"The brain isn't working, and the eyes are useless..."
The same three ships, the same group of people—still accompanied by the gentle Lina, and of course, the ever-excitable Beta, who was now eagerly scanning the deck with wide eyes.
Inside the captain's quarters, Charlotte Linlin sat in deep contemplation, his expression clouded with frustration.
He had to take the lead in everything. No matter what, he couldn't escape the fate of always being the one to handle things.
"Why do we need to build a port? Why do we have to think about so many things and wear ourselves out?"
Wouldn't it be better to find an uninhabited island, retreat deep into the wilderness, and live a quiet, carefree life?
But such a life would grow dull after just two months.
Even if he were to take things easy, the quality of life couldn't be compromised!
More importantly, he was always cautious, and his approach ensured stability and security.
BOOM!
The ship suddenly rocked and slowed down.
Moments later, Beta burst into the room, his voice brimming with excitement.
"Boss Charlotte! We've arrived!"
Charlotte rose from his seat and strode toward the deck.
At first glance, the island before them was vast—mountains surrounded by ancient trees, their dense canopy occasionally disturbed as startled flocks of birds took flight. It had a primitive, untouched quality to it.
"This island is much bigger than Lati Island," Charlotte noted, his eyes narrowing.
"Find a good spot to dock."
After some time, a natural harbor appeared along the coastline. The ships slowly approached and came to a stop.
As soon as Charlotte and his crew disembarked, he suddenly froze.
"Charlotte? What's wrong?" Lina asked, noticing the shift in his demeanor.
Charlotte's gaze sharpened. "Everyone, be on high alert!"
Something wasn't right.
The island was eerily silent.
In the distance, flocks of birds could still be seen flying, yet there wasn't a single bird call in their immediate surroundings.
For a seasoned pirate who had traveled the unpredictable waters of the New World, this was a massive red flag.
A lush island like this should have startled some wildlife upon their arrival, yet there were no signs of any animals—no rustling in the underbrush, no distant howls or chirps.
Even in the ever-changing climates of the New World, islands like this were home to massive beasts. The absence of any life forms was simply unnatural.
Charlotte made a quick decision. "Lina, stay here with a dozen men and guard the ship. The rest, follow me inland."
They proceeded cautiously.
After advancing over a hundred meters, they still hadn't encountered a single living creature. Even Beta, usually brimming with energy, was starting to feel uneasy.
"Boss… it's too quiet here," Beta muttered.
Charlotte cast him a glance, slightly surprised.
"This fool actually noticed something for once? Not bad."
Unfortunately, if an ambush had been waiting for them, Beta's late realization wouldn't have saved him.
Caution first. Safety above all.
Charlotte kept his Observation Haki active the entire way, but despite his vigilance, he sensed nothing unusual. The island was simply too large, and his current range wasn't enough to scan everything.
They had no choice but to continue exploring carefully.
Suddenly, Charlotte's keen eyes caught something in the distance.
Without hesitation, he leaped forward, his figure disappearing in a flash.
"Boss Charlotte, wait for me!" Beta yelled, rushing after him, followed by the rest of the crew.
A few moments later, Charlotte emerged into a massive clearing—his breath catching slightly at the sight before him.
A colossal wooden house, nearly twenty meters tall, loomed over the open space.
"This… is enormous!"
Even with his nearly two-meter frame, Charlotte felt dwarfed.
Beta, arriving moments later, was equally stunned before bursting into excited laughter.
"OH-KA-KA! A castle?!"
Charlotte side-eyed him.
"This guy's brain really doesn't work."
If a mere wooden house like this could be considered a castle, then Elbaf's strongholds must be palaces of the gods.
He ignored Beta's nonsense and turned his attention to the surroundings.
The sheer scale of the wooden structure suggested only one possible conclusion—this was the dwelling of a giant.
Charlotte's expression darkened.
He hadn't expected to encounter giants here.
A sense of caution settled over him.
Scattered around the clearing were the skeletons of massive beasts. Whatever lived here was strong enough to hunt creatures of this size with ease.
"Did they wipe out all the wildlife on the island?" Charlotte mused.
Yet, despite the overwhelming signs of a powerful presence, his Observation Haki still failed to detect anything.
And that was the most unsettling part.
RUMBLE—
A deep, thunderous sound echoed from the jungle.
Charlotte's gaze snapped toward the trees just as an enormous figure emerged.
A twelve-meter-tall giant, clad in animal pelts and wearing a horned helmet, stepped into the clearing. A massive iron club rested on his shoulder, his sharp eyes locking onto the intruders.
"Wha—?! A MONSTER!!"
Some of the younger crew members screamed in fear.
Charlotte's voice boomed, silencing them.
"Calm down! That's a giant."
Beta, however, was already charging forward in reckless excitement.
"OH-KA-KA! Let's see how strong this guy is!"
Charlotte's head throbbed.
"This idiot!"
The giant wasted no time. With a swift motion, he swung his massive hand like a wrecking ball.
BOOM!
Beta was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing hard onto the ground.
Charlotte wasn't too concerned. Beta had an absurdly durable body—this kind of attack wouldn't take him down so easily.
"Ow! That HURT!" Beta groaned, staggering to his feet.
The giant blinked in mild surprise.
Beta prepared to charge again, but Charlotte stepped in front of him, stopping him with a firm gesture.
Despite his reckless nature, Beta would never disobey Charlotte's direct order.
The giant's voice boomed across the clearing like rolling thunder.
"Why have you trespassed in my territory?"
Charlotte remained composed, though his mind raced with calculations.
This giant could be dangerous. Most giants had incredibly short tempers.
He responded carefully.
"We're just passing through. No trouble intended."
The giant grinned.
"Then prove it—with a fight!"
Charlotte sighed.
"Of course."
As the giant raised his massive club, Charlotte instantly activated his Observation Haki, swiftly dodging the first strike. The sheer force of the impact sent a shockwave through the clearing.
Without missing a beat, Charlotte sprang forward, twisting mid-air and delivering a devastating whip kick to the giant's head.
BOOM!
The force of the strike distorted the giant's horned helmet, forcing him to stumble backward several steps.
Charlotte landed effortlessly, dusting himself off.
His crew erupted in cheers.
"Boss Charlotte is amazing!!"
The giant steadied himself, shaking off the impact, his expression now filled with something between shock and admiration.
Charlotte narrowed his eyes.
This wasn't over yet.