Warland Kingdom, Western Village Port, Night.
"Have you heard? Captains Dorry and Brogy went to pick up that human pirate crew during the day!"
"Eh~ I'm really curious. Do those humans really have the power to defeat them?"
"But they're so small! They look very cute. We Giants could crush them with one step, right?"
"Gerd~! Even though humans are small, there are also very powerful figures among them. You must never underestimate them!"
The Giants gathered near the port, craning their necks to peer into the distance.
"They're coming! The Rainbow Bridge is rising!!"
"Oh oh oh!! They're finally coming! The human powerhouses who defeated Captains Dorry and Brogy! I, Beelzebub, want to see if they can withstand my punch!"
As the mist ships approached from the distance, the figures aboard became clear from blurry to distinct.
Two somewhat dilapidated ships, some 'little ones', and...
"Hey hey!! That person is Loki, right!?"
"Why is the cursed prince on that mist ship?"
"Damn it, he must have used his evil eyes to bewitch Dorry and the others! Get out, Loki!!"
"You monster who cursed your own mother to death! Western Village doesn't welcome you!"
On the mist ship, listening to the noise from the shore, Bazel picked his ear.
"Are they welcoming us?"
Loki, sitting on the deck, spread his hands: "I bet you, Bazel Aniki, they're definitely telling me to get out."
Dorry and Brogy sighed helplessly but did not refute.
"Well, maybe they're welcoming us~"
Hanafuda cheerfully came to Loki's side, pinching the giant's robust body with his hands.
"You're really big, Loki! Even bigger than Dorry and Brogy! Your muscles are more developed too!"
"I'm a Giant who awakened the ancient giant bloodline."
Loki picked up Hanafuda and placed him on his thigh.
"In ancient times, the ancient giants once ruled this sea of the New World. If not for that Bloodstained Snake, the giants of that time might have even extended the war to Paradise."
"Bloodstained Snake?" Hanafuda tilted his head in confusion, taking a moment to react, "Ah! You mean the Red Line, right?"
"It's the same, just a different name. The version I heard was Bloodstained Snake."
Loki gazed deeper into the Sun World, where a lone, lofty castle stood.
"Harald once said that the horns symbolizing ancient giants would make humans recall that era of war, so he broke off his own horns."
"Ridiculous!"
"War is the main theme of this world. War between people, war between Marines and pirates, war between Sea Kings and Sea Kings."
"War is happening all the time, everywhere. He's too soft!"
"No, Loki, your father is right."
Bazel suddenly spoke up at this time.
"But not entirely."
"What he fears is not just the present, but also the future."
"If the next generation of giants cannot produce a powerhouse like Harald, the Giant Race will definitely be invaded by the outside world. Perhaps in a few hundred years, it will become a gray area like Fish-Man Island."
"I guess what Harald wants to do, besides leaving more escape routes for future Elbaf, is to use exchanges with other kingdoms to accelerate the evolution of giant civilization."
"Trade, diplomacy, war… these are all indispensable things. But there's one prerequisite: that Harald remains alive."
"I…" Loki was about to say that he would become the next Harald.
But Bazel raised a hand to stop him.
"The reason he didn't consider you is that your situation is very special. Although you inherited his excellent physique, your reputation makes it difficult for you to inherit the throne."
"Your mother... sorry, I'm not disparaging her, just stating a non-existent future."
Bazel first gave himself some excuse, then continued, "If your mother had described the anomaly at your birth as a once-in-a-thousand-years chosen one of the Giants, your future would definitely not be like this."
"Harald would train you with all his might. Your Giant compatriots would trust you immensely. But that's an 'if'."
Loki sighed, not particularly sad, "Let bygones be bygones. Even if it happened again, I estimate she would still throw me into the underworld."
"She was too superstitious about that whatever earth wind technique..."
"As for the Giant King's throne, let my idiot brother have it. Hmm~ seems that might not work either."
"Those old fogies in the tribe think Hajrudin's bloodline is impure. Even his mother, Ida, couldn't obtain formal queen consort status."
"A bunch of senile old fools!"
Hanafuda sat cross-legged and patted Loki's thigh.
"Once you return with glory, just seize the Giant King's position yourself."
