Alex always distinguishes between gratitude and resentment with crystal clarity. If it is a stranger, he might lend a hand, but asking Alex to sacrifice himself for others? Unless the other party has aided him before, Alex will not do such a thing, his heart steadfast in its principles.
For example, in the plane of The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, Ren Woxing threatened him with Lin Pingzhi, a debt Alex refused to pay with his own blood.
However, after these days of bonding, Alex and Smoker had forged a genuine friendship, and Smoker had indeed offered Alex guidance in mastering Shave, a debt of mentorship.
So, seeing Smoker seize the Devil Fruit, Alex naturally felt compelled to help him, his loyalty stirred by their camaraderie.
"So, in the original story, Smoker's Smoke-Smoke Fruit was eaten at this moment?" Alex mused silently in his heart as he watched Smoker bite into the smoky fruit, a spark of recognition igniting.
The apocalypse had raged for three years. Three years ago, Alex was barely 20, and as a global sensation, One Piece was an anime he'd eagerly watched.
Though most details had faded, key characters lingered in his memory. Smoker stood out as a significant figure.
Alex still recalled that in the original tale, on Punk Hazard Island, Donquixote Doflamingo sought to kill Smoker, only for Kuzan, then retired from the Navy, to swoop in and save him.
Now, it seemed Doflamingo's vendetta against Smoker might well be tied to this very Smoke-Smoke Fruit, a prize snatched from his grasp.
"This fool dared to eat the Smoke-Smoke Fruit! Cut him down!"
Seeing Smoker devour the fruit in one defiant bite, the surrounding pirates recoiled in shock, their fury erupting as they slashed at him with swords and daggers, blades gleaming with malice.
"Damn you! How dare you…" Gladius, having knocked away the flurry of flying swords, witnessed this and roared with rage. His blackened fists, pulsing with Armament Haki, surged toward Smoker with ferocious intent.
Swish!
At this sight, Alex pushed his magnetic ability to its absolute limit, and dozens of swords transformed into a gleaming torrent, rocketing toward Gladius with relentless force.
As for those ordinary pirates? Alex no longer needed to concern himself with their feeble assaults.
Puff, puff, puff…
As expected, the pirates' attacks rained down on Smoker, but in that instant, Smoker's body dissolved into a swirling cloud of white smoke, darting away with ethereal speed.
The elementalization of the Natural-type fruit rendered him utterly immune to physical strikes.
"This Natural Fruit's power is unreal!" Watching this, Alex felt a pang of envy ripple through him.
But sadly, a Devil Fruit's power didn't reside in the C drive's gene area or the D drive's skill area. Even if Alex wished to copy it, he couldn't, the fruit's essence beyond his grasp.
He'd tested this with Luffy before. The C drive held no trace of Devil Fruit powers, and the D drive only stored Luffy's self-developed techniques. Without the Rubber Fruit's ability, copying them was useless.
In other words, was a Devil Fruit's power akin to a prop? Not truly part of the user?
Alex had pondered this deeply. No matter how much one honed a Devil Fruit's power, upon death, the fruit reborn elsewhere. This suggested the power belonged not to the user, but to the devil!
After all, One Piece lore whispered of devils dwelling within each fruit. Eating two fruits was forbidden, as the clashing demons would tear the body apart, a fatal explosion…
"Alex, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead!" As Alex wrestled with envy and resignation over the elemental power, Smoker, now a wisp of smoke, drifted to his side, his face alight with heartfelt gratitude. The weight of a life saved was undeniable.
However, Smoker's words darkened Alex's expression slightly. If you're so grateful, don't drag me into the spotlight!
As Smoker landed beside him, a fresh wave of Donquixote pirates charged toward them with reckless abandon.
It was clear—Smoker was now the pirates' prime target, a beacon for their wrath.
Though he grumbled inwardly, Alex sprang into action, his magnetic ability surging to disrupt the pirates' weapons, throwing their ranks into chaotic disarray.
"Retreat!" Fortunately, at that moment, Aokiji Kuzan had no desire to prolong the fight. Seeing the Smoke-Smoke Fruit consumed by Smoker, the mission was fulfilled, and he issued the order with calm authority.
Then he unleashed the Ice-Ice Fruit's power, erecting icy barriers to halt the pirates, allowing the Navy to withdraw swiftly.
At this time, the Beasts Pirates' ships were closing in. With the mission complete, there was no need to tangle with Kaido's fearsome crew.
Kuzan's laid-back nature shunned such reckless battles—unlike the fiery Akainu, he preferred strategy over bloodshed.
Seeing the Navy pull back, the Donquixote Family lunged to delay them, hoping to join forces with the Beasts Pirates.
But Aokiji Kuzan, with near-admiral-level might, covered the retreat. Unleashing Ice Age's devastating sweep, his massive attack overwhelmed the pirates, leaving them too battered to pursue.
A Navy admiral, the pinnacle of combat power, could indeed shift a battlefield's tide single-handedly—a reputation well-earned.
The Navy warships raced back to port at full throttle. Behind them, the Donquixote and Beasts Pirates' ships gave chase, their sails straining.
Yet, in terms of speed, their vessels couldn't match the Navy vice admiral's warships, sleek and relentless.
After a long pursuit, venturing beyond Beasts Pirates' territory, the pirate ships had no choice but to abandon the chase.
Besides, the Natural-type fruit had been eaten. Even if they caught up and fought again, the prize was lost forever.
"Smoker, your call was spot-on. If you hadn't eaten the Smoke-Smoke Fruit, it would've been snatched back…" On the battleship, Aokiji Kuzan spoke to Smoker, his tone approving of the bold choice made in the heat of battle.
"Thank you, Vice Admiral. It's all thanks to Alex. If his Devil Fruit power hadn't bought me time, I'd have been cut down long ago…" Hearing the vice admiral held no grudge for eating the fruit, Smoker exhaled in relief and said, gratitude lacing his words.
"Not bad…" At this, Kuzan's gaze shifted to Alex, his eyes appraising.
"Though you're still a rookie, your performance out there was Impressive, and your Devil Fruit ability proved invaluable on the battlefield. You made a huge impact in today's fight. When we return, you'll be rewarded for your merits."
"Well, thank you, Vice Admiral!" Hearing Kuzan's praise, Alex nodded in response, a grin tugging at his lips. A reward, whatever it might be, was always welcome news.
Though the mission hit a snag with Smoker eating the Smoke-Smoke Fruit, it was deemed a success. After all, the fruit ended up in Navy hands.
Thus, on the journey back, the warship's crew basked in a lighter, more relaxed mood, the tension of battle fading.
In the earlier clash, the sheer might of an admiral-level Navy officer had left Alex awestruck. Freezing miles of sea in one move was a power akin to the heavens themselves.
Curious, Alex discreetly used his crystal measuring device to gauge Kuzan's crystal points in secret.
Immediately, a value flashed on the device, one that left him utterly stunned, his breath catching in his throat…