An Uninvited Guest

"Roar!!!"

Just as Reiner's warning fell, a massive dinosaur charged out from behind Broggy and sank its teeth into his backside.

Even Nami and Usopp could not help crying out in concern at the sight.

"Hey, old man!"

"Are you okay?!"

Yet Broggy only kept laughing. He turned around and casually brought his axe down, severing the dinosaur's head, then laughed.

"Gahahahaha! Now we have food too. Let me treat you to a meal. Do you have any booze?"

"W-We do have some."

Reiner was shocked, and it was not just by Broggy's strength.

More than that, Broggy carried a bold, heroic air. Since coming here, aside from Luffy, Reiner had never seen that quality in anyone else.

"You're full of spirit, old man," Reiner said with a smile.

"Gahahahaha! I'm a warrior of Elbaf!" Broggy let out a booming laugh and rapped the shield hanging at his waist with his axe.

Reiner liked being around people like this. It was easygoing, so he laughed openly. "We'll treat you to some drinks, old man."

"Huh?" Although Nami had lowered her guard somewhat, she was not ready to make friends the moment they met.

On the other hand, Usopp's courage inexplicably swelled. He gathered his nerve and asked shakily, "O-Old man, are you one of the legendary Giant Race?"

"Yeah, that's right. You know about us?"

"I saw you in storybooks. I just never thought you really existed."

Usopp's voice gradually became smoother, and a trace of excitement appeared on his face. "The legends say the Giant Race are all bold and unrestrained. They're the warriors I admire most!"

"Then let's head back to the ship for the booze, Nami, Usopp."

Reiner brought the two back to the Going Merry and carried out several large barrels of alcohol.

Back in Loguetown, Reiner had not bought that much. Zoro had happened to get two fine swords for free, so he used the funds Reiner had given him to buy alcohol instead.

"Leave these remaining barrels for that drunkard. Let's go."

After leaving behind three barrels of alcohol, Reiner and the others followed Broggy back to his base deep in the forest.

Not long after the Straw Hat Crew landed, Little Garden welcomed two more uninvited guests.

"Damn it! We actually caught the wrong people." A dark-skinned man with an afro said bitterly, "Now we have to make a trip to this godforsaken place."

"Ha lo lo, no need to be so angry, Mr. 5." Miss Valentine, a woman with short golden hair and a tight skirt, chuckled softly. "They're only a few little pirates with thirty million bounties. We'll clean them up and head back soon enough."

In the primeval forest, Mr. 5 wore a black coat while the tight-skirted woman behind him held an umbrella behind her back with both hands, swaying her hips as she followed close behind.

Soon, the two strolled into a white wax house and walked straight inside, where someone was already waiting.

"Mr. 3, you're really taking it easy."

"Oh? Isn't this the task-failure duo?" The man with a braid shaped like the number '3' atop his head took a leisurely sip of coffee and spoke calmly.

"It's my break time now. We can discuss work after I finish this cup of coffee."

If Reiner had been there, he would surely have sighed over how much he radiated the bearing of a commander's right-hand man.

Mr. 5 said nothing and waited quietly until the other man finished his coffee, whereupon Mr. 3 finally spoke in an even tone.

"I already know about the mission. But the trouble now isn't the Straw Hat Crew." Mr. 3 pulled out bounty posters from his coat, bearing the faces of two giants, and continued.

"The Straw Hat Boy and the others are worth no more than thirty million, yet they have already encountered Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy. That is the biggest problem."

"Bounties over a hundred million?!" The woman in the tight skirt slammed both hands onto the table and cried out.

Mr. 5 also furrowed his brow deeply.

Only Mr. 3, the wax man, remained calm as ever. He slowly delivered even more startling news. "Those bounty posters were issued a hundred years ago."

Within the room built of white wax, silence lingered for a while before Mr. 5's tightly furrowed brow finally eased.

"It's not like they're staying forever. Can't we just act after they leave?"

"That's exactly the problem."

Mr. 3 rose from his chair, supporting himself on it as he addressed the afro-haired man. "Little Garden's magnetic field requires a Log Pose to take a full year to store the route to the next island."

The wax man paused before continuing, "I have two Eternal Poses. Later, I'll try to lure them into the forest and kill them. If they don't pursue me, I'll start a fight directly, pretend to lose, and leave behind the Eternal Poses."

"I get what you mean."

The corners of Mr. 3's mouth rose. "As long as we don't involve those two giants, this will be much easier. We'll set an ambush in the forest?"

"Do whatever you want. I can deal with the Straw Hat Crew by myself."

"Tch! What an arrogant bastard."

The afro-haired man snorted and left with the woman in the tight skirt.

The scene shifted to Reiner's side, at the center of Little Garden Island.

Two enormous skeletons lay here, sparsely covered in moss and weeds, clearly having endured countless years.

Beneath the gigantic white bones, Broggy grinned broadly. A huge barrel of alcohol looked like a mere cup in his hand, and he could drain half of it in one gulp.

Reiner and the other two had followed him here. Broggy roasted the dinosaur meat he had hunted when they first met, while they offered him fine alcohol in return.

They ate and chatted, while Usopp listened to Broggy's old adventure stories with immense excitement.

"Gahahahaha! It's been so long since I had a drink. This is truly satisfying!"

"Hahaha, as long as you're happy, old man."

Reiner raised his cup and took a hearty drink. "That way, when I ask you for a favor later, I won't feel awkward about it."

"Gahahaha, it's nothing. Tell me what it is. If I can help a friend, I'll naturally do my best."

"Then let me thank you in advance, old man."

Reiner did not beat around the bush. When dealing with someone as bold as Broggy, being straightforward was the best approach. Trying to be roundabout would only backfire.

He briefly explained his ability to Broggy and told him that he wanted to collect his body.

"Gahahahaha! Such a small matter doesn't need any embarrassment. You don't even need me to do anything."

Broggy grinned, gulped down half a barrel of alcohol in one swig, and stretched his hand toward Reiner. "Go ahead!"

"Then I won't hold back, old man." Blue flames sprang from Reiner's hand and landed on Broggy's. Soon, the fire gradually spread along the giant arm.

Nami and Usopp were also full of anticipation. They knew and had witnessed Reiner's ability. If he could create such a powerful undead, the crew's strength would immediately increase by a huge margin.

"Oh? Your flames are really interesting. They aren't hot at all, gahahahaha!"

However, contrary to Broggy's laughter, Reiner's expression was far from pleasant.

"The collection failed."

Reiner frowned as he looked at Broggy's enormous body. He could collect people stronger than himself, but there was a limit; the gap could not be too large.

Yet his physical abilities were already extraordinary. Although he was still considerably weaker than Broggy, it should have barely been enough.

Why did it still feel like he was just a little short? With that thought, Reiner immediately withdrew the blue flames.

"What's wrong, Reiner boy?"

"Ah, no, it's nothing. I'll try again."

He prepared to transform and try once more. As long as he could gain the boosts to all his attributes from the undead in his hands, it should work.