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"Guys like you who run wild just because you're big!"
Harald's voice trembled with agitation. Standing amid the dust like an enraged Titan: "It's you lot! You created the terrifying history of the giant race!
"Because of this… our desire to integrate, our longing for peace—nobody has ever truly believed in it!"
Harald's roar was filled with long-suppressed racial grief and grievance.
Due to their innate strength and size, giants had always been seen as freaks and threats in a human-dominated world.
Even when leaders like Harald longed for peace, were willing to follow rules, and even worked to have Elbaf join the World Government for recognition…
The deep-rooted prejudice remained like a thick wall, nearly impossible to break.
"Stop! Your Majesty Harald! If you keep hitting him, he'll die!"
From a distance, someone finally mustered the courage to shout, trying to stop this one-sided "punishment."
Harald's fist, mid-swing, froze rigidly in the air.
He breathed heavily, chest heaving like a bellows.
He looked at his dying fellow clansman on the ground, then at the surrounding devastation and the civilians watching him from afar with fearful eyes…
A deeper sorrow and self-repeach surged up, nearly drowning him.
He slowly withdrew his fist; his massive body seemed to hunch slightly.
"To make Elbaf successfully join the World Government…"
Harald's voice lowered—no longer furious, but filled with grief and bitterness: "To avoid disappointing those 'member nations' who already harbor doubts about us…"
His gaze became vacant, as if passing through the ruins before him to that distant, smoke-filled God Valley.
Tears suddenly slid down the resolute face of this giant king, mixing with dust and leaving clear trails.
"So I couldn't... extend a helping hand to that guy."
Harald choked up. His huge palm covered his face, but it couldn't hide the flood of tears and regret: "When he might have needed help…
Because of concerns about the World Government, I… I just watched and abandoned my best friend who begged me for help!!"
That final cry—mixed with endless pain—burst from Harald's mouth, resounding through the entire town!
It even seemed to pass through the light curtain and reach the hearts of every viewer.
This giant king, renowned for his strength and majesty, now cried like a child who had lost his most important companion—tears streaming, utterly without dignity.
But that sorrow was so real, so heavy—far more shocking than any furious roar.
The "best friend" he had "abandoned" was undoubtedly Rocks D. Xebec.
The scene froze on Harald's gigantic figure kneeling in the ruins, covering his face and weeping bitterly.
In the distance: crowds still in shock and approaching Marine soldiers who looked so tiny by comparison.
Once again, the worlds inside and outside the light curtain fell silent.
This silence was more complex than any before.
People saw the hidden struggles and dilemmas beneath the giants' formidable exterior, saw Harald's pain and responsibility as a king…
And even more, they saw… another side of Rocks that few knew.
He wasn't just a pirate overlord, not just an ambitious schemer—he was also someone a giant child could worship, someone a giant king could call "best friend"…
Beyond his own charisma, the crowd could think of no other explanation…
Harald's heart-wrenching, regret-filled cries struck like a heavy hammer on the heart of Rocks himself outside the light curtain.
He stood rooted, staring at his old weeping friend on the screen, lips tightly pressed, eyes fluctuating violently.
The light curtain slowly dimmed again.
But Harald's cries—and Loki's cries—seemed to weave into an elegy for Rocks, lingering endlessly in everyone's minds.
More and more people began to ponder:
Who exactly is the true "evil"?
Who is the real "monster" bound in chains?
And how exactly are so-called "justice" and "order" twisting hearts and creating tragedies?
The undercurrent was no longer under—it was beginning to gather into a surging flood capable of overturning perceptions.
That day, Harald used absolute power and decisive action to stop giants invading a human town. This scene also forced the surrounding crowd to reexamine this peculiar race!
However, some sensation-seeking journalists began writing sensational headlines to guide public opinion: "Giant King Loses Sanity, Falls into Chaos!"
At that moment, the light curtain returned to the Marines.
In a detention facility called "DIC," Monkey D. Dragon was being held!
Because during God Valley he had pointed a gun at his superior officer, he was imprisoned here. However, due to his father Garp's status as a "hero," he hadn't suffered any real harm…
Just then, Garp—who had just been arguing with Sengoku—came to visit his son.
Their conversation was very brief. Dragon directly stated his stance: he no longer planned to be a Marine, and deep down he greatly "looked down on" his own father!
Seeing the fury in his son's eyes, Garp only let out a soft sigh, then tossed the cell keys to Dragon.
Outside the light curtain, the God Valley onlookers—who saw Dragon leave the Marines—looked at Garp and the prone Dragon with strange expressions.
Because of their differing senses of "justice," this father and son walked opposing paths. Dragon formed the Revolutionary Army and became the World Government's greatest internal threat!
Meanwhile, Garp never left the Marines; his nominal superior remained the World Government…
After all, not all Marines were like Garp—some were accomplices who obeyed the World Government…
Thus, in the future, Dragon's enemies weren't just the World Government—they naturally included the entire Marines!
"Garp, are you really okay letting Dragon…"
On the Marine side, Tsuru looked at the future on the light curtain with worry. She had watched Dragon grow up.
And she and Garp were good friends and comrades-in-arms. Honestly, even she felt a little heartbroken…
Sengoku and Zephyr said nothing. The two exchanged a silent glance, then continued their silence.
Even Sengoku was wavering now. He had said climbing higher was the way, but even if he became Fleet Admiral in the future, he would still have to obey the World Government.
If even the Fleet Admiral was like this, where could he possibly climb to change the world? What position would be high enough…
No one knew Sengoku's inner thoughts. His sense of justice was beyond doubt, but his method of execution was gravely wrong.
Hearing Tsuru's words and seeing the future on the light curtain, Garp—despite having a thousand words and endless reluctance—ultimately could only let out a sigh…
"Little Tsuru, this world won't bend to our wishes. That's why I actually hope this kid Dragon can change something… or maybe my grandson can change something…"
Garp spoke euphemistically, but Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru all understood his meaning. The three fell silent together, saying nothing more.
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