Chapter 271: Elbaf
Sea Era 1520. New World, Elbaf.
On the lowest level of Elbaf, near the coast, an irregular, ominous-looking crack in space suddenly tore open right in front of a wooden tavern.
The sudden, strange sound made a giant child, who was just about to enter, spin around. He quickly gripped the hilt of the relatively small two-handed sword at his waist, his senses flaring. Without even turning back, he yelled, "Something weird just appeared outside the door! Be careful!"
The giant child's shout triggered a commotion inside the tavern. The heavy wooden door was shoved open, and massive figures strode out. They all saw the irregular crack hanging in the air, pulsing with an ominous aura.
"This is—"
A bearded giant carrying a massive axe on his back looked grim. In a single stride covering dozens of meters, he positioned himself between the child and the crack.
"Kolon, get back, now!" the bearded giant ordered, his back to the child named Kolon, his voice absolute.
Kolon faltered, then raised his sword high, protesting loudly, "I refuse! I'm a warrior of Elbaf, too! I can't run from a fight!"
But in the next moment, the tavern proprietress, Mado, reached out with her large, fair hands and snatched Kolon up from behind.
"Auntie Mado, what are you doing?!"
"You're just a child! This isn't your fight!" Mado carried Kolon back inside, shut the heavy door, and peered out through a small window. As she watched, she placed a hand on Kolon's helmet. "If anything happened to you, I'd never be able to face Lipuri and Mr. Shan again!"
Meanwhile, the other giants outside formed a line in front of the crack, drawing their weapons and bracing themselves.
As the giants watched, the ominous crack rapidly expanded, transforming into a massive, star-filled portal.
A pair of long, slender, white legs stepped out from the rift.
Following them, a giantess with long, pale-golden hair and a beautiful face emerged. She wore light blue clothes and a cape. Her hands were cupped together at her chest, and sitting in her palms were two figures—one tall, one short.
"A giant... wait!"
"It's Gerd!" one of the giants shouted, recognizing her. They lowered their weapons.
The giants walked up to greet her. "Yo, Gerd-kun! What brings you back?"
"Where are Goldberg, Hajrudin, and Road?"
Inside the tavern, Mado and the young warrior Kolon breathed a sigh of relief. They recognized Gerd, one of Elbaf's most promising young warriors.
Gerd smiled, breathing in the air of her homeland. "Hajrudin is still moving islands. Goldberg and Road are back on Terra, helping train the new warriors who've joined us."
The giants were stunned, then filled with emotion. "In the blink of an eye... you've all become the strongest of Elbaf's young generation! It's no wonder so many young warriors want to follow your example and join the crew of the Emperor, Archangel."
Ever since Elbaf's two legendary captains returned and reformed the Giant Warrior Pirates, the warrior faction has become dominant again. This trend hit its peak when Hajrudin, Gerd, and the others joined the Archangel Pirates and made names for themselves across the seas.
Many adult giants have joined the new Giant Warrior Pirates to protect Elbaf. Meanwhile, the younger generation, those between 40 and 60, are following Gerd's path and joining the Emperor's crew. The warrior spirit is so strong now that even the children who prefer books and peace are debating whether they should learn to fight.
"It's better for them to be around you young'uns than with old geezers like Dorry and Brogy, right?!" the bearded giant with the axe interjected. He laughed heartily, his voice booming. "Gerd, all of you must keep getting stronger! All of Elbaf is waiting for you to become new legends! We're counting on you to bring about a glorious age where three generations of giant legends exist at the same time!"
"We're definitely stronger, but... except for Hajrudin, we're still a long way from the two captains." Gerd smiled and walked forward, intending to enter the tavern.
It was this movement that finally made the giants notice the two tiny figures cupped in her hands.
"They... couldn't be..."
The giants stared at the man with wings and the girl with the striking hair. They were stunned. The identity of a human that Gerd would willingly and carefully hold... it was obvious. But his arrival here was still a shock.
Gerd saw their looks and her smile widened. "That's right. This is my captain, Louis, and our musician, Uta!"
As Gerd spoke, Louis, who had been admiring a distant snow-capped mountain, turned his head to meet their stunned gazes.
"I've heard much about the world's strongest country. It's an honor to be in Elbaf."
Even though the giants had suspected it, the confirmation still left them gaping.
Inside the tavern, Kolon's eyes went wide. "Gerd-neechan's captain... The Emperor... Archangel?!"
He scrambled past the legs of the adult giants and ran outside, craning his neck to look up. Even though he was too low to see the figures in Gerd's palm clearly, his eyes shone with pure adoration and hope.
"An Emperor... just like Shanks?!"
Louis sensed the gaze from below and looked down, meeting the boy's adoring eyes. He recognized him instantly. Kolon. The child of Scopper Gaban and a giantess...
In the underworld of Elbaf.
Here, the great Treasure Tree Adam blocks out the sky, plunging the land into a frigid, unchanging tundra. Terrifying beasts lurk among the snow-shrouded mountains, their shadows promising brutal strength.
Yet, in this frigid land of death, the sound of a conversation, tinged with laughter, echoed.
On a giant rock, a Snow Den Den Mushi, bundled in wool, was speaking in a strange tone.
"You seem to be in good spirits. Still able to laugh, Loki!"
The massive figure chained to the roots of the Treasure Tree Adam with giant Seastone chains couldn't help but laugh.
"Keh... Kehehehe...!"
