Next Bonus, 100!!
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"How would you like to join the kingdom's naval staff office?" Jin asked.
Suleiman was surprised. "But... I'm a wanted war criminal..."
"One man's enemy is another man's hero," Jin said.
The words struck a chord in Suleiman's heart. Being cast out by the country he loved had been a wound that had never healed. In that battle, he had been outnumbered, his own forces decimated. He hadn't had the manpower to guard or treat the prisoners. Executing them had been the only way to secure the victory. He didn't believe he had done anything wrong. But the country he had protected, the people... they hadn't understood. They had called him a butcher.
Jin was the first person who had ever understood. Just a few words, and Suleiman was deeply moved.
He took off his hat and bowed low. "I would be honored to serve you."
Jin turned to the next group.
"The Muscles Pirates! I'm the captain, Sagra! Bounty: 86 million Berries!" a bald-headed man over three meters tall bellowed, striking a bodybuilding pose that showed off his ridiculously muscular physique. "Muscles are our faith! HOOO-HEI!"
Behind him, forty-three other muscular men struck similar poses, their oiled muscles gleaming.
Sagra was from the South Blue, a rookie from the same generation as Cavendish, though not as famous. His specialty was Armament Haki and a muscle-based fighting style.
'They're a decent crew,' Jin thought. 'Though some of them... with the lipstick and the eyeshadow... it's a bit much. A bit... camp?'
But Jin was a man of the world. He didn't judge.
"Go to the Gran Tesoro," he said. "You'll be very popular there."
As an entertainment city, the Gran Tesoro was a gathering place for nobles and celebrities from all over the world, even the occasional Celestial Dragon. And as everyone knew, the upper class, bored with their upper-class lives, often indulged in a bit of slumming it. A group of muscle men like this... they'd be a huge hit.
"We are the Vanette Siblings, a team of bounty hunters!" eight identical people—seven men and one woman—said in unison. They were from the Longleg Tribe.
The Gourd Brothers and their little sister?
Their names were also interesting: Van-One, Van-Two... The eighth, the girl, was Vanette.
Because of their identical appearance and their telepathic link, they excelled at coordinated attacks and "body-double" infiltration tactics.
And the bone structure of the Longleg Tribe was unique. The length of their lower legs accounted for over 70% of their total leg length. Like Baron Tamago, though their legs were extremely slender, their kicking power was enough to shatter a metal shield.
The octuplets would be a good fit for Reiju's organization.
Finally, there was a group of about a hundred miscellaneous pirates who had lost their crews or their captains in battles with the Yonko. Jin assigned them all to Reiju as well. The arms company needed manpower to be competitive.
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With that settled, Jin and Shanks set sail for Elbaf.
Cavendish and the other fans, much to Shanks's dismay, were assigned to garrison one of his islands.
"Hey! How did I end up the president of Uta's fan club?" Shanks complained.
"Because you're her dad. If not you, who? Go on. Look Uta in the eye and tell her you're not."
Shanks was speechless.
'A mere Yonko, handled!'
On the way to Elbaf, Jin and Shanks had a deep discussion—and a few spars—about Haki.
Jin's understanding of "ki" was broader and deeper, thanks to his knowledge from his past life. His worldview was more expansive. That was the root of his unique Conqueror's Haki.
Shanks, on the other hand, had far more experience in the practical application of Haki.
Both of them learned a great deal from the exchange.
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Three days later.
Guided by Shanks, they arrived at a tavern on the coast of Elbaf.
"This place is easy to get to, so it's popular with outsiders," Shanks explained. "The waitress here, a giant named Mato, has served us before."
They stepped onto the docks, and suddenly, everything was massive.
The stones, the wooden posts, the houses, the animals, the blades of grass, the trees... everything was ten, twenty times larger than in the outside world.
They all tilted their heads back in awe.
"Yohohoho... the Land of the Giants!" Brook exclaimed.
"It's so big!" Carina said.
"Unbelievable!" Uta added.
Robin also disembarked. As she took in the sight, a flicker of worry crossed her face. She wondered if Saul had really made it back here from Ohara.
"Shanks?"
At the sound of his name, the door of the tavern, marked with a goat's head, opened, and a giant child came out, his face beaming.
"Colon! You're here!" Shanks said with a grin.
"You're back!" the child said, running toward them. He had messy pink hair, his bangs covering his right eye, and a smattering of freckles on his face. Like the other giants, he was dressed in a Viking-style outfit, complete with a horned helmet, a small cloak, and a tunic cinched with a belt, from which a small sword hung.
He noticed Jin and the others. "Who are they?"
"This is King Jin of the Winter Blossom Kingdom and his band," Shanks said. "You've heard their songs, haven't you? I sent some newspapers and records to the Owl Book Nook and the Walrus School. They were on the front page."
"Eh?" Colon's eyes lit up. "You mean... Brook and the others?"
"Yohohoho..." Brook said with an elegant bow. "I am the one and only Brook."
"It's really you!" Colon's eyes were wide. "You're a skeleton, just like in the picture!"
"I hope my skeletal form doesn't frighten you," Brook said. "Yohohoho..."
"Mr. Shanks!"
A giantess came out of the tavern. She was over ten meters tall. She wore a light-colored tunic and a reddish-brown apron, with a string of white pearls around her neck.
She had a short, bob-like haircut and a round, kind face with a warm smile.
"Mato!" Shanks said with a nod.
"Come in, come in! Have a drink!"
At Mato's enthusiastic invitation, they all went inside.
Giant chairs, giant flagons...
But since the tavern also served outsiders, there was a smaller bar with human-sized glasses.
"Eh?" Colon exclaimed. "Dorry and Brogy are working for you? They're two of the most revered warriors in all of Elbaf!"
"I defeated them in a 'glorious duel'," Jin said with a smile. "That's why they're working for me."
"Really?" Colon's eyes were sparkling. "Then who's stronger, you or Shanks?"
The crew all flinched. Kid, are you trying to start another war?
"Me, of course!" Jin and Shanks said in unison.
Colon sensed the sudden shift in the atmosphere and let out a nervous laugh. "So... what brings you here?"
"Two things," Jin said. "First, to pay a visit to the Land of the Giants and hopefully establish friendly relations. And second, I'm looking for a giant named Saul."
"You're looking for Saul?" Colon said, then immediately clapped his hands over his mouth, realizing he'd let it slip.
"Don't worry," Jin said with a smile. "This lady with me was a good friend of Saul's. They were separated some time ago, and she's hoping to see him again."
Shanks and the others glanced at Robin.
These past few years, free from a life on the run, had been good to her. Her appearance and demeanor had changed. The natural elegance of a West Blue native, combined with her new status, had given her a noble air. She looked very different from the picture of the seven- or eight-year-old girl on her wanted poster.
Someone who didn't know her well wouldn't easily recognize her.
"In that case, Colon," Mato said, "you should go tell your mother, Ripley. Have her contact Elder Jorul."
"Oh, okay! I'll go right now!" Colon said, jumping down from his chair.
"Wait," Mato said, handing him a parcel. "Take this. It's your mother's favorite. And something for your father, too."
He took it and ran off.
"Colon is the child of a giant and a human," Shanks explained to Jin. "That's why he's so friendly."
'So he's Scopper Gaban's son.'
"Also," Shanks continued, "there are some giants who only respect strength and don't trust 'puny' humans. They live by the warrior's code."
"Oh? A code of honor?" Jin asked.
"Something like that..."
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