Small Garden sea area, the east blue emperor.
After the giants Dorry and Brogy boarded the ship, an awkward scene unfolded; the open-air banquet hall on the deck suddenly felt a bit crowded.
Dorry plopped down next to Seven.
"Captain, we'd better build a giant ship. Otherwise, once my subordinates arrive, there won't be enough room for everyone."
After using the giant combo technique Hakkoku with Brogy, only to have the Captain withstand it without a scratch, Dorry was completely won over.
The Giant Race naturally revered the strong, took pride in battle, and strictly adhered to combat etiquette.
Their Captain, Barzeb Seven, was the strongest human Dorry and Brogy had ever seen. Following such a powerful man would not tarnish the former glory of the Giant Warrior Pirates.
"Yeah," Seven replied, feeling both pained and happy.
He had thought the east blue emperor was large enough, as it was extremely spacious even for the nearly Seven-meter-tall Kuma. At the time, he truly hadn't considered having Giant Race crew members on board.
"How about this, let's make do for now."
"First, we'll go to the Sabaody Archipelago to snatch a large ship. Then, we'll head to the Red Line to pick up your former companions, Oimo and Kashi."
"Then we'll head to the New World."
"Once we take back Hachinosu Island, I'll accompany you back to Elbaf to buy some wood from the adam tree and build a sturdy giant ship."
Because of the Sky Island Gold Country, the one thing Seven didn't lack was Berries; he was currently carrying over two billion Berries.
He wondered if that fellow, the Shipping King, had managed to help him acquire any suitable Devil Fruits.
Seven suddenly realized he had too much on his plate: he needed to go to Elbaf and also to Egghead Island to trade for the dragon-dragon fruit with Vegapunk.
There was also that brat Doflamingo in the North Blue; he had to find time to trade Devil Fruits with him as well.
Such were the hardships of starting a business from scratch.
If he were a rich second-generation heir with a massive family backing him, he wouldn't need to do everything himself. If he saw something he liked, he would just have to shout, "I want this!"
He wouldn't be like he was now, only able to achieve his dreams step by step through his own efforts and those of his partners.
However...
The charm of starting from zero was even more captivating.
The process of building a massive power from nothing, step by step, provided ample emotional value and a significant sense of achievement.
Just like the reputation of Beelzebul and the Morning Star Pirates, it was built up bit by bit through fighting.
"Snatch a large ship?"
Dorry and Brogy's eyes sparkled.
"Captain, we're good at that! As long as we find a suitable target, you won't even need to lift a finger."
As a pirate, stealing things was perfectly normal. Two years ago, on the way from Loguetown to Sky Island, Seven had relied entirely on plundering.
Kidnapping the Celestial Dragon Elaine at the Sabaody Archipelago had made Seven wealthy overnight.
"Hehe," Seven said with a wink.
"It's the taking part that counts."
"Jie jie jie jie." Dorry rubbed his hands together, clearly impatient to start.
Seeing this, Mihawk felt strangely tempted, but his inner pride wouldn't allow him to speak up and say: Beelzebul, call me to join you!
Kuma and Ginny just shook their heads, while Fujitora couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Sure enough, Sakazuki was right in some respects: the Captain was indeed a naturally evil pirate brat.
However, the reason Fujitora was willing to follow him was precisely because the Captain never killed innocents, acknowledged the justice in his heart, and even harbored a great love for the world.
A few small hobbies were harmless.
Just by casually arriving at an island, he could make two giants who had been dueling for eighty years follow him—wasn't this exactly where the Captain's personal charm lay!
"Oh, right, I almost forgot the main business."
Seven brought up the goal of this trip.
"Dorry, Brogy, you're familiar with the island. Help me catch a Tyrannosaurus Rex later; the ship just happens to be missing a mascot."
For the future of the pirate crew, Seven was determined to keep a pet on the ship no matter what.
Between a Triceratops, a Plesiosaur, and a Pterosaur, Seven chose the more domineering Tyrannosaurus Rex. The thought of riding a T-Rex for a stroll in the future was quite exciting.
