**Chapter 13: An Unexpected Encounter with the Smoking Addict Smoker**
"Tch, can't even catch up to eat shit while it's hot. Forget them, a bunch of cowards. Let's go!"
Allen cursed angrily, then turned and headed toward the direction of the ship's superstructure.
The Cat Brothers followed closely behind.
...
Meanwhile, inside the simply yet elegantly decorated restaurant, around twenty tables were sporadically occupied by guests.
A blond man with curly spiral eyebrows, dressed in a black suit, gracefully walked down the aisle carrying a tray.
Suddenly, some commotion seemed to come from outside the entrance. Sanji glanced over with a look of disdain.
"So noisy. Looks like another troublesome customer. I don't welcome bastards who disturb the ladies during their meal."
Then, he headed straight into the main hall, arriving at a table occupied by a man and a woman.
Placing down the tray holding dessert, he first introduced the dish to the guests.
Next, Sanji completely ignored the burly man beside her and elegantly bowed to the rather delicate-looking woman.
Bowing like a gentleman, Sanji smiled slightly and said:
"This dessert is a gift for your loveliness. Please enjoy it slowly. I hope you can feel the love contained within."
"Ah, this... thank you, thank you so much."
Tashigi, made a bit bashful by his words, held her glasses steady with one hand and repeatedly bowed her head in thanks.
The man beside her, however, seemed utterly indifferent, his eyes expressionless, two cigars in his mouth sending up curling smoke.
Seeing Sanji still not planning to leave, Smoker finally spoke up flatly:
"No need for service here. You can go back to your work."
"Huh? Service? Have you misunderstood something, you stinking smoke monster?"
Hearing this address, Sanji's face immediately darkened. He looked back at Smoker, took the cigarette from his mouth with two fingers, and said disdainfully:
"The smoke smell is so thick, people might think I'm cooking with fire here. Don't you know smoking is prohibited in the restaurant?"
"..."
Looking at the cigarette in Sanji's hand, Smoker subconsciously clenched his fist, a vein throbbing on his temple.
"Wait, Captain Smoker!"
Thinking Smoker was about to take action, Tashigi jumped up in fright, but her head bumped right into Sanji's chin.
*Thud!*
"Ouch!"
Her glasses fell to the floor with a *clatter*. Flustered, Tashigi repeatedly bowed to the chair in apology:
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I'm really sorry!"
"It's... it's okay... your glasses are here."
Sanji, holding his throbbing chin, helped Tashigi pick up her glasses.
At that moment.
"Those guys are pirates, right..."
"They're actually wearing pirate coats so openly. What's with this restaurant? They let people like that in?"
"Hey... keep your voice down. What if they hear?"
Three figures walked in through the entrance, instantly sparking discussion among the surrounding diners.
Hearing the commotion, the three at Smoker's table also instinctively turned to look.
The leader was a man with a lean, muscular build. His black, messy hair fell over his forehead, and he swaggered in, wearing a conspicuous pirate coat.
Behind him followed two men, one fat and one thin.
"The Cat Brothers!"
Tashigi was immediately startled. With her glasses on, she recognized the two at a glance and hurriedly turned around.
"Captain Smoker! They're the 7,000,000 Berry bounty duo! They're from the Black Cat Pirates!"
"7,000,000 Berries..."
Smoker's eyes narrowed slightly. Through the wispy smoke, one could see his dark gaze.
He'd come out today to capture pirates. On the return voyage, they happened to pass by the Baratie and stopped for a meal. He hadn't expected another batch to deliver themselves right to his doorstep.
"Wait a minute...! There should be our men at the entrance! How did they get in! Why wasn't there any report!" Tashigi cried out in alarm.
Suddenly realizing something, she turned sharply to look at the three who had entered and simultaneously quickly grabbed the long sword leaning against the table. With a *click*, she drew out a section of blade gleaming with a cold light, entering combat stance in one second.
Just then, a low voice came from behind.
"Don't be impulsive, Tashigi."
Smoker's cold eyes fixed on Allen.
