Thalrik's heart pounded with shock. He was Elbaf's mightiest general, the kingdom's second-strongest warrior, surpassed only by King Harald himself!
Yet here he was, trading blows with the Hell Pirates' Third Division Commander—and losing ground?
Could the Hell Pirates' First and Second Division Commanders be even stronger? What about their vice-captain and captain? Were they on another level entirely?
Was this the new standard for Emperor-level crews?
Even the Ice Demon Pirates or Vesper Pirates' second-in-commands couldn't match Thalrik's prowess. With his Kratos War Axe, he could overpower them! King Harald, wielding the legendary Elbaf Spear, could clash with any Emperor for days. On Elbaf's turf, no Emperor crew could claim the upper hand—not when hordes of giant warriors could overwhelm them!
Elbaf, the world's mightiest nation, stood toe-to-toe with any Emperor crew.
So why didn't Elbaf venture out to dominate the seas? Simple. Why stoop to being pirates when you're already the world's top power?
Elbaf was a colossal, resource-rich island, sustaining its giant population with ease. Why plunder smaller islands with no worthy prey, unlike the barren snows of the Ice Kingdom or the deserts of Alabasta? Elbaf surpassed even the ancient richness of Little Garden, a prize seized by giants in ancient wars against rival races.
Only the relatively impoverished Giant Warrior Village sent pirates to sea, driven by necessity. Out there, giants faced hunger—a logistical nightmare. Staying in Elbaf was far more stable.
Eight hundred years ago, after a crushing defeat, the Giant King struck a deal with the World Government. The Elbaf Spear was banned from the seas, lest it provoke the wrath of the Ancient Weapon Uranus. Elbaf adopted a policy of recovery, aiming to restore its population to over 100,000.
Eight centuries later, with only a few tens of thousands, Elbaf was still far from its pre-Void Century glory. Some giants served as Marine Vice Admirals, and Elbaf's status as the world's strongest nation meant it had no need to become a pirate state.
Yet Elbaf never joined the World Government. They paid no Heavenly Tribute, nor allowed Marine bases on their soil. Their raw power ensured their independence in the New World, fearless of any Emperor crew.
...
Thalrik and Whitebeard Newgate clashed once, instantly gauging each other's strength.
As a giant, Thalrik feared neither battle nor death, but the Hell Pirates' power seemed to eclipse even past Emperor crews. Elbaf's second-in-command was struggling against their fourth or fifth strongest fighter—clearly, his side was outmatched.
Worse, the Hell Pirates were at full strength, while Thalrik stood alone, without King Harald or other giant warriors. A simple capture mission had led him straight into one of the New World's top Emperor crews. Talk about bad luck! He needed to report this to Royal City—fast. If the Hell Pirates kept growing near Giant Warrior Village, Elbaf itself could be at risk.
"Your strength is impressive, but you need to leave Elbaf. If this escalates to all-out war, it'll be a fight to the death! Our King Harald fears no Emperor, and with a dozen giant Vice Admirals in the Marines, we could join forces with the World Government and crush even an Emperor crew like yours!"
Thalrik had only brought twenty elite giant warriors—not nearly enough to take on an Emperor crew. His words were a bluff to intimidate the enemy.
In his mind, retreat was the only option. He'd return to Royal City, rally a larger force, and come back to drive out the Hell Pirates. If it came to it, King Harald might even call in Marine reinforcements through their giant Vice Admirals.
Thalrik waved a hand, signaling his warriors to reform ranks and prepare to fall back for reinforcements.
"Yohohoho! I keep saying, we're here to cooperate, not to fight! Let's all calm down, shall we?"
Brook chuckled lightly, nodding. In a flash, a bolt of lightning and a golden streak shot forward, appearing behind the giants to block their retreat.
Redfield and Golden Lion Shiki stepped into view. Even Thalrik, fearless as he was, felt a chill. Were these two as strong as lesser giants?
Wait—hold on!
Both of them radiated Conqueror's Haki?
Thalrik's eyes widened, stunned. Why were Conqueror's Haki users popping up in droves? Were these the First and Second Division Commanders? The Hell Pirates were terrifying!
"Jahaha! Let me test the strength of Elbaf's mightiest general!"
Ignoring Whitebeard Newgate's protests, Shiki dove in to steal the fight. His twin blades shimmered with Ryuo Haki and Conqueror's Haki Coiling, slashing toward Thalrik with blinding speed.
Thalrik's jaw dropped at the sight of red lightning crackling around Shiki's swords—another monster wielding Conqueror's Haki Coiling?
No time to think. Thalrik unleashed his full strength, swinging the Kratos War Axe in a mighty overhead cleave, clashing fiercely with Shiki's dual blades.
The shockwave sent the giant warriors tumbling, battered by the battle's aftermath. They were beyond frustrated—caught in the crossfire of titans with no chance to join the fray!
"Jahaha! Not bad!"
Shiki was pushed back by Thalrik's raw power, floating mid-air. But he wasn't done. Two massive earthen hands rose from the ground, clapping together like they were swatting a fly, trapping Thalrik between them.
A barrage of golden slashing waves rained down on the earthen hands, triggering a chain of explosions and kicking up clouds of dust.
The giant warriors and Rocky, watching from Giant Warrior Village, stood frozen. Had General Thalrik been defeated just like that?
Brook shot Shiki a flat look.
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+400 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg