Chapter 27: Haki, A Chance?
Azure flames seeped out from Reiner's entire body. Just as he was preparing to enter his half-beast form, a colossal explosion from the distance interrupted him.
BOOM!!
The thunderclap-like sound was deafening, accompanied by the earth shaking violently, as if the island itself were a sleeping beast rousing from its slumber.
The group couldn't help but stagger, and Reiner immediately halted his transformation.
"What's going on?!"
"What happened!?"
Nami knelt, bracing herself with her hands on the ground.
"Gahahahaha! The volcano's eruption is quite fierce this time!"
Broggy laughed heartily and stood up, his gaze fixed intently on the distant volcano that was suddenly spewing magma. "Sorry, kid Reiner, I've got some business to take care of. We can continue when I get back."
"Ah, no problem."
Reiner gave a simple reply. He roughly knew what was happening; it was actually convenient to collect both giants' templates at once. "Where are you going? Can we come along?"
"Ah, sure you can."
Broggy crouched down, placing his massive open palm on the ground, signaling for them to climb on.
"I'm off to settle a duel with an old friend, one that's been unfinished for a hundred years."
"A hundred years!!" Usopp gasped as he climbed onto the giant's palm.
Broggy simply laughed and briefly explained, "Gahaha! Nothing strange about it! We giants live several times longer than you humans."
"That's not the point!" Nami couldn't help but shout, asking, "Why? What kind of deep hatred could make you fight for a hundred years!?"
"Why? I forgot! Gahaha!"
The group stood on Broggy's palm as he carried them towards the location of the other giant skeleton. Before leaving, Broggy also grabbed the remaining barrels of booze.
From his explanation, they learned that another giant warrior lived on this island.
For reasons lost to time, they began dueling here, using the eruption of the island's central volcano as the signal to begin battle.
"Then isn't there no reason to keep fighting anymore?"
Nami couldn't comprehend such behavior. "You just said he was your friend, didn't you?"
Even for giants, a hundred years was undoubtedly a very long time.
As Broggy spoke, he had already brought them to the dueling ground. Not far away, another giant figure came into view.
"We may have forgotten the reason for the duel, but neither of us has forgotten the creed of Elbaf! We will fight until victory is decided! Because..."
As if by tacit understanding, the moment the two giants saw each other, they exchanged smiles and simultaneously drew their weapons, roaring towards the heavens.
"...The God(s) of Elbaf! Will always favor the righteous side!"
"Waaaaah~~ Elbaf!!" Usopp cried out, tears streaming down his face.
"Wahahaha~ Elbaf!!"
A familiar voice echoed from the other giant's shoulder. Reiner looked over and saw, sure enough, Luffy and Vivi standing on the shoulder of Blue Ogre Dorry.
"Hey, Luffy!"
Luffy, excitedly perched on Dorry's shoulder, heard the call and looked towards the sound, spotting the familiar figure with golden hair and a blue shirt.
"Vivi, look! It's Reiner and the others!"
Luffy directly jumped down from Dorry's shoulder with Vivi. "Hey~! Reiner! Nami! Usopp!"
Seeing the eager Luffy, Reiner also led Nami and Usopp down to regroup with them.
"Reiner, what are you doing here?" Vivi asked, surprised. "Weren't you still having that hunting competition with Zoro and Sanji?"
"Eh, that stuff doesn't matter. Anyway, with me around, the ship never lacks food," Reiner replied nonchalantly.
His Fish-Man undead were extremely fast swimmers. During sea voyages, he often sent them hunting in the ocean, ensuring a constant supply of fresh ingredients on the ship.
It's just that eating seafood all the time gets boring; occasionally hunting some mountain game provided a nice change of pace.
"But didn't you guys make a bet?" Nami remembered.
Reiner hadn't quite caught on yet. "Just a mere five hundred thousand Beri. Consider it pocket money for them."
"Oh, is that so? Are you sure your bet was five hundred thousand Beri?"
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Reiner couldn't help but glance at Usopp, who was looking at him strangely.
"..."
"Holy crap!"
Reiner's face darkened. He had forgotten his own off-the-cuff wager! Damn it!
"Hahaha~"
"Looks like someone will be demonstrating how to wash their hair while doing a handstand tonight."
"Don't speak too soon."
Face still dark, Reiner waved his hand, releasing several dozen Fish-Man undead directly into the forest to search for prey, then turned his attention back elsewhere.
He wasn't leaving; the giants' duel had already begun, and there were more important things to do afterward.
BANG—!
"Gahahahaha! Didn't you eat breakfast, Dorry?"
BANG—!
"Gahahahaha! Are you getting old, Broggy?"
The two giants, one wielding a shield and sword, the other a shield and axe, fought like fierce beasts. Words like savage, brutal, and violent perfectly described their simple, direct combat style.
Every blow contained their full strength; every swing of their weapons generated intense wind pressure.
Accompanied by forceful, clanging impacts, shockwaves rippled outwards from the center of the battlefield, flattening the surrounding trees like weeds.
"Such terrifying power."
Reiner watched, secretly astounded. It wasn't just him; everyone observing was deeply shaken by the raw battle unfolding.
The simplest sword swings and axe chops, wielded by them, displayed the most primal, heart-stirring aggression. Every seemingly ordinary attack carried years of accumulated skill, making the onlookers' blood boil with excitement...
'Onlookers' did not include the two women.
"Honestly! They don't even remember why they're fighting, yet they still go at it like this."
"Exactly! I totally don't get it."
Hearing this, Luffy and Usopp furiously transformed into keyboard warriors.
"What nonsense! What kind of talk is that!?"
After quite a while...
"Gahahahaha! Out of steam!"
"Looks like another draw this time."
The two giants, completely exhausted, sprawled out flat on their backs, staring up at the sky.
"Hey Dorry! Look what I got!"
Broggy pushed himself up, grabbed a barrel of wine, and tossed it directly to Dorry, laughing loudly. "It's from our guests!"
"Warrarara! It's booze!"
Dorry caught it, glanced at it with a laugh, tore off the lid, tilted his head back, and gulped down a huge mouthful. "Gahahahaha! Alcohol definitely tastes best after a fight!"
Seeing the battle end, Reiner and the others also approached, sitting down directly on nearby rocks.
"Cheers!"
"Thanks, guests! Didn't expect to meet such hearty 'little people' like you!"
To giants, Reiner and his crew certainly qualified as little people.
Luffy responded with a grin, "Shishishi! Don't mention it, Mister! Too bad Zoro and Sanji aren't here."
Reiner looked at the two giants drinking before him, inexplicably reminded of George S. Patton and General Charles de Gaulle. Then, connecting some dots, he put down his cup and paused before asking:
"By the way, Mister Broggy, can you guys use Haki?"
"Haki, huh? Haven't heard those words around here in many years," Broggy grinned. "Why, you want to learn?"
Heh, Reiner chuckled internally, even a dog would want to learn Haki, let alone me! But hearing Broggy's words filled him with joy.
Is there a chance?
"Ah, yes, we do know Haki..."
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