Although Tashigi's swordsmanship was decent, dealing with the 7,000,000 Berry Cat Brothers would be a bit of a stretch. As for the man leading them...
Smoker instinctively judged Allen as very strong. He stood up, casually picking up the Jitte leaning nearby.
Across from them.
Allen also looked at Smoker.
He had noticed their table's presence as soon as he entered—after all, that Marine uniform was quite conspicuous among the well-dressed guests.
But the other's identity did surprise him a bit.
Thinking about it carefully, this sea area wasn't far from the entrance to the Grand Line, sharing the same waters as Loguetown.
Ever since Smoker came to the East Blue, he had been striking down pirates trying to enter the Grand Line nearby. Running into him here wasn't all that strange.
But it's still one hell of a coincidence.
Allen felt internally speechless, while also feeling challenged.
He couldn't fight a Logia user right now.
No Haki, no Seastone, seawater...
Allen looked around and spotted a huge fish tank filled with water near the kitchen entrance on the right.
That should be seawater, right? Using freshwater fish in a sea restaurant would be pretty messed up.
Seeing this, his confidence suddenly surged.
Allen narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Smoker, and said in a mocking tone:
"Smoker the 'White Hunter,' famous for his relentless pursuit of pirates, actually comes to a place like this to relax."
"When did mere pirates start worrying about Marine business?"
A glint flashed in Smoker's eyes, his tone growing even colder:
"My men outside? What did you do to them?"
"You mean those few disrespectful youngsters?"
Facing Smoker's questioning, the corner of Allen's mouth lifted mockingly:
"I put them to sleep. But... whether they'll ever wake up in this lifetime is anyone's guess."
"What did you say...!"
*Boom!!*
Hearing this, Smoker gritted his teeth and instantly erupted. He slammed the table with a large hand, collapsing it, grabbed his Jitte, and swiftly lunged forward.
*Crash—!*
Porcelain plates and bowls shattered *clattering* to the floor. Tashigi's eyes darkened as she drew her long sword and quickly followed.
Arriving before Allen, Smoker raised his Jitte high and smashed it down violently.
Facing this sudden explosive attack, Allen's reaction wasn't slow at all. He slid his foot, slightly shifting his body to the side to dodge.
*Boom!!*
The Jitte smashed down heavily. The restaurant's polished tile floor cracked and exploded, countless small fragments flying.
While dodging, a cold glint flashed in Allen's eyes. His left arm pulled back near his waist, then his fist shot out swiftly, striking the other's chest!
*Thud—!*
His arm passed through Smoker's chest, but there was no sense of impact.
Smoker's struck area directly dispersed, turning into white mist that flowed with the fist's wind.
"So this is what it feels like to hit a Logia."
Allen curiously glanced at his retracted fist.
Simultaneously, using the redirection technique from Aikido, he stepped onto the Jitte that was stuck in the ground.
Smoker pulled hard but strangely found he couldn't lift his weapon.
"How is this possible?!"
Smoker's eyes widened in shock.
Given Allen's build, Smoker should have been able to toss him aside even with a few more people standing on it.
But at this moment...
Smoker felt as if the Jitte in his hand had become a lever. And what he was trying to pry was a massive mammoth!
"Captain Smoker!!"
Just then.
A cold white light flashed past. Allen's pupils shifted to look sideways.
He saw Tashigi had already charged to his side, holding her sword with both hands, tracing an arc as she slashed upwards diagonally from below.
Facing the sword blade sweeping toward him, Allen didn't move. The next second, a figure instantly flashed in front of him.
*Clang!!*
Sparks flew fiercely. Sham crossed and pressed down with his Ten-Bladed Cat Claws, precisely parrying the rising long sword.
A black shadow flew over their heads.
Butchi had leaped high, shouting as he stomped down from the air.
"Cat Kill Leap!!"
*Boom!!*
Tashigi hurriedly retreated. Butchi landed heavily, one foot stomping and blasting over a dozen floor tiles, sending dust billowing.
...