Chapter 9: Justice and Chaos

"Silent Step!"

Clow's feet consecutively pushed off the ground, and his figure vanished.

Tashigi felt a chilling breeze directly at her back and instinctively turned around to block with her sword.

Clang!

The claw blades of the five fingers rested on Tashigi's sword, sparking a burst of flames.

"A famous sword."

Clow looked at Tashigi's sword with some envy.

The named sword, "Shigure," belonged to the category of "Grade" Although it wasn't among the "50 Skillful Grade", "21 Great Grade", and "12 Supreme Grade" of the blades, it still held a place among the "Meito."

However, Kuro wasn't interested in one of those Meito. Otherwise, he already gets the sword "Sandai Kitetsu" or "Yubashiri" that exists in Louguetown now.

"That technique,"

Smoker's attention was on Clow; when he first saw him, he didn't think Clow was particularly strong. 

He had no fondness for the Seven Warlords, and he only believed in what he saw with his own eyes, not Kuro's words. The Clow he saw gave off an impression of someone with hidden strength, but not exceptionally strong.

However, this move surprised him.

"Seems like 'Shave,' Tashigi might have some trouble."

Smoker felt a sinking feeling, but he still had some doubts. "Is this person forced to join a pirate crew?"

"He has a longing for justice, isn't that enough?"

Kuro grinned, "Worried your subordinates will lose? No problem, after all, Clow is the strongest among us Marines!"

"No, if it's only this level, Tashigi will win." Smoker shook his head.

Tashigi barely blocked Clow's attacks, took a step back, leaned forward with her upper body, and the blade traced upward, aiming to cut Clow's throat.

He was a man recognized by the world's greatest swordsman, so she would give it her all; there should be no problem!

The cold blade swiftly approached, and Clow's pupils contracted, instinctively crouching down. Tashigi twisted her wrist, transforming the slash into a cleave, descending heavily.

Boom!

Clow's body crashed heavily into the distance. He rolled with the impact, struggling to get up.

His meticulously arranged hair was now somewhat disheveled, and a new wound appeared on his cheek.

If he hadn't dodged quickly just now, that slash would have killed him.

'I almost... died.'

"I'm angry, Marines!"

Clow's pupils almost turned into vertical slits, and his voice became as cold as ice, sending a shiver down the spines of the Marines watching.

"Are you serious, Clow? Let me see your swordsmanship!"

Tashigi was even more excited, thinking that Mr. Clow should be serious now.

Clow's hands drooped, seemingly powerless, swaying like a pendulum.

A murderous aura filled the air.

"Spoon!"

His figure disappeared.

But the killing intent thoroughly permeated.

Swoosh!

Five deep marks were drawn across a Marine structure.

Tashigi was still anticipating when buildings around them began to crack, and then the ground in front of her suddenly showed five marks, heading straight toward them.

"Tashigi, duck!"

"Yes, Captain Smoker!"

Instinctively, Tashigi lowered her head.

A cold light flashed over Tashigi's head, and a strand of hair fell and shattered.

Clang!

Jitte clashed with the claw blades, revealing Clow's figure above the mist, and Smoker's upper body was above the smoke.

Boom!

Smoker's fist hit Clow, and he grabbed his head, pressing him to the ground. "You're not the one with the same name. You're 'Hyakuju' Clow. I didn't expect you're still alive. Daring to infiltrate the Marines, you've got guts!"

"Mr. Kuro... Kuro."

"Dare to call Kuro? That idiot was deceived by you."

Smoker said coldly, "After all, with the title of 'Hyakuju,' even I didn't think of it at first. But your strength doesn't match Hawkeye's praise. Hmph, don't know where the rumors came from."

"Hey, you should let go."

Suddenly, a voice came from behind.

Mixed with a strong wind.

Lida transformed into a teenage girl, delivering a sideways kick. However, her leg directly passed through Smoker's body.

"Logia?"

Lida showed surprise.

"A Devil Fruit user?"

Smoker's Jitte struck directly, and Lida's figure shifted to the side. With one hand, she grabbed the Ten Hands, but unfortunately, her hand caught the front end of the Ten Hands.

