Rocks VS Healding

The latter half of the bonfire party saw the atmosphere reach its peak.

The White Wolf Pirates' intern versus the Giant King Harald's eldest son, Healding!

Upon hearing this news, the giants immediately became interested.

"Go, Healding, don't disgrace our Giant Tribe, don't lose to that shorty!"

"Healding is King Harald's child, how could he possibly lose?"

"Healding, take him down!"

"..."

A large group of giants cheered for Healding, causing the twenty-year-old Giant Tribe boy to nervously grip the short sword in his hand, unable to help but swallow.

"Tch, that old man just loves to give me trouble."

Compared to Healding, Rocks, who was already an adult, was much calmer.

Although Rocks was also twenty years old, humans were considered adults at eighteen, while the Giant Tribe considered anyone under fifty to still be a child.

If Rocks were to challenge an adult giant, he would absolutely refuse. He wasn't an idiot. He'd at least wait until he mastered the Haki that Mongge mentioned.

But fighting a child from the Giant Tribe who hadn't reached adulthood was another matter entirely.

"If I win, he'll teach me Six Powers?"

Thinking of Mongge's promise from earlier, Rocks suddenly became serious.

Win and learn Six Powers.

Lose and not only would he have to scrub the floors on the ship, but he'd also have to clean the toilets...

He absolutely couldn't lose!

"Harald, what are you doing?"

On top of a vast and magnificent castle, atop a large tree by the cliff edge of the giant village, a bald, tall giant was using a telescope to secretly spy on the village.

Hearing the voice behind him, the giant quickly put away the telescope.

"Ahem, I was just surveying the public sentiment."

"It's Healding, isn't it."

Behind the giant, a female giant with wavy long hair rolled her eyes at him.

"I heard the captain of the White Wolf Pirates is here again?"

"Mm, but Mongge isn't like ordinary pirates; he doesn't have that much ambition."

Recalling the scene of his first meeting with Mongge ten years ago, the Giant King Harald pondered slightly. Seeing his wife's worried expression, he grinned and let out a hearty laugh.

"Haha, don't worry. Even if he really wanted to do something, at his age, he might not be my match."

The 150-year-old Giant King was in his prime, while the 70-year-old Mongge was already old. The lifespan of humans was truly too short compared to giants.

"Times are changing. The departure of Dorry and Brogy might be an opportunity. Compared to plunder, normal trade with other countries is the correct direction for development."

Harald looked at Healding, who had already begun fighting Rocks in the distance, and then at his wife's bulging belly.

"For our children."

"We must leave them a peaceful and stable future."

The Giant Village.

"Kill!"

Healding shouted, swinging his wooden sword forcefully at Rocks.

Thump!

The wooden sword struck the ground, creating a spiderweb-like crack.

A drop of cold sweat broke out on Rocks' forehead.

"Monster!"

He was just a child, yet his strength was astonishing. If his reaction speed wasn't fast enough, Rocks suspected he would have been taken down in one exchange.

"Go, Healding!"

"To your right, the shorty is to your right!"

"Quick, look, at your feet!"

"..."

Typical bystanders being more anxious than the combatants. Healding hadn't even started to get impatient, but the giants watching around him were getting agitated.

Among them was even the old giant Yoruru.

"All of you, shut up!"

Holding a club over ten meters long, a giant swung it down. Aruru shouted loudly, "Healding is a warrior of our Giant Tribe! What we need to do is believe in him!"

Though he said that, Aruru's gaze towards Healding carried a hint of worry.

It was because Rocks was too steady.

Seemingly, Rocks was narrowly missing every one of Healding's attacks, but judging from Rocks's expression, he was merely conserving his stamina.

Because Healding's physique was too large, even as a child of the Giant Tribe, his height was three times that of Rocks, let alone his build.

In a head-on collision, Rocks would undoubtedly lose.

But Rocks didn't give Healding any chance to collide with him head-on.

"Phew, that was close."

Dodging Healding's attack once more, Rocks felt his still abundant stamina and a smile curved the corner of his lips.

If it were two months ago, even if he could dodge Healding's attacks, after continuously evading for so long, his stamina would have been completely depleted.

But under Mongge's hellish training, his stamina had increased severalfold. Fights of this level were no longer a problem.

"However, winning is still a bit troublesome."

While dodging Healding's attacks, Rocks pondered his strategy.

Healding consistently employed the Giants' formulaic fighting style: swinging, sweeping, and chopping with his sword, then blocking enemy attacks with his shield.

With their size advantage, the Giants could easily handle opponents who lacked sufficient speed and strength.

The most important thing was speed!

Just as Rocks was racking his brain on how to bypass Healding's defenses and attack him, he suddenly heard Mongge's voice.

"Hey, Rocks, remember when I threw you into the sea a few days ago?"

"Huh?"

A scene flashed in his mind from a week ago, where Mongge had thrown him into the sea, tied his hands, and dragged him behind the boat with a rope.

Rocks's fists clenched.

"Opening!"

Seeing Rocks lose focus, Healding's eyes lit up. He swung his wooden sword forcefully towards Rocks.

Bang!

Accompanied by thick dust, a familiar sensation made Healding realize he hadn't hit Rocks. So, he habitually retracted his sword and raised his heavy shield in front of him.

In reality, Healding had almost hit Rocks.

If he had thrown away his sword and smashed his entire shield down, then Rocks, who had dodged his previous attack by rolling, would have surely met his defeat.

But it was this sliver of difference.

"I understand."

When being dragged by the boat, in order to keep up with its speed, Rocks had to constantly tread water, swimming to match the boat's pace and avoid drowning.

But Mongge's training method wasn't to improve his swimming speed.

It was—

"Soru!"

An afterimage broke through the dust, stepping on the ground dozens of times in an instant. The sudden burst of speed startled even Rocks himself.

But if he himself couldn't react, Healding certainly couldn't.

It only took the blink of an eye.

Healding saw Rocks pass through his sword and shield blockade, appearing on his shoulder. At the same time, a short sword was placed at his neck.

Without Haki, the Giant Tribe's defense was not much different from ordinary people.

In that instant, Healding understood.

He had lost.