A few days later.
Elbaf, the Kingdom of Giants.
Warrior's Spring Square.
A rather grand wedding was being held at this moment, temporarily making the people of Elbaf forget the grief of their king's tragic death.
The main characters of this wedding were the vice-captain of the Roger Pirates, Silvers Rayleigh, and the female giant, Ripley.
After King Harald's death, the person now managing Elbaf was the village's highest elder… Jarul.
When Rayleigh had come to Elbaf earlier to request an alliance, Jarul had agreed after some thought.
He had always opposed Harald's proposal to have Elbaf join the World Government at all costs.
It could be said that most giants within Elbaf were against Harald's approach.
After all, the giant race also held some discrimination against other races, and many giants believed that 'Giants are the strongest race, so why should we bow down to the World Government?'.
Damn it.
But regardless, the king was dead.
As the world's strongest nation, how could they maintain their standing without some kind of response?
But Jarul wasn't an idiot either.
From the news about Makoto published in the newspapers, he also knew that with Elbaf's current strength, they could not afford to provoke Makoto.
Forming an alliance with the Roger Pirates was indeed a good choice, but Jarul, who had also been a pirate in the past, knew well that pirates were a fickle bunch.
Alliances formed between pirates could fall apart at any moment.
For this reason, he demanded that Rayleigh marry a female giant.
With such a relationship between the two sides, the alliance would appear much more reliable.
Rayleigh had agonized for a few days before finally agreeing.
After all, aside from Elbaf, he really couldn't think of anyone else who could help him break into Impel Down to rescue Roger and the others.
Rayleigh, dressed in a suit, walked side by side down the red carpet with Ripley, who was considered quite beautiful among female giants and wore a wedding dress.
The huge size disparity was impossible to ignore.
Rayleigh couldn't help but glance towards the guest seating on both sides… the female pirates of the Kuja Pirates had very strange looks in their eyes.
Rayleigh wanted to find that familiar figure among the guests.
But he couldn't find her anywhere.
While feeling disappointed inside, he also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
To be honest, if he saw Shakky at this moment, he wouldn't know what expression to put on his face.
Warrior's Spring Square was decorated especially grandly.
The giant guests sat around both sides of the square, their enormous figures making the entire scene look particularly spectacular.
The female pirates of the Kuja Pirates sat in the front row, their expressions undeniably complex.
Rayleigh and Ripley walked to the altar in the center of the square.
The altar was built from huge bluestones, engraved with ancient Elbaf totems.
Standing in the center of the altar was today's officiant… the female giant, Ange.
Honestly, compared to Ange, whose facial features resembled a Picasso painting, Ripley was absolutely a peerless beauty.
Rayleigh really wasn't losing out.
Ange cleared her throat, her enormous voice echoing across the square.
"Dear guests! Today, here at Warrior's Spring Square, under the witness of our ancestors, we hold the wedding ceremony for Silvers Rayleigh and Ripley!"
The giant guests let out a unified cheer.
"Silvers Rayleigh, do you take Ripley to be your wife? Whether poor or rich, whether in sickness or in health, whether in good times or bad… you will walk through life together, be faithful to her, love her, until death do you part?"
Rayleigh looked up at the woman in front of him, dozens of times taller than himself.
Ripley's face was red, her giant fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of her wedding dress.
Rayleigh was silent for a moment.
A figure flashed through his mind… Long black hair, a peerlessly beautiful face, the corners of her mouth always holding a cigarette...
Rayleigh took a deep breath.
"I do."
Ange nodded, turning to Ripley.
"Ripley, do you take Silvers Rayleigh to be your husband? Whether poor or rich, whether in sickness or in health, whether in good times or bad… you will walk through life together, be faithful to him, love him, until death do you part?"
Ripley's face turned even redder.
"I... I do."
The giant guests burst into cheers once more.
Ange raised her hands and announced in a loud voice: "Then, under the witness of our ancestors, I declare… Silvers Rayleigh and Ripley are now husband and wife!"
Cheers, applause, and horn blasts intertwined, echoing throughout Warrior's Spring Square.
The giant warriors raised their cups, the female pirates of Kuja applauded, and even Jarul, who had been keeping a stern face, slightly curled the corners of his mouth.
Rayleigh and Ripley exchanged rings… specially made, of course.
"Wooooo—!"
The catcalls from the giant guests were even louder than before.
The female pirates of Kuja inwardly lamented how pitiful their vice-captain was.
But just at this heartwarming moment—
"How could you not call me for such a joyous occasion as a wedding?"
A voice came from the square entrance.
All smiles froze on everyone's faces.
Rayleigh's pupils constricted sharply.
The female pirates of the Kuja Pirates stood up in unison.
The giant guests turned their heads one after another, looking towards the square entrance.
There stood a young black-haired man, smiling.
Behind him followed a group of people of varying statures, each radiating an oppressive aura that took one's breath away… the remnants of the Rocks Pirates.
Nishikawa Makoto!
Instantly, all the giants in the church rose abruptly, drawing their weapons.
Jarul roared angrily: "How did you get in?!"
"Walked in, openly and honestly," said Makoto.
"What about the guards outside?"
"They're asleep. Don't worry, I didn't take their lives."
The corner of Jarul's eye twitched.
He wanted to explode in anger, but seeing the fierce, wolf-like great pirates behind Makoto, he swallowed the words that had risen to his lips.
Seeing his enemy arrive, Rayleigh was naturally burning with rage.
His fists clenched with a cracking sound, veins bulging on his forehead.
But Ripley, now his wife, pressed her large hand firmly on her husband's shoulder.
She had also heard about the big things Makoto had done, and didn't want Rayleigh to go to his death… after all, they had just gotten married, and she didn't want to become a widow.
"Rayleigh..."
Ripley's voice was very soft, carrying a hint of pleading.
Rayleigh gritted his teeth, but eventually relaxed his fists.
Seeing Rayleigh and Ripley standing side by side, Makoto smiled and offered his congratulations: "Congratulations, congratulations. I've prepared a wedding gift for you."
Then, Makoto stepped slightly aside.
Seeing the person standing behind Makoto, Rayleigh stared in shock, his eyes widening.
Because the person appearing behind Makoto was his teammate… the third-in-command of the Roger Pirates, Scopper Gaban.