The night was low, and a bonfire burned fiercely within the forest of Little Garden.
Setsuna personally butchered two of the monstrous beasts. Enormous spits of meat slowly rotated over the flames, fat dripping and sizzling. The rich smell of cooking meat drifted on the night wind.
"Gabababa! Great drink!" Brogy held a wine barrel as tall as four men, tilting it back to drink deeply. Amber-colored liquor ran down his beard. "How many years since I've had such satisfying drink!"
Dorry tore off a huge piece of roasted meat and stuffed it into his mouth, closing his eyes in contentment. "Truly the finest roast. No wonder you bring such ingredients on your ship, young Chiaki."
Setsuna was very confident. "When it comes to eating, no one is a greater authority than I am."
Looking at the pile of bones before Setsuna, rivaling their own, Brogy laughed loudly. "A good appetite! In our Elbaf, those who can eat are true warriors!"
Setsuna swallowed the meat in his mouth and wiped the grease from his lips. "More than that, I have important news to tell you."
"Huh? What could be more important than fighting and enjoying food?" Dorry and Brogy asked, confused.
The firelight danced in Setsuna's eyes as he spoke slowly. "After you disappeared, the giants of the Giant Warrior Pirates searched everywhere for you. The World Government lied, saying the two of you had been imprisoned. They demanded two other giants, Oimo and Kashii, work for them for one hundred years in exchange for your freedom."
"To this day, those two are still guarding the gates at Enies Lobby for the World Government."
Rock shattered under the giant's fist. Dorry's eyes were red. "Those deceitful World Government!"
"They dare to trick the warriors of Elbaf!" Brogy's hands crushed the wine barrel he held, spilling drink everywhere.
"So, what is your choice?" Setsuna's voice pierced the night. "Will you continue your duel for a warrior's honor, or will you go save your comrades?"
After a long silence, Dorry stood up. His tall figure cast a vast shadow in the firelight. "Warriors of Elbaf never abandon their comrades."
"After we save them, we will finish our duel fairly!" Brogy punched the ground, making the bonfire jump.
Having successfully stirred up more trouble for the World Government, Setsuna nodded with satisfaction and turned to Mr. 3. "Galdino, build them a ship out of wax that is strong enough."
"Eh? Me?" Mr. 3 was hiding in a corner gnawing on a steak and nearly choked. "A-A ship that big..."
"You cannot do it?" Setsuna glanced at him faintly.
"I can! Of course I can!" Mr. 3 jumped up, bowing repeatedly to show his loyalty.
Setsuna then looked at Robin. The older-sister type was currently in a private, melancholic state after hearing about giants, lies, and the World Government.
"Nico Robin, do you have an Eternal Pose pointing to Enies Lobby?"
Hearing 'Enies Lobby', Robin's body trembled instinctively. "No. But I have an Eternal Pose to Water 7. Finding Enies Lobby from there will be simple."
"Good. Give it to me."
Setsuna took the Eternal Pose from Robin and handed it to Dorry. "With this and the ship, you can rescue your comrades quickly."
The two giants were deeply moved, declaring loudly, "You are a friend of Elbaf! We will never forget this kindness!"
In the firelight, Setsuna suddenly asked, "Can you teach me that move, [Hakoku Sovereignty]? If it's a secret, that's fine."
The two giants exchanged a look and burst into hearty laughter.
"Gabababa! Of course we can!" Brogy slapped his chest. "Warriors of Elbaf are never stingy with friends."
"However, this move was made for a giant's body. A human physique probably can't handle the recoil..." Dorry said, then suddenly stopped himself.
"I almost forgot. Young Chiaki, your body is stronger than ours. That little recoil is nothing! Gehahaha..."
While Setsuna and the two giants feasted on Little Garden, news that shook the world was spreading across the globe on the wings of news coos… the legendary great pirate [Golden Lion] Shiki had fallen.
New World, on the deck of the Moby Dick.
"Gurararara..." Whitebeard's low laugh echoed over the sea, carrying a note of sadness. "Roger, Shiki... The familiar faces on these seas grow fewer and fewer."
Marco took the offered newspaper, his pupils shrinking. "Golden Lion was killed by a boy from the East Blue?!"
"What? Golden Lion is dead?"
"Who killed him?"
The Division Commanders on Whitebeard's ship were all shocked, crowding around.
"To die in that weakest of seas... The same end as Roger," Jozu said wistfully. "They were a pair of ill-fated... a pair of ill-fated rivals, I suppose."
"Chiaki Setsuna... That name... Could he be from the same homeland as Commander Oden?" Vista stroked his chin. "Pops, should we try to bring him in to be the 2nd Division Commander?"
Marco shook his head. "That's hard. The paper is praising him highly for turning in Golden Lion's head. He might not even want to be a pirate."
Whitebeard planted his naginata, Murakumogiri, firmly on the deck, making the sake in his bowl ripple. "Wait and see. A man who can kill Golden Lion won't hide in Paradise forever. He will come to the New World sooner or later."
Wano Country, Onigashima. The sky was torn by a dragon's roar.
"Wororororo-!" In his dragon-human form, Kaido clutched a sake jar, weeping loudly. "Shiki! How could you just die?! You died because you were too weak!"
Kaido's wails turned suddenly to rage. His spiked club smashed the rock wall to pieces. "How shameful! To be killed by some brat!"
Queen wiped cold sweat from his brow.
He felt fortunate that Kaido was in the 'drunken weeping' and 'drunken rage' state today. If it were the 'drunken coyness' state, he didn't know if he could handle it.
"Kaido-sama, the paper says that brat has a Sea King over a thousand meters long. Maybe he knows how to control Sea Kings. Should we capture him and interrogate him?"
"I don't care about Sea Kings! I want to know when my Devil Fruit is coming!" Kaido roared angrily. "When is that bastard Hanafuda coming back?!"
The fat on Queen's face wobbled. "Hehe. Hanafuda says he was on his way back, but he got news about another Zoan-type Devil Fruit. He plans to get that fruit first."
Whole Cake Island.
The tea party on Whole Cake Island was more lively than usual.
"Golden Lion? Wasn't he Mama's old crewmate?"
"So young, yet he beat a pirate like Golden Lion... Is another Emperor about to rise on the seas?"
"Mamamamama!" Big Mom's shrill laughter shattered panes of stained glass. "To defeat that guy Shiki... How capable..."
She licked cream from the corner of her mouth, her eyes roaming over her daughters. "Smoothie, Galette, Cinnamon... My lovely daughters, which of you wants to marry him?"
The named Charlotte sisters flushed red, but none refused.
They understood their position perfectly. No one could refuse Mama's will. Since they couldn't escape the fate of political marriage, why not aim for the best candidate?
The young man in the paper was young, handsome, and incredibly powerful. Undoubtedly, he's the best prospect.
Seeing no resistance, Big Mom laughed uproariously. "Mamamamama! If I were ten years younger, I wouldn't give you this chance."
Many showed subtle expressions, 'This boy's luck was indeed something. If he had been born ten years earlier, who he would have been married off to was anyone's guess.'