Brogy scratched his head.
"Captain, that thing's meat doesn't taste good."
"I'm not eating it, I'm not eating it," Seven explained. "It's just being kept as a pet. Unless it's a dire emergency, it won't be treated as emergency food."
Generally speaking, the meat quality of carnivores, in terms of both texture and flavor, was far inferior to that of herbivores.
Choosing a T-Rex as a pet was because Seven had fully considered the dragon-dragon fruit he was about to acquire—an ability comparable to the Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type, Azure Dragon Form. It could not only fly but also control fire, lightning, and storms.
From its stats on paper, it was even more broken than the Rumble-Rumble Fruit Seven had eaten.
"Captain," Dorry spoke up.
"I know where the Tyrannosaurus Rex's nest on the island is. I'll take you there now."
"Let's go, let's go."
Seven hurriedly flew onto Dorry's shoulder and sat down, following Dorry and Brogy back to the Small Garden, striding towards a certain direction.
Watching the trio leave, Ginny looked confused: "Say, why do you think the Captain suddenly thought of keeping a pet on the ship?"
Kuma spoke up abruptly.
"I think I just heard the Captain saying he plans to use the Tyrannosaurus Rex as emergency food in a crisis."
"Nani?!" Ginny's eyes widened in shock.
"The Captain's train of thought is indeed different."
What normal person keeps a pet to use as emergency food in a crisis?
Ginny couldn't help but feel... pity for the Tyrannosaurus Rex about to be arrested by the Captain: "I wonder if Tyrannosaurus Rex meat is tasty. I didn't get to try any just now."
At this time, on the island of Small Garden.
Dorry and Brogy, seeing the dinosaurs and beasts on the island all fallen into a deep sleep, were once again startled by the Captain's strength.
To be knocked unconscious for so long without waking up, the Captain's Conqueror's Haki was truly terrifying.
What immense spirit was hidden within that small body.
As a Captain of the Giant Warrior Pirates who had gone to sea a hundred years ago, Dorry naturally knew that Haoshoku was an expression of spirit and could not be obtained through training.
Only those with the qualities of a king would awaken Haoshoku.
"Eh?" Seven pointed at the jungle ahead.
"That Tyrannosaurus Rex didn't faint. That's the one."
Whether it had just woken up or hadn't been knocked out by the Conqueror's Haki at all, everything indicated that this active Tyrannosaurus Rex was quite extraordinary.
Dorry looked in the direction Seven was pointing and saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex with a cross-shaped scar on its forehead, tearing into a comatose Plesiosaur.
"It's that one."
"The scar on its head was caused by stone fragments flying off during my duel with Brogy. At the time, we thought it wouldn't survive."
Hearing this, Seven was even more satisfied.
This Tyrannosaurus Rex, about twelve meters long and five meters high, not only had a strong will to live but could also form a certain degree of immune to Conqueror's Haki.
It was simply a heaven-sent pet.
Seven precisely released his Conqueror's Haki. The Haki, like red and black lightning, surrounded the Tyrannosaurus Rex, but it only collapsed unconscious after three seconds.
"Not bad, not bad."
A little Kaido, worth cultivating vigorously... Red Line, Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Due to the previous kidnapping incident, Saint Elaine had been ordered grounded by the Gorosei for a full six months. Now that the ban was lifted, the accumulated frustration and gloom in her heart were almost bursting out of her pores.
"Kill some slaves to celebrate, yi hi hi hi."
After slaughtering all the slaves in the courtyard, Saint Elaine blew on the still-smoking gun barrel.
"Phew~"
"Go notify the Marines to send an Admiral over. I'm going to the Sabaody Archipelago to buy some slaves. Call over that... yellowish, wretched Vice Admiral from last time."
The Nairona Family guard hurriedly bowed.
"Yes, Lord Saint Elaine."
Elaine gave another order.
"Bring the giant slave mount, and also, get my largest yacht ready—the one that big dummy Harald sent over."
"Yes, Lord Saint Elaine."