On a Giant Ship

Elbaf had once been notorious, and the fundamental reason it earned the title of the Land of Warriors was that the entire nation lived by plunder.

Every island in the New World feared the giants' strength. Only after Harald turned over a new leaf did Elbaf gain the world's acceptance.

Trade routes spread out, and within the Giant Kingdom, even ordinary trees yielded top-grade timber of tremendous value.

Traveling between all kinds of islands in pursuit of rare local products and treasure, the captain Mobius had met was also a bold adventurer.

Fish-Man Island was the starting point of the New World, but for this captain, it was the end of his voyage. He had no intention of heading to the Grand Line.

Once this trade trip was over, the captain planned to rest for a while.

Mobius chatted with him briefly, then bade him farewell.

Having secured a way to contact him, Mobius planned to recommend him to Tesoro in the future. With this captain's connections and experience, his network would definitely prove useful.

A giant ship's deck alone was enormous, practically like a plaza.

Shyarly was not yet thirty, and her fishtail could not separate into human legs, making movement somewhat inconvenient.

However, because of their agreement, Shyarly insisted on coming along. With Fish-Man Island's specialized bubble-film equipment available, Mobius agreed.

"Wah hah hah! Three guests, board the giants' ship without worry! We'll deliver you safely to Elbaf!"

The giant welcoming them aboard was equally bold and hearty, greeting them with a smile. His presence was no weak one.

Mobius reckoned that in sheer strength alone, this fellow matched Jinbe, perhaps even surpassed him. After all, he was one of Harald's personal guards.

An ordinary adult giant was already nearly comparable to a regular Marine vice admiral. Those who could follow Harald and carry out missions were elite powerhouses among elites.

Their physical strength alone naturally surpassed over ninety percent of the creatures on these seas.

Elbaf truly deserved to be called the world's strongest nation.

"Mm, I believe you."

Rayleigh said with a faint smile, even nodding with solemn sincerity.

"Where are our rooms?"

Mm... that remaining ten percent was here. It could even be said to be one percent, or zero point one percent.

Mobius glanced at Rayleigh. Had this old man gotten addicted to bullying the weak?

When they reached their room, let alone the three of them, it could easily accommodate another thirty people.

Ordinary people on the bed looked like toy dolls.

The bedding was soft as clouds. Shyarly plunged straight into it, wriggling her head happily. She had wanted a big bed for a long time.

Mobius sat cross-legged and looked at Rayleigh, who had already closed his eyes to take a nap, then smiled silently.

After saying goodbye to the giant hosting them, who said he would call them again when it was time to eat, Mobius lay down as well, ready to welcome the beginning of a brand-new journey.

The Giant Kingdom, huh~ It was a treasure land comparable to Fish-Man Island!

The massive warship left Fish-Man Island and sailed steadily, boldly into the New World.

The climate in these waters remained incredibly harsh. The moment they put to sea, hailstones spanning several kilometers came crashing down, and the waves they raised were comparable to tsunamis.

Yet before the giants' warship, such hail was no concern. It could only produce dull pattering sounds overhead, unable to breach the ship's defenses.

"Wah hah hah! Time to eat!"

They treated the vicious environment as though it were nothing. The tall dining table in the cabin was piled high with food.

Mobius and the others stood atop the table to eat, like tiny decorative figures.

Shyarly gestured at the grape before her, which was almost as large as her entire body, her round eyes blank with confusion.

How was she supposed to eat this?

Rayleigh leisurely drew his sword, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.

Slice!

Several flashes of sword light passed by. The grape's skin peeled away, and its flesh separated into several sections, like sliced watermelon, with rich juice flowing down.

"Mm, it tastes good."

Mobius picked up a piece, held it in his hands, and took a bite. His eyes lit up.

He had heard that fruit accumulated sugar more easily in places with large temperature differences between day and night, while the Underworld at the bottom of the Giant Kingdom was covered in snow all year round.

The sweetness of these grapes surpassed his imagination.

Mobius picked up another piece and handed it to Shyarly, then pointed at the roast meat on the other side and smiled at Rayleigh. "Senior, you need a balanced meal of meat and vegetables~"

"You brat."

Rayleigh shook his head, but still drew his sword and swung it several times.

With a few swift slashes, the giants' roast meat was divided into portions suitable for ordinary humans.

"What excellent knife work, Senior!"

Mobius clapped, praising him without reservation, then picked up the roast meat and dug in.

It was tender and crisp upon entering his mouth, layers of fat bursting with flavor, along with soft, chewy tendons that were springy and delicious.

The giants' cooking was pretty good too~

The three of them ate and drank heartily until their bellies were full, yet they had only barely broken through the outer layer of that pile of roast meat.

The giants were eating and drinking too, the scent of alcohol filling the air alongside all manner of meaty aromas.

Warriors naturally had to eat meat by the mouthful and drink liquor by the bowlful!

"Mm~ I'm full." Having eaten nearly enough, Rayleigh stopped, feeling he had reached an appropriate limit.

With a blink, Rayleigh looked at Mobius and smiled. "Want to work off the meal, kid?"

"Gulp."

Mobius swallowed the meat in his mouth, licked the grease from his lips, and revealed a wild grin. "Of course, Senior."

"Ohhh! They're going to fight!"

The giants noticed what was happening here, and their warriors' instincts made them excited.

"A battle of honor!"

Bang bang bang bang...

Chaotic yet orderly pounding rang out continuously, the battle song of giant warriors.

There were no fixed instruments. They struck whatever they had at hand, as long as it vented the emotions in their hearts.

Sounds of every pitch erupted, yet formed an impassioned melody that made one's blood boil.

In an open area, Rayleigh and Mobius stood facing each other. The giants formed a circle around them to watch, while Shyarly looked utterly tense.

Dark King Rayleigh's name had resounded across the seas.

But after retiring these past few years, Rayleigh had not fought for a long time. Now he wanted to recapture the feeling of the past, especially since he would soon be facing an old grudge.

"Use your full strength, kid!"

Rayleigh held his sword, his face serious.

"Of course!"

Mobius readily agreed. The next second, dense scales appeared over his body. Suanni's dragon-man form reappeared, and then he vanished from where he stood.

!

Rayleigh's pupils contracted. A red gleam flashed as his wrist turned, and his sword immediately blocked at his side.

Boom!

Mobius threw a punch that slammed into the blade. The immense force erupted, making even Rayleigh instinctively tighten his five fingers to prevent his sword from slipping from his grasp.

This kid is incredibly strong!

Rayleigh instinctively thought, then fiercely raised his blade, knocking Mobius away before slashing forward in one fluid motion.

The strain in Mobius's hand made his brows rise unconsciously. It was not merely brute force; there was also the impact of a subtle, skillful force.

This was...

Before he could think further, Rayleigh's sharp edge had already appeared before him, and Mobius instinctively raised his guard.

Now!

Rayleigh's aura surged. Red, threadlike lightning coiled around his blade, and the pressure inside the cabin plummeted. Even the giants felt a stifling heaviness in their chests.

Conqueror's Haki Coating!

Under Mobius's shocked gaze, a slash of sword light came down. It passed directly through the dragon scales on his surface and cut into his body, making him spray a mouthful of blood.

The strength in his hands weakened, and the powerful impact of the slash sent him flying. With a smack, Mobius was slammed against the wall.

"Phew..."

Rayleigh wiped away a cold sweat. How had he instinctively gotten serious?

With a thud, Mobius landed on the ground. Then he braced himself on his legs and rose, glaring furiously at Rayleigh as the wounds on his body rapidly healed.

"You old bastard, you actually came at me for real!?"