Giant Broggy

The next day, the sky was clear and boundless as the Going Merry sailed across the calm sea.

"The weather's pretty nice today."

Nami gazed at the blue sea and sky, a rare smile appearing on her face. "I didn't expect the Grand Line to have weather this good."

"You must have suffered quite a bit when you first entered the Grand Line." Vivi narrowed her eyes with a smile.

"Right after crossing Twin Capes, that stretch of sea was influenced by seven routes at once. Its weather was the most unpredictable."

At the moment, Vivi could only really chat with Nami on the ship. She clearly had trouble adjusting to the group's personalities.

Karoo, on the other hand, had already become fast friends with them and was having a wonderful time.

"Pair of aces! I've only got one card left~"

"Pair of twos! Calling two." Luffy cut off Reiner.

"Quack quack!!!"

"Quack."

"Nicely done, Karoo!" Reiner looked at Karoo, who had played a bomb to let him pass, and could not help praising him. "A nine. Game over."

"Quack!"

After defeating Landlord Luffy, Reiner and Karoo high-fived in celebration.

As for why a duck could play cards?

Who knew.

"Damn it!"

Luffy indignantly switched out with Usopp and ran upstairs himself. "Sanji, I want juice!"

"Got it. What does everyone else want?"

"I want booze."

"I want tangerine juice!"

"Me too!"

"No way! You people are practically stripping my tangerine trees bare!"

Nami refused them and threw in two punches as a bonus.

Watching the noisy group, Vivi wore a smile she had not shown in a long time.

After being on edge for so long at sea, she was experiencing such a warm, cheerful atmosphere for the first time in years.

In Reiner's words, this was called being relaxed.

She began trying to interact with the others, tiptoeing behind Karoo to watch how Reiner and the others played.

"It's Vivi. Want to give it a try? Fight the Landlord is really fun."

"No, no, no. I wouldn't understand how to play that." Vivi awkwardly waved off Usopp's invitation.

"Come here, little delinquent." Reiner beckoned. "This hand is pretty good, so I'll teach you."

"Thank you. Um, why do you call me little delinquent?" Vivi asked, puzzled and a little embarrassed.

"Heh." Reiner chuckled and pulled out a photo, placing it in front of Vivi. "Well? Looks good, right?"

"Wahahaha!" Usopp clutched his stomach and collapsed laughing, pounding the deck with one hand. "When did you take that, Reiner?"

"Quack quack!!" Even Karoo spread his wings, threw back his head, and let out a shout.

The photo showed Vivi standing on Karoo's back, twisting her slender waist while waving her hands in a flashy pose.

Vivi's face turned bright red. She lunged forward to snatch it away. "Give it back!"

"Nope." Reiner held Vivi back with one hand against her forehead, letting her flail wildly at the air.

"Damn it!"

"Give up, little delinquent."

Sanji came out carrying juice. The moment he saw this scene, his anger erupted, flames practically blazing above his head. "You bastard, Reiner! How dare you bully my adorable Princess Vivi!"

Sanji's stance had always been firm: he would always side with beautiful women!

"Oh-ho, Usopp, catch!"

"W-wait! How am I supposed to stand up to Sanji?!"

"Throw him to Luffy!"

"Wahaha, this looks like fun."

"This ship really is amazing." Watching the people on deck fighting in a heap, Nami smiled faintly and returned to the cabin.

Even the most despondent person could come here and find themselves smiling.

Three days passed just like that. The Going Merry sailed across the sea as usual, and up in the crow's nest—

"Everyone!"

"I see an island!" Reiner shouted down, then turned his gaze back ahead. In the vast blue sea stood a lone, lush green island.

"An island frozen in prehistoric times, huh."

Reiner's eyes gleamed with excitement. Aside from coveting the two giants' bodies, he had another expectation. "I dreamed of riding dinosaurs when I was a kid. I never thought I'd get to see living prehistoric creatures in this life."

Little Garden had an inland river that ran straight to the sea, and the Going Merry slowly sailed into the island along it.

It was a tropical rainforest, filled with layers of shadows cast by dense trees, thick vines, and riverside rocks covered in moss.

The fresh air was mixed with the fragrance of earth, grass, and trees, refreshing the mind, while birds sang in clear, melodious voices.

"I can smell adventure! Sanji, make me an adventure bento!" Sitting atop the Going Merry's figurehead, Luffy excitedly shouted back.

"An adventure bento?" Sanji was puzzled. There was actually a dish he had never heard of?

"It's meat." Reiner explained to Sanji with a smile. "A bento packed entirely with meat and no vegetables. Luffy loves it."

"No!" Sanji's face turned green. "As the cook, I have to make sure your diets are balanced. Luffy, if you dare throw away the vegetables, I won't let you off."

"Roar!!!"

"W-what was that sound?!" Usopp and Nami shrank back in panic.

On the riverbank, several enormous forest wolves were licking the corpse of a tiger.

When they saw the Going Merry approaching, they fixed the group with vicious eyes. Yet they also seemed somewhat wary, lowering their bodies as they slowly backed into the shadows of the forest.

"That's way too terrifying! I don't want to go ashore!"

"It's over! I've caught a disease that'll kill me the moment I set foot on land~~"

Unlike the trembling Nami and Usopp, the others had already jumped off the ship, ready to stretch their legs. Even Vivi decided to take a walk with Luffy.

Zoro and Sanji were planning to compete over who could hunt down the larger meal.

"A hunting contest? Sounds fun. I'm joining too!"

"Sure, Reiner. Let's put something on it too. How about five hundred thousand Beli?" Sanji casually tossed Reiner a cigarette.

Reiner grinned when he heard that. Heh, so that was what he was after?

"Too small. Think bigger. Whoever loses has to wash their hair upside down tonight."

"Interesting. I accept." Zoro curled his lips into a grin and left.

Reiner dropped anchor and secured the Going Merry, then turned to smile at the two people still aboard. "Are you sure you don't want to go for a walk? You've been stuck on the ship for days. Must be pretty stifling."

"No, no. I'd rather die than go ashore."

"Is it possible that you two staying here would be even more dangerous?" Reiner smiled strangely.

Nami froze for a moment, then turned toward Usopp. Their eyes met, and they suddenly realized it.

The two weakest people staying here alone—wasn't that just waiting to die?!

"Wait! Reiner, wait for us!"

"Waaah~~ Don't leave us behind!"

Nami and Usopp shouted as they ran forward, hurriedly grabbing one of Reiner's arms each.

"Heh, the Weakling Trio's journey begins."

Reiner chuckled, released several undead to guard the ship, and led the two behind him on their jungle adventure.

However, they had not even taken more than a few steps.

Rustle, rustle~~

The crisp rustling of leaves came from the depths of the forest. A massive shadow suddenly emerged, and several huge trees before Reiner were casually pushed aside like weeds.

Reiner stared at the shadow, ready to summon undead at any moment.

A giant face suddenly poked out. Its rugged features wore a grin, with a huge yellow beard and messy hair that could not be concealed even by a helmet.

"A monster!!"

Panicked screams came from behind Reiner. Nami and Usopp immediately clung to his back, tightly gripping his clothes.

"A giant? That's ridiculous." Reiner also exclaimed quietly.

Even so, seeing a giant still felt unbelievable to him.

The giant with the yellow beard grinned as he spoke. "Gahahaha! I'm Broggy. This island hasn't had visitors in a long time."

"Hey, watch out behind you!"