Chapter 101: Landing at Nanohana! The Reunion of Fire and Smoke
The journey on the Grand Line is always full of wonders.
Just a few days ago, it was a winter island where heavy snow flew and people almost froze into popsicles; in the blink of an eye, the Going Merry sailed into a sea area with rolling heatwaves.
The scorching sun hung high, and the air was distorted by the heat.
The port city of the Alabasta Kingdom—Nanohana—had arrived.
To avoid the eyes and ears of the Marine, the Merry quietly docked behind an inconspicuous hidden rock in the harbor.
"It's... it's so hot..."
As soon as they docked, the rolling heatwave gave Chopper, who was used to the cold, a heavy blow.
This reindeer was covered in thick fur from head to toe, and at this moment, it was like he was standing in a sauna wearing a down jacket.
He lay on the deck, his tongue hanging out long, and his eyes rolling back:
"I can't take it... I'm going to melt... I'm going to turn into reindeer jerky..."
"Hahaha! Who told you to wear such a thick coat!"
Usopp held a water bottle, grinning as he poured water on Chopper to cool him down:
"Hang in there, Chopper! This is a desert kingdom; even hotter places are yet to come!"
To avoid drawing attention and to resupply as quickly as possible,
everyone decided to split up.
"I'm going to buy spices and ingredients; a place like this must have local specialties." Sanji lit a cigarette.
"I'm also going to buy some gunpowder and cooling tools for Chopper." Usopp dragged the half-dead Chopper off the ship.
Vivi pulled Nami along: "Nami-san, let's go buy some desert clothes and sunscreen too."
"Quack! Big Sis, wait for me!" Clay flapped his wings and followed.
As for Zoro, who was responsible for watching the ship...
In the time it took for everyone to turn around, that Marimo had already disappeared.
"I'm going too!! Restaurant!! Meat!!!"
Luffy's nose twitched, smelling the fragrance wafting from the city.
His eyes lit up, and without waiting for anyone, he dashed off like an unleashed husky, shouting as he vanished in a cloud of dust.
"Hey!! Luffy!!"
Tatsuya, who had been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of keeping an eye on Luffy, reached out but caught only thin air.
Standing on the deck, he looked at the trail of dust and let out a helpless, long sigh.
"I knew it... expecting that idiot to listen is like expecting a pig to fly."
Tatsuya straightened his light clothing. "There's just no helping you."
With a light tap of his toes, Tatsuya leaped gracefully onto the rooftops by the shore.
"I'll just have to go fish him out from the place that idiot is most likely to be."
...
Meanwhile.
A warship flying the Marine flag also entered the port of Nanohana.
"Colonel! No trace of the Straw Hat crew has been found!" a Marine reported.
Smoker had two cigars in his mouth, a habit he refused to give up even in the desert.
Standing at the bow, he looked at the bustling city with eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
"No... my intuition tells me they are definitely here."
Smoker jumped off the ship; it was a hunter's instinct for his prey.
He walked alone through the streets of Nanohana, the bustling crowds around him not interfering with his judgment.
Suddenly,
a familiar, irritating scent seemed to waft through the air.
Smoker stopped and looked toward a bustling restaurant at the end of the street.
"That unique... scent of trouble."
...
Inside the restaurant, it was boisterous.
"Boss!! Fifty more servings of fried rice!! And meat on the bone!!"
Luffy was sitting at the counter, his hands turning into afterimages as he frantically stuffed food into his mouth, with a mountain of plates already piled up in front of him.
In the seat next to him sat a strange black-haired young man.
He was shirtless, with a large purple skull tattoo on his back, wearing a red bead necklace and an orange cowboy hat.
At this moment, this young man had actually fallen asleep in the middle of eating.
His entire face was buried in a plate of pasta, and he was even snoring.
"Hey... is that guy dead?"
"It looks like he suddenly died while eating..."
"Ah, how scary. Should we leave?"
The surrounding diners were whispering.
Creak—
Just then, the restaurant door was pushed open.
Smoker walked in with heavy steps.
He scanned the room, his gaze instantly locking onto the back of the Straw Hat who was gluttonously gorging himself.
He's here, as expected.
Smoker walked up behind Luffy and spoke gloomily:
"Straw Hat!!"
Luffy, who was eating happily, had his mouth stuffed with meat, his cheeks bulging like a hamster's.
Hearing someone call him, Luffy habitually turned around:
"Hmm? Who is it?"
When he saw the fierce-looking white-haired man behind him clearly,
Pfft—!!!
Luffy was startled, and the chewed meat and rice in his mouth sprayed all over Smoker's face like a shotgun blast.
The whole place fell silent.
Smoker closed his eyes as the food scraps slowly slid down his face, the veins on his forehead bulging one by one.
Cough, cough! Cough, cough!
Luffy choked, finally recognizing the man: "Ah!! It's you! That smoke guy from Loguetown!!"
"Since you know it's me... then die!!"
Smoker was furious, his arm instantly turning into white smoke as he lunged for Luffy.
"Waaah! I don't want to fight you! I'm running away!"
Without a second word, Luffy grabbed the last big piece of meat on the table and turned to run.
Bang!
Because he started too fast, Luffy crashed right into the black-haired young man who was still sleeping next to him.
Crash!
The poor young man was sent flying along with his chair, smashing right through the restaurant wall and into the alley next door.
"Don't think you're getting away!!"
Smoker didn't care about the bystander at all. Turning into smoke, he gave chase, and the two of them burst out of the restaurant, starting a pursuit through the streets.
"White Blast!!"
Smoker's smoke instantly accelerated, and he was about to grab the back of Luffy's collar.
At this critical moment,
Boom—!!
a burst of blazing orange-red flame suddenly appeared out of nowhere, standing between Luffy and Smoker like a wall of fire.
The smoke hit the flames, making a hissing sound of evaporation.
"Who's there?!" Smoker was forced to stop, his gaze turning serious.
The flames dissipated.
The black-haired young man who had just been sent flying was now, at some point, crouching on a water tower on a roadside roof.
He pressed down on his orange cowboy hat, flames rising from his bare torso, a confident and bright smile appearing on his lips.
"Ah, what a coincidence."
The young man slowly stood up, looking down at Smoker with a hint of mockery in his tone:
"Hey, hey, I say, don't you think that's enough?"
"Could you... give my little brother a break?"
Hearing this voice, Luffy stopped abruptly and turned around in surprise:
"Eh? Ace?!!"
The young man with the Whitebeard tattoo on his back, his body burning with raging flames, announced his name to everyone:
"Whitebeard Pirates, Ace, appearing!"
...
And on another high rooftop outside the restaurant,
Tatsuya had actually arrived long ago.
He wasn't in a hurry to act, but instead stood with his arms crossed, quietly watching the scene.
When he saw the incredibly pure fire element rising from Ace's body,
Hum—
The Three-Tomoe Sharingan in Tatsuya's eyes instantly activated, spinning rapidly within his sockets.
"Is that... the Logia Mera Mera no Mi?"
Firelight was reflected in Tatsuya's eyes as he silently compared in his mind:
"It's different from my Fire Release... that is completely transforming one's body into the fire element.
"No need for hand signs, no need to consume Chakra; as long as there is enough physical strength, it can be released infinitely."
"What an enviable ability."
Tatsuya glanced at the tense situation below, then at the Marines gathering in the distance.
"However..."
The corners of Tatsuya's mouth curled slightly, and his figure flashed.
"Now is not the time to just watch the show."
Swish!
His figure instantly vanished from the rooftop.
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