"Ahahaha! I hear a new powerhouse has appeared on these seas. Let's see just what kind of man he is!"
The voice arrived long before the man himself—East Giant Dorry's booming shout rolled across the jungle, shaking the leaves on every tree.
The giant warriors were no strangers to the Red-Haired Pirates, and as was their custom, the bold warriors of Elbaf loved befriending the strong. Drinking, brawling, and testing one another's might—that was the true way to earn their respect.
"I also heard that the two captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates had bounties of one hundred million berries over a century ago," Souta Kiryuu shouted back, swallowing the last bite of his roasted T-Rex leg before tossing aside the massive bone. "I wonder just how far your strength has grown since then!"
"The only way to know is through combat!"
Brogy's laugh boomed from the forest as well, wild and hearty.
Moments later, massive tree trunks were pushed aside as the two towering figures of Elbaf stepped into view, their shadows stretching over the camp.
"Heh heh heh… the giants may be strong, but don't forget, the demon Oars I once controlled was three times the size of any giant," Gecko Moria sneered. His shadow powers had once let him command a sixty-meter monster. His own Shadow Asgard form could swell him to thirty meters. To him, most giants were nothing to fear.
"Yahaha! I wonder if these two can withstand my Raijin form," Enel laughed, sparks dancing over his body. His golden eyes gleamed with battlelust. He longed to clash with them—after all, what pirate crew didn't have a "giant form" up their sleeve?
"My Big Head form is eighty meters tall."
Capone Bege exhaled smoke from his cigar, speaking coolly. But his darting gaze toward Law and Lafitte made Law's brow twitch in annoyance.
"Being tall doesn't make you invincible," Law muttered darkly under his breath. With one swing, he could slice these so-called giants into neat, tiny pieces.
"Hehehe! I wanna wrestle with a giant sooo bad!"
Jewelry Bonney shifted into her adult form, her right arm inflating like a balloon into a massive fist. She threw a few mock punches into the air, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Ahahaha! You lot are even more amusing—and cocky—than Shanks' crew," Dorry roared, genuinely entertained. Giants valued straightforward warriors who fought head-on far more than sneaky backstabbers.
"If you've got the interest, then let's spar."
Souta Kiryuu's lips curved into a calm smile. To him, both Dorry and Brogy posed no true threat anymore. His current strength was far beyond theirs—he felt no need to prove it.
"Of course! That's how warriors are meant to greet one another," Brogy bellowed, wild joy in his tone. The quality of Souta's crew was astonishing—comparable even to Shanks' men. Every single one of them was a true fighter.
"Kiryuu, Captain of the Araratsu Pirates, won't you cross blades with us yourself?"
Dorry's eyes burned with battle spirit. As true Elbaf warriors, they lived to challenge the strongest opponent.
"Yahaha! Beat us first, and then you'll have the right to challenge our boss god!"
Enel's form crackled into lightning, appearing directly before Dorry in a flash. The giant's aura was immense, far stronger than the two from Enies Lobby. But in the self-proclaimed god's eyes, giants were nothing more than oversized lumps of meat. It would only take a few more thunderbolts to cook them.
"A Logia… and lightning at that? That's no laughing matter," Dorry said, his expression turning serious. He preferred close combat, but natural-element fighters were troublesome—one wrong move and fists would simply pass through them.
"Enel. Let them spar first."
Souta Kiryuu's voice cut across the tension. Enel's destructive power was overwhelming—if he struck, the giants might collapse before anyone else even had a chance to fight.
"Tch… if the boss says so, I've got no choice."
Enel sighed and flickered back behind Souta, biting into a red apple with exaggerated boredom. Still, the idea of letting the "weaker ones" prove themselves first soothed his pride.
"Bege, test out your new form against Dorry. And Moria—no Shadow powers. I want to see if you can still stand toe-to-toe with Brogy in a straight fight."
Souta's tone was calm, but his gaze sharp. He had long grown frustrated with Gecko Moria. Despite Kuma's attempts to train him, the man's laziness was deeply ingrained, decades in the making. He lacked the discipline true warriors required.
If he couldn't regain the resolve and self-control of a real fighter, talk of revenge against Kaido was meaningless. Souta would abandon him in a heartbeat. After all, alliances with the Beast Pirates could yet deepen. With Seraphim soon ready for real combat, Moria's place in the crew would become precarious. Weaklings had no voice.
"Fine…"
Moria's grin faded, replaced by a rare seriousness. Once, his swordsmanship had been formidable. Without relying on the Kage Kage no Mi, he wasn't certain he could defeat Brogy—but long ago, he had dueled Kaido himself.
Drawing a long blade, Moria squared his stance. Memories of that hellish battle in Wano burned behind his eyes—the day his crew was slaughtered. He had survived only by stealing Ryuma's corpse and the black blade Shusui before fleeing the land of samurai.
With cheers from Oimo and Kashi, the matches began—Bege versus Dorry, and Moria against Brogy.
The collisions were thunderous. Each strike sent shockwaves ripping through the forest, trees snapping and falling in waves.
Meanwhile, Lafitte, Absalom, and the Accino brothers worked under Souta's orders, busy collecting dinosaur blood. Even the masked yokai-faced Devil Fruit user followed them dutifully.
For Souta, the battles had no grand purpose. They were training, nothing more—and entertainment besides. The real reason he had come to Little Garden was to harvest the lineage factors of ancient creatures. Befriending Dorry and Brogy was a bonus. It might ease their way to Elbaf in the future.
But time was not a luxury they had. Souta knew the Celestial Dragons could declare their twisted "Native Cleansing Game" at any moment. He needed to be ready.
Reports from Stussy only added to his unease—large numbers of CP agents were moving in secret, preparing for something massive. Souta could feel it in his bones.
The storm was coming.