As Thor left Harald alone in the quiet of the night, the King found himself surrounded by silence, yet his mind was louder than ever.
Thoughts came at him in waves—new possibilities mixed with deep doubts, and each one struck him harder than the last.
For the first time in a long while, Harald began to question everything he had believed in. His way of thinking, his ideals, and even the dream he had been pursuing for years began to crack.
The hopeful image of joining the World Government, once a shining goal, now looked uncertain and distant.
For so long, the World Government had shown him just enough attention to keep his hopes alive.
They sent letters, made small gestures, and gave him polite responses that hinted at future approval.
Every meeting and every communication was enough to convince Harald that he was getting closer to success, that Elbaph would soon be seen as an equal among the nations of men.
But the more time passed, the more he began to notice something else beneath those gestures.
The World Government was not guiding him closer—they were keeping him at a distance.
As his mind pieced together every small detail he had ignored before, Harald began to realize that his nation's isolation might not be accidental.
The headlines printed by the news agencies were often exaggerated or outright false, painting Elbaph as a barbaric and violent land.
Even when Elbaph helped nearby islands with trade or defense, those deeds were ignored or twisted into stories of conquest.
"Is my way really the wrong way?" Harald thought, staring blankly at the flickering light of the candle beside him. He leaned back in his chair, exhaustion creeping into his body but not his mind.
The same question repeated again and again, echoing like a hammer striking his conscience.
For the first time in years, he began to look back at every step he had taken—each decision, each negotiation, every word he had sent to the World Government. He saw patterns that he had once refused to see, and that realization made him uneasy.
By the time morning came, Harald was still awake. His eyes were tired, and his journal lay untouched on the desk beside him.
The candle had long burned out, leaving only the faint light of dawn creeping into the room.
He stood slowly, feeling the stiffness in his body, and decided that a walk might help clear his thoughts.
When he stepped outside the Aurust Castle, the cold air met him gently. The royal guards were already awake, patrolling the courtyard with their usual discipline. They were loyal and enthusiastic, proud to serve, but seeing them only reminded Harald of the responsibility he carried.
"Your Majesty," one of the guards greeted, immediately stopping to bow. The others followed, saluting in respect. Harald nodded slightly, his large frame towering over them. He was enormous even by giant standards, a living monument among his people, and it was nearly impossible not to notice him wherever he went.
"Great work, everyone," Harald said, giving them a small but sincere smile. The guards straightened their posture, encouraged by their king's words, as Harald began his slow walk across the castle grounds.
Meanwhile, in another part of the castle, Thor was standing near his window, watching quietly. He hadn't slept much either. His mind had been active since their conversation, and he could tell that Harald had spent the night thinking as well.
When Thor saw his father walking alone outside, he understood what was happening—Harald was still struggling with his decision, torn between pride, responsibility, and doubt.
Thor respected that. He knew how long Harald had been chasing this dream. But at the same time, Thor couldn't accept the path his father was walking.
He didn't want to see the future he remembered—a future where Dorry and Brogy were controlled by Imu's power, where the once-great name of Elbaph had fallen into irrelevance.
That kind of future wasn't acceptable for a land known as the home of the strongest warriors.
'If you won't make the change, then I will,' Thor thought. His expression hardened as he began to form a plan in his mind. He had already decided to take a step that would alter Elbaph's fate.
If he wanted to strengthen his people, he needed soldiers—many of them. The current generation of mature giants was strong, but they were bound by old traditions.
It was the younger ones, like Hajrudin's generation, that needed guidance and discipline to survive in the harsh seas of the New World.
Thor opened the window and took a deep breath before jumping out. The fall was high, but he didn't hesitate.
The ground shook when he landed, the sound echoing through the area like a distant explosion.
He stood up unharmed, brushing off the dust, and began running toward the tavern of Ida. He already knew where the Rocks Pirates were staying.
Inside the castle, Harald paused for a moment when he heard the impact. His brow furrowed as he turned his head toward the sound.
For a brief moment, he wondered what had happened, but he dismissed it, assuming it was nothing serious.
When Thor arrived at Ida's tavern, he immediately spotted Xebec and Newgate sitting outside, both of them holding cups of coffee far too small for their hands.
The air smelled of roasted beans and sea salt. Xebec noticed Thor running toward them first, and it was hard not to. A twenty-meter-tall giant sprinting across the open field wasn't exactly subtle.
"It's still early in the morning, brat! Come back later!" Xebec shouted, thinking Thor wanted another sparring match.
But his voice trailed off when he noticed the black coating spreading across Thor's arms.
Thor's hands gleamed faintly with Armament Haki as he threw a sudden punch toward Xebec.
Xebec caught it with a grin, but the impact caused a shockwave that cracked the ground beneath them.
He immediately noticed something new—an invisible outer layer of energy surrounding Thor's fist.
Thor had learned to apply the concept of Ryuo, the advanced use of Haki that allowed power to flow outward instead of just hardening the body.
Thor had remembered how Luffy trained with Hyougoro and used that memory as a blueprint, relying on his natural talent and the Essence within him to replicate the technique.
"I'll join your pirate crew," Thor said firmly after pulling back his hand. His words caught Xebec off guard. He had expected another challenge or a bold declaration of rivalry, not this.
For a moment, Xebec simply stared before remembering something Thor had said during their first battle—that if Harald refused his offer, Thor would join instead.
"I don't accept weaklings in my crew," Xebec replied, grinning slightly. "You're strong, but you're still a child. Fifteen years old, right? That's barely old enough to drink."
Thor didn't smile. "Don't you get it? If the crown prince of Elbaph joins your pirate crew, what do you think the rest of the world will assume?"
Xebec's grin slowly widened as the realization dawned on him. "They'd think that Elbaph has allied itself with me," he said, laughing quietly to himself.
"Exactly," Thor said. "But I have conditions. First, the kingdoms allied with my father—the ones that stood with us when we faced disasters—must never be harmed. Second, I won't participate in any unnecessary destruction or ravaging of innocent lands. If you can accept that, I'll join you willingly, and I'll even fight for your cause… at least until your time ends."
Xebec fell silent for a moment. Newgate glanced at him, half expecting the captain to reject the proposal.
Thor was still a child by giant standards—barely five years old in maturity—and yet he spoke with a level of confidence and purpose that made even seasoned pirates listen.
Finally, Xebec laughed. "I agree to your conditions," he said. His laughter grew louder. "With this alliance, Harald's dream of joining the World Government is finished. The world will see him as my ally, and he won't have a choice but to accept it."
Unbeknownst to them, Harald was nearby, hidden behind the massive trees on the edge of the forest. He had followed Thor after hearing the noise earlier, and now he stood silently, listening to every word.
When he heard his son's conversation with Xebec, a mix of fear and awe filled his chest. Thor's way of thinking frightened him—not because it was reckless, but because it was sharp, calculated, and beyond what he had expected from his own child.
He understood where Thor's reasoning came from, but he couldn't quite grasp how Thor had reached it so quickly.
'Thor… if you ever become king, I will entrust the well-being of our people to you,' Harald thought, watching from his hiding spot.
Then, to his surprise, Thor turned his head toward the forest.
"I know you're there, pops. Come out," Thor shouted.
Harald froze. He hadn't made a sound, but somehow Thor had sensed him. What startled him even more was that not only Thor, but also Xebec, Newgate, and even the others inside the tavern turned their eyes toward him from the window. His massive stature gave him away, and hiding had been pointless from the start.