"Can't use strength, Sea... Sea Stone?"

Lida almost kneeled.

"Another one turns out to be an accomplice."

Smoker's Jitte struck straight, and a smoke rose around him. Gradually undergoing elementalization, he sneered, "Catch her, Tashigi!"

"Yes!"

Tashigi regained her senses, the blade turned, and she rushed towards Lida.

Whoosh! Clang!

A precise golden slash hit Tashigi's sword, the tremendous force causing her to lose grip, and Shigure, in mid-air, flipped a few times before steadily stabbing into the ground.

"Flying Slash?!" Tashigi exclaimed in surprise.

"All right, that's enough. Give me some face."

Kuro appeared next to Smoker, grabbing his shoulder, and deliberately spoke loudly, "Let's call it a day. How about you and I find a place to have a drink, my friend?"

Smoker's expression changed, he glanced at Kuro, retracted the Jitte, and, in front of the Marines, was led away by Kuro towards a distance.

It's not that he wanted to let it go like this, but when he elementalized, Kuro unexpectedly caught him.

"Impressive, Haki and Flying Slash."

Smoker's gaze became solemn. "You, hiding your strength so well?"

Kuro scratched his head, looked directly at Smoker, and said, "Don't take it so seriously. How about finding a place to have a couple of drinks?"

After looking at him for a while, Smoker nodded and said, "Sure."

"Hey, you two, come over here too."

Kuro called out to Lida and Clow.

...

A restaurant in Loguetown.

Everyone gathered around the dining table. Lida was devouring her food, Clow was wiping his glasses on the side, and Tashigi, holding her sword, remained vigilant.

"Ruxiru Kuro."

Smoker deeply looked at the man who had just taken one of his cigars and was now blowing smoke rings. "Hidden in the Marines for ten years, what do you want?"

"Why say it like that? I'm not a bad person. I just want to live a safe and peaceful life. Although you may find it hard to understand, that is indeed my wish."

"No, I understand."

Smoker looked at him and said, "This kind of thinking is shared by an old man who doesn't work but reaps the benefits. The man Hawkeye spoke of is you, Kuro."

Kuro nodded helplessly. "I didn't want to take action, but the Shichibukai was too arrogant."

"Indeed. Being able to use the Flying Slash, Mr. Kuro is the one aiming for the title of the world's greatest swordsman."

Tashigi excitedly said, "It must be a mistake with the similar names, Mr. Clow, rest assured, I will clear your name!"

Clow glanced appreciatively at Tashigi, and the lingering resentment from the natural airhead's entanglement just now vanished without a trace.

Kuro twitched at the corner of his mouth, wondering if he had gone too easy with that slash just now.

"Anyway, please make sure to keep this confidential. I don't want the higher-ups to notice me. It would be too troublesome."

"Such a waste, Mr. Kuro!"

Tashigi retorted, "Those words are useless. A man like you, no matter where you are, is like a firefly in the pitch-black darkness, so vivid, so outstanding!"

Indeed, that slash was too lenient.

Smoker exhaled a puff of smoke. "I'm not interested in what kind of justice you uphold. That's your choice. Just remember the responsibilities of the Marines."

He glanced at Clow and said, "There have been precedents of pirates joining the Marines, even 'dead' ones."

"Yeah, that's right. You are still very reasonable, Smoker."

Kuro laughed heartily. "I'm off then, haven't explored Loguetown on my first day. Oh, by the way, this meal is on you."

Smoker opened a bottle of rum, paying no attention to Kuro leaving. He was still thinking about things.

A swordsman praised by Hawkeye, and a decent addition to the Marines. No matter what, having a strong force join the Marines was a good thing.

In this world, there are plenty of powerful individuals with quirks. In Smoker's eyes, Kuro was one of those quirky strong individuals.

[T/N: Smorker means 'Quirks' are like Aokiji Kuzan whose quirks are Lazy.]

