After Kaya disappeared into the crowd, the tension between Zino and Smoker crackled like static in the air. Both men stood still for a heartbeat, sizing each other up in silence.
Then, without warning, Smoker acted.
His body billowed into thick, gray smoke, dispersing and streaking forward like a violent storm. His goal was clear—end this quickly. Using his Devil Fruit powers, he extended his smoke to envelop Zino, trying to trap him and bind his limbs like coiling snakes.
But Zino was ready.
With a sharp step and a blur of motion, Zino vanished from sight using *Soru*, reappearing in the air with a burst from *Geppo*. The smoke swirled beneath him, grasping at nothing.
"Nice try," Zino muttered, raising his leg. With a flick and a sharp kick, he unleashed *Rankyaku*—a slicing crescent of compressed air, cutting through the air like a blade.
The attack flew straight through Smoker's smoke form, striking nothing.
Smoker reformed a few feet away, his eyes narrowing. "Rokushiki…" he muttered. "So the rumors were true."
He clenched his jaw, suddenly more serious. "You really are Kong's grandson."
Zino just shrugged. He then adjusted his stance, eyes never leaving the Marine Captain.
Smoker grabbed his seastone-tipped jitte, the metal weapon crackling slightly as he merged it with his smoke. He charged again, using both his weapon and his Logia powers in tandem to overwhelm Zino.
Zino danced away, just outside the reach of the smoke and jitte. His movements were fluid—controlled yet unpredictable.
"You're too slow," Zino said calmly, his expression unreadable. "You won't land a hit on me like that."
Smoker's scowl deepened. "And you can't hurt me either," he growled. "You're just buying time. Eventually, you'll get tired."
"Maybe," Zino replied with a small smirk.
Then, to Smoker's confusion, Zino pulled something from his satchel—small, capsule-like vials. Without hesitation, he began swallowing them one by one.
"…What the hell are you doing?" Smoker narrowed his eyes. "Using drugs to keep yourself going? That won't last long. Stimulants burn out eventually."
Zino didn't respond. He continued swallowing the capsules with practiced precision, his movements synchronized with his evasive footwork. Every time Smoker lunged forward, Zino was just barely out of reach, darting into the air, flipping over rooftops, or vanishing in a blur of Soru.
The cat and mouse fight goes on for sometimes, and Zino keep swallowing medicines all of that time. And then it came.
*Ding!*
A mechanical chime echoed in Zino's mind.
[System Notification: Medicine Element has reached Level 20.]
Zino's eyes sharpened. He then used Soru to retreat a few distance away, further than the usual retreat. After that, he stayed still, waiting for the next notification. Then it happened.
[Now, you can swallow a new element.]
Zino smiled. That notifications sounds so sweet to him at this moment.
Reaching *Level 20* in the Medicine element wasn't just another notch in Zino's growth—it meant he could now swallow a new element, and control it. With *Smoke* swirling in the air around him, the timing couldn't have been more perfect.
Standing his ground, Zino stared across the clearing at Captain Smoker, a small smirk curling at the corner of his lips. He looked unbothered, calm—even amused. It was the kind of confidence that made seasoned warriors uneasy.
Smoker narrowed his eyes. "What're you planning now, brat?"
Zino didn't answer. He only gesture with his hand for Smoker to come.
"Arrogant!"
Without waiting, Smoker surged forward, body dissolving into a torrent of smoke that spread like a storm cloud. The vapor rushed toward Zino, curling through the air like grasping hands, ready to entrap and suffocate.
But Zino didn't flinch. This time, he welcomed it.
"Swallow."
He drew a long, focused breath, and the smoke obeyed. As if sucked into a vacuum, large streams of Smoker's misty form were *pulled* straight into Zino's body. It wasn't just a trick—it was a deliberate consumption of Smoker's own element.
"This...is bad!"
A jolt of instinctual fear shot through Smoker. He immediately tried to retreat and *re-solidify*, reforming his torso and head in the distance.
But Zino was already on the move.
With a flash of Soru, he vanished and reappeared right at Smoker's side—faster than the captain could fully recover his balance.
Zino clenched his fist.
