Time flew by rapidly.
The year 1489 of the Sea Calendar was drawing to a close, and 1490 was fast approaching.
Stussy and Shimotsuki Furiko's bellies had already begun to swell.
The Winter Festival on December 22nd in Elbaf arrived once again.
As for the Elbaf Giant Race's tradition of fasting for twelve days before the festival, that had nothing to do with the Rocks Pirates.
Stussy and Shimotsuki Furiko, being pregnant, could not fast.
Charlotte Linlin, the iron balloon who suffered from hunger pangs, could fast even less.
It was normal for the Giant Race to endure so many days, but ordinary humans simply couldn't last twelve days.
Even for the Executives of the Rocks Pirates, starving for twelve days would likely be a struggle.
However, the Rocks Pirates had a magical space to pass the time.
By staying in Fang Huo's Lost World for five or six hours, twelve days would have already passed outside.
When some Executives took the lead in entering the Lost World to 'fast-forward' time, wanting to 'time travel' quickly to the Winter Festival,
others also chose to go into the Golden Castle for a bit of fun, and incidentally, to check on the adam wood they had collected.
Fang Huo had already built several new warships in the Lost World and had Golden Lion Shiki add the power of floatation to them.
These were the reserve warships for Fang Huo himself and the Rocks Pirates.
Even Redfield, the new Executive, entered the Lost World for the first time to take a look.
After all, this pocket dimension could potentially serve as a transfer space to save the residents of Red Line Island.
Redfield paid close attention to this space.
Although in previous planning discussions Fang Huo had suggested having Golden Lion Shiki help relocate islands,
this kind of pocket dimension for emergency rescue was extremely important in unexpected situations.
Inside Fang Huo's Golden Castle.
"Fang Huo, I'll be an adult next year. Why do I have to wait until I'm eighteen?"
Charlotte Linlin was very dissatisfied; in this world, seventeen was the age of adulthood.
Like Fire Fist Ace and Straw Hat Luffy, they both set out to sea as adults at seventeen.
In the original timeline, after celebrating her seventeenth birthday on February 15th, Charlotte Linlin had her first pregnancy about three months later.
Her eldest son, Perospero, was born on March 14th of the following year.
And thus began Big Mom Charlotte Linlin's popcorn-like career of childbearing.
"There is no 'why'! This is my principle!"
Fang Huo spoke indifferently, simply because he was afraid of the 'River Crab' censorship.
Even though the age of adulthood varied from 15 to 21 in different countries in his past life,
Fang Huo strictly followed the laws of the River Crab Kingdom.
"Hmph!"
The increasingly slender and curvaceous Charlotte Linlin gave a soft snort, then walked toward Stussy and Shimotsuki Furiko with envy.
Using her pure soul power, she sensed the growth of the two small lives.
One day soon, she too would be able to nurture new life.
---Half a day passed quickly in the Lost World.
When they reappeared in Elbaf, twelve days had passed outside, and the grand Winter Festival was about to begin.
Mountains of food stood atop massive tables.
Countless famished giants were waiting for the Winter Solstice feast to commence.
When Fang Huo and the others met Loki and Hajrudin again, the two giant princes were already looking a bit wilted from hunger.
"This space is very magical and useful!"
Redfield was shocked by the massive time difference in Fang Huo's pocket dimension.
Thinking about how Fang Huo also possessed seven Devil Fruit abilities, he felt it might be difficult to surpass Fang Huo in this lifetime.
However, he still held onto a sliver of hope.
Fang Huo, with his numerous Devil Fruit abilities, might actually find that to be his fatal weakness.
After all, a person's energy is limited; it's impossible to master everything.
This was Redfield's chance to defeat Fang Huo.
As long as he trained his Three Types of Haki and swordsmanship to the absolute limit, it was possible to defeat Fang Huo.
"Where have you all been these past twelve days?"
Loki had really been looking for the Rocks Pirates for twelve days; he thought these guys had already left Elbaf.
This had caused him a moment of panic and disappointment.
Spending the last half-year together had made him admire the powerful Rocks and the all-knowing Fang Huo even more.
He even felt a bit like joining the Rocks Pirates.
Unfortunately, his father Harald wouldn't allow it, and Rocks wasn't willing to take in children.
"Brat, what does it have to do with you? This is a secret of our Rocks Pirates."
Golden Lion Shiki spoke up to tease Loki, the little guy who had 'fallen' for them.
He knew Fang Huo highly valued this giant prince who possessed innate Haoshoku.
But by the time Loki grew up, they would all be old.
Perhaps Rocks and Fang Huo would have already started the apocalyptic war against the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
So in Rocks' eyes, Loki had almost no utility value.
Rocks only valued Harald, who was an existing top-tier combatant.
"This fasting custom is truly a bad habit. What if an enemy invades Elbaf while you're all weakened by hunger? What would you do?"
Babel felt that fasting for two or three days was normal, but the Giant Race actually fasted for twelve.
Even if a giant's lifespan was more than three times that of a human... well, maybe twelve days for a giant was equivalent to four days for a human. If so, it seemed more normal.
"We are Elbaf warriors; twelve days is nothing."
Hajrudin spoke somewhat feebly; he was only dizzy from hunger because he was a child.
For most giant warriors, fasting for twelve days was no problem at all; they could still maintain their combat power to deal with any invaders or enemies.
"Fasting before the Winter Festival is to remind us that food does not come easily and must be cherished."
"This has been an Elbaf tradition for thousands of years."
"The natural disasters and great famine from over a decade ago made us realize the importance of food once again."
Elder Yaruru walked over slowly and earnestly explained to these pirates who had disappeared for twelve days.
That great famine happened because they had previously looked down on this tradition and failed to store enough food.
In their despair from the food shortage, they had actually attributed all calamities to a curse.
They had cursed Prince Loki, driven away Ida and her son Hajrudin, and expelled the House of Lambs... for giant warriors who prized honor, this was indeed an insult.
"I thought you had already left, I didn't expect you to still be here."
Harald spoke irritably; because of the Rocks Pirates' presence, he hadn't been able to go out for peaceful diplomatic activities for over half a year.
He had even become a sparring partner for the Rocks Pirates, frequently challenged by guys like Rocks, Fang Huo, and Newgate.
"worororo, Harald, you really won't listen until you hit a dead end. Why won't you believe Fang Huo's prophecies and intelligence?"
"Perhaps only after you truly witness the Celestial Dragons' Native Purge Competition will you be truly disappointed in those scumbags."
Rocks felt a sense of helplessness toward the stubborn Harald, but he had already come to consider the big guy a friend.
He was determined to pull Harald back onto the 'right path' to fight Imu and the World Government together!
"The Winter Festival is starting!!"
As a series of horn blasts sounded, all of Elbaf erupted in excitement, interrupting their bickering.
Fang Huo held hands with Stussy and Shimotsuki Furiko, floating onto a massive table piled with mountains of food, ready to enjoy the Giant Race's Winter Solstice delicacies.
Charlotte Linlin stuck close to the three of them, drooling incessantly with stars in her eyes...---