"Brother, what do you say?" Nojiko quietly nudged Shano's arm and whispered, "Should we let this guy on the ship?"
She currently has a favorable impression of Smoker.
Daring to resist the vicious actions of nobles, daring to oppose the World Government in the pursuit of justice, and he always answers honestly to any questions...
Hmm, and most importantly, he really respects and admires our brother!
Overall, he seems like someone dependable.
"..."
Shano pondered, not responding immediately.
Honestly speaking.
He was still a bit in shock.
Especially when Smoker personally expressed his desire to follow him, the surprise in his heart was no less than when he first saw Aokiji joining the Blackbeard Pirates in the comic years ago.
It's just that.
The Navy Headquarters and the World Government are too deeply troubled, forcing the two people who are definitely most qualified to take over the Navy's future to leave, in search of a completely different path.
"Have you been hiding in the ventilation duct these days?" he suddenly asked.
"Yes, sir."
Smoker's old face seldom flushed, "To be precise, it's the duct above the kitchen. It was a helpless choice because there's a wolf with a keen sense of smell on your ship, and the kitchen is the only place it's not allowed to enter. Also, hiding there solves my food concerns..."
"Oh!" Ah Yin barked at Zeff, as if saying, "Look, this is what happens when you don't let me into the kitchen regularly!"
"Oh, no wonder!"
Zeff ignored Ah Yin, slapping his forehead in realization, "I kept wondering why the food consumption didn't match these days and why the smoke seemed heavier when cooking. It's not because the exhaust fan broke, but because of you?"
"Yes." Smoker admitted, "The smoke was a bit overwhelming when cooking, so I had to use elementalization to avoid it... But the exhaust fan was indeed broken at first, which I repaired at night."
"You have this skill?" Shano was somewhat surprised.
"I've liked tinkering with these things since childhood, especially during my teenage years when I became obsessed with motorcycles. To modify my beloved bike, I learned all the mechanical-related knowledge inside out."
Smoker recalled this and suddenly remembered something: "Shano, if I remember correctly, you mentioned before that the ship was missing a boatman?"
"Though I'm not as good as a professional shipwright, I'm very confident in routine maintenance and repairs. So, how about letting me take on this position?"
"..."
Shano still didn't answer, but instead stood up and stretched lazily towards the rising morning sun.
"Shano?"
Smoker looked at his back anxiously.
"Has everyone not had breakfast yet and is getting hungry? Uncle Zeff, how about holding a banquet!"
Shano laughed heartily, "It's both to bid farewell to Crocus and Laboon and to welcome our new boatman, officially joining the Adventurer's Guild as a companion!"
"––Oh oh oh oh oh oh!"
"Let's have a banquet!!!"
A booming response immediately echoed across the deck under the morning light.
"Really can't help it."
Crocus also turned to look at Laboon, smiling:
"Looks like you'll have to wait a while longer, Laboon. I need to protect you throughout, and heading out on an empty stomach in these vast seas is quite risky."
Laboon shook his head to indicate he understood.
Crocus smiled as he stroked its cheek, suddenly remembered something, and shouted: "Hey, Big Nose Hair, don't forget to add salt this time!"
"Big Nose Hair?"
Zeff was infuriated, "Don't worry, the amount of salt I forgot to add last time will be doubled especially for you this time!"
"Hahaha, that's fine, I can handle strong flavors now that I'm older!"
The deck turned into a raucous scene.
Leaving Smoker in place, dumbfounded.
This, this is...
Have they really accepted him?
His mouth curled into a smile, releasing a big puff of smoke. But just as he was starting to feel happy, Kuina's haunting voice sounded behind him:
"Hey, Big Smoker, just to clarify, there's no problem with smoking, but whenever there are ladies present, especially Nami, who isn't of age yet, make sure you keep your distance if you're going to smoke. If she starts mimicking badly because of you, the captain will surely give you a good beating."
"No problem."
Smoker quickly extinguished his cigar, apologetically saying, "Sorry also for causing you guys to be on high alert, unnecessarily worried for a while. I sincerely apologize to you all here."
"Tension? There wasn't much of that."
Kuina said expressionlessly while sheathing her Wado Ichimonji, "It's more like, everyone was a bit tense originally, but once you showed yourself, hiding on the ship ended up being just you, everyone relaxed at once."
Nojiko and Nami nodded in agreement.
Hmm?
Smoker was stunned.
What does that mean...
Why does that sound so hurtful?
"Also, verbal apologies are not taken seriously by grown-ups."
Kuina continued seriously, "You acted like a stalker for a few days and ate a ton of our food. You startled everyone. So, to be completely accepted by us, you'll need to show solid effort by working hard for the next few days, making solid contributions."
"Of course…"
Smoker began to speak, and suddenly realized something was off.
The ship was in good shape, the broken exhaust fan had been fixed by him, so what work could require him as a boatman?
...
In a flash.
The banquet had ended.
After everyone drank their fill happily, each returned to their rooms to rest.
Only Smoker, holding a broom, stood dumbfounded, staring at the mess on the deck.
––So this is what working hard means!
He watched as Kuina handed the broom to Nojiko, who then passed it to Nami, who then shoved it into Ah Yin's mouth.
Finally, Ah Yin trotted over, holding the broom in its mouth, looking at him like an experienced senior encouraging the newcomer, putting its paw on his shoulder in a way that felt meaningful...
Well, since I'm at fault!
Looks like for now, being a boatman isn't in the cards, and the current task is to simply work honestly as a handyman. He shook his head helplessly and bent down to start cleaning.
As he swept, a sense of nostalgia hit him.
That was many years ago.
He was in his teens, full of aspirations when he first joined the Navy.
He hadn't eaten the fruit yet, nor was he chosen for the Headquarter Elite Training Camp, just diligently doing the chores all new recruits had to do in the Log Town branch.
Back then, despite dealing with brooms and mops every day, he was filled with hope for the future, utterly convinced he would fulfill the path of justice.
And now, it seemed everything had come full circle.
Smoker grinned, lit two cigars, took a deep draw, and glanced up at the second floor of the ship's cabin, where the captain Shano's room was located.
Just hoping this time, the man he chooses to follow will not let him down again...
——————
Meanwhile.
Not far from Twin Cape, on an island with a tropical atmosphere.
"Did you hear the instructions just now, especially the last two points?"
In a dimly lit room, a tall woman sat across the table, wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat and veiled, her appearance unseen.
Her entire demeanor matched, like being enveloped in dark shadows.
"Yes, I heard it clearly."
The afro-haired man on the left nodded nervously, "Do not investigate the boss or other important officers' identities."
The girl holding an umbrella on the right giggled and added, "You must use code names during missions, never real names."
"Good, then sign the agreement, Jem, Mikita."
The woman in the shadows smiled slightly, "This is the last time I'll address you this way. Welcome to the Baroque Workshop. From now on, you're MR.5 and Miss. Valentine's Day respectively as high-level special agents."