"Perfect!" Marcus exclaimed.
If fire resistance worked this well, his operation possibilities had just expanded massively. He could actually mine inside an active volcano without getting cooked alive.
First things first, he needed to test the economics of this whole setup. He pulled out an iron bucket and scooped up some lava.
He placed the bucket on his transmutation tablet and checked the price.
Lava Bucket: 1,048 EMC
"Damn, that's a loss."
He'd been hoping to make easy money by selling lava buckets. Just buying three iron ingots from the transmutation tablet cost 1,296 EMC, while selling them back only returned 648 EMC. The lava itself was worth 400 EMC, but when you factored in the bucket cost, he'd lose 248 EMC on every transaction.
So much for getting rich quick off volcano tourism.
But then he had another idea. What if he skipped the bucket entirely?
He stuck his hand directly into the lava pool. It felt hot, sure, but he wasn't taking any damage. Even his clothes weren't catching fire, which was honestly pretty ridiculous when he thought about it.
"Minecraft logic strikes again."
Not bothering to question why his t-shirt could resist molten rock, he focused his mind and tried placing the lava directly into the transmutation tablet's conversion slot.
It worked.
Raw lava conversion cost: 120 EMC
"That's 280 EMC profit per block!"
He paused to calculate. "But I need to factor in golden apple costs too. At 3,456 EMC each, I'd need to convert at least thirteen blocks of lava within five minutes just to break even."
Looking at the massive lava pool surrounding him, he grinned. "Yeah, that's not gonna be a problem."
Without hesitation, he took a running leap and cannonballed straight into the lava.
The sensation was bizarre. The lava was thick and viscous, but somehow comfortable. If he closed his eyes, he could almost pretend he was at some expensive spa.
But he didn't have time to relax. His fire resistance buff was already down to four minutes.
Almost immediately, the lava level around him began dropping visibly. He stood perfectly still in the center of the pool as molten rock flowed toward him and vanished like he was some kind of black hole.
Watching his EMC value steadily climb, his grin grew wider and wider. This was way faster than he'd expected.
In just four minutes, his EMC had already shot up by over 12,000 points. And that was with him standing on the surface, waiting for lava to flow toward him. If he dove deeper into the volcano's heart, he wouldn't have to wait for anything, it would be pure, constant absorption.
He popped another enchanted golden apple into his mouth and prepared for round two.
This time, he took a deep breath and dove headfirst straight down into the molten core.
The descent was incredible. He wasn't just sinking, he was creating a massive drain in the lava pool. A visible vortex formed around him as countless streams of lava vanished into his transmutation system.
That's when he discovered something even better. The transmutation interface had eight conversion slots, meaning he could process eight blocks simultaneously.
With some quick mental adjustments, he set up all eight slots to convert lava at once. Now he was absorbing 8 cubic meters per second instead of just one.
Watching his EMC rise at eight times the previous speed, he felt like he'd struck oil. Well, technically he'd struck lava, but the principle was the same.
About 100,000 EMC per minute... to hit 80 million, that's... thirteen hours or so.
Even with the massive efficiency boost, spending thirteen hours swimming in lava sounded pretty miserable. Plus he was worried about what prolonged exposure might do.
Wait a second... I haven't tested obsidian prices yet.
The idea hit him like lightning. If obsidian was worth more than 280 EMC per block, he could potentially speed this up even more.
He pulled out a water bucket and stopped his descent, swimming back up until he could see the volcanic crater above. Then he carefully poured water against the rocky wall.
Steam hissed and billowed as the water hit molten rock, and obsidian began forming in perfectly cubic blocks.
He whipped out his diamond pickaxe and activated Vein Mining, but first he made sure to reclaim his water bucket. No point wasting lava if there was a limited supply.
CRACK!
The pickaxe slammed into the obsidian wall, and thanks to Vein Mining, the entire formation shattered at once. Dozens of obsidian blocks tumbled into the lava below.
"Holy shit!"
Marcus held his breath, but thankfully, real-world lava couldn't instantly destroy Minecraft item drops the way game lava could. The obsidian blocks just bobbed on the surface like strange black cork cubes.
