Actually, I'm a Historian! (Two-in-One)

There was no sneaking around or secret deal-making as imagined.

The Happo Navy—the most powerful pirate crew in the West Blue, and the legitimate naval force of the World Government-affiliated Flower Country.

With all those identities, plus the previous leader, Chinjao the Drill's bounty of as much as 500 million Beli, they could go anywhere in the West Blue and tell any force there, "I don't eat beef."

There was no need for them to disguise themselves now.

As soon as the massive pirate ship approached, deafening gongs and drums rang out. Torches were lit and swayed in the darkness. Ropes dropped one after another, and burly pirates leaped onto the cruise ship with wild laughter, kicked open doors while holding torches, and stormed into the cabins.

Aah!!!

Before long, sudden screams shattered the night's silence.

An hour later, the luxury cruise ship was brightly lit.

All the passengers had been driven onto the deck, shivering in the cold wind.

"Damn it, wasn't this route protected by the Marines? How could there be pirates?"

"What use are the Marines? Can't you see that pirate flag? That's the Happo Navy! The strongest pirate crew in the West Blue!"

"Don't be afraid. The Happo Navy generally doesn't hurt hostages."

Whispers kept spreading through the terrified crowd.

Jogo and Hina blended into the crowd, quietly raising their heads to survey their surroundings.

The pirates had destroyed the cruise ship's lifeboats. Holding torches, they had surrounded the entire vessel along its sides.

They clearly had no intention of letting anyone leave.

At the distant bow, where the firelight was dim, two tall figures in cloaks stood in the darkness.

One carried a guandao and had short, messy hair. The other had an axe on his back and long, flowing hair.

"Sai and Abu?" Jogo looked toward the bow.

Back when he had still been aboard the Acne Pirates' ship, he had seen news in the West Blue Times about the Happo Navy's change of leadership.

According to the plot he remembered, the Happo Navy's previous leader had been Chinjao the Drill, a man feared throughout the West Blue.

The one who succeeded Chinjao should have been his grandson, Sai.

And Sai's most recognizable feature was that guandao.

"Looks like the ones who came tonight are the Happo Navy's main fleet."

He frowned slightly.

Main fleet meant elites.

Especially for pirates like the Happo Navy, who had an entire country backing them.

Their members were surely all rare, top-tier SSR background pirate characters.

"There might even be quite a few powerful experts, on top of Sai and Abu, whose strength I don't know..."

Jogo felt this was getting tricky.

In his memories, Sai and Abu had already mastered Armament Haki when they first appeared.

Though it was still early in the timeline.

Who knew how far the two of them had trained by now?

If they had awakened Armament Haki, it would be hard to say how effective his Conqueror's Haki aura suppression would be.

After all, as he understood it, Devil Fruits increased the total volume of one's soul, while Haki enhanced the quality of one's soul. Both gave powerful resistance against the aura suppression of Conqueror's Haki.

"Tch. They won't be easy to deal with."

Jogo looked at Hina beside him.

There was an unusual trace of tension on Hina's face as well.

This mad dog graduate from the Marines had also realized how formidable their opponents were.

Noticing Jogo's gaze, she whispered,

"If we can avoid fighting, we avoid fighting."

Their opponents were stronger than expected.

Ever since her days at the Marine Academy, Hina had grown up hearing about the conflicts between the Happo Navy and the Marines.

She knew better than anyone how powerful the Happo Navy was.

Enemies of this level were not something she and Jogo could handle alone.

Fortunately,

the Happo Navy had a relatively decent reputation among pirate crews.

They robbed people too, but they believed in sustainable business and rarely did things like slaughtering everyone aboard or sinking ships.

"Then we'll change our objective. We'll focus on concealing our identities and gathering intelligence!"

Hina thought to herself.

For her, confirming that the buyer of this batch of weapons was the Happo Navy was already a huge accomplishment.

"Hina isn't greedy!"

