With Dorry and Brogy forced to "surrender" to Brook, the rest of the giants in Giant Soldier Village had little choice but to follow their lead. Like dominos, they fell in line—whether out of fear, survival, or the sheer pull of Brook's overwhelming presence.
The once-united village splintered and reformed under a new banner.
Over 300 giants resided in the Giant Soldier Village. An additional 20 or so giants from neighboring villages, who had long harbored dreams of going to sea, eagerly joined Rocky's newly formed Giant Pirates.
After excluding the elderly, the sick, women, children, and those unfit for combat, only fifty or sixty able-bodied male warriors remained in the village. Surprisingly, the gender ratio heavily favored females—an imbalance left behind by decades of war and broken dreams.
The dissolution of the original Giant Pirates led by Dorry and Brogy had caused enormous casualties. Many never returned. This, more than anything, had opened the door for Rocky's easy rise to power.
Truthfully, Dorry and Brogy's reputations had suffered over the years. Their decades-long duel on Little Garden, though legendary, had made them seem disconnected from the real world. Only half of the warriors still supported them.
Under Brook's command, the bodies of the fallen giants—more than a dozen in total—were respectfully collected. They were sent to nearby Winter Island for burial. But Brook had no intention of letting them rest in peace forever.
Once the Shadow-Shadow Fruit was obtained, these dead warriors would rise again—as a zombie giant army under the Hell Pirates' banner.
Despite the earlier bloodshed, the Winter Solstice Ceremony continued—under Brook's watchful eye.
Every member of the Hell Pirates participated, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the grim-faced locals. The festive spirit had taken a hit, but the celebration went on. The surviving members of the Giant Pirates forced smiles onto their faces, hiding grief and uncertainty as they raised cups beside their new allies.
By contrast, Rocky's faction was jubilant. Victors of the rebellion, they reveled in their new authority. With Brook's endorsement, they now ruled Giant Soldier Village. Their dreams extended far beyond this snowy land—to Titan King City itself.
Meanwhile, the Hell Pirates feasted like kings. A mountain of food stood before them, and they showed no hesitation in devouring the exotic delicacies of Elbaf.
"Brother Brook," Stussy said as she approached, clipboard in hand. "Are we taking the same approach as Wano? Build a base here first, then gradually erode Elbaf's economy?"
With Shakky away, Stussy had temporarily taken over the Hell Pirates' financial operations.
Brook nodded. "Yes. First, improve the village port. Turn it into a proper trading hub. We'll establish a formal branch here."
He paused, then added, "Tell the people at Doragonzo to send a supply ship from there. And inform Vegapunk—I want a full batch of alloy weapons and armor tailored for giants. We're transforming this place into the gateway of a new era."
Still, Brook had his doubts.
These inland giants had lived in comfort for years, focused on farming, hunting, and tradition. Would they really be willing to sail the Grand Line? To throw themselves into war?
Surely, among them, there were still young warriors dreaming of glory.
But the bigger question was—what would the King of the Giant Kingdom think?
If Elbaf's monarch refused to cooperate, a brutal war might be inevitable. The title of "World's Strongest Nation" wasn't a decoration—it was a warning.
If thousands of elite giant warriors marched to war, even the Hell Pirates would bleed. Brook wasn't arrogant enough to believe he and his top fighters were invincible.
A few thousand giants… if even a portion held the strength of Marine Vice Admirals, the Hell Pirates could be overwhelmed by sheer force.
---
The Next Day
After the Winter Solstice ended, Brook issued a sweeping command: all villagers—young and old—were recruited to expand the port, build an armory, and set up a weapons workshop. Even children in their sixties hauled lumber and stones, proud to contribute.
Golden Lion Shiki and Whitebeard Newgate chopped down the surrounding colossal trees, converting them into timber for new buildings and a Hell Pirates' outpost.
Redfield took responsibility for clearing the surrounding wilderness. His kills doubled as food for the giants. With Streusen at work, even construction waste was transformed into edible meals—enough to feed a whole village.
Brook had also borrowed Guyram and his Rubik's Cube Fruit again. With Shiki manipulating the terrain, and Guyram shifting earth and rock, they built a vast wall around the village in mere days.
From the ruins of battle rose something new.
