Boom! Boom!
Four enormous feet thundered through the forest, rapidly approaching Luffy and the others.
Although Dorry and Brogy were massive and bulky, their agility was hardly any less than that of a regular human!
Their colossal feet, blackened and hardened like stone over countless years, struck fear into the Starry Sky crew, forcing them to instinctively take a step back.
Terrifying…
…
Dorry, the Blue Ogre, and Brogy, the Red Ogre, eyed the tiny figures before them with caution.
Though Luffy and the others were no bigger than thumbs in comparison, the two giants felt no contempt.
As leaders of the Giant Warrior Pirates from Elbaph, seasoned in the Grand Line for years, they possessed knowledge far beyond ordinary pirates.
They understood clearly:
Strength is not measured by size alone.
Moreover, the earth-shattering Conqueror's Haki that Zoro had just unleashed made it clear that underestimating these strangers would be foolish.
But pride remained, as ever.
Warriors of Elbaph never bow their heads!
For the honor of their people, they had long placed life itself beneath the cause of battle.
Having their duel interrupted by unknown intruders was a grave insult according to Elbaph customs.
Though age had tempered their tempers compared to youth, they would not let this transgression go easily.
For Elbaph's glory! For the honor of warriors!
They deemed it necessary to properly confront these small intruders.
…
"Who are you kids!?"
Dorry, slightly angered at the interruption, planted his massive sword before Zoro.
The sheer weight and sharpness of the blade drove it deep into the ground.
Brogy stomped beside Sanji, his tone equally furious:
"Pirates! Don't you know!? Disturbing a duel of great Elbaph warriors is punishable by the War God of Elbaph!?"
"Ah~ what's that?"
Sanji calmly lit a cigarette from his pocket, smoke curling lazily as he answered without concern.
Dorry yanked his sword from the earth, leaving a massive trench. Pointing it directly at Sanji, he bellowed:
"That is the deity who protects the giant race!
You ignorant little brat of the Grand Line!
If you dare show such disrespect to Elbaph, I will make you witness the glory of the War God of Elbaph today!!!"
Hiss…
As Dorry flexed his muscles and shouted, a sudden flash of light streaked across the clearing. Accompanied by the crunch of stone, all eyes turned.
"Hey! If you want to hit him, go ahead, just don't swing your blade in front of me…"
"Or I might think you're trying to challenge me."
Crack! Crack!
The massive sword in Dorry's hands fractured, countless fissures running up to the hilt.
Boom!
The forty-meter-long blade shattered into powder, tumbling to the ground in a heap like a small mountain.
Clang…
From Zoro's waist came the faint sound of a sword being sheathed.
Dorry's gaze followed the sound to find Zoro smirking, casually resting a hand on the hilts of his three swords, as if none of this had happened.
Boom!
Dorry stepped back, his massive foot leaving another giant pit.
Brogy, realizing he might also be in danger, cautiously shifted back, glancing warily at the calm Sanji.
His rough voice trembled slightly:
"You… who are you?"
"We?"
Sanji raised an eyebrow and replied to the question with casual confidence:
"We're the Starry Sky Pirates."
"Starry Sky Pirates?"
The two giants repeated the name in confusion. They had never heard of this crew, whose fame had only recently begun circulating the seas.
Luffy stepped forward, smoothing things over:
"Elbaph warriors, we're just adventurers passing through.
Don't mind their attitude, they might just be in a bad mood today.
As their captain, I apologize for disturbing your duel."
Though Luffy made no formal gesture, his words eased the giants' tension.
Strength commanded respect among Elbaph warriors. And Zoro and Sanji's presence alone was impressive enough to earn it.
They relaxed, knowing that even if they fought, death in battle was honorable, though staying alive was always preferable.
Dorry, impressed by Zoro's swordsmanship, admitted:
"You are strong!
The strongest pirates we've seen in over a hundred years!"
"Ahahaha! Of course…"
Luffy accepted the compliment with his usual modesty.
…
But just as peace seemed restored, a cheerful voice rang out:
"Luffy! Luffy!!!
When do we start catching pets and delicious food? Can I catch these two guys as pets?!"
Little Merry leapt onto Luffy's back, wrapping her arms around his neck with childlike curiosity.
Looking up at Brogy and Dorry, nearly a hundred times her height, she giggled:
"They look… so fun!"
Innocent Merry spoke freely, like a little celestial being discovering new toys, oblivious to the enormity of her words.
Luffy gently patted her head, adopting a teaching tone:
"No, Merry!
Humans and animals are different.
Even giants, dwarves, or humanoid creatures, they are intelligent beings, they can't be treated as pets!"
"Why not?"
Merry blinked at his explanation, puzzled:
"But… animals can be smart too… shouldn't it be the same?"
Indeed, in the world of One Piece, many creatures possess intelligence and culture, including the Sea Kings.
What is humanity… Merry still couldn't comprehend.
Luffy fell silent.
How do I explain this to her?
How could he tell her why intelligent beings can't be kept like pets, yet some humans can?
He stared at the little girl perched on his shoulder, her innocent confusion tugging at him.
For once, Luffy was truly at a loss.
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100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter
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