Excitement bloomed across both their faces!
A giant and a little one, so disproportionate in size, yet it didn't look strange at all.
Terrifying forces collided instantly.
At that moment, the raw essence of physical power was displayed in its purest form.
"Hey~"
"Hey~"
Fist met fist. They shared a knowing smile, silently acknowledging their opponent… and themselves.
Boom!!!!!
A delayed, explosion-like roar suddenly erupted!
The colossal forces clashed, releasing a terrifying shockwave that turned into a catastrophic disaster. Wild gusts of wind swept across Little Garden Island!
Half the forest was flattened.
Countless creatures lost their homes, or even their lives, at that very instant.
And yet… this was only the aftershock of the two clashing attacks.
…
The intense flames surrounding Merry seemed to come alive. Like a massive serpent, they slithered along the intertwined fists and rapidly engulfed Brogy's entire body.
In an instant, atop Little Garden Island, a giant of fire appeared, towering proudly in the forest. Beautiful and majestic.
"Ahahaha!"
Brogy, now a being of flames himself, laughed again.
Yet beneath that untamed grin lay unbearable pain, masked only by his arrogant laughter.
After laughing, Brogy's face twitched violently. His mouth split further into a fierce, terrifying smile. Looking up at little Merry on his giant fist, he said with admiration:
"You truly are… a child favored by the God of War!"
"You're the strongest warrior I've ever seen!!!"
His tone was filled with genuine appreciation, marveling at Merry's power.
"Eh-heh~"
Merry gave a light smile and replied:
"You're also the strongest one I've ever fought!"
"Is that so? Hahaha! What an honor!"
The Elbaph warrior laughed heartily at her praise.
Being recognized by a strong opponent, one of a warrior's highest honors.
If only he knew this was Merry's second battle ever, and her first had been against a pirate who had already fallen at the entrance of the Grand Line, he probably wouldn't be laughing so joyfully.
…
Sss!
As their words faded, a sharp, tearing sound suddenly rang out.
Like the trigger for a tidal wave, Brogy's massive arm muscles split violently.
Sss!!!!
Another terrifying tearing noise.
The wound on Brogy's arm surged like a writhing dragon across his skin.
"Ugh~"
Pain so intense even a brave Elbaph warrior couldn't help but groan in agony.
Sweat beads a meter or two long slid slowly down his rough face.
The drops smashed onto a sapling, instantly snapping its newly straightened spine.
Boom!!!
From Brogy's massive arm, another explosion-like crack erupted.
Torn flesh sprayed blood in torrents.
The blood fell like rain.
The pain coursed relentlessly through Brogy's mind.
Merry's full-strength strike had utterly destroyed his arm, every muscle, tendon, and sinew ruined.
Yet her tiny fists still radiated boundless power.
Hiss~
In the blazing fire, the blood shimmered brilliantly, falling below to sterilize the plants, turning them into new nutrients to nourish the soil.
The flames around both fighters began to dissipate.
As if the dust had settled, silence fell.
"Huff!"
After a long pause, Brogy, his massive eyes trembling, exhaled heavily. His expression was solemn:
"I… lost."
An Elbaph warrior never refuses defeat.
They simply… hate losing.
Boom, boom…
The giant, half-drained of blood, staggered backward.
This time, he lost all control of his body.
His eyes rolled upward, and he collapsed, unconscious.
His massive body slammed into the earth, deepening the already cracked ground into an unfathomable chasm.
Fortunately, the ancient creatures had left the area before the battle began.
Otherwise, these near-extinct species might have vanished from history today.
…
Hehe!
Merry descended from the sky, barely harmed.
Though her body trembled slightly upon landing, she quickly recovered.
"Merry!"
The crew of the Starry Sky Pirates rushed forward, worriedly checking on their beloved ship mascot.
"Eh-heh heh heh~"
Merry enjoyed their concern, looking adorably dazed.
Luffy stepped up and affectionately ruffled her hair:
"You've gotten stronger, little Merry!"
Her eyes squinted into two slits, still grinning goofily under Luffy's touch.
Seeing her like this, Luffy suddenly said:
"From now on, Merry will join the training too!"
"Wah!!!"
"Really!? Luffy!? Can I really?! Really really?!"
Little Merry bounced up excitedly, tugging on Luffy's arm and asking again and again.
"Of course! But…"
Luffy ruffled her hair again, continuing:
"Our training is very strict. You have to keep up…"
"Mm-hmm!!"
Merry nodded eagerly, as if a lifelong dream had just come true.
Previously, Luffy had always treated Merry like a child.
But watching her fight today, he realized a serious problem: he had spoiled her too much.
From this battle alone, it was clear: Merry's stats far surpassed Brogy's, yet she had been repeatedly thrown around in combat.
It wasn't a matter of strength, it was purely a lack of proper battle habits.
Even if he didn't want to put her in danger, she needed essential training.
Hmm… leave that to Zoro.
After all, Luffy couldn't bring himself to be harsh.
With that thought, he shifted his gaze from Merry to Zoro, who stood nearby, smiling at the scene.
"Hmm?"
Zoro glanced at Luffy with curiosity.
Luffy gave him a look, one glance to let him understand.
"Uh!"
Zoro's face turned red with embarrassment, then he sighed silently, thinking:
As expected, the first mate always takes the blame for the captain…