After standing on the deck for a while longer,

the pirates chatted and laughed loudly while the sea wind made the torches in their hands roar and crackle.

Several pirates responsible for searching the cabins poked their heads out from the upper deck and waved their torches at the people below.

"No one left!"

"Everyone on the third floor is down too!"

A bald, towering man stepped out from among the pirates. Stroking the bloodstained sledgehammer in his hand, he began addressing all the captives on the ship.

His general meaning was that the Happo Navy had always been friendly and easy to talk to.

As long as everyone paid up properly, they would not harm anyone's life.

But if someone wanted to resist, then they should not blame them for knowing a little martial arts as well.

As he spoke, several pirates carrying bags came forward. Working in pairs, they began collecting money.

Jogo looked toward the bow.

Sai and Abu seemed too busy to care about hostages like them. They had been standing at the bow, cursing furiously the entire time.

Occasionally, words like "trash," "losses," and "discount" drifted over on the wind.

Their voices were young and immature.

But no one dared look down on them.

Beside them, several men in suits nodded and bowed, acting as though they could only endure whatever insults were thrown at them.

Jogo withdrew his gaze.

It was best if they did not fight.

The Happo Navy had no grudge against him, unlike the Capone Family, who had provoked him personally. There was really no need to start a fight.

If paying money could avert disaster, then so be it.

He only wanted to enter the Grand Line as soon as possible and head to the Sabaody Archipelago to study.

He truly did not want to deal with anything else.

After waiting for a while, it was finally Jogo's turn.

The pirate holding a bag walked over to him and recited skillfully,

"You're from a luxury cabin. You need to pay 1.5 million Beli. If you can't pay, you'll board our ship as a slave until your family sends the money over—"

As he spoke, the pirate looked up and caught sight of Hina's face. He immediately held his breath and froze in place.

"Oh~~~ A beauty!"

he cried in delight.

The surrounding pirates heard that and instantly gathered around with shrieks and howls.

"Where?"

"Let me see."

"Miss, would you like to come aboard our ship as a guest?"

Hina lowered her head and shifted behind Jogo, saying nothing.

Jogo calmly paid.

1.5 million Beli would have been painfully expensive for an ordinary merchant.

But for Jogo, who had looted Bege's little treasury, it was not a problem.

He directly pulled out a bearer check for 3 million Beli and paid Hina's share along with his own.

"This is my girlfriend. Please keep your hands to yourselves," Jogo said with a smile.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

The pirates had originally wanted to shout that.

But after seeing the Beli Jogo quietly slipped into each of their hands, they coughed twice and broke into brilliant smiles.

"Hahaha! It's fine, it's fine. Move along, move along. Next!"

The pirates reluctantly pulled their gazes away from Hina's face.

They actually left while following the rules.

Hina, behind Jogo, let out a breath of relief.

Only the Happo Navy had such discipline. Any other pirate crew would have robbed them of both money and virtue on the spot.

Of course, if they had been any other pirates, she would have already struck with her fists.

Just as she was inwardly relieved that they had gotten through it, a voice suddenly rang out.

"Wait!"

The bald pirate, who was clearly a minor leader, carried his sledgehammer over to the two of them.

His gaze examined Jogo and Hina.

"You said she's your girlfriend?"

Jogo nodded. "That's right!"

The bald man roared,

"You dare lie to me? If she's your girlfriend, why isn't she holding your hand at a time like this?"

"Who are you two really?"

Jogo froze.

Indeed, in such a dangerous situation, if he really were Hina's boyfriend, and if Hina were really an ordinary girl, she should have been terrified and clinging tightly to his hand.

The current situation could only mean one thing: either Hina was not ordinary, or he was not Hina's boyfriend.

"No wonder he became a minor leader. His observation skills are pretty sharp."

Jogo thought, but he was not the least bit flustered.

Facing the increasingly hostile gazes gathering around them, he turned and grabbed Hina by the collar, roaring,

"You bastard, do you have another man behind my back?!"

