'Conqueror's Haki!?'
Dorry and Brogy's eyes widened, their expressions one of extreme shock.
Nearby, Kaido looked equally surprised, but after a moment, his laughter broke through the night.
"Impressive spirit, Bazel!!"
"As expected of my brother! That's right, you two go back and tell the Giant King… you don't want Loki? Well, I'll take him!"
"If that guy is willing to join the Beasts Pirates, bring him along!"
"If the Giant Tribe can't accept him, my Beasts Pirates can!"
"You don't treat him as a brother? Then I'll break that tradition! If he's willing to join, he'll be our brother in the Beasts Pirates, our family!!"
"A curse?! Wororororo~~~"
Bazel handed his bottle of liquor to Kaido.
Bang!
A crisp sound rang out as the two men clinked bottles and simultaneously threw their heads back to drink.
Liquor trickled from the corners of their mouths down to their chests, staining their solid abdominal muscles.
Kaido's Conqueror's Haki erupted at that moment, merging with Bazel's newly awakened Conqueror's Haki to pierce through the dark clouds in the night sky.
The full moon emerged, casting its soft moonlight.
Whether it was fate or the heavens paying attention, the moonlight fell precisely upon Bazel and Kaido.
Their overlapping voices echoed through the night like a solemn vow.
"The one the Giant Tribe dares not accept, our Beasts Pirates will accept!"
"The things the Giant Tribe dares not do, our Beasts Pirates will do!"
"Our Beasts Pirates fear nothing! We will be the brave warriors who shatter the old world! We will become the fearless warriors who liberate the world!!!"
"This is absolutely not a delusion!"
In Bazel and Kaido's exchanged gazes was mutual appreciation and recognition.
"It is a future that will surely be realized!!!"
The two giants stared blankly at the men drinking boldly.
Their hearts were filled with shock.
'As humans, they actually possessed such unwavering conviction and spirit...'
At this moment, the two began to ponder whether everything the Giant Tribe had done was right or wrong.
Was there truly a necessity to perpetuate ancient traditions and beliefs...
"Good rules help people progress."
The aura emanating from Bazel quickly dissipated as he looked up at the two giants who showed thoughtful expression.
"But some bad customs will only lead your race and nation to decline and ruin."
"I don't know the Giant King Harald, but I do know one thing."
"If he wants to make the Giant Tribe better, and if you lack the power to change the world, then the best course of action is to adapt to this world."
"Rather than forcing the world's rhythm to follow the Giant Tribe."
"Adapt... to the world?"
Dorry scratched his itching head, feeling as though something he had been missing was rapidly growing.
"It's so troublesome, but I will relay these words completely to Harald."
"As for Loki..."
Compared to the hesitant Dorry, Brogy was resolute.
"I will convey the message to Prince Loki. As for whether he is willing to join..."
"That is his own decision, but I will definitely truthfully recount everything we witnessed today."
"Dorry, it's time for the giants to change!"
"Even humans possess such spirit. If we giants continue to fear that power, then we've wasted these large bodies of ours!"
"Captain Kaido, Bazel, we will set sail now and return to Elbaf!"
"Once we've settled matters, we will definitely join the Beasts Pirates!"
Brogy pulled Dorry up, and they hurriedly ran toward the coastline.
"We will see the changes of the future with our own eyes!"
"See you in the New World!"
"Hey, wait…"
Before Bazel could finish his words, the two giants had already vanished.
"…"
After gazing silently at the night sky for a while, a soft sigh finally escaped.
"Why are they so impatient?"
"Kaido-san~"
"If the Giant Tribe's prince is truly willing to join, how about giving him the position of the third All-Star?"
Kaido lay back, resting his head on his left arm, his pupils reflecting the starry sky.
"If his strength satisfies me, I'll reserve that position for him."
"But right now, the most important thing isn't him—it's you."
"Me?" Bazel was stunned. "What about me?"
"For the next seven days, stay here. I will conduct special training for you."
Kaido glanced at Bazel out of the corner of his eye.
"Your Conqueror's Haki has just awakened. If you don't train it now, it will take much more effort for you to improve in the future."
