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Splash!
The waves growled nonstop as the ship sailed directly toward the Grand Line.
As the ship crossed Reverse Mountain, another ship was already waiting for Joey and his crew at the Grand Line.
"Brothers!"
"Big Bro!"
A man with fiery red hair and a shirtless torso—his presence as intense as his appearance—shouted loudly.
It was Charlotte Oven.
At this moment, Oven was steering an enormous ship, large enough for giants to live on comfortably.
Up in the air, Opera called out excitedly, "Oven!"
Oven looked at him and laughed, "Opera!"
Clearly, these few months apart had made their reunion all the more joyful.
Oven, along with Charlotte Perospero and Charlotte Daifuku, were responsible for protecting their family and younger siblings. None of them dared let their guard down, even for a moment.
Soon, the two ships met. After a brief exchange, Joey's crew transferred to Oven's massive ship, leaving only a handful of people to pilot the original ship.
Oven looked at Joey with excitement. "Big Bro!"
"Hmm."
Joey nodded at the much more mature-looking Oven. "Oven, you've done well. You've grown a lot."
"Hehe," Oven scratched his head with a shy smile.
Joey always believed in the potential of his siblings. Despite the short time apart, he was confident that this period of training had elevated all of them—whether it was Perospero, Daifuku, or even the younger ones like Broye.
As they reunited, Oven noticed Akanegakubo Momo, who was carefully directing the crew to move cooking equipment. He approached her gleefully.
"Chef Momo! It's been so long!"
Momo gave him a helpless look.
She had to admit—while the Charlotte family was talented and full of prodigies, they all had one major weakness: their obsession with sweets.
It wasn't just a craving; it was almost pathological. If they couldn't eat desserts, they would lose control completely.
"Master Oven," Momo replied respectfully.
"Hehehe," Oven chuckled. He was especially happy today because he had fought Daifuku for the honor of welcoming Joey and won.
The real reason, though? Momo was here, and with her, the best desserts imaginable. Missing out would've been heartbreaking.
Joey, fully aware of his family's sweet tooth, chuckled to himself.
"Alright, Oven," Joey interrupted, "don't bother Chef Momo. Did you prepare everything I asked for?"
Oven immediately snapped to attention. "Big Bro! Everything's ready! Even ancient giants wouldn't stand a chance against what we've prepared!"
Confidently pounding his chest, Oven declared that the top-tier supplies on board could subdue any giant, no matter how powerful.
"Good." Joey nodded in approval.
With everything in order, Joey gave the order.
"Set sail! Final stop: Little Garden!"
"No problem, Big Bro!"
"Set sail!"
Everyone sprang into action as the two ships sped off at an incredible pace.
The journey to Little Garden from Reverse Mountain didn't take long at all.
The Grand Line was an extraordinary sea, home to a variety of unique islands. Some islands boasted advanced civilizations, while others were trapped in ancient times.
Little Garden was one of those ancient islands—a place where humans held no power.
Dinosaurs and massive prehistoric beasts ruled the land. The island's name, Little Garden, came from how it resembled a giant's personal garden.
Few dared to visit such a place, but today, the Charlotte family had arrived.
As their ship docked, the crew gazed in awe at the island's towering trees and oversized landscape.
"Wow!" exclaimed Custard. "This island is huge! Everything here is so… gigantic!"
Broye, always the little know-it-all, added, "That's why it's called Little Garden. It's like a giant's garden!"
"Really?" Custard's eyes sparkled. "This all formed naturally?"
"Of course!" Broye explained proudly. "The Grand Line is full of unique islands. Some are highly advanced, while others are stuck in ancient times. It's all because of the unique conditions of this sea."
Custard, alongside her sisters Angel and Brûlée, listened in awe, impressed by Broye's knowledge.
With a haughty hum, Broye puffed out her chest, clearly enjoying the attention.
The older brothers couldn't help but smile at their youngest sister showing off.
Joey decided to step in.
"Alright, enough chit-chat. Time to work. Custard, go with Oven and start collecting rare animals, plants, and insects. Put everything in the Mirror World."
Custard saluted confidently. "Got it, Big Bro!"
Oven grinned. "Try to keep up with me, Custard!"
"Don't worry, Oven! I'll be fine!"
The two headed off, leaving Joey to focus on his other tasks.
Why collect animals and plants?
It was simply Joey's personal hobby.
Everyone in the Charlotte family had quirks. Their mother loved collecting races. Joey, on the other hand, had an obsession with rare and fantastical flora and fauna.
The zoo he built on Totto Land was filled with extraordinary creatures. Flying beasts, aquatic wonders, and exotic plants—it was a collection Joey prided himself on.
Joey turned to Opera and a few others.
"Take the supplies and deal with Dorry and Brogy. Don't worry, their strength has diminished over the years. Their weapons are broken, and they've been out of practice."
"Understood, Big Bro!"
The group nodded, ready to act.
Dorry and Brogy were once the captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates. Their current strength was around Bronze Level 9, barely scraping Silver Level 1. Time had dulled their power significantly.
Joey had already studied their stats. The decline wasn't just their fault—numerous factors had contributed.
In their prime, giants reached their peak around 200 years old, meaning Dorry and Brogy still had room to grow… theoretically.
As Joey walked through the island with Angel, Brûlée, and Broye, Angel asked curiously, "Big Bro! Are there many islands like this in the world?"
Joey shook his head. "No one knows, really. The world is vast, and no one has set foot on every island."
"Why not?" Angel tilted her head.
Broye explained smugly, "Because there are too many islands, and it's impossible to explore them all."
"Ohhh," the girls nodded, somewhat understanding.
Joey added, "If you want to see the world, you'll have to grow stronger. Only strength can help you go further. Understand?"
"Yes, Big Bro!" the girls replied earnestly.
Joey smiled. His siblings still had a lot to learn, but he believed in their potential.
As he walked, Joey summoned his 47 swords, surrounding the group with a protective barrier. These swords, Bronze Level 5, were more than enough to keep them safe.
While observing his summoned swords, Joey muttered, "Strange… these swords don't seem to grow stronger through battle or training. They just… improve over time."
Joey found it odd. Normally, Stand abilities grew through mental and physical challenges, but his swords seemed to evolve naturally.
Was it because of his own strength? Joey couldn't shake the mystery, but he decided to focus on the task at hand.
.
.
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