"Surround them!" Captain Smoker shouted to his men.
A wave of rhythmic footsteps followed as hundreds of marines, rifles in hand, encircled the royal palace.
"What's going on?"
"Why are the Marines here? Don't tell me they're here to arrest Captain Ryuuto!"
"Damn it!"
"Those damn Marines! How could they treat Captain Ryuuto like this!"
The angry shouts of the citizens echoed through the square. Smoker felt his head spin. He took a hard drag from the cigars clenched in his teeth and yelled up at Ryuuto and the others on the roof, "Ryuuto, surrender now!"
Hina stared up at the rooftop, her expression unreadable.
Tashigi, however, already had her hand on the hilt of Shigure, ready for battle.
"They're finally here!" Ryuuto stretched lazily, shooting a reassuring glance toward Nami and Vivi before leaping down to land gracefully in front of Smoker.
Nami glanced at Crocus, who was lounging on a deck chair, engrossed in a newspaper. Cobra and Vivi, on the other hand, were visibly tense. "You have to trust our captain," Nami said. "He defeated Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords. This is just a Marine captain!"
"Well, if it isn't an old acquaintance," Ryuuto said, one hand casually in his pocket, his expression relaxed as he faced Smoker.
Smoker gripped his jitte, his face grim. "I won't be letting you go this time!" he said in a low, serious voice.
Tashigi drew Shigure, its tip pointed at Ryuuto.
Hina flicked her fingers, and black iron cages shot out, forming a circle around him.
"Oh? Is this what you call justice?" Ryuuto said with a mocking smile, his gaze sweeping over the three of them.
At his words, Smoker lowered the hand holding his jitte, his expression complex.
"You must have heard about Crocodile's evil deeds in Alabasta. Are you really going to follow orders and arrest me now?" Ryuuto continued, his tone calm as he stared directly at Smoker.
"Smoker!" Hina's voice cut through the air. With a sharp cry, the iron cages she'd released shot forward like a long dragon, coiling toward Ryuuto.
This was the power of the Paramecia-type Ori Ori no Mi, which allowed any part of her body to become a cage. The cages she produced could bind enemies tightly.
Furthermore, the iron bars were incredibly hard. As a result, it was extremely difficult for anyone caught to break free.
"Steel-Render!" Ryuuto barked. In a flash, Yubashiri was unsheathed. Coated in Armament Haki, it instantly became a black blade.
A flash of white light erupted from the sword, striking the black iron bars.
Clang!
With a sharp ring of metal on metal, the powerful slash cleaved the bars in two.
"No way! Captain Hina's cage!"
The soldiers cried out in shock. Hina's iron bars had always been unstoppable. And now, this man had shattered them with a single stroke.
"White Barrage!"
The moment the bars were cut, Smoker's voice rang out. Countless fists made of white smoke hammered toward Ryuuto.
Hina's shout had snapped Smoker out of his hesitation, reminding him of his mission. Seeing Ryuuto slice through Hina's cages so easily had also reminded him of their fight in Loguetown. Now, Smoker wanted to see just how strong Ryuuto had truly become.
"Such a familiar move," Ryuuto murmured.
It seemed Smoker's strength hadn't improved much at all.
Was it because Logia users had it too easy in the early stages?
By the time the myriad of smoke-fists dissipated the afterimage Ryuuto had left behind, he had already reappeared directly in front of Smoker.
"Let's see how much you've progressed!"
The black blade Yubashiri, radiating a sinister aura, slashed down at Smoker.
"Not good!"
How did Ryuuto get so strong, so fast?
"Danger!"
As the black blade descended, Smoker felt an overwhelming sense of peril. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind in an instant. He knew this attack had him completely locked down; even turning into smoke wouldn't let him escape.
In a desperate move, he whipped out his jitte and thrust it in front of him.
"Come on! Armament Haki!" Smoker roared, a look of pure desperation on his face, as if willing his entire spirit into a physical form.
Clang!
The black blade slammed into the jitte, creating a deafening impact.
At the very last second, Smoker had managed to use his fledgling Armament Haki—the same Haki he had struggled to master through countless beatings.
His eyes widened, a mix of elation and dread filling them. He had finally managed to manifest it, but because he lacked practical experience, Smoker still couldn't control it properly.
"How... He's too strong! I can't hold on!" A sense of powerlessness washed over Smoker as he felt the immense force traveling up his arms.
"Looks like I underestimated you," Ryuuto murmured, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He pressed down with both hands, and with a piercing screech of metal, Yubashiri ground against the jitte. Instantly, Ryuuto's right leg was coated in Armament Haki as he unleashed his Supreme Right Kick!
Bang!
Smoker had no time to dodge. He took the full force of the kick.
He shot backward like a cannonball, a sonic boom echoing in his wake as he crashed heavily into a wall.
His condition was unknown.
"Captain Smoker!" The soldiers cried out in despair. Smoker's subordinates, in particular, were thrown back to that fateful day in Loguetown.
"Temporal Wave!" A soft cry came from nearby. Tashigi, gripping Shigure with both hands, leaped into the air and brought her sword down on Ryuuto. The previous exchange had happened in the blink of an eye, and she now attacked with gritted teeth and grim resolve.
"Black Spear Formation!"
Hina crossed her arms over her chest and then thrust them forward. Instantly, a barrage of massive, spear-like iron bars shot from her sides, forming a dense, piercing phalanx.
"Honestly."
"Loyal subordinates and their bosom buddy."
Ryuuto mused, watching the two of them attack. But he had business to attend to.
"Hey, four-eyes, catch this casual slash!" he shouted at Tashigi, flicking his right wrist. The black blade Yubashiri sent a single arc of light flying toward her.
Ryuuto then turned his attention to Hina's signature move. The Black Spear Formation was designed for wide-area piercing attacks or to trap an enemy in an iron cage.
But it was too slow.
Under his Observation Haki, Ryuuto took a single step and vanished, leaving only an afterimage. When he reappeared, he was standing directly in front of Hina, the tip of Yubashiri resting gently against her neck.