"I don't expect you to master Conqueror's Haki Infusion in these seven days, but at the very least, you should be able to control it freely."
"If I hadn't been nearby earlier, were you planning to knock out your woman along with everyone else?"
Only then did Bazel understand, 'That intense, overwhelming urge to roar I felt earlier was Conqueror's Haki?'
He had simply had too much to drink, and on top of that, he felt deeply aggrieved by Loki's series of misfortunes.
The alcohol-fueled passion had rushed to his head in an instant.
As for the Conqueror's Haki...
Bazel had no idea he had awakened such a thing.
He only knew that he had been restraining himself from cursing the ancestors of the Giant Tribe.
"So that was Conqueror's Haki..."
"At the time, I just felt extremely angry and wanted to lash out. I never imagined I would awaken something like Conqueror's Haki."
"Conqueror's Haki is exactly that kind of inexplicable thing."
Kaido recalled when he first awakened his Conqueror's Haki in his youth. Like Bazel now, it was also a surge of passion rushing to his head.
Extreme rage, coupled with the humiliation of betrayal, had made him awaken his own spirit on that battlefield.
"We'll set off in seven days. Formal training begins tomorrow. If your progress satisfies me, we'll leave early."
"Yes, yes, I understand~"
…
Meanwhile, on Drum Island.
Gyasta Town, by the northern lakeside of the island…
An ancient tree house stood independently from the other villagers amidst the wind and snow.
Snow piled on the eaves, while a wisp of warmth drifted from the chimney, dispelling the winter chill.
Knock knock~
"..."
No one answered inside, but the window reflected the silhouette of a long-haired figure drinking.
Knock knock~~
Another knock.
"Don't waste your effort. It's not treatment hours now. Don't doctors need rest too?"
"I'm King of the Beasts Pirates. I'm here to ask for your help in treating one of our members."
"I. Said. It's. Not. Treatment. Hours!!"
"Pure Gold."
Thud~
Creeak!!
The door swung open quickly, and Kureha glared at King.
"What did you just say?"
"If you can cure Olza, her Pure Gold ring can be your reward."
Kureha didn't agree immediately. Instead, she frowned and looked at the father and daughter behind King.
'That pattern...'
"Get inside!"
After letting the three into the wooden house, Kureha stuck her head out and cautiously scanned the surroundings.
Only after confirming no one was there did she close the door again.
"Are you two survivors of Alchemi?"
Acier introduced himself according to the script Bazel had prepared earlier.
"Yes, I am Myskina Acier, a scientist. This is my daughter, Olga. As for the ring in her hand, it's a family heirloom."
"Let me see it."
Acier didn't immediately hand over the Pure Gold ring but instead looked at King.
After receiving a nod, he took the ring from Olza and passed it over.
"This warm glow... It's the real thing!? The legend of Pure Gold is actually true!!"
After confirming it was genuine Pure Gold, Kureha's gaze toward the three shifted slightly.
"Give it up. If Bazel hadn't told me to treat you with courtesy, I would have defeated you the moment we met."
King didn't remove his mask, but the flames behind him suddenly flared.
"Hahahaha... Quite the scare tactic. Do you really think I was born yesterday?"
Tossing the Pure Gold ring back, Kureha settled back into her recliner.
"What does Pure Gold matter? I'll save whoever I want to save. If I don't want to, don't think this bit of Pure Gold is enough… even if you offered more, I wouldn't care!"
"Nee-san~"
Olga's sweet, high-pitched voice made Kureha's ears perk up.
"Please forgive idiot King for his idiot words. We've asked around many places, and they all said only you are the greatest doctor in the world."
"They also said your beauty is as much a treasure of the seas as your medical skills."
Kureha sat up straight, cleared her throat lightly, and motioned for Olga to continue.
"I really envy you, nee-san, for maintaining such beautiful skin and figure. If it were me, I'd surely have become as ugly as other old grannies by now. Sigh!"
'Figure!'
'Skin!'
Kureha wore an expression of having found a kindred spirit.
"Ohohoh~~ Little girl, I appreciate your honesty. Come, let this old... ahem, let big sis see what illness you have!"
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