Hina stared at him in shock.

The bald pirate stared in shock too.

The surrounding passengers and pirates all pricked up their ears.

Seeing Jogo look furious enough to start fighting, the bald pirate hurriedly grabbed him.

"Wait a second!"

"It doesn't have to go that far..."

Just as he was about to persuade him, he suddenly slapped his forehead and realized what was happening. He shouted,

"No, don't change the subject!"

"Do you think I have no way to tell whether she's your girlfriend?"

Jogo clicked his tongue inwardly.

This guy was pretty hard to fool.

Just as he was wondering what trick the bald man had up his sleeve,

the bald pirate's gaze shifted. He picked out a male passenger who looked timid and pointed at Jogo as he asked,

"Are they a couple?"

The male passenger said, "N-no."

Jogo's brows tightened, while Hina clenched her fist.

The bald pirate perked up. He knew it—his instincts had been right!

There was definitely something wrong with these two!

"Say your reason loudly."

The male passenger pointed at Jogo.

"He... he... he's a pervert!"

"For such a beautiful girl to be with him would be such a waste!"

Jogo: "..."

Hina: "???"

The bald pirate: "???"

"Get lost!"

Still unwilling to give up, the bald man grabbed several more people in succession.

He got the same answer every time—Jogo was a pervert!

If one person said so, that person might have been lying.

But if everyone said so, then it had to be true.

For a moment, the looks all the passengers and pirates gave Jogo changed.

So he was a pervert!

"I..."

Jogo felt it was necessary to defend his reputation.

"Don't say another word."

The bald pirate cut him off, jabbing a finger fiercely at him.

"I'm warning you, this girl can look for whoever she wants. If you dare stop her, watch out for the Happo Navy coming after you!"

There really was something wrong with these two, but who would have thought the man was a pervert?!

What rotten luck!

The bald pirate rubbed his head and left.

Hina let out a heavy sigh of relief. She had thought she was about to be exposed!

Seeing Jogo's speechless expression, she quietly leaned close and whispered by his ear, "Hehe, pervert~"

Fuck me!

Jogo hardened—his fists hardened!

But no matter what, they had finally passed this hurdle.

Passengers who had paid could return to their cabins.

Jogo did not want to wait any longer and gestured to Hina.

"Let's go. We're heading back."

The two turned around and took a step forward.

Then...

They saw the Happo Navy's current leader and deputy leader, Sai and Abu, who had somehow been waiting behind them all along.

The sea wind was icy, making their clothes flap loudly. The bright lights at the cabin entrance shone on their backs, casting enormous shadows that enveloped Jogo and Hina.

A chill ran up Jogo's spine!

Jogo's entire body tensed in an instant, while Hina behind him instinctively grabbed his hand.

When had they... No, the real question was why were these two behind them?!

Facing the two who looked as though they were confronting a mortal enemy, Sai rubbed his neck and slowly spoke.

"I thought you looked familiar just now."

He pulled a rolled-up magazine from his clothes.

A magazine?

Jogo inexplicably relaxed a little, though cold sweat still seeped down his back. At the same time, he was somewhat speechless.

"They could recognize us from that?"

"Does everyone in the West Blue have a copy of this trashy magazine or something?"

However, when the magazine was opened, it was not the West Blue New Discoveries he knew.

It was a magazine called Marine Chronicle.

On the cover, a delicate, bright-eyed young woman smiled toward the sun.

Below was a neatly printed headline—Marine Academy's Most Promising Recruit!

Jogo: "???"

Before he could ask, a piercing shriek of rushing wind erupted behind him.

A pitch-black spear shot out from behind him, swift as lightning as it streaked toward Sai's face!

Hina struck first!

However,

The next second.

Clang!!

The spear stopped in midair... More precisely, it stopped several dozen centimeters before Sai's extended fingertip!

It seemed to have been blocked by an invisible shield. The spearpoint trembled continuously, and even its soft ringing carried a faint quiver!

"Has! Sho! Ken!"

Hina's gritted voice rang out.

Sai burst into laughter.

"I never expected to run into an elite Marine graduate here!"

"Are you vacationing with your boyfriend?"

"Or could it be..."

The smile on Sai's face abruptly vanished, replaced by overwhelming malice!

He pushed the spearpoint aside. Taking advantage of the gap as Hina withdrew her force, he sprang forward, spun at incredible speed, and brought his right leg down from the air like a battle axe!

His furious roar tore through the air.

"...Were you sent by the Marines to track that shipment of weapons?!!"

The shriek of tearing air was brief and piercing!

Whoosh!

Jogo retreated explosively!

He had seen the black metallic gleam on Sai's foot!

Haki!

Armament Haki!

He had awakened it at such a young age!

No wonder he could take over the Happo Navy!

The next second,

Boom!!

Where he had just stood, a huge cloud of dust erupted into the sky. The tough deck, which could not be split by blades or hacked apart with axes, shattered without resistance.

An invisible Shockwave spread outward in a ring, carrying wood chips and dust. It slammed into the surrounding spectators and shoved them backward. Some of the weaker ones felt their entire bodies go numb, their bones and even teeth chattering violently.

As the Happo Navy's secret martial art passed down through generations, Hasshoken could unleash powerful spreading shockwaves. It could both shake enemies apart and defend its user.

It combined offense and defense, and was said to be the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's great-great-great-great-grandchild!

It was already absurdly powerful.

Combined with Armament Haki, its vibration and penetration surged! Exploded! Soared!!

In any case, Jogo had absolutely no desire to face an opponent who shook like crazy head-on.

Of course, he did not need to face him.

"Armament Haki..."

"Then I can't hold back!"

He had already promised Hina, and he would not break his word so easily.

"There's only one chance. Tenfold Conqueror's Haki has to cover every member of the Happo Navy!"

"For a range like this... I have to go for it!"

However, just as he raised his hand.

A crisp shout came from nearby. "Hina surrenders!"

It was not only Jogo who froze.

Sai and Abu froze as well.

"You surrender?"

Sai could hardly believe what he had heard.

"Yeah!"

Hina did not think there was anything wrong with that at all.

If she could not win, she would surrender and preserve her strength. That was also survival wisdom every Marine had to learn.

Besides, the relationship between the West Blue Marines and the Happo Navy was rather different.

They had been able to remain locked in conflict until now not only because they were roughly evenly matched, but also because both sides exercised a certain degree of restraint.

At the very least, neither side would do things like abuse prisoners or kill captives.

Sai gave a short laugh. He did not suspect Hina of faking her surrender, and directly had someone bring him a pair of Seastone Handcuffs. He cuffed Hina and ordered his subordinate.

"Lock her up on the ship!"

Then Sai and Abu turned their eyes toward Jogo.

Sai pointed his guandao at Jogo and sneered.

"What about you?"

"Are you going to tie yourself up, or should I knock you unconscious?"

Jogo dusted the debris from his body and pointed at himself with an innocent look.

"What does this have to do with me?"

"I'm not a Marine."

Since Hina was not going to fight, he was not bored enough to go slap the Happo Navy in the face.

Hina also testified from the side. "He isn't a Marine."

Sai merely sneered when he heard that.

"You think I'll believe that?"

"You have to believe it!"

Faced with the doubt, Jogo calmly pulled a magazine from his backpack and spread it open beside his face.

"Actually, I'm a Historian!"

—<The Youngest Historian in History Makes His Grand Debut!>

As everyone knew, Historians could not possibly associate with the Marines.

Sai's eyes widened.

What the hell was that?

Hina's eyes widened too.

When they first met, she had thought Jogo was a Marine. Not long ago, she had learned that he had once disguised himself as a gangster. Now everyone thought he was a pervert... and then he pulled out a magazine and claimed he was actually a Historian!

Unbelievable!

How could one person have so many identities?!