A sudden roar echoed through the vast, dense jungle, shaking the entire forest and sending flocks of birds scattering into the sky.
A colossal elephant, towering dozens of meters high, raised its head, the entire front half of its body suspended in the air. Its two pillar-like legs came crashing down along with its massive frame.
Its target was the provocatively standing "small creature."
Boom!
The ground trembled within dozens of meters, the earth bursting apart from the terrifying force of the blow, scattering debris in all directions.
The impact even stirred up a fierce gust of wind.
The soil caved in under its stomping, cracks spreading outward like a spider's web.
The elephant roared to the heavens. He was the lord of these lands, and countless enemies had perished beneath his feet.
"Hm? What's this?"
Sensing something amiss, he lowered his gaze — one of his legs was hanging in the air.
From the shadows, a hand reached out, holding his hoof — and his entire body — preventing him from falling any further.
"Not strong enough?" a calm voice spoke from below.
Before he could react, an unimaginable force erupted from beneath him.
The world seemed to flip upside down, and when he regained his senses, he realized he had been thrown onto his back.
The enormous body crashed heavily into the ground, bent, then pushed itself up with its trunk and legs.
As if sensing danger, he suddenly swung his trunk to the side, forcing his body to change direction.
The massive form displayed unexpected agility.
The "tiny" figure took the full blow of the trunk, was sent hurtling backward, smashing through several trees before stopping.
The figure slowly descended and landed firmly on the ground. It seemed slightly embarrassed but completely unharmed.
On an open plain, hundreds of meters away, a thousand-strong army in elite armor and full weaponry watched the battle from afar.
"Don't worry, Zoro. Such destructive power can't harm His Highness. You know that, don't you?" chuckled a sturdy, broad man, chewing on a roasted leg.
"No need to remind me of that, Titan," the young commander Zoro replied coldly, clad in leather armor with a long sword at his waist, before turning his gaze back to the fight.
He knew just how terrifying his prince was: monstrous physique, resilience, and not a single scar. Only slightly less formidable than Titan himself, who had eaten a Devil Fruit.
After all, this was His Highness — heir to the royal bloodline, successor of the Tartar family.
Zoro considered it shameful to ask the prince to fight personally; enemies should be dealt with by his vassals, clearing away all obstacles.
But this was His Highness's decision, and he had no right to interfere.
Long ago, he had vowed to dedicate everything to His Highness — even his life.
Aid was the future of the Kingdom of Chronos.
"I was a bit careless," Aid murmured, touching his slightly aching chest, his gaze fixed on the giant elephant. In his previous life, such a creature would have astonished the world, a rarity worthy of the grandest zoo.
Now, it was simply part of the norm in this world. He smoothed his slightly tousled violet hair, brushed off the dust, and ignored the distant elephant, whose snorting grew angrier at being disregarded.
"Attack!" the giant bellowed, charging headlong toward Aid.
The ground shook beneath each step, his thick hide like a wall of steel.
"Who do you think I am? Come closer," Aid said coldly, the image of another battle flashing through his mind — with the same result: the enemy rushing straight into his trap.
"What a fool… Do you even know who you're facing?"
Aid's violet eyes glinted dangerously. Suddenly, an invisible wave of pressure and fury burst forth from him, surging toward the giant elephant like a tidal wave.
The beast froze in place. Its charge halted, though its massive body slid forward under incredible inertia.
The "small" figure before it had somehow become a far more fearsome monster than itself.
A dreadful shadow loomed behind him, blotting out the sky and sun. The elephant's legs buckled; fear shone in its small eyes, sweat beading and dripping down.
Even the king of beasts instinctively felt terror.
It tried to flee, but it was too late.
Time itself seemed to stop, and under that overwhelming pressure, it couldn't regain control of its body.
Aid vanished in an instant, the sound of the air tearing trailing behind him, and in the next heartbeat reappeared right before the beast.
With terrifying strength, his fist — wrapped in a menacing aura — slammed into the elephant's head.
Crack!
The distinct sound of bone breaking echoed. The elephant's left eye bulged unnaturally, as if about to pop out.
Boom!
The dust cleared, and the elephant lay collapsed on the ground, eyes rolled back, unconscious.
Aid had been in a foul mood lately, simmering with frustration, and needed to vent his anger. For the elephant, this was a disaster without cause.
But who would care?
In this forest, few had escaped such misfortune.
"Let's go back," Aid said, masking his grim expression and suppressing his fierce aura.
Something must have happened, but no one noticed the faint furrow of his brow.
"Yes, Your Highness."
---
The ancient, majestic hall bore the marks of time. Any of the decorations on its walls would be a priceless treasure to the nobility, yet here they were displayed openly, as if in a palace-museum.
Tartar Bain, King of Chronos, dressed simply, gazed at the young man beside him, his eyes full of open satisfaction mixed with faint concern.
At twelve years old, Aid already stood at 1.9 meters, making it hard to guess his true age. But in this world, especially in the chaotic New World, such things were common.
Moreover, with the Tartar family's bloodline, Bain himself was over three meters tall.
Violet hair, a handsome face, and violet pupils radiated nobility and majesty.
The resemblance… the uncanny resemblance. In Bain's mind, two figures — Aid's and someone from the past — overlapped.
Brother… Aid will soon grow up, he thought with a sense of relief. After all, he had watched this boy grow.