Check out advanced Chapters on : patreon/Veni_V
---------------
Smoker hadn't co to reminisce about old tis with the Straw Hats. His purpose was clear: to gather information about Baroque Works and its mastermind, Crocodile.
Upon learning Smoker's intentions, Ikki suggested he find Igaram.
Igaram had been undercover in Baroque Works for a long ti, making him intimately familiar with its inner workings and personnel. Beyond that, he provided Smoker with valuable intel about Crocodile, including his own suspicions about the Shichibukai's ultimate goals.
Although Smoker had received so intelligence from Sengoku, Igaram's firsthand experience painted a far clearer picture.
After listening to Igaram's account, Smoker turned to Ikki and asked, "What's your plan from here? How do you want us to coordinate?"
Ikki rubbed his chin thoughtfully before replying, "First, we'll head to Alabasta and see if we can stop the rebels. If that doesn't work... we'll head straight to Rainbase, Crocodile's stronghold. Once there, we'll stir up enough chaos to flush him out. You can follow our lead and hit him hard!"
The idea of causing mayhem at the stronghold of a Shichibukai brought a rare smile to Smoker's otherwise stoic face. It was exactly the kind of operation he relished.
Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps interrupted their conversation. Everyone turned to see a massive dinosaur staring hungrily at the people aboard the two ships.
Nami's face paled as she exclaid, "Th-this... this is an Ancient Island!"
Smoker, though well-inford, had never seen one himself. Ancient Islands were known to exist in the Grand Line, especially in its latter half, but they were extrely rare on standard shipping routes. Little Garden, however, was a notable exception.
Without human interference, islands like this retained their prehistoric environnts, with ancient creatures thriving in isolation.
As the dinosaur licked its chops and approached, Smoker frowned, ready to dispatch it and use its at as provisions. But before he could act, a massive ax cleaved through the dinosaur's neck, bringing it down in one swift strike.
From the dense jungle erged a towering figure over twenty ters tall. The giant wielded a massive ax in one hand and carried a formidable shield in the other.
"Kabababa!" The giant's booming laughter echoed across the island. He turned to the warship and the crew aboard the Going rry, his grin broad.
"I am Brogy, the strongest warrior of Elbaf! Kabababa!"
The sight of the giant Brogy left the Marine soldiers on the warship paralyzed with fear. Hailing from the East Blue, these soldiers had never encountered such a colossal being before.
They weren't the only ones unnerved—Nami, Igaram, and Tashigi all stared at Brogy in wide-eyed terror as he leaned closer, his massive head looming over them.
For Nami, the situation was particularly nerve-wracking. Instinctively, she covered her head with both hands in a futile attempt to shield herself. Psyduck, standing nervously beside her, seed to echo her panic, which only made the scene more comical.
Seeing Nami's reaction, Tashigi unconsciously mimicked her, clutching the sides of her head. The awkward gesture made her look unexpectedly endearing.
In contrast, Ikki and Smoker remained composed.
Ikki was genuinely calm, familiar with Brogy from the original story. He knew both Brogy and Dorry, the two giants of Little Garden, were surprisingly hospitable despite their imposing appearances.
In fact, as Ikki observed Brogy, he was struck by how much the giant resembled Zhang Fei, a legendary figure from the Three Kingdoms period. If Brogy were holding a spear instead of an ax, the likeness would be uncanny. Reflecting further, he realized that Dorry's image reminded him of the fad Guan Yu from the sa era.
Smoker, anwhile, maintained his usual stoic deanor, but internally, he was unsettled.
The na "Elbaf" was associated with the New World, and giants were a race seldom seen outside that treacherous region. For Brogy, one of the fad warriors of Elbaf, to appear in the first half of the Grand Line was nothing short of extraordinary.
But what shocked Smoker most was recognizing Brogy as the "Red Ogre," whose bounty had once been a staggering 100 million berries—a hundred years ago. In those days, 100 million berries was an astronomical sum, equivalent to billions by today's standards.
Smoker had stumbled across records of Brogy's exploits during his ti in the Marines. The Giant Warrior Pirates, led by Brogy and Dorry, had once dominated the Grand Line. Their sheer strength, combined with the fact that their entire crew consisted of giants, made them virtually untouchable. Even the World Governnt had issued wanted posters and then opted to leave them alone.
Smoker couldn't help but wonder how a figure as legendary as Brogy ended up here, isolated on Little Garden.
While Smoker pondered this, Ikki had already struck up a conversation with Brogy.
"Brogy-san," Ikki said with a grin, "don't you think a spear would suit you better?"
"Kabababa!" Brogy's laughter bood once again. "I used to wield a spear! But I had a grudge with soone, and using a spear against him felt like too much of an advantage. So, I switched to an ax instead!"
Ikki blinked. "...I see."
Now, Ikki was even more convinced—Brogy was a dead ringer for Zhang Fei.
Suddenly, Brogy licked his lips. "Do you have any wine? It's been ages since I've had a good drink!"
Ikki smiled and retrieved several barrels and jars of wine from his system storage. They contained a variety of drinks: fruit wine, white wine, red wine, and even the fad sacred brew of the Asan Kingdom.
Brogy's eyes lit up at the sight. "Kabababa! Thank you, little guy! In return, I'll treat you to my special roasted dinosaur at!"
With that, Brogy sheathed his ax, stashed the wine into his massive cloak, hoisted the slain dinosaur with one hand, and gestured toward the forest.
"Follow , lad! The jungle's full of dangerous beasts—you'll be safer sticking with ."
Ikki nodded and followed without hesitation. After a mont's thought, Smoker trailed behind as well.
Seeing Ikki and Smoker take the lead, Nami, Tashigi, and Igaram hurried to join them. Staying with them seed far safer than lingering on the ships.
Before leaving, Tashigi issued orders to the Marine soldiers. "Stay here and guard the ship. Do not engage with anything unless absolutely necessary!"
It wasn't practical to bring the East Blue soldiers along. These n were ordinary sailors with little experience in the Grand Line. Just surviving the initial voyage into these perilous waters had taken all the courage they could muster.
Until reinforcents arrived from Marine Headquarters, their role would remain limited to ship maintenance and support.
Reviews
All reviews (0)