"Found them."
Gunko gazed expressionlessly below, where many demon giants were hacking and stabbing at the ground with their weapons. The iron-hard permafrost of the Underworld was no match for giant strength, and soon the tunnel Ragnir had dug was discovered.
Behind Gunko, Shamrock stood impassively, seemingly unconcerned with finding these insects. He looked as if he had merged with the surrounding snow and ice.
In fact, since Imu had 'revived' him, Shamrock had been exactly like this. Even when told that his father, Figarland Garling, had died in the Marineford War, he showed no reaction. It wasn't just indifference, it was more like… contempt for life.
Like now. Though he could easily speed up the process himself, Shamrock let the demon giants waste time and effort digging.
No one knew what Shamrock was thinking now, not even Gunko.
"Captain, they're about to counterattack."
Gunko sensed for a moment, then turned to report to Shamrock.
Shamrock's response was to silently throw open his cloak and draw his cracked blade, Cerberus, with a hand covered in scars.
Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the sky, and lightning began to roll within them. Gunko glanced upward and silently released arrows, forming a spiral drill. This was a familiar tactic… Ragnir had used it multiple times while helping rescue people, so she knew what to expect.
Sure enough, the next moment, several bolts of lightning struck almost simultaneously below. The demon giants possessed incredibly strong bodies and regenerative abilities, but their reaction speed was a bit slow.
—Not that speed would matter much against lightning.
Boom!!
Serpents of lightning swept across, instantly engulfing all the demon giants, drawing pained roars from them. Ragnir had guarded the Devil Fruit Loki had eaten all those years ago. Not a few giants had challenged it, but it had ultimately waited for Loki, proving that this living hammer-squirrel was also immensely powerful.
Without a wielder, Ragnir couldn't unleash its full power, but that didn't mean it couldn't defeat these giants. The lightning spread across the ground toward Gunko and Shamrock but was diverted just before reaching them by the 'lightning-rod arrows' Gunko had preemptively placed.
And Ragnir, hidden underground, knew this technique wouldn't work on Gunko. His true attack was about to come.
"Squeak!"
The hammer-headed squirrel, becoming a blur, burst from the ground, wind howling as it arced upwards, crashing down heavily towards Shamrock and Gunko.
Ragnir's size was that of a slightly plump squirrel to a giant, but to a normal human, it was a monstrous beast. Its hammerhead could easily cover both of them.
Boom!!!
"Arrow Sign: Edge."
Just as Ragnir's hammerhead was about to hit, it was deflected by the arrows pre-set on Gunko's left arm, which formed a massive drill. Even so, a portion of the tremendous force still transmitted to Gunko. Her left arm, along with half her body, was almost instantly shattered.
But Gunko's face showed no shock… instead, she acted as if everything was going according to plan.
And indeed, it was.
With her immortality, she had no fear of Ragnir's brute force. What did it matter if it shattered her a thousand or ten thousand times? She would be fine.
This was the consequence of lacking a wielder… Ragnir's attacks struggled to inflict lasting damage on such foes.
Conversely, Gunko's attacks could effectively harm Ragnir.
Her right-hand drill spun wildly, driven by the arrows, while her legs were encased in arrow-made boots that doubled her speed.
"Die!"
Zzzzz—
The Haki-coated drill met Ragnir's body, instantly sparking violently. It was easy to forget: Ragnir wasn't a squirrel that ate a Hammer Fruit, but a hammer that ate a Squirrel Fruit. Its essence was an incredibly durable weapon.
Therefore, learning from before, Gunko hadn't used her arrows to form a lance or giant fist this time, knowing such attacks would struggle to breach Ragnir's defenses. But a sustained drill was different.
"Squeak squeak!!"
Ragnir cried in pain as the drill hit its abdomen. Gunko kept pushing, driving the drill deeper. Even if the tip was worn down by Ragnir's body, new arrows would immediately fill the gap, continuously wearing away its defense.
Just as Ragnir cried out, Elbaf's last resisters struck.
One by one, they emerged from the cave, toppling the demon giants still paralyzed from the lightning. These old warriors, women, and even children attacked the better-armed demon giants with hay forks, smithing hammers, or kitchen cleavers, showing no mercy.
Old, weak, women, or children… they were still of Elbaf. The blood of Elbaf's warriors flowed in their veins.
Gaban seized this chance. Using his smaller stature, he mingled with the surging giants, gripping his axe with both hands, preparing to strike Gunko from behind with a lethal blow.
Axe Heaven Music!
He infused his Conqueror's Haki into the axe, drawing a streak of black lightning through the air.
This strike had to land!
By the time Gunko sensed Gaban's approach, it was too late to dodge. Seeing this, Ragnir showed a human-like 'plan succeeded' grin, even grabbing Gunko's body with its claws.
"Squeak!"
"Die!"
Clang!
However, the killing blow was cleanly intercepted by a heavily cracked longsword.
It was Shamrock.
The force of the parry sent his hood flying back, revealing his red hair, identical to Shanks', and the brutal scars covering his body. The resemblance was striking…
Even though Shamrock's face was almost entirely obscured by horrific scars, Gaban could still see Shanks' likeness. It was his first time fighting Shamrock face-to-face, seeing the twin brother Shanks had spoken of.
Unlike Gaban, Shamrock seemed devoid of any excess emotion. His cold eyes, so different from Shanks's, stared at Gaban. The Haki coating his broken blade darkened to an abyssal black.
Crack…
A faint, barely audible sound came from Gaban's axe.
The blade, the head, the handle… cracks spread rapidly. The seemingly more fragile Cerberus had just shattered Gaban's weapon.
"Look out!"
Ripley's roar sounded behind Gaban as a massive war lance shot towards Shamrock.
Yet Shamrock's expression didn't change.
He raised his hand.
His sword was thrown, soaring towards the descending lance, which was like an upside-down lighthouse. The blade ignited with black flames mid-flight, and Cerberus manifested its three massive, scarred dog heads. One bit the lance's tip, while the other two clamped onto Ripley's legs, drawing a cry of pain from the giantess.
"Ripley!"
Gaban's focus wavered as he tried to aid his wife, but Shamrock was already upon him.
Silently, he raised his fist and slammed it towards Gaban's head. In haste, Gaban could only block with his uninjured hand.
Boom!
The clash lasted less than two seconds before Gaban was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into his wife's abdomen and knocking the giantess down with him.