"Hokoken!"
A devastating *shockwave* erupted from his punch, not upon contact, but just before it—a compressed *air blast*, infused with the raw power of the element he now partially controlled. The force struck Smoker clean in the gut.
"Ugh!" Smoker's body convulsed as the blast knocked him clean off his feet, launching him through the air. He smashed into a wooden fence, splinters flying in every direction.
The crowd nearby gasped, some fleeing as the battle escalated.
Smoker groaned and forced himself upright, his abdomen burning. He'd taken real damage—not from Seastone, not from Haki—but from his own element, turned against him.
"You… swallowed my smoke…" he said, disbelief in his voice.
Zino cracked his knuckles, calm and composed. "Didn't you say I couldn't touch you? Thought I'd fix that."
Smoker's eyes narrowed. He now understood why Zino was considered dangerous. The reports hadn't mentioned this kind of adaptability.
"What kind of Devil Fruit do you have?"
Zino shrugged. "One of a kind."
Smoker's grip tightened around his Jitte, trying to refocus. He'd underestimated this kid—and paid for it. Now, it was personal. He was hit squarely, a shock to his mind. He had fought many pirates, many Devil Fruit users, but none like this.
Zino stood a few meters away, calm and unbothered. A faint swirl of smoke still lingered around him, now tamed, obedient to his will.
Zino then slowly turned around, about to leave.
"Why… are you retreating?" Smoker asked, chest heaving.
Zino looked at him silently for a few seconds, then exhaled. "Because I didn't come here to fight you. I came to buy medicine."
Smoker's brow furrowed.
Zino continues, while his back facing the Marine. "I've got people depending on me now. I'm not interested in fighting every Marine I see, especially not one who still believes in justice."
Smoker clenched his jaw. "You're still a pirate. That won't change."
Zino gave a small chuckle. "Maybe. But not all pirates are the same. Just like not all Marines are."
He looked over his shoulder one last time. "We'll meet again, Captain. Maybe next time, I'll let you land a hit."
With a burst of *Geppo*, Zino launched into the air, smoke swirling at his feet as he soared above the rooftops. In seconds, he vanished from Smoker's view, leaving behind only drifting smoke and silence.
Smoker stood there for a long moment, watching the sky.
"That kid…" he muttered, lighting a fresh cigar, "...is going to shake the world."
He turned back toward town, his coat fluttering in the sea breeze. While he was walking, many questions were playing in his mind.
What kind of ability did Zino have?
Is it something related to swallowing?
Then, why did he swallow medicines first, before swallowing his smoke element?
With those many thoughts, Smoker decided to head back, and seriously check on Zino's files.
...
Elsewhere near the secluded dock where the Silent Orca lay hidden, the crew stood waiting under the golden hue of the setting sun. Supplies were already stowed aboard, and the preparations for departure were nearly complete.
But two of their own were still missing—Zino, their captain, and Kaya.
The mood was quiet, almost tense. Each crewmember cast frequent glances toward the forested path, silently hoping to see a familiar silhouette returning.
Then, the silence broke.
Hurried footsteps echoed down the dirt path, accompanied by ragged breathing. All heads turned.
Kaya emerged from the trees, panting hard, her hair messy and streaked with sweat, her white blouse dirtied from her run. Her eyes were wide with urgency.
"Kaya!" Nojiko was the first to run to her, steadying her by the shoulders. Nami was close behind. "Are you hurt? What happened? Where's Zino?"
The rest of the crew quickly gathered around. Even Gin, who rarely showed emotion, had a troubled look in his eyes.
Kaya tried to speak, but it took a moment for her to catch her breath. She clutched at her chest, wheezing softly before finally managing, "We... we were almost back… when a Marine officer appeared. He was strong. Zino told me to run—he stayed behind to fight him."
The crew stiffened at once.
"Tch. A Marine?" Gin muttered, his voice low and sharp. "And a strong one, no less… Then what the hell are we still doing here?! We should go back him up!"
He took a step forward, clearly ready to rush off.
But a hand blocked his path, it's Alvida.
"Hold on," she said firmly.
All eyes turned to her. Even Gin froze mid-step.