His chest heaved, and the demonic, wailing laugh was chilling. It carried on the wind, stirring the nearby beasts, who opened their eyes, moved closer, and let out answering howls.
After a while, the giant figure shook, sending snow cascading off his body. He took a deep breath, his body temperature rising to ward off the chill. Amidst clouds of steam, the giant named Loki looked up slightly. His huge horns and a face half-covered in bandages were revealed to the gathering beasts.
"I'm just making the best of a bad situation, Mosa-kou!"
Loki sensed the beasts gathering with his Observation Haki, smelling their familiar scent, and bared his teeth. "You, on the other hand, seem to have a lot of free time, Mosa-kou."
"It's been four years since that bastard Red-Hair dragged me back here! When I break out, I'm going to kill him!"
The Den Den Mushi imitated the voice of the man called Mosa-kou. "What's the big deal? A giant's average lifespan is three times a human's. We even have folks over 400 years old. Four years is nothing to you. Besides, with that body of yours that survived all that 'terrible torture,' you're not going to die in the underworld."
Loki was instantly furious. He struggled against his chains, roaring, "Hey, hey! Easy for you to say! All four of my limbs are bound! I haven't even been able to take my pants off in four years! Do you have any idea what I've been through?! Your words really cut deep, Mosa-kou!"
The man on the other end of the Den Den Mushi paused. He only knew Loki was imprisoned, not that it was this bad. Mosa-kou's voice softened. "...My apologies, Loki. I shouldn't have been so callous."
"Hmph—" Loki snorted, his foul mood lifting slightly. "If only those guys and that damned Red-Hair could apologize to me like that!"
"Apologize?" Mosa-kou seemed to ponder this. "Well, why don't you just explain the truth about that incident? Then it would be over."
"Hmph." Loki lowered his head again. "He's already dead. I have to leave him some shred of a reputation, don't I? Am I supposed to just stand by and watch his name be dragged through the mud for all eternity?"
"Is that so..." Mosa-kou sighed.
After another moment, the beasts that had gathered slunk back to the edge of the forest and lay down.
Loki's mouth twitched. "Hey, Mosa-kou, tell me what's been happening in the world. I've been locked up for so long, I'm completely out of the loop!"
"Alright... hold on, let me go find the last few years' worth of newspapers." Mosa-kou's shuffling footsteps faded and then returned.
Soon, he was back at the Den Den Mushi, accompanied by the rustling of paper. Amidst the howling, frigid wind, Mosa-kou's voice rang out again.
"Three years ago, the supernova pirate 'Fire Fist' Ace ended up joining the Flying Pirates. They say he became a student of both Ochoku and the Golden Lion."
"The Archangel Pirates have apparently gotten even stronger. The Archangel himself is said to have gained the power of the Space-Space Fruit. He's been spotted all over the world."
"Charlotte Katakuri, who had been missing, has reportedly reappeared on the seas."
"The World Government was exposed for capturing members of special races on a massive scale, apparently to research and create special biological weapons."
"The former 'World's Strongest Man,' Whitebeard, and his pirate crew have been seen more and more. They say he's tracking someone down."
"The 'Siren' of the Archangel Pirates held another concert two years ago. It's said the Mermaid Princess, Shirahoshi, whose beauty is rumored to rival hers, also sang."
"The papers say the Siren is another princess of Atlantis... and that she and Shirahoshi are sisters!"
"One year ago..." Mosa-kou's voice trailed off, sounding hesitant.
Loki, who was digesting the news, frowned. "What happened one year ago!"
...
After a brief hesitation, Mosa-kou continued:
"The giant Hajrudin, who is moving islands, has already reached the South Blue. There's a rumor he accomplished something incredible at the Giant Kingdom there."
"Hajrudin?" Loki's lips curled in a sneer. "So he got a good fruit from the Forest God. But imitating that ancient giant who froze to death by moving islands... what an idiot!"
"So what if he got a Mythical Zoan and is growing fast? Thinking he can catch up to me is a joke!"
After grumbling, Loki turned his head toward the Den Den Mushi. "Is there any other news? This is all boring!"
"Oh, there are a few more!" Mosa-kou's frantic rustling came through, giving Loki a dark look.
Just as Loki was about to erupt, Mosa-kou's voice cut in: "About six months ago, an apprentice from the Roger Pirates was revealed to have been hiding in the East Blue for years. His old friend, who was his equal back then, is now the Emperor Red-Hair. The World Government urgently dispatched high-level forces to corner him, but they were defeated by his powerful subordinate, and he got clean away."
"Red-Hair's friend?" Loki's fists clenched, and he let out a chilling, ferocious laugh. "He's a dead man. I'll make sure of it!"
"When I get out of here, I'll find him, kill him, and dump his body right in front of Red-Hair!!" Loki's body trembled with anticipation, imagining the look of despair on Red-Hair's face.
Mosa-kou, long familiar with Loki's madness, ignored the outburst and read on: "One or two months ago, one of the Warlords of the Sea, Hawkeye Mihawk, appeared in the East Blue."
"Hawkeye Mihawk's strength is no joke. They say that in terms of pure swordsmanship, not even Red-Hair is his equal!"
"The swordswoman Kuina of the Archangel Pirates has defeated many famous swordsmen in the New World. Many are calling her the world's only female Sword Master."
"The Alabasta Kingdom, in the first half of the Grand Line, is showing signs of a rebellion."
"And a rookie pirate called 'Straw Hat' caused a huge scene in Loguetown, in the East Blue. He easily defeated the Logia-type Marine captain stationed there."
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