Finn had strong physical abilities, but without Armament Haki, there was no way he could handle Smoker's elemental form. If Finn lost, Tashigi would be out of reach, and Garp could only imagine what might happen if Finn resorted to force...
But before Garp could act, Bogart quietly pulled him back. "Master Garp, wait. Finn may seem reckless, but if he's willing to accept this challenge, he must have something up his sleeve."
Garp hesitated, but Bogart was confident. During their previous encounter at Arlong Park, he had sensed a powerful aura from Finn—Haki, unmistakably. And not just any Haki. Though Finn's age made it seem unlikely, Bogart had wondered if Finn's Haki might even surpass his own.
What Bogart didn't know was that Finn's Haki wasn't just better; it could outright dominate someone like him. Now, facing an opponent like Smoker, Bogart believed Finn had a fighting chance.
Smoker, noticing Garp's unease, tried to reassure him. "Vice Admiral, don't worry. I'll go easy on him. Master Finn won't be seriously hurt."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Smoker made his move.
"White Blow!"
In an instant, Smoker's body turned to white smoke, making him intangible. The officers in the room grinned—going straight to elementalization meant Smoker had already won. In the East Blue, countless arrogant pirates had found themselves helpless against Smoker's Logia powers. Finn, it seemed, was destined to meet the same fate.
Smoker's smoke form hovered towards Finn, wrapping around him like a vine. "Master Finn, I'm not bragging, but you don't stand a chance. I'm right here, and you still won't be able to touch me."
Smoker, confident in his invincibility, was even willing to let Finn save face by admitting defeat.
Finn, however, just gave Smoker a strange look, as if he found the whole situation amusing. "Well, this is what you wanted. If you insist on a fight, then I'll give you one."
Finn clenched his right hand into a fist and shook it in front of Smoker. "This fist is the size of a casserole pot and packs a serious punch. Are you sure you really want to take a hit?"
The officers in the room burst into laughter and egged him on. "Go on, Master Finn! Give it your best shot! Don't hold back!"
Smoker, still grinning, taunted him, "Come on, Master Finn. Show me what that casserole-sized fist can do!"
Finn sighed and shrugged. "Alright then..."
Without hesitation, Finn threw a punch.