The way of the Giants (2)
(Bonus Chapter!!! Thanks for 500 P.S)
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In the outskirts of Sun Village, Shanks was in the middle of another intense training session.
Thick black cloth was tied tightly around his eyes, completely cutting off his sight. Yet even blindfolded, he ducked, weaved, and sidestepped with the grace of someone who could see each incoming strike. Rocks - some the size of pumpkins, sailed through the air, only to miss by inches as he flowed around them.
"Let's stop for now," Rock's booming voice called out.
Shanks exhaled sharply in relief and untied the blindfold, blinking rapidly as the light returned to his vision. Sweat clung to his brow, his shirt damp and clinging to his skin.
Rock stepped forward; arms crossed. "I think you might be a genius."
Shanks turned to look at the massive man towering over him. "Really? Took me three months to get this far."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel slung over his shoulder, tiredness evident in his expression.
"I've been dodging rocks for two hours straight, and I still don't feel like I've fully grasped it."
Rock simply grunted in approval. "You are not supposed to but its good speed."
From the pouch at his waist, the Giant pulled out a bottle well, human-sized and tossed it toward Shanks.
Shanks caught it with ease, twisting off the cap as a strong, herbal aroma hit his nose. It was a scent he'd grown oddly fond of.
"This again?" he muttered, inspecting the strangely shaped bottle. "Will you ever tell me what this stuff's made of? I'm literally the only one in the entire village who drinks it."
"You all just keep calling it a Warrior's Drink."
He took a gulp and sighed. "Though I'll admit… it is tasty."
Rock paused.
"You really want to know?" he asked, his tone oddly cautious.
Shanks raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Spill it. I've been drinking this for weeks. Don't tell me it's some weird ancient Giant concoction."
Rock gave a slow nod, almost hesitant. "Well… the name's not wrong. It is a drink for warriors. Made to build strength, durability, and heighten stamina."
He paused again.
"…The ingredients are pretty simple. Just some herbs… and female Giant's milk. All mixed together."
Shanks froze.
His expression blanked.
"…Come again?"
"Herbs," Rock repeated. "And milk from female Gi—"
"The fuck?!" Shanks blurted, nearly choking on the sip he'd just taken. His eyes bulged as he stared at the bottle like it had personally betrayed him.
"You're telling me I've been drinking what?!"
"Female Giant's milk," Rock said with complete seriousness. "It's very nutritious."
Shanks stared at him. "Rock. I'm fifteen."
Rock shrugged. "It's how our warriors grow strong."
"…That explains the bone density, I guess."
Shanks looked at the bottle again, as if unsure whether to throw it, smash it, or finish drinking it.
Then, after a moment of internal conflict… he took another sip.
"…Still tasty."
Rock chuckled, deep and rumbling. "That's the spirit."
Just as Shanks finished the last sip from the bottle, still processing the questionable ingredients, a large shadow loomed behind him.
Just as Shanks finished the last sip from the bottle, still processing the deeply questionable ingredients, a shadow loomed over him.
His heart sank.
He didn't even have to look to know who it was. There were few Giants in this village who walked with such thunderous, confident steps—and only one whose scent hit like a mix of sour cream and wet stone.
He turned, slowly.
Fraya.
The infamous female Giant, known equally for her strength and… distinctive appearance. Her skin was rough like bark, with deep wrinkles etched into her broad, sun-leathered face. A hooked nose overshadowed her thin lips, and a crooked jaw gave her a permanent lopsided scowl. Her blonde hair if it could still be called that—was an oily mess braided into thick ropes. One eye was slightly lazier than the other, and when she smiled, three of her front teeth were clearly missing.
"Little Shanks," she drawled, her gravelly voice vibrating through the ground. "Finally drinking your fill, eh?"
Shanks froze. "I...I didn't know it was yours specifically, Fraya."
Fraya laughed, the kind of laugh that felt like it might wake up ancient gods. "Who else would it come from? Only I volunteered for the 'Warrior's Brew' when Rock said you needed energy."
"Volunteered…?" Shanks muttered, his whole world crashing down.
Rock, seated nearby and trying very hard to keep a straight face, coughed into his fist. "She insisted, actually. Said you reminded her of her third husband. The good-looking one."
"...The one that got stepped on by accident?" Shanks asked, dead inside. A Giant stepping a Giant was not one of the legends he expected to hear from Rock's mouth.
"Yup," Rock confirmed.
Fraya knelt down, the ground quaking slightly as she did. "You've grown strong, haven't you? All thanks to my nourishing gift. I knew I'd make a man outta you."
Shanks wanted to melt into the earth and disappear forever.
"I… I appreciate it," he said, trying to salvage his pride.
Fraya reached out and patted his head with a hand the size of a carriage. "Good boy. You need anything, you come to Mama Fraya, alright?"
Shanks nodded stiffly, forcing a smile as he fought back the scream forming deep in his soul.
"Thanks... Mama Fraya."
As she lumbered away, singing an old Giant song that sounded like a battlefield dirge, Rock finally burst into laughter.
"You are so lucky, you know that?"
"...I want to go back to the hot spring and drown," Shanks muttered.
"Ahahahahahaha!" Rock burst into laughter, the sound echoing like a small landslide across the training grounds. Shanks couldn't help but chuckle along, despite the lingering trauma from what he had just learned.
The laughter died down gradually, and a calm silence settled over them. Rock, towering and steady, looked at Shanks with a more serious glint in his eyes.
"You missing your Guild back home?" he asked, his voice deep but thoughtful.
Shanks nodded, the smile on his face fading slightly. "Yeah... I'm worried about my little sister. She's tough, but still just a kid. I hate being so far from her."
Rock nodded slowly, his expression wise beyond his years—or centuries, as the case may be.
"Sometimes," Rock said, placing a heavy hand on Shanks' shoulder, "you have to disappear for a while... put in the work. That's what being strong is about. Not just fighting—but knowing when to step away and build yourself up."
Shanks looked up at the Giant, his heart steadying. The weight of responsibility always sat heavy on him, but Rock's words helped shift it from a burden to a purpose.
"Yeah. I understand," Shanks replied, his voice firmer now. "I'm just glad I saved up a bit of money before coming here. I sent the reward from my last mission to her. That should help for a while."
Rock gave a proud nod, clearly pleased. "That's what a man does. Good."
Shanks stretched out his sore limbs, rolling his neck with a grunt. "Alright, enough of the mushy talk. Let's get back to training."
Rock grinned, revealing rows of sharp, stone-like teeth. "That's more like it."
"Yeah!" Shanks grinned as well.
The training continued.
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Author's Note: A bit of training arc.
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