I was standing on the deck, enjoying my victory like a proper pirate.
The sea was calm again.
The blood was gone.
The Donquixote ship was officially mine.
Above me, the sun slowly rose, painting the sky orange.
"…Not bad," I muttered.
"From a dinghy to a ship in one night."
Gray was lying behind me, unconscious but breathing. Sea Cat floated beside the ship, tail gently swaying.
Everything felt peaceful.
Suspiciously peaceful.
Then—
The light vanished.
A massive shadow swallowed the deck.
I frowned and looked up.
"…Bruhh."
A huge ship stood before us.
No—
not huge.
Gigantic.
Its hull alone was bigger than my entire ship.
Before I could even process that—
Another shadow slid across the sea.
Then another.
"…Whattt."
Three massive ships surrounded us.
My mouth went dry.
Then—
"Wahhhhh!!!"
I froze.
That voice wasn't Gray's.
It wasn't Sea Cat's.
It came from behind me.
I turned around.
Standing on top of a barrel was a tinyperson, barely knee-high, with wings fluttering wildly. He was holding a hammer bigger than his whole body.
A Tontatta.
We stared at each other.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then we both screamed.
"WAHHHH!!!"
I jumped back.
He jumped higher.
"WHO ARE YOU?!" I shouted.
"I'M SPRUCE—RESU!! WHO ARE YOU, OUTSIDER—RESU?!"
I blinked, then pointed down.
"…This is my ship."
His expression snapped instantly.
"THIS IS MY LONG-LOST BROTHER'S SHIP—RESU!!"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE—RESU?!"
"…Eh?"
Long-lost brother?
I scratched my head.
Bruhhh… someone scammed this guy hard.
Extreme gullibility. Dangerous level.
Before I could explain—
BOOM.
The ship suddenly shook violently.
Spruce flew straight at me.
Out of pure instinct, we grabbed each other.
"HEEEEELPPPPPPPP!!!"
We screamed as the hull scraped against something massive.
The sea exploded.
One giant rose from the water like living mountains.
I looked up.
My neck hurt.
Spruce hugged me tighter.
We screamed louder.
"HEEEEEELPPPPPPP!!!"
The giant stepped closer, water dripping from his armor. He bent down, eyes widening.
"…Impossible."
"…You're alive?"
"…Fire Fist Ace?"
Ah.
Here we go.
I gently pushed Spruce off me.
He face-planted.
"OW—RESU!!"
I sighed.
"I'm not Ace."
"I'm GOL D. Ash."
"…Ace is my very far brother. My face just looks the same."
I paused.
"…Yeah that explanation sucked."
Stop talking, Ash. But how can I let this opportunity slide to make Hajrudin my friend.
The giant stared at me for a moment… then laughed.
"Hah."
"No wonder."
"You carry the same face… but not the same presence."
He straightened proudly.
"I am Hajrudin, captain of the New Giant Warrior Pirates and currently I'm working in Buggy's Pirate Dispatch Organization, with my 4 giant crewmate .
Behind me—
"…Good morning."
Gray's voice.
I turned.
Gray slowly sat up… then froze.
"…Bruhh."
"…Why are there giants."
"…And why is there a tiny man screaming on our dinghy."
"Dinghy...?!"
"Where is Dinghy and whose ship is thissss" he shouted.
Spruce screamed louder and climbed onto my shoulder.
"PROTECT ME FROM THAT WOLF—RESU!!"
Gray stared.
"…What the hell happened while I was unconscious?"
I laughed.
"Long story."
Hajrudin looked around the ship—the burned flags, broken deck, red patches of blood in the seawater and on the ship.
"…So this was your doing," he said calmly.
"I saw the aftermath from afar."
"Not many humans survive nights like that."
His gaze returned to me.
"You fought pirates alone… and lived."
I shrugged.
"…Barely."
I looked away.
He studied me for a moment.
"Ash."
"Where are you heading?"
I opened my mouth—
Then realized something terrifying.
"…No idea."
Gray sighed loudly.
The giants stared.
"…Bruhh."
Hajrudin laughed deeply.
"Hahaha!"
"That recklessness…"
"It reminds me of myself."
Then he looked serious.
"We are sailing to Elbaf."
"You may travel alongside us."
My heart skipped.
"Elbaf…?"
"Land of giants!?"
"…Yeah."
"…Yeah sure."
Spruce suddenly panicked.
"WAIT—RESU!!"
"I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING—RESU!!"
I grabbed him mid-air.
"If this is annoying, I'm throwing you into the sea."
"DON'T—RESU!! I'VE EATEN A DEVIL FRUIT—RESU!!"
I froze.
"…You WHAT?"
He trembled.
"That man wasn't my brother—RESU ?"
"He lied." I said.
"He used me as a shipwright for free—RESU ?"
I sighed.
"Told you."
Then I looked at him seriously.
"You're a shipwright?"
He nodded.
"…Yes—resu."
I smiled.
"Then join my crew."
His eyes widened.
"…Eh?"
"As long as you protect me from that wolf—RESU!!"
Gray showed him his claw.
He screamed and climbed higher on my shoulder, pointing at Gray.
Gray sighed.
"…I don't bite."
Spruce screamed louder.
Hajrudin laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"Well then, Ash."
"If fate allows…"
"Let us sail together."
I looked at my crew—
Gray, Spruce, Sea Cat.
"…Yeah."
"Let's go."
The giant ships turned.
And the sea ahead opened wide.
"...Bruhhh."