Bonfire party.
The old giant Yaruru took a swig of liquor, then asked drunkenly.
"So, Magnus, you want to meet with King Harald?"
"That's right."
Magnus had come to Elbaf for only two reasons.
One was to bring the future Four Emperor, Charlotte Linlin, under his command.
The other was Adam Wood.
Now, Magnus's first goal was halfway complete. As long as Carmel agreed to let him take Linlin away, turning Charlotte Linlin into one of his crew was only a matter of time.
Everyone knew just how easy it was to fool a five-year-old Charlotte Linlin.
As for Adam Wood, if Magnus wanted to acquire it through legitimate channels, he had to get in touch with Elbaf's current king.
That was not particularly difficult.
After all, Magnus had fought Harald before. They had become acquainted through battle.
They were not close friends, but they could at least speak to each other.
"Hmph. King Harald might not agree to see you."
Yoruru, sitting nearby, wore a cold expression. This pirate had lured away his great-great-granddaughter; it was already generous of him not to badmouth him. Asking him to pass along a message? No chance.
Fortunately, Magnus had no intention of recruiting any more Giant race crew members besides Ripley.
Otherwise, he would not have been so agreeable right now.
The Giant race should join the Giant Soldier Pirates. The White Wolf Pirates and the like were nothing but crooked paths.
"Big Sister Ripley, how could you join another pirate crew? As members of the Giant race, we should join the Giant Soldier Pirates! Only the Giant Soldier Pirates are where we belong!"
On the other side of the banquet, a giant boy shouted loudly. He looked like a human child of seven or eight, but stood over five meters tall.
For someone whose goal had always been to revive the Giant Soldier Pirates, he simply could not understand why Ripley, his own sister, would join another pirate crew.
"Jabababa! Well said, Hajrudin! Our Giant Soldier Pirates are the strongest pirate crew!"
Hearing the boy's words, Yoruru laughed happily.
Although Ripley had been lured away, the children, the future hope of the Giant race, still had their hearts set on the Giant Soldier Pirates.
"Old man, stop fanning the flames!"
Ripley looked helpless. She finally understood how Magnus had felt earlier. When the White Wolf Pirates had come last time, Hajrudin had still been young and spent most of his time around King Harald, so unlike many children, he had not developed a fondness for the White Wolf Pirates.
Although she had always wanted to join the White Wolf Pirates, as she grew older, she had become unsure whether Magnus would ever return to Elbaf. Naturally, she had not bragged to Hajrudin about how powerful the White Wolf Pirates were.
In truth, the current White Wolf Pirates really could not compare to their former selves. The entire crew had only three people, and one of them was an apprentice.
Compared to Magnus and Ripley, who were familiar with the Giant race, Rocks seemed far more withdrawn, sitting alone in a corner and eating.
It was not that he disliked socializing.
He simply felt that he did not yet have the leeway to interact with others.
"The Giant race really is strong!"
Rocks cautiously watched the giants around him, raising cups and drinking heavily, tearing into meat in huge bites. It was as if he could sense the terrifying power contained within their towering bodies.
Forget an entire Giant Kingdom—just the giants sitting here could easily destroy a country if they were outside!
"Bokakaka, Magnus, that kid called Rocks is a new crew member you recruited, right?"
Noticing Rocks, Yaruru stroked his fluffy beard.
"How about we make a bet?"
"Oh?"
Magnus immediately became interested when he heard Yaruru mention a bet.
"What do you want to bet on, Yaruru?"
"How about Hajrudin fights him?" Yaruru said with a smile. "If Rocks wins, I'll put in a good word for you when you meet with His Majesty. If Hajrudin wins, you have to stay and help train the village children."
"Two years shouldn't be too long, right?"
Magnus could not help feeling tempted by Yaruru's words.
Although he was certain that Harald would not refuse his proposal as long as they met, convincing the giants to willingly hand over Adam Wood would not be easy.
It would be different if Yaruru spoke up.
Yaruru was not only the oldest giant in all of Elbaf, but also the former captain of the Giant Soldier Pirates. His prestige among the Giant race was second only to Giant King Harald.
He had no reason to refuse a simple fight between Rocks and a giant brat.
Seeing Magnus remain silent, Yoruru assumed that he was hesitating.
"Jabababa! What's this? Is a crew member of the mighty White Wolf Pirates not even as good as an underage child? If Yaruru isn't enough, what if you add me too?"
Whether Yoruru or Yaruru, as former legendary pirates, could tell at a glance that Rocks was merely a rookie who had just set sail and had not even learned Haki.
Under such circumstances, the advantage brought by a giant's physique was undoubtedly enormous.
Although Hajrudin was still a child.
He was King Harald's eldest son. How could he possibly lose to a rookie pirate who had just set sail?
"Heh."
Yoruru and Yaruru did not know that Magnus had not only never considered refusing their proposal—he even found it a little funny.
Hajrudin fighting Rocks?
Was that for real?
Rocks had only been at sea for two months, but his growth during those two months had been visible to the naked eye. If it were Rocks right after setting sail, Hajrudin might actually have had a tiny chance with the advantage of a giant's physique.
But now?
If their strength were similar, even if Rocks gave Hajrudin one hand, Hajrudin still could not win.
Still, no matter how confident he was.
He had to keep up appearances.
Magnus put on a troubled expression. "Rocks is a rookie who only joined our pirate crew two months ago. He may have talent, but Hajrudin is Harald's son."
"And two years is too long."
He was already seventy. Without the system's help, if he really stayed in Elbaf for two years, he would probably end up like Whitebeard when he left, hanging IV drips on himself whenever he had nothing to do.
"Then what do you want?"
Yoruru asked impatiently.
If the Giant race were not currently lacking strong fighters, with no one able to defeat Magnus, he would not have wanted Hajrudin to challenge a rookie pirate.
"How about changing the condition?"
Magnus raised one finger. "Win or lose, I'll stay in Elbaf for two years. In return, your Giant race craftsmen must build me a ship sturdy enough during those two years."
"Using Adam Wood!"
Before you continue