"Hmph, for safety? Tashigi, you're right. A man like him can't hide for long." Smoker smiled 

"Check, Captain Smoker, generous 300,000 Berries." The owner came over with a smiling face.

?

Smoker glanced at the high stack of plates on the table.

"That little girl... Hey, Kuro!"

Smoker shouted towards the door.

But Kuro had already slipped away.

Saving money means saving a meal. It's not easy to support a foodie.

.....

"Ensign Kuro, we will never forget you!"

At the port.

Kass and the other Marines were tearful.

Kass tightly held Kuro's hand and refused to let go, his voice choked with emotion.

They were temporary members, essentially belonging to the 153rd Branch. After seeing off Kuro, their mission would be complete, and they would return to the 153rd Branch.

"Kass, I won't forget you either."

Kuro forced a stiff smile and replied casually.

"Ensign, rest assured, after we go back, we will never forget your guidance. We'll train hard, become noble Marines, and strive to enter the headquarters, serving under your command." Kass cried.

Please, no!

Kuro subconsciously tightened his grip on Kass's hand. With someone like him imagining things, he wondered how he would survive the days ahead.

Just because of your vivid imagination, he had to go to the headquarters. On the way, he even encountered Hawkeye. 

If you come to the headquarters and ask me to go to the New World and fight against the Four Emperors, do I have to risk my life?

Kass's hand hurt, but he thought Kuro was reluctant to part, so he cried even more vigorously.

Finally sending off Kass, Kuro breathed a sigh of relief.

He could finally have a moment of peace.

Loguetown returned to its normal course.

Recruiting Lida and Clow was easy to handle. As a Captain at the headquarters, Smoker directly approved them, waiting for the recruitment ship to arrive to enter the headquarters together.

In terms of rank, they were Petty Officers, waiting for training in the headquarters. They belonged to Kuro's direct subordinates.

But in Loguetown, there were always pirates who wanted to go to the Grand Line. 

Just catch a few, and they could be promoted when they reach the headquarters.

It was their own business, and Kuro couldn't be bothered. After all, a Petty Officer is just a low position. They needed some merit to be promoted to higher ranks.

Smoker was also very reassured by these two. After all, they were strong combatants. 

As for Clow, he wouldn't say much. He had heard of this name before, and the combat power was enough to ensure.

As for Lida, being a Devil Fruit user, and after mixing with Kuro for a while, he understood that she was a Haki user. 

Naturally, he let them team up with Tashigi to catch some pirates who didn't know the height of the sky.

Bang!

Bang, bang, bang!

On the training ground, Smoker was sparring with Lida.

Knowing that Lida's Haki proficiency was not weak, Smoker seemed to be a bit stimulated. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would challenge Lida. 

Lida didn't want to at first, but the food reward in the Marine cafeteria was too tempting.

Smoker wanted to train with Kuro more, but Kuro's words made him dispel the idea.

"What? You're asking me how I practice? Let me think... I get up at eight o'clock every morning, start cutting down mountains after smoking a cigarette, until eight o'clock in the evening." 

"After that, I spent two hours training my Observation Haki. At eleven o'clock, I go to bed on time." 

"Before going to bed, I must have a glass of red wine and spend another hour practicing my physical skills to ensure that every aspect of my body is trained." 

"I go to bed and fall asleep immediately. I sleep until dawn, never leaving fatigue and pressure to the next day. The military doctors all say I'm very normal."

Why is such a monster still in the East Blue?! Are there no discerning people in the Marine?!

Smoker could naturally use Haki, but his Busoshoku Haki had not reached the level of "Hardening" yet. 

His Kenbunshoku Haki was good, but compared to Lida, it was far behind, not to mention compared with Kuro.

However, he was a Logia user, and Logia users couldn't be measured by common sense.

In theory, with Lida's ability combined with Busoshoku Haki, it would be a precise and unbeatable combination. 

However, Smoker was not an ordinary person. With the power of the Logia type, he inherently possessed strong maneuverability.

Moreover, covering Haki with Devil Fruit abilities was extremely rare, except in cases of the user's direct combat or material coverage.

