Chapter 75: The White Hunter
The afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Luffy wandered through the bustling streets of Loguetown. The vibrant marketplace was still alive with activity, merchants shouting to advertise their goods, and people of all kinds moving between the stalls. But Luffy wasn't particularly focused on the noise of the town. His mind was elsewhere, thinking about Nami. It had been a few hours since they had parted ways, and while he trusted her skills as a thief, something about the plan gnawed at the back of his mind.
As he passed by a small open-air restaurant, something caught his eye. Seated at a table near the edge of the square was Zoro, casually enjoying a meal with a young woman. Luffy squinted, recognizing his crewmate's green hair from a distance. But the woman sitting across from him was unfamiliar. Her short, dark hair and glasses gave her a somewhat scholarly appearance. Luffy's curiosity piqued, and with a mischievous grin, he made his way over to the pair.
"Zoro!" Luffy called out as he approached, his cheerful voice cutting through the noise of the market.
Zoro looked up from his plate, his expression immediately shifting from relaxed to slightly irritated. The woman glanced at Luffy as well, her curiosity piqued.
"Luffy," Zoro greeted with a nod, trying to hide his slight annoyance. "What's up?"
Luffy ignored the question for a moment, his eyes flicking between Zoro and the woman. He smirked and leaned in toward Zoro, lowering his voice but making sure it was still loud enough for her to hear. "Well, well, look who's finally talking to a woman!" He winked at Zoro, his tone teasing.
Zoro's face immediately flushed with irritation, and he shot Luffy a glare. "Shut up," he grumbled, clearly not in the mood for Luffy's jokes.
The woman, oblivious to the deeper meaning of Luffy's comment, raised an eyebrow at the two men's exchange. "I take it you two are friends?" she asked, glancing between them.
Luffy chuckled and straightened up, offering a friendly smile. "Yeah, we're crewmates. I'm Luffy, by the way." He extended a hand to her, and she shook it politely.
"Tashigi," she introduced herself with a slight smile. "Nice to meet you."
Zoro, still glaring at Luffy, took a deep breath and decided to focus on finishing his meal rather than engage in his captain's antics. Luffy, meanwhile, glanced around the town square, his senses picking up snippets of conversation from the townspeople as they went about their business.
That's when he heard it.
"Did you hear? Some thief broke into the Marine base earlier today. The guards said she escaped, but they didn't get a good look at her face."
Luffy's smile faded instantly, and his demeanor shifted. He stood straighter, his body tense as the words sank in. A thief escaped from the Marine base. His heart pounded as worry surged through him. Nami had gone to steal the Log Pose from the Marine base. Could she be the thief everyone was talking about?
Tashigi, hearing the same rumor, sat up a little straighter in her chair. "A thief broke into the base?" she repeated, her voice full of concern. "I should get back. If the base was breached, Captain Smoker will want all hands on deck."
She stood quickly, her expression serious. Luffy watched her closely as she prepared to leave. The mention of "Captain Smoker" confirmed something he already knew. This wasn't just any Marine base. If Nami had run into Smoker, things could have gone south fast.
Zoro, noticing Luffy's sudden change in demeanor, furrowed his brow. "You're getting all serious all of a sudden. What's going on, Luffy?"
Luffy didn't answer immediately, his eyes still fixed on Tashigi as she hurried off toward the direction of the Marine base. "Nami was supposed to steal the Log Pose from the Marine base," Luffy finally said, his voice low and tense.
Zoro's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "Wait... the thief who escaped... you think it was Nami?"
Luffy nodded, his gaze still locked on the retreating figure of Tashigi. "I don't think it. I know it. If she got away, she's probably heading back to the ship. But if Smoker's on her trail, we need to move fast."
Zoro pushed his chair back and stood up. "Then let's go. If this Smoker guy catches up to her, we're in trouble."
Luffy grabbed Zoro's arm before he could take off. "Hold on. You know who Smoker is?"
Zoro frowned. "Some Marine captain, right? We've dealt with Marines before. Morgan, Nezumi. What's the big deal?"
Luffy's expression was serious. "Smoker isn't like them. Morgan was a tyrant with a big axe. Nezumi was a coward who hid behind his rank. Smoker is different. He's one of the most dangerous Marines in the East Blue. They call him the White Hunter."
Zoro crossed his arms. "White Hunter?"
"He's a Logia type. The Smoke-Smoke Fruit. His body is made of smoke. You can't cut him. You can't punch him. Your swords will go right through him like he's not there." Luffy's voice was calm but urgent. "And he's been hunting pirates for years. Never lets anyone escape. That's his reputation."
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "So how do you fight someone you can't touch?"
"Haki. That's the only way. And neither of us has that locked down yet." Luffy paused. "But that's not what worries me."
"What then?"
Luffy looked toward the harbor, toward where the Going Merry was docked. "Nami. She's out there alone, with three Log Poses, and the White Hunter on her trail. If he catches her before we get there..."