"Our human lifespans aren't as long as you giants'. After we die, you can come back and continue fighting for the throne."
"…"
As they chatted, the mist ships sailed into the Western Village's port, docking near the shallows.
Intermittent boos reached their ears.
"Let's go."
Bazel, the first to disembark, narrowed his eyes, and Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body!
The jeering giants instantly fell silent, using all their strength to resist Bazel's increasingly powerful aura.
In their vision, the seemingly tiny human became like a towering mountain they could only look up to.
"Listen up."
As he stepped forward, Bazel's words were carried by the wind to all the giants' ears.
"We are the Beasts Pirates. Loki has become our companion."
"He is no longer your Prince of Elbaf. Anyone who dares to gossip again will speak to me lying down."
"Da-Damn it! This is Elbaf's Western Village!!"
From the middle of the crowd, a giant carrying a large axe and shield slowly stood up, glaring fiercely at Bazel.
"Mere humans, don't get too arrogant!!"
"I'll let you taste the power of Elbaf!!!"
The surrounding giants' expressions changed slightly when they saw their companion assume the starting stance of Spear of Elbaf.
"Wait, Beelzebub! They are King Harald's guests! You can't just attack rashly!"
"That's right, Beelzebub! Stop it now!"
"I don't care about that! This is a provocation!!"
Beelzebub swung his axe with great force, sending a wave of light toward the Beasts Pirates.
Hanafuda stopped Loki, who was about to strike with Ragnir.
"Watch carefully. Bazel doesn't need your help. It's true that we Beasts Pirates want to establish ties with the Giants…"
"But it's definitely not a submissive alliance. We need battle to open the door to alliance."
"Only the strong have the right to equal dialogue."
"But…" Loki looked conflicted, watching the massive light wave approach.
"Gear 2."
Bazel's right arm turned into glazed red-gold. With a full-force punch, the incoming light wave vanished in an instant.
Whoosh…!
The next moment, Bazel was already standing beside the face of the attacking giant, his limbs and body wreathed in flame clouds.
"Mere humans? Then let me show you the power of this 'mere human'."
Serious Normal Attack!
His fist struck again.
The giant named Beelzebub, sensing the power approaching, paled dramatically. But by the time he wanted to dodge, it was already too late.
Bang~
As Beelzebub was sent flying by a punch, Bazel stood in the sky, his gaze meeting the other Giants'.
"Anyone else who wants to fight, step forward! I am Bazel of the Beasts Pirates!"
"Whether you want a duel or a melee, we Beasts Pirates will oblige!"
The unified sound of swords being drawn rang out.
Looking at the excited little humans, the giants were at a loss.
They hadn't expected Bazel's strength to be this great, sending Beelzebub flying with just one punch.
Just as the two groups were at a stalemate, an elderly giant pushed through the crowd.
"Enough, stop this nonsense."
"Elder Jarul!!" The Giants retreated to both sides.
"So tall, this guy~~~" Olga lays on King's shoulder, hand shading her eyes.
"King, this giant is as tall as a small mountain!"
King turned his head away with a look of disgust, "I saw it, don't shout in my ear."
"Members of the Beasts Pirates, please do not cause trouble here. King Harald is waiting for you."
"Cause trouble?"
Hanafuda transformed into his dragon-man form, his neck cracking as he turned it.
"Hey hey, are you misunderstanding something? We are already prepared for a full-scale battle!"
"Loki is our companion. Whatever he suffered in the past, we can't be bothered to pursue it, but if any of you dare to keep running your mouths now, don't blame us for being rude."
"Total war? Bojajaja~~~"
Jarul burst out laughing, clutching his stomach, "Humans declaring war on the Giants? Are you trying to make me die from laughter?"
"What? You think it can't be done?"
Conqueror's Haki flared once again as Bazel looked down at Jarul, his gaze burning with unrestrained fighting spirit.
"Jarul, do you think there are other Giants besides Harald who can stop me?"
Loki stepped forward, his Conqueror's Haki erupting as well.
"And me, Loki! Let's raise some real hell, Bazel Aniki!"
"Let these frog-in-a-well countrymen of mine witness the true power of the Beasts!"
"Dogahaha!!"