One Piece: The Archangel's Guide

Chapter 312: The King of Elbaf

Deep in the New World, Elbaf.

A portal opened in front of the tavern in the underworld, and a tall giant stepped out.

His nearly indestructible, pinkish-red scales gleamed in the light, and his sharp, golden dragon horns let out a fierce whistle as he moved. His long, thick dragon tail lay passively on the ground, sweeping away dozens of small trees.

Hajrudin looked up at the snow-capped mountains in the distance, a low rumble coming from his fanged maw. "After so many years... I'm back."

After a brief moment, he composed himself and looked up toward the "Sun World," hidden in the clouds above.

His body, already the size of an ancient giant in his dragon-man form, swelled and elongated, transforming into a sky-blotting dragon that coiled in the air. In moments, his massive, Sea-King-sized body was ascending, supported by his Flame Clouds.

The light at the coastal tavern was suddenly eclipsed. The patrons inside looked out.

"What's going on? Did it get dark?" a human pirate asked.

A portly pirate next to him took a bite of meat and mumbled, "Idiot, it's not night. It's an eclipse, obviously!"

Another pirate with dreadlocks tensed, his hand going to his gun. "Boss... that looks like trouble."

"Ah... I see it." The red-haired man in the black cloak turned, a faint smile on his face.

At the bar, a silver-haired man with a gun on his hip lit a cigarette. "He's heading straight for the Sun World."

"What? What?" The pink-haired giant child, Kolon, slammed his fist on the bar and sat up. "Is it an enemy?" Before anyone could answer, he had grabbed his sword and was stomping toward the door.

The pirates were stunned. "Hey, Kolon, where are you going?"

"That thing... even Yasopp said it felt strong!"

"I am a warrior of Elbaf!" Kolon shouted back, not stopping. "If I don't stand up, who will protect this country?!"

His words made the other giants in the tavern, who were already on their feet, turn dark. One of them snatched Kolon up.

"We're not dead yet, you brat!" The giant tossed Kolon behind him and shoved the door open.

When they saw the massive, pinkish-red dragon flying toward the Sun World, they all froze. "Is that... Hajrudin?!"

"He's back!"

Thanks to his famous title, the "Land-Mover Giant God," and the many reports of his feats, even the giants who had stayed on Elbaf were familiar with Hajrudin's dragon form.

They watched him disappear from view, then looked at each other. "Let's go see. Something must be happening." They grabbed Kolon, who had run out again, and headed for the Mist Ship dock.

At the door, Red-Hair Shanks and his crew watched the pink dragon vanish. "Hajrudin, eh? His strength has changed... in a big way."

"He's Louis's 2nd Division Commander, I hear," Benn Beckman added.

"In that case," Shanks grinned, "let's go follow him. We're not in a hurry to set sail anyway."

In the Sun World, near the West Village.

A violent battle raged, sending shockwaves and dust clouds billowing. The clang of steel and shouts echoed.

"Brogy! I will defeat you and take the Giant Warrior Pirates back to sea!"

"Nonsense! I will defeat you and lead the crew!"

The giants of the crew surrounded them. "Captain Dorry! Captain Brogy! Stop fighting!"

"If you two fight for another hundred years, we'll be the old geezers!"

Jarl, the sword still stuck in his head, sat watching the two "kids" duel with great interest. "Don't interfere! This is a battle for their honor as warriors!"

The giant children watched, mesmerized.

Just then, a massive shadow fell over the battlefield, and everyone looked up. A colossal, pink-scaled dragon was coiling above them, its fanged head lowering, its maw large enough to swallow a giant whole.

"Is that Hajrudin?!" Dorry and Brogy stopped their fight, staring at the beast.

The children gasped. "It's the legendary Jörmungandr!"

"That's Hajrudin, you idiots!" a young giantess with ancient blood, Johanna, snapped.

As they watched, the massive dragon shrank, reverting to his twenty-plus-meter-tall giant form and landing with a thud.

Hajrudin stood up, his gaze sweeping over the familiar faces, and walked straight to Jarl.

"You're back, Hajrudin," Jarl said, his voice full of emotion as he studied him. His appearance was the same, but his power and his will were worlds apart. "It seems you've come back to Elbaf... for me."

Hajrudin stood before Jarl, took a deep breath, and met the ancient giant's eyes.

"Lord Jarl! I have come to claim the throne of Elbaf, which has been empty for twelve years!"

"I, too, am a prince of Elbaf. I should have that right!"

If Dorry and Brogy were legends, Jarl was a hero, a living history. For generations, kings had respected his opinion. Since King Harald's death, Jarl had been recognized by all as the acting ruler of Elbaf. To claim the throne, Hajrudin had to go through him.

