The locals were indeed rather unfriendly. The giants held swords, axes, and shields as they tensely watched the approaching ship. "Rocks Pirates! What are you doing in this country?"
Even the proud warrior giants of Elbaf had to be extremely cautious when facing the Rocks Pirates.
Rocks strode to the bow. "Harald, lower the Rainbow Bridge for me!"
Boom!!
Black lightning instantly shot into the sky from Rocks, and the atmosphere began to tremble violently.
The enormous Adam Tree seemed to be hit by a gale, its branches trembling slightly.
There was no need to mention the giants on the shore. One after another, they foamed at the mouth and fainted.
The lightning of Conqueror's Haki crossed the sky in an instant and struck a castle in the Sun World on Elbaf's second level.
Boom!!
The entire castle shook violently, and the giant guards inside cried out in agony one after another.
Only after a long while did a sigh come from deep within the castle. "Lower the Rainbow Bridge."
Outside the harbor.
"Hoho! That's quite something!"
Roa tilted his head back in amazement. "Conqueror's Haki at this level... There probably isn't a second person like him in the Blue Sea, right?"
A single man's presence had shaken an entire nation. This was a man standing at the summit of the sea!
Roger might even be a little weaker.
Could Imu, who had been psychologically scarred by Joy Boy, accomplish something on this level?
So, when would his own Conqueror's Haki finally awaken?
After the version update, Haki had gained the power to resist and even dispel Devil Fruit abilities, making Conqueror's Haki much more valuable.
Conqueror's Haki was great. He had to learn it!
Whitebeard, standing behind Rocks, also had a trace of amazement in his eyes. Rocks was stronger than everyone else, and it was precisely because of this peerless strength that those proud and unruly monsters were willing to follow him.
But.
That strength was no longer unreachable. Or rather, it was already right before their eyes.
Therefore, the collapse of the Rocks Pirates was already very close—unless the great war that followed never happened.
War... Rocks, just how far can you go?
Whitebeard was looking forward to it.
"It's coming."
Rocks reined in his Conqueror's Haki and calmly raised his head. "Wait a little longer."
So they waited a little longer.
Something descended from the sky.
"Oh! It's a rainbow!"
Roa's eyes suddenly lit up.
He saw a rainbow descending from the sky.
A fantastical bridge formed from converging rainbow-colored light extended downward from the Sun World on Elbaf's second level, its end landing perfectly inside the harbor.
"Is this the Rainbow Bridge?"
Roa's face was full of amazement. "This world really never disappoints, no matter when!"
"Let's go."
At Rocks's command, the pirate ship headed straight for the Rainbow Bridge.
It was incredibly strange.
The rainbow's slope could only be described as steep, yet the pirate ship glided smoothly from the sea onto the rainbow, then traveled upward along it without the slightest obstruction. It was even more unreasonable than the canal at Reverse Mountain.
Roa used his ability to transform into a flying tiger, then flew onto the rainbow and ran alongside the ship.
"This is fun!"
This thing had been drawn with a wondrous stone called sunstone—a genuine rainbow painted into existence.
Elbaf really was a wondrous place.
They traveled upward along the rainbow, and soon reached the sky above Elbaf's Sun World. Below them was already the canopy of the middle layer. A small village stood on the thick branches of the Adam Tree.
Of course, it was small only by the giants' standards. Judging by Roa's sense of scale, every house was no different from a small mountain.
This was Elbaf.
The strongest war nation in the world.
The rainbow ended outside a huge castle.
The pirate ship slowly landed on the open ground outside the castle, where giants were already waiting.
"Rocks!"
A giant who appeared to be a castle guard, holding a battle-axe and a greatsword, shouted at the top of his lungs. "King Harald told us to wait for you here!"
"Let's go and make the idiots see reality clearly."
Rocks jumped down from the bow.
Roa and Whitebeard followed close behind.
"Lead the way."
The captain's tone was cold and cool.
The giants seemed somewhat unwilling when they saw the three of them, but they still turned around. "Follow us."
But just then.
"You must be Rocks!"
A figure excitedly ran out from behind the castle gates. "You're the one who caused that commotion just now, right?"
"Oh?"
Roa raised an eyebrow.
He was certainly a giant.
But he was a young giant.
He stood around fourteen or fifteen meters tall, more than a head taller than Aunt Linlin, yet he was considered small among the giant race.
Especially since this kid had a pair of horns growing from his forehead.
"Does he have Ancient Giant Tribe blood?"
Whitebeard spoke softly.
Giants with Ancient Giant Tribe blood were often much larger than their kin.
"Harald's eldest son."
Rocks answered coldly.
Loki, huh?
Roa sized up the young giant blocking their path.
At such a young age, he already had bandages wrapped around his eyes, and he dragged a massive black spiked club in his hand.
The cursed prince, the giant race's king-slayer, the disgrace of Elbaf. He should be twenty-five this year, right? Giants lived more than three times as long as humans, and everything required three times as long for them to mature.
Converted into human years, wasn't this guy about the same age as him?
"Prince Loki! Why are you here?"
The giant guards were somewhat uneasy.
This cursed prince usually stayed in the Underworld, fighting the beasts known as the mountain lords. Since everyone disliked him, he rarely returned to the castle.
Why did it have to be today...
Loki completely ignored the guards. He dragged his spiked club over to Rocks and looked down at the man before him. "I know you! Everyone says you're the most terrifying pirate in the world, and that you command the most terrifying pirate crew in the world! Even in Elbaf, your name is known by everyone!"
"Hey! Rocks! Let me join your pirate crew too! I'm Loki! I'm the Sun God of Elbaf! I'm the warrior who will lead Elbaf to conquer the world in the future!"
"Sun God?"
The corner of Rocks's mouth twitched. "I'm not interested in playing house with a brat. Get lost."
"You're going to reject me?"
Loki was utterly shocked. "You're going to reject me, Loki?"
"My ship has no need for brats. Don't make me say it a third time."
Rocks's gaze had already turned dangerous.
Roa grinned. His captain was the kind of true egalitarian who treated everyone the same. Whether they were old or young, man or woman, if they provoked him, he killed them all.
"Brat?"
Loki instantly turned toward Roa. Though his eyes were wrapped in bandages, he had indeed made the motion. "Isn't this guy a brat too?"
Rocks paused, then the corner of his mouth curved into a strange smile. "Interesting. How about this? If you can defeat this kid, I'll let you board the ship."
"Then it's settled!"
Amid his high-pitched laughter, the enormous spiked club swung directly toward Roa.
"What about my opinion?"
Roa instantly retreated, turning into a black shadow as he shot backward and opened up the distance. "Captain, what does this have to do with me?"
Boom!
The heavy iron club smashed a huge hole into the wooden ground.
"Kid, if you lose, I'll kill you."
Rocks spoke calmly.
"That's really putting me on the spot!"
Roa had not expected to get involved in this.
"Don't run!"
Loki excitedly charged after him.
"Seriously..."
Roa sighed. "I only fought the Marines yesterday, and now I have to fight again today?"
"Whatever. Come protect me."
Several black shadows shot from the deck of the pirate ship behind him.
Before you continue