The jungle was dense with ancient trees towering skyward, their massive canopies blotting out the sun. Whether they'd been growing for centuries or even longer was impossible to say. Thorns and brambles carpeted the forest floor, wild grass tangled with the thick undergrowth. Dry leaves piled up in layers, while old vines coiled like serpents, hiding dangers that might strike without warning.
In the distance, barren, jagged mountains rose into view.
A dead branch cracked underfoot. Oliver, scowling, led the group with his katana drawn. Right behind him, Aeridar followed with a small pack slung over his shoulders, trailed by Dimitri and Arlan.
"Aeridar, I swear—I'll cut you down one day! You made me use my sword as a damn weed-whacker!" Oliver growled, slashing away a clump of underbrush with seething fury.
Aeridar rolled his eyes with a lazy sneer. "Oh, come on, don't be so petty. You're the only one here with a real sword."
"Dimitri has a blade too!" Oliver barked, swinging his katana hard enough to carve a deep gash into the earth, slicing through several plants.
"Dimitri has a dagger," Aeridar replied with a shrug.
"Fuck!" Oliver froze mid-stride, cursed under his breath, then stormed ahead without another word.
Arlan clapped Aeridar on the shoulder with a mischievous grin, flashing a thumbs-up. "Captain, that was slick!"
As the four ventured deeper into the jungle, the beasts they encountered grew stranger and more fearsome. Besides the usual lions and tigers, they spotted bizarre creatures they had never seen before.
There were massive bulls standing over three meters tall, gorillas that could rival five-story buildings, and gigantic lizards that looked like dragons from legend—just without the wings.
Even Aeridar, who'd lived on Kukos Island for over a decade, had never seen many of these beasts. One flock of monstrous birds, with sharp beaks, round heads, wolf-like bodies, and enormous wings, tried to swarm them. But after Oliver sliced down three or four mid-air, the rest scattered in terror.
After about ten more minutes of hiking, they neared a mountain.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath them.
From the mountaintop, thick plumes of black smoke rose, followed by bursts of glowing magma. The air grew oppressively hot in an instant.
"Shit! It's a volcano!" Aeridar's eyes widened as molten lava erupted from the peak. He'd actually planned to climb that mountain—thank god they hadn't made it up there yet. They'd be roasted alive.
"Holy crap, look over there!!" Arlan shouted, pointing to the right with visible excitement.
Aeridar, Oliver, and Dimitri all turned to look.
"No way... it's real!"
"Damn, that thing's huge!"
Where Arlan pointed, a towering figure—easily seventy meters tall—was charging forward. A giant, wearing a horned iron helmet and half-armor made of beast hide. A flowing blue cape flapped behind him. His long, rectangular face was framed by a thick, bushy beard. He wielded an enormous longsword in one hand and a round shield in the other, charging with terrifying momentum.
Another giant appeared to meet him head-on.
This one had a rounder face, golden fan-shaped beard around his chin, and a similarly massive frame. He wore the same beast-hide armor and blue cape, but carried a gigantic battle axe instead of a sword. Like the first, he also had a round shield in his off-hand. Without hesitation, he sprinted forward to engage.
Their strides shook the earth with thunderous steps. As they closed in, each raised their weapon and struck.
The impact rang out like a lightning strike. A shockwave rippled through the air, blasting a swirling storm of dust and leaves into the sky. It felt like a localized hurricane had just touched down.
"So strong..." Aeridar's pupils narrowed in awe. He'd underestimated the giants. This level of power could absolutely kill him.
It made sense. These weren't just any giants—they were the legendary co-captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, each with a bounty of 100 million Berries a hundred years ago. Adjusted for today? Their strength probably ranked well above 400 or even 500 million. They were on par with the likes of Jinbe, Crocodile, or even the current Warlord of the Sea, Gecko Moria.
Honestly, it was logical. They'd been fighting for over a century. There's no way they hadn't gotten stronger.
"Absolute monsters..." Arlan, Oliver, and Dimitri stood dumbfounded. They hadn't expected giants to be this powerful.
Sword and axe clashed again and again. Sparks flew. The force of their blows sent gale-force winds ripping through the nearby trees. Some were yanked out of the ground entirely.
Birds and beasts scattered in all directions, fleeing the devastation.
"Shit! Move! Get back!" Aeridar grabbed the others and dashed away. The shockwaves were growing in intensity, and though they could survive the periphery, getting caught in the center of those blasts would be a death sentence—especially before the giants finished their duel.
They ran, retracing their steps as fast as they could.
"Are all giants that strong?" Arlan asked, panting with wide eyes as he sprinted.
"That size... how long would I have to keep chopping?" Oliver muttered, still glancing nervously over his shoulder.
"Terrifying," Dimitri breathed, clearly shaken.
Aeridar, leading the pack, finally spoke. "Not all of them. But I know those two."
"You know them?!" Arlan and Oliver blurted out in unison, startled. Even Dimitri looked surprised.
Aeridar gave them a sidelong glance, tone serious now. "That's Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy. Co-captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, about a hundred years ago. Each had a bounty of 100 million Berries."
"The Giant Warrior Pirates?"
"Giants really do live forever..."
"Wait—they had bounties that high a hundred years ago?!"
All three were stunned. What kind of strength must they have to be worth that much back then?
"Weren't they on the same crew? Why the hell are they fighting?" Oliver asked, baffled.
Aeridar shook his head. "No idea." It had been far too long. Details like that just didn't stick.
Another deafening impact echoed like a cannon blast from the heavens. The resulting shockwave swept across the forest like a typhoon, flattening everything in its path before slowly fading.
"Gegyagyagya! Another tie!"
"Gababababa! That makes sixty-four thousand seven hundred and seven!"
The four stopped running. The booming laughter behind them signaled the clash had reached its usual conclusion. They all breathed a little easier. Giants had their perks—especially when it came to raw power. Even with the full might of the Impact-Impact Fruit, Aeridar knew he could only trade a few blows with Dorry or Brogy at best. Any longer and he'd get crushed—he was definitely a "three-second hero" against either of them.
"Over sixty-four thousand draws... What kind of grudge lasts that long?" Arlan muttered in disbelief.
"Don't ask me," Oliver grunted.
"Maybe it's a warrior's pride," Dimitri offered with a shrug. "The giants are said to be the bravest fighters alive."
"Who cares why," Aeridar snapped. "What I know is I'm not going near them. I can't take them one-on-one, let alone both."
With that, he turned on his heel and led the group in a new direction.
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