He quickly scooped them up and checked the transmutation price.
482 EMC per block.
"Jackpot!" That was significantly higher than lava's 400 EMC, and he didn't need to burn through golden apples every five minutes to harvest it.
Sure, diamond pickaxes only had 1,560 durability, with each block costing one point. But at 482 EMC per block, that was over 750,000 EMC worth of obsidian from a single pickaxe, easily enough to cover the diamond cost and then some.
Now it was just a matter of optimizing the process.
He quickly threw himself into the work, setting up an efficient operation. He discovered he could create a continuous water flow that would automatically generate obsidian as fast as he could mine it. The water would hit lava, form obsidian, and he'd mine it out before the cycle repeated.
An hour later, he checked his progress and was pleased to see he was earning around 150,000 EMC per minute.
"Much faster than the lava method, but still looking at six-plus hours to hit my target." He wiped sweat from his forehead. "Ah, screw it. Time to grind!"
He set up a simple water flow system that would carry the obsidian blocks directly to him, so he could just stand in one spot and mine downward continuously. No need to chase after drops or worry about them getting burned up.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, the rest of the Straw Hats were having their own adventures.
The Luffy and Kira group had encountered Dorry, while the ship-bound duo of Usopp and Nami had somehow managed to meet Brogy despite never leaving the Going Merry.
Unlike in the original timeline, Mr. 3 was nowhere to be found, which meant no Baroque Works interference. Just giants, dinosaurs, and good old-fashioned adventure.
After sampling the fine wine Luffy's crew had brought, a feast began. And thanks to Marcus' volcanic activities, the usual eruption that marked the giants' daily duel had been delayed indefinitely.
This surprised both Dorry and Brogy, but they didn't dwell on it. Sometimes volcanoes just went quiet for days at a time, it happened.
As the sun set, the celebration gradually wound down. Not because anyone wanted to stop partying, but simply because they'd run out of alcohol.
Giant appetites were no joke. The modest amount of wine they'd purchased for the Merry was nowhere near enough for two warriors who stood over 69 feet tall.
As for the experimental wine Marcus and Sanji had been brewing, well... it was more like fancy fruit juice at this point, and even that had been quickly consumed.
The dinosaur meat that Sanji, Zoro, and Alvida had hunted earlier was also completely devoured during the feast, despite the creatures being absolutely massive.
"Kabababa!" Brogy laughed, patting his enormous belly. "I never imagined your food could be this incredible! Even I feel more full than I've ever been in my life!"
Dorry chuckled. "Gyagagaga! Since coming to this island, it's rare to eat until we're truly satisfied. Feels like one more bite and I'd burst!"
Luffy, who now stood as tall as a giant's waist, nodded proudly. "That's all thanks to my crewmate's special abilities! Even I had trouble handling that much food at first!"
"Don't treat overeating like it's some kind of achievement," Sanji sighed in exasperation.
These days, no matter how much he cooked, Luffy could eat it all and ask for seconds. The workload had increased exponentially, especially with two giants joining their meals.
Thank god Marcus had crafted him that massive furnace that could accommodate unlimited quantities of the same ingredient. Without it, he seriously doubted he could keep up with demand.
After all, Luffy's current appetite surpassed even the combined hunger of both giants.
"By the way, where's your other companion?" Dorry asked curiously. The rest of the Straw Hats had gathered for the feast, but the crewmate who'd apparently created all this amazing food was still nowhere to be seen.
Luffy scratched his head. "Now that you mention it... where is Marcus?"
The others all shrugged or shook their heads.
But Alvida pointed downward. "He's probably mining. Didn't he say this island would be rich in mineral resources?"
"Mining? All by himself?" Brogy looked confused, tilting his head. "But the ground here has been compacted solid from a century of our battles. Even we would have trouble digging through it."
"Eh, he'll show up when he's ready." Luffy wasn't concerned. He turned back to the giants. "Hey, you've been fighting here for a hundred years, what started it all?"
The question caught both Dorry and Brogy off guard. They looked at each other for a long moment, then burst into hearty laughter.
