Unlike most island nations, Elbaf isn't some tiny speck on the map. It's a sprawling superpower, rivaling Alabasta in its vastness and depth.
At the heart of Elbaf lies the Giant King's City, with villages scattered around it like constellations. The giants' massive size and ravenous appetites mean each village is spaced far apart, ensuring enough land for farming, ranching, and hunting.
Some of these giant villages dwarf human towns or even small island kingdoms.
The village where Jarul, Blue Ogre Dorry, and Red Ogre Brogy hail from is just a coastal outpost in Elbaf—a rare port town that serves as one of the few gateways to the sea. Most of the Giant Warrior Pirates come from this village, but the bulk of Elbaf's giants live inland, content with farming, hunting, and a quiet life.
Brook used to think Elbaf was just one big giant village. The idea that five-year-old Charlotte Linlin could topple it always seemed absurd—how could that be the world's strongest nation? But thanks to Rocky's intel and a steady stream of reports, Brook was starting to piece together the true scope of Elbaf's might.
The village Linlin wrecked? Just a run-of-the-mill coastal settlement, one of Elbaf's less fertile outposts. Its fame came from its port, a hub for giants who'd broken laws or craved glory and ventured out as pirates. Every few decades, or sometimes centuries, this village birthed a new crew of Giant Warrior Pirates to set sail in "glorious" fashion.
Think of it like a portside fishing town in another world—not exactly rolling in riches, so the locals turn to piracy to make ends meet. This village, though, was Elbaf's front door to the world, giving it some sway in the Giant King's City. The two captains of each Giant Warrior Pirates crew were seen as unconventional heroes, bringing back exotic goods from across the seas to enrich Elbaf's inland tribes, who loved the novelty.
"Elbaf's a complicated beast, but sorting out this Giant Warrior Village shouldn't be too tough!"
Brook had thought dealing with the village would be enough, but the true strength of the world's strongest nation lay deeper, in the Giant King's City.
No wonder a five-year-old Linlin could wreck a single village—it was just a speck in Elbaf's grand tapestry. Even Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors, opted for marriage alliances to woo Elbaf rather than trying to conquer it outright. The Giant King's City was a fortress that could give even her a run for her money, and any victory would come at a brutal cost.
Plus, Elbaf's not just about this port village. The Navy's got giant vice admirals who likely didn't come from here. Elbaf's reputation as the world's mightiest nation isn't built on the Giant Warrior Pirates alone—it's the combined might of their Navy recruits and inland warriors that's made their name echo across the seas.
...
When Rocky returned to the Giant Warrior Village, his gleaming armor and alloy weapons turned heads. Giants from across Elbaf, including outlaws and ambitious dreamers gearing up for the next Giant Warrior Pirates voyage, were drawn to his presence.
After the Ice Demon Pirates got crushed, many Elbaf giants fled back to the village. Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy, the Giant Warrior Pirates' captains, also returned after their duel in Little Garden.
But their stubbornness and past mistakes left many giant pirates bitter. The crew refused to let Dorry and Brogy reclaim leadership, blaming them for abandoning their responsibilities.
Rocky's return stirred the pot further, splitting the village into two factions. If the Winter Solstice Festival wasn't looming, they might've already come to blows.
Rocky boldly declared the formation of a new Giant Pirates crew, breaking away from the Giant Warrior Pirates and rejecting Jarul's orders to feud with Charlotte Linlin and the Hell Pirates.
To everyone's surprise, Dorry and Brogy leaned toward reconciling with Linlin. They'd come to see her side of the story. After all, it was downright embarrassing that Waterfall Beard Jorul, a former Giant Warrior Pirates captain, got beaten so badly by a five-year-old girl that he died from his wounds. It was a stain on Elbaf's pride!
"Dorry, Brogy, as captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, you cannot plead for peace with Charlotte Linlin!" Jarul thundered. "And Rocky's crew? They're clearly under that devil woman's spell! Stay away from her!"
Jarul couldn't fathom why his successors wanted to make amends with Linlin. His old comrade Jorul couldn't have died for nothing. Worse, Linlin was a monster—she'd eaten people, witnessed by giant warriors! That kind of crime was unforgivable.
He'd kept that horrifying truth under wraps, fearing it would spur endless vengeance quests. He knew Linlin's power too well. The only solution was to cut all ties with her.
"Jarul, come on!" Rocky scoffed, eyeing the ancient elder, pushing 360 years old and still meddling.
"Linlin only injured Jorul, and she was five at the time. Isn't that a bit embarrassing for you lot? Besides, Jorul was old and frail—don't pin it all on her."
Rocky, now a proud member of the Hell Pirates, wasn't about to let Jarul slander Brook's crewmate. Linlin was a top officer with jaw-dropping combat prowess—nobody's punching bag.
"You don't get it!" Jarul roared, pain in his voice. "Jorul's death is one thing, but there's something far worse! Listen to me—stay away from that devil, Charlotte Linlin!"
He was desperate to spill the truth about her cannibalism but held back. Linlin's strength and influence had grown terrifyingly vast. If he revealed it, these hotheaded youngsters would rush off to confront her—and get themselves killed.
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+400 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg