As Rorschach watched the excited Marine Captain rush off to report back on the island, he walked toward the front of the Sea Train.
Since Enies Lobby was a World Government military stronghold, all passengers on the Sea Train were ordered to remain onboard, forbidden from stepping outside.
This decision upset a few passengers, but no one dared to voice any objections.
Some of the bolder passengers pressed against the windows, curiously staring at the two towering giants standing before the massive gate in the distance, their faces filled with awe.
They couldn't help but think—this truly is the World Government's military stronghold. Even the gatekeepers are two full-grown giants—what a luxurious display of power.
"L-Lieutenant, sir…"
The train conductor watched Rosha approach, his expression growing tense.
He still remembered how he had cursed the Marines aboard that warship earlier.
Now, standing before him was a Marine officer nearly three meters tall, a man who had just displayed godlike power. In the conductor's eyes, Rosha was nothing short of a mighty and awe-inspiring figure.
Hadn't he just seen that Judiciary Island's Marine commander, the one leading an entire squad of Marines, treating this young officer with such deep respect?
Now that his initial excitement had faded, the middle-aged conductor felt nothing but fear and anxiety.
"Uncle, I'm sorry for the trouble—I didn't scare you, did I?"
Rorschach smiled as he looked at the train conductor and the young female attendant standing inside the control room behind him.
"N-No, not at all! It's no trouble—we're completely fine!"
The conductor quickly waved his hands.
Meanwhile, the young female attendant, after receiving a brief glance and a warm smile from Rosha, suddenly looked flustered and shy, lowering her head.
"That's good to hear."
Rorschach pointed toward the warship, which was still hovering motionlessly over the sea.
"Here's the situation, Uncle. My warship's external propeller got tangled with the Sea Train's tracks underwater, so it couldn't move earlier."
"That section of the track is now severely deformed and likely needs repairs. Do you know if there are any craftsmen in Water 7 capable of fixing Sea Train tracks?"
"If the track can be repaired quickly, I can help put the Sea Train back in place. That way, you'll be able to depart again."
Upon hearing this, the conductor suddenly understood everything.
So that's why the warship hadn't moved all this time—it had been stuck on the submerged tracks!
"Track repairs are always handled by Mr. Iceburg's shipwrights. I'll contact him right away."
The conductor turned around and asked the female attendant for a Den Den Mushi, then started dialing.
"Mr. Iceburg?" Rosha raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, you might not have heard of him, sir."
The conductor chuckled while dialing.
"Mr. Iceburg is the mayor of Water 7 and the president of the city's largest shipbuilding company—Galley-La Company. He's a great man."
"Oh, so it's Iceburg."
Rorschach immediately understood.
So the 'Mr. Iceburg' the conductor mentioned was actually Iceburg, the disciple of Fishman Tom and Franky's older brother.
Shortly after the call connected, Iceburg responded quickly.
"Sir, Mr. Iceburg has confirmed that he'll immediately send Galley-La's shipwrights to handle the repairs."
"I see. But… how long will the repairs take? The passengers might get hungry while waiting."
"How about this—I'll ask the Marines on Judiciary Island to prepare lunch for all of you."
Rorschach offered apologetically.
The conductor immediately shook his head, waving his hands like a drumstick rattle.
"N-No need, sir! We're not hungry at all!"
"No, it's necessary. Uncle, just wait here—I'll be back soon."
Rorschach nodded toward the nervous middle-aged man, then flashed away in an instant, appearing back on his warship.
He gave specific instructions to Hibari, telling her and the others to stay put and not to mess with the ship's position.
If they accidentally dislodged the already stretched track, it could lead to an even bigger problem.
After ensuring everything was in order, Rorschach—guided by a Marine soldier—walked toward the inner areas of Judiciary Island.
As he approached the towering gates of Enies Lobby, he immediately noticed the two massive giants standing on either side.
Their curious gazes were locked onto him.
Rorschach paused, looked up with a smile, and spoke.
"I know your names—Oimo and Kashii, right?"
"That's right. You're a powerful Marine… what's your name? We giants admire strong warriors the most."
The Chubby Giant on the Left, Oimo, Grinned.
He wasn't particularly surprised that Rosha knew their names.
After all, there were plenty of Marines stationed at Enies Lobby, and the two of them had been guarding this place for nearly fifty years—something that many Marines were well aware of.
"My name is Rosha."
Rorschach turned slightly and pointed toward the warship in the distance.
"Speaking of which, I have a giant warrior on my warship too. His name is Pamel, and he's only fifty years old."
"Fifty years old?"
Oimo and Kashii's eyes widened in surprise.
Of course, they had already noticed Pamel on the warship earlier.
With that booming voice of his, he had been yelling so loudly that it was impossible not to notice him.
To them, a fifty-year-old giant was still nothing more than a child.
Giants had a lifespan of around three hundred years, so fifty was equivalent to a sixteen or seventeen-year-old human—and that was assuming humans even lived to be a hundred.
In this chaotic and brutal era of great pirates, it was uncertain if most people could even live to sixty.
"Where is he from? Elbaf?"
Oimo suddenly looked excited.
It had been decades since he last returned to his homeland, and he had no idea what Elbaf had become over the years.
Kashii, upon hearing the name "Elbaf", also became visibly emotional, his eyes even turning red.
Home… It had been over forty years since he had last been there.
For giants—who lived such long lives—forty years was still a painfully long time.
Seeing their expressions filled with longing, Rorschach shook his head slightly.
"Unfortunately, Pamel doesn't seem to have been born in Elbaf."
"He says he's from a small island somewhere in the Grand Line. Since childhood, he had always listened to his parents tell stories about the adventures of the Giant Warrior Pirates. His greatest dream is to return to the land of the giants—Elbaf—and meet the legendary warriors who once made their names known across the seas."
"The Giant Warrior Pirates?"
Oimo and Kashii exchanged a look—then suddenly burst into boisterous laughter.
Their laughter was deep and hearty, shaking the air around them.
"What's so funny?"
Rosha acted as if he didn't know.
"Hahaha, you don't know?"
"The two of us were members of the Giant Warrior Pirates!"
"Ah, so you're the legendary giant warriors who became famous over a hundred years ago."
Rorschach smiled.
"I've heard many tales about your captain's legendary exploits."
"Tell me—would the two of you be interested in joining the Marines?"
"I'd be happy to recommend you."
"We already have many outstanding giant officers in the Marine ranks."
"Join the Marines?"
Oimo's laughter faded slightly as he shook his head.
"We appreciate your offer, mighty Marine—but we must decline."
"Why?"
Rosha's brow furrowed slightly.
"Do you still wish to carry on the legacy of the Giant Warrior Pirates from over a hundred years ago?"
"This era's pirates are no longer symbols of adventure and romance."
"Lawless pirates have turned these vast seas into a chaotic mess."
"Pamel was nearly kidnapped and sold as a slave by pirates, you know."
"No… we will never be pirates again."
Kashii let out a long sigh, his expression turning somber, as if he were recalling a distant past.
"After our two captains started their duel to determine who had caught the bigger prey, the Giant Warrior Pirates were disbanded."
"The once-mighty fleet that ruled the seas… no longer exists."
"Some of our comrades returned to Elbaf, some joined the Marines, and others went on to form their own pirate crews."
"Some of them joined the Marines?"
This time, Rosha was genuinely surprised.
Oimo nodded.
"Do you know John Giant?"
"He used to be the Giant Warrior Pirates' helmsman."
"What? Vice Admiral John Giant was your crew's helmsman?!"
Rorschach's eyes widened.
No wonder that guy was so fierce, even daring to ambush Whitebeard during the Summit War.
So he was once a crew member of the Giant Warrior Pirates…
(End of Chapter)
────────────────────────────────────
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Naruto: Starting with Tsunade-san]."
"If you're interested, please support me in my other novel [Battle Through the Heavens: Heavenly comprehension]."
"If you want an early access join my patreon:- patreon.com/BaDwYGaMeR"