Everyone was stunned. "Claim the throne?!"

Dorry and Brogy exchanged a look, nodded, and lowered their weapons. Compared to this, their duel was meaningless.

The other giants began to murmur.

"Hajrudin wants the throne?"

"Why not? He's a prince!"

"It's either him or Loki, and Loki is... well, Loki."

"But... Hajrudin's mother wasn't from Elbaf..."

"Who cares! His power proves he has the blood of an Elbaf warrior!"

Hajrudin ignored the whispers, his gaze fixed on Jarl.

After a long silence, Jarl's expression grew serious, his eyes sharp. "I knew you always had this ambition, though you never showed it. Tell me, why now?"

"Because the World Government is targeting the giants of the West and South Seas," Hajrudin said, his voice ringing with power. "I want to use the strength of Elbaf to crush those Marines. But to mobilize the armies of Elbaf... I must be its king!"

"What reason do you have to save them?" Jarl pressed, his sharp eyes seeming to pierce Hajrudin's soul. "Don't forget, they despise us. That hatred has lasted 800 years."

The giants fell silent. Dorry and Brogy just smiled.

Hajrudin's aura swelled, and he met Jarl's gaze without flinching. "Because I will be their king! And a king protects his people!"

His voice echoed through the village.

At the village entrance, Shanks, who had just arrived, paused... and then grinned. "So, Hajrudin is becoming the King of Elbaf."

"Hajrudin..." said a giant who had trained him decades ago, "you really were following your dream all this time."

On a nearby roof, Gaban laughed. "Harald, if you could see your son now, you'd be proud!"

Jarl, however, was still not satisfied. He rose to his full, towering height, his immense, ancient aura pressing down on Hajrudin, terrifying the children.

"As King of Elbaf... you would risk the lives of Elbaf's army to save others?"

"We will be one. We are giants of the same nation," Hajrudin answered, unbowed. "What is wrong with a king using his army to protect his people?"

Jarl was silent. Then, his stern expression softened. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Hajrudin's shoulder.

"You're right. Hundreds of years ago... we were all one people. Hajrudin, I acknowledge you. You will be a great and powerful king, just like your ancestor."

He turned to Dorry and Brogy. "You two brats! Do you acknowledge Hajrudin as the new king?"

Dorry and Brogy looked at each other, then raised their weapons and laughed. "Men of the Giant Warrior Pirates! Celebrate the birth of our new king!"

"HAJRUDIN-HEIKA!!"

"THE NEW KING IS CROWNED! THE LAND OF WARRIORS' NAME WILL ONCE AGAIN SHAKE THE WORLD!!"

The cheer was picked up by all the other giants.

Hajrudin was stunned. He had been prepared to prove his worth in combat. He hadn't expected it to be this easy.

The news spread via Giant Den Den Mushi across Elbaf. The giants were surprised, and some were hesitant about his "mixed blood," but no one objected. His strength was renowned. And the alternative... was Loki. With Jarl old, Hajrudin was the only choice.

The celebration was about to begin... but it was cut short.

Their new king, Hajrudin-heika, was mustering the armies for war.

The adult giants of Elbaf, the generation who remembered the glory of the Land of Warriors, retrieved their weapons, shields, and armor, and began to march. Their warrior blood, dormant for years under the last king's peaceful reign, was boiling once more.

In the West Village, Jarl looked at Hajrudin, then at the common axe on his back, and sighed.

"Since you are the new king, that axe is no longer suitable. I must give you the weapon that symbolizes the crown."

"The... symbolic weapon?"

Hajrudin turned. His blood ran cold.

Jarl, the respected hero, had both hands wrapped around the hilt of the sword... sticking out of his own head. His eyes were squeezed shut, and he was gritting his teeth, clearly preparing to pull it out.

"!!!"

"Wait! Lord Jarl!!" Hajrudin panicked, rushing to stop him. "Wait! I don't need that sword! A normal axe is fine!"

Dorry and Brogy, seeing this, were also horrified. "What are you doing, Lord Jarl?! You'll die if you pull that out! Louis isn't here!"

"His Majesty needs this sword," Jarl grunted, unconcerned. "If I die, I die."

"No, no, don't pull it!" Hajrudin was sweating. "Wait! When I get back, I'll have a blacksmith forge me a new one from Sunstone!"

After a chaotic scene, Jarl finally relented.

Hajrudin, after calculating the army's assembly time, turned and headed for the underworld.

Before the war, there was one person he needed to see.

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