Dorry and Brogy gazed toward the eastern coastline.
The aura emanating from that direction carried a sharp intensity, exuding an undeniable sense of dominance that they could not ignore.
Even without seeing its source firsthand, they could tell that the owner of this presence was no ordinary person.
"What kind of guy could it be?"
Their thoughts aligned almost instinctively.
Noticing such an overwhelming presence, both of them couldn't help but feel intrigued.
For a hundred years, countless individuals had met their demise in Little Garden.
Most perished due to the island's harsh and unforgiving environment, either starving to death or being devoured by dinosaurs.
Some, however, had foolishly chosen to attack Dorry and Brogy, only to be slain in return.
Their dwelling was surrounded by mountains of human remains.
And in the past two months, the sudden influx of people to Little Garden had only added more heaps of corpses to the collection.
How many had they killed?
Dorry and Brogy had no idea.
They kept meticulous count of their duels against each other, but they had no interest in tallying the number of humans they had slain.
After all, these weaklings were hardly worth remembering.
Killing them required little effort.
But this time, they were certain of one thing.
The presence radiating from the eastern coastline was on an entirely different level compared to any human they had encountered before.
The sheer force of this aura alone commanded their attention.
"Gahahaha! I don't know why they've come, but they seem like a worthy opponent."
Dorry took a deep swig of the strong liquor he had plundered from a pirate crew that had once tried to take his life.
"However…"
As the rich aroma of alcohol filled his nostrils, a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.
"No matter their intentions, if they interfere with our battle of honor…"
An overwhelming pressure radiated from his massive frame, sending creatures in the nearby forest fleeing in terror.
In the food chain of this primeval island, this giant was undoubtedly at the very top.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the island—
Brogy leaned against the colossal remains of a Sea King.
His expression and the sheer force of his presence were strikingly similar to Dorry's.
Clearly, they were thinking the same thing.
Lately, far too many tiny humans had come seeking trouble.
Normally, they wouldn't mind playing around with these little ones.
But this particular group of humans was different—they had no sense of respect. They constantly disrupted the sacred duel between him and Dorry.
Cannons, firearms, poisoned blades…
They had resorted to every underhanded trick imaginable, interfering with their battles time and time again.
That was something neither Dorry nor Brogy could tolerate. It was an insult to their warrior's pride.
They held no fondness for the humans who still lingered on Little Garden.
Had they not been so consumed by their century-long duel, they might have long since taken action to eradicate those who had dared to encroach upon their island.
Yet they knew the truth.
The real threats weren't the cowards cowering by the shore.
It was those lurking deep within the jungle—the ones who refused to face them head-on, relying instead on deceitful schemes from the shadows.
Suddenly—
Boom!
A thunderous roar echoed in the distance.
Brogy's wild beard bristled as he instinctively gripped his ancient battle-axe, his gaze shifting to the erupting volcano spewing fire and molten rock.
It was the signal for their duel.
"Gahahaha!"
Excitement lit up Brogy's face as he turned away from the powerful presence at the eastern shore.
The moment the volcano erupted, only one thing remained in his mind—his exhilarating battle with Dorry.
"The third round! Today truly is a great day!"
Brogy strode toward the center of Little Garden.
Ahead of him, Dorry approached with a massive longsword in hand, his flowing beard swaying with his powerful steps.
The two giants stood face to face.
Their expressions overflowed with excitement.
Deep within the jungle—
Countless eyes fixated on Dorry and Brogy at the island's center.
"It's starting…"
Most of those gazes carried a cold, calculating glint.
Since they couldn't defeat the giants head-on, they had to find another way.
And conveniently, these two giants always fought whenever the volcano erupted.
To them, such an inexplicable ritual was nothing more than an opportunity—one that bolstered their confidence in taking down the giants.
...
The river leading inland to Little Garden was not particularly wide, allowing at most three mast ships to pass through simultaneously.
The Sleeping Forest White Steed sailed through the entrance and into the river.
On both sides of the riverbank, massive piles of rocks stood tall, while hundreds of people gathered on the cleared land where trees had been felled.
They silently watched the Sleeping Forest White Steed navigating the inland river.
The strike that Maude had just used to annihilate the Hummingbird Pirates had left them in complete shock.
