June 1460, Sea Circle Calendar ,
Elbaf,
Elbaf, the giant kingdom, sits in the second half of the New World.
If you're an adventurer arriving from afar, the first thing you see is a massive tree, stretching like it holds up the sky and earth: Treasure Tree Adam.
"So big!" Rocks gasped.
He'd thought it was just a tall tree, but after sailing a full day and night, he realized the truth. It wasn't that Adam wasn't huge—it was that they'd been too far away to grasp its scale.
Only up close do you understand why Elbaf is called a kingdom built on a tree.
"Haha, scared, huh? I was too, my first time here," Monger said, chuckling.
Rocks was just a rookie pirate, far from the legend he'd become. His eyes and strength were still green.
Monger gazed at the towering tree, a flicker of nostalgia in his eyes. "Last time I was here was ten years ago."
"Let's go," he said. "If we're lucky and the rainbow bridge is up, we'll head straight to the giant village. But if you want a drink at the coastal tavern first, I'm game, haha!"
In this world, countries split into two types: World Government members and non-members.
Member countries follow World Government laws and pay "Sky Gold" for naval protection. Non-members either can't or won't pay.
With oceans covering over 90% of the world, trade relies on ships, drawing outlaws like pirates. Monger saw himself as an adventurer, but to most, he was one of those lawless rogues.
Their natural enemy? The Navy, the World Government's enforcers.
Member countries get naval protection. Non-members? They're fair game, pirate havens.
But Elbaf's an exception. A non-member with no navy protection, its sheer might keeps most pirates at bay. Only fools mess with giants—they bully the weak, not the strong.
"Hey, is Balder here?" Monger called out.
After docking their sailboat on Elbaf's shore, Monger led Rocks to a coastal tavern. Its door alone loomed 20 meters high, making Monger and Rocks look like ants.
"Balder? You mean Dad?" came a girl's voice, not the gruff one Monger expected.
A round-faced giant girl with orange eyes, light golden hair, and freckles pushed open the door. She glanced out but saw no one.
"Hey, down here!" Monger shouted, waving with Rocks at her feet.
"Oh! Outsiders?" she said, spotting the tiny pair.
At over 15 meters tall, she was a "girl" only by giant standards. Her door swing nearly blew them away.
Monger's eyes lit up. "Wait, are you Mado? It's me, Uncle Monger! Don't tell me you forgot me—that'd break my heart!"
If he remembered right, Mado was Balder's daughter, the tavern owner. Ten years ago, Monger drank here often, telling stories to a much smaller Mado, then barely twice his height.
Mado's face brightened with recognition. "Uncle Monger? You look so different! I almost didn't know you."
"Haha, people age fast when they slack off. A few more years, and I won't recognize myself!" Monger roared with laughter.
In this world, dreamers who never quit stay youthful in spirit, even in old age. But those who lose their spark or stray? They fade fast. It's said the heart shapes the face.
Without hope or a system, Monger might've withered after Farrell's betrayal. But now, though older, his spirit burned anew.
"Come in, Uncle Monger! I'll mix you a Green Fairy, Elbaf's specialty. Been a while, right?" Mado said.
"Hey, slow down, little Mado! You trying to knock me out for two days?" Monger teased, pulling Rocks along. "Meet my new crewmate, Rocks. He's a brat, but we'll be staying in Elbaf a bit. Look out for him."
"I'm not a brat!" Rocks snapped.
"You haven't even learned Haki. What else are you?" Monger retorted, smacking Rocks' head—a sign of their bond in Mado's eyes.
"Hehe, Dad'll be thrilled to hear you're here," Mado said, smiling sweetly. She leaned down. "By the way, where's Sister Lily and the others?"
Monger's smile turned bittersweet. "A while back, I disbanded my crew. Everyone's gone their own way. Giants live long, but us humans? Our fighting days are short."
He raised his arm, once muscled, now leaner than his prime.
Mado's face fell. "Sorry."
"Haha, no sweat! Look at me, sailing again, right?" Monger grinned. His body wasn't what it used to be, but it was stronger than a month ago, thanks to a spark of renewed vitality.
"Oh, one thing," Monger whispered, glancing around the empty tavern. "Little Mado, any Adam Tree branches cut lately?"
In Elbaf, the Adam Tree is sacred, not to be touched lightly. But lightning fires sometimes force cuts to save the tree. Lucky folks might snag leftover branches.
Mado frowned, hesitant. "Should I tell you?"
Her tone mirrored her father's slyness.
"Mado, you've gone rogue!" Monger groaned, feigning pain. "Name your price."
"Hehe, just tell me stories about your adventures since you left," Mado said.
Monger paused, then nodded. "Deal!"
Mado shared that Elbaf had recently saved some Adam Tree branches from a fire. Though called "branches," they dwarfed century-old trees, as Elbaf itself rested on Adam's boughs.
But knowing about the wood and getting it were worlds apart. Giants never sold Adam branches, using fire-rescued ones for sacred rituals. Stealing was suicide—Monger wasn't crazy enough to fight Elbaf's giants.
Luckily, he knew what the giants craved and had a way to help.
"Haha, it's rare to visit Elbaf. I'm drinking my fill! Mado, if the rainbow bridge goes up, give me a shout."
Elbaf has three layers: the underworld at the base, the Yang world in the sunlit crown, and the heavens above. Monger and Rocks were in the shadowy underworld, where dense foliage blocked sunlight, making it unfit for living. Giants dwelt in the Yang world's sunny crown, reached by a rainbow bridge.
Like Monger said, no rush. After years away, a few days of drinking wouldn't hurt.
"Oh, one more thing," Monger added. "Is Carmelo still in Elbaf?"
Carmelo, the future Holy Mother and a looming Four Emperors figure, held sway even among giants. Monger, who'd known her longer, saw her darker side.
"Sister Carmelo? She's still here," Mado said.
The tavern door swung open, and a bold, wild giant girl strode in. "Mado, a Green Fairy, now!"
"Got it," Mado replied, then gestured to Monger and Rocks. "Sister Lipri, watch out—two small guests here. And don't smash stuff when you're drunk, or you'll get an earful."
Mado nagged, missing Lipri's stunned look at the tiny figures on the table.
Monger grinned. "Hey, Lipri, long time no see!"
"Monger?" Lipri froze, then clenched her fists. "You old geezer! You said I could join your ship when I grew up. It's been ten years!"
Hey!
Readers i working on hard
Please let me know if something you don't like in the story...
(End of chapter)
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