"You're telling us not to help him?" Sanji asked, an edge in his voice.
Alvida met his gaze calmly. "That's not what I'm saying."
Nami frowned. "Then what are you saying?"
Alvida looked toward the forest trail, then back at the crew. "Zino's not someone who falls easily. If he told Kaya to run, then it wasn't a reckless move—it was calculated. He wanted to keep her safe while handling the Marine himself."
Zoro raised a brow. "You think he'll win?"
Alvida smirked. "I'm saying I trust our captain. That he'll come back on his own two feet."
There was a pause as the crew digested her words.
Then, Zoro let out a rough exhale, clearly restless. "Trust is fine, but it won't mean anything if he's lying unconscious in some alley, bleeding out."
Sanji puffed his cigarette, saying, "Zoro's got a point. Waiting too long might be a mistake."
The tension grew thicker.
Kaya stood silently, her hands clenched in front of her, worry written all over her pale face. Nojiko placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, but her own eyes remained fixed on the road.
Gin finally broke the silence, stepping forward with calm authority. "How about we compromise? Give him thirty minutes. If he's not back by then, I'll go."
Zoro immediately turned. "Just you?"
"I'll go with him," Sanji added before Zoro could argue.
Zoro frowned. "Why not let me go alone? I'm the swordsman here."
Sanji scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, and you'd end up circling the same street for hours. We don't have that kind of time, mosshead."
Zoro's jaw tightened. "Say that again, you damn curly-brow."
The air grew heated as the two glaredæ at each other, sparks practically flying between them.
"Enough!" Gin's voice rang out, cutting through the tension like a blade.
Both Zoro and Sanji paused, their glares still locked, but neither said another word.
Gin glanced between them. "We're not going to help him by wasting energy arguing. If he's in trouble, we go as a team. Three of us are faster, stronger, and harder to miss."
Nami nodded in agreement. "He's right. It's not about pride—it's about getting to him quickly, if it comes to that."
The others slowly nodded, albeit with varying degrees of reluctance.
Just as the crew had begun to settle into an uneasy silence, the sound of footsteps echoed from the slope above.
"You guys seriously think I'd make you wait that long?" called a familiar voice—light-hearted, but unmistakably proud.
Everyone turned in unison.
There, Zino was striding down the path with a confident look on his face. Despite having just faced off against a Marine captain, he looked entirely unfazed—no scratches, no bruises, just that same calm smile.
"Zino!" Kaya's face lit up with relief as she rushed toward him. "You're okay!"
Zino grinned and gave her a quick thumbs-up. "Told you to trust me, didn't I?"
Gin exhaled a sigh of relief. "You sure took your sweet time, though."
Zino laughed as he stepped onto the dock. "Well, I just had a little run-in."
Zoro narrowed his eyes. "With who?"
Zino scratched the side of his face, acting casual. "Captain Smoker."
Gasps and sharp intakes of breath followed.
"Wait… Captain Smoker? That's sounds familiar." Nami frowned, then her eyes turned wide. "Wasn't that the rumored guy on this town, who eat a logia fruit?"
"Yup. And he can turn into smokes." Zino nodded. "We fought for a bit. But, I didn't come here to start a war, so I ended it before it dragged on too long."
"You got out of a fight with a logia user?" Gin asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and respect.
"Didn't say it was easy." Zino grinned, brushing a bit of dust off his sleeve. "But I'm here, aren't I?"
Nojiko tilted her head. "So what now?"
Zino glanced back at the forest path he had just emerged from—then turned his gaze to the Silent Orca, anchored and waiting.
He stepped forward and looked at his crew, his voice calm but resolute. "We've lingered here long enough. Now, it's time we sail to Grand Line."
A ripple of excitement moved through the crew.
"Alright. Let's go. Set the sail!"
As the crew bustled into action, casting off ropes and raising the sails, the Silent Orca slowly began to drift from the dock, catching the wind.
Zino stood at the helm, the sea breeze brushing through his hair. He gazed forward, eyes locked on the endless horizon.
The detour in Loguetown was over.
Their journey to the Grand Line had officially begun.