After leaving Whiskey Peak, the Flame Emperor did not head straight for Alabasta, but detoured to Little Garden.
There were two reasons: first, Little Garden had two giant warriors, Red Ogre Brogy and Blue Ogre Dorry, whose friendship and strength were worth winning over; second, Little Garden had a Poneglyph-even if it only recorded how to make a Log Pose, every little bit counted.
Three days later, the Flame Emperor reached Little Garden.
Before they even drew close, they heard earth-shaking roars and the thunder of battle.
At the center of the island, two giants over twenty meters tall were locked in fierce combat. One wielded a huge axe, the other a huge sword, and every collision sent tremors through the ground like an earthquake.
"So this is... how giants fight?" Tashigi looked up, her mouth forming an O.
"Yohohoho, what a magnificent sight," Brook said.
Robin looked toward the architectural ruins on the island. "This used to be a base for the Giant Warrior Pirates. There's a hint of a Poneglyph here."
Lin Yan ordered them to dock.
The group stepped onto the island and immediately felt its primeval atmosphere. Dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures lived in the forest, and the climate was hot and humid.
"Ace, take Chopper and Brook to gather medicinal herbs and food. Tashigi, take a few people to scout the terrain. Robin, come with me to find the Poneglyph."
"Yes!"
After assigning their tasks, Lin Yan and Robin headed deeper into the island.
Robin had an innate sense for ancient ruins and soon led Lin Yan to a hidden cave. Giant carvings at its entrance depicted the glory of the Giant Warrior Pirates.
Deep inside the cave, they indeed found a Poneglyph stone tablet.
Robin stepped forward to decipher it. "This is... the method for making a Log Pose, and... a pact between the giants and the D. Clan?"
"A pact?" Lin Yan's interest was piqued.
"Yes." Robin pointed at the inscription. "Eight hundred years ago, the giants fought alongside the D Clan against 'God's Kingdom.' Later, the D Clan was defeated, and the giants retreated to Elbaf, pledging that 'when the Double D Flag rises again, the giants will answer the call and fight for the dawn.'"
The Double D Flag... wasn't that the Flame Emperor's flag?
"Looks like we came to the right place," Lin Yan said. "Let's meet those two giants in a bit and see whether they still honor this pact."
The two left the cave and returned to the center of the island.
By then, Brogy and Dorry had temporarily stopped fighting. They sat on the ground, drinking and laughing.
"Hahahaha! Today's duel was another draw!"
"A hundred years, and we still can't settle who's stronger!"
Lin Yan walked forward, tilted his head back, and shouted:
"Brogy! Dorry! Can we talk?"
The two giants looked down, and Brogy laughed. "Oh? Humans? It's been ages since we saw anyone alive!"
Dorry asked warily, "Are you pirates? Or Marines?"
"Pirates," Lin Yan said. "Our flag is the Double D."
At the words "Double D," both giants froze, their drinking bowls falling to the ground.
"Double D... did you say Double D?!" Brogy rose excitedly. "Where?!"
Lin Yan pointed toward the harbor. Even from the forest, a corner of the Double D Flag projection above the Flame Emperor was visible.
The giants exchanged a glance, then suddenly dropped to one knee-even kneeling, they towered over Lin Yan.
"Giant warrior Red Ogre Brogy/Blue Ogre Dorry pays his respects to the envoy of the D Clan!"
Their reaction was even stronger than Lin Yan had expected.
"Please, rise," Lin Yan said. "I only came to confirm whether the pact still holds."
"Of course it does!" Brogy declared loudly. "Giants never break an oath! As long as the Double D Flag flies, every giant stands ready for your orders!"
Dorry added, "But we need proof. Are you truly of the D Clan?"
Lin Yan revealed his pendant.
At the sight of it, the giants grew excited again:
"The Sun Saintess's token!"
"There's no mistake! You're Lord Solar's descendant!"
They stood up, and Brogy said, "Envoy, what do you need us to do? Just give the word!"
"Nothing for now," Lin Yan said. "But in the future, when the final battle against the World Government comes, I'll need the giants' strength."
"Understood!" Dorry clenched his fist. "We'll contact Elbaf right away and tell all the giants to prepare!"
