Haki-Could I Learn It?

Blue flames seeped from Lina's entire body. Just as he was about to activate Zoan Form, a tremendous roar sounded in the distance, interrupting him.

"BOOM!!"

The thunderous sound deafened them, and the ground shook violently. It was as if the island itself were a sleeping beast awakening.

The group staggered, and Lina immediately stopped transforming.

"What's going on?!"

"What happened?!"

Nami knelt on the ground, bracing herself with both hands to keep her balance.

"Gahhahaha! That was one powerful volcanic eruption!"

Brogy got to his feet with a hearty laugh, his eyes fixed on the volcano in the distance, where lava had suddenly burst forth. "Sorry, Lina, kid, but I've got something to take care of. We'll pick up where we left off when I get back."

"Sure, no problem."

Lina answered simply. He had a pretty good idea what was going on. It would be convenient to take care of both giants at once. "Where are you going? Can we come with you?"

"Sure."

Brogy crouched down and held out his hand, spreading his palm on the ground to let them climb aboard.

"I'm going to settle a duel with an old friend that we left unfinished a hundred years ago."

"A hundred years?!" Usopp exclaimed as he clambered onto Brogy's palm.

Brogy just laughed and explained, "Gahhahaha! It's nothing strange. Giants live several times longer than you do."

"That's not the point, you know!"

Nami couldn't help shouting, "Why? What kind of grudge could make you fight for a hundred years?"

"Why?... I forgot. Gahhahaha!"

The group climbed onto Brogy's palm, and he carried them toward another enormous skeleton. Before they left, Brogy also brought along the remaining barrels of liquor.

From him, they learned that there was another giant warrior on the island.

For reasons no one could remember, the two of them had started dueling here. The signal to begin was the eruption of the volcano in the center of the island.

"Doesn't that mean there's no reason to keep fighting anymore?"

Nami couldn't understand their behavior. "You just said he was your friend, too."

Even for giants, a hundred years was an incredibly long time.

As Brogy spoke, he brought them to the dueling grounds. Another giant's silhouette appeared before them in the distance.

"Though we've forgotten why we started our duel, neither of us has forgotten Elbaf's creed. We'll keep fighting until there's a winner, because..."

As if by mutual understanding, the moment the two giants met, they exchanged smiles, drew their weapons, and roared at the sky.

"...The God of Elbaf will always favor the righteous!"

"Waaah, Elbaf!!" Usopp shouted, tears streaming down his face.

"Wahahaha! Elbaf!!"

A familiar voice came from the other giant. Lina looked over and saw Luffy and Vivi standing on Blue Ogre Dorry's shoulder.

"Hey, Luffy!"

Luffy was bursting with excitement on Dorry's shoulder. When he heard someone call out, he looked over and spotted a blond-haired figure in blue.

"Vivi, look! It's Lina and the others!"

Luffy jumped off Dorry with Vivi. "Hey! Lina, Nami, Usopp!"

Seeing Luffy rushing over excitedly, Lina brought the other two down and went to meet up with him.

"Lina, what are you doing here?"

Vivi asked in surprise. "Weren't you competing with Zoro and Sanji to hunt?"

"Eh, it doesn't matter. We've got me aboard the ship, so we're not short on food anyway," Lina replied indifferently.

The fishman spirits he controlled swam extremely fast. Whenever they were sailing, he could send them into the sea to hunt, ensuring the ship always had fresh ingredients.

Still, they got tired of seafood after a while, so every now and then they hunted game for a change of taste.

"But didn't you make a bet, too?" Nami remembered.

Lina still hadn't caught on. "It was only five hundred thousand berries. Think of it as pocket money for them."

"Oh, really? Are you sure the bet was for five hundred thousand berries?"

"Hm?"

At that, Lina glanced at Usopp, who was looking at him with an odd expression.

"..."

"Damn it!"

Lina's face darkened. He'd forgotten the bet he'd made up on the spot. Crap!

"Hahaha!"

"Looks like someone's going to have to show everyone how to wash his hair while standing on his head tonight."

"It's too early to say that."

Lina scowled and raised a hand, releasing dozens of fishman spirits. He sent them into the forest to search for prey, then turned to look the other way.

He didn't leave, because the giants' duel was already underway, and he had something even more important to do afterward.

CLANG!

"Gahhahaha! Have you not eaten, Dorry?"

CLANG!

"Gahhahaha! Are you getting old, Brogy?"

One giant wielded a sword and shield, while the other wielded an axe and shield. Their fighting was as direct as the attacks of ferocious beasts. The words savage, brutal, and violent described them perfectly.

Every strike was delivered with all their might, and every swing of their weapons sent powerful gusts of wind rushing out.

Their weapons clashed with resounding force, sending ripples of shockwaves outward from the center of the battlefield. The trees around them bent over like weeds, unable to stand upright.

"What terrifying strength."

Lina watched in secret alarm. He wasn't the only one; everyone watching was deeply shaken by the brutal fight.

The simplest sword swings and axe chops showed off the raw fighting spirit that stirred the blood. Every seemingly ordinary attack carried the accumulated skill of many years, leaving the onlookers fired up...

...Though "the onlookers" didn't include the two girls.

"Honestly, they've even forgotten why they're fighting, but they're still going at it so hard."

"Exactly. I just don't get it."

At that, Luffy and Usopp turned into armchair critics and complained indignantly.

"What do you mean, 'I don't get it'?! What are you talking about?!"

After a while...

"Gahhahaha, I'm out of strength."

"Looks like it's a draw again."

The two giants were completely exhausted. They sprawled on the ground in starfish poses, gazing up at the sky.

"Hey, Dorry, I've got something good to show you."

Brogy pushed himself up, picked up a barrel of liquor, and tossed it to Dorry with a hearty laugh. "Our guests gave it to us."

"Wahaha, it's liquor!"

Dorry caught it and laughed as he took a look. He pulled off the lid and gulped down a big mouthful. "Gahhahaha! Liquor tastes best after a fight!"

Now that the battle was over, Lina and the others went over and sat on a nearby rock.

"Cheers!"

"Thanks, guests. I never thought we'd meet such free-spirited people among the Tontatta."

To the giants, Lina and the others really did count as little people.

Luffy answered with a grin. "Hehehe, no need to thank us, old-timer. It's too bad Zoro and Sanji aren't here."

As Lina watched the two giants drinking, the image of Zhang Fei and Guan Yu inexplicably came to mind. Then he thought of something else and set down his cup.

"By the way, Uncle Brogy, can you use Haki?"

"Haki? I haven't heard those words in a long time," Brogy said with a grin. "What, do you want to learn?"

Hell, even a dog would want to learn Haki, let alone me. Lina grumbled to himself, but Brogy's words still made him happy.

Could I really learn it here?

"Yeah, we can use Haki..."