Loguetown was the closest settlement to the entrance of the Grand Line.
Because of that, it had become a gathering place for many wanted criminals eager to test their luck on the Grand Line.
Wherever there were bounty targets especially in large numbers there were bounty hunters.
Since Smoker had been assigned to garrison Loguetown, it had become a regular occurrence for bounty hunters to drop by with captives in tow, requesting his signature to claim the reward.
Usually, they came with just two or three.
But what was this situation?
"Ah! Lieutenant Smoker, you're back!" A Marine came rushing in and reported breathlessly, "Sir, these are all confirmed bounty targets!"
Huh? All of them?
Smoker paused, his gaze drifting toward the young boy leaning against the wall inside the office, calmly sipping from a wine gourd.
It was that brat again.
Smoker's brow furrowed.
He stepped around the pile of unconscious bodies stacked in the middle of the office and walked over to Lucas Moore.
"You caught all these guys?"
Lucas set down the gourd, his expression calm as he looked up at Smoker and gave a quiet nod.
Only about half were his doing, actually.
But saying that out loud might make the Smoke Man suspicious.
Smoker narrowed his eyes slightly. "You a bounty hunter?"
"I'm a traveler."
"Traveler?" Smoker didn't buy it. "Since when do travelers go around capturing a dozen wanted men? You that strapped for cash?"
Lucas didn't bother to deny it and gave a faint, indifferent grunt of agreement.
Despite his lingering doubts, Smoker could at least be sure of one thing:
This kid wasn't a pirate.
"Hey, what's the total bounty on these guys?" Smoker asked, glancing toward the Marine at the door.
The Marine straightened up and reported crisply, "Sir, the total comes to 4.55 million Berries!"
"Record all of them."
"Already done, sir!"
Smoker: "..."
He continued, "Bring me the documents so I can sign."
"Yes, sir!"
The Marine promptly handed over the bounty forms, already filled out in advance.
Smoker signed without hesitation and passed the documents to Lucas.
Lucas accepted them without ceremony.
Mission accomplished. Time to leave.
Just as he turned to go, Smoker stepped in front of him.
"I'm not done with you. What's your name?"
Lucas replied without much patience, "Lucas Moore."
"Age?"
"Ten."
"What? Ten?" Smoker blinked in surprise, then continued asking, "When did you start training in Armament Haki?"
Lucas stared at him and answered flatly, "Less than a month ago."
"What?" Smoker froze, then burst into laughter. "Ha! You expect me to believe that? No one can catch bullets bare-handed after only a month of Haki training!"
Lucas didn't bother replying.
Just then, a lazy voice called from outside the office.
"Well, well. What's with the pile of bodies?"
Aokiji strolled in through the door.
When he saw Lucas standing inside, he scratched his head. "Eh? You actually came?"
"What do you mean by 'actually came'?" Smoker looked at him in confusion.
"Nothing important," Aokiji waved it off.
"So why did you come to Loguetown?" Smoker asked, exasperated.
"What, I can't drop by just because I'm in the area? Figured I'd check in on you while I passed through."
"Good timing." Smoker took a long drag from his cigar. "Roger's death anniversary is in a few days. A bunch of pirate fanboys are sure to show up to pay tribute. If you've got time, help me catch them."
Aokiji looked like someone had just asked him to do manual labor. "I didn't come here to catch pirates. That's your job."
"You're a Marine too, aren't you? Catching pirates is part of your duty."
"Ahh... such a drag." Aokiji scratched his head, utterly unmotivated. "I'm just out for a stroll. A couple of small-time pirates? You can handle that."
Smoker: "..."
"You're a Navy Admiral! Do you think that attitude's appropriate?"
"You really haven't changed at all," Aokiji said, waving him off. "Fine, fine. Since you're begging, I'll help you just this once."
"'Just this once'?" Smoker's forehead twitched. "You are a Marine. This is literally your job!"
"Alright, alright, I get it. No need to blow a fuse." Aokiji pointed lazily at Lucas, who was just about to exit. "So, what about the kid?"
Smoker narrowed his eyes again.
In a puff of smoke, his body dematerialized and then instantly reformed at the doorway, blocking Lucas once more.
Smoker had eaten the Moku Moku no Mi, a Logia-type Devil Fruit that allowed him to transform into smoke.
His smoke could even become solid to restrain enemies.
It was an annoying ability on paper, but among the Logia class, it was far from the most impressive.
The fact that he never seemed to win a single fight after chasing the Straw Hats into the Grand Line spoke volumes.
"Lucas Moore. You're not leaving until I finish questioning you," Smoker said, standing firm.
Lucas: "..."
"You're not from Loguetown, are you?"
Lucas really didn't want to talk to him more than necessary, but refusing to cooperate would only make things worse.
He gave a silent nod.
Smoker continued, "Where are you from?"
"Foosha Village."
"Hm? Foosha Village? That sounds familiar..."
Smoker tried to recall, but drew a blank.
It was Aokiji who stroked his chin and gave a lazy reminder, "That's Vice Admiral Garp's hometown, isn't it?"
Smoker jolted. "Right! Foosha Village is where Garp comes from. If you're from there, then you must know Vice Admiral Garp?"
Lucas did know Garp.
In fact, he'd only shaken off that old bloodhound a few days ago at Baratie.
But telling the truth would only get him dragged into endless questioning.
Without hesitation, he shook his head. "Heard of him, never met him."
"Never met him? You sure about that?" Smoker looked doubtful.
At that moment, Aokiji suddenly sat down cross-legged on the floor.
Smoker looked at him, exasperated. "What are you doing?"
"My legs are tired. Just taking a seat," Aokiji said, waving a hand. "Don't mind me. Carry on."
The sudden interruption broke Smoker's flow.
With a sigh, he said, "Fine. One last question, kid. You say you're a traveler. Where are you headed next?"
Lucas replied without hesitation, "The Grand Line."
Smoker blinked. "You're going alone?"
Lucas: "Yeah."
"Do you even know what the Grand Line is? A kid like you would be throwing his life away going there."
"Bit harsh, don't you think?" Aokiji propped up his head with one hand, staring blankly. "Maybe the kid really can make a name for himself out there."
Smoker didn't budge. "What kind of name can a traveler make? He's just a ten-year-old child."
He fixed his eyes on Lucas.
"If you're serious about heading to the Grand Line, then fight me first. If you win, I won't stand in your way. If you lose... you join the Marines."
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