On the deck of the Going Merry, a gentle sea breeze blew.
Viktor was reclining on his exclusive lounge chair on the upper deck, a book covering his face as he enjoyed a rare afternoon of peace.
Tap, tap.
Light footsteps stopped beside him. Without removing the book, Viktor's lips curled upward. "What is it, Miss Navigator? If you're looking for help with chores, I'm currently in a state of 'critical injury,' you know."
"Who asked you to do chores!" Nami rolled her eyes, then fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, her voice becoming hesitant and a bit awkward. "I... I just wanted to ask..."
"When that woman left, what did you whisper in her ear?"
Nami finished her sentence and, as if realizing that asking made her seem too invested, quickly waved her hands, her face flushing red.
"Ah! Don't misunderstand! I don't mean anything else! It's just... just professional curiosity about information! Yes, pure curiosity!"
"Oh? Curiosity, is it?" Viktor slowly removed the book and opened his deep, dark eyes. He stared playfully at the flustered girl. "You really are cute, Nami."
Viktor's voice carried a hint of indulgence that only the two of them could truly sense.
Boom—
Upon hearing such a direct compliment, Nami's face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple, and even the tips of her ears began to burn. "Ah! You... what are you talking about, you idiot!"
To cover her embarrassment, Nami "furiously" delivered a light punch to Viktor's chest. "Hmph! Seriously! I'm not looking after you anymore! Just rot here then!"
With that, she turned and ran. Although her words were sharp, her steps were much lighter than when she had arrived.
The peaceful daily life didn't last long. Not long after sailing further into the Grand Line, the environment underwent a drastic change.
The Merry entered a wide river where the banks were no longer sandy beaches but dense, tropical jungles teeming with a primitive aura.
"Whoa! The trees here are huge!!" Luffy looked up in shock. Every tree seemed to pierce the clouds, supporting the very sky. Even the insects resting on the leaves were as large as ordinary birds.
A sense of ancient, primordial history washed over them. Viktor observed the surroundings with curiosity; they had entered the "Jurassic" period.
"ROOOOOAR————!!"
A deafening roar erupted from the woods. CRASH! Trees toppled as a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex burst from the jungle. It opened a maw large enough to swallow a house, lunging at the Merry with a gust of blood-scented wind!
"A... A DINOSAUR!!!" Usopp's eyes nearly flew out of his head. Zoro's gaze sharpened, his hand reaching for his hilt.
However, before he could strike—
VROOOOM—!!
A terrifying shockwave exploded from the depths of the forest. It was a visible ripple of air that crossed kilometers in an instant.
Splurt!
The fierce T-Rex didn't even have time to scream before its massive neck was sliced clean through like tofu. Blood rained down. Then...
"Gah-hah-hah-hah-hah!" "Geg-gya-gya-gya-gya!"
Two thunderous, heroic laughs echoed between heaven and earth. The crew looked up in terror to see two mountain-like figures looming in the distance. With every movement, the earth shook, causing the Merry to rock like a leaf on the river.
"What... what kind of monsters are those..." Nami's face was deathly pale. "Too... too scary! I have the 'I-ca n't-go-on-this-island' disease!" Usopp cried, hugging Klay and refusing to move.
But for others, this was paradise. "Amazing!! Are those giants?! I'm going on an adventure!!" Luffy's eyes gleamed as he grabbed his backpack and charged into the jungle.
Vivi, in order to protect the frightened Karoo, had no choice but to follow.
"Tch, looks like there's some powerful prey here." Zoro tied on his bandana, a battle-hungry smile on his face. "We happen to be short on meat," Sanji added, lighting a cigarette and glancing at Zoro.
"Hey, Marimo, want to see who can bring back the bigger catch?" "Suits me, Love-Cook." The two disappeared into the woods in opposite directions.
Viktor originally intended to stay and rest, but he stood up and looked toward the giants. In the perception of his Sharingan, those two life forces were staggeringly vast, like two burning suns.
"That level of vitality... truly exaggerated." Viktor's eyes flashed with interest. "Giant warriors who have lived for who knows how long? It's worth seeing for myself."
He turned and wove a familiar seal. "Shadow Clone Jutsu."
Poof!
An identical Viktor appeared on the deck. "Stay here and protect Nami and Usopp," the original said. "Understood," the clone replied, sitting down on the lounge chair. The original blurred into an afterimage, vanishing into the dense jungle.
Deep in the jungle, by a massive pile of bones.
Luffy sat before a gargantuan piece of dinosaur meat, eating until his face was covered in grease. Across from him sat a giant wearing a Viking helmet with a long beard, holding a massive sword.
"Blue Ogre" Dorry.
"Gah-hah-hah-hah! Little sprout, you have a great appetite!" Dorry laughed boisterously at the human boy who wasn't even the size of his finger.
"Old man! This meat is great!" Luffy asked through a mouthful of food. "Why do you live here?"
Dorry took a swig of wine, looking into the distance with pride. "I am a warrior of Elbaf. I and another fellow have been dueling here for exactly one hundred years!"
"One hundred years?!" Vivi gasped, covering her mouth. "What's the reason?" Luffy asked. "The reason...?" Dorry paused, then laughed harder. "I forgot long ago! Gah-hah-hah!"
"But... this is the pride of a warrior! To prove who is the strongest, even if the reason is forgotten, the duel cannot stop! This is the trial given to us by the gods of Elbaf!"
Luffy listened, his eyes filled with deep respect. To fight for honor even when the cause is forgotten—that was true man's romance!
Meanwhile, at the other end of the jungle, Zoro and Sanji encountered the other giant—the axe-wielding "Red Ogre" Brogy.
And from a high branch above, unnoticed by any of them, Viktor crouched, overlooking the island. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan rotated slowly, analyzing the giants' muscle structure and physical makeup.
"A century of high-intensity combat, and their bodies still maintain this peak state..." Viktor shook his head in amazement. "No chakra, just pure physical strength causing natural disasters. The racial talents of this world... are truly unfairly impressive."
Just as he was about to look away, something caught his eye in the shadows. Beneath the giant ferns, several small figures, clearly not native to this ancient island and wearing wax-themed disguises, were moving quickly.
A man with a "3" shaped hairstyle and a little girl. Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek.
Viktor's eyes narrowed slightly, a cold curve touching his lips.
"Oh? It seems some little mice have entered the stage."
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