They clinked their cups together, enjoying fine wine and grilled meat.
The three giants had grown close quickly—especially since Daren would occasionally share tales of the outside world with Dorry and Brogy, leaving them wide-eyed with wonder.
"I can't believe so much has happened out there while we've been stuck on this island all these years..."
"So that God Valley incident, a bunch of Celestial Dragons really died?"
Daren smiled.
"Yeah, pretty much. I wasn't strong enough to be part of that battle, but the ones who fought were some of the most powerful figures on the seas at the time."
"With power like that, they nearly sank God Valley into the ocean. I'd say it's a safe bet a lot of Celestial Dragons died."
Dorry and Brogy froze for a moment, then burst into booming laughter.
"Gyagagaga! Serves them right!"
"Good riddance! Kabababa!"
Daren chuckled.
In the pirate world, hatred for those bubble-wrapped nobles was universal.
The Celestial Dragons' arrogance and twisted appetites had stirred outrage across the seas. Countless races seethed in silence.
Only the straightforward giants dared to speak of them so openly.
"But Brother Daren, didn't you say you were a Marine? Why are you so happy about the Celestial Dragons dying?"
Daren gave a wry smile.
"I told you, I'm not your typical Marine."
"As for the Celestial Dragons... I've killed a few."
He took a sip of wine, his tone light and casual.
Dorry and Brogy blinked, then their eyes lit up.
"Brother Daren, you've killed a Celestial Dragon!?"
"For real?"
Daren laughed.
"It's nothing special, really."
"Taking down Celestial Dragons is boring. They're just a bunch of pig-like scum... It's way more fun to spar with you two."
Hearing that, Dorry and Brogy felt completely refreshed—like their whole bodies had loosened up and even their pores were smiling.
Brother Daren was just too righteous, too generous.
Strong, good-natured, easy to talk to... totally different from the hot-headed blockheads back in Elbaph!
And he brought them wine and meat!
How great is that?
They were dying to become sworn brothers with him!
"By the way, your weapons got wrecked in the fight just now, didn't they?"
The three were still drinking happily when Daren suddenly remembered and asked.
"It's fine. Our weapons were already in bad shape after years of use," Dorry said with a laugh.
"Yeah, don't worry, Brother Daren. Once we're back in Elbaph, we'll ask the old blacksmith to make us new ones. Though I'm not sure if he's still alive... He was already over two hundred when we left."
Brogy downed a gulp of liquor and scratched his head sheepishly.
Giants lived long lives—especially the hardy warriors. Barring war or injuries, living two to three centuries wasn't unusual.
"That won't do."
Daren looked at their worn-out helmets and battered armor, shook his head, and spoke firmly.
"If I hadn't shown up and challenged you out of the blue, your weapons would've lasted another twenty or thirty years."
"I'm not a professional blacksmith, but with my Devil Fruit ability, forging a couple of decent weapons for you shouldn't be a problem."
The moment he said that, the two giants lit up with excitement.
"Really!?"
"That's awesome!"
Their straightforward enthusiasm made Daren chuckle.
That was just how giants were—honest, decisive, and clear about what they liked or hated.
No human scheming or complications. If they liked something, they liked it. If not, they didn't. It was easy to like people like that.
"So, what kind of weapons do you two prefer?"
"Same as before? Giant swords and battle axes?"
Daren asked, clearly intrigued.
Dorry and Brogy exchanged a glance, then scratched their heads, a little embarrassed.
"Honestly, we don't really care. As long as they're heavy and sturdy, we're good."
Daren paused for a second, then understood, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
For giants with such monstrous strength and size, fighting was straightforward. Their bulk made intricate techniques impractical, so they didn't bother much with finesse.
Brute force beat finesse—kind of like Kaidou-sensei, whose flashy moves were really just him swinging his club in different ways.
For them, weapon shape was secondary.
Just hit stuff. That was enough.
In that case...
He glanced at the long-bearded "Blue Ogre" Dorry, then at the scruffy "Red Ogre" Brogy, and suddenly felt a mischievous urge rise up...
"Then let me forge two weapons just for you. I have a rough idea in mind—though I'm not sure if you'll like it..."
Dorry waved his hand and cut him off with a hearty laugh.
"I trust your judgment, Brother Daren!"
Brogy nodded firmly.
"Same here!"
"Alright."
Daren grinned in satisfaction.
He got to work immediately.
Under the curious and expectant stares of Dorry and Brogy, arcs of electricity danced across Daren's body as an invisible magnetic field spread outward.
Rumble... rumble...
Soon, the ground beneath them began to tremble with heavy vibrations.
Cracks split open the earth as countless ores buried deep within the island's crust floated into the air. Under Daren's control, they rapidly melted, twisted, compressed, and condensed midair into two massive, oddly shaped weapon molds.
Before the two giants could react, Daren raised a hand and waved.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two roughly formed weapons shot into the distance and plunged straight into the mouth of a searing volcano.
In an instant, black smoke and flames erupted violently from the crater.
The volcano became a massive forge, tempering the two weapon embryos in intense heat. Guided by the power of the Jiki Jiki no Mi, Daren continued to refine them, compressing the metal and removing impurities.
Electric arcs crackled across the glowing red surfaces, carving vivid, intricate patterns into the metal.
Sensing the time was right, Daren narrowed his eyes and gestured from afar.
Whoosh!
Two streaks of dark red light shot out from the volcano and plunged into the ocean.
As cold seawater quenched them, sharp sizzling sounds rang out, and thick white steam rose from the surface.
"They're done!"
Daren turned to the two giants.
They stared eagerly at the weapons returning through the mist, eyes brimming with anticipation.
As the steam dispersed, two massive, awe-inspiring weapons revealed themselves in full.
Each weapon measured over ten meters in length and more than two meters in width.
The first had a wide, long blade shaped like a half-moon, with a serrated back and a dragon-shaped ornament at the junction between blade and hilt. Its entire body gleamed with a cold, dark blue-black hue.
The second had a flat, sharply curved head like a serpent, double-edged, with a gleaming, icy luster that made one's skin crawl just looking at it.
The sight of these two bold and fierce weapons made Dorry and Brogy's eyes sparkle with admiration.
"Whoa! These are awesome!"
Daren smiled and introduced them.
"The first one is called the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. It's similar in use to Dorry-san's greatsword, but it's sharper and delivers more powerful slashes."
"The second is the Eight-Span Serpent Spear. Like Brogy-san's battle axe, it has double edges, but it's more agile while still packing weight. It can split mountains and shatter stone."
He made an inviting gesture.
"Give them a try. See if they suit you."
The two giants, long unable to hold back their excitement, immediately reached out and grabbed their new weapons. As they began to swing them, powerful gusts whipped across the ground, and wide grins spread across their faces.
Daren stood with his arms crossed, watching the scene with a satisfied smile.
With his majestic beard and the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in hand, Dorry, the "Blue Ogre," and Brogy, bearded and fierce, gripping the Eight-Span Serpent Spear...
...Looked even more like true ogres.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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