Giant Soldier Village had evolved—into Giant Soldier City.
For the giants who'd lived here for centuries, it was almost surreal. Their once-simple village now gleamed with towering buildings, a fortified gate, and the flags of the Hell Pirates flying overhead.
This was the second city in all of Elbaf, rivaled only by Titan King City itself.
Even the most skeptical among them began to feel something stirring—a sense of pride, of belonging. Brook's "support" was becoming more than words.
Rocky's personal troops—now armed with newly forged alloy weapons and armor—became the official guard of Giant Soldier Castle. Meanwhile, Dorry and Brogy's group were reduced to laborers. But Brook had promised them a path back to glory—once they proved their loyalty.
---
Weeks Later
"As expected, unity is strength," Brook said, arms crossed as he admired the city below.
Wide streets, rows of taverns and shops, and a newly finished castle—all built with speed and precision. Now, it was time to spread the word.
Elbaf was vast. Each village was separated by days of travel, nestled deep within forests and plains. But that distance also meant opportunity. Each could become part of this growing movement.
"Let's head straight to Titan King City," Shiki said, stretching his limbs. "I'm sick of playing construction worker. We're pirates, damn it—not architects!"
Brook chuckled. "Don't worry. With Giant Soldier City established, we're ready for whatever comes next. Even a drawn-out war won't faze us now."
He didn't expect the King of Elbaf to sit idle. But now that a Hell Pirates branch had taken root, the king couldn't simply order them out. Talks would have to come first.
And if war broke out… good.
Brook planned to use Elbaf as a training ground—where his subordinates would experience life-and-death combat against the strongest giants. A crucible of strength. An endless forge.
"By now, the messengers we sent should've reached the other villages," Stussy noted, sipping tea. "I wonder how many giants will come to trade."
Currency didn't matter here. Most giants still relied on barter. That was fine. Stussy would take whatever treasures they had tucked away—relics, ores, rare woods.
Elbaf's greatest asset wasn't its gold. It was its War God Trees—the mythical Adam Trees, revered and ancient. Their wood was unmatched, the cornerstone of every legendary pirate ship on the seas.
The Adam trees floating in the ocean today were all once part of Elbaf—torn loose in ancient wars.
It was said that after a cataclysmic battle long ago, the surviving giants rebuilt their kingdom around the last three remaining Adam Trees. From there, they grew stronger than ever.
-----------------
Brook stood atop the newly built walls of Giant Soldier Castle, gazing into the distance as the cold wind howled across Elbaf's icy plains. His expression was calm, but within, his excitement was growing.
Had news already reached Titan King City?
The idea of clashing with an ancient power like the Elbaf Giant Kingdom stirred something primal in him. Competing against a kingdom older than the World Government itself—how could he not be thrilled?
The legends of Rocks D. Xebec and Gol D. Roger spanned barely two or three decades. In the timeline of history, they were shooting stars. But the Giant Kingdom… it was an eternal mountain.
There were two sacred treasures of Elbaf.
The first: the three War God Trees, from which the legendary Adam Trees were born. Even their fallen branches were priceless, coveted by every major shipwright on the Grand Line.
The second: the mythical Gungnir Sacred Steel—a divine metal, rarer and more formidable than Seastone. While Wano was famous for its Seastone, Gungnir was the true metal of gods, barely seen beyond Elbaf's borders.
The ultimate artifact forged from it? The Spear of Elbaf—the Giant King's inherited weapon. Towering at twenty-eight meters long, forged entirely from Gungnir, it surpassed even the Supreme Grade swords in prestige.
It was said to be so sharp, so durable, that even the three Ancient Weapons—Uranus, Pluton, and Poseidon—feared it.
Even pure Seastone couldn't withstand a direct blow from it.
Long ago, Elbaf and Wano were rumored to have traded sacred materials. The Kozuki Clan had once acquired a sliver of Gungnir steel, which allowed them to carve Seastone into finer, more precise tools. In a way, Wano's advanced metallurgy had its roots in the giants' forge.
It was said that any blade infused with even a speck of Gungnir Sacred Steel would become a legendary weapon or even ascend to Supreme Grade. Now, Brook had his sights set on that treasure.