Lida's ability involved physical contact, but Haki was an invisible armor. 

If Lida covered her ability with Haki, she couldn't activate her power. Without using Haki, he couldn't catch Smoker.

Besides, her combat style consumed a lot, and she was more of a burst-type fighter, lacking endurance.

In a battle without using the Sea Stone, Smoker and Lida are evenly matched but in the end, it's always Lida who wins.

After each loss, Smoker would become very irritable.

"Hey, Clow, let's practice. I'll guide you in the practice of 'Shave'!"

After losing again, Smoker looked at Clow with an iron face.

Kuro: "?"

Why is it always me who gets injured?

He had raised the request to improve his strength. Smoker happened to say that his qualities could withstand training in the realm of 'Shave.' 

However, what Clow wanted was training, not being beaten up!

"Too slow!"

"Are you a snail?"

"The 'Spoon' you are proud of is just an 'uncontrolled Shave' without direction. Many Marines can do that!"

"If you can't even master it, you need to intensify your training!"

After that, Clow lay on the ground, bruised and swollen, looking at the sky, doubting the meaning of life.

"I was wrong. I really shouldn't have agreed to join the Marines from the beginning. If I didn't join the Marine, I wouldn't have suffered such a beating, and I wouldn't have fallen to such a state."

Clow felt bitter in his heart.

Base office.

Kuro leaned back on the sofa, leisurely puffing on a cigar, feeling the gentle breeze outside the window. He closed his eyes, exhaling a smoke ring, savoring the tranquility.

Life was quite peaceful.

He had his feet propped up on the table. With a snap, the stone tower that Smoker was stacking instantly collapsed.

"Hey, Kuro!"

Smoker shouted.

"Hush, enjoy this peace, Smoker."

Kuro stood up, extinguished the cigar, plucked another one from Smoker's chest, and lit it again.

"At least I have a higher rank. Show some respect. Also, don't you have money to buy your own?" Smoker's forehead veins popped.

"Money..."

Hearing that word, Kuro's mood soured.

"Wow, this tastes so good. Clow, give me that one."

Lida's voice came from below the window.

Lida was walking in front, eating something, while Clow, looking miserable, followed with bags of snacks.

Kuro glanced at Smoker, "My money, can you really call it money?"

Smoker paused for a moment, then shook his head with a smile.

Indeed, the appetite of that big eater was astonishing, even surprising Smoker himself.

"Captain Smoker, Ensign Kuro, something big is happening!"

A Marine rushed in, saluting. "We've received news from headquarters. Monkey D. Luffy and his crew are heading to Loguetown!"

At this news, Kuro's spirit was shaken.

"Monkey D. Luffy? Who's that?" Smoker asked.

"He's the pirate with a bounty of 30 million Berries."

Smoker's face darkened. "Just 30 million... and he calls himself a great pirate? Truly overrated."

"Captain, he defeated Captain Creek and the Fish-Man Arlong, a notorious and wicked pirate."

"Creek?"

Smoker looked at Kuro. "Have you encountered this Monkey D. Luffy?"

"Well... I vaguely remember him, but I didn't meet him. I was stopped by Hawk-Eye before." Kuro thought for a moment.

"Forget it."

Smoker stood up, addressing the Marine, "Getting nervous over such a small matter. What kind of discipline is this? Since I took charge here, have any pirates escaped?"

"No, sir!" The Marine was sweating under Smoker's gaze.

"Hey, are you going to check it out?" Smoker asked Kuro.

Kuro waved his hand, indicating that he wasn't interested.

"All right, enjoy your relaxation, lazy guy."

Smoker walked out.

Kuro looked out the window, squinting.

"The world... is starting to stir."

But what did it have to do with him? Playing it safe and living steadily was the way to go. 

Besides, that troublemaker would come and go, causing no harm to civilians.

"Pirate King?"

From Kuro's perspective, he could see the high execution platform in the square.

He sneered, "I am on Justice's side."

On the Justice side, what mattered was not just being good but maintaining order.

For the Chaos side, it was about disliking anything and destroying everything.

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