Gluttony Disorder, Charlotte Linlin's Calamity

A dull thud.

In the deepest part of Elbaf's underworld, a snow-white white wolf stood to one side, and before the white wolf was a giant whose height resembled mountains.

"No more, no more."

Seeing the giant about to attack again, the white wolf waved its paw. Its snow-white fur gradually retracted, and its size shrunk from nearly three meters back to about two meters.

"I feel like I'm at a disadvantage sparring like this."

Magnus smacked his lips. As an old man, sparring with a "young" giant like Harald offered little in the way of training.

After all, their fights were always held back, with no intention of determining a winner or loser.

In such a situation, it was natural that the younger party had more room for improvement.

"This mission probably won't be completed anytime soon."

Magnus looked at the system panel.

[Marineford Calendar Year 1480, June 30th. After two months of sailing, you have finally arrived at the homeland of the giants, the Giant Country of Elbaf.]

[Mission 1: Defeat a Giant race warrior.]

[Elbaf's Giant race warriors are renowned throughout the world. Once, an Emperor said that if she allied with the Giant race, she could become the King of the Seas.]

[Mission Reward: Giant race combat technique - Hero's Spear!]

(Completed)

[Mission 2: Recruit crew members.]

[As the captain of a pirate crew, how can you lack loyal crew members?]

[Mission Reward: For each crew member recruited, cell activity is slightly increased.]

(Current crew count: 2)

[Mission 3: Defeat Giant King Harald!]

[Unbelievably, Elbaf's Giant King is willing to engage in a one-on-one fair duel with you. This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity.]

[Mission Reward: Conqueror's Haki strength increased, cell activity increased.]

(Not completed)

This was why Magnus had been seeking duels with Harald for the past six months.

Conqueror's Haki was a qualification possessed by only a select few. For Conqueror's Haki to grow, one had to fight with others who also possessed Conqueror's Haki.

Sparring wasn't enough; it had to be a fight to the death.

The self-confidence cultivated through repeated battles would become nourishment for the growth of Conqueror's Haki.

Magnus had sparred with Harald so many times, including clashes of Conqueror's Haki, but until the day they truly intended to decide a victor, their sparring would not lead to significant growth in Conqueror's Haki.

Deceiving enemies was easy.

The difficult part was deceiving oneself.

"Kurururu, Magnus, I have to go back. The Winter Solstice Festival is coming soon. If I don't go back soon, Mary will scold me again."

Speaking of his wife, Harald, a giant with a fierce appearance, actually showed a hint of tenderness on his face.

"Get lost, get lost!"

Magnus waved his hand with a look of disgust. Having lived for so many years, he couldn't stand seeing people flaunt their affection in front of him.

Over the years, Magnus hadn't lacked opportunities to meet someone he liked, but as a pirate, Magnus knew very well that he couldn't stay in one place for long.

Unless he could lure them onto his ship.

Otherwise, every meeting might be a final farewell.

Magnus was a traditional man at heart and couldn't bring himself to be heartless.

Of course, mutual consent didn't count.

"Winter Solstice Festival~"

In Elbaf, the Winter Solstice Festival was a festival of the sun, death, and resurrection.

Before the Winter Solstice Festival, the people living in Elbaf had to fast for twelve days, abstaining from all food and only drinking water.

Magnus remembered that the last time they visited Elbaf, they had left before the Winter Solstice Festival arrived, so they hadn't experienced the giants' Winter Solstice Festival.

This time, because Magnus would be staying in Elbaf for a longer period, he would definitely experience several Winter Solstice Festivals.

Half a year had passed.

Magnus's mental and physical appearance had undergone a sea change.

While it couldn't be said he had become young again, compared to six months ago, Magnus had almost recovered to his state at around sixty years old.

Sixty-year-old Magnus could fight the Giant King Harald for a day and a night, ending in a draw.

And Magnus, who had mastered Conqueror's Haki, would only be stronger than he was ten years ago.

However, Magnus had only recovered his condition, while Harald had genuinely become stronger.

After all, the 150-year-old Harald was in his prime. Ten years ago, he could fight Magnus to a draw, and in these past ten years, he wouldn't have made no progress.

Magnus even suspected that Harald had touched that threshold.

That realm, which would later be known as the domain only Marine Admirals and Four Emperors, as well as some pirate vice-captains, could reach.

In fact.

This Giant King, with his fierce appearance, didn't actually like fighting that much.

If Harald had truly put his mind to training.

Perhaps he might have already stepped over that threshold.

Following closely behind Harald.

Magnus walked towards the village.

"Go, Haierdin!"

"Go, Rocks!"

"Defeat him!"

"."

In front of the Orphanage of Lambs, Haierdin and Rocks were sparring as usual.

Compared to half a year ago, Rocks' strength had increased significantly. He used to barely defeat Haierdin by relying on speed, but now, even when competing in pure strength, Rocks was not at a disadvantage.

"If this continues, won't Rocks actually surpass me?"

Fighting against two adult giants at once, Rocks glanced in their direction, and Ripley felt a strong sense of crisis.

"Hey, Ripley, don't get distracted during a fight!"

"That's right, don't underestimate us!"

The two giants, one fat and one thin, gave Magnus the impression of the Fat and Thin Immortals. As former crew members of the Giant Soldier Pirates, their strength was not bad.

Even though Ripley received special training from Magnus, it would still be difficult for her to defeat these two seniors in a short amount of time.

In the village, many giant women were preparing dough.

Because of the hunger strike during the Winter Solstice Festival, the giants would make a large amount of high-calorie desserts before then.

Everything was the same as usual.

But Magnus knew that for others, the Winter Solstice Festival would at most mean going hungry for a while, enduring it with grit. However, for Charlotte Linlin, it was an insurmountable hurdle.

Gluttony Disorder!

This was a disease Charlotte Linlin had suffered from since birth. If she didn't eat for a long time, she would lose consciousness and go on a rampage.

It was precisely this illness that forced Charlotte Linlin's parents to abandon her.

However, since it was an illness, it had to be treated.

Over the past six months, Magnus hadn't done nothing. He had written letters to doctors he knew, inquiring about methods to treat Gluttony Disorder.

The conclusion he reached was ultimately one thing.

Willpower.

Only by controlling the body with willpower could one escape the influence of Gluttony Disorder.