The next morning, the Log Pose had already stored enough magnetic force to point toward the next island.
Sherwin no longer bothered to put on an act with those Baroque Works people. After eating the breakfast prepared by Sanji Meow, he directly raised anchor and set sail.
"They finally left…"
The fake mayor wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and let out a long sigh of relief.
Just last night, new orders had come from above, telling them not to engage in any conflict with Sherwin…
Why the hell didn't you say that earlier!On Cactus Island, the agents with code names who received the message all cursed wildly in their hearts.
What more, the ones sent to deliver the orders were none other than the Unluckies, the organization executioners.
At first, they all thought the organization was forcing them to make a move against Sherwin.
…
Little Garden was the second island along Sherwin route. Despite the name "Little Garden," both the vegetation and the animals on the island were massive in size, with even ancient dinosaurs still roaming the land.
The reason it was called Little Garden was simple: aside from the dinosaurs and ferocious beasts, the island was also home to two giants. To them, this island was nothing more than a "small courtyard."
Sherwin had always found it strange—why would giants from the Giant Warrior Pirates, who clearly came from Elbaf far back in the New World, end up near the beginning of the Grand Line?
But later, he figured it out. When "Blue Ogre" Dorry and "Red Ogre" Brogy were out adventuring on the seas, Roger hadn't even been born yet.
Back then, pirates didn't set sail in search of some great treasure—they simply went out for plunder and adventure.
"Klee, didn't you say you wanted to meet giants? There are two giants on this island." Sherwin patted the little plush doll on his shoulder, then looked at the other Felynes.
"It rare to run into the Giant race, so let all go ashore and take a look… Klee."
"Got it, meow!"
(=`=)
The called-upon plush doll patted her small chest and said, "Leave the ship to Klee! Summoning Jutsu, meow!"
"Ho-mu!"
The little plush doll took the Dodo bear plush from her backpack and tossed it onto the deck, where it instantly grew into a large flaming Dodo bear.
Whenever they came across an uninhabited island, or a place like Little Garden where few intelligent beings lived,
Sherwin group would sometimes leave the ship in the care of a Dodo bear, whose intelligence was limited but sufficient for guarding.
Still, most such islands weren't worth exploring, and with Haibara Meow recently leaning more toward becoming a homebody cat, the Dodo bear guard rarely got real use.
This time was different. Even Haibara Meow, along with the other Felynes, was intrigued by the giants and dinosaurs, so naturally no one turned down Sherwin proposal.
"Hurry up, hurry up! I'm waiting to collect data on the dinosaurs and giants, meow!"
(=ω=)
Haibara Meow quickly climbed onto Sherwin shoulder, patting his head as she urged him forward.
Ever since stealing the genetic factor and technical data from Germa, the little homebody cat had been less and less interested in going out. Yet now, she was even more eager than the mischievous Klee Meow.
Instead of heading straight toward the two giants, Sherwin and the others wandered leisurely through the primeval jungle, stopping and going as though they were strolling through a marketplace.
Watching the monster compendium in his handbook steadily fill with new entries without a single flash of white light, Sherwin sighed in frustration.
"Sherwin-nii~ Look, Klee caught such a big golden beetle, meow!"
(ω)つ
The little plush doll ran over, holding a beetle nearly as big as Sherwin palm. After receiving a head pat as praise, she happily darted back into the jungle to continue searching for "treasures."
Haibara Meow sighed helplessly and followed the little one through the undergrowth.
Sherwin glanced again—Haibara Meow was frantically recording and collecting information on all sorts of plants and animals,
Sanji Meow was seriously evaluating which type of dinosaur meat would taste the best, while Link Meow, who loved collecting little trinkets, was picking out oddly shaped fruits as well as animal horns and teeth…
Well, fine. As long as the Felynes were enjoying themselves.
Sherwin closed his handbook, then turned to Seijuro Meow, who had been trailing close behind him. "Go keep an eye on Ai. Don't follow me."
Though Seijuro Meow kept a serious expression, Sherwin could already tell from his constantly twitching ears, turning little head, and swishing tail that he actually wanted to join in as well. So Sherwin simply gave him an excuse.
"In that case, I'll head over first, meow!"
The little black cat tail swished even faster. After giving Sherwin a quick bow, he darted off at top speed.
"Gabababa! Mink Tribe? And they're all cat Mink Tribe? Truly rare little guests… gabababa!"
A massive figure pushed aside the thick trees and appeared before Sherwin and the others, laughing in his peculiar way.
"Waaah! It really is a giant, meow!"
(==)
Klee Meow scrambled up the tallest tree nearby, craning her little head upward to take in the round and chubby-looking Brogy.
"That right! I am the strongest giant warrior of Elbaf Village, Brogy! Gababababababa!"
Not really… who even asked you that?!
Sherwin looked speechlessly at the suddenly fired-up Brogy, grumbling inwardly.
Still, he knew well enough—giants were pretty much always like this.
"Hello, Uncle Brogy, meow~ My name is Klee, I'm the chief bomb specialist of the Felyne Research Team, and also the third chef of the Felyne Ocean Mobile Restaurant, meow!"
After that, Sherwin and the other Felynes also gave simple self-introductions.
"Bounty hunters?" Brogy tilted his head, thought for a moment, then suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Oh, right! I used to be a pirate once! I was even the captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates! Hwahahahaha!"
"So… are you here to capture me?!"
After laughing for a while, Brogy lowered his head and showed Sherwin and the others a fierce expression.
But very quickly he burst into booming laughter again, clearly not taking them seriously at all.
Sherwin couldn't help rolling his eyes, then turned his head and asked Haibara Meow: "Does this giant still have an active bounty poster?"
"Yes, meow." Haibara Meow pulled out two bounty posters.
"Dorry the 'Blue Ogre' and Brogy the 'Red Ogre'—the two captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates who suddenly disappeared a hundred years ago. Their bounties are both one hundred million Berries, meow."
"Uncle, you're bragging, meow!" Klee Meow immediately spotted the flaw.
"Your bounty is only one hundred million Berries—how could you possibly be the strongest warrior of the giants, meow?!"
"Hm?" Brogy scratched his head in slight frustration. "Is one hundred million that low? Back then, I remember there weren't many pirates with higher bounties than me and Dorry."
"But Sherwin just defeated a pirate worth over six hundred million not long ago. And right now, the four pirates recognized as the strongest on the seas each have bounties of four billion Berries… with only a hundred million, it hard for us to believe you're some 'strongest warrior,' meow," Sanji Meow chimed in from the side.
"After all, it a bounty from a hundred years ago. It can't really be taken as accurate anymore, meow," Haibara Meow said fairly.
"If a new bounty were issued for Mr. Brogy today, it would definitely be far more than a hundred million, meow."
"Haibara big sister is right, meow!" The little yellow Felyne switched sides without hesitation.
"BOOOOM—!"
Just as Brogy was about to say something more, the volcano at the center of Little Garden suddenly erupted.
"Hwahahahaha! Perfect timing! Let me show you all why I am the strongest giant warrior of Elbaf Village!"
Brogy drew the massive axe hanging at his waist and strode boldly toward the volcano.