Overwhelming Difference in Strength!

"Hmph. We'll wait!" Bartolomeo shouted back with a sneer.

"Dammit!" The marines could only curse and retreat.

Well what happened was actually normal. Although most of the marines stationed in Loguetown are veterans, they still have not experienced the dread of the real and powerful pirates. This is the East Blue, where only small time pirates and bandits live.

…

"Leaving already?" There was a hint of ridicule in Jhin's voice as he asked the retreating navy soldiers. "You were so lively earlier, where is your courage now?" Jhin mocked.

"Dammit!"

"Monster!"

"Huehue… It would be be a shame if you leave so early. Since that's the case…" Formless energy radiated from Jhin's body as he released his conqueror's Haki.

Thud!

Thud!

Series of 'Thuds' sounded as soldiers collapsed from the level 2 Haki Jhin produced. Most of the young marines collapsed and only the older veterans remained standing, albeit barely. And even though it was only level 2, some unfortunate marines still died.

"H-how?" A young soldier was bewildered and a little scared of what happened. He was staring at Jhin with confused expression.

"Oh?" Jhin was surprised. He did expect that a young man could endure such level of Conqueror's Haki. And it looked like the young man was not even affected at all.

'Level 3..' The Haki he released got stronger and all of the marines collapsed, except for the young man. Jhin rubbed his eyes and looked at the young man who was looking around in confusion. But right now, it was also Jhin's turn to get confused. But then his expression turned to happiness.

"Hahaha! Interesting! Young man, are you interested in joining my crew?!" JHin rushed infront of the young man and immediately asked excitedly. He scanned the young man from head to toe and his smile only got wider. His eyes looked like he was seeing a precious jade.

Hearing Jhin's question, the young man was startled.

"Wh- what?" the young man asked, a little dumbfounded and confused.

The young man had a handsome appearance, and judging from his facial appearance Jhin surmised that the young man was 17 to 18 years old or even younger. The young man was also tall, ony half a head shorter than Jhin himself.

"What is your name?" Jhin did not rush and asked.

"A-Alexander…" the young man answered and looked at Jhin, still confused.

"Alexander, huh. Good, then I'll call you Alex." Jhin said straightforwardly, not caring whether the young man will agree or not. He smiled and added, "Alex… want to join my crew?"

"Alright…" replied Alexander.

"Mah, don't rush to decline. There will be wealth, there will be women… Eh?" Jhin was dumbfounded. He did not expect the young man, not just any young man, a young marine to accept immediately to his request. He was planning to coax the young ma- Alexander to agreeing but it seems like he did not need to.

"I said yes." Alexander confirmed.

"Are you sure?" Jhin asked again.

"I was originally planning to join pirates and travel the Grand Line but I have not seen any Pirate Ships pass through this Island at all. And I only joined the navy to earn some money." Alexander explained. His tone was straightforward full of vigor, but there was also a hint of longing in it.

"Ho? The Grand Line, huh?" Jhin murmured. "Hahaha! Then I now pronounce you as the 4th mate of I, Jhin! Welcome to the crew! Nyahah!" Jhin laughed loudly.

"Oi! You two, what are you doing?! Hurry up and welcome this little brother here!" Jhin shouted and looked towards the location of Bartolomeo and Hatchan. But after several seconds, he still did not get a response.

"..." Jhin.

"..." Alexander.

JHin, followed by Alexander walked towards them.

"Puh! Cough! Cough! Bwak!" But just as they left, the unmoving body of Smoker finally moved. The mouthful of blood he was holding back finally went out. He managed to stand on his knees with great difficulty but his movement seemed to cause him great pain and he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

His former arrogance and cold look was gone.

There was also a deep and long cut going diagonal from his shoulder to his waist. It was bloody and it looked terrifying.

He stared at the tiny figures of Jhin and Alexander with mix emotion, there was no hatred but disappointment dominated his other emotions. He was already awake awhile ago. And it so happened that he heard Jhin recruiting his subordinate.

He was expecting the young man to say 'No' but what came out from the mouth of the young man was a huge slap in his face. He could still accept it but the following explanation nearly caused him to faint again. It was a good thing he managed to control coughing up blood. An aspiring pirate actually joined the navy because he lacked money?!

"Jhin Fernandez… " He murmured the name and he finally remembered something and looked around only to cough another mouthful of blood and he nearly collapsed again.

Body- there was body everywhere. They all looked lifeless and there was not even a single movement coming from them.

'Jhin! Jhin Fernandez, I will remember this!' Smoker gritted his teeth and struggled to get up.

Hate! Anger! Humiliation! And there was also Powerlessness.

…

Of course, Jhin noticed when Smoker woke up. He never planned something like this to happen but opportunity presented itself. He already did not like the guts of Smoker. So he wanted to teach him a lesson, a cruel lesson.

When he made that slash earlier, he pulled back some power just as it made contact with Smoker's skin. He noticed that the Yami Yami no Mi's nullification effect worked even without even coming contact with Smoker Skin yet. If he did not hold back or if he increased the amount of Black Smoke he put in his sword, then the cut would have been deeper and it could have killed Smoker.

It wasn't that Smoker was weak, Jhin was just too strong. Adding the fact that Smoker did not learn Haki yet, it made the difference like that of the distance between heaven and earth. A terrifying difference in strength.

…

Jhin and Alexander arrived at the seaside only to find Hatchan and Bartolomeo lying on the sand with pale face and they were trying to catch their breath.

"What happened?" Alexander was confused. His earlier expression popped up again. The blinking expression.

"..." Jhin.

"..." Hatchan.

"..." Bartolomeo.

"Alex, you really don't know?" Jhin asked. The reason he recruited Alexander was because he thought Alexander was powerful. But now, taking a look at the young man, he really seemed to know nothing at all.

"No." answered Alexander.

"Then earlier.. you did feel something a while a go right?"

"Blink. Blink." Alexander.

"You really did not feel anything?" asked Jhin again. "Nothing at all?"

Alexander could only shake his head. Was it really a good idea to join this crew, Alexander asked himself. The captain seems dumb and the two others…

"Then…" Jhin did not notice Alexander's changes and released his strongest level of Conqueror's Haki. He controlled it so Alexander was the only target.

"How about now?" Jhin asked again.

"No. Nothing. Are you sure you are doing something?" Alexander asked doubtfully.

"Could it be… ….. . … Hahaha!" Jhin pondered for a while before laughing out loud.

"What's wrong, captain?" Oi. Is the captain going dumb? Even Bartolomeo was starting to doubt If there is something wrong.

"Hahaha.. Nothing is wrong! In fact, everything is right, haha!" Jhin laughed again.

"If I am not wrong, Alex here can not be affected by Haki. I released my strongest Conqueror's Haki but he was not affected at all. For now, I don't know what is wrong, but I will find out in the future." Explained Jhin.

Since Jhin have been teaching them knowledge about Haki, Hatchan and Bartolomeo immedietly understood. But Alexander did not.

"Haha! This is a good thing. Yosh! Go and 'buy' as much sake as you can. Tonight, we celebrate!" Jhin shouted happily.

"Oh.. And don't forget meat!" Jhin added.

Overwhelming Difference in Strength! 3rd Mate!