He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.
Zoro's hand went to his swords. "Then we need to move. Now."
Without another word, the two of them started running through the crowded streets, their minds focused solely on getting back to the Going Merry. Luffy's usual carefree attitude was gone, replaced by a laser-sharp focus. He couldn't afford to let anything happen to Nami. Not now, when they were so close to the Grand Line.
As they sprinted through the winding streets, Zoro kept pace beside him. "So this Smoker guy. He's really that dangerous?"
Luffy nodded, not slowing down. "He's a Logia. That makes him almost untouchable to anyone without Haki. And he's smart. Relentless. He doesn't give up. The stories say he's been chasing pirates across the East Blue for years and he's never lost."
Zoro processed this. "And you want to fight him?"
Luffy's expression shifted. Something flickered in his eyes. Excitement. Anticipation. "Yeah. I do."
Zoro glanced at him. "You're not scared?"
"Scared?" Luffy almost laughed. "No. I've been waiting for someone like him. Someone strong. Someone who can push me. That's what the Grand Line is going to be like. Monsters everywhere. Logias. People I can't just punch and expect them to fall. I need to know what that feels like. I need to test myself against someone like Smoker."
He looked ahead, toward the harbor. "But not at Nami's expense. Not if she's in danger. We get her first. We make sure she's safe. Then, if Smoker wants a fight, I'll give him one."
Zoro studied his captain. The reckless idiot who charged into every fight without thinking was still there, but there was something else now. Something measured. Controlled. Luffy wanted the fight, wanted the challenge, but he wasn't going to let that put Nami at risk.
"You've changed," Zoro said quietly.
Luffy glanced at him. "How?"
"You used to just run into everything headfirst. Didn't matter who was with you or what the stakes were. Now you're thinking. Planning."
Luffy was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "Nami happened. She's worth thinking about. Worth planning for."
Zoro didn't respond, but he understood.
They pushed harder, weaving through the crowds, the harbor growing closer with each passing second.
As they approached the dock, the outline of the Going Merry came into view. The ship was still there, tied up where they'd left it. A wave of relief washed over Luffy. If the ship was still there, that meant Nami had likely made it back.
But something felt off. Luffy's senses, sharpened from years of fighting, tingled with unease. It was too quiet. The harbor was too empty. No sign of Nami. No sign of trouble. Yet.
They hurried onto the ship, scanning the deck. "Nami!" Luffy called out, his voice echoing across the empty vessel.
After a few tense seconds, a figure appeared from below deck.
Nami stepped out onto the deck, her face a mixture of relief and exhaustion. She still clutched her satchel tightly, as if afraid to let it go.
"I got them," she said, her voice breathless. "Three Log Poses. But I ran into trouble."
Luffy exhaled, his body relaxing slightly. "We heard about the thief escaping the Marine base. You had me worried there for a second."
Zoro crossed his arms, glancing at the satchel. "So that's it, huh? The thing that'll get us through the Grand Line?"
Nami nodded, but her expression remained tense. "Yeah, but we've got a bigger problem. Smoker. He's after me. I barely made it out of there."
Zoro's brow furrowed. "Smoker? The White Hunter?"
Nami looked at him, surprised. "You know about him?"
"I know what Luffy just told me. Logia type. Smoke powers. Untouchable."
Nami nodded, her face pale. "He cornered me in an alley. I got away, but only because he let me. He wanted me to lead him to the ship. To all of us."
Luffy's fists clenched at his sides. The excitement at facing a strong opponent was still there, burning in his chest. But it was tempered now. Held in check by something stronger. Nami was here. She was safe. That was what mattered.
"We don't have much time," Luffy said, his tone serious. "We need to leave. Now."
Zoro nodded in agreement. "I'll get the ship ready. You keep an eye out in case Smoker shows up."
As Zoro moved to prepare the ship for departure, Luffy stayed on the deck with Nami, his eyes scanning the harbor for any sign of their pursuer. They had gotten the Log Poses, but now came the hard part. Escaping Loguetown before the storm that was Captain Smoker could catch up to them.
Nami stood beside him, her hand finding his. "Luffy."
He looked at her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring him down on us."
Luffy squeezed her hand. "You got the Log Poses. That's what you went to do. Everything else? That's on me. I'll handle Smoker if he shows up."
She looked at him. "You want to fight him, don't you?"
He didn't answer right away. Then he smiled. It wasn't the usual goofy grin. It was something sharper. Something hungry. "Yeah. I do. But not here. Not now. We get you safe first. Then, if he follows us to sea..." He let the sentence hang.
Nami squeezed his hand back. "Just promise me you'll be careful."
Luffy looked at her. "I promise."
The sun was setting over Loguetown, casting long shadows across the harbor. The Going Merry was ready to sail. All they needed was the wind. And for Smoker not to find them before they caught it.