"Can the Great Hammer Corps, which has been frozen for centuries, really be saved?"
Barbel, with flames erupting from his head, suddenly spoke up in doubt.
They had successfully brought King Harald and Elbaf into their camp, resolving the issue of whether the Rocks Pirates could command the Great Hammer Corps.
However, whether the Great Hammer Corps could be revived remained an unknown.
At least Barbel believed in his heart that it was impossible for anyone to survive being frozen for hundreds of years.
He remembered that the legendary Ancient Giant, Oars the Continent-Puller, had frozen to death in the extremely cold Land of Snow.
If even a monster like the Continent-Puller froze to death, the giants of the Great Hammer Corps were likely dead as well if they were frozen.
"..."
Barbel's words caused Elder Yaruru's expression to darken slightly.
To be honest, he didn't hold much hope for this either.
After all, the time since they lost contact was indeed quite long.
More than two hundred years had passed since he first received the distress signal from the Great Hammer Corps.
He had become a wizened old man, and most members of the previous Giant Warrior Pirates had already died of old age.
Even his long-lived partner, Jorul, had died at the hands of Charlotte Linlin.
Could those giants from the Great Hammer Corps really still be alive?
"How will we know if we don't try!"
Rocks' tone was firm; he had an intuition that the Great Hammer Corps could definitely be successfully revived.
"Exactly! We are definitely saving our kin from the Great Hammer Corps."
Loki was now eager to stay in the Outer Seas longer and didn't want to return to boring Elbaf at all.
He loved exciting adventures and battles.
Most importantly, he could fight side-by-side with the powerhouses of the Rocks Pirates.
"We'll talk once my intelligence organization has completely confirmed the location of that island."
"Elder Yaruru and Harald, you two should first recall Dorry and Brogy to Elbaf."
Fang Huo wasn't short on time. He wanted to wait for the latest news to ferment a bit more and see how the situation changed.
Perhaps these newspapers wouldn't just hinder the World Government's military expansion plans, but might even cause a massive internal rift within Marineford.
After all, there were still many righteous Marine generals in Marineford.
Imu, the King of the World who controlled the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons' Native Purge Competition would plunge many righteous Marines into a crisis of faith regarding the World Government.
Fang Huo would find an opportune moment to invade Punk Hazard in the early part of the New World and rescue the hundred-plus giants of the Great Hammer Corps.
As for whether they could be unthawed and revived, they would worry about that after the rescue.
Next, the Rocks Pirates needed to settle down and consolidate.
Whitebeard Newgate needed to stabilize his newly mastered Conquerors Haki Infusion.
Charlotte Linlin, Shiki, and Redfield also needed to train hard to master Conquerors Haki Infusion as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Silver Axe Fierce, Barbel, and Kiel Bastard needed to familiarize themselves with their recently awakened Conqueror's Haki and take a step toward becoming even stronger.
They needed to thoroughly digest the fruits of victory from the battle at Red Soil Island.
As Fang Huo, the Chief Strategist, made his decision...
Everyone left the newly founded nation on Red Soil Island, returning to their respective territories to handle affairs before gathering and training at the Rocks Pirates' headquarters on Hachinosu.
Loki didn't want to follow Harald back to Elbaf, so he clamored to visit Fang Huo's Sacred Ancient Moon Empire as a guest.
Harald couldn't sway Loki and had to take Ida, Hajrudin, and Yaruru back first.
Kashi and Oimo, members of the Giant Warrior Pirates who had already set out for Small Garden to find Dorry and Brogy, received Yaruru's orders: they must bring Dorry and Brogy back to Elbaf.
Otherwise, Yaruru and Harald, in their capacities as Elder and King, would permanently exile these two troublesome fellows.
They had been fighting for fifty years and intended to keep going—did they plan to fight for a full hundred years?
This was simply ridiculous.
If they were unwilling to return even for the rescue of the Great Hammer Corps, then they should never come back.
Under Rocks' command, all members of the Rocks Pirates began a frantic search for Devil Fruits.
Rocks was truly desperate to obtain the Dark-Dark Fruit, which could counter all Devil Fruit abilities.
---
On Egghead Island, within the Sacred Ancient Moon Empire.
Fang Huo arranged for the slaves of rare races to live within the Imperial City, providing each person with a house so they could truly feel his respect.
Only then would they actively recruit and bring their hidden kin from all over the world to the Sacred Ancient Moon Empire.
Inside the Gu Yue Imperial Palace.
"Fang Huo, Shini can already walk!"
"How about we give him that Mythical Zoan Yamata no Orochi Fruit?"
Stussy excitedly shared her joy with Fang Huo; it seemed her son's talent was slightly higher than that of Shimotsuki Furiko's son.
Shimotsuki Furiko didn't like the Yamata no Orochi ability, but Stussy didn't care.
After all, she wasn't from Wano Country and had no prejudice against the Yamata no Orochi power of the first Kurozumi Daimyo.
Furthermore, she was a Mythical Zoan Nine-Tailed Fox user, so it was perfectly reasonable for her son to become a Yamata no Orochi user.
"Let Shini eat the Yamata no Orochi Fruit?"
Fang Huo began to think. He had originally intended to give this Devil Fruit to Kaido of the Oni Race.
But now his woman, Stussy, was asking for this Devil Fruit for their son—how could he refuse?
"Is it not possible?"
Stussy's tone was somewhat urgent. This was a Mythical Zoan fruit that granted eight lives; of course she wanted to secure it for her son.
She admitted she was being a bit selfish, but for her son, she didn't care.
"It's fine."
Fang Huo thought about it and handed the Yamata no Orochi Fruit to Stussy. Worst case, he would look for another Mythical Zoan fruit for Kaido later.
Fang Huo's concession made Stussy very happy.
This powerful Mythical Zoan fruit now belonged to her son.
Regarding Devil Fruits, there were benefits to eating them early and benefits to eating them late.
Eating it early meant an earlier awakening, but it was easy to become reliant on it. Eating it late allowed more time to focus on physical techniques and Haki, making the subsequent Devil Fruit boost even greater... Stussy believed that under her and Fang Huo's guidance, Kogetsu Kamui would definitely awaken his Devil Fruit ability sooner.
In the original timeline, Katakuri ate the Mochi-Mochi Fruit at age 5, Straw Hat Luffy ate the Sun God Nika Fruit at age 7, Yamato ate the Mythical Zoan Model: Ookuchi no Makami Fruit at age 8, Doflamingo ate the String-String Fruit at age 10... and Kaku didn't eat the Giraffe Fruit until he was 23.
They all eventually awakened their Devil Fruit abilities.
Whether one could awaken an ability really had nothing to do with eating the fruit early or late.
Some users could never awaken their abilities in their entire lives.
It mainly depended on talent and development capability.
Shimotsuki Furiko had no objection to Stussy wanting the Yamata no Orochi Fruit.
A few days later, her son Kogetsu Ryuma also learned to walk, which made her very happy as well.
However, she didn't take a fancy to that Mythical Zoan Onyudo Fruit.
If there wasn't a suitable and powerful Devil Fruit ability, she would rather her son become a pure swordsman.