Lin Yan thought for a moment, then added, "Also, I'd like to ask you both to leave Little Garden for a while and protect a place."
"Where?"
"Cocoyasi Village, in the East Blue," Lin Yan said. "It's one of my bases, but the villagers are too weak. They need protection."
"Easy!" Brogy thumped his chest. "We'll leave right away!"
"No rush." Lin Yan smiled. "Let's have a feast first. I still have some good liquor aboard my ship."
"A feast? Great! Giants love feasts more than anything!"
And so, in a clearing at the center of Little Garden, a feast on an unprecedented scale began.
Everyone aboard the Flame Emperor, along with the two giants, sat around a bonfire. Chopper used the herbs he had gathered to make medicinal liquor specially for giants, Brook played the violin, Ace performed fire juggling, Tashigi demonstrated her swordsmanship, and Robin used the Flower-Flower Fruit to sprout countless hands to help roast the meat.
The atmosphere was lively.
During the feast, Brogy spoke of events a hundred years ago:
"Back then, our Giant Warrior Pirates roamed the Grand Line unchecked, until we met the Roger Pirates. We lost that battle, but we accepted our defeat wholeheartedly. Captain Roger was a true hero."
Dorry nodded. "Later, Captain Roger found Laugh Tale. When he returned, he told us he had ushered in an era, but the true dawn would have to wait twenty years."
"And now it's been exactly twenty years." Brogy looked at Lin Yan. "Envoy, are you the 'dawn' Captain Roger spoke of?"
"Not just me," Lin Yan said. "It's us brothers, and everyone who seeks freedom."
The feast lasted late into the night.
Early the next morning, Brogy and Dorry prepared to leave for the East Blue. Lin Yan gave them an Eternal Pose and a Vivre Card-Nami's-and told them to follow Nami's arrangements once they reached Cocoyasi Village.
"Rest assured, Envoy!" Brogy said. "With us there, no one will lay a finger on that village!"
"Giants keep their word!" Dorry promised.
The two giants brought over a massive wooden raft-their original ship had broken down long ago. They had built this raft on short notice, but it was enough for them to row to the East Blue.
After seeing the giants off, the Flame Emperor also prepared to set sail.
Robin found another Poneglyph on Little Garden-it recorded the location of the Ancient Weapon Pluton, but Robin said someone had erased the location, possibly Roger.
"Captain Roger didn't want Pluton falling into evil hands," Robin speculated. "So he erased the coordinates, leaving only the blueprints."
"I have the blueprints," Lin Yan said. "Once we meet all the requirements, we'll build one."
"Can it really be built? Pluton is a super warship capable of destroying islands..."
"It can," Lin Yan said confidently. "And I'll turn it into a 'ship of protection,' not a 'ship of destruction.'"
Before they set sail, something suddenly occurred to Lin Yan:
"By the way, Little Garden is actually a volcanic island, right?"
"Yes," Robin said. "The volcano at its center is active and erupts once every hundred years. Judging by the timing... it'll be soon."
"Then let's give it a hand."
Lin Yan flew above the crater and pressed both hands against its rim.
"Flame Emperor Body: Core Adjustment."
The Flame of Life flowed underground, guiding the magma's flow and reinforcing the volcano's structure. Ten minutes later, the volcano had stabilized completely and would not erupt for the next thousand years.
"Consider it a parting gift for our giant friends." Lin Yan returned to the ship. "Let's go. To Alabasta."
The Flame Emperor sailed away from Little Garden.
Not long after they left, a Marine warship reached Little Garden.
Three people stood on its deck.
Marine Admiral Kuzan.
And two CP0 agents.
"We're late." Aokiji looked at the giant footprints at the center of the island. "They've left."
A CP0 agent said coldly, "Admiral Kuzan, you must catch up to them. The Five Elders have ordered the Flame Emperor's elimination at any cost."
"I know," Aokiji said lazily. "But I might not be enough on my own. That kid wiped out the entire Sun-Slayer Unit. His strength is at least Admiral level."
"We've already requested reinforcements. Admiral Kizaru is on his way."
"Borsalino, huh..." Aokiji looked toward Alabasta. "Then... let's make the trip."
The Marines' strongest fighting forces began to assemble.
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