At the same time, it had ignited a flicker of hope within them.
Although they did not know Maude's purpose for coming to Little Garden, they were well aware that if he wished to leave, he would inevitably have to face the terrifying giant goldfish.
If Maude could slay that monstrous creature…
Just the thought of it filled these long-trapped failures with an unfamiliar sense of excitement.
On the Sleeping Forest White Steed—
Maude glanced back at the people gathered along the riverbank, as if welcoming their arrival. He had no idea why they were so worked up.
He couldn't be bothered to think too deeply about it. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the direction where the volcanic eruption had caused a disturbance.
As the Sleeping Forest White Steed sailed further down the river, towering trees and various exotic shrubs from ancient times gradually came into view on both sides of the riverbank.
"These are all plants I've never seen before…"
Philo, wearing his signature crow mask, stared intently at the strange flora from the prehistoric era, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a beast's panicked roar echoed from within the dense jungle.
A massive yellow saber-toothed tiger, its body covered in blood, burst out of the foliage and sprinted desperately along the riverbank.
Blood gushed from its wounds, splattering onto the rocks near the water's edge.
Everyone on the Sleeping Forest White Steed instinctively turned to look at the wounded, fleeing saber-toothed tiger.
In that instant, a towering tyrannosaurus—easily twenty meters long—emerged from the jungle, its massive jaws clamping down on the saber-toothed tiger's midsection.
Blood sprayed through the air.
The saber-toothed tiger let out a pained, ear-piercing roar.
The tyrannosaurus clenched its jaws tighter, and the tiger's cries were abruptly cut off.
After finishing off its prey, the tyrannosaurus finally took notice of the Sleeping Forest White Steed floating on the river.
Its fierce, amber-colored eyes locked onto the people aboard the ship.
Bailey leapt onto Maude's shoulder, baring his teeth and swinging his tiny fists in an exaggerated show of aggression, openly provoking the tyrannosaurus.
The dinosaur didn't understand Bailey's gestures, but it clearly sensed the provocation.
Its pupils contracted—a prelude to its imminent attack.
"So what if you're big? Think you can withstand my cannon?"
Bailey showed no fear. Grinning mischievously, he pulled out a massive cannon from beneath his tiny frame—easily three times his own size.
During Maude's three months of seclusion, Bailey hadn't been idle.
While he had not focused on improving his Armament Haki, he had significantly refined his Arms-Arms Fruit abilities.
Now, not only had he added over a dozen new transformations, but he could also enlarge his weapons at will.
Holding up the cannon, Bailey was itching for action.
"So that's a dinosaur. It looks just like the books described… just a little bigger."
Gaya narrowed her eyes and smiled, pulling out her hand axe, already eager to take down the tyrannosaurus in front of her.
The tyrannosaurus seemed to sense the impending danger but showed no intention of retreating.
Only a force on par with the fury of nature itself could instill fear in such a beast.
"CLANG—!"
Suddenly, an ear-splitting clash of steel rang out from the island's center.
The sound reached them first, followed by a powerful shockwave that sent nearby trees trembling violently.
The sudden disturbance startled the tyrannosaurus, causing it to abandon its prey and flee without looking back.
Drawn by the aftershocks of battle, the crew on the Sleeping Forest White Steed turned their attention to the source of the commotion, their expressions shifting with intrigue.
Through the gradually thinning trees, they could see two towering giants locked in fierce combat, each wielding a massive weapon.
As their swords and axes clashed, deafening explosions of force erupted, sending powerful gusts of wind howling in every direction.
The trees closest to them bent under the sheer force of the shockwaves.
Even the distant birds and beasts scattered in panic at the titanic confrontation.
"They're monsters…!"
Members of the Beautiful Pirates stared, dumbfounded, at the earth-shaking duel before them.
They could hardly imagine the terrifying power behind each of the giants' strikes.
Faced with such monstrous beings, they felt no desire to fight.
But Maude… Maude wanted to battle them.
He gazed at the two giants locked in their relentless duel.
He could see it—the glint of Armament Haki clashing with each strike of their weapons.
As expected, these giants knew how to wield Haki—and their mastery wasn't weak.
With that skill, combined with their naturally immense strength…
They were far stronger than he had anticipated!
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