The crisp chirping of insects echoed through the jungle. The rising sun cast patches of shadow among the trees as Roldy and Sparta walked side by side through the forest.
This was Elbaf's forbidden ground.
Aside from the kings of Elbaf throughout the generations, no one was qualified to enter this place. Roldy's arrival today could be considered an unprecedented exception.
That was right.
This was the so-called place where one received the baptism of the gods and obtained the power of the Sun God.
After all, in the Kingdom of Giants, only the strongest warrior could become king, and only the strongest warrior was qualified to receive such a baptism. This was not something just anyone could use. According to Sparta, it could only be used once every fifty years. Yet even in the end, many giants who underwent the baptism failed to receive the gods' blessing.
The degree of divine blessing also varied from person to person. For example, after Sparta received the baptism, his strength had indeed surpassed that of ordinary giants and reached the level of an Admiral. But that was where it stopped. He was still no match for his elder brother.
They emerged from the dense jungle, and what entered their view was an enormous lake.
Strangely enough, the lake water was so clear one could see straight to the bottom, yet there was not a single sign of life below. The lake was clearly surrounded by trees, but no shadows could be seen reflected on its surface.
The mirror-like water reflected Roldy's face. He clicked his tongue in wonder and could not help reaching out to touch the lake. No sense of weakness came over him, which meant this was clearly not seawater.
"This is the place! The legendary land, the taboo of the Kingdom of Giants! Its name is—the Spring of Liberation of the Sun God!"
Sparta spoke those words just as his own elder brother had once told him.
Roldy did not believe there were any gods in this world. He only believed in himself. Still, this lake water did indeed seem rather unusual. He could feel his body cheering, as though it was eagerly looking forward to soaking within it.
"I have a feeling that this trip to Elbaf will bring me gains beyond imagination!"
Following Sparta's instructions, Roldy stripped off every piece of clothing on his body and jumped naked into the water. His powerful body sent a great splash surging up.
But Roldy was surprised to discover that even though the water had splashed very far, not a single drop landed on the grass. It was as if some mysterious force was drawing it back, causing every droplet to return to the lake.
A warm sensation swept through his entire body. He could not help letting out a long, comfortable sigh.
After only a few minutes, faint snores began to sound.
Sparta said nothing more. He looked deeply at Roldy, then turned and left. All along the way, his mind never stopped thinking.
"Ancient records say that a white warrior will one day save the Kingdom of Giants and lead the entire world out of suffering. Could it be you, Roldy?"
Those ancient records had been passed down for a very long time, and much of their contents had already been lost. Only the most important parts had been preserved.
Yet Sparta could not help thinking of Roldy.
Roldy possessed strength. He possessed influence. He possessed wisdom. He possessed ambition.
As for the so-called white warrior, one must not forget that Roldy had half-Mink blood flowing within him. And on the night of the full moon, when a Mink entered their Sulong form, they were indeed pure white…
"Let us see how long you can endure, Roldy!"
Back then, Sparta had endured for six years, and what he gained from it had already allowed him to reach Admiral level.
What about Roldy?
He would absolutely not be inferior to Sparta.
But whether he could catch up to his elder brother's record of ten years and nine months remained to be seen.
All of this would have to be tested by the long passage of time…
...
Roldy disappeared.
The World Government only knew that Roldy had gone to Elbaf, that mysterious Kingdom of Giants. But the strength of the Kingdom of Giants was something they feared deeply as well. Sending spies there was simply unrealistic.
The Five Elders subconsciously ignored Roldy's existence and began devoting all their energy to the development of the World Government.
It was worth mentioning that they had already repaid the money they borrowed from Roldy. Both sides continued to maintain their strange peace.
Mihawk remained active on the seas.
With Sabaody Archipelago lacking an Emperor like Roldy to hold it down, there were naturally no shortage of covetous eyes. However, all those people became ghosts beneath Mihawk's blade. Among them were even quite a few competent swordsmen, which added a little amusement to Mihawk's otherwise dull life.
Whenever he had nothing to do, he would board his small boat and drift casually across the sea, seeing whether there were any seedlings of the new era, or whether there were any worthwhile people who could be brought under their banner. His days were relaxed and pleasant enough.
The four members of Sheen 's group, along with the many small fry Roldy had brought with him, were undergoing inhuman training in the military camp.
The giants' way of fighting was extremely wild. The four of them felt their physical strength being continuously excavated and brought out. As for the small fry, there were naturally some who could not endure such high-intensity training.
The one responsible for managing them was Crocodile.
He was not some kind-hearted fellow. He did not allow them to leave, and as a result, a full six people were actually worked to death from exhaustion.
In response, the four members of Sheen 's group said nothing.
This was a very normal thing. When sparring with those powerful giants, broken arms and legs were common. Occasionally losing one or two lives was something that also happened among the giants from time to time.
However, one had to admit that everyone who survived this special training underwent a complete rebirth.
...
Deep in the mountains, the passing of years could not be measured. The sun and moon continued to turn without rest.
In the blink of an eye, a full seventeen years had passed.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone upon that shimmering lake.
Roldy, whose entire body was submerged in the water, moved his eyelids slightly. It was as though he had recovered some of his senses. His eyes gradually opened, and an astonishing radiance burst from them.
He quickly swung his arms and swam toward the surface.
After soaking for a full seventeen years, his limbs had not developed the slightest problem. On the contrary, his entire body seemed to have been reborn, filled with vitality.
His nearly perfect body broke through the water's surface like an orca.
Dazzling.
Roldy landed steadily on the ground. That long-lost solid sensation beneath his feet filled his heart with incomparable calm.
He swept his gaze over his surroundings, then could not help looking down at his body, now as white as jade.
What was miraculous was that the scars that had once covered the surface of his body had all vanished. Not a single trace remained. His skin was like that of a newborn infant, yet it possessed an incomparably powerful defensive strength.
"The blessing of the Sun God… Interesting. This is far too interesting!"
A sound burst from Roldy's mouth.
He was laughing.
That laughter grew louder and louder, until it thundered like lightning and shattered the clouds in the sky.
At his feet was a brand-new set of clothes. The outfit Roldy had previously left here could no longer be worn, and this set had naturally been left behind by the Giant King, who would occasionally come here to take a look.
Roldy put on the clothes in a few quick motions.
This familiar world—
He had returned!
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