With it, he could enhance the Seven Star Sword, fortify Linlin's Emperor Blade Napoleon, or even help Whitebeard craft a new divine weapon—perhaps Kusugawa Kirei, a blade that could fully harness the destructive power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
Shiki and Redfield's weapons could also be upgraded.
After all, to create a Supreme Grade weapon, one could rely on Armament Haki to forge a black blade over time… but the materials mattered too. Start with rare divine metal, and the path to greatness became much faster and far more potent.
The stronger the raw material, the stronger the sword—no matter the wielder's skill.
Natural materials, forged by the world itself, could not be broken by man's will alone.
That was why the Spear of Elbaf was feared as the indestructible weapon—even if the Ancient Weapons fell, the divine spear would remain. Forged from a single piece of Gungnir, it had been shaped over centuries by generations of Giant Kings—not through hammer and flame, but through persistent polishing, fire, and elemental mastery.
Successive users of the Magma-Magma Fruit, Flame-Flame Fruit, and even Azure Dragon Zoans had helped temper and grind the spear. Not to shape it—but to create Gungnir powder to use in other divine weapons.
Brook grinned to himself. Oda's portrayal of the giants was far too shallow. There's no way Elbaf is that weak.
If even Brook himself was now eyeing this artifact, how could it not be extraordinary?
He wasn't even sure if Vegapunk could process Gungnir—but if he could, Brook would arm every elite member of the Hell Pirates with god-tier weapons.
And yet, despite their strength, the giants had stayed isolated on Elbaf for centuries. Clearly, the battle eight hundred years ago had taken its toll.
Once hailed as the strongest nation in the world, their population now numbered only in the tens of thousands. Another full-scale war could reduce them to extinction—just like the ancient giant Oz and his kind, who now barely survived in double digits.
Even the Ice Giants of the Northern Kingdom had dwindled to just a few thousand. Another catastrophic war, and they too might vanish into myth.
Elbaf knew this. That's why they had slowed their expansion and opened fragile ties to the World Government. Every generation, a small number of Titans were sent to serve in the Navy.
Even Sister Carmel had once targeted the traditional Giant Soldier Village—taking giants from there to join the Marines.
Despite their silence, the Giant Kingdom still held tremendous sway. The World Government bent over backward to keep Elbaf's favor. Their reputation as the strongest nation wasn't just for show.
In contrast, Fish-Man Island, with its population of five million, still lived like slaves beneath the world's heel—treated as animals, denied even the most basic rights of intelligent beings.
---
"Tap, tap, tap—"
The sharp sound of high heels echoed urgently up the stone steps.
"Brother Brook!" Stussy called out. "We've got trouble. A Den Den Mushi transmission just came in. One of the giants we sent to promote Giant Soldier City reported that an elite force from Titan King City is on its way here… and they don't look friendly."
Brook turned, his expression narrowing. "Already?"
Stussy frowned. "Yeah. They're moving fast. Too fast."
Her plan had been subtle. Infiltrate nearby villages, slowly introduce trade, and then quietly spread their influence until the Hell Pirates could start collecting Elbaf's rare materials. But this? This was way too soon.
"They must've set out just after the Winter Solstice Ceremony," she said. "There's no way they just heard about us. Elbaf doesn't even raise giant Den Den Mushi. They don't read human tabloids. Their intelligence system is ancient."
"Then how did they move so quickly?" Brook mused.
"Antonio and I think… they're not actually coming for us," Stussy admitted. "At least, not directly. They're probably coming for Dorry and Brogy."
Brook raised a brow.
"We cut off communication between this village and the rest of Elbaf the moment we arrived," Stussy continued. "So the only reason Titan King City would move now is if they'd already planned this. Maybe they got word that Dorry and Brogy returned and decided it was time to deal with them."
Brook crossed his arms, staring off toward the north. "Then... they're coming to settle old debts."
Stussy nodded. "But once they see what we've done here… Giant Soldier City, the Hell Pirates banner flying, our base being built? There's no way they'll just let that slide."
Brook smirked darkly. "Then let's welcome them properly."
He snapped his fingers.
"Call the whole crew. Prepare for a formal reception."
If a confrontation with Elbaf's elite warriors was unavoidable—so be it.
Brook wanted to see for himself just how powerful the legendary Titan King City's elite really were.
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