"Kabababa! If not for your crewmate's competition earlier, I don't think we would have even remembered why we started fighting in the first place!"
"Gyagagaga! You see those two skeletons over there?"
"Skeletons? But that's a mountai—" Usopp followed the giant's gesture, then his jaw dropped. "Wait... those are Sea King skulls?!"
"That's right! Back then, we were competing over whose prey was bigger. And well..." Brogy grinned sheepishly. "Kabababa! That competition has lasted a hundred years now."
"Just because of that?" Nami stared at the giants in disbelief. "You've been fighting for a hundred years... over who caught the bigger fish?"
This wasn't some schoolyard scuffle that lasted an afternoon. This was a century of warfare.
The rest of the Straw Hats were equally stunned. Fighting for a hundred years over something so trivial seemed insane.
Seeing their expressions, Dorry slapped his thigh and burst into laughter. "Gyagagaga! Brogy, look at their faces! They're exactly the same as our old crewmates used to make!"
Brogy nodded, chuckling. "Kabababa! Identical reactions every time."
"A hundred-year war," Usopp repeated slowly. "Just over... size?"
Dorry stroked his beard. "I understand why it's hard for you to grasp. But we staked the honor of Elbaph itself. No matter how small the matter that starts a fight, once we raise our pride and engage in battle, everything else stops mattering."
"Kabababa! If you hadn't shown up, we might have completely forgotten what the original wager even was," Brogy added. "It really brings back memories of the old days. I wonder how the others from our crew are doing now."
Looking at how casually the giants discussed their century-long conflict, the Straw Hats felt completely bewildered.
"Honor..." Usopp muttered.
"I think I get it," Zoro said quietly, his hand moving instinctively to touch his swords. When his fingers brushed against Wado Ichimonji, memories of an old promise rang in his mind.
He fought for a childhood vow, to become the World's Strongest Swordsman, so his name would reach where she rests, and Kuina would know he'd kept their promise.
He fought for a promise, while Dorry and Brogy fought for honor.
"Their honor means the same thing to them as our dreams and promises do to us," he explained to the others. "Luffy wants to become Pirate King. I want to become the World's Strongest Swordsman. Different goals, but we're willing to give everything for them."
"Kabababa! That's a good way to put it," Brogy said approvingly. "Elbaph's honor is everything to us giants. We'll sacrifice anything for it."
Dorry nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly right!"
Listening to this explanation, something clicked for Usopp. For the first time, he began to understand what honor really meant. But it also made him feel uneasy, because his own goal of becoming a "brave warrior of the sea" had always felt more like an excuse to leave his village than a true dream.
Compared to Luffy's burning desire to become Pirate King, or Zoro's drive to be the World's Strongest Swordsman, or even Sanji's dream of finding the All Blue, his conviction felt vague and directionless.
But now, listening to the giants, something was starting to take shape in his mind.
"I think I understand now! If it's possible, I'd really love to see your homeland someday!"
The two giants exchanged glances, then grinned and made a playful offer. "We've got an Eternal Pose to Elbaph. Want to try taking it from us?"
"No, no!" Usopp waved his hands. "That's not what I meant!"
Both giants burst into laughter again. It had been so long since they'd had guests who were this entertaining and friendly. It reminded them of the good old days when the Giant Warrior Pirates still sailed the seas together.
Just then, the ground began to shake beneath their feet.
Moments later, the volcano at the center of the island erupted, sending a column of fire and ash into the sky.
The two giants, who had been laughing just seconds before, suddenly reacted like sprinters hearing the starting gun.
They stood up.
Without a word, they walked to their dwellings and retrieved their weapons.
The Straw Hats looked around in confusion.
"So the duel begins now?" Luffy realized, watching as the giants took their positions.
The others quickly retreated, hiding behind large rocks and vegetation to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
Over the past years, the constant battles between the giants had worn the ground between their camps into a perfectly round fighting arena. It was the exact spot where the Straw Hats had just been having their barbecue feast.
But before the two warriors could begin their clash, a shrill scream echoed from somewhere high above.
"AHHHHHHH!"
At first, the sound was distant and faint. Then everyone looked up and saw a human figure plummeting from the sky.
"Damn! Damn! DAMMIT!"
The sight left Dorry and Brogy completely baffled, while Luffy squinted upward in confusion.
"That guy... should be Marcus, right?" Alvida asked, shading her eyes against the sun.
The others looked up and nodded in agreement.
"Yeah... definitely looks like him."
"How the hell did he fall from the sky?" Zoro wondered aloud.
While the rest of them made casual observations from the safety of the ground, Marcus was frantically going through his inventory in mid-air.
He quickly pulled out a water bucket. He'd never actually tested the "MLG water bucket" trick in this world before. Honestly, he'd never really wanted to experiment with it, because if something went wrong, that would be the end of him.
Seeing the ground rushing up fast, he gritted his teeth. At the last possible moment, instead of placing just a single bucket of water, he generated an infinite water source.
After all, he wasn't falling feet-first like in the game. A single cubic meter of water might not be enough to cushion his entire body.
He braced himself for impact.
Boom!
The crash came, but it wasn't nearly as devastating as he'd feared. The water had absorbed most of the impact, though he still felt like he'd been hit by a truck.
Opening his eyes and checking to make sure his nose wasn't broken, he let out a breath.
"I'm alive!"
He wiped cold sweat from his forehead and started to climb out of the water he'd created. But as soon as he stood up, two enormous heads loomed down toward him.
"Whoa!" He went on guard instinctively, but quickly calmed down when he realized who they were.
Just then, Luffy's rubber arms stretched out and grabbed hold of Marcus, yanking him away from the center of the arena.
"What the—?!"
The very instant Marcus was pulled to safety, a massive shockwave blasted through the air where he'd been standing.
The two giants had slammed their shields together.
The impact created such a violent pressure wave that trees throughout the surrounding area bent sideways, and several smaller ones were uprooted.
Next came the weapons. Brogy's massive axe collided with Dorry's enormous sword.
Dark purple lightning crackled at the point of impact.
"Awesome!" Luffy stared in fascination at the battling giants.
Zoro's eyes were locked onto the moment of impact, studying every detail. He could feel the force of their auras colliding.
When their weapons met, despite being chipped and worn from decades of use, neither blade took any new damage from the exchange.
"So that's Armament Haki," he murmured.
WHAM!
The giants' shields crashed together, this time sending out a shockwave far stronger than before. Even though the Straw Hats had retreated to what they thought was a safe distance, they were still blown off their feet by the wind pressure.
"Kabababa! Just as I thought, only after eating my fill do I have the strength to really fight!" Brogy roared.
Dorry was equally thrilled. "Gyagagaga! Today is the day we finally settle this once and for all!"
The truth was, given the giants' enormous appetites, it was a miracle the ecosystem of Little Garden had survived this long. The fact that dinosaurs and countless other creatures still roamed the island wasn't because the land was particularly abundant, it was because Dorry and Brogy had never hunted it to extinction.
They'd been operating on half-empty stomachs for decades, never able to hunt enough to truly satisfy their hunger.
But now, with bellies full of Sanji's enhanced cooking and special buffs boosting their abilities, they were fighting at 150% of their normal strength.
The battle that followed was more intense than any they'd fought in the past century.
The giants clashed with their weapons, grappled with their bare hands, and even resorted to throwing boulders the size of houses at each other. Each exchange sent shockwaves rippling across the island, and the Straw Hats had to keep retreating further and further to avoid being caught in the destruction.
Marcus, still slightly dazed from his skydiving experience, watched the spectacle.
"Damn," he muttered. "And I thought the anime made them look strong. But this is completely insane."
The duel raged on for an entire day and night, lasting until the first light of dawn. Even then, neither giant showed signs of giving up.
Their weapons rang against each other.
But in the end, just as the sun began to rise, both giants landed uppercuts to each other's jaws.
They stood there for a moment, swaying slightly, then both collapsed backward onto the ground.
"Battle number 73,466..." Dorry wheezed.
"Draw number 73,466... Kabababa! In the end, still no winner," Brogy chuckled weakly, then promptly fell into a